Introduction

I remember the first time I ate a real Marwadi thali in Rajasthan. The kadhi was bubbling, the bajra roti was hot, and the guava sabzi smelled very fresh. It felt like a warm hug from the kitchen.

When I tried to make this Marwadi thali at home, I felt happy. No onion, no garlic — yet every dish had strong taste. The khichdi and the wheat kheer made it a complete meal.

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Ingredients of Marwadi Thali

 

Portion / Servings: 4–5 people

Preparation Time: 20–25 minutes

Cooking Time: 40–50 minutes

 

• Marwadi Kadhi
  • Chaas / Buttermilk — 4 cups
  • Besan — 2 tbsp
  • Red chilli powder — ½ tsp
  • Turmeric powder — ½ tsp
  • Coriander powder — ½ tsp
  • Oil — 1 tbsp
  • Jeera — ½ tsp
  • Mustard seeds — ½ tsp
  • Methi seeds — ¼ tsp
  • Cloves — 4–5 pcs
  • Black pepper — 7–8 pcs
  • Black cardamom — 2 pcs
  • Curry leaves — 10–12 pcs
  • Onion chopped — 1 pc
  • Ginger & green chilli paste — 1 tbsp
  • Salt — 1 tsp
  • Ghee — 1 tbsp
  • Dry red chilli — 2 pcs
  • Hing — ½ tsp
  • Red chilli powder — ¼ tsp
• Marwadi Khichdi
  • Green moong split — 1 cup
  • Rice — ½ cup
  • Water — 3–4 cups
  • Turmeric powder — ½ tsp
  • Salt — ½ tsp
  • Ghee — 2 tsp
  • Jeera — 1 tsp
  • Mustard seeds — 1 tsp
  • Curry leaves — 4–5 pcs
  • Hing — ½ tsp
  • Green chilli chopped — 1 tbsp
  • Onion chopped — 2 pcs
  • Tomato chopped — 2 pcs
  • Red chilli powder — ½ tsp
  • Turmeric powder — ½ tsp
  • Coriander powder — 1 tsp
  • Water as required
• Bajra Roti
  • Ragi flour — ¾ cup + ¼ cup
  • Hot water — ½ cup
  • Ghee — 1 tsp
  • Salt — ½ tsp
• Amroot ki Sabji
  • Ghee — 2 tbsp
  • Jeera — 1 tsp
  • Dry red chilli — 1 pc
  • Hing — ½ tsp
  • Ginger chopped — 1 tsp
  • Green chilli chopped — ½ tbsp
  • Turmeric powder — ½ tsp
  • Red chilli powder — ½ tsp
  • Coriander powder — ½ tsp
  • Tomato puree — 2 pcs
  • Guava diced — 3–4 pcs
  • Water as required
  • Salt — ½ tsp
  • Black salt — ½ tsp
  • Amchur powder — ½ tsp
  • Sugar — ½ tbsp
  • Coriander chopped — 1 tbsp
• Leshun Mirch ki Chutney
  • Kashmiri chilli soaked in buttermilk — 5–6 pcs
  • Garlic — 7–8 cloves
  • Mint leaves — 10–12 leaves
  • Jeera — ½ tsp
  • Salt — ½ tsp
  • Buttermilk as required
  • Oil — ¼ cup
  • Jeera — 1 tsp
  • Mustard seeds — ½ tsp
  • Garlic chopped — 1 tsp
  • Red chilli paste — as prepared
• Gheun ki Kheer
  • Overnight soaked wheat — 2 cups
  • Water — as required
  • Milk — 1 liter
  • Green cardamom — 2–3 pcs
  • Sugar — ¾ cup
  • Saffron — 10–12 pcs
  • Raisins — 10–12 pcs
  • Cashew nuts — 1 tbsp
  • Pista chopped — 1 tbsp

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Instructions of Marwadi Thali

 

Step 1 — Preparing Marwadi Kadhi Base Mixture
Combine buttermilk with besan, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and coriander powder. Mix well to form a smooth mixture and keep aside.

 

Step 2 — Finishing Marwadi Kadhi
Heat oil in a pan. Add jeera, mustard seeds, methi seeds, cloves, black pepper, black cardamom, and curry leaves. Sauté until aromatic. Add chopped onion and ginger-green chilli paste. Cook until onion softens. Add the prepared buttermilk mixture and salt. Cook on medium heat, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.

 

Step 3 — Tempering Marwadi Kadhi
Heat ghee separately. Add jeera, dry red chillies, hing, and red chilli powder. Pour this tempering over the cooked kadhi before serving.

 

Step 4 — Cooking Marwadi Khichdi
Wash green moong dal and rice. Combine dal, rice, water, turmeric powder, and salt in a pressure cooker or pot. Cook until both dal and rice are soft.

 

Step 5 — Khichdi Tadka
Heat ghee in a pan. Add jeera, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and hing. Add chopped green chillies, onion, and tomato. Add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and water as needed. Pour this tadka over the cooked khichdi and mix gently.

 

Step 6 — Preparing Bajra Roti
Combine ragi flour, hot water, ghee, and salt. Knead into a smooth, pliable dough. Divide into balls and roll into flat rotis. Cook on a hot griddle until golden brown on both sides.

 

Step 7 — Cooking Amroot ki Sabji
Heat ghee in a pan. Add jeera, dry red chilli, and hing. Add chopped ginger and green chilli, sauté briefly. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and coriander powder. Add tomato puree and cook for a few minutes. Add diced guava, water, salt, black salt, amchur powder, and sugar. Cook until guava is tender and the sabji is slightly thick. Garnish with chopped coriander before serving.

