Mughlai cuisine is one of the favorite foods especially on the occasion that calls for a rich and heavy food menu. Mughal’s brought it to India and since then it has stood as one of the best of its time. The authentic Mughlai food is loaded with dry fruits, ghee, saffron, spices, and other dairy products. However, nowadays it has made lighter by adding various alternative variants which made it a low-fat food. Here are 25 Mughlai food ideas and recipes for Christmas feast.
Shahi Tukra
The delicious and popular Shahi Tukra is a rice bread pudding which is specially prepared during Muslim festivals like Eid and in the month of Ramadan. The ingredient of this delicious dessert includes bread, dry fruits, and condensed milk and it is seasoned with cardamom. The delicious dessert served chilled. You can have it on the menu list for your parties.
Mutton Galouti Kebab
The Mutton Galouti Kebab is a very popular Mughlai recipe and is loved by non-vegetarians. It is not only popular in India but in the outside world also. It is prepared using minced mutton, yogurt, onion, and spices. You can serve this snack with a dip of your choice to make it even more flavorful. The best thing about the kebab recipe is its marinade which is made with spices like mace powder, black pepper powder, kebab masala, ginger paste, garlic paste, and gram flour,yellow pepper powder.
Mughlai Biryani
The Mughlai Biryani is a one-dish meal that is impressive enough for guests and is characterized by aromatic and rich flavors, dried fruits and nuts. The lamb is cooked with aromatic spices, a paste of ginger/almond/garlic, onions, and yogurt. Later, the gravy is layered with colorful cooked rice and baked in a casserole for some time.
Yakhni Pulao
The yakhni pulao is a dish prepared using the main ingredients like rice and lamb. It can be prepared in a pressure cooker or pot. The bundle of spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, anise, etc. is used to provide rich flavor. The rice is cooked along with the meat, onions, and yogurt which creates a creamy sauce.
Nalli Kareli Nehari
The famous and heart ruling Nalli Kareli Nehari is a Mughlai recipe which is cooked using nalliKareli, bay leaves, yogurt, nutmeg powder, saffron, and rose water. Nihar word is originated from the Arabic word ‘Nahar’ which means ‘day’ and was served to the kings after their morning prayer. It is must have a dish and one should try out the delicious recipe with steamed rice, naan or roomali roti.
Kalmi Kebab
It is one of the popular non-vegetarian appetizers from the Mughlai cuisine menu, Kalmi Kebab can be called to the leg piece or the chicken drumstick. It is coated in rich flavors of some marinade and the spices give it depth to the aroma and taste, while the yogurt keeps them juicy and succulent. When cashews are added to the kalmi kebabs, a distinctive nutty aroma gets added. The flavors can be kept mild to make the taste of kebabs more delicious.
Walnut Gosht
Walnut Gosht can be called as a scrumptious dish which you can cook for your family and friends on special occasions and dinner parties. It is cooked using a melange of whole and ground spices, mutton, walnut, tomato, onion, coconut. The flavorsare very strong,and it goes well with Biryani, Naan, Chapati, Steamed Rice and Pulao.
Reshmi Kabab
The kebab or a piece of meat has its roots from the Mughlai cuisine and it is prepared by grilling it on the charcoal fire. Nowadays, it is not so commonly prepared in the house due to the absence of charcoal fire. The meat is prepared in the mixture of almond/ginger/garlic paste, coriander, onion paste along with lemon juice. Chicken pieces are marinated for 24 hours and after that pieces are put on skewers for grill.
Mughlai Fish Curry
The Mughlai Fish Curry is an easy recipe that you can prepare in lunch or dinner. This Mughlai dish is prepared using codfish, lemon juice which is blended well in ground aromatic spices. This non-vegetarian recipe tastes best when served with steamed rice or paratha.
Chicken Malai Tikka
The juicy and tender Murgh Malai Tikka is very super easy to make and is full of bursting tasteful flavors. The chicken is smothered in a homemade marinade for overnight. Skewer the boneless chicken and grill it on a hot charcoal grill. Base it with butter and keep rotating it frequently to avoid overcooking. The meat lovers must try this dish.
Sheer Korma or Khurma
It is a very popular Muslim vermicelli pudding which is prepared during festivals like Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. The main ingredients used in this dish, are milk with dates, whole milk, vermicelli, dates, and sugar, while rose water, almonds, raisins, pistachios, saffron, cloves, and cardamom are added depending on the choice of the region. It tastes good when serving chilled.
Shahi Chicken Korma
The Shahi Chicken Korma is a rich, creamy dish which is full of flavors. The rich & creamy gravy of yogurt, cashew nuts,and browned onions is used to braise the chicken and later flavors of few spices and saffron get blended in. The korma is full of aromatic fragrance, mildly spiced when cooked with perfect heat. The curry tastes better when served hot with naan, rice or chapati.
Raan Gosht
Shahjahani Chicken
The chicken Shahjahani is a creamy recipe where chicken is cooked in rich spices and thick paste which is made with dry fruits, onions,etc. The recipe to cook chicken shahjahani is quite simple. The Juicy chicken pieces are mixed with gravy and marinated for 1 to 2 hour which turned to be absolutely finger-licking.Heat Ghee into the deep fry pan and fry chicken till tender. The remaining paste can be added along with little water and simmer it on a low heat for about 10 to 15 minutes. Now, add butter and fresh cream and simmer it for 5 minutes more. Later, garnish with dry fruit and serve hot with roti or naan.
