Where to Eat in Jaisalmer
The city of Jaisalmer has a rich cultural heritage and thus it boasts of a rich cuisine as well. The western part of India has a distinct food culture of its own and it is very different from the other Indian cuisines. If you have done with the oily and sticky dishes they serve in Delhi, try murgh-e-subz. The murgh-e-subz - succulent, boneless strips of chicken stir-fried with shredded vegetables -- is one not to miss. There are other options for non-vegetarians too. Alternatively, you can try the ker sangri (desert beans and capers), which is unique to a region that is traditionally vegetarian in its outlook. If you find your stomach to be very sensitive then its better you try kadi pakora; flour dumplings cooked in yogurt sauce, or bhanon aloo, potatoes stuffed with mint paste and simmered in gravy. All of it washed down with the coldest beers and beverages available in the state.
Top Dishes to Enjoy In Jaisalmer
- Murgh-E-Subz
- Ker Sangria
- Kadi Pakora
- Bhanonaloo
- Mutton Saag
- Masala Raita
- Dal Bati Choorma
- Mughal Chicken Recipes
- Panchadhari Laddoos
- Local Styled Lassi
- Poha
- Jalebi
- Kachori
- Ghotua – Iconic Dessert Item
- Bhang (only for adults and legal food) – Cannot Be Taken To Other States Or Countries
Dal-Bati Churma
Dal-Bati Churma is the signature Rajasthani dish that gets even better in Jaisalmer. Bati is a wheat-flour ball with gram-flour filling, which is either baked on an earthen furnace or deep-fried in ghee. The best way to savour it is by breaking the Bati into Dal, and then indulging in it. Churma is a sweet prepared from the mixture of wheat flour, gram flour, semolina, dry fruits, and sugar syrup and is a condiment that always comes with Dal and Bati.
Pyaaz Kachori
While Kachori is a famous delicacy in most parts of Northern India, it gets a twist in Jaisalmer. The regular gram flour filling of the Kachori is replaced with deep-fried and flavoured onions, hence the name pyaaz (onion) kachori. The taste is rich and different; have this with some sour coriander, sweet tomato, or tangy tamarind chutney.
Ker Sangri
Ker Sangri is a local delicacy indigenous to Jaisalmer. Simply put — you will not find the same dish at any other place, and hence it is an absolute must when you’re tracing a food trail in Jaisalmer. Ker and Sangri are locally-grown desert beans and capers. The dish has a tangy and sour taste, that comes from Ker, which is so sour that it is kept in water for around 15 days to cut down the sourness before preparation.
Gatte Ki Sabzi
Even though this traditional Rajasthani dish, prepared from gram flour cooked and cut in sausage-shaped dices and again cooked in a yoghurt-based curry, is easily available in many parts of the country, we recommend having a taste of it when in Jaisalmer, as it does not get better anywhere else than here.
Mutton Saag
Mutton Saag in Jaisalmer is one of the most famous non-vegetarian street food offerings. As the name suggests, the dish is basically a mutton preparation cooked in a spinach gravy with Rajasthani spices. It will surely tantalise your taste buds. Some good-quality Mutton Saag can be found at The Trio, which is a famous food joint in Jaisalmer.
Laal Maans & Safed Maans
While Jaisalmer is heavy on its vegetarian diet, fret not if you’re a non-vegetarian, for you can easily find the authentic traditional meat preparations here. When on a food trail in Jaisalmer, you must try the Laal Maans and the Safed Maans. Both are two different meat preparations, where the Laal Maans is a fiery, red-hot spicy mutton curry preparation, the Safed Maans is a lighter counterpart with a gravy of yoghurt, cashew paste, and almonds.
P.S. If you do not deal well with super-spicy food, do ask for a Laal Maans preparation with medium or low chilly quotient for the traditional recipe is so hot, it can literally blow your mind away.
Ghotua Laddoo
Ghotua Laddoo is a traditional local sweet prepared from a mixture of gram flour, khoya, sugar, and pure ghee. Ghotua Laddos are so rich with ghee, it can easily survive for a month without refrigeration. Another sweet apart from the Ghotua Laddoo that you must try in Jaisalmer is the Panchdhari Laddoo. Get your hands on the best of both laddoos at Dhanraj Ranmal Bhatia sweet shop.
Makhania Lassi
When in Jaisalmer, the Makhania Lassi from the very-popular Kanchan Shree Ice Cream is a must. Unlike the lassi that you savour with a straw, the Makhania Lassi is so think, creamy, and loaded with dry fruits that you would require a spoon to eat it.
