Rajasthan is well known for its regality and cuisines. The food that is served on the streets are at times tastier than the ones served in fancy restaurants. Hence there are more takers for street food in Rajasthan. You will be surprised to know that many of the street food that is available in Rajasthan costs less than 30Rs. It is very hard not to fall into the lure of cheap but tasty street food of Rajasthan. Some of the outlets were so crowded that I had to wait for nearly 15-20 minutes before I could get what I wanted. But street food is your only option especially for breakfast. During my 10 day trip to Rajasthan, I did try many types of street food. Here is a pick of some of my favourite Rajasthani street food.
Kachori – It is one of the most common breakfast snack. Kachoris have a flour based crust with a filling. Filling is usually onion ( pyaz kachori) or dal ( dal kachori) which is prepared with a variety of spices. It is then deep fried in oil or desi ghee. Kachoris are generally spicy and are served with coriander and tamarind chutney. Even though I was averse to taking oily food for breakfast, many a time that was the only item I could find for breakfast. In Jodhpur, I tried the much famed Mawa kachori which was filled with dry fruits and soaked in sugar syrup.
Poha – Even though Poha is a Central Indian dish, it is a very common breakfast item in Rajasthan. It is prepared by mixing flattened rice flakes and raw onion and sev. It is very light for stomach and became my favourite breakfast during my Rajasthan trip and had it in many times.
Dal Pakwan – It is a royal Sindhi (Indian) breakfast. Pakwans are crispy flat bread that resemble crackers and are made with all purpose flour or wheat flour. Soft dal is poured over Pakwan and it is drizzled with coriander and tamarind chutney. It is also topped with fresh cut onion and tomato pieces. I tasted it in a street shop located just outside the Jaisalmer fort. It was crunchy and flavourful.
Mirchi bada – Mirchi vada that you get in Rajasthan is different from the ones that you get in South India. In Rajasthan, a potato filling is filled inside the chilly before coating with paste of gram/besan flour and deep frying. It is then cut and served with a variety of chutnies. It is one of the best version of Mirchi vada I had ever tried and loved the spicy snacky delight.
Methi gatta – Gattas are oil fried snacks prepared from gram flour, methi or fenugreek leaves, asafoetida and various other spices. It is then served with chutney. It is a popular breakfast item in Udaipur and Jain Nashta centre serves some of the best kachoris and Gattas.
Boiled egg burji – We are all familiar with egga burji which is basically scrampled eggs prepared with eggs, onion, tomato and various spices. Boiled egg burji which is a specialty of Udaipur is prepared with boiled eggs. Boiled eggs are cut into small pieces and fried in oil along with variety of spices and sauces and garnished with coriander leaves. It was very spicy and delectable.
Masala chaach – If you ask me one food on which I survived the heat of Rajasthan , it is the famous chach or buttermilk. I used to have gallons of chaach for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Chaach kept me cool and hydrated during my entire journey.
Gond kathira shikanji – The name sounded very weird. The weird ones always figure in my must try list and so had this drink from Jodhpur. Its lemonade (shikanji) to which gond kathira ( dried sap of a shrub) is added. Gond kathira which resembles gelatin, floats in the shikanji. As such gond kathira is odourless and tasteless. Gond kathira is supposed to have a cooling effect on body.
Makhaniya lassi – It is lassi flavoured with saffron, cardamom and rose water. It is topped with a thick layer of yoghurt cream and a dollop of hung curd. Final result is an absolutely delicious lassi which is so thick that you can’t drink it and have to use a spoon to eat it. Don’t forget to try it from Mishrilal shop in Jodhpur.
Kullad ki rabdi – Rabdi is condensed milk and kullad is a clay tumbler. Rabdi served in Kullad has a special taste and the stalls near Fatehpur lake in Udaipur are famous for this sweet treat. I had gone there after a particularly tiring day. It was really relaxing to sit by the lake side and soak in the sweetness of rabdi.
If you are a health conscious person let me warn you! Most of the street food were high – on- calorie but even higher- on- taste. For me trips are one of the times when you forget all your diet goals and try out all the calorie rich food that you can lay your hands on ! So just enjoy these lip smacking street foods when you visit Rajasthan.
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