Bagar Cuisine

One way to learn about the culture of Bagar is to eat! The cuisine of the town reflects the unique characteristics of the environment and climate of Rajasthan. The markets are full of vendors selling fresh fruits, vegetables, samosas, and sweets.  Watermelons, mangoes, onions, and tomatoes are generally available in Bagar and are fairly inexpensive. You can have fresh juice made right in front of you for just Rs. 5! 

The primary influences of Rajasthani cuisine are of the war-like lifestyle of its previous inhabitants as well as the availability of certain foods and ingredients in the area. The scarcity of water and green vegetables and the difficulty in creating stoves in a climate that was already very hot contributed to the creation of the traditional Rajasthani dishes that are enjoyed by the people of Bagar today. Despite these challenges, many of the most popular dishes are full of other fresh vegetables and ingredients as well as pure ghee, which is one of the most frequent medium of cooking.

Years ago when water was more scarce, the cooks replaced it with milk, buttermilk, and yogurt. One of the most popular aspects of Rajasthani cuisine are its the milk-based sweets and barfis that are sold throughout the country.

The Marwaris of Bagar use many unique spices including herbs like mango powder (amchur), mustard seeds (rai)  and hing. They also enjoyed many types of sweets and were great traders. This is how they were able to store dried fruits and nuts such as almonds and cashews which they frequently add to their puddings.

Another aspect of Rajasthani cuisine are its stuffed peppers that are eaten as a side to add flavor to meals. To make these, green peppers that are longer and more stout are plucked. They are then stuffed with a ground mixture of mustard seeds (rai), fennel seeds (saunf) and salt (namak). They are then 'cooked' in the sun for a few days, either in mustard oil or in their own brine. Of course, each house has it's own special ingredient added to provide that unique taste.

The cuisine of Bagar tells a lot about its people and environment!