Land of Princes, as Jaipur is called,
shows off, many a fine gastronomic both
within the palaces and outside. The royal
kitchens of Rajasthan, the preparation
of food was a very complex matter and
was raised to the levels of an art form.
Thus the 'Khansamas' (the royal cooks)
worked in the stately palaces and kept
their most enigmatic recipes to themselves.
Some recipes were passed on to their descendants
and the rest were passed on as skills
to the chefs of semi states and the branded
hotel companies.
Jaipuri cooking was inclined to the war-like
lifestyle of the medieval Rajasthan and
the availability of ingredients of the
region. Food that could last for several
days and could be eaten without heating
was preferred, more out of necessity than
choice. Scarcity of water, fresh green
vegetables have had their effect on cooking.
In the desert belt of Jaisalmer, Barmer
and Bikaner, cooks use a minimum of water
and prefer, instead, to use more milk,
buttermilk and clarified butter. A distinct
feature of the Maheshwari cooking is the
use of mango powder, a suitable substitute
for tomatoes, scarce in the desert, and
asafoetida, to enhance the taste in the
absence of garlic and onions.
There are several world-class multicuisine
restaurants offering Indian, Continental
and Chinese cuisine at MI Road. The palace
turned hotels have some quality bars and
multicuisine restaurants too such as Hotel
Maharani Palace, Hotel Rambagh Palace,
Hotel Mansingh Palace and Hotel Jai Mahal
Palace .
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