Top 11 Dishes To Try in Bhopal to Satisfy Your Food Cravings (2024)
Madhya Pradesh is not only one of the largest states of India with a wide variety of people but it is also one of the most important culinary provinces in the country. You might have known about the popularity of the street food of Indore, but did you know Bhopal is even more famous in the world for some of the most famous dishes? Like other parts of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal is also quite well known for its lip-smacking street food. But Bhopal is quite popular for authentic Mughlai cuisine as well. If you visit there, you will be able to taste a wide variety of dishes which will genuinely make you spellbound. In case you are planning a trip soon, you will find this blog quite useful. Here, we will let you know about the best dishes to try in Bhopal.
Moreover, the places where you will get to try the famous recipes in Bhopal will not charge you a hefty sum. You will get to have a lovely meal without spending a large sum of money. In this blog you will learn, Bhopal is way more than Chats or Jalebis. Bhopal is a great place to feel nostalgic as the city holds evidence of the Mughal or Maratha period. When you will reach there, you will find yourself lost in the by lanes of the city. You might find the market places with the roadside stalls quite crowded, but that is one of the main components of Bhopal.
Top 11 Dishes To Try in Bhopal to Satisfy Your Food Cravings
The dishes which you will read in the following section of the blog are quite popular among the tourists as well as the locals of Bhopal. Some of the dishes might be a bit spicy for you or others might be a bit sweet for you. You will get a lot of options to choose from in Bhopal.
1. Bade ke Kebab
Apart from Lucknow, Bhopal is also known to be the city of Nawabs. That is why the first recipe which we included in the list of best dishes to try in Bhopal is Bade ke Kebab. This recipe is primarily barbequed beef with a combination of fabulous spices. The dish is available mainly in the Chatori Galli of Bhopal which is pretty well-known for non-vegetarian items. As the beef is minced in the dish, you will feel the meat melting in your mouth as soon as you start eating it.
The dish is usually served with chilies, chutneys, and onions. Some people even love to eat this dish with grilled buns in butter. You will find the recipe to be quite cheap and fulfilling. The local people of Bhopal have Bade Ke Kebab as an entire meal as it is pretty heavy.
2. Chaats of Bhopal
We have included all the lip-smacking chaats of Bhopal in the number two position of this list. Exploring Madhya Pradesh is not possible without a hearty consumption of tangy and fabulous Chaats. If you visit the Hawkers Corner area of Bhopal, you will be able to eat a wide variety of chaats which are all impeccably delicious. In case you visit there, you will be able to taste Pani Puri, Chole Tikki, Bhel Puri, and others.
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But the most popular Chaat in Bhopal is Samosa Kachori Chaat which is a combination of a large number of spices along with yogurt, Samosas, and Kachoris. If you love tangy food, you will devour this Chaat within no time. You can end your Chaat exploration with a dollop of lip-smacking Falooda. It is one of the most popular desserts in Bhopal.
3. Bhopali Ghost Korma
As we have mentioned earlier Nawabi cuisine is a massive part of Bhopal’s culinary history. That is why Bhopali Ghost Korma is one of the best dishes to try in Bhopal. This recipe is pretty spicy and exotic. You will be quite impressed by it only by seeing it. The gravy of the dish is pretty red and the aroma of the recipe will make you hungry. Usually, the dish is prepared with mutton, but sometimes certain restaurants use beef as well.
When you will bite the meat for the first time while consuming Bhopali Ghost Korma, you will be pretty overwhelmed. The juicy and succulent meat will melt right in your mouth. You can easily taste this dish in one of the shops of the previously mentioned Chatori Gali. As the dish is prepared for a long time by slow cooking the meat, you might want to keep some time in your hand before ordering it.
4. Biriyani Pilaf
The Biriyani in Bhopal is pretty different from the Biriyanis in the other parts of India. In Bhopal, people include raisins, cardamoms, saffron, pistachios, and sugar while preparing the Biriyani. They even serve the recipe with Zarda which makes it pretty exquisite to eat. Usually, mutton is used as the primary meat of the Biriyani, but some people use chicken as well. Either way, the recipe is lip-smacking.
