Private Market Tour & Vegetarian Cooking Class & Meal in a Local Jaipur Home

Wonderful way to spend an evening in Jaipur.

We had a great time with Shalini, when we arrived at her home she showed us how to make a delicious local tea, we then went shopping for food in some of the local shops that she and her family visit. We then spent time preparing and cooking a lovely meal, Shalini is obviously an excellent chef and was very informative. We then sat down with her and her family to eat all the food we had made together. We had a lovely time and Shalini was so friendly. We felt totally at ease with her.

Cooking and a Glimpse into Daily Life

When you only have a few days in a city it’s hard to actually get an experience that gives you a glimpse into the lives of locals. Doing the cooking class with Shalini and her family was an experience that allowed for that. If you want to learn how to cool Indian cuisine that is the focus. If you want to experience a little of life in India that happened as well. Also the food was awazing, some of the best eggplant I’ve ever had. Shalini and her family were happy to have us in their home and we felt comfortable and welcomed the whole time.

Awesome evening with Shalini and family!

Shalini’s home cooking experience was a real highlight of our 10-day trip in India. Shalini is so warm and welcoming, as is her family. Communication was easy and efficient and Shalini answered any questions we had in a timely manner. She also accommodated a gluten allergy that one member of our group has. Her energy and teaching made the entire experience so fun. After the meal was prepared it was nice to sit and share a meal together with her, their eldest son and husband and talk about each others daily life, share stories and ask questions. While sharing a meal could feel a bit forced or awkward in some situations, with Shalini and her family it was a special addition to a wonderful experience. Thanks, Shalini, for an unforgettable evening.

Very special cooking class experience

This is the best cooking class I’ve ever taken is so special to be in somebody’s home and learn so much about local culture. It was very nice to pick out our own vegetables and learn about the different spices. I would strongly urge anybody to do this, while they are in Jaipur.

Intimate family experience

The host is so warm, friendly and inviting. You get a real Indian family evening with her husband, children and mother in law. It’s typical Indian food- nothing special, but you learn how they make food. Highly recommend.

Delicious food with welcoming locals!

We had a wonderful time with Shalini and her family! Shalini greeted us with fresh chai and vegetable pakora, and then we walked to the market to pick up vegetables for dinner. She showed us how to make mutter paneer, dal fry, bhindi masala, and chapati, and everything was delicious. We had dinner with her sweet family, and they made us feel like part of the family. This was a beautiful experience and we highly recommend it to anyone who wants a truly authentic Indian family experience!

Incredible evening in Jaipur cooking with Shalini

Shalini was an incredible host - we learned so much about Indian cooking and experienced a slice of life in Jaipur. She and her husband took us to her local market where we learned about different grains and spices and then visited a vegetable market where we picked out veggies for our dinner. She showed us how she makes masala chai and we enjoyed meeting her family. Dinner was incredible with so many delicious flavors. Thank you for an amazing evening Shalini ❤️

Excellent and memorable cooking experience

We had an excellent, memorable experience cooking with Shalini in her family’s home. Shalini is great at explaining the ingredients and steps in Indian cooking, and made us feel completely at home. It was very special to have dinner with the whole family in their home, and we learned a lot!

Learning from the real people of India ❤️

Shalini and her family gave us an amazing experience and welcomed us to her family. It was amazing to live there lives for an evening and learn how to cook simple delicious dishes! We are looking forward to going home to try and replicate them. Thank you to all your family. Vicki, Richard, Katie and Martyn xx

A truly amazing experience

If you plan to visit Jaipur, be sure to book this experience in advance. It is an amazing cultural opportunity to visit a genuinely beautiful family and learn how to cook some amazing authentic Indian food. Don’t worry if you’re not a great cook because Mother Shalini is a wonderfully patient and expert teacher. We are two men who don’t usually cook and with the guidance from Mother Shalini, we cooked some good food that the whole family enjoyed. As we are not spicy food fans, Mother Shalini spiced the food to accommodate our taste which was very kind of her. We cooked Dahl, various vegetables dishes and we learned how to make chapatis and parathas. The whole experience was fantastic and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone. Thank you Mother Shalini and family for allowing us to come to your home and share an experience we will never forget. Wishing you all success for the future.