Chicken Jalfrezi
The spicy Mughlai dish is the most popular choice in many Indian restaurants as well as United Kingdom restaurants. The Chicken Jalfrezi is a simple recipe that can be made in minutes. It is quite spicy and delicious and is a must-have during parties. You can serve it hot with Naan and Steamed Rice or with the Biryani of your choice.
Mughlai Chicken (murgh) masala
Mughlai Chicken is quite a rich, restaurant-style, decadent, brown-colored chicken gravy which belongs to the Mughal era. The outcome is absolutely divine and pleasing to your taste buds. The spices, such as cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom, and the paste of almonds give anaromatic and soothing fragrance, distinct, and adds flavor to the dish. Eat the Mughal Chicken with naan, kulcha, or steamed rice.
Rogan Josh
Originally, the infamous Rogan Josh is a Persian lamb dish which was brought to Kashmir, India by the Mughal’s and it has now become a must added dish of Kashmiri cuisine. Traditionally, the Rogan Josh is a dish with gravy which comprises of braised lamb chunks prepared using browned onions, ginger, garlic, and yogurt and seasoned with spices like clove, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaves. It tastes good when served with naan or roomali roti.
Mughlai Chicken Handi
The Mughlai Chicken Handi is one of the favorite traditional dishes in Mughlai cuisine. It is enriched with rich, creamy and flavored aroma prepared using whole spices and nuts. The chicken is cooked by preparing it for marinating using basic spices and yogurt and then simmering it in a curry sauce. In order to make the smoothest curry sauce, the onion paste is boiled with it before using it in the curry; For the creamy nutty flavor, almond and cashew nut paste along with khoya is used. Cook the chicken in a handi (clay pot) or just serve it in the handi.
Pan Fried Goat Liver
The Pan-Fried Goat Liver is a delicious and very scrumptious Mughlai recipe which is prepared using goat liver, garlic, and spices. The tangy and amazing flavors of this easy to cook non-vegetarian dish ends your hunger. This delectable dish can be enjoyed on special occasions like Bakri-Id and Eid-Ul-Fitr. Serve the lip-smacking delicacy with roomali roti or steamed rice.
Chicken Dum Biryani
The main ingredients of the popular chicken dum briyani is the boneless chicken marinated in awesome herbs and spices and the long basmati rice. It is one of the most famous Biryani recipes made in India and around the world. The reason it is called dum biryani because it is cooked on low heat (dum) so that it gets all the flavors out from the herbs and get them mixed in meat and rice.
Murgh Musallam
The murgh musallam is considered to be one of the best Mughlai cuisine delicacies and it is prepared by marinating the chicken with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, onion paste, green chili paste, mustard oil, and aromatic ground spices. The chicken is marinated for a good amount of time and then cooked in golden onion and almond paste. This chicken is full of flavors and taste which you can prepare for your loved ones on special occasions and festivals. It tastes best when served hot with naan, rice or Khameeri roti.
Nargisi Kofta
Nargisi Kofta is considered to be very easy to cook a dish and is a popular dish of Mughlai cuisine which is prepared by mincing coated hard-boiled eggs in a curry sauce with the goodness of yogurt and cashews. This non-vegetarian recipe is best served with naan, roti or rice and This is a must try dish for those who love chicken more than anything in the world.
Mughlai Keema Paratha
The Crispy flaky parathas are stuffed with a layer of egg and spicy minced mutton in a traditional Mughlai style and it is something you will absolutely love. Mughlai Keema Paratha is a classic recipe of street food found on the streets of Bengal. This paratha is shallow fried and cooked until it gets crisped. Although the traditional recipe calls for mutton keema, you could use chicken keema also. You can cut Mughlai Keema Paratha into little squares and serve them along with Dhaniya Pudina Chutney and pickled onions.
Haleem
It is also known as Khichra in India and Pakistan. Haleem is a very popular stew Mughlai dish and the preparation is made using wheat, barley, lentils, different spices, and minced meat. Sometimes, rice can also be used. It requires slow cooking style and the dish takes around seven to eight hours to ensure a fine blending of all the ingredients which gives a perfect taste and consistent paste.
Navratan Korma
Navratan Korma is a vegetarian delicacy served straight from the Mughal kitchen, a vegetarian korma which is prepared using a variety of vegetables, nuts, and paneer. Originally, Navratan means nine gems and this dish is also prepared using nine different vegetables. You can eat it in comforting when served with butter naan or chapati.
The 25 best Mughlai food ideas for Christmas discussed here covers a distinct variety of dishes which are very popular and tops the restaurant menus. The food lovers can spoil their taste buds by preparing and having any of these dishes in their Christmas luncheons or dinner with family and friends.It will be an awesome gastronomy experience.Your family and friends will definitely love and appreciate your thoughtful gesture and hard work required in preparing the lip-smacking and finger-linking Mughlai dishes especially for them on Christmas.
