A CUISINE FIT FOR THE KINGS

UDAIPURI FOOD HAS A UNIQUE BLEND OF LOCAL, ROYAL AND JAIN INFLUENCES, AS WELL AS HINTS OF THE GUJARATI PALATE

Udaipuri cuisine is known for its rich history, seeped in royalty. And while Rajasthani cuisine is popular for its Rajputana dishes like the laal maas and khad khargosh, Udaipuri cuisine is inspired by seasonal produce, thanks to local communities like the Jains. Delicacies like papad ki sabji, lehsun ki chutney, mirchi bada and ghewar are quite well known. Since Udaipur is close to Gujarat, we also see a lot of Gujarati influence in the cuisine. At the same time, there are instances of Muslim influences, which has led to a new breed of RajputanaMughlai cuisine in the region. The royals would love game hunting and till date, lamb is bred and eaten with a lot of enthusiasm. The khad khargosh or the khad gosht uses game rabbit or lamb, cooked in a pit. Lamb is highly revered in the non-veg eating communities. The Sailana Gharana uses lamb to make maas ka halwa, a dish peculiar to Udaipuri cuisine. Other more common cooking methods like frying, sautéing are also used. Some other famous food items found here include pyaaz ki kachori, jungli maas, gattey ki subzi and a very famous rice preparation called kabuli, a cross between pulao and biryani.

Red chilli powder is used heavily in cooking a lot of non-vegetarian products. Amchoor is also added and gives a sharp tartness to the mirchi bada or pyaaz ki kachori. A lot of asafoetida is used as many communities living in and around Udaipur are strict Jain followers and don’t eat root vegetables.

A common myth is that Udaipuri cuisine is oily and spicy. People from Udaipur can stand the testimony of their food being not spicy, though their love of ghee is inevitable and they love to top off their lentils or rotis with a teaspoon of it.

Regional fare, in general, is highly unexplored in our country. But 2018 ushers a lot of hope with local cuisine being promoted and we hope the popularity of regional cuisines only grow from here.