8 iconic dishes from Hyderabad that one should not miss

If there is one thing about Hyderabad that comes to mind before anything else, it’s the royalty! The capital city of Andhra Pradesh is long renowned for the wealthy Nizams, who used to rule over it. The city is well-known for its minarets and pearl bazaars but is equally popular for Nizami food. Hyderabadi food is well-inspired mainly from the Mughal cuisine but is quite different from it. The people of Hyderabad are well noted for their hospitality and the rich cuisine of this city has had the influence of indigenous culinary traditions such as Turkish, Arabic, Persian and Afghanistan cuisine. If we look at the traditional Hyderabadi cuisine, then one will realise that most of the dishes are made of goat/lamb and the most classic ones are made of beef, even though it is prohibited to eat in India. But, other than lamb and meat, the Hyderabadi cuisine is also loaded with dishes made with pulses, lentils, peas and beans. If you are also fascinated with Hyderabad’s rich history and cuisine, here are 8 dishes that you must not miss in your lifetime. (Images courtesy: iStock)

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It’s a unique biryani that’s made of raw meat layered with rice in 3 stages with heavy spices, ghee and mint leaves; and surprisingly is one of the most subtle biryani that’s balanced with flavours. With the number of spices going into this biryani, one might even get the shock of their life by tasting a bite! It’s a dish whose one bite can take you to heaven and is so popular that the Hyderabadi people can have it any time of the day.

This is a meaty soupy dish that’s said to be originated from Somalia. As we all know that most of the Nizami soldiers were from Sudan and Arab, so there was a great deal of influence of their food culture on Hyderabadi food. It is also known as ‘Marq or Marag’ these days and is a soup made with tender mutton. This creamy, spicy and juicy soup is so rich in taste that one can have it as it is or enjoy it with Sheermal and Naan.

It is a vegetarian dish of the Hyderabadi cuisine and is made of toor dal with a delicious tadka of tamarind and spices. This lentil stew is often enjoyed with rice and meat dishes along with Naan and I a must-have when in Hyderabad.

This is something that will make you go wow. You don't need an occasion to try this little snack combo which can fill your stomach in an instant. And we bet you have never tasted something as tempting as these samosas!

Or simply call it Badam Ka Halwa, this is one of the iconic sweet dishes of Hyderabad that cannot go amiss! It’s made by cooking almond flour in milk with ghee, sugar, Kesar and rose water.

This is a much sought-after dish during the holy month of Ramadan and is one of the popular dishes of Hyderabadi cuisine. A succulent dish made by cooking lamb meat with wheat and ghee, it looks like porridge but has a taste that cannot go out of your mind even after a few days. One of the reasons why it is called so is because it takes too many hours to prepare and one should have patience while cooking it.

This unique brinjal recipe is made with peanuts, dry coconut, imli paste and lots of spices and has a delicious taste to it. This vegetarian delicacy is often enjoyed as a side dish with Naan and rice.

This popular Hyderabadi dish is made of lamb meat and is one of the traditional spices, but in a limited manner and then the meat is cooked on a hot porous stone or pathar. This way all the juices of meat come out, which increases the flavour of the dish. (Image courtesy: Common Wikimedia)

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