A taste of India: an authentic cookery lesson in Jaipur.

On my India trip exploring the Golden Triangle, I was surprised to discover that so many things that I’d thought were quintessentially British, were actually originally from the Asian country.

India has given us lots: Polo (the sport, not the mint), jodhpurs for horse riding, the board games chess and “Snakes and Ladders”, even the humble button, to name but a few. Though I’ve never watched a Polo match or donned a pair of jodhpurs, I am partial to the odd game of chess, which is believed to have originated in Eastern India in the 6th Century, where it was known as “chaturaṅga”. I guess one of the most well-known (and possibly my favourite) things to come from India, however, is the cuisine.

I love a good “Ruby Murray” as much as the 23 million Brits that regularly consume the dish. Though unlike those with more sensitive palates, for me the spicier, the better. My culinary heaven would be a chicken Vindaloo or Jalfrezzi served with chilli rice, accompanied with side orders of Bombay Aloo, Saag Aloo and a garlic Naan, plus poppadoms to dip in mint sauce and chunky lime pickle (extra hot). My mouth is watering as a type.

So imagine my joy on receiving the itinerary for my India trip in 2016, and seeing that included in the whirlwind 7-day tour was an authentic Indian cookery lesson in Jaipur.

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The whole trip was brilliant, and it was fantastic to tick the magnificent Taj Mahal off my bucket list. But the cookery lesson was definitely one of the highlights for me. Here’s a bit more about the experience…

A warm welcome at Nokha House.

On the sixth evening of our trip, after a busy day exploring the “pink city” and the Amer Fort, our little tour group was driven to the outskirts of Jaipur, to Nokha House.

As we clambered off the bus, we were suddenly surrounded by Indians. Nothing unusual about this – it was something we experienced whenever we stepped down from the air-conditioned vehicle or out of the sanctuary of our hotel gates. But unlike the begging, the offers of taxis and the claims of “I give you nice price” that we had – by now – become accustomed to, there was no hustle or bustle or shouting.

Instead, everyone’s wrists were calmly grabbed and tied with a bracelet:

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I examined the vibrant red and yellow threads; they were plaited together and knotted with wooden and gold plastic beads, as well as gold flowers and charms. In all the commotion of tying these to our wrists, I couldn’t hear what our tour guide Dilip was saying regarding the bracelet. But consulting my India pocket guide later that evening, I found out that the band is known as “mauli”, and is usually tied on a wrist by Hindus before the beginning of a religious ceremony to invoke the blessings of the Hindu deities. Men have it tied on their right hand, while it’s on the left hand for females – glad they got it on the correct wrist. It’s also believed that the sanctified red thread protects a person from diseases, enemies and other dangers. Perhaps they knew something about my cooking skills…

The women in our tour group were also all dabbed on the forehead with a dye-covered finger. We were adorned with a bindi, a symbolic mark that I previously thought was only given to married women.

Questioning the red dot in between my eyebrows, Dilip explained women from many different religious and cultural communities in India proudly wear bindis. It isn’t just Hindus, but Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists and even Catholics sport the dot. While some believe it’s linked to the third eye (known as “ajna chakra”), a site of wisdom and power said to be situated between the eyebrows, others associate it with married women (though it is also commonly worn by children and single women). Parents may also mark their babies’ faces with bindis to ward off the evil eye.

Both gestures were a great way to get our party into the spirit of the evening, and everyone was excited for what was to come next.

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After we’d been marked and our wrists tied (sounds more Fifty Shades of Grey than Can’t Cook, Won’t Cook), Dilip introduced us to the owner of the house, who greeted us by shaking all of our hands warmly. He then ushered us in, giving us a tour of the house at the same time. It was large and spacious, with a large courtyard garden in the middle.

We all took a seat in the garden and chattered away unanimously for a few minutes, before a trolley was pushed out with a refreshing little drink and a hot wash cloth for everyone. One of the owner’s sons then came out, followed in hot pursuit by a very overweight Labrador, who we learnt was called Jaime. The charismatic son gave us a brief history of the house, and what we would be cooking with his parents once we went inside to the dining room. His English accent was remarkable, he could have doubled as Lord Ralph from The Fast Show.

And then, it was time to cook…

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Cooking a curry in India.

Firstly we were introduced to all the spices we’d be using. There were cardamom pods and paprika, cinnamon and mustard seeds. There were things I’d never even heard of before, too, such as garam masala – which we were told was blended from green cardamon pods. Then, we were told what was on the menu for the evening:

  • Vegetable pakora
  • Green lentil dahl
  • Home-made chapatis

Once we’d learnt about the ingredients and what we’d be making, it was time to begin the lesson. Does anyone have any allergies? Yes? Well tough, these Indians didn’t do gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan friendly dishes. This was traditional Indian cookery as it should be.

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The owner and his wife worked as a tag team, taking it in turns to show us the different techniques and stages for making each part of the meal. I actually managed to video the whole demonstration, so click here if you fancy making your own green lentil dahl.

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The pakora’s didn’t look that hard to make, though I’ve yet to try them at home.

