Food Lover's Guide to Jaipur

Many of the delicious local delicacies in the Rajasthani capital are inspired by the ingredients and climates of the surrounding desert, and the food here tends to be spicier than in other parts of India (many believe that eating spicy food will help keep you cool). Here are a few foods and food-related activities in Jaipur that you won't want to miss.

Must-Try Dishes

Come to Jaipur with a good appetite, as there’s plenty to sample here. Vegetarians have may options, but whatever your culinary inclinations, you won’t want to miss the regional staple dal bati churma, lentils served with hard wheat-bread balls and a mix of wheat cooked with ghee and sugar or jaggery. Nonvegetarians with a good tolerance for spicy food may want to try laal maas, mutton cooked in a fiery gravy. For something lighter, sample the city’s quintessential street-food item, raj kachori. This round pastry stuffed with lentils or onions and then deep-fried is best washed down with a cool lassi, a sweet yogurt drink usually served in terra-cotta cups.

Must-Do Experiences

• Take a food tour around Jaipur with a local guide who can show you the best places to sample local fare and share their knowledge for greater cultural insight.
• Learn how to cook Rajasthani food in a local Jaipur home.
• Venture out to Chokhi Dhani Resort, a reproduction of a traditional village, where you can sample all sorts of Rajasthani food, buffet style.
• Cool off with a cup of sweet lassi at the famous Lassiwala on M.I. Road.