Sam Mannering
The spices in this fragrant Rajasthani dish are warming rather than hot.
A couple of years ago, I was lucky enough to travel rather memorably through Rajasthan with my friend Peta Mathias. It was a heady glimpse into a world far removed from my own, where I learned much and ate more, a culture rich not only with identity but also with influence. Through the food of Rajasthan, Pakistan, Iran and Central Asia you see an extraordinary crossover, each cuisine unique in its own way, and all of them integrally related to one another. Mughlai cuisine, for one, embodies the reach of the once hugely influential empire that bore its name. Flavours like cinnamon, cloves, cumin, cardamom and bay leaves are key; there is less of an emphasis on chilli - dishes are more about warming rather than eye-wateringly spicy. I was taught this dish several times over as we travelled; each one different. This is my own approximation of what I was taught, with one especially memorable version in Udaipur. The most important thing to remember is to make sure you have fresh spices. If they don’t have a fragrance, then they’re useless. When you fry the spices in the oil, you are infusing the oil with flavour, which then goes on to infuse the whole dish.