A terrific experience

We would highly recommend Shalini’s cooking class. She showed us around her local grocery store and vegetable market, invited us to select vegetables new to us to prepare, and walked us through the spices and techniques she uses to create an amazing meal. We equally enjoyed the wonderful conversation with her family in her home where she hosted the lesson. It was a great way to learn about daily life in Jaipur.

Great local cooking experience

My bf and I had the best time walking around the local stores with Shalini, learning more about typical daily life in India and the cooking that goes along with it. We loved the food we ate at the end of the night along with Shalini and her family, overall it was a great experience that enriched our travels!

Amazing experience, delicious food, welcoming host.

This was an incredible experience! We're crazy about cooking and indian food especially but we've never been able to cook anything like this until now. It's something completely different to learn from a local who's been cooking their whole life as opposed to reading recipes on the internet. Shalini is the most kind and warm host you could ever meet, she took us around the markets where we were able to buy loads of delicious spices to take home, and we got to choose some amazing veg to cook. She's a great instructor, really clear and patient, and we gained some cooking skills that we now get to practise at home!

Gem of India

The Taj Mahal was lovely but the real gem of India is Shalini and her family. I was traveling alone and I am so glad I had the opportunity to meet her, her husband, her wonderful sons, and her in-laws. We had a nice time walking through the market and I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to help prepare and cook dinner. It was a beautiful evening in a beautiful city.

Best experience in India so far

Our cooking evening with Shalini has been our BEST experience in India so far! It is so much more than just food. We shared such a memorable time with Shalini and her incredible family (two sons, husband, mother in law and father in law). The dinner we prepared was absolutely delicious and so different to the bland Indian food you often find in the UK. I can’t recommend this experience enough! You will not want to miss out on this. It was fantastic to have been able to prepare each item on the menu by hand and then have the excitement of eating it after. Shalini patiently helps you along the cooking process, with expert tips too from her mother in law! What a wonderful evening.

It’s a Family Affair!

We loved our evening with Shalini and her family. Our neighborhood shopping trip was enlightening-who knew there was a department store behind those modest doors? Her husband was engaging, the boys delightful and the prep partnership with her mother was endearing. My husband was a reluctant participant and he enjoyed the evening as much as I did. The cooking experience was well organized. I still marvel at the process of four people preparing a multi course meal in a small kitchen with no oven and only two burners. But Shalini managed it with grace and ease! The food was delicious. She even accommodated my request for no hot spices. The evening exceeded our expectations. I highly recommend.

A wonderful experience in Jaipur

Shalini is amazing!! We arrived and sat down to be introduced to her family. Then out to the market to pick what we needed to cook. Cooking with Shalini is tough.... she made me work hard.... like Cinderella (i’m only joking) and the food was the tastiest ever....the ice cold water was needed :-) One of the highlights in our 3 week travels across India and i’ve kept in touch with Shalini since returning home :-)

Many thanks Shalini

The great thing about cooking with Shalini was not only the market tour, working in her large spacious kitchen, learning how create an authentic home cooked Indian meal, talking with her family BUT the follow-up text that included "how to" instructions for replicating all of the delicious foods we prepared together. Jaipur is a fascinating city, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Shalini and her family in Incredible India. Namaste !

A Delightful Evening

This was one of our favorite memories while visiting India. Shalini and her family welcomed us into their home. We toured her neighborhood to a market, and a fresh vegetable stand. She designed our meal around the vegetables we chose. We all ( 5 of us) took turns preparing our dinner in her kitchen, under her guidance. What a great teacher, wonderful family, and great food. I highly recommend this evening Thank you

Thanks Shalini!!!!!!!

Shalini is a beautiful soul and was so caring and delightful to us. Helped in the kitchen and we really enjoyed the supermarket tour and the selection of vegetables from the local vegie shop. we got to choose which vegies we would like to cook. She makes it very comfortable and we also enjoyed her mother-in-law who is also a major cook in the kitchen, and loved showing us some of her photos. Wonderful to meet her normal family and share an idea how a typical Indain family lives and cooks? Thank you Shalini we would definitly recommend to all our friends and if we make it back will come again?

Nice evening with Shalini and her family!

Two of us had a great evening cooking with Shalini and her mother-in-law and then sharing a meal with her family. The food was simple, but super tasty! This cooking class is a great way to experience India from inside. Highly recommended!

