INDIANCUISINE

MAHARASHTRA

MISAL PAV
Misal Pav is quintessentially from Pune and is
one of the most popular Maharashtrian breakfast,
snack or even brunch. It is a street food popularly
found in Mumbai. It has a spicy and tangy lentil
curry which is made with moth beans and is
served with Pav bread. At times, it is eaten with
yoghurt to lessen the spice. Although it is a
breakfast food, but Maharashtrians enjoy it at
time of the day.
 PUNJAB
MAKKI DI ROTI AND SARSON DA SAAG

Makki di Roti and Sarson da Saag make for the

staple food in North India especially in the state
of Punjab. This traditional Indian dish may not
look very enticing at first, but it has an authentic
flavour to it, and it is rich in nutritive value.
Accompany it with a glass of lassi and one has
the perfect combination for a healthy and fulfilling
lunch.
 WEST BENGAL
KOSHA MANGSHO

Kosha Mangsho is a traditional dish prepared of

Mutton (Goat meat) in every Bengali house. This
dish of mutton with some thick curry is high on
spices and richness. This dish is made with
mutton and spices such as cloves, cinnamon,
onion, and garlic are used. This excellent recipe
is full of the aroma and sweetness that is surely
going to trigger your taste buds.
 GUJARAT
DHOKLA
Dhokla is an authentic snack which has
originated from the state of Gujarat. This
traditional food item is prepared out of gram flour
and chana dal. Plus, it is an easy recipe which
can be prepared quickly within half an hour.
Dhokla coupled with some chilli paste and
chutney makes for the perfect snack to enjoy with
friends over gossiping sessions.
 KASHMIR
ROGAN JOSH

A must try dish for all the Lamb or meat lovers,

Rogan Josh, an aromatic lamb dish is one of the
signature recipes of Kashmiri cuisine. It was
introduced in India with the coming of the
Mughals. Robust with flavours of browned
onions, various spices, and yoghurt, it is a very
healthy low-fat dish. Try it with rice or naan and
you will yearn for more.
 TAMIL NADU
PONGAL

This is a staple meal during every auspicious

festival of Tamil Nadu. Besides the rice and
sweet milk, the dish is cooked with ingredients
like cardamom, green gram, raisins, and cashew
nuts. According to the traditional beliefs, Pongal
is cooked in open space in the sunlight, as it is
dedicated to the sun god. The dish has two
variants- one that is sweet another that's savoury
which is served on banana leaves.
 ASSAM
PAPAYA KHAR
This dish of Assamese cuisine is one of a kind. It
is a delicious curry made from raw papaya,
pulses, taro and with a main non-vegetarian
ingredient. All of these is then filtered through
dried banana leaves which gives it a unique and
an unexpectedly refreshing flavour. It is eaten
with rice during lunch.
 BIHAR
LITTI CHOKHA

The lip-smacking taste of Litti Chokha, savoured

by one and all, needs no introduction. It is your
grand welcome to the food of Bihar, in all its
ghee-dripping glory. It consists of wheat and
sattu with spices, kneaded into round spicy balls,
dipped in ghee. The texture of Litti along with the
crunchy crust makes it a foodie’s
delight. Chokha is prepared by mashing boiled
vegetables (most common being potatoes,
brinjal, tomatoes), adding spices and chopped
onion, garlic etc and served with Litti as a
complimentary delicacy.
 HIMACHAL PARADESH
DHAAM

Dhaam is a complete food that along with a great

taste promises a healthy dose of nutrients. The
dish includes dal, rajma, rice, curd, boor ki Kadi
and is very well complemented with gur (jaggery).
Dhaam is a plate full of delicious delicacies that
are a must-serve on the occasions and festivals.
The distinctive feature about this dish is that it is
prepared by special chefs known as ‘botis.’ Grab
the best taste of Dhaam you must visit Himachal
during festivals.
 ANDHRA PARDESH
POOTHAREKULU

Pootharekulu, one of the most popular sweet

dishes in Andhra Pradesh prepared during
festivals, religious occasions. The water-like
sweet is made extensively in Attreyapuram, a
village in East Godavari district, AP. This unique
saviour is prepared by rice batter, Ghee, and
powdered sugar. Also, it is stuffed with various
kinds of dry fruits to enrich the taste.
 TELANGANA
HYDERABADI BIRYANI

Thanks to the major influence of Nizams in the

state, Hyderabadi Biryani has come to be known
worldwide as one of India’s jewelled food items. It
is of two types: Kachchi gosht ki biryani and
Pakki biryani. Marinated meat is cooked in layers
of rice in a big handi which is covered with flat
dough that eventually rises due to heat;
indicating that the biryani is ready to be
devoured.