 

Step 8 — Preparing Leshun Mirch ki Chutney
Soak Kashmiri chillies in buttermilk. Grind chillies with garlic, mint leaves, jeera, salt, and some buttermilk to make a smooth paste.

 

Step 9 — Cooking Leshun Mirch ki Chutney
Heat oil in a pan. Add jeera, mustard seeds, and chopped garlic. Add the chilli paste and cook briefly. Cool slightly before serving.

 

Step 10 — Cooking Gheun ki Kheer
Wash and soak wheat overnight. Cook the wheat in water until tender. Combine cooked wheat with milk, green cardamom, sugar, saffron, raisins, cashews, and chopped pista. Cook on low heat until milk thickens and kheer reaches desired consistency. Serve warm or chilled.

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About the Recipe

This Marwadi thali is a simple, full vegetarian meal. It has kadhi, khichdi, soft bajra roti, guava sabzi, garlic-chilli chutney, and wheat kheer (gehu ki kheech). All these come from Marwar tradition.

In Marwar, people use a lot of buttermilk. We make kadhi with buttermilk and besan (gram flour). The khichdi here is different: more dal, less rice. That gives it a strong dal flavor.

Bajra roti is made with hot water and a little ghee so it becomes soft. Guava sabzi is tangy and a little sweet. For the chutney, we soak dry red chillies in buttermilk first so they become soft and mix well with garlic and mint.

Wheat kheer is made from soaked and cooked wheat mixed in milk and slowly simmered with sugar and nuts. This ends the meal on a sweet note.

 

Cooking Tips

• When making kadhi, keep stirring continuously in the beginning to avoid lumps and burning of gram flour. Let it simmer slowly for 15 minutes for that authentic Marwadi taste.
• Always use slightly thin buttermilk for kadhi — it helps achieve a smooth, tangy texture without making it too thick.
• For bajra roti, pour hot water over the flour and let it rest covered for 5–7 minutes. This makes the dough soft and easy to knead.
• Use firm guavas for the sabzi so they don’t turn mushy while cooking. Remove hard seeds if needed.
• Soak the red chillies for the chutney in buttermilk for an hour — this softens them and adds a lovely tang.
• For the wheat kheer, soak and pressure cook the wheat before adding to milk — it ensures softness and rich flavor.

 

Pairing Guide

This Marwadi Thali Recipe is best enjoyed with a side of chilled chaas (buttermilk) or sweet lassi to balance the spicy elements. The bajra roti pairs beautifully with kadhi and guava sabzi, while the garlic and chilli chutney adds a fiery kick to every bite. End the meal with wheat kheer for a satisfying and wholesome finish.

If you’re serving this Marwadi Thali Recipe for guests, consider adding papad, pickles, and a small bowl of curd. These small additions elevate the meal into a royal Rajasthani feast.

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Frequently Asked Questions

 

1. What is a Marwadi Thali Recipe?

The Marwadi Thali Recipe is a traditional vegetarian meal from Rajasthan, featuring kadhi, khichdi, bajra roti, guava sabzi, garlic-chilli chutney, and wheat kheer. It’s known for its no-onion, no-garlic flavors and use of buttermilk, gram flour, and ghee.

 

2. Is the Marwadi Thali Recipe completely vegetarian?

Yes, the Marwadi Thali Recipe is 100% vegetarian and traditionally made without onion and garlic, staying true to Marwadi dietary customs.

 

3. What makes Marwadi kadhi different from other kadhi recipes?

In the Marwadi Thali Recipe, the kadhi uses thin buttermilk and is cooked slowly with a simple tempering of cumin, mustard seeds, and methi, giving it a light, tangy taste.

 

4. Can I replace guava in the Marwadi Thali Recipe?

If guava is unavailable, you can use raw papaya or apple gourd. However, guava gives the Marwadi Thali Recipe a unique tang and texture that’s hard to replace.

 

5. How can I make soft bajra rotis for the Marwadi Thali Recipe?

To get soft bajra rotis in the Marwadi Thali Recipe, use boiling water to knead the flour and let it rest before rolling. Cook on a hot tawa and finish directly on flame for a puffed texture.

 

6. What is the secret to a smooth Marwadi kadhi?

The secret to perfect kadhi in the Marwadi Thali Recipe is constant stirring in the early stage and simmering it on low heat for at least 15 minutes.

 

7. Can I make the Marwadi Thali Recipe without ghee?

While you can use oil, ghee brings out the authentic flavor and aroma in the Marwadi Thali Recipe. It’s especially important for tarka and roti.

 

8. What is the difference between khichdi in Marwadi Thali Recipe and regular khichdi?

The khichdi in the Marwadi Thali Recipe uses more dal and less rice, unlike regular khichdi. It’s made with split green moong dal, making it high in protein and thicker in texture.

 

9. Can I make the wheat kheer in advance for the Marwadi Thali Recipe?

Yes, you can make the wheat kheer ahead of time for your Marwadi Thali Recipe. Just warm it slightly before serving and adjust milk consistency if it thickens too much.

 

10. What are the must-have elements to complete the Marwadi Thali Recipe?

To complete your Marwadi Thali Recipe, include kadhi, khichdi, bajra roti, guava sabzi, garlic-chilli chutney, and wheat kheer. Add papad and chaas for the perfect Rajasthani touch.

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