Five Days of Times Rajasthan Cuisine Trail

Almost every region of Rajasthan, the western desert state of India, has evolved a different style of cooking associated with the specific culture and geographic region. This has led to creation of Rajasthani dishes unique to the region and thus Rajasthan has such different cuisines. It is difficult to point out one single famous Rajasthani food among the several Rajasthani food items I had during the five days of Times Rajasthan Cuisine Trail.

Rajasthan is known for seventeen of the forty spices of India and seven out of the eleven pulses of India. With these ingredients, the heritage food industry of Rajasthan has delivered scores and scores of mouth watering dishes.

Google Map Cuisine trail through Rajasthan – 866 km.

Times Rajasthan Cuisine Trail passed through different cities of Rajasthan, a total distance of 866 km in five days with night halts at Jaipur, Bikaner, Marugarh near Jodhpur and finally at Udaipur. Since travel and food go hand in hand, the objective of the trail was to find and taste the special Rajasthani dishes of each region.

Every town/city we halted we got to taste different Rajasthani food Thali which consisted of the popular dish of the region. Most of the restaurants we chose to halt were old ones, which have stood the test of time, still drawing crowds and giving tough competition to the newly mushrooming eateries.

Be ready to dig into Rajasthan’s hyper-regional food culture with me on this trip.

Day One of Rajasthan Cuisine Trail

We had a very quirky start of the cuisine trail, wherein we were taken to the OTH Bistro and Bakers, a popular café of Jaipur, which offers continental dishes. You can read about the latest evolving Jaipur Café culture here à Jaipur Café Culture Experience. This gave us a perspective on how rich our traditional dishes of Rajasthan are compared to the international taste that is trickling in and conquering the palate of the youth.

Read more: Where to Eat in Jaipur after Sightseeing and Shopping

Here is what we had during street food tour of Jaipur

We tasted the fresh cream and butter of Gulab Chand diary. It is a one stop destination for all kinds of dairy products. A teeny weeny shop, it is being run by a third generation inheritant.

Hing ki Kachori, yes the famous kachoris of Rajasthan stuffed with masala mix of asafoetida (hing). This is a popular spice among Jains, because their diets forbid use of onions and garlic. It is as important a flavour enhancer as salt. The best place to have it is at Puran ji Kachori waale, an old shop established in 1963.

Lakshmi Mishtaan Bhandar, popularly known as LMB Sweets, is famous for many sweets. I loved the ghewar here. For the first time I held a ghewar in my hand and felt its rough texture made of maida (all purpose refined flour).

Jaipur Street food tour

Inaugural Ceremony in Jai Mahal Jaipur

In the evening we assembled in Jai Mahal Palace for the inaugural ceremony of our trail. It was graced by a host of dignitaries. There were Rajasthani songs and dance and an interesting food talk between Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi, Master Chef Shipra Khanna and food architect Dushyant Singh.

The dinner spread was lavish, but one thing I noticed was that with each food item the kcals it contained was also mentioned. It helped me restrain myself from hogging on the delicious dishes.

Day Two of Rajasthan Cuisine Trail

The journey began from Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s residence. It was a goosebump moment, having tea and snacks at the residence of the head of the Government of Rajasthan.

Chief Minister flags off the Rajasthan Cuisine Trail

From Jaipur we travelled to Mandawa in Jhunjhunu district, Shekhawati region of Rajasthan, a distance of 169 km. Mandawa is famous for Havelis (big mansions) with their paintings, murals, and various other beautiful artefacts. But keeping these aside we focused on the food of Mandawa.

The kind of vegetarian dishes that I had in The Desert Resort Mandawa completely destroyed the myth I believed for so long that Rajasthan is all about Daal Bati Churma or Lal Maas. Here are some of the veg dishes, let me know in the comment box how many you have had.

• Baingan ki Lonji (brinjal)
• Kaddu ka keema (a traditional local dish of pumpkin)
• matire ki sabzi (watermelon rind curry)
• Anjeer ke kofte (mix of fig with different ingredients made into balls)

Here we witnessed the making of traditional lac bangles and making of juti (shoes) with camel leather. I made some quick purchases of lac bangles, souvenirs that wouldn’t increase my baggage weight.

Demo of How to make Lac bangles

The next destination was Bikaner, 192 km, the halt planned at Laxmi Niwas Palace. The thought of spending a night in the grandest palace of Bikaner kept us excited and eager to get there fast. Some unexpected traffic jams delayed us and we could get to the Bikaner Palace at around nine in the night.