A must in your Jaipur trip

The cooking class was incredible. Shalini and her family were amazing hosts and teachers with a lot of patience with our lack of cooking skills. The food we made was delicious and the company even better. This was one of the highlights of our whole stay in India and we couldn't recommend Shalini more for this experience

Happy we chose this as one of our two evenings in Jaipur

This was a wonderful evening where we got to meet Shalini and her family who were all very friendly and welcomed us into their home. After chai and pakoras, Shalini took us to the local supermarket and fruit and veg shops where we could purchase spices, Indian cooking utensils etc if we wished, and then select produce to cook with. We got to watch Shalini and her mother in law demonstrate their cooking expertise in the kitchen (and got to try making a few things ourselves!) and then sit down to a delicious meal. We left with happy tummies and feeling like we had made new friends. Shalini went out of her way to provide a positive experience, happily accommodating the needs of our vegan daughter and chilli-shy husband, later sending recipes for some of the dishes, and offering ongoing cooking advice from afar should we wish. Would definitely recommend this experience, its much more than a cooking class and you couldn't meet a more welcoming host. Thanks Shalini :)

Lovely experience

Shalini and her family were so lovely with us that night. At first she offered to us a delicious chai, then show us how to make a tipical Indian snak. After that, with her mon, we cooked several dishes as Dahl and sweet and salty pumpkin, even we made paratha!!! The hole cooking experience was amazing and to finalize we ate everything, sharing with this lovely family. Highly recommended, is the first time we take this kind of private class and must to say was much better than a groupal one.

Delicious home cooked meal

We really enjoyed the class. Shelani catered for my tricky diet - vegan & gluten free. The food was delicious. we tried new veggies - bottlegourd & tinde. Her family was welcoming and it was a lovely experience.

Truly grateful to experience a day in the life

Shalini is a wonderful host! She has a lovely family, they made us feel right at home. The tour itself was very informative, we learned about all the different ingredients she uses, many of which we had never heard of! We got to choose two vegetables for our meal and both ended up being delicious dishes. We also picked up a fresh coconut for drinking its water and fruits for snacking, which the children also appreciated. As there were four of us, we were a bit crowded in the kitchen, so we each spent time focusing on a particular dish rather than the whole meal. However, in making breads, we all got a turn, which made for a fun friendly competition! We're so glad we decided to do this cooking class. Shalini's home made for a much warmer and cozier environment than those cooking classes done out of professional kitchens with stations for pairs/groups. Our family loved feeling like we were a part of Shalini's family for the evening. We would absolutely return given the chance in the future!

Wonderful experience

My teenage daughter and I had the pleasure of spending Christmas evening with Shalini and her family,such a warm welcome - beginning with Chai tea and samosas (all home made) after shalini took us to visit the local stalls to buy fresh veg. When home we began to cook. With clear instructions aided with help from Shalini and her mother in law we created a feast and it was delicious! I'm looking forward to trying to cook these dishes again at home. Many thanks to Shalini and her family for welcoming us into her home and giving us a Christmas we will never forget.

Like cooking with a friend, a must do!

This was one of the best experiences of my two week trip in India. My friend and I booked via tip advisor in November for December. We met Shalini at the agreed place at time (details given on trip advisor then numbers exchanged) and then went back to her home where her family were. We spent a relaxed, fun, and educational evening cooking pakoras, curries and nan breads all while chatting and drinking delicious masala and lemon tea. We also saw where Shalini shops and picked up veg, Shalini also helped me find a very specific spice holder I was after at her local shop. Once the food was ready we sat down with the whole family to eat which was delightful. We left feeling like we had spent the evening with a friend and her family. It feels impossible to find an authentic experience these days, but this is certainly it. Thank you Shalini for your warmth and for being such a good teacher! Mary & Amy December 2019

Home Cooking with Shalini

We are a family from England with three teenage kids. We all loved it. Shalini was great at communication and met us in front of her house. Her English was great. It was a pleasure to go into a local family’s home. We met Shalini’s in laws and her two young sons, one of whom spoke pretty good English aged 10. After tea we went to the local shops and bought food. We prepared the food together and had a great evening. For us it was more about meeting a local family and spending time with them. We met Shalini’s husband later in the evening. It was a great experience and our kids really loved it. Would really recommend this. We would welcome Shalini and her family in Cornwall if they ever get over to the UK. You should do this!

