So what's like being a Hyderabads Foodie (Hyderabad Ka Foodie)?

Hyderabad's 400-year-old culinary history, like its culture, is unmatched by any other state in India. There is a saying among the younger generation of Hyderabadis these days. They say " Let us starve ourselves for hours before its arrival on our tables". This saying is actually a tribute to the Hyderabadi Biryani.

And on this note let's see what's like being a Hyderabads Foodie.

Biryani - the first thing that comes in mind when we refer to Hyderabad Food. Be it a festival, a wedding party or a treat to a friend. The hospitality of this place is incomplete without this dish.

 

Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani

Biryani was brought to Hyderabad by the invading Mughal army of Aurangazeb. Since traditional Indian foods such as roti, rice, curries, and soups would be too time consuming to prepare and eat in times of war, the biryani was developed to get quick food to the troops. The blending of Mughlai and Telengana cuisines resulted in the Hyderabani biryani.

 

Chicken Biryani

 This iconic dish is made from goat meat (mutton) and basmati rice, you do get a chicken or egg or veg varities as well. Other ingredients include yoghurt, onions, saffron, and spices.

 

Egg Biryani

Hyderabad's strong Mughalai influence is perhaps the reason why the Hyderabadi Biryani has become so popular all over India. This famous dish has been experimented time and again to a perfection.

In fact the Biryani has influenced a Hyderabadi's tongue so strongly that usually other famous dishes of Hyderabad takes a back seat. It takes an extra ordinary taste for other dishes to beat the competition of Biryani.

 

Vegetarian Dum Biryani

Biryani is incomplete if it is not accompanied with the traditional Michi Ka Saalan and Dahi Ki Chutney.

Mirhci Ka Saalan

Mirchi ka saalan is an exotic side dish to any biryani. Mirchi is green chilli in Hindi and Saalan is a Hyderabadi lingo for a creamy sauce or curry.

 

Mirchi Kaa Saalan

A traditional Hyderabadi saalan is made in a shallow wide flat bottomed handi. The salan is sealed in this handi and kept on low flame to cook with all the flavours trapped inside to give that authentic rich taste.


Dahi ki chutney

Dahi ki chutney is strained yogurt that is mixed with onions, coriander, pudina and green chillies. It is very much popular in south India. It is a side dish for the popular Hyderabadi biryani.

 

Dahi Ki Chutney

You can store Dahi Ki Chutney in the refrigerator in an air tight food storage box for only one more day in a refrigarator, it doesnt last long. It is always better if you have an idea how much your family memebers will have it and you prepare it in only the required amount.


Haleem

Haleem is a popular dish in the city of Hyderabad, It is originally an Arabic dish and was introduced to the Hyderabad State by the Arab diaspora during the rule of the Nizams (the former rulers of Hyderabad State).

 

Hyderabadi Haleem

This  high protein food is particularly consumed in the Islamic month of Ramadan during Iftar (the evening meal that breaks the day-long fast) as it provides instant energy and is high in calories. This has made the dish synonymous with Ramadan.

 

Haleem

In recognition of its cultural significance and popularity, in 2010, it was granted Geographical Indication status (GIS) by the Indian GIS registry office, making it the first non-vegetarian dish in India to get this status.Ghotni (a wooden hand masher)is used to muddle meat and wheat, while cooking haleem until it becomes a thick paste. Haleem can be served with chopped mint leaves, lemon juice, coriander leaves, fried onions, chopped ginger root or green chilies.


 Paaya (Bone Soup)

Paaya means feet in Hindi and Urdu, so its obvious that main ingredients of the dish would be feet of a goat / sheep cooked along with various spices.
It's slowly cooked on low heat for hours (usually overnight) on the stove.However, it is nowadays mostly cooked in a pressure cooker.

 

Hyderabadi Paya

Historically, when people used wood or coal as a cooking fuel, women would start this dish at night and slow cook it in the coals until the morning.
This dish has a soup-like consistency and is usually eaten as a breakfast food in the winter months with naan. Check out few hotels in Hyderabads old city serving as early as 3am in the morning.


 Marag

Hyderabadi Marag is a spicy and diluted mutton soup which is served as a starter in the Wedding ceremonies with roti or naan.  It is prepared from tender mutton with bone.

 

Marag with Bread Naan

The ingredients the locally available such as Mutton with bone, onions, cashew nuts, curd, coconut powder, boiled milk, cream, ginger-garlic paste, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper powder, green chillies, etc.


Bagara Rice or Bagara Chawal or Bagara Annam

Bagara Chawal aka Bagara Annam in Telugu is a spiced rice delicacy.
Bagar meaning tempering, it's basically plain Biryani without any vegetables and masala powders.

 

Bagaara Khaana

Bagara rice is also a popular rice dish in weddings or functions in Hyderabad apart from the famous Vegetable Dum Biriyani.
Vegetarians who do not eat Hyderabadi biryani enjoy this dish.Bagara Rice pairs up beautifully with spicy curries like baghara baingan, Mirchi Ka Saalan, dalcha etc.


 Bagara Baingan

Bagara Baingan uses brinjal AKA baingan and a masala paste with peanuts.