Laxmi Niwas Palace, a magnificent red sandstone structure, was made by Late Maharaja Ganga Singh, the maker of modern Bikaner and designed by Sir Swinton Jacob in the Anglo-Scenic style.

The dinner spread in the lawns of the palace was beyond lavishness. Laal Maas of Laxmi Niwas Palace in Bikaner is considered to be the best in the whole of Rajasthan. It is said the meat here is cooked in red gulmohar flowers, for that colour, though none of the chefs around revealed to me the exact recipe.

2nd Day of Rajasthan Cuisine Trail

Day Three of Rajasthan Cuisine Trail

Breakfast at Chhotu Motu Joshi Sweet shop

Next morning we were off to explore the local food of Bikaner city. This city has lots to offer beyond the famous Bikaneri Bhujia or Kachori that we all know. We landed at Chotu Motu Sweet shop for breakfast. Their puri and dana methi sabzi (fenugreek seed curry) combo for breakfast is food for the soul! Who manufactures such deadly power packed combos!

Other pet pooja saamaan (appetizing dishes) were: Bikaneri Rasgulla, Jalebi, Raj Kachori, Mirchi bada, Paneer Kofta, Sweeeeeet Lassi, kesar kulfi, and more. I am drooling while I write.

Now for some herbal drinks, we set off for Chunnilal Tanwar’s shop, which has been dishing out flavored sharbet (cordials) since 1939. After the heavy breakfast, the ice cold flavored herbal drinks calmed the digestive system. You get flavors like fennel, jasmine, rose, sandalwood, clove and more.

Bikaner Food and drinks

For some spiritual solace we next arrived at the doorsteps of Karni Mata Mandir, popularly known as the Temple for Rats, in Deshnok, 31 km from Bikaner. This temple is worth a visit to see how devotees feed hundreds of rats with milk, sweets, pulses and grains. Do read the story of this quirky temple here – Karni Mata Temple in Deshnok near Bikaner.

Lunch in Khimsar Fort

Back to the cuisine trail… the next destination was Khimsar Fort to taste the cuisine of Nagaur region. It is more Jodhpuri Cuisine which is yoghurt based unlike Shekhawati cuisine which is tomato based. The curries here had a creamy texture and felt richer on the tongue. I was bowled over by the range of sabzis in the buffet that I arranged bowls of them around my plate. There were 21 items, including rotis as one item and excluding the sweets!

Later we got to see the grand collection and display of vintage cars of the King of Khimsar.

Khimsar Rajasthan Cuisine and Vintage Cars

Stay in The Desert Resort Marugarh

The night halt was at Marugarh (98.7 km) near Jodhpur. Fortunately the roads were free of traffic and we could reach in time to see the fort with a backdrop of sky blushing in a shade of pink during the twilight hours.

After tea with the manager of the resort we retired to our rooms to freshen up and reassemble. We were promised the most exciting dish of the trip here – Khad Gosht. (khad means pit and gosht means meat)

It is a traditional Indian hunter dish prepared and consumed during the days of the Rajput kings. The kill would be khargosh (rabbit), but today they use anything from chicken, lamb, wild boar. The meat is first marinated, wrapped in the dough rolled out to make roti, then wrapped in aluminum foil, buried in a pit, topped with charcoal fire and mud and slow cooked for a few hours. When the chef took it out from the pit, the meat was fully cooked, tasted tender and juicy, completely infused with the spices used.

Well, this was only a part of the elaborate dinner buffet laid out for the guests of the Marugarh Resort. Remember I mentioned Makai ki Raab in Khimsar menu; here, in Marugarh, I had the Bajra version, Baajre ki Raab. Slurped up one whole bowl of it, that is a bowl of tasty protein.

Khadgosht in Marugarh Resort

Day Four of Rajasthan Cuisine Trail

Woke up slightly glum; more than half the trail was over!

Breakfast at Janta Sweet Home and Vijay Sweets

We had our morning tea in Marugarh resort and left for Janta Sweet Home in Jodhpur city. It is a spacious, brightly lit eatery that can cheer up anyone down in the dumps. One after another the dishes came in – starting with the famous Mirchi Bada of Jodhpur, Khaman dhokla, pani puri, pyaz kachori, Mawa Kachori, Raj kachori, Jalebi… I kept just tasting the dishes till I could have no more!

One more dish tasting was planned for the morning; I had to save space in my tummy for that. This was the Malai Roti – the five star dish of the cuisine trail.