A really great time with loverly hosts!

Shalini and her mother in law welcomed us in their home and we immediately felt comfortable and taken care of. It was great getting to know them and sharing this moment in the kitchen with them. The cooking class was super interesting and we learned things, and Shalini built her cooking class making sure we can easily find the ingredients to try it again at home, which we will definitely do. We then shared the mea with her lovely family and the food was delicious! Thanks again for sharing your time and friendship with us! We definitely recommend this experience!

Wonderful experience in Jaipur

We absolutely loved spending the evening with Shalini and her family. They are the kindest and most welcoming people- we learned a lot and laughed a lot together. I would recommend this class to anyone visiting Jaipur. Also, Shalini and her mother in law are INCREDIBLE cooks, so even if you aren’t very good in the kitchen you will eat excellent food.

At home in their home!

We cannot speak highly enough about the evening we spent with Shalini and her family. We learnt so much about how simple Indian cooking is and shared an amazing meal with the family. Three generations of generosity, sharing their home and valuable time with us. Thank you so much Shalini! We will remember this night forever!

There is no hospitality like Indian hospitality

I booked this activity months before actually going to Jaipur and Shalina and I communicated before the tour. I knew a bit about her family and got a sense of what we were going to do. We were a family of 6 people, my 3 children and 2 daughter-in-laws and myself. She opened her house to us. Her mother in law was also helping in the kitchen and exploring the local vegetable market and the local stores to buy all that is needed for cooking in India was amazing. Not only was the food delicious but the sense of community and family was so warm and wonderful. She is a special lady for sure and I highly recommend this experience.

Best Experience of the Real Life in Jaipur

My girlfriend and I wanted to learn the basics of Indian cuisine and would have never imagined that meeting Shalini will be our time best spent in India. She is such a nice person and getting a feel of how local people actually live is amazing. Well, at least for us, it flipped the perception of Indian life, because seeing it is different than living it. The experience is full of positive surprises created by Shalini’s energy and her lovely family, therefore we strongly recommend you book this experience.

Lovely time with Shalini

Indian food lovers, we wanted to see directly how Indians cook. We had an excellent time with Shalini and her family, we really enjoyed learning how to cook indian daily food with you. Shalini is really friendly and masters the way to make you comfortable and show you her skills, we really learned something. Thank you

Warm welcome

Lovely evening spent with Shalini and her family. I enjoyed the market trip and felt like it was a little insight into normal Indian life away from the tourist trail. Shalini is very easy to talk to and explained everything very clearly. The food was amazing and the company could not have been better. Definitely one of the highlights of our trip.

Amazing experience!!!!

We had an amazing night with Shalini, she took us to the supermarket and explained all the different spices we can use in curries. Afterwards we cooked in her kitchen, and had a LOVELY meal with her family. It was a fantastic experience - we would reccomend to everyone!

Outstanding

This was the highlight of our trip to Jaipur. As other reviewer have reported this is an absolute must in Jaipur. It gives you a true flavour of the city, it's culture, it's cuisine, it's religion, it's beliefs, it's architecture, it's history. The guide's were excellent. They were very knowledgeable, humble, courteous and made sure you were safe at all times. I was surprised that we actually did yoga in the park behind the temple. This was refreshing. I have to admit the chai that they sell was absolutely the best I have had. We also had the local lassi ( buttermilk) and a snack call kachori. This was hot just out of the pan. We took frequent stops and for those concerned about fitness, this is a easy ride and should not be a major issues. The equipment were good quality. Bottom line : highly recommended.

Great experience

The cooking class was great and it was really nice to spend time with Shalini and her friendly family!

Private Market Tour and Vegetarian Cooking class at Shalini's home

This is a must do tour. This was truly the best experience I had in my entire Indian holiday. Shalili and her mother-in-law greeted us with genuinely open arms. We were taken to their house, to the kitchen where they were making potato snacks and true chai for us. We asked to watch and they showed us the various spices they were using. The snacks were potato balls. So full of flavour. When we visited the market, Shalini asked us to choose what vegetables would be cooking in the class - Okra and baby eggplant. Let the cooking the begin! We were cooking for the whole family. Shalini gave us instructions on how to do things, but compared to her we were rank amateurs. We had an evening of good fun, good food and great company.