GOA
 FISH CURRY

The Goan fish curry or the Xitti Kodi is the staple

diet of every Goan. The Goan fish curry is loaded
with various spices along with coconut. Raw
mango is also used to give the dish a tangy
flavour. The main ingredients of the dish are a
decent sized Pomfret and a raw mango. Instead
of Pomfret, Kingfish may also be used. This
Goan dish is served along with rice.

UTTARAKHAND
 KAFULI

This dish is a boon for all the diet-conscious

people out there. Yes, it is that nutritious. Kafuli
is a dish that all the locals of Uttarakhand swear
by. It is primarily prepared of Spinach and
fenugreek leaves, which even the doctors,
prescribe. It is an exotic dish, prepared in an iron
kadhai, and complemented by hot steaming rice.
It is the most nourishing and health-conscious
dish you will come across in the State.

TRIPURA
 CHAKHWI

Chakhwi is a delicious main course dish in

Tripura. This amazing dish is prepared with pork
and chicken since most of the Tripura cuisines
are based on meat. Also, most of the Tripuri
dishes are made of less oil. Bamboo shoot is
another primary ingredient of this traditional dish,
Chakhwi.

JHARKHAND
 RUGRA

Rugra is an item which tastes like mushroom and

is very delicious to eat. Rugra is an indigenous
variety of vegetable, rich in protein and minerals
and high on calorific value. This is thus a very
healthy dish. It is available in abundance during
the monsoon season. This dish is preferred by
the local people and is high in demand during the
peak seasons.

ODISHA
 CHHENA PODA

Odisha's very own cheesecake! The one sweet

that Odisha is famous for - Chhena Poda, also
known to be Lord Jagannath's favourite sweet
and is often offered to him at the Puri Temple.
The lingering taste of burnt home-made cottage
cheese and semolina combined with sugar syrup
simply blow away your mind. This rare dessert is
baked for several hours until it becomes red, and
the caramelised sugar brings out the distinct
flavour of Chhena Poda. Being sold in every nook
and corner, this dish is simple, easy, and
delicious.

RAJASTHAN
 DAL BATI CHURMA

This famous Rajasthani dish needs no

introduction. Dal bati churma is synonymous to
Rajasthan; known for its crunchy batis, dipped in
ghee along with spicy daal and sweet churma.
This delicious dish is prepared using various dals
such as Chana dal, mung dal, Urad dal etc.

KERALA
 APPAM

Ask anybody from Kerala what their favourite

dish is from back home and they will swear
by appam and stew! It is justified for them to do
so because appam is just something that is a
revolution in the food world. It is a rice pancake
with a soft and thick centre and a crispy, paper-
thin outside. No matter what you eat it
with, appam will increase that dish's taste value
beyond hundred! However, it is usually paired
with a southern style stew where chunks of any
kind of meat in smothered in a silky, rich, dreamy
coconut curry which will leave you sad when it
finishes.
 MEGHALAYA
JADOH

Jadoh is an extremely popular dish among the

Khasi community of Meghalaya. It is especially
appetising because of its rich and unique colour.
Jadoh is red rice, cooked with generous amounts
of pork meat. Sometimes, it is also cooked with
chicken or fish. A mix of green chillies, onions,
ginger, turmeric, black pepper, and bay leaves is
made, then pieces of pork are added and fried
off, after which the red rice is added and cooked
off. The addition of turmeric imparts the rice its
rich yellow colour and an aromatic flavour. For
those willing to be more adventurous, Jadoh can
also be cooked in pork blood. If you love pork,
this is a dish not to be missed.
 MANIPUR
KANGSHOI
This dish is extremely popular in Manipur. It is a
vegetable stew. It consists of seasonal
vegetables that are boiled and flavoured with
sliced onions, cloves, salt, garlic, maroi and a bit
of ginger. This stew is served with rice or fish and
is supposed to be consumed piping hot.

