Shekhawati
Food Guide
Dal baati churma, ker sangri, ghewar, mawa kachori — the complete guide to the traditional vegetarian cuisine of Shekhawati, Rajasthan. Taste it at its source at Mangalam Hotel, Laxmangarh.
What is Shekhawati Cuisine?
Shekhawati is a semi-arid region in north-eastern Rajasthan, encompassing the districts of Sikar, Jhunjhunu, and Churu. Historically a hub of Marwari merchant families, its cuisine reflects both the scarcity of water and the abundance of trade wealth.
The food is predominantly vegetarian — deeply so, in the Jain and Vaishnav tradition. It relies heavily on dried lentils, desert plants, gram flour, and dairy: ghee, buttermilk, and rabri. Preserved foods like ker sangri and papad were developed to last through the harsh summers when fresh produce was scarce.
At Mangalam Hotel & Restaurant, Laxmangarh, the Bijarniya family has preserved these 13-year-old Shekhawati recipes — making it the most authentic place to taste this cuisine on NH52.
The Flavours of Shekhawati
Dal Baati Churma
At MangalamThe crown jewel of Shekhawati cuisine. Five-lentil dal, baked wheat baatis drenched in ghee, and sweet churma. A complete meal.
Ker Sangri
At MangalamA tangy pickle-curry from two desert plants — ker (caper berry) and sangri (khejri beans). Uniquely Rajasthani.
Gatte Ki Sabzi
At MangalamSteamed gram flour dumplings (gatte) in a spiced yogurt-based curry. A Shekhawati everyday staple.
Missi Roti
At MangalamFlatbread made from a mix of wheat and gram flour, seasoned with ajwain, green chilli, and coriander. Eaten with ghee and pickle.
Mawa Kachori
Deep-fried pastry stuffed with a sweetened khoya (reduced milk) filling. Jodhpur's gift to Rajasthan, popular throughout Shekhawati.
Ghewar
A disc-shaped sweet made from wheat flour fried in a cylindrical mould, soaked in sugar syrup and topped with rabri. A festive essential.
Rabri
At MangalamThickened reduced milk sweetened with sugar and flavoured with cardamom and saffron. Served chilled or warm with ghewar.
Pyaaz Ki Kachori
At MangalamFlaky pastry stuffed with spiced onion filling. Popular Shekhawati breakfast and tea-time snack.
About Shekhawati Cuisine
What is Shekhawati cuisine?
Shekhawati cuisine is the traditional food culture of the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan (Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Churu districts). It is predominantly vegetarian, uses local desert produce, and is known for robust spicing, slow cooking, and generous use of ghee. Key dishes include dal baati churma, ker sangri, gatte ki sabzi, missi roti, mawa kachori, ghewar, and rabri.
What is dal baati churma?
Dal baati churma is the signature dish of Rajasthan and Shekhawati. It consists of: Dal — a five-lentil spiced curry cooked in ghee; Baati — hard wheat dough balls baked in a clay oven (or over open fire), then dipped in ghee; Churma — coarsely ground wheat sweetened with jaggery or sugar and topped with ghee and dry fruits. Eaten together, it is a complete, deeply satisfying meal. Mangalam Hotel serves an authentic dal baati churma platter.
What is ker sangri?
Ker sangri is a traditional Rajasthani pickle-curry made from two desert plants: ker (a wild caper berry, Capparis decidua) and sangri (beans from the khejri tree, Prosopis cineraria). Both are dried and then cooked together with spices and yogurt. It has a tangy, slightly bitter, deeply earthy flavour — a defining taste of Shekhawati cuisine. Available at Mangalam Hotel as part of the heritage thali.
Where can I eat authentic Shekhawati food near Laxmangarh?
Mangalam Hotel & Restaurant at Laxmangarh Bypass (NH52) is the best place for authentic Shekhawati cuisine. Their menu features dal baati churma, ker sangri, gatte ki sabzi, missi roti, Rajasthani thali, mawa kachori, and ghewar. 100% pure veg, no egg. Open 7 AM–11 PM. Over 500 5-star reviews on Google.