Rajasthani Thali

Vikram and I have always wanted to make the Rajasthani Thali just to learn how to make two dishes - in my case it was the Dal Baati Churma and for Vikram it was the Laal Maas. But we had to patiently wait till we got the authentic Rajasthani Mathaniya Mirch delivered to our home. These red chillies impart a bright red color to the mutton curry and are the primary reason for the dish to be called Laal Maas or red meat. While we were focused on these two dishes, we were pleasantly surprised with the rest of the thali we cooked as well. The Jodhpuri Mirchi Vada was especially a revelation and will definitely make an appearance as an appetizer in the dinners we plan to eventually host for friends and family. Overall, we had a blast cooking this thali and thoroughly enjoyed devouring it as well.

Jodhpuri Mirchi Vada (Link to recipe)

This is a trademark street food from Jodhpur where chilli peppers are stuffed with a spiced potato filing, then coated with chickpea batter and deep-fried. We made this with Jalapeno peppers but they can also be made with the milder yellow peppers as well.

Rajasthani Missi Roti (Link to recipe)

These rotis are made out of chickpea flour (besan), wheat flour and spices. They were tasty enough to eat just with a pickle on the side. Definitely an interesting alternative to the more common wheat roti.

Dal Baati Churma (Link to recipe)

This dish is a complete meal in itself!! It is a true labor of love though, involving kneading the dough, baking the baati, frying the wheat fritters, grinding the fritters to make the churma and finally pressure cooking the Panchmel dal. Phew!! But man, it was so worth it. A bite of the crunchy baati soaked in the dal with the sweet churma and a touch of melting ghee on top!! Heaven on earth - folks!! Heaven on earth!!

Gatte Ki Sabzi (Link to recipe)

In this dish, chickpea flour dumplings are boiled and then added to a yogurt based curry. While the texture of the dumplings itself is an acquired taste, the base curry was what we found interesting since it did not have any tomatoes added to it.

Mangodi ki kadhi (Link to recipe)

This kadhi is the usual chickpea flour and yogurt based dish but has a thinner consistency and is set apart by the addition of cloves. Also, instead of the pakodas, lentil badis are fried and added to the kadhi just before serving.

Laal Maas (Link to recipe)

Among all the non-vegetarian dishes in India, Laal Maas is one of the quintessential dishes that you need to experience in your lifetime. The authentic preparation of this dish excludes ingredients like coriander, garam masala or even tomatoes and instead the dish includes Mathania mirchi, garlic and yogurt. The Mirchi is not spicy hot but along with the garlic, greatly accentuates the taste of the meat. It is this simplicity that makes the dish lip-smacking good while also amazing to look at.

Safed Maas (Link to recipe)

While the Laal Maas is set apart by it’s simple ingredients, this rich royal dish has a gravy base made out of cashews, almonds, milk and cream. Almost an anti-thesis of the Laal Maas, coloring agents like turmeric or red chilli powder are completely absent in the preparation.

Churma Laddoo (Link to recipe)

The churma for the dal-baati is a dessert in itself due to the addition of ghee, nuts and sugar. So it made sense to extend the dish by adding more ghee and binding the churma into balls to form laddoos. We found these to be especially addictive as we gobbled them up throughout the week.

Housing the Thar Desert, Rajasthan is an arid state with extreme climates and less vegetation. But it’s cuisine stands as a testament that the human love for food can surpass all barriers to create unique, rich and delicious dishes. We were blown away by the method of preparation, the ingredients, the depth and the taste of this thali.