As the rice is boiled with food color while preparing the recipe in Bhopal, you will notice that the entire recipe is pretty colorful. The meat is so tender and succulent that it will dissolve on your tongue right away. The best place to taste Biriyani Pilaf in Bhopal is in the Jishan Complex. You will not be able to forget the recipe.
5. Mawa Bati
Mawa Bati is one of the best dishes to try in Bhopal because it is extremely delicious. If you have a sweet tooth, this dish will be a paradise for you. The recipe is prepared by stuffing dough with delicious Mawa and then frying the balls. You will be served this dish by soaking it in sugary syrup with chopped cardamom, pistachios, cashews, and other items. The recipe looks pretty similar to Gulab Jamun but it is a bit bigger.
The best place to try this sweet dish is in one of the shops in the Hawkers Corner area of Bhopal. As the dish is quite sweet, you will be pretty full even if you consume only one Mawa Bati. If you visit the sweet shops in Bhopal, also try Khopra Pak and Shrikhand.
6. Rogan Josh
Even though Rogan Josh is originally a Persian recipe, the people of Bhopal made it their own quite easily. The recipe is also one of the most famous dishes of Kashmir. If you get to try the Rogan Josh in Bhopal, you will notice that it is pretty spicy. But the original Rogan Josh in Kashmir is not at spicy. The Nawabi culture of Bhopal has evolved the renowned recipe. Many restaurants prepare the dish with Lamb while others use mutton.
If you are a meat lover, you will find either one of the options incredibly tasty. You should consume the Rogan Josh in Bhopal with Parathas or Kulcha. The best place to try the amazing Rogan Josh in Bhopal is the Filfora restaurant. You will be able to taste the amazing taste at an affordable price over there.
7. Barfi Rasmalai
After the inclusion of the spicy Rogan Josh, let us venture into the world of desserts. Barfi Rasmalai is a unique dish that is available only in Bhopal. The recipe might sound a lot but trust us it will one of the best desserts you will consume in your life. It is available in a stall near the Jama Masjid in Bhopal. The owner of the shop prepares this amazing item by putting a rich rabri on top of crushed ice or gola. He also puts flavored syrup, rose water, and elaichi in the recipe to make it even more delicious.
We must warn you the recipe is for those who love to eat sweet desserts. Usually, people have Barfi Rasmalai after consuming a hearty meal. This dish is an alternative to Paan.
8. Kebabs
Even though we included the Bade ke Kebab at the beginning of this list, but the kebabs available in the by lanes of old Bhopal are even better. If you are in Bhopal, you must try at least some of them. You will find the Kebabs in the Ibrahimpura area of Bhopal. The shop owners sell a wide variety of barbequed meat including chicken, beef, or mutton.
You will also find mutton stew or chicken curry in the roadside stalls of Ibrahimpura. But the kebabs are the highlights of the area. The best part about the area is that all the recipes sold over there are extremely affordable.
9. Falooda Lassi
Even though Falooda lassi is available only in the Haji Lassiwala shop in the Itwara Chowk area of Bhopal, but it is worth trying. You will be pretty happy with the drink if you love sweet dishes. The lassi looks quite beautiful and it is prepared by adding a lot of Falooda, sugar and rose syrup, dried fruits, nuts, and yogurt. You will be pretty full if you consume even one glass of this lassi. The local people of Bhopal often visit this shop only to have this gorgeous lassi.
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10. Shahi Tukda
Even though there are different renditions of Shahi Tukda available in different parts of India, the one found in Bhopal is one of the best. The fried pieces of bread soaked in delicious custard along with dried fruits and nuts are lip-smacking in every way. Even though the recipe is quite high in calories, people do not care. The best place to try Shahi Tukda is in the Koh-e-Fiza eatery of Bhopal.
11. Bhopali Paan
If you live in India, you must know that it is a ritual in the country to finish every meal with a Paan. Now Paans are betel leaves served with spices and fruits. But every state in India has a different version of Paan. In Bhopal, the Paans are served with Kattha, Chuna, Gulkand, Betel Nut, and others. Even though the Paan is not that tasty but it is extremely popular all over the country. Usually, people consume it as a mouth freshener after finishing their meal.
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All the items included in the list are some of the best dishes to try in Bhopal. If you even visit Bhopal, do not forget to try at least some of them. You will not regret consuming them as they are extremely tasty.
