Rajputana, Food of warriors

Khamma Ghani Sa!!

I know I’ve been keeping busy with family functions and my cousin’s wedding. Now, it’s done and I’m back to pavilion  hogging on to some scrumptious meals. Well that thing cannot stop! You know why?! 😉

The month has just started and my first blog post for this month starts with Courtyard by Marriott. Exactly, where I left and somehow you end up being there in some or the other way. Last time, I was mesmerised with the Dravidian food, this time they took me to Rajasthan. No, I’m not kidding. The experience at Rajputana Food Festival was absolutely exquisite.

Food of Rajasthan is colourful, has rich flavours, exotic aroma and ghee is used generously while preparing and serving a meal. The cuisine was influenced by both the war like lifestyles of its inhabitants and the availability of ingredients in that arid region. Food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred. The speciality of the dishes served in this region was influenced by the environment and the ingredients that were readily available.

I started off with a quick introduction and tête-à-tête with Chef Ravinder Singh Panwar who happens to be the Executive Chef, Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal. He mentioned that, ” this promotion has been designed to offer authentic and traditional flavours of Rajasthani cuisine that are sure to delight the food lovers of Bhopal.”

The Chefs have meticulously crafted the menu in an endeavour to stimulate the palates with diverse dishes from across the state of Rajasthan.  You are sure to explore the robust essence of this historic state of Rajputs and Marwaris, where each dish has a different story to tell.

The service professionals were adorned in the colourful Bandhani Safas (Turbans) and the restaurant was decked up with traditional Rajasthani decor, in the true spirit of Rajasthan’s rich culture.

Talking about the Food that I ate, I was served a Rajasthani Thali.

Bajrey ka Raab

Bajrey ka Raab is a warm, soothing soup made using bajra flour, dry ginger powder, jaggery, ajwain and loads of ghee in Rajasthan. It was warm, soothing and healthy too. It would go best during winters. But, it’s may and I guess having buttermilk is a better option to try.

Appetizers

Jodhpuri Mirchi  Vada

Jodhpuri Mirchi vada is one of the very famous street food from Rajasthan. Big Green chilli peppers that has mildly-spicy flavour and juicy crispness, are stuffed with a mouth-watering potato mixture and batter fried are served with spicy green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney. The very appearance is very appetising and it lures you even deeper into its magic once you bite into it.

Paneer Ke Sooley

“Sooley” is a term used for smoke-roasted kebab on a hot charcoal grill. This method of cooking is common for a variety of meats and veggies that makes it a wonderful appetizer to relish. The food is smoke-roasted until cooked. Cubes of Paneer stuffed with cheese, marinated with yogurt, aromatic Indian spices and grilled to perfection! A must have dish in your Thali!

Mains

Paneer Rajwada

The desi tongue drools at the sight of Paneer Rajwada. A succulent tomato-based gravy flavoured with an elaborate masala paste containing major Indian spices. Paneer was fresh and absorbed the tangy flavours well, making the overall effect very enjoyable undeniably.

Ker Sangri

We’re talking about Rajashthan and how can I not have Ker Sangri? 😀  A Rajasthani dried pickle cooked in tomato and fenugreek gravy, Ker Sangri is a traditional, spicy subzi made with the ker berry and the sangri bean. It’s made with simplest ingredients such as red chillies, carom seeds and a couple of Indian Masalas. Ker Sangri was extremely flavoursome, leaving a lingering taste on my tongue.

Jaipuri Bhindi

Okra or Ladies finger fried in Rajasthan style, is a splendid dish from the Rajasthani cuisine that had rubbles of crispy fried ladies finger and onions dusted with spices, mango powder (amchur) and besan flour. Absolutely Delish!

Rajasthani Kadhi

Yet another very popular dish from Rajasthan. It is spicy and is specially made during the winter season. Kadhi is a dish made with yogurt and besan or gram flour as the main ingredient and has some appetizing flavours which comes from the spicy masalas used in the dish.

Jodhpuri Gatta

Gram flour dumplings flavoured with dry spices, steamed and then dunked into a yogurt based curry is a traditional Rajasthani speciality and I highly recommend this!

Dal Baati Choorma

Rajasthani food is incomplete without the mention of the famed Dal Baati Choorma. It consists of baatis or flaky round breads baked over firewood. They are always served dipped in ghee accompanied with panch kutti dal and choorma. Plenty of ghee goes into making this Rajasthani delight.

Jodhpuri Gatta Pulao: Jodhpuri Gatta Pulao is exclusive and flavourful rice made with gram flour/chickpea flour dumplings. Gram flour is plentifully used in Rajasthani cooking and this Pulao is made during festivals. The aroma of rice that mixed beautifully with saffron and gatta was just heavenly to me. Fit for the Royals!!

Desserts

Kesariya Kheer

A delicious dessert Kesariya  Kheer was made using milk, sugar,rice, dry fruits and saffron.The rich aroma, texture and flavours of the kheer were incredible. Also, It wasn’t really too sweet so if you are not in to desserts you will love it. But, If you love desserts like me, 😀 then you’ll end up having more of it.

Ghewar & Choorma Laddo

If we talk about Rajasthan and then sweets, the first thing that’ll come to your mind is Ghewar. A honeycomb shaped delicacy made using plain flour and ghee. This Melt in the mouth Ghewar took me to the streets of jaipur and I recalled one very old shop named Laxmi Mishtaan Bhandar (I’m sorry if the name is incorrect, I was still a kid when I last visited Rajasthan).  Very rich and flavoursome dessert that you cannot say a No to it!

Choorma

The unsalted baati dough that is leftover is shaped into rounds and deep fried in ghee which is then crushed and mixed with sugar. Choorma makes me remember just one thing, and that’s my younger sister Nishtha, as I haven’t witnessed any other person who has that mad love for Choorma Laddos. Well, you are tend to fall in love with sweet things easily and so did I. 🙂

Well, this was my shortest trip to Rajasthan in almost 2 hours. The Rajputana food festival is a perfect amalgamation of food served in Rajasthan. From Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur to Ajmer, it’s all here at one place. Food so good and rich that it’ll leave you mesmerised. All in all, it was a magnificent experience coupled with warm and impeccable service. A great opportunity for the food lovers of Bhopal, if you wish to splurge on authentic Rajasthani delicacies head to Bay Leaf today! 🙂

Thank you Anmol (Marriott Mate) & Mr. Ravindra Soni for the invite.

Thank you Mr. Girish, Chef Ravinder, Mr. Alok, Bhaskar, Soumya & team for an incredible experience. 🙂

P.S. The author was invited and the reviews are personal.

Tastes are subjective and may differ from person to person.

Till then, Happy Hogging! 

Food Festival: Rajputana, Food of warriors

Restaurant: Bay Leaf, Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal

Address: DB City, Arera Hills.

Date: 11th May to 20th May, 2017

Timing: 1900-2330 Hours

For Reservations Call: 738990963

Connect with me on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSuperChatori

Twitter: @mudrakeswani

Instagram: @thesuperchatori

Snapchat: @mudrak

Zomato: @mudra