Classic Cooking of Rajasthan with a Special Section on Cuisine of Kotah

Rajasthan the cradle of chivalry and the land of romance, evokes resplendent images of majestic forts and beautiful palaces. The food in Rajasthan, the land of princes, matches its cultural inheritance in architecture, crafts and music.

The present-day state touches the borders of Punjab and Gujarat on one side and Haryana and Madhya Pradesh on the other. Its cuisine has been enriched by diversity of influences. There is a strong tradition of vegetarian repast, cherished by Jains who lay the greatest emphasis on non-violence. Intrepid traders and merchant princes have travelled to different parts of the country from the Marwar region and have an all-India presence and in the process have made a unique contribution to this repertorie.

The folk song Rang rangeelo maro Rajasthan, aptly paints word pictures that reflect accordingly the vibrant splashes of colour in tie-and-dye fabrics, exotically decorated camels and scarlet sunsets amid the sand dunes. The tales of heroism that the balladeers sing reverberate long after the singing has ceased. The melodies are haunting that keep fresh the memory of beautiful princesses who aroused great passions and at times triggered wars changing the course of history. Not much grows in the arid wasteland of the desert but this has not cramped the culinary style of those who dwell there. They have imaginatively created myriad delicacies from lentils, dairy produce and what little vegetables are locally available. (jacket)