What to Eat in Nagpur Today?

Breakfast: tarri poha

Poha is eaten all over Maharashtra, but Nagpur adds tarri: a thin, oily, red gravy of black chickpeas poured over the flattened rice. It comes topped with raw onion, sev and a squeeze of lemon. Stalls start early and many close by late morning, so go before ten. Ask for less tarri if you want it milder.

Saoji: the city's heat

Saoji cooking is Nagpur's own. The name comes from the community that developed it, and it is built on a dark masala of dry-roasted spices, dried coconut and poppy seeds. Chicken and mutton are the classics, and both are hot in a way that catches out even people who like chilli. Eat it with rotis or bhakri and rice, and order a glass of buttermilk. There is a vegetarian side too.

Patodi rassa

Patodi are steamed, spiced gram-flour rolls, cut into pieces and served in a spicy gravy. It is a Vidarbha vegetarian dish that shows up in thalis and at lunch counters.

The Vidarbha thali

A full thali is the easiest way to taste a lot at once. Expect jowar bhakri (a flatbread of sorghum), a spicy curry, patodi, thecha (a coarse chilli and garlic relish), dal and rice. It is heavier on chilli than a Pune or Mumbai thali.

Oranges and orange barfi

The Nagpur orange is a loose-skinned mandarin. One crop reaches the markets around November and December, and a sweeter one around February and March. Orange barfi, made with khoya (reduced milk) and orange, is sold all year and travels well in a box. Santra juice and orange sweets are easy to find near the station and in Sitabuldi.

A few practical points

The spice level here is real, so say "kam teekha" (less spicy) if you need to. Saoji places are mostly non-vegetarian, while poha stalls and sweet shops are vegetarian. In summer, eat your main meal in the evening, when the heat has dropped. See