A great night

So we finally managed to find our hosts house after our driver got a little lost.... and what a great night we had. Started out with me playing cricket with the kids in the street..... in the house we had some snacks to start off before heading out to the market for shopping... we chose what we wanted to eat that night and we were not disappointed...... prepped and cooked the food, mild for my wife and a little spicier for me....Next time I’ll have it mild lol....... Shalini was a fantastic host and made myself and my wife exceptionally welcome and her family were super friendly...... 5 star rating

Super-hosts & really great cooking class

Shalini, her mother in law and the rest of the family were so charming and extremely welcoming. Shalini took us down to the local store to explain each ingredient and shop for that nights dinner. We were able to choose the vegetables that we wanted to cook and learn about. What an lovely and authentic experience that we will not forget. Thank you Shalini and we look forward to seeing you the next time we visit Jaipur.

Really great cooking class

We've done this cooking class and it was an absolute highlight of our trip in India. Learning to cook Indian food was really great and of course it tasted delicious too. Shalini absolutely made us feel welcome and explained everything about what and how we were cooking clearly. We would definitely recommend doing this tour if you're planning a trip to Jaipur.

If you've only got one thing to do in India...

Shalini will make you discover her local shops and market, the sellers will take time to show you their produce before getting to the cooking, this will be done with an authentic traditional Indian way of preparing food. Shalini and family will open the door to their home with a smile and this, in this century is a very precious thing. If you've only got one thing to do in India is this, a must not miss evening to learn how to prepare Indian dishes and socialise in the heart of Jaipur. Thank you Shalini, you have the most beautiful family and you will never be forgotten.

Authentic Experience

An absolute highlight of our trip to India. Shalini and her family was real, friendly and gave us a taste of Indian family life. The food was delicious and Sahlini gave us confidence to try the recipes at home.

Great food, learnt loads, so friendly

Shalini was so knowledgeable, her whole family was so friendly, she even made my fiance a special meal to take home as she was ill and couldn't attend. I learnt so much and the food was amazing.

Memories of food, family, and culture

This was one of the more memorable evenings of our adventures in India. We started our evening with a market trip, which showed us a few local shops that would otherwise be hidden to us. We were introduced to new ingredients and selected our produce. When we arrived at her house we were introduced to the family, as guests we were always comfortable, and started cooking with Shalini and her mother-in-law. Here we helped chop and cook, while also watching how to make various dishes. Again, we were introduced to new ingredients, and of course, had questions. When our creations were done we enjoyed them with the family with some wonderful conversations. We learned that we have a lot in common! That day was also a special day, it was my wife's birthday! Shalini organized a cake for us, and shared with us the culture of feeding a piece of the cake to the celebrant, everyone in the family did! What a great night, one we will keep with us for a long time

Delightful cooking experience in a local Jaipur home

Shalini and her family provided a wonderful evening experience- welcoming us into their home and guiding us through multiple vegetarian dishes. It was delightful Learning each spice, lentil and base to recipes and getting to pick vegetables from the local market before cooking in Shalini’s kitchen. If you love cooking and traditional Indian food, or would love an authentic experience with a gorgeously generous and kind family then I could not recommend Shalini enough. Thank you for such a delightful experience

A beautiful, heart warming, super fun evening!

Don't miss out on this unforgettable class. We had the best time with Shalini and learnt so much about her life, her family and Indian cooking! It was myself (26) and my Dad (58) who went to learn and have fun and my Dad is a celiac so can't eat any gluten. Shalini tailored all the food to ensure he could eat with us which was really nice as we've been struggling around India to get gluten free so far! We were humbled to meet all her family and experience Indian cooking in her kitchen, with over 60 years of collective cooking experience, we were in good hands. Will definitely be visiting again when we come back to Jaipur. Thanks again Shalini, you were amazing!

An amazing evening!

We had a fantastic evening. Shalini welcomed us into her family home with tea and delicious pekoras. The market was interesting and we learned all about the spices used in cooking. We then got to pick out the fresh ingredients for the meal. Shalini was a great teacher, showing us first how to do each step and then helping throughout with tips and techniques. The food was so so tasty, some of the best we've had in India. The experience was enhanced by chatting to her and her husband over dinner and learning more about India. Thank you for and unforgettable evening!