This Indian street food is crowned Prayagraj's official signature dish

When it comes to Prayagraj, popularly known as Allahabad, one can often associate the city with its religious and spiritual connections, referencing the Kumbh Mela. But, do you know the city is also known for its culinary richness? In the most recent development, one of the most famous Indian street foods has been declared the official signature dish of the district. Scroll down to read the details.

According to official report, Prayagraj’s iconic samosas have been declared the district's official signature dish under the Uttar Pradesh government’s ambitious ‘One District–One Cuisine’ (ODOC) initiative. The programme, launched in January 2026 and inspired by the One District-One Product (ODOP) scheme, seeks to identify and promote a signature dish from each of the state’s 75 districts. Its goals include encouraging food entrepreneurship, improving hygiene standards, and building global branding. Scroll down to read the details.

According to a statement by Deputy Commissioner of Industries Sharad Tandon, the selection process involved extensive consultation with culinary experts, historians and stakeholders familiar with local traditions and food culture. “Inputs were gathered from divisional-level expert committees as well as people engaged in the food trade. Based on this broad-based consultation and survey, the samosa emerged as Prayagraj’s representative dish,” he shared. For the unversed, the scheme was announced in the UP Budget 2025–26 and is expected to benefit more than 1000 families associated with the samosa trade across the district. This includes around 600 manufacturers, 200 street vendors, 200 restaurants and nearly a dozen self-help groups. As per reports, the administration has also identified 30 major samosa-producing establishments as part of efforts to scale up production, standardize quality and offer financial assistance and training to businesses under the ODOC framework.

The origin of the samosa can be traced to the 10th century in the Middle East region. The first official mention of samosa was found in Iranian historian Abolfazl Beyhaqi’s work Tarikh-e Beyhaghi, where it was referred to as ‘Sambosa’. They were very small, which is why they were used as a snack by travellers who could easily pack them in saddle bags and eat on the go.

Samosa made its way to India through trade routes and cultural exchanges during the 13th and 14th centuries. It is said that travelers and traders introduced the dish to the Indian subcontinent. According to Heritage Activist and Author Vikramjit Singh Rooprai's blog, some claim that the samosa was introduced to India by traders from the Middle East in the 13th or 14th century. The first mention of the samosa in the royal era began when the noted poet and scholar of the Delhi Sultanate, Hazrat Amir Khusrow, spoke of samosas prepared from meat, ghee, and onion that nobles relished at that time. Later, 14th-century traveller Ibn Battuta, mentioned sambusak (aka samosa) made with minced meat, walnuts, pistachios, almonds, and spices being served as part of a royal meal in the court of Muhammad bin Tughluq. Even in the Mughal dynasty, the Ain-i-Akbari mentioned the recipe for samosa, known as ‘Sanbúsah’. His blog also mentions that interestingly, the most popular filling of the samosa, potato, is also not from India. It originated in Peru somewhere between 8000 and 5000 BC. And with the change in time, this street food has evolved a lot and is now available in many flavours and stuffing.

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