For years now, travellers headed to Rajasthan have had ‘laal maans’ or red lamb curry marked as a bucket list adventure rather than a dish to be sampled— pull up any menu of an Indian restaurant in the state, and the dish is the flag bearer of the ‘Rajasthani cuisine’ section. It’s little surprise then, that many people are unaware of the largely vegetarian history of the state.
Traditional Rajasthani food originates from the Marwar region, which is mainly vegetarian. The overall cuisine of the state however has been shaped by two primary influences— the desert environment, and its history of warfare. This led to a focus on foods that thrive in arid conditions and dishes that can be preserved for extended periods. The impact of the smaller Rajput sect though and its fondness for game meat, is undeniable and evident in the state’s modern food. With the rise in tourism, dishes like laal maans became emblematic of Rajasthani cuisine, overshadowing its vegetarian influences. In the capital city of Jaipur though, there are still plenty of places that preserve its green traditions, kickstarting with one of its most popular sights that is popular for a reason.
Chowki Dhani may be dismissed as a commercial hub, but there is no place better than the theme fair for an introduction to the desert state; with its camels and kalbelia dance performances, parodies, puppeteers, and magicians, it is the ultimate starter pack. The icing on the cake is its extensive dinner, best enjoyed in its traditional huts sitting cross-legged on the floor, as the ever-smiling servers come bearing little pails of gatta jodhpuri, kadhi and other yoghurt-based curries, breads and buttermilk, and the rice favourite khichda, insisting on seconds, with obscene toppings of ghee.
In stark contrast to my food experience there is the Royal Root, the in-house fine dining restaurant at the Intercontinental Jaipur, the first one to have opened in North India. If eating out in Jaipur is a kaleidoscope of colours and flavours, feasting on a multi-course Royal Root meal is, aptly, a tryst with the regal side of the city. With a touch of Awadhi royalty in its menu and ambience, the place wins you over as soon as you step into its subtly gilded environ. The glow of candles light up your table and your cutlery, and delicately embroidered napkins sit poised gracefully besides the dainty porcelain. In the Rajasthani mains, the Ker Sangria catches my eye; rehydrated Ker berries and sangria beans, cooked in the same red chilli as laal maans. Rajgharaane ka Saag, greens from the royal house, is a puree of organic vegetables, pan seared in spice dust that complements the former. Pair these with the signature Kofta Anari, cottage cheese puffs stuffed with dry fruit paste, and the mind-blowing Kashmiri starter, Nadroo ki Shammi, braised lotus stem patties stuffed with cheese, and you have a vegetarian meal fit for a king. Much like royalty, I trundle upstairs later to my plush suite, and in the long walk through swanky corridors and lobbies, decide to skip a fort or two the following day.
After a rejuvenating massage at the in-house Tattva spa the next day, I break my palette monotony with a Chinese lunch at the House of Han which has an impressive vegetarian range for the cuisine it serves. There is a search still left in the lanes of Jaipur for dessert including the perfect ghewar, and the good old moong daal halwa that takes every North Indian wedding by storm. I will begin my hunt though with the humble chenna malpua, the hung cheese, sugar and spice dessert without which even the best laal maans is incomplete— in this city brimming with the exotic, there is always a surprise topping that makes even the simple, far from ordinary.
