For several tourists, Rajasthan is the land of golden dunes, vibrant culture, majestic forts, and royalty. But only culinary enthusiasts and foodies know that the state hides secrets to gastronomic heaven in their spice boxes and kitchens. While you can taste the regional food on the streets and in restaurants, you will have to make some effort for your taste buds to enjoy the food of the Marwar region.
Marwari cuisine, which has roots in the food prepared by the Marwari community, royal Rajputs, desert natives, and Mughals, is not only rich in taste but also carries forward the story of its interesting past. To enjoy the food associated with this cuisine, you will have to visit the Marwar region, but if you are in Delhi-NCR, you cannot miss out on the Royal Marwari Feast at Tamra, Shangri-La Eros.
Chef Narayan Jha Maharaj, who has been feeding the Marwai food to people across the world since the 1960s, is someone who will take you inside royal kitchens and acquaint you with the culinary heritage of Rajasthan with his dishes. From Rajasthan to Kolkata, Delhi to around the world, the chef has been leaving people surprised with no-onion and no-garlic recipes boasting such a rich palate.
It takes 24 hours for the 78-year-old chef to prepare the dishes on the menu - dal bati churma, Jodhouri kachori, ker sangria, pithor ki sabzi, papad ki sabzi, aloo liptwa, aam ki kheer, and more. “Main kaam jaise ki sabzi banana, sweets banana, mai karta hu. Baki ke chefs help karte hain (I do the main task of making curries, dal, and sweets, and my peers help me with ingredients, cooking, and other tasks in the kitchen,” added the chef.
Royal Kitchens And Marwari Cuisine
From dal-bati to ker-sangri, many dishes in the Marwari cuisine are prepared using minimal ingredients and wild produce. For example, soldiers used to make bati and cover them with sand before heading for battles. When they used to come back, bati used to cook thoroughly (as the temperature in some parts of the region crosses 50°C). Similarly, ker and sangri are wild produce that are used in the kitchen in a variety of ways because the region was arid, and the absence of fertile land made it difficult to cultivate and harvest fresh produce.
Chef Narayan Jha Maharaj has been associated with the royal kitchen of HH Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II since he was 12-14. Describing the food scenes, he said, “At least 10-20 maharaj (chefs) used to cook together in a huge kitchen. Some are preparing something, others are working around the chulha (with burning wood) to cook at least 50 delicacies for a meal. The spread included bajra khichdi, meetha daliya, namkeen daliya, mangochi (moong dal vadi served with moong dal gravy), nagodi (puri prepared with a dough of atta and sooji), and more.”
The 78-year-old chef has not only cooked for the Singh family in Jaipur, but his culinary skills have taken him to London, New York, Bangkok, and many destinations abroad. He has catered for many royal families in India, including the Ambanis and Piramals during Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal’s wedding festivities in Udaipur.
Evolution Of Marwari Cuisine
“It’s more professional now,” added Chef Narayan Jha Maharaj while talking about the evolution of Marwari cuisine. “Wo base same nhi hain par khana to yahi ta or abhi bhi yahi hai to uss par hum kaam krte hain (there are new ingredients added to the recipes, techniques have evolved, but dishes are the same),” he said.
He explained that decades ago, people used to cook food on sand and wood fire, but today, chefs use ovens. “However, if you visit the villages and towns of Rajasthan, you will witness people cooking in makeshift wood fire ovens only,” he added.
The feast prepared by Chef Narayan Jha Maharaj at Shangri-La Eros does not include onion and garlic. You will find garlic chutney among condiments but not as a part of gravy and curries. “Originally, the Marwari cuisine did not use onion and garlic because people in the region used to eat stale food. Using these ingredients decreases the shelf life of dishes, but with time, palates have evolved and people now cook regional delights using onion and garlic to suit various palates.”
Secrets Of Marwari Cuisine
Shedding light on the fiery dishes prepared in the state, the chef shared that Rajasthani food is loaded with chillies and spices because they make it nutritious. People believe that chillies also help to keep many health issues at bay, therefore, dishes such as mirchi pakora, mirch kalonji, mich tempering, mirchi ka salan, and mirchi ki sabzi are quite common.
Carrying forward the conversation on no-onion and no-garlic delights he prepared, Chef Narayan Jha Maharaj said that he uses curd and besan (gram flour) to create a base for various curries. While besan thickens the curry, curd enhances the flavour and richness.
Chef Narayan Jha Maharaj shared secrets to prepare authentic batis at home. He prepares the dough, shapes it into batis, and steams the spheres. After he receives the request to serve bati with dal and churma, he roasts them in the oven.
If you are new to Marwari cuisine, Chef Narayan Jha Maharaj suggests savouring dal bati churma, bajra khichdi, dahi vada, raabri, ker-sangri, panchkuta (made with five wild ingredients), and guar fali ki sabzi.