to iBoY.Er A hearthy.attitude food: A nodern punfabrfrmily around the dinner table.

R'GHT:' RaJrhreeTanwar puts 6ut the tJadhroiJ Raiasthani from which four'peopte can cai thal

DesertSands And Shikar Expeditions

KalpanaVaidyaTanwar Rajasthani, more specifically, or Rajputcuisineusedto be ientred aiound exotic meats- now, the freshest vegetables availiblein the state of are andgarlicis considered the,virility, factorf'I I

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boar, partridge and rabbit were law still enthral me with thelr 2 cup3 wrter l1h llp. red chlllle powdcr the regular old-time favourites. talesof traditionalRajputfare. I lsp. cclender powder As a result,many exotic and lei. Vz trp. tunnerlc surely methods of preparlng FROM RECIPES S.lt to taste these meAtseiolved. They were RAJASTHAN 4 grecn chillier, finely choppcd pickled,sousedIn spicesand en2 onions,finely choppcd casedin dough,buried in hot deFew sprlgs coilander, flnely sert sandsand roasted. Now, in WHITEMUTTON chopped conthesedavs of environmental have vivid memoriesof mY sciousneis, mutton, chicken and Vz kg. mutton, cut into Pieces I meal' After pork have replacedthe tradition- 2 pods garllc' Peeled first Rajasthani I Greasea large thali and keep I going through hali of it in al meats. The pressure cooker 4 tsp. copre (dry coconut) aside. Put all ingredients excep (l alwaYs give good hasalso madean appearance and finely ground silenie and being with it havevanished ground gram flour into the water and fo<ld its due resPect) someof the 2 tsp. khus-khusflnely keepto boil. As it startsboiling assured that this was i ool- authentic desert flavours, 1 tsp. whltc pepper, linclY gradually add gramflour,constan menu PrePar' mal everydaY tround Milk is consumed in large tly stirringto avoid formatlonof ed entirely bY mY host's mo' Vz" glece gfnger (ground) quantities,in variousforms, and lumps. Cook lor a tew minutes that announced ther, I prdmPtlY curd is used genefouslvas a sour- 6 green chllllcr Pour into the thali and pat evenfor his wife. I felt extiemeiy sorry Ing agent in most curries. Gra- 4 clover ly. Allow to cool and then cut This confusedthe Poor man ter' vies that are thick, oily and red I cardamomr into two inch pleces. Rinse, out as he knew, I with chilli powder often dls. 3 tef prtta ribly, especiallY remainingbesanIn pan with one knew, he was nowhere near to gulse the b.asicingredient-dal. 7 black peppet cup of water and keepaside. being married. But I remember- Here you can eat :'dal with dal" l" rtick cinnamon Pithodecan be deep lrled or can ed being told that iust as a man and neverbe any the wiser. Be- 2 tsp. codander powder also be usedwlthout rrylng. should look at a girl's mother san is as essential atta,because A pinch fhillttl as beforehe decidedto 'marryher,a besanis used in both rotis and I tblp. venmpell eirl should eat at a ProsPective sabzis, tbry. rour curdr cleverlydisglisedto allure { this was because irother-inJaw's, 2 cupr mllk GRAW;IFORPITHODE the palate. what her cooking would alwaYs and rlmondr Though rice today may be a A few cachcrvnutr bc comparedtol Satisfiedand daily feature,in the interlor of I onlon, sllced a well stuffed,I Insistedon going Rajasthan is only preparedfor Put all the Ingredients.into ves- 3 whole pode grrllc, ground it sel and allow to boil, lower heat 4 tsp. red lo the kitchen to congratulate chlllle powder and simmer stirring occasionaland thank mY host'smother. tal% tsp. corlalder pwder In my mariage, ly, till meatis done.Add cashew- 1/z "Early when the Young man Pro' tsp. turmerlc ' ter, posed to 'me, I told him in no an elderly friend called me nuts and almondsa few minutes 2 tbsp. urdr I can't before taklng off the fire. aside and walned me uncertain terms, "Look, 4 tbsp. oll cook like your mother." neverto cut down on the Ul Inch plece ginger,ground legendarY MOOKAT That was eight long Yeins