The Land of Princes, as Rajasthan is called, shows off, many a fine gastronomic delicacies both within its palaces and outside. In the royal kitchens of Rajasthan, preparation of food was a very complex matter and was raised to the levels of an exotic art form. Thus the 'Royal Cooks ' worked in stately palaces and kept their most enigmatic recipes to themselves. Rajasthani cooking was inclined to the war-like lifestyle of the medieval Rajasthan and the availability of ingredients of the region. Food that could last for several days and which could be eaten without heating was preferred, more out of necessity than choice. Scarcity of water, fresh green vegetables have had their effect on cooking. In the desert belt of Jaisalmer, Barmer and Bikaner, cooks use minimum of water and prefer, instead, to use more milk, buttermilk and clarified butter. A distinct feature of the Maheshwari cooking is the use of mango powder, a suitable substitute for tomatoes, scarce in the desert, and Asafoetida, to enhance the taste in the absence of garlic and onions. Generally, Rajasthani curries are a brilliant red but they are not as spicy as they look.

Most Rajasthani cuisine use pure ghee as the medium of cooking. Perhaps the best-known Rajasthani food is the combination of dal, bati and churma (Dal is lentils, Bati is baked wheat ball and Churma is powdered sweetened cereal). The personal recipes of the 'Royal Cooks ' still rotate around their generations and are the highlights of regal gatherings. Each Region of Rajasthan had its own style of the recipes, which has continued in the Rajput households.

“Jain vegetarianism is strictly followed by Jains , the followers of Jainism. It is a very strict form of religiously-motivated diet regulation in the Indian subcontinent. The diet not only excludes all non-vegetarian items and eggs, but also does not include potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots and other roots and tubers. Jains are known to keenly avoid anything which is grown underground (such as potatoes, carrots, onions, etc.) on the principle that their harvest involves the death of the whole plant and the disruption of many Jivas, both visible and microscopic which dwell in the soil. Also Jains do not mix milk with Pulses or "Khator". Hence when Kadhi is made, the yoghurt is boiled first.”