Rajasthani Food Recipes

I have been wanting to showcase my thali here for so long and here I am with a one another thali.This is going to be a long post sorry about that.This  jain thali is very very close to my heart as I did it in 2015 when I was in India for a year. Paryushan Parva is a very important 8 days festival for Jains usually falls in the month of August or September of the Hindi calendar. These 8 days we follow all the spiritual rituals, visit the Jain temple, Prayers, and fasting. The main motto of this festival is to forget and forgive, last day ( is called Samvatsari) of the festival we ask for forgiveness to each and every family members and close people around us( in Marwadi we say “Michami dukudam” or ” kamou sha”).We ask for forgiveness if we have hurt them by words, our actions or by any means… These 8 days are celebrated to purify our mind, body, and heart. We also follow a Jain diet which means we don’t eat any root vegetables, green vegetables and some people don’t eat fruits as well, This is because even plants are assumed as a developed form of life. People who follow strict Jainism don’t eat root vegetable or plant-based veggies throughout the year as they are grown on the ground they might have a lot organism on it while we wash and cook them they die. I would love to share the rituals behind paryushan parva and some ironical facts about Jainism in this post.

Jains believe in Lacto- vegetarianism which means we do use milk and milk products in our diet, we get our protein and vitamins from the milk products.Some of my fellow followers and bloggers who have asked me and debated with me regarding you say Jains are vegetarians you don’t eat eggs but how can you drink milk or use colostrum milk, there is nothing wrong in asking I suppose. Jains believe in not hurting any minute organism or do violence, Our ancestors found no violence while getting Milk from the cow as the olden practice of agriculture and grazing was considered, whereas when it comes to Unfertilized eggs it is a potential murder of a 5 sensed being by stopping it to come to life as far as in Jain culture. It is always an individual wish to eat veg or nonveg, Jainism has not preached anyone to stop eating egg or meat, Jains have believed in following their ancestors.Hope the question why Jains don’t eat an egg is answered :).  I don’t consider myself as strict Jain as love potatoes, yams and I can’t live without garlic and onions, but we follow this at least for the 8 days festival this is least we can do.

Coming to the recipes in this thali – In this thali there are no root or green or any kind of fresh veggies used for obvious reasons. The side dishes are made with dried pulses and the platter itself is high in protein.  I made this thali to point out that though we have so many limitations yet I managed to pull out a thali 😛  not only these there is n number of dishes can be prepared considering the limitations. There is no strict rule for fasting as well, except for following the Jain diet and having the dinner before sunset.That said all the dishes in this thali is authentic Rajasthani cuisine from my district in Rajasthan ( Jetharan father side ), each district the method of making the dishes may vary. These recipes were passed by my mom to me so am used to these methods but I have learned and learning few more methods from my extended family.The learning process never ends when it comes to cooking even though it might be your own cuisine I believe in it.

Paryushan Parva Jain Thali Menu

Laapsi

We start with a sweet, this is one traditional Rajasthani sweet called laapsi made for all rituals from the wedding to after a person passes away. This sweet is considered very auspicious and mandatory for all functions, they are prepared at home by elders. There is a separate skill in making Laapsi, though it might sound easy to make with cracked wheat and jaggery they consistency and taste have to justify. I am still in the learning process when it comes to Laapsi.

 Rajasthani Kadhi

This yogurt-based side for rice is also enjoyed with roti. For Paryushan if we make kadhi we usually add any of the pulses to the kadhi, be it Moth, black channa, Chowla (black-eyed peas) , channa dal or any pulse. We also make kadhi with gatta in them. If Laapsi is made then the Thali must have kadhi because they go well good in the thali.Check for the Kadhi Recipe here..

3. Pachkutta Saag

Pachkutta saag is a very traditional dry sabzi from Rajasthan. As Rajasthan frequently experience drought condition most of the veggies are made with less water and so the veggies used are often dry or pulses. The use of curd to make it to gravy consistency is for the same reason.This recipe has 5 main ingredients Gunda, Amchur ( dried mango), Kumat, Sangri, and Ker. The name of the saag literally means Mixing of 5 veggies, in this case, dry veggies, There is another version of fresh veggie pachkutta saag as well. As everyone knows Ker sangri is a staple in Rajasthani, this pachkutta is a famous veggie as well. On Thursday we celebrated shitlasaptami which is an auspicious festival after holi when the kitchen is closed and no fire turned on the day, We cook food before day night to have on the festival day we called it Thanda Khanna.I Prefer making pachkutta as its shelf-life is longer and it is like mandatory in our home to make this veggie for shitlasaptami. I will do a detailed post on this veggie some day.

Gatta Saag 

Another very traditional Rajasthani dish which is very much popular on the internet than any other Rajasthani dish. Gatta saag is a Besan and curd based dish made with very minimum ingredients still tastes very delicious with phulkas or rice. I am a big time gatta saag lover I can have the steamed gattas as is. I already have this Recipe Here to check and try it.

Rabodi Saag

Rabodi Saag is another traditional paryushan Parva dish which made with Maize papad ( not exactly papad it is kind of vathal made of maize dough sundried ). When I was in India my mom gave me some rabodi our relatives got from Rajasthan so I enjoyed making and relishing these. These are very simple to make but still delicious with phulkas. There are two methods it can be made one is with curd other is without curd just like papad ki sabzi. I would do a separate recipe post for these in future.

Moth Saag

Moth beans saag is a very simple pulse saag made with minimum ingredients again, Soaking the pulse overnight and making to a sabzi is done for most of the pulses in Rajasthan.

Matho

Matho is curd based drink usually served after a meal. This is a very easy recipe just Like Boondi Raita but I won’t acknowledge this a raita, Just so that you all understand am referring it to as raita. Very simple ingredients and easy to make a drink, this usually served in summer weather and they are perfect refreshers. Will move on to this Simple recipe.

Jain Thali |Paryushan Parva Recipes ~ Rajasthani Recipes

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

 

Rajasthani chilled drink similar to buttermilk served after a meal.

Author: Manjula Bharath

Recipe type: Drinks

Cuisine: Rajasthani

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• Yogurt/ Curd - 1 cup ( Not sour)
• Roasted cumin powder- ½ tsp
• Red chilli pd - a pinch ( optional)
• Boondi - ¼ cup
• Salt to taste
• water as needed

Instructions

1. In a bowl put the curd water and churn them well with a churner.
2. The matho should be not too thick or thin , the consistency should be of slightly thick buttermilk.Add water accordingly.
3. Add salt, red chilli pd, and cumin pd to it.
4. Churn them well till you see nice froths on top.
5. Add the boondi and mix well.
6. Serve the drink chilled.

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Ambalvan is another summer drink served after a meal. This is made with tamarind extract, it tastes khatta- meetha and I fell in love with drinks when I first tasted it in Rajasthan in our district. My mom told me the recipe and I tried it to include in this thali. For now am sharing the recipe though am not happy with photographs, will do a seperate post on this drink as well :).

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM#78