Madhya Pradesh food is the food prepared in the State of Madhya Pradesh, India. The food prepared varies between different regions of this State and includes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.
Influences on Madhya Pradesh Cuisine
Madhya Pradhesh cuisine is influenced by the climate and seasons. The food prepared here depends upon the availability of seasonal ingredients. Also, as the State is home to several migrants from all over the country, the cuisine also includes dishes popular in other states, such as idli, dosa, and sambar from the South.
Commonly Available Ingredients
Rice, wheat, sorghum, gram flour, millets, lentils, and sabudana are some of the common ingredients used in the Madhya Pradesh cuisine. Milk, meat, and fish are widely used too. Optimum use is made of seasonal vegetables and fruits. Fruits such as water melon, mango, banana, guava, and papaya are used in the cooking as well as consumed after meals.
Everyday Food
A typical day starts with tea, accompanied by hot poha (flattened rice) and a sweet meat like Jalebi. Roti, paratha, puri, dosa, naan are consumed for breakfast. Sabudana khichdi is a popular breakfast dish here. Lunch includes steamed rice with curries, dals, and vegetable dishes. Chapatti with dal is another common food here. Namkeens and sweets are an integral part of Madhya Pradesh food. Different types of chaats, samosa, and kachori are eaten as snacks. Lassi, date palm toddy, sugar cane juice, beer and rum produced from sugar cane are some drinks of this region.
Traditional Food
Dal bafla, bhutte ka kees, and chakki ki shaak are traditional Madhya Pradesh foods. Dal bafla is a steamed wheat cake that is eaten with dal. Bhutte ka kees is a dish made with corn and milk and is served with roti. Chakki ki shaak is made of steamed wheat dough and curd. Biryani, pilaf, seekh kebabs, shami kebabs, and rogan josh are some of the traditionally prepared non-vegetarian foods.
Festival Foods
Sweets are consumed not only on festival days, but are a part of everyday food. This is especially true in cities like Gwalior and Indore where milk-based sweets are widely consumed. Some of the sweets include gulab jamun, mawa bati, laddoo, raabri, malpua, khopra pak, moong dal halwa, gajar ka halwa, ras malai, and rasgulla. Mawa bati is made of mawa, jaggery, and till seeds. Khopra pak is prepared by using fresh grated coconut, milk, and sugar. Ras malai and rabri are rich desserts made with milk, nuts, and sugar. Malpua is made with milk, suji, maida, and sugar syrup.
Health Benefits of Madhya Pradesh Foods
As Madhya Pradesh food comprises dishes made from rice, wheat, lentils, and millets, these add protein and carbohydrates to the diet. The seasonal fruits and vegetables provide the essential vitamins and minerals. However, since milk and ghee-based desserts and snacks are consumed widely and frequently, this may impact blood cholesterol levels and pose a risk of early heart disease in people.