What does Mughlai food include?

The Mughal dynasty ruled India from 1426 to 1857, giving rise to the cuisine style known as Mughlai (moog-lie). Food was rich and prepared with flavorful spices, nuts, and dried fruits during that period in India's history. Due to their distinctive aroma and use of whole and ground spices, Mughlai cuisine can have a wide range of flavours, from moderate to spicy.

Mughlai food can be so decadent that it almost seems like it was designed to make people want more food; the preparation of it was probably very involved and time-consuming. People may be enticed to try new dishes with Mughlai flavours by the names of these foods, which are also so intriguing.

Since the Mughals were Muslims and Hindus by religion, pork and beef were traditionally excluded from this cuisine. Instead, goat, fowl, sheep, and venison were extensively used, along with vegetarian dishes.

Mughlai cuisine is typically interpreted by Indian restaurants as mild to medium-hot cream and nut-based gravies, rice dishes laden with nuts and dried fruits, and rich, creamy desserts that call for spices like saffron, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg. These well-known gravies are of Mughlai style and go well with rice and bread.

Everyday dishes that feature traditional Mughlai flavors include biryani, kebabs, kofta (meatballs), pulao (or pilaf), and tandoor. These conventional dishes include Mughlai chicken, Mughlai biryani, Mughlai paratha, malai kofta, reshmi kebab, Mughlai gosht, and murg tandoor. Traditional Mughlai desserts include the bread pudding shahi tukra, barfi, kalakand, and falooda.

Even though many Mughlai dishes are savoury, rich, and decadent, they can always be made lighter by using more wholesome ingredients. Mughlai cuisine has a long history and is still very much present in homes and restaurants worldwide. 

Popular Mughlai Dishes

Notable Mughlai dishes include Biriyani, Mughlai Paratha, Murg Kebabs Mughlai, Qeema Matar, Haleem, Nargisi Kofta, Murg Mosallam, Malai Kofta, Reshmi Kebab, Navratan Korma, Shahi Rogan Josh, Rezala, Pasanda, Shahi Kaju Aloo, Boti Kebab, Murg Chaap, Mughlai Curry Nigella, Murg Tandoor, Kachri Qeema, and Meat Durbari among many others. Let us have a glimpse at some of the most popular ones.

Chicken Korma

The Korma, which originated in Persia, was acquired by the Rajput chefs in Akbar's kitchen. It has since been known as Korma, after the Rajput dynasty Kurma. Because of its use of whole spices, yoghurt, and nuts, this dish is among the most popular in traditional Mughlai cuisine. It's basically tender bits of chicken smothered in a rich, creamy sauce.

Nalli Nihari

The dish was given its unusual moniker because Mughal monarchs ate it after their morning prayers. It's created using mutton flesh and bones packed with soft, luscious bone marrow. This meal is the most delectable in the famed Mughlai cuisine and is only appreciated when prepared according to the traditional recipe.

Mughlai Murgh Malai Kebab

Mughlai Murgh Kebabs traveled from Turkey to India at the end of the fourteenth century, as well as the Murgh Malai Kebab was regarded as one of the Mughal Empire's numerous culinary triumphs. This Mughlai dish is best made using an age-old recipe. It's created with marinated boneless chicken chunks skewered and grilled over direct heat.

Mutton Seekh Kebab

The Mutton Seekh Kebab, arguably the most well-known appetiser in Mughlai cuisine, is typically made with minced mutton meat shaped into sausages on skewers. Over an open flame, these skewers are then cooked. For the best flavour, eat this fiery and tangy kebab while it's still sizzling hot.

Mughlai Paratha

One of the many famous Mughlai dishes that have been adapted into popular street food across the nation is the Mughlai Paratha. This well-liked fast food is an Indian flatbread that is thick and filled with refined flour. Typically, it is stuffed with minced meat, herbs like coriander, and vegetables like onions and tomatoes.

Nargisi Kofta

Nargisi Kofta is a distinctive Mughlai dish typically served on special occasions. The boiled eggs are coated with crushed minced meat and poured into a bowl of thick and creamy authentic Mughlai sauce. While the Nargisi Kofta's origins are debated, it has become a staple in the arsenal of Mughlai chefs in India.

Galouti Kebab

The Galouti Kebab is among India's most popular street dishes, and it can even be found in some fine dining restaurants. This traditional Mughali dish is supposed to have been invented for a Lucknow Nawab who couldn't properly chew his food. As little more than an outcome, these kababs are silky soft and bursting with flavour. These kebabs go well with Mughlai flatbreads such as Tandoori Roti and Naan, as well as Indian flatbreads such as Lachha Paratha.

Biryani

The most popular Mughlai dish in India is a rice and meat dish that has undergone numerous local adaptations since the 16th century. Two of the most well-known variations of this traditional Mughlai dish are the Hyderabadi Biryani and the Lucknowi Dum Biryani. Fine basmati rice, potatoes, chunks of meat, and boiled eggs are all included in this dish, which is slow-cooked and served hot.

Rogan Josh

Rogan Josh is a Persian word that means clarified butter (ghee) cooked in intense heat. It is a meat dish with soft and juicy chunks of mutton floating in a spicy red curry. The Mughals introduced it to India, and it has since become a mainstay in Indian cuisine (particularly in North India).

Debon is where you can buy the best meat for Mughlai food. It offers all kinds of chicken and mutton cuts. Get fresh and juicy meat at your doorstep and try some delicious Mughlai recipes.