Land of Princes, as Rajasthan 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.

Rajasthani 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.

he passion for shikar (hunting) of the Maharajas have been largely responsible for shaping the culinary art in Rajasthan. In the world of good eating, game cooking is easily the most respected art form, largely because the skills required to clean, cut and cook game are not easily acquired. With the Pathani invasions, filtered in the art of barbecuing which has now been honed to perfection and the quintessential sula-smoked kebabs or skewered boneless lamb-can be prepared in 11 different ways. On the other hand is the vegetarian cooking of the Maheshwaris of Marwar or Jodhpur, who do not use even garlic and onions, as these are said to excite the blood.

Perhaps the best-known Rajasthani food is the combination of dal, bati and churma but there is a wide variety to choose from in Rajasthani cuisine during your Rajasthan holidays. The bati, lachhedar paratha and besan ki missi puri are types of bread peculiar to Rajasthan. Two meat specialties - lal maans (red meat), a fiery heavily spiced dish, and safed mass (white meat) cooked with almonds, cashew nuts and coconut - should not be missed during your Rajasthan tour. You can spice up vacations in Rajasthan by trying out the various chutneys that are made from locally available spices like turmeric, coriander, mint and garlic.