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Food
Traditional Sweets Still Cooked Over Wood Fire in Asalpur, Jaipur
✍️ Amar Ujala · Jaipur
🗓 07 Nov 2026, 04:17 PM
👁 13
Two confectioneries in Asalpur village continue to prepare mawa and sweets in a mud kiln using slow‑burning wood, preserving age‑old methods despite modern alternatives.
In the small village of Asalpur on the outskirts of Jaipur, two family‑run sweet shops have resisted the shift to mechanised production. They still rely on a traditional clay furnace, known locally as a bhatti, where wood is burnt at a low temperature to create a steady heat.
The artisans heat fresh milk in the bhatti until it reduces to thick mawa, the base for many Indian desserts. This mawa is then hand‑shaped and cooked further in the same mud oven, giving the sweets a distinct, smoky aroma that modern ovens cannot replicate.
Despite the availability of electric mixers and industrial ovens, the shop owners say the tactile control and flavor profile achieved through wood‑fire cooking are irreplaceable. Their commitment keeps a centuries‑old culinary heritage alive for locals and visitors alike.
The shops have become a modest tourist draw, with food‑enthusiasts seeking an authentic taste of Rajasthan’s rural confectionery culture. Their persistence highlights how small enterprises can safeguard traditional food practices even in a rapidly modernising economy.
The artisans heat fresh milk in the bhatti until it reduces to thick mawa, the base for many Indian desserts. This mawa is then hand‑shaped and cooked further in the same mud oven, giving the sweets a distinct, smoky aroma that modern ovens cannot replicate.
Despite the availability of electric mixers and industrial ovens, the shop owners say the tactile control and flavor profile achieved through wood‑fire cooking are irreplaceable. Their commitment keeps a centuries‑old culinary heritage alive for locals and visitors alike.
The shops have become a modest tourist draw, with food‑enthusiasts seeking an authentic taste of Rajasthan’s rural confectionery culture. Their persistence highlights how small enterprises can safeguard traditional food practices even in a rapidly modernising economy.