Marwari cuisine might not be popular in this part of the world due to many reasons. To most laymen here, the cuisine is vegetarian and that is a big red flag and so, one can only find Marwari food in pockets across town.
In a bid to give Chennaiites the opportunity to taste authentic Marwari food, Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort & Convention Center has organised a food festival where delicacies from Rajasthan were brought to Chennai.
Before getting into the nitty-gritty of how the food was, one can't help but speak about the vast spread. There were papads, pickles, churma, pulao, sabji, desserts, soup and more! We took some time to soak in just how much food was on offer and the richness of the buffet spread.
We began with the Shikaowti Tikka which was crispy with a soft centre and Paneer Tikka that was too good to be true! The paneer was moist and contained the right amount of heat and flavour that it took us to a different world and back. Seldom does one find such a dish in Singara Chennai.
After munching on some papads (we counted at least five different versions), we moved on to the mains. With Mongodi Matar Pulao on the plate, we added some Gaite Ki Sabji and Rajwadi Paneer to go along with it. Not only did the plate look lively, eating a spoonful of the food made our taste buds satisfied and left us feeling a lot livelier than when we arrived at the location after a long drive.
There was Atta Ki Saag on offer as well. To those who do not know, this dish was created by Marwari people who did not wish to waste the dough that was leftover after all the rotis were made for dinner. Instead of finding its place in the bin, the dough is reused the next morning, after letting it to ferment overnight, and a delicious dish is made which can be had for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner!
While we were savouring the previously mentioned pulao, we were handed a plate of Dal Baati Churma by Chef Maharaj Bhanwar Lal Upadhyay. Like his name, the plate of food he offered was a mouthful, for it contained Besan Churma, Gulab Churma, Bajra Churma, Badam Churma, Pista Churma and Atta Churma. It was finger lickin' good to say the least!
Then came dessert time. The options were Kalakand Barfi, Mawa Kachori, Pandhari Laddu, Gehwar and Gondh Badam Halwa. Of the lot, the sweet that was bloody delicious was the laddu. The wheat-based dish had dried rose petals and even pista on it. But when one bites into it, the spiciness of black pepper cuts across, making the whole experience that much better!
Clearly, the Marwari cuisine has a lot to offer for every one, from those who love savoury to people who have a sweet tooth. But the fact that it did not have any meat dish was not a dealbreaker, at least not for us. Some Gulab Sharbat, anyone?
INR 1,599++. Lunch and Dinner. On till November 7, 2023. At Petals, Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort & Convention Center.