10 traditional local dishes from Hyderabad that are a must-try

Hyderabadi cuisine is known for its rice, wheat, meat, and spice based dishes that are prepared with finesse. Listed by UNESCO as a creative city of gastronomy. Hyderabadi cuisine is influenced by French, Arabic, Turkish, Iranian and native Telugu and Marathwada cuisines.And when we talk about its local food, biryani always tops the list. Here, every nook and corner of the city serves a delicacy which is ready to surprise your taste buds. Here is a look at some dishes apart from Biryani, from Hyderabad that are a must-try.

Haleem is one of the most popular dishes in Hyderabad which is prepared with meat, wheat, and lentils. It is closely associated with the month of Ramzan when it is a much-favoured iftar food. During the holy month, numerous stalls spring up all around the city to offer this delicacy. However, unlike earlier, Haleem is now available throughout the year at some places.

This is a little square of maida which is filled with minced meat. It’s crispy on the outside and spicy on the inside. It is also described as a local variation of samosa. (Image: Instagram/sbowindia)

This is a side dish and is made with baby brinjals cooked in a nutty, tangy peanut–sesame gravy and is mostly served with biryani. To make this dish, you need baby eggplants. make a slit in them and stuff them with spices and then cook in peanut and sesame sauce, until oil separates. Once done, serve hot with biryani.

No Hyderabad trip is complete without Irani chai. It is a rich, creamy, and slightly sweet tea, made by brewing strong tea leaves separately and then blending the decoction with thick, slow-boiled milk and sugar. It is best served with Osmania biscuits.

This is a side dish served with biryani and is made with large green chillies, simmered in a rich tangy gravy.

The delicacy is a lamb dish which was also the favourite of Nizam Asaf Jah VI. It is prepared with mutton by heating it on a wide stone on flame, to which spices are added and once the meat pieces are heated and served with onions and other ingredients.

This halwa is made with ghee, sprouted wheat flour, milk, saffron, a special spice, and nuts. The special spice used in its preparation is nutmeg or jauz, and the root of this dish lies in Turkey.

As the name suggests, it is a fried gosht dish made with lamb and basic flavourings. Tala Hua Gosht is usually prepared with Mithi Dal or Khatti Dal, and is eaten with rice. In the Hyderabadi Urdu dialect, it is often called Talava Gosht.

This is a thin spicy mutton soup served as a starter. It is prepared from tender mutton with bone and is cooked along with onions, cashew nuts, curd, coconut powder, boiled milk, and more. (Image: Instagram/mr.biryanica)

This is one of the most popular desserts of Hyderabadi cuisine and is a common feature at Hyderabadi weddings. It is prepared with boiling apricots syrup and is topped with blanched almonds or apricot kernels and is traditionally garnished with malai.