The Indian subcontinent is blessed with diversity as a result of the many communities, cultures, and traditions, and food has become a common ground to connect with others. Along with each state, comes their unique and special dishes.
No matter where in the world you stay, there is one food item that will remind you of your hometown- that one dish that describes ‘home’ for you.
Here we have put together 29 local and traditional dishes of each of the 29 states that every foodie must try.
1. Andhra Pradesh: Gutti Vankaya Kura
Gutti Vankaya Kura is a delicious brinjal curry popular in Andhra Pradesh. It is made of brinjals cooked in creamy peanut and coconut curry with spices. It can be eaten with rotis but is typically served with steamed rice.
2. Arunachal Pradesh: Thukpa
Thukpa is a Himalayan noodle soup, originating from the eastern part of Tibet. It is a staple diet of the Monpa community that lives in the West Kameng district of the state. It is made of boiled egg noodles, mixed with vegetables and meat.
3. Assam: Papaya Khar
This unique dish is prepared out of red rice, beaten pulses, and raw papaya along with traditional Assamese spices including Khar. Khar is synonymous with Assamese cuisine and is a liquid strained from sun-dried banana skin and cooked with seasonal fruit like papaya, water gourd, or mustard greens.
4. Bihar: Litti Chokha
Litti is a bread baked with wheat flour dough, stuffed with a mixture of roasted gram flour, spices, and lemon. It is served along with Chokha that ae spicy baked and mashed vegetables.
5. Chhattisgarh: Muthia
Muthia is dumplings made from rice flour and have a variety of Chhattisgarhi spices added to it. They are extremely famous in the state. The dish may seem fried, but in reality, it is steamed. It is often enjoyed for breakfast and also at tea time.
6. Goa: Fish Curry
Xit Codi (pronounced as “sheath” and “co-dee”) is every Goan’s favorite meal. The delicious and tangy fish curry is made with special spices, coconut, red chilies, and fresh fish or prawns. It is often served and enjoyed with rice or roti.
7. Gujarat: Khandvi
Gujarat has a snack for every hour of the day and one of the most famous and delicious ones has to be Khandvi. It is a rolled snack made with besan (gram flour) and is topped with shredded coconut, and tempered with mustard and curry leaves. It is enjoyed with a tangy sauce or coriander chutney on the side.
8. Haryana: Bajre Ki Khichdi
Bajre ki Khichdi is a delicious, warming, and nutritious meal made with bajra or pearl millet that is a winter favorite. It is flavored with ginger and green chilies and is topped with pure ghee or sesame oil.
9. Himachal Pradesh: Sidu
Sidu or Sidhu is a bread made with wheat flour kneaded with yeast two hours before it is made. It is stuffed with paneer, mashed green peas, walnuts and roasted peanuts and is eaten with lentils, green chutney, and ghee.
10. Jharkhand: Dhooska
Dhooska is a popular deep-fried savory snack that is commonly eaten in Jharkhand. IT is made of powdered rice, powdered chana dal, and sometimes boil potatoes are also added. The bread is then deep-fried and served with sauce or chutney. It is usually consumed for breakfast.
11. Jammu and Kashmir: Rogan Josh
This is an aromatic lamb curry bursting with flavors of browned onions, spices, and yogurt. It is served along with steamed rice. The lamb or mutton is braised with gravy and flavored with garlic, ginger, and aromatic spices like bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom.
12. Karnataka: Bisi Bele Bath
Bisi Bele Bath is a traditional Karnataka dish in which the sambhar dal and rice are cooked together with tamarind and spices. In Kannada, Bisi means ‘hot’, ‘Bele’ means lentils and Bath indicates a soft dish that is cooked by adding the ingredients in water.
13. Kerala: Idiyappam and Curry
Idiyappam is one of the most enjoyed dishes in Kerala. It is made of rice flour vermicelli pressed into a disc shape. They can be eaten alongside curry of your liking. The plain taste of the idiyappam accentuates the flavors of the curry.
14. Madhya Pradesh: Bhutte Ka Kees
Bhutte ka Khees is a spicy, delicious, and easy-to-make snack that you can make for your tea break. It is street food in Indore and the rest of Madhya Pradesh but is also commonly made at home. It is made using grated corn, coconut, milk, spices, and green chilies and tempered with mustard seeds.
