What to Eat in Hyderabad Today?

Dum biryani

Hyderabadi biryani is cooked the dum way. Raw marinated meat and part-cooked basmati are layered in a pot, which is then sealed and slow-cooked so the rice takes in the meat juices, saffron and fried onion. It arrives with mirchi ka salan, a peanut-and-sesame chilli curry, and raita. It is a lunch-and-dinner dish, and most places sell out of their best batch by late evening. Paradise in Secunderabad, Shah Ghouse Cafe in Shah Ali Banda and Hotel Shadab in Ghansi Bazaar are the names locals argue over.

Haleem

Haleem is wheat, lentils and meat pounded for hours until smooth, then finished with ghee, fried onion and lime. Hyderabadi haleem carries a GI tag. It is made mainly during Ramzan, when kitchens serve it from evening until late at night after the fast is broken. Outside that month it is hard to find, so treat it as a reason to time a trip.

Irani chai and Osmania biscuits

Irani cafés arrived with Persian migrants and became the city's living rooms. The chai is strong, milky and sweet. The Osmania biscuit is crumbly, buttery and faintly salty, and you dunk it. Nimrah Cafe beside Charminar serves them from early morning, and it is the easiest place to try the pair.

The two sweets

Double ka meetha is fried bread soaked in saffron and cardamom milk, then topped with nuts, much like a rich bread pudding. Qubani ka meetha is stewed dried apricots, often served with cream or ice cream. Both are wedding-feast desserts, and both are on most biryani menus.

Eating well

• Biryani portions are large, so one plate often feeds two.
• Ask for less spice if you need it. The salan can be fiery.
• Vegetarians should order veg biryani by name, and check that the salan is meat-free.

For tables and areas, see where to eat in Hyderabad.