With motifs that reference Rajput architecture, Hotel Kaldan Samudhra Palace on ECR wears a more regal look when the sun sets and it’s time for the chandeliers to show themselves off. ‘Ghoomar toh Ghewar’, the hotel’s festival of Rajasthani food and culture drives home yet again the fact that their USP lies in bringing a slice of Rajasthan to local tourism.
The festival, to be held every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until October 30, brings together music performances, puppetry shows and pottery workshops alongside some regal cuisine from the region, ensuring a total immersion in Rajasthani ethos. Spearheading the culinary part was Masterchef Ranjeet Singh, who made sure to give a proper introduction to each dish. In a corridor flanked on one side by a long swimming pool and the other by the hotel’s main dining area, different counters stood — one for the snacks and chaat, another for pottery, and a small raised platform for the musicians and puppeteers to perform.
As a preparatory snack, Ranjeet served a plate of dal baati churma, a Rajasthani staple with circular-shaped whole wheat bread deep fried or baked, broken into smaller pieces and bathed in dal. Served on the side were several pickles and chutneys, sweet and spicy. “Rajasthani cuisine often alternates between sweet and spicy on the same plate,” the Masterchef added, emphasising that each one balances out the other. The snack, with its chewy doughy texture and the many condiments supplementing it, was quite filling to have made for a meal on its own.
Warming up
Following up on this was bajre ki raab, a soup-like delicacy. “Bajre ki raab is made of millet flour, yoghurt and cumin, popularly consumed during the winter in Rajasthan to keep oneself warm,” Ranjeet said, serving a scoop on a soup bowl. The piping hot dish gave off an aroma that soothed the senses, one could imagine consuming this on a wintry night.
But all of this was just a warm-up for the real starters, which arrived in separate platters, each containing separate vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies. Maans ke soole or mutton soaked in raw papaya and a host of other spices and smoked in charcoal was certainly the winner among the non-vegetarian starters. Kuti lal mirch ka paneer tikka or paneer tikka with a thick coating of red chilli came tops in the vegetarian section. As the platter began to be emptied, a trio of musicians in folk attire complete with colourful turbans Rajasthani style began filling the room with their mix of vocals, harmonium and dholak.
Slow-cooking virtues
The snacks and starters having taken up some portion of the stomach, one had to choose with discretion among the main courses. The obvious choice here was the khad murgh dum biryani, a recipe straight out of the textbooks of Rajasthani haute cuisine. “This biryani,” said Ranjeet, “is slow-cooked on a clay pot for six hours, fired by charcoal in a pit. It was a particular favourite with the erstwhile royals in Rajasthan.” The long hours it took to cook could clearly be felt in the soft texture of the chicken, and all the spices used in the cooking had clearly made their way into the marrow.
On the side were servings of Rajasthani gatta curry, gram flour dumplings in yoghurt-based gravy, and lal maans, mutton bathed in red chilli gravy. While the dumplings had a soft outer layer with a soggy inside and a slightly savoury taste, the mutton, which went better with the biryani, is sure to set one’s tongue on fire.
The time had come for dessert, and here again one had to make a choice out of several that were spread out on the dessert table. Malai ghewar, with a base made of clarified butter and flour and topped with condensed milk alongside a sprinkling of almonds, cashews, saffron and cardamom, balanced out the spiciness of the earlier dish and made for a doubly rich way to finish off a heavy dinner. No wonder it’s called the ‘King of Sweets’ in Rajasthan.
‘Ghoomar toh Ghewar’ at Hotel Kaldan Samudhra Palace has a lot more in store for anyone seeking out a weekend of indulgence in Rajasthani high life.
Entry to the festival is limited to couples and is priced at Rs 4,999 per couple. For reservations, call: +919150076602.