Join Himanshu in his kitchen and learn about Indian spices and how they are used in the cooking process. Next learn to cook chicken kachri handi soola (a traditional chicken dish) and bharwa baingan (eggplant) or safed aloo (potatoes cooked in an almond gravy). Your cooking lesson will last about 1.5 hours before you sit down to share the authentic Rajasthani meal you helped prepare with Himanshu and Deepti.
Himanshu and Deepti live in a traditional family home with their children and three well-behaved dogs. They belong to an erstwhile noble family called Nimaj, a fiefdom of the Marwar state of Rajasthan. Himanshu and Deepti serve unique Rajasthani dishes that have been in their family for generations. At their dining table you will get to taste recipes from the noble families of Nimaj and Chomu. Your menu might include dishes such as chicken kachri handi soola (chicken marinated in yoghurt and spices, lightly smoked and cooked in a pot called handi), bharwa baingan (a stuffed eggplant preparation), gattey ki sabji (dumplings of spiced chickpea flour cooked in a gravy) and safed aloo (a famous family recipe of potatoes cooked in a rich white gravy with almonds, poppy seeds and coconut), served with rice or chapati (flat bread). You will end your meal with a traditional dessert like keshri kheer (rice pudding flavored with saffron and cardamom) and tea or coffee.
Himanshu can offer vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and halal meals on request. 1-2 glasses of local beer are included in the cost of your experience.
Please note that Himanshu runs a bed and breakfast from his home. While you may see other guests on the property, your Traveling Spoon experience will be private.
This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
Chicken kachri handi soolaSmoked gatta curryKeshri kheer for dessertRice and chapatiSafed aalooGattey kee sabjiBharwa bainganHimanshu learned to cook from his mother and maternal grandfather from whom he inherited the family's unique recipes. Himanshu’s wife Deepti is an interior designer, and you can catch glimpses of her work around the house. Himanshu has been in the hospitality business since 2006 - he is a trained wildlife guide, an avid photographer and a national-level shooter. Himanshu and Deepti love to share their passion for Rajasthani food with travelers visiting Jaipur.
“I look forward to sharing the recipes of the food that we serve on the table because I feel that is the best way to promote our cuisine and tell the world about our cuisine.”