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After about 45 minutes, the class was over, though it didn’t feel that long at all. As the owners of Nokha House began clearing up the cooking dishes, we were invited to come up to the front and try some pakora sprinkled with a tasty homemade spice dust. Then, to our dismay, the dahl and chapatis were taken away entirely. “Where are they going? Come back, we’re hungry,” murmured everyone on our tour group, looking around at one another.

A few minutes late, the articulate son, aka Lord Ralph, reappeared in the doorway, with a hungry Jamie at his side. “Ladies and gentlemen, if you could please follow me outside, your dinner is served”.

And so, with tummies rumbling loudly, we all filed back out to the courtyard garden, where little tables had been set-up with candles, glasses, plates and cutlery. The son and Jamie (who could tell he was about to get tidbits from the guests) wheeled out a trolley laden with curries and rice and potatoes and chapatis. All home cooked, all delicious.

*****

If you’re heading to Jaipur and are looking for somewhere comfortable, affordable and hospitable to stay, I cannot recommend Nokha House enough. You can book a room via booking.com. Once there, make sure you take one of their cookery lessons, it’s the only way to learn how to cook authentic Indian cuisine.

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291 thoughts on “A taste of India: an authentic cookery lesson in Jaipur.”

  1. I am sooo glad you enjoyed yourself. Indian food is so vibrant in itself.
    The culture is so different in so many parts of the country. And that thread is a very ospicious thread. More like a safe home.
    I am just happy you enjoyed being a part of my culture 💖

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  4. I love this cultural post – have learned a lot about what isn’t British! LOL…and also, I’m a BIG fan of Indian food. Aside from already made curries, I’ve yet to cook an Indian dish from scratch, which I am duly putting on bucket list for good measure. Thanks!! xo ❤ Evelyn, PathofPresence.com

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  6. I’ve actually never tried Indian food. I would love to, but there aren’t many places where I live. I would definitely want a more authentic experience. This sounds like a great experience that I would love to have!

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    1. Wow, I can’t believe you’ve never tried Indian food! There are so many places in the UK serving it, though it tastes completely different in India, of course. Hope you get to try it soon, you don’t know what you’re missing 🙂 x

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  10. The pictures are everything . I have learned so much in this blog . I wondered a lot about the dot in the middle of the head . I never knew it represented a third eye. Very interesting stuff I could smell the curry cooking through your lines. Nice

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  11. This is an extremely well written article. Very intresting! Although I eat less spice, I love North Indian foods. And the best part about Indian food is every region and culture and state will have their special taste!!

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  12. I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever tried authentic Indian foods before, although I remember walking down my old apartment hallway and smelling it cooking all the time! Lol. This experience that you had is definitely one to be remembered for a lifetime! I would love to visit there and take a cooking class some time!

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  14. Oh my goodness, I have seen a few things this week about Indian cooking lessons and food tours and it all looks and sounds incredible. Food is such an important part of culture and is so often overlooked when travelling. This sounds like such a wonderful experience for you and the photos look fab!

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  26. Indian food is so yummy. my old flatmate was indian and she used to make us the most delious food ever,whenever i helped prepare the food, it took forever,but the results were worth it.

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  32. What a fantastic way to visit this lovely country than learning an authentic Indian cookery lesson in Jaipur. I am not so familiar with all the spices too. Good to hear you enjoyed your adventure there.

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  33. Jaipur is a food lovers paradise. And what better way to eat your way through to learn about the culture and ideologies of a country. I’d love to take cooking lessons as well because I love cooking and green lentil is infact my one of the favorites.

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  34. What a cool experience! I LOVE Indian food though I don’t think I could eat it quite as spicy as you do. 🙂 It was a nice touch for them to tie on the bracelets and add the bindi. I think I would have to stay here and take a cooking class if I ever go to India! Great review

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  41. Oh wow I never knew chess originated in India. That’s one way to learn how to make authentic Indian food I bet it was great to see it live. I do like to see chefs / home cooks in action. I do like Indian food especially dal x

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  43. Taking local cooking lessons is one of the best ways to understand the local culture – this is how I feel about it at least! Especially it concerns India – a country, where food is a cult, and where every province, city, village have a speciality of their own … pictures of the spices from your class made me almost taste the dishes in my mouth ))

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    1. Thanks for your comment Alina – I think you’ve summed my post up brilliantly. Taking a cookery lesson in a foreign country really gives you a flavour for the culture, as well as the food 😉 x

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  44. I do love taking cooking classes when I travel. I haven’t though tried any in India, as every time I went there my schedule was full. However, Indian is 0ne of my favorite foods and I’d love to try and discover some of the secrets of the spices used.

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  47. This is beyond cool. Can I just tell you how much I love Indian Food. We have a chain restaurant and one that my husband and I frequent that is authentic and run by natives. How amazing to get the opportunity to see how this delicious food is actually prepared!

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  48. My husband has Indian blood and I couldn’t agree more when it comes to the cooking skills. The food is always great and the smell of spices is mouthwatering. Thanks for sharing this!

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  49. A trip to Jaipur (or anywhere in Rajasthan) is not complete without digging into authentic Rajasthani food. Whether you’re craving dal bati churma, laal maas, kachoris or ghevar, Jaipur is foodie’s paradise.

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  53. Sounds like such an amazing experience! I am a huge foodie so this would be right up my alley, learning about spices and how to cook Indian food.

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