10 iconic dishes the Mughals gave to India

When it comes to Mughlai cuisine, it is known for its rich flavours and aromas, which became part of the Indian food scenario as early as the 15th century AD. The use of spices, oil, and ghee gives this cuisine a status of unforgettable experience that even foreigners love. From vegetarian to non-vegetarian dishes, Mughlai food celebrates a lot of flavours that revolve around the use of whole spices and make this cuisine a must-have for every foodie. Here’s a list of 10 dishes that are no less than the gifts of the Mughals to India.

As per food historians, Qorma originated in Persia, and was later adopted by Rajput chefs in Akbar's kitchen; and then further, it was termed Korma, after the Rajput tribe Kurma. This popular dish is made with chicken pieces cooked in rich and creamy gravy of yogurt, cream, nuts such as cashews or almonds, and fragrant spices.

It is said that this dish was consumed by Mughal emperors after morning prayers and was traditionally made with mutton stuffed with juicy bone marrow. It is best served with naan and rice and uses tender bone-in meat and marrow (nalli), which are blended with warming spices.

It is said that kebabs travelled from Turkey to India towards the end of the 14th century and are a delectable treat made with boneless chicken skewered and cooked over an open flame. This popular one uses boneless chicken marinated in fresh cream, yogurt, cheese, ginger-garlic, and mild spice, which are grilled or cooked in a tandoor.

This is another popular dish from Mughlai cuisine which is made with minced mutton, mixed with onions, fresh herbs, and aromatic spices, and then shaped onto skewers also called as seekh and then grilled over charcoal or in a tandoor.

It's a flatbread dish made with refined flour, stuffed with onions, herbs, meat, and spices. It also uses meat or eggs for stuffing and is then shallow-fried until golden and crisp.

It is a regal Mughlai dish, which is made with boiled eggs and minced meat and is best served with rice. It has a dramatic presentation and uses an aromatic gravy.

It is said that this kebab was created for a Lucknow Nawab, who could not chew properly, and that is when this melt-in-the-mouth kebab was made. As per legends, it uses minced meat along with spices, and is best paired with flaky tandoori roti, naan, or lachha paratha.

It's an aromatic rice dish, where par-boiled rice is layered in a heavy-bottomed pan and layered with marinated meat and is topped with saffron water and fried onion, which is then sealed with dough and slow-cooked on dum. It is best served with salan and raita.

This is a mutton meat preparation that was introduced to India by the Mughals and has now become a staple of India. It uses key ingredients like yogurt, Kashmiri red chillies, and warming spices and is best served with naan, tandoori or khamiri roti.

It's a popular dessert treat made with rabdi, or thickened milk, deep-fried bread, kesar, malai, and roasted nuts.
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