A visit to Rajasthan deems that you must try the iconic laal maas (mutton curry flavoured with yoghurt and spices).

A true firecracker; its spicy notes and melt-in-mouth texture make it a cult favourite.

But did you know that the reason for the dish’s spice quotient is the Mathania chillies?

Blood red in colour, they are indigenous to the town ‘Mathania’ in Jodhpur, where the hot and humid climate plays the perfect host.

Their pungent taste and smoky and earthy flavour, make them perfect additions to the laal maas. The chillies are sometimes added in whole, other times they are soaked in water and ground into a paste.

It is an old wives’ tale that suggests that while the chillies are growing, ashes from burial grounds are spread in the farmland. This is thought to increase the yield and contribute to their flavour.

But now for the story of how the Mathania chillies found their way into the dish.

The story goes that Maharajas in early India would be accompanied by a retinue of people including khansamas (royal cooks) on their hunting trips.

The rations carried along were limited — chillies, garlic, water and yoghurt.

During the trip, the kings would hunt wild boar, jungle fowl, and venison, which would be sent to the camp kitchen on horseback to be marinated and kept ready for dinner.

But when the dish would be set in front of the king at the dinner table that evening, the odour was putting off. So, in an attempt to turn the jungli maas (wild meat) into something more palatable, copious amounts of chillies were added to disguise the smell.

And that’s how the laal maas was born.

Through the years, the dish went through an evolution of its own with different families adding their own insignia to it.

Here’s a recipe by Chef Ranveer Brar who got it from Jodhpur.

Here are some iconic spots where you can try the dish:  Niros Restaurant, Jaipur Spice Court, Jaipur Cafe Auberge, Jaipur  Handi Restaurant, Jaipur Indique, Jodhpur