India is a land of gastronomical wonder. Every state, town, and region has cuisine steeped in history and its location. Today, we are going to talk about Uttar Pradesh and some flavors from the regional cuisine that you should not miss. Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state of India, is also the state with the most interesting cuisines in the country. It attracts gastronomes from around the world with a range of delicacies ranging from the Banarasi, Awadhi, and Mughlai cuisines.
Here are five un-miss-able regional cuisines from this mesmerizing land of flavours:
Baati Chokha
This is an authentic and famous dish from the eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh. The Baati is a dough ball made from wheat flour baked in a mud oven. This gives it a wholesome earthen flavour. Also, Chokha is made of mashed potatoes, tomatoes, and brinjal. It is usually eaten with desi ghee, chaat masala, and green chutney.
Lucknow is particularly famous for Baati Chokha. If you are in Delhi, you can book a convenient Delhi to Lucknow cab and go on a gastronomic journey through the streets of Lucknow.
Bedhai & Jalebi
One of the most popular breakfast snacks in cities like Mathura, Agra, and Firozabad is Bedhai, which is synonymous with a trip to Uttar Pradesh. It is deep-fried wheat puffy bread (puri) and is served with green spicy curry with potato chunks and a dollop of curd. It is usually eaten with Jalebi – a sticky and sweet dessert made from fermented batter, fried in whorls, and dipped in hot sugar syrup.
Tehri
Tehri or the vegetable pulao of Uttar Pradesh is made using the best available basmati rice. Depending on the time of the year, Tehri is made using an assortment of seasonal vegetables cooked with rice and a basket of spices. It is a simple dish that can be found in most homes in the state. Usually, people eat Tehri with green chutney to enhance its taste.
Awadhi Biryani
Also called non-veg pulao, the Awadhi Biryani is the cornerstone of Awadhi cuisine. Aromatic rice is cooked with a range of spices and meat giving it a mildly spicy flavour. Awadhi Biryani is supposed to be eaten with gravy or tari. Usually, this biryani is made using whole spices and a lot of ghee giving it a unique taste and aroma.
Nargisi Kofta
This is a mutton ball gravy and is an Iftar specialty dish during the month of Ramadan. In Nargisi Kofta, the mutton balls are stuffed with a boiled egg and then deep-fried. The gravy is made using caramelized onions, tomato puree, and dry fruit paste. The dish is packed with a range of flavours and is also available in an egg-only version where the meat is replaced with vegetables.
Along with Nargisi Kofta, kebabs are a delicacy in Uttar Pradesh. And, what better place to enjoy them other than the city highly influenced by the Mughlai cuisine – Kanpur. You can book a comfortable taxi from Delhi to Kanpur and enjoy some lip-smacking food in this historical city.
Uttar Pradesh has a lot of dishes in common with the neighboring states of Bihar, Delhi, and Haryana. It is known for having inherited the secrets of the Nawabi cuisine and the exclusive ‘Dum Pukht’ process of the Awadhi cuisine. While most of the UP cuisine is simple vegetarian meals, there are some mouth-watering non-vegetarian dishes too. So, the next time you travel to Uttar Pradesh, ensure that you allow your taste buds to explore the plethora of flavours offered by the state.