15. Maharashtra: Misal Pav
Misal Pav is popular and delightful street food in Maharashtra. It is known for its savory and spicy taste. It is a great breakfast option that includes a curry made of sprout lentils, topped with finely chopped onions, crunchy farsan, and tomatoes served with pav, heated on the pan with butter.
16. Manipur: Kangshoi
Kangshoi is a Manipuri stew made of seasonal vegetables, coarsely chopped onions, dried or fermented fish or dried meat. It is best enjoyed in rainy seasons. It is light, easy to cook, and incredibly nutritious.
17. Meghalaya: Jadoh
Jodah/Jodoh is a rice dish made with red hill rice cooked with pork, vegetables and garnished with fried fish or eggs. It is a Khasi version of biryani and is a laboriously made dish. The unique spices of the dish are what make it so delicious and popular.
18. Mizoram: Misa Mach Poora
Misa Mach Poora is a hearty and simple-to-prepare dish popular in Mizoram. If you love seafood, this dish is for you. It is made by grilling or roasting shrimps on banana leaves placed on hot charcoals. The shrimp is flavored using local spices and it is served with steamed rice.
19. Nagaland: Pork with Bamboo Shoot
Pork is one of the most popular delicacies in the North-Eastern region of India. Naga Pork Curry is flavored by using bamboo shoots and King Chili. It is simple and easy to make and is enjoyed with steamed rice.
20. Odisha: Chenna Poda
Chenna Poda is a cheese dessert from the state of Odisha. It means ‘Roasted Cheese’ in Odia. It is made with well-kneaded homemade, fresh cheese –chenna, sugar, and suji and is baked for several hours until it browns.
21. Punjab: Makki Di Roti and Sarson Da Saag
Makki di roti is a cornmeal Indian flatbread. It is served with this utterly delicious Sarson saag made with mustard leaves and a glass of lassi. It is the traditional way to prepare saag in Punjab and is mostly served with Makki di roti, topped with Makhan or ghee.
22. Rajasthan: Dal Baati Churma
Dal Baati Churma is a traditional Rajasthani treat with spicy dal and deep-fried baatis served with sweet churma. Many unique spices are added to the dish that contributes to its amazing taste. The baati is broken into bite-sized pieces and eaten with the dal, while the churma is eaten as a side dish.
23. Sikkim: Momo
Momo is a type of South Asian dumpling served with a spicy sauce. It has become quite popular in the Indian subcontinent. The outside is made of white flour and water. The fillings are typically made of meat.
24. Tamil Nadu: Pongal
Pongal is a special dish of Tamil Nadu that is often prepared as offering the goddess. It is made of rice, milk, lentils and some also add cashews to it. They are prepared in a variety of ways some with tamarind, black pepper, or jaggery, but each one has its unique flavors and is equally enjoyable.
25. Telangana: Biryani
Biryani more famously known as the Hyderabadi Biryani is the must-try dish of Telangana. It is prepared in the form of Kachay Gost ki Biryani and Dum Biryani. The savory rice is topped with fried onions, lemon, and cilantro leaves.
26. Tripura: Chakhwi
Chakhwi is a traditional, healthy, and very delicious dish of the Tripura cuisines. The main ingredients of chakhwi are bamboo shoots, green papaya and jack fruit, a variety of lentils, and pork. It can be enjoyed as it is or with rice.
27. Uttar Pradesh: Tunde Ke Kebab
Tunde ke kebab, also known as Buffalo meat galouti kebab is made out of minced meat and is quite popular in Lucknow. They are a part of the Awadhi cuisine and the traditional recipe is said to have incorporated 160 spices.
28. Uttarkhand: Kafuli/ Kapaa
Kapaa, also known as Kafuli is a thick curry made with spinach, fenugreek leaves, garlic, ginger, curd, green chilies, rice paste, and a mixture of spices. It is commonly served as the main dish and is eaten with chapattis or steamed rice.
29. West Bengal: Kosha Mangsho
Apart from their mouthwatering Rasgullas, this spicy Bengali Mutton Curry known as kosha Mangsho is a must-try dish. It is a perfect choice for lunch. The velvety gravy with meat is full of flavors and is typically served with maida luchi (puris).
Photos: Shutterstock
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