Rajasthan and Gujarat Restaurants

Rajasthan's culinary traditions are heavily influenced by its desert setting. Food tends to be highly spiced, perhaps for preservation. Instead of the rice and vegetables that are popular in regions with more rainfall, Rajasthani cuisine includes a lot of lentils and corn. Both posh, pricey restaurants and local dives are bound to serve regional food, so try some local delicacies, such as dal baati churma (lentils with wheat-flour dumplings) and gatte ki subzi (dumplings made out of chickpea flour, also known as besan). Breads include bajra ki roti (millet bread), makki ki roti (corn bread), and missi ki roti (chickpea-and-wheat-flour bread). Mirchi badas (spicy green pepper fritters) and kachoris (fried stuffed pastries) make hearty appetizers. Dessert is a highlight here—in some parts of the state, sweets open the meal. Favorites include ghevar (funnel cake), laddoo (balls of sugar, flour, clarified butter, and spices), malpuas (syrupy pancakes), and diljani (mini sugar balls).