a8o. garlic- a Rajput's A pinch garammaralapowder vigour, vitality and Today,you may find me in that Few oprlgr corlander leaves very samekitchen, Peelinggarlic vlrility-have been attributed I nbbil '. with casual aplomb. which 6 onlonr, flncly choppcd to itt" Add chillie powder, coriande brinls me round to what I actu6 podr grrllc, polvder,turmeric, salt, ground ally want to write rbout - Ra- the special guest and then lt 13 12.10 green chllllec' flnely jasthaniand, especiallY,RaiPul 6arlic and curds to little {uantity chopped and dry fruits cookedwith sugar of water to form a parte. cuisine. 4 trp. red chlllle pmvder hot wlth dolor servedsteaming Heat oil in a kerahi. Brorv In almost every kitchen the lops of ghee and sugar. But it's 2 tsp. corlander powder onlons. Add masalapaste,and world over, you'll find an onion no substitutefor a sweet, mlnd It tsp. tunncrlc cook till oil separates. besan Add and potato bin. In a RaiPutkit. you. Someof the most dellclous Salt to tarlc tbsp. cudr water from pithode and more chen there is, ln addition, the nrllk cakdsand sweetsl've eaten I garlic bin. EarlY are from Jalpur. lt is auspicious Vz" piecc glnger, chopped finely accordingto desiredquantity of all-important gravy.Add pithode and sprinkle an In my marrlage, elderlYfriend lo presenta box of these at any Somewhole garamnasale trp. grram memle powder with garammasala. called me aside and warned me celebrationor festival. Having I Allow to boil never to cut down on the garllc grown up in the South, I was 6 tbsp. oll and serve. - a Rajput's legendaryvlgour, taken aback to see the auspiclvitality and virility have been al- ous coconut being replaced by Grlnd half of the garlic and finely rributed to itl My lnitial reser- dudh mrthat. KHEECHADA chop the rest. Cut rabbit into Talkingof cultural disparities, large pleces. Boil till done and ', v?tions about consuming huge ; quantities of garlic were soon am reminded of an amusinein. little water remains. Save the V, kg baafra dismissed.Take it from me, gar- cldent. uy ne*iy-actuir"o" R". stock.Shredfinely and remove th, cup matkl kl dal lic finely ground and cooked in sisier-in-law came across bones. Heatoil, add whole garam Srlt to tastG plenty of oil with loads of chilll lasthaniof curry leavescasually masala and two choppedonions. a sprig and dhania powder never intru. lying on our kitchen platform. Combinetogethercurd; turmeric, ' Soak the baajra in half cup of - it iust tastesdeliciousl der, salt and water. Pound lightly to separate She quicky picked it up and tov- garlic.chillie, coriander, Vast stretchesof desert sands lngly put it away in the fridge, few teaspoonsof water. Add to the skin, sieve to remove skin. and blistering sunshine never chiding us for our wasteful wayst oil and cook till,ghee ieparates. Pound the baaira again. Measure helped in the cultivationof ve- It took her a few weeksto rea- Add shredded rabbit and stock the quantity of baajra and take getables. So they play a rel3- lise that curry-leaves and coco- and cook till dry. Add remaining double the quantity'of water. Cook tivey minor role in traditional nuts were rare flora in 8qm- chopped onion and -garlic and under pressur'e along with the' cuisine(ofcourse, today the fresh-. b.y, although in Rajasthan cook till garlic becomCs tender. matki ki dal and salt till done. est of vegetables availablein one has to go many Filts" -G.arnish are with garam masala and When hot, serve with pure ghee Jaipur markets). Since Rajput kr get fresh curry leaves, or a sCYve. or. milk. When cold, servc with culture is basically martial one, coconut. for tha!.qratter. After a curd or buttermilk. shikar expeditions, which, in- yearr of being,J' Raiput's wife PITH@E in ' cidentally, women also participat- and endeavouringto learn the Recipesgiven by ed, brought in fresh game. Wild traditional cuiilne, my sisters-in- t *{ besrn (grrm flour) Rajshree Tanwa