Royal Rajasthani Cuisine: Private Market Tour Cooking Demo and Meal with a Local Homecook

Vrinda and Hermendra will welcome you with a warm smile into their beautiful apartment, which is close to the airport. The apartment is furnished with pictures displaying their royal Rajasthani family history which they will happily share with you. They run a heritage hotel at their ancestral home in Rajasthan called Bhainsrorgarh Fort, where their family has been for generations. Hemendra’s infectious passion for food and cooking got passed on to Vrinda after they married, and she learned traditional Rajasthani cuisine from her husband and his family. Their family recipes from the Royal House of Bhainsrorgarh have been passed down for generations. Both Vrinda and Hemendra are open-minded, engaging and keen on sharing their cuisine, culture and history with travelers.

After getting to know each other, set out for the market with Vrinda. Together you will explore the INA market, one of the most popular food markets in Delhi. She will show you different vegetables, fruits, spices, meat and seafood on display. This market experience will give you detailed insight into spices and ingredients used in Indian cooking. Then return together to Vrinda and Hemendra's home to begin your cooking experience.

Vrinda will begin your one-hour cooking demonstration by introducing you to all the ingredients she will be using. She will then demonstrate how to make three authentic Rajasthani dishes including a starter, main course and dessert. Vrinda's kitchen is small and so you can expect for most of the prep work to be done in the terrace area and for the kitchen to be used for final cooking only. 

Once the meal is complete you will enjoy it together at their dining table. You will get to sample authentic Rajasthani dishes such as laal maas (mutton (goat) curry), gatte ki sabzi (gram flour dumplings in yogurt sauce), bhindi ki sabzi (okra), bharwa baingan (sauteed eggplant), or barbecue chicken and paneer (fresh cheese). End your meal together with a sweet dessert such as gajar ka halwa (carrot pudding) or kheer (rice pudding).

Please note, this is not a professionally guided experience, rather this is a visit into an authentic, local home to meet a local person and share the culture and cuisine together.