 

Bagaara Baingan

This dish is quite similar to the Mirchi Ka Saalan but lesser in terms of spiciness. Great combination would be of this with Biryani or Bagara rice.




Dalcha

In every possible  dish, Hyderbadis try to make out something special by adding mutton in it.

 

Mutton Dalcha

And this Dalcha is is one of the lavishing experiments. Mutton is cooked along with toor dal and flavored with spices, ginger and garlic, it is a royal treat to the taste-buds and makes good sides with rice.

It's time for some desserts

Qubani Ka Meetha

Originating from city of Hyderabad Qubani ka meetha is an Indian dessert made from dried apricots. Qubani or Khubani or Khobani is an Urdu term for apricot.

 

Qubaani Kaa Meetha

Preparation of the dish involves boiling apricots with syrup until they assume the consistency of a thick soup or compote. The dessert is topped with blanched almonds or apricot kernels, and is traditionally garnished with malai (extra thick cream with custard or ice cream.


Kaddu Ki Kheer

Kaddu Ki Kheer, a delicious and healthy Indian sweet, uses ghee, cardamom powder and saffron for extra flavorful taste and generous use of almonds adds richness.

 

Kaddu Ki Kheer

This famous Hydrabadi style kheer can be served warm or chilled as classic Indian sweet and dessert for any occasion.The Hyderabadi version of this kheer is called Gil e firdaus, and is quite popular. It is a thick kheer made of milk and bottle gourd. Gil e firdaus, literally translated, means the clay of paradise.

Double Ka Meetha

Double ka meetha is a bread pudding dessert of fried bread slices soaked in hot milk with spices, including saffron and cardamom. Double ka meetha is a popular dessert in Hyderabadi cuisine, served at weddings and parties. It is particularly prepared during the festive month of Ramadan and on Eid.

 

Double Ka Meetha

Double ka meetha refers to the milk bread, called "Double Roti" in the local Indian dialects because it swells up to almost double its original size after baking.

 

Shahi Tukda

The dish is similar to Shahi Tukda which has its roots in Mughlai cuisine. The recipe uses bread, condensed milk, and dry fruits.

Snack Attack

Lukhmi

Preparing the dough in yogurt and mixing it thoroughly until it becomes very smooth, and stuffed with minced meat AKA Kheema ( Potato filling for the Veggies ). Deep frying the stuffed dough will give an awesome starter called Lukhmi.

Lukhmi

Kheemey-ki-Lukhmi is still served as a starter in the authentic Hyderabadi weddings and other celebrations. Relish these hot lukhmis with sliced onions, tomatoes and lemon wedge. Most of the Irani Hotels serve the vegeterian filling of Lukhmi on the other hand Kheemey-ki-Lukhmi has become a rare sight in the city.


Irani Onion Samosa (Chota Samosa)

This according to me is the crispiest thing in Hyderabad city. A very unique Hyderabadi recipe. These samosas are typically found in Irani cafes, which are a very popular around the city. Onion samosa is different from the regular Punjabi style samosa in terms of the filling as well as the texture of the outer dough layer. Onion samosa has a super crispy, smooth exterior with a lightly spiced onion filling.

 

Irani Onion Samosa AKA Chota Samosa

The onion filling is mixed with powdered poha aka beaten flat rice flakes which absorbs any moisture that the filling might have. The key to a crisp samosa is in the samosa pastry dough that has to be kneaded to the right consistency, rolled to the perfect thickness which is neither too thick nor too thin and the samosas have to be fried in oil that is not too hot, on a low medium flame to achieve a golden brown, crisp exterior.



Dil-Khush / Dil Pasand

This dish combines sweetened coconut and tutti fruit filling with lots of nuts, cherries and it has a lovely aroma of cardamom powder and melted butter, this yummy filling is stuffed into a sweet, soft, buttery bread.

 

Dil Khush / Dil Pasand

Irani Chai and Osmania Biscuit.

Hyderabad undoubtedly has the largest number of Irani cafés, which are very popular for Irani chai (tea). Hyderabad's most preferred beverage, the Famous Irani Chai, is Known for its Unique Sweet milky taste.
The best combination with Chai would be the Osmania Biscuits. It is named after the last ruler of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan.
The biscuits were first baked on the demand of the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan, who wanted a snack that was a little sweet and a little salty.Today, the evening chai is incomplete without these biscuits anywhere in the city.

 

Irani Chai and Osmania Biscuit

 Its creation is also credited to dietitians of the Osmania General Hospital. The unique taste of the Osmania appealed to the many patients and doctors later it caught attention from the visitors. Soon after it was sold at the cafes in the vicinity of the Hospital demanding the bakers in the city to add the item in the menu along with the Irani chai.

Fine Biscuit and Tie Biscuit.

Fine Biscuits are oval shaped sugar coated puffed biscuits which are crispier and can be taken with tea or milk. Not quite sure why the term "fine" was given to this sweet biscuit.

Fine Biscuit

Tie Biscuit

And as the name represents, Tie Biscuits are tie shaped puffed biscuits which are less crisper and less sweeter when compared to the Fine Biscuits.


Hope you guys might have liked it. Will soon update more mouth watering stuff (and the places where you can find the dishes).