From the Thar to the table — Rajasthan revisited

I recently accepted an invitation to experience a collaboration between The House of Rohet and the much acclaimed The Bombay Canteen (TBC). I must admit I had some doubts. The best of Bombay and other street food in a fortress in Rajasthan? I couldn’t quite see the link. It took place in the desert at the luxurious Mihir Garh, which is an eight-suite property, loosely inspired by a village in the desert and part of a collective of boutique heritage hotels by the House of Rohet in and around Jodhpur.

It isn’t actually a fortress at all and is purpose built to sort of look like one, but that doesn’t take away from the charm and the great service. The dinner was predictably outstanding. Chef Hussain Shahzad, executive chef of Hunger Inc – TBC, O Pedro, Veronica’s and Papa’s – took simple dishes to another level, clearly showing his Eleven Madison Park pedigree.

As we watched Rajasthani folk performances under the stars, rabbit cutlets and ‘chakli’ were passed around, both absolutely scrumptious. The rabbit cutlet wasn’t a cutlet at all but more like a small Spanish croquetas, soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. The chakli just looked like one and was crammed with Parmesan; apparently an ode to Bombay bars where they serve chakli with Schezwan chutney.

We then sat down to a five-course dinner where each course surpassed the one before. The corn locho was followed by a compressed quail terrine of sorts with Mathania chilli curry. The Mathania chilli is, of course, famous since it is a must in the famous Rajasthani mutton dish – junglee maas.

For vegetarians, sweet tiny peas are a must in Rajasthan in winter and here they were served with a little jowar bhakri disguised as a taco with lehsun chutney. Gucchi and girda came next and Floyd’s Sunday pilaf and a smooth lamb xacuti with carrot balchao. As I keep being told by great Indian chefs, the best lamb or mutton in India comes from Rajasthan. It is lean, succulent and virtually odourless, apparently because they roam around eating dry grass. The feast ended with a coffee rasgulla sundae with an Old Monk cremeux and almond chikki. The star of the night for me were the tandoori carrots with goat’s cheese and pistachio.

What continued for the next few days was a real surprise…a highly enjoyable, immersive and very personal experience of Jodhpur life by a noble family who have dedicated their lives to preserving their heritage in a quiet, effective and very real way. Their three properties are Rohet Garh: a charming haveli heritage hotel in a village around 30 minutes from the city of Jodhpur that serves as the flagship property of the House of Rohet.

It offers an authentic Rajput experience with beautifully restored architecture, gardens and lakeside views. Sidharth and Rashmi Singh, the mother and father, clearly passionate about what they do, still live here. Don’t miss the juti shops outside. Mihir Garh is a luxury boutique fort in the Thar Desert. It has eight enormous suites, private plunge pools, and an opulent blend of contemporary luxury and traditional design.

My personal favourite of the three was Rohet House, located in Jodhpur. It’s an eight-suite property, again in an elegant residential area of the city with a stunning turquoise tiled pool as you enter, beautiful clean, modern interiors with glimpses of Rajasthan on the walls and terrific food and service. Rashmi has done the interiors with great style and finesse. These brands collectively aim to provide guests with bespoke experiences, including curated horse safaris, village excursions, culinary journeys, and cultural immersion.

Our experiences included a heritage walk through the old city, visiting a Bishnoi family, watching an opium ritual, seeing Marwari horses, eating a shikar dinner where food was actually cooked in a hole in the sand, riding in a camel cart…to the sophistication of Rohet house in the city. Avijit Singh personally took us to his favourite places for Jodhpuri samosa, gulab jamun with no gluey syrup, hot jalebis (I will never eat jalebis anywhere else after these crisp saffron-filled mouthfuls), lassi and creamy pedas that were part of his school tuck box. I’m truly convinced that the food I had on this trip was superior to any Indian offering I've had for a long time.

Did The Bombay Canteen live up to its promise to showcase the depth of Indian cuisine, recreate local, seasonal dishes and re-interpret the country’s age-old culinary traditions? Yes, it certainly did, with an entirely unique approach to regional Indian food that is fun, familiar yet innovative; reimagining traditional recipes using seasonal ingredients and showcasing it in a contemporary way. The event certainly succeeded in highlighting regional Indian flavours, blending traditional Rajasthani cuisine with The Bombay Canteen’s inventive culinary approach. It showcased the beauty of Rajasthani culture and the culinary innovations that redefine India’s gastronomic identity and was certainly a memorable milestone for me.