Hyderabad travel guide

Hyderabadi biryani

The most celebrated biryani in the world—mutton or chicken cooked in the dum method with saffron and fried onions; layered with aged basmati rice in a sealed pot; Hyderabad has two schools: kacchi (raw meat) and pakki (precooked); Paradox and Paradise are the modern institutions

Haleem

Hyderabad's slow-cooked meat and wheat porridge—mutton or beef pounded for hours with broken wheat into a silky, unctuous paste seasoned with aromatic spices, topped with fried onions, lime and ginger; recognized as a GI product; made in Hyderabad during Ramadan and year-round

Irani chai with Osmania biscuits

The specific tea culture of Hyderabad's Irani cafés—thick, milky tea brewed with cream in a copper vessel, served with Osmania biscuits (named after Nizam Osman Ali Khan) that are buttery and slightly salty; the old Nimrah café near Charminar is the institution

Double ka meetha

Hyderabads Nawabi bread pudding—fried bread soaked in saffron-cardamom rabri (thickened milk) with dry fruits; a dessert from the Nizam's kitchen culture; resembles nothing from any other Indian tradition; available at Heritage restaurants and Irani cafés

Lukhmi

Hyderabads Nawabi square appetizer—a flaky, small pastry parcel stuffed with spiced minced meat; the city's formal dinner's first bite, served at weddings and special occasions; Hyderabad's unique version differs from similar preparations in other South Asian cities