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Land of
Princes, as Rajasthan is called, shows off, many a fine
gastronomic both within the palaces and outside. The
royal kitchens of Rajasthan, the preparation of food was
a very complex matter and was raised to the levels of an
art form. Thus the 'Khansamas' (the royal cooks) worked
in the stately palaces and kept their most enigmatic
recipes to themselves. Some recipes were passed on to
their descendants and the rest were passed on as skills
to the chefs of semi states and the branded hotel
companies.
Rajasthani cooking was inclined to the war-like
lifestyle of the medieval Rajasthan and the availability
of ingredients of the region. Food that could last for
several days and could be eaten without heating was
preferred, more out of necessity than choice. Scarcity
of water, fresh green vegetables have had their effect
on cooking.
In the desert belt of Jaisalmer, Barmer and Bikaner,
cooks use a minimum of water and prefer, instead, to use
more milk, buttermilk and clarified butter. A distinct
feature of the Maheshwari cooking is the use of mango
powder, a suitable substitute for tomatoes, scarce in
the desert, and asafoetida, to enhance the taste in the
absence of garlic and onions. |
