9 Traditional Dishes Of Uttar Pradesh, India

Uttar Pradesh, India is not only the home to the iconic Taj Mahal and the spiritual cities like Varanasi and Mathura but also takes great pride in its variety of traditional dishes. It is also the most populous and agricultural state of India. Each city of this state has its own list of special dishes - be it Lucknow’s biryani, Mathura’s Peda, or Agra’s Petha. There are endless mouth-watering dishes that you can enjoy while visiting this state. In short, Uttar Pradesh not only offers breathtaking tourist attractions but also has a range of traditional dishes to tantalize your taste buds. Born and bred here, this state has a special place in my heart and I also have lots of lovely memories associated with this state’s food.

So without further ado, here are nine traditional dishes of Uttar Pradesh - some of them can easily be cooked at home while others gained popularity all over India:

1. Arhar ki Daal

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  Arhar Dal

Also known as split Toor dal, this is a simple recipe and usually cook at home for lunch. This dish is an essential part of a typical north Indian meal. I remember having this daal almost every day in our lunch. Everyone has their own version of this daal, depending on which city of this state they belong to.

2. Matar Ka Nimona

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Matar Ka Nimona

This dish is usually a winter dish and is prepared in most households in Uttar Pradesh. Nimona is made with fresh green peas, potatoes, and very minimal spices. It is best made with tender winter peas that are sweet which enhances the taste of this dish. Nimona reminds me of my grandmother’s house which we used to visit during our winter vacations.

3. Fara

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Fara UP style

This one is a typical North Indian dish and is very popular in Uttar Pradesh. Usually made with rice flour and urad daal filling this dish is mostly made on special occasions. Fara is often served with ghee and green chutney.

4. Aloo Poori

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Aalo Poori UP Style

This is the most liked breakfast choice of Uttar Pradesh people. Poori (deep-fried bread of wheat flour) and aloo (a spicy potato curry) is the most popular and easily available dish in any restaurant in north India.

5. Bedmi Poori

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Bedmi Poori with Spicy Potato Curry

This one is popular Indian street food, made with wheat flour and stuffed with spiced lentils. This poori is normally served with spicy potato curry. You can have the best Bedmi poori in Agra and Mathura cities. It is also a very popular breakfast recipe in north India.

6. Allahabadi Tehri

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Allahabad Ki Tehri

Tehri is a very popular dish of north India and is made with rice and mixed vegetables. It looks like a simple vegetable pulao or biryani. The best part about this dish is that it can be enjoyed any time of the day and all year round. Again there are many ways of making this dish too depending upon one’s personal preferences of vegetables and spices.

7. Lucknow Ki Biryani

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Lucknow Ki Biryani

Who has not heard about Lucknow ki biryani? Considered as a royal delicacy, biryani is an Awadhi cuisine and is also known as non-veg pulao. Lucknowi Biryani has a uniquely delicate flavor and rich fragrance that allows it to stands out from other versions of biryani from other parts of India. In preparing this dish, the meat and the rice are cooked separately and then layered in a pot that is placed over a low flame. One more special thing about this Biryani is that it is prepared in individual earthen Handis with the freshest ingredients that enhance its taste manifolds.

8. Kabab Paratha

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Kabab Paratha

This is one of the favorites street food in north India, and you could spot the vendors selling it on almost every street in Lucknow’s Chowk. Though it is mostly made of minced meat, there is also a vegetarian version of this dish. It is often served with paratha or rumali roti with green chutney and sliced onion. Trying kababs in Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, is a very special thing for any food lover. Whenever you visit this city do not forget to try authentic Tunday ke Kabab, a famous eatery for making kabab since the time of Nawabs.

9. Galawati Kabab

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  Galawati Kabab

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  Galawati Kabab with Rumali Roti

It is said that this melt-in-the-mouth delicacy was originally cooked for a toothless Nawab of Lucknow. A combination of minced meat and spices, cooked on low heat is what gives this kabab its perfect texture, flavour, and aroma. Nowadays it is the most relished street food of the capital city of Uttar Pradesh.

Conclusion

Uttar Pradesh’s cuisine is a blend of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes and is greatly influenced by Mughal’s cooking techniques. The dishes mentioned above are only glimpses of the food varieties of this state. There are many more desserts and snacks of this state such as Chaat, Samosa, Kachori, Mathura ka Peda, Agra ka Petha, Gulab Jamun, Varanasi ki lassi, and Banarasi paan, that are loved and cherished by people all over India. So the next time when you visit any of the cities of this state, do not forget to try these dishes.

Have you ever been to Uttar Pradesh and tried any of these dishes? Let me know in the comment section.

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Uttar Pradesh Food

This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla and sponsored by Queen’s Brigade.