Sheherwali Food

Sheherwali cuisine is possibly the finest vegetarian spread one can find, even in modern times, and is a wonderful mélange of the cuisines of the west and the east of India.

Flavors of food rich in ghee and bold spicy tastes that could survive in the tough climate of Rajasthan, met the distinctive local flavours of Bengal and the royal cuisines of the Afghans and later the Mughals. Bengal at the time was also a melting pot for the British, the Portuguese, the French, and the Armenians, as it served as the hub for most trading activities, and was the seat of political and economic power during the 18th and 19th centuries.

As in most cultures, it was in the local cuisine where these diverse cultures marinated and stewed, marrying the traditions of so many global influences into a veritable cascade of tantalizing ingredients, tastes and flavors, to create a unique culinary experience.

The Sheherwalis came from a land of extreme climate, where food was cooked to last for a long time and meals did not necessarily require reheating. The scarcity of water was compensated with the liberal use of milk and ghee. Lentils and beans replaced fresh vegetables, and gram flour, corn and bajra were also used extensively. Spicy and bold dominant flavors characterized the common man'skitchens in Rajasthan, with the famous dal-baatti-churma or the ker sangri. Rajasthan's royal kitchens, under the influence of Mughal royal kitchens, used some of the most rare and opulent ingredients - saffron, rose water, herbs and other costly aromatics, to produce esoteric and fine dining experiences.

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