Hard to describe this rare dish, nevertheless let me try to explain – it is a roti like structure, believed to be constructed with just malai (Cream – malai – is a thick liquid that is produced from milk), laden with dry chewy malai, sweet sugary syrup, topped with crispy fried dry fruits and silver foil. It had a light creamy taste, not the thick rabri type. Sweetness was just right, not like mawa kachori.

Malai roti was voted the most unique dish of the Times Rajasthan Cuisine Trail. The owner of the restaurant didn’t part with the secret recipe, that mystery in fact made us like it more. We had Gulab jamun sabzi sandwich, Kabuli pulao and Prem Pyala.

With tummy full we set off to explore Mehrangarh Fort. A relaxed tour of the fort will easily take half a day. Do read Secret Stories of Mighty Mehrangarh Fort at Jodhpur to know more.

Jodhpur sweets from Janta Sweet Home and Vijay Sweets Top row 1. Raj Kachori, 2. Pani puri, 3. Mawa Kachori Middle Row 1. Prem Pyala, 2. Jalebi, 3. Gulab Jamun Sandwich Bottom row – 1. Malai Roti 2. Pyaz Kachori 3. Kabuli Pulao

Lunch at Shandar Bhoj Restaurant

We were next at Shandar Bhoj Restaurant for lunch. This restaurant is famed for Gulab Jamun ki Sabzi, Ras Malai ki sabzi, Kabuli Pulao (not made of Kabuli chana, but with pieces of gatta, bread crumbs, small pieces of potatoes and loads of spices).

Hearty meals stuffed up to throat, we set off for Udaipur Chunda Hotel, our final destination 268 km from Jodhpur.

Check in to Chunda Palace Boutique Hotel

Chunda Palace was converted to a hotel 16 years back. The interior decor is beyond mesmerising! The amenities fitted were modern, but the décor was heritage style with colourful murals and antique show pieces. It is a good photo ops place for lifestyle influencers. Nevertheless we too tried posing with elaborately done up walls and heritage furniture.

Dinner was on the 6th floor, roof top of the hotel; from there we got more than 180degree views of Udaipur town, Pichola lakes, palaces and other five star hotels. Dinner was King Size wherein the dessert, Diljani, stole the show.

What left me amazed in this trip was that every city, every restaurant, we visited was dishing out one unique dish or the other of Rajasthan cuisine. Udaipur is known for this sweet dish – Diljani.

Lunch in Jodhpur – Roti, Kabuli Pulao, Gulab Jamun ki Sabzi Dinner in Udaipur – Makhana Pulao, Laal Maas

Day Five of Rajasthan Cuisine Trail

Breakfast was in their poolside Royal Cuisine, their fine dining restaurant, which is their main restaurant, is open throughout the day. They had the usual continental and south Indian stuff. For a change it tasted good.  

Morning sightseeing was as planned at Sajjangarh Fort. Do explore the fort virtually here – Sajjangarh Monsoon Palace of Udaipur.

Lunch was at Natraj Dining Hall famous for its vegetarian Rajasthani Thali. With unlimited serving of all items and 700 INR for two thalis, it is value for money and tummy. The restaurant is so busy that if you reach there after one at noon on a Sunday without reservations you won’t even have a place to stand, leave alone a seat.

Some of us went out to explore Udaipur city after lunch. Udaipur is a profusion of natural beauty with lots of greenery, mountains and lakes, charming medieval era temples, bustling colourful bazaars and breathtaking royal architecture. No tourist to this city will ever go back disappointed as it has all elements to satisfy all kinds of travelers. Udaipur is one of the most enchanting tourist destinations in the country for both local and foreign travelers in India!

Memento from The Times of India

The closing ceremony was held in the lawns of Ambrai Restaurant on the banks of Lake Pichola. The King and Queen of Udaipur royal family graced the occasion. We all were presented with beautiful mementos, a sort of memorabilia, by the Joint Director (marketing) of Rajasthan Tourism, Ms. Sumita Saroch.

Conclusion

During this entire trip we couldn’t see the process of cooking at any place; neither did they share the recipe with the list and quantity of ingredients used. Be it the butter in GPD, or Malai Roti in Jodhpur, Diljani at Udaipur or even the Bikaneri Rasgulla. Many of them claimed their unique dishes to be their family secret. Quite understandable, copycats are everywhere! We tasted/ate all the dishes.

This trip was more to create awareness about unique dishes a traveler/tourist can try at the different tourist destinations of Rajasthan famously known for its architecture and culture.

Thanks to Rajasthan Tourism and Times Passion Trail for this amazing journey and experience!

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