Dishes From Uttar Pradesh You Must Try

The biggest states in India by population, Uttar Pradesh or UP is every food lover’s paradise. No matter what your food preference is, UP has a wide variety of dishes to tantalise your palate. From street food to fancy restaurants, there are many dining options for you. If you are a first time visitor to UP, and want to taste the best UP dishes, here are our suggestions. 

Vegetarian delights 

UP is a culturally diverse state, and it is natural that different communities that have been living in the land have had a massive influence on the local cuisine. You will be delighted to see the endless varieties of vegetarian dishes you can have in Uttar Pradesh.  

Baati Chokha 

One of the most liked vegetarian dishes from eastern Uttar Pradesh, Baati Choka is a wholesome meal that you can have for lunch or dinner. Sample and heart-warming as it is, it is also extremely tasty and healthy, and just the aroma of it is sure to make you drool. 

The baati is a wheat cake that is baked in a mud oven and the chokha is a vegetable gravy made of mashed potatoes, tomatoes, onions, eggplant, and spices. It is served with a generous amount of desi ghee, which makes the dish rich and adds another layer of taste.  

Tehri 

Tehri is a rice preparation that is somewhere between a pulao and biryani. It is one of the famous foods of Uttar Pradesh, and you can find it almost all over the state. The dish is made from the finest Basmati rice, which has a beautiful aroma, and it is cooked with an assortment of vegetables, whole and grounded spices, which gives its irresistible flavour. 

Bhindi Ka Salan 

Bhindi is Okra or Lady Fingers and salan is basically a curry. This yoghurt-based curry that comes from the Awadh region is the perfect example of healthy and delicious food. It is spicy, it is oily, it is creamy and thick, and it makes you keep going back for more.

Meat delicacies 

From the most delicious biryanis to kebabs, you can find a plethora of lip-smacking non-vegetarian dishes. 

Biryani 

If there was ever a king of food, Biryani would be the undisputed emperor. Food lover or not, it would be a crime to say no to a Lucknowi or Awadhi Biryani, which is the most famous dish of Uttar Pradesh. It is a rice preparation where the basmati rice is cooked with marinated meat and spices in the dum pukht style, which involves sealing the vessel on the sides with a dough and cooking on low flame for a few hours. 

Kabab Paratha 

The kebabs of UP are epic! And, fittingly, Kabab Paratha was considered a royal dish. Today, you can find plenty of street vendors selling the dish all over UP. The dish looks appetising and it tastes even better. It is made of Kebab, i.e., meatballs that are grilled over charcoal, and rolled into a paratha. It is usually served with green chutney and sliced onions. 

Galouti Kebabs 

Speaking of Uttar Pradesh food, you cannot possibly leave out Galouti Kebabs. Most popular in the land of Nawabs, Lucknow, these kebabs are minced meat that is mixed with an array of spices. As the meat is cooked, the aroma itself will make you crave for it, and a single bite will take you to food heaven.  

The specialty of this dish is that the meat is cooked to perfection. It is soft, juicy, succulent and literally melts in your mouth. It is a treat to your taste buds, and when you are in UP, you must have it. 

Scrumptious Sweets 

If you have a sweet tooth, UP will satiate your carvings for sweet to the fullest. Like the biryanis, kebabs and chaat, the sweets of UP are legendary, and immensely popular. 

Pedha 

Mathura is not just known for its Krishna temple, but also for its Pedha. This sweet is made from mawa, and has a subtle cardamom or saffron flavour. It is soft, delicious and a delight to eat. 

Petha 

Another famous sweet treat from UP, Petha, is popular all over India. It comes from the land of Taj Mahal, Agra. Made of white pumpkin or wax gourd, the pumpkin is cut into big pieces, and soaked in for two to three days, before cooking it in sugar syrup, which can be flavoured with chocolate, saffron, etc. 

Malpua 

A traditional food of Uttar Pradesh, Malpua looks like puri, and is made of maida (all-purpose flour). The puri is deep fried, and soaked in cardamom and saffron flavoured sugar syrup, and garnished with finely chopped nuts. The refreshing taste and the aroma will make your day. While Malpua itself is rich and decadent, you can have it with Rabdi.  

Get the taste of authentic UP cuisine at Club Mahindra Resort 

If you are visiting Agra in UP to see the magnificent mausoleum, Taj Mahal, you can book your stay at the Ramada Plaza By Wyndham, one of the best resorts in Agra hosted by Club Mahindra. After visiting the iconic Taj Mahal and exploring other wonders of the Mughal Era like Fatehpur Sikri and Agra Fort, you can relish a delicious meal at the resort featuring the finest dishes of UP, from Kebabs to Baati Chokha. Besides the premium amenities and the warm services will ensure that you have a memorable holiday experience.