Must-Eat Foods of 28 States of India: A Culinary Tour Across the Nation

India being an urge of diverse culture, food provides a magnificent flavor in every bit that one can take. All the country’s 28 states have their own recipes, methods of preparation, and spices that create a diverse mouth-watering culture. For food lovers, travellers, or anyone who is planning to go for a culinary tour in India, it is essential to taste each state’s dish that consists of local culture and tradition. This comprehensive guide will take you on a food tour in India, introducing you to the must-eat food in India from every state, so you can explore the famous food dishes in India like a local.

Famous food from 28 states of India

1. Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabadi Biryani

Being famous for its hot and spicy food, Andhra Pradesh is also noted for the world-famous Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani. This is a meal made of rice, normally basmati rice, meat which could be chicken, mutton, etc, and a variety of spices. This dish is one of the most interesting and memorable discoveries of a culinary tour in India.

2. Arunachal Pradesh - Thukpa

Thukpa is a noodle soup that traces its origin to Tibet and Arunachal Pradesh is one such region that loves to savour the dish. This has its origin from Asia and it incorporates ingredients like meat, vegetables and noodles cooked in meaty broth. Perfect for the colder climates, a very straightforward and tasty dish that originates from the North Eastern part of India.

3. Assam - Assam Laksa

Typically served with rice noodles, Assam Laksa is a tangy fish soup which carries a hint of the South East Asian cuisine. It is prepared from fermented fish alongside tamarind and various spices that make it bear a sour and spicy taste that also makes it a kind of soup that enthusiastic food travellers would like to savour in the food tour of India.

4. Bihar - Litti Chokha

Litti Chokha is actually one of the foods which is compulsory to eat in India and is specifically from Bihar. It features litti which are roasted wheat balls filled with sattu (gram flour) accompanied with chokha, mashed vegetables from eggplant or potatoes. Due to its robust and smoky characteristics, this type of food is popular in the countryside.

5. Chhattisgarh - Chila

Chhattisgarh, with a tribal food culture, gives Chila, a thin flat food made from rice flour, gram flour or even lentils. This is a very basic dish but tasty and most of the time accompanied by chutney and it is associated with the rich Pahadi food culture.

6. Goa - Goan Fish Curry

A culinary tour in India cannot be considered to be complete if one fails to go for Goan Fish Curry. This dish is a combination of many different tastes of coconut, tamarind and different spices that create the taste of the curry. This curry specifically is normally prepared with pomfret or kingfish and is a must for seafood enthusiasts.

7. Gujarat - Dhokla

Dhokla has become one of the traditional food cuisines which is very popular in India, especially in the state of Gujarat. This is a steamed cake produced by fermenting rice and a mixture of chickpeas, which is tasty, soft and suitable for snacking. Dhokla’s sourness is the perfect taste sensations which go well with palate, it is so tasty and nutritious at the same time.

8. Haryana - Bajre Ki Khichdi

Bajre Ki Khichdi is a healthy recipe from the Haryana region which is prepared using Bajra (pearl millet) and dals. They are a simple dish that is healthy and represents the agricultural background of the state. This food is normally accompanied with ghee and pickles and can give a feel of the Indian Countryside.

9. Himachal Pradesh - Dham

Dham is a kind of festival food which is commonly used in Himachal Pradesh. It is a complete meal which comprises of rice, dal, rajma, and other side dishes which is prepared with yoghurt and spices. And the food culture of the hills comes alive, especially in Dham, which a food lover must visit in a lifetime.

10. Jharkhand - Thekua

A traditional dessert of Jharkhand, blessed and rich with the taste of wheat flour, and jaggery along with the aroma of ghee. This dish is special and typically prepared during festivals It is one of the delicacies that anyone interested in the local Jharkhand food must try.

11. Karnataka - Bisi Bele Bath

Bisi Bele Bath is one of the famous food dishes of Karnataka, India which is prepared by mixing rice, lentils, vegetables and spices with tamarind juice. When it is served hot it is perfect for those willing to have some home-style meals, on their food tour in India.

12. Kerala - Appam with Stew

Kerala has a diverse and sumptuous food culture, Appam with Stew is one of the famous dishes of Kerala. Appam is a soft porous and thin pancake or crepe prepared from fermented rice batter usually accompanied by a savory vegetarian or non-vegetarian preparation made from coconut milk. This is a perfect combination that represents the attitude of Keralites towards Coconut and Spices.

13. Madhya Pradesh - Bhutte Ka Kees

Bhutte ka kees is a very famous food from the Madhya Pradesh region of India and this is prepared by cooking corn flour in milk. This dish tastes very delicious it has just a hint of sweetness and its full of flavour which makes it very unique and must-try dish in Indian tours.

14. Maharashtra - Vada Pav

Vada Pav which is also known as the ‘Indian burger’ has roots in Maharashtra and is a famous street food. It is made up of a spiced potato crisp and placed between two halves of a bun known as pav garnished with chutneys. It is so simple yet this plate is quite famous among Indonesians and also tourists who visited this country.