MADHYA PRADESH
 BHUTTE KA KEES
Another healthy and yet delicious delicacy of
Madhya Pradesh is Bhutte Ka Kees. As the name
clearly suggests, this dish comprises of corns.
Grated corns are well-cooked with spices and
skimmed milk which adds a slightly sweet taste to
the dish. Mustard seeds and green chillies are
further added to enhance the taste of this
authentic cuisine of Madhya Pradesh.

HARAYANA
 BAJARA KHICHRI
Khichri is had throughout the country. However,
what makes Haryana Khichri so popular is that
instead of rice, Bajara is used. For preparing
bajara khichri, bajara is soaked overnight. Then
Moong daal and bajara are washed together and
cooked in a pressure cooker along with spices.
We all know that bajara is very good for health as
it is a hardy crop (grows even in harsh conditions
and is easily found). Thus, this recipe is
recommended to all especially to those who do
not wish to have rice.

ARUNACHAL PRADESH
 THUKPA
Thukpa is a kind of noodle soup of Tibetan origin
that has found its way to being one of the most
loved food in Sikkim. Thukpa is something that is
very healthy and tasty at the same time - a rare
combination to find, isn't it? One can find both
vegetables as well as chicken thukpa here and
mind you both are worth trying. One can find
every kind of locally grown vegetable in this
soup, but the most common ones are carrots, bell
peppers, spinach, cauliflower, and celery. It is
rich in spices too and has an enriching taste. One
serving is enough for an individual, but no one
can stop at one because why not.

KARNATAKA
 BISI BELE BATH
Bisi Bele Bath is a traditional recipe of Karnataka
that is prepared in every Kannadiga's home. The
dish has a distinct coconut flavour and is
available at any restaurant in Bengaluru. The
recipe is a complicated one that involves many
vegetables and flavours but the dish is a must-
try.

NAGALAND
 PORK WITH BAMBOO SHOOT
Bamboo shoot is an important ingredient in the
whole of the Northeastern part of India. It is used
in pork preparation. The Bamboo shoot is used in
both dried and fermented form. It gives a little
sour flavour to the dishes. Some of the popular
dishes are that use Bamboo shoot as an
important ingredient are: Pork with Bamboo
shoot, Fish with Bamboo shoot

MIZORAM
 MISA MACH POORA
Misa Mach Poora is a mouth-watering side dish.
It is grilled shrimp cooked in mustard oil, lemon
juice, orange zest and assorted spices. Apart
from these dishes, what you must also try while
in Mizoram, are their two popular drinks. One of
them is Zu, or the local tea which they like to
drink with every meal. The second is the
Lubrusca grape wine, which is another favourite
among the locals. If you happen to visit beautiful
Mizoram anytime soon, do not forget to eat and
drink any or all these items, to your heart’s
content.

CHHATTISGARH
 CHILA
What we all enjoy eating in all the parts of India is
a gift from the Chhattisgarh region. Chila is flat
chapati like dish which is prepared with the rice
batter mixed with the Urad Daal. The dish is very
easy to cook and is very delicious in the taste.
Chila is an important part of the breakfast meal of
the people of Chhattisgarh. To grab the best
taste of Chila, complement it with the green
chutney.

UTTAR PRADESH
 TUNDAY KEBABS
The tender Tunday kebabs of Lucknow are
famous for their savoury and melt in your mouth
flavour. These Kebabs are made from lamb or
buffalo meat with more than a one hundred
spices are added to give it is a unique flavour.
The origins of the Tunday Kebab date back to the
17th century. The Nawab at the time had lost
many of his teeth due to his old age and was
craving for his favourite Kebabs which he could
not chew. Therefore, the Nawab produced a plan
to hold a cooking contest. The challenge was,
that the participants had to cook a kebab that
would melt in the Nawab's mouth and still taste
amazing.

SIKKIM
 MOMOS
Sikkim is the place that is going to serve you the
best momos you will ever taste in your life.
Believed to be of Tibetan origin and modulated
by the Nepalese cuisine the momos are the
lifeline of Sikkim. Momo is a small package of
steamed bun with some fillings. Momo typically
consists of two parts - the cover and the filling.
The cover is made of dough made of white flour
and water. Sometimes yeast or baking soda is
also added to the dough to enhance the texture
of the momos. Originally these momos were
made with ground meat fillings, but over the
years a lot of modifications have been made that
have made dumplings even better.