15. Manipur - Eromba

Eromba is a speciality dish of Manipur which is constituted of mashed boiled vegetables and fermented fish. It is normally flavoured with dried red chillies and accompanied by regional green herbs. Eromba’s taste makes it a must-take food for any food hunters who are on a food trip in India.

16. Meghalaya - Jadoh

The most famous food that is found in Meghalaya is called Jadoh which is a rice preparation that is cooked with pork, meat stock as well as some spices. Thus the new beginners, who wish to taste the tribal delicacies of India can find a good entry point from Jadoh.

17. Mizoram - Bai

Bai is an easy-to-cook dish of Mizoram using bamboo shoots, pork, and a variety of herbs and seasonings available in this region. It is best prepared steamed and consumed with rice and this is evidenced by the light method of cooking that is normally associated with the northeastern states.

18. Nagaland - Smoked Pork with Bamboo Shoot

Pork is very popular in Nagaland and Smoked Pork with Bamboo shoots is one of the famous food dishes in India. The component most prominent in the dish is smoked pork meat accompanied by fermented bamboo shoots and spices native to the region as the taste is slightly bitter and very smoky.

19. Odisha - Dalma

Dalma is a traditional food item of Odisha whose batter is prepared from lentils, and vegetables cooked with cumin, mustard and other spices. When prepared with rice it is such a basic dish that it reflects the rustic taste of the Asian continent.

20. Punjab - Makki Di Roti and Sarson Da Saag

Makki Di Roti and Sarson Da Saag is a Punjabi speciality food prepared from cornmeal flatbread ‘makki di roti,’ and a vegetable preparation of mustard green leaves ‘sarson da saag’. This is a winter special food and is one of the must-have foods in India if anyone is looking to taste traditional North Indian cuisine.

21. Rajasthan - Dal Baati Churma

One of the most traditional meals in Rajasthan is a combination of Dal Baati and Churma. It includes baati made from hard wheat rolls, which are accompanied by dal made from lentils and churma which is a crushed wheat sweetened with ghee and jaggery. It’s a very filling meal and definitely one that connects us with the history of food in the state well.

22. Sikkim - Momos

The local speciality, momo, is a vegetable or meat-stuffed dumpling used in Sikkim as is common in other parts of the world. Steamed and eaten with chilli sauces, momos are one of the simplest but most delicious foods people have come to love. They are something that must be tasted when using the services of any culinary tour in India.

23. Tamil Nadu - Chettinad Chicken

Chettinad Chicken is one of the best food dishes in India and a special dish in the food of Tamil Nadu. Chettinad Chicken is a spicy food that uses ground spices and coconut and this makes the food to be very spicy with aromatic spices that tingle the tongue.

24. Telangana - Pesarattu

An authentic Telangana recipe, Pesarattu is a green gram dosa that is complimented with ginger chutney. Though it is commonly served during breakfast it is another recipe that you can take at any time of the day. It’s a hearty, tasty dish which is eaten in this part of India and quite good for your health.

25. Tripura - Mui Borok

The traditional dish of Tripura is Mui Borok which is prepared out of fermented fish, herbs and vegetables. It is nutritious and tasty, indicating the impact of the tribes on the food of the state, a factor that would make the food enthusiasts in the state feel at home. Mui Borok is a recommended place for everyone who wants to taste something special in the northeastern part of India.

26. Uttar Pradesh - Galouti Kebab

Uttar Pradesh’s capital city – Lucknow is famous for its Galouti Kebab – Kebab made from minced meat and is tender melts in the mouth and is grilled with select spices. This dish is encouraged because of it originated from the Mughal culture of the state and the dish is recommendable for those who take meat.

27. Uttarakhand - Aloo Ke Gutke

A die of the stomach originating from Uttarakhand, Aloo Ke Gutke are stir-fried potatoes garnished with local spices and eaten with dal and rice. It is one of the easiest dishes which are commonly prepared in the hilly areas of the state.

28. West Bengal - Rosogolla

It cannot be described that any food tour completed in India should not take Rosogolla because it is a famous sweet dish of Bengal originating from chhena (the solid part of curd) and sugar syrup balls. It is soft, spongy, and tasty and that is why is one of the favourite sweets of India..
Conclusion
To sum up, a culinary tour in India can be considered a gastronomical trip across the country and, at the same time, the world. Whether it’s the hot and heavy food of the Northern region, the fresh and delicious food of the Southern states, the exotic recipes of the East or the royal food of the West, every state has a special cuisine to offer. All these must-eat foods in India stand for the diversified but delicious Indian culinary tradition. Whether you are a veteran traveller or a first-timer to India, going on a food tour in India will help open your eyes and your palate to a whole new level of appreciation for the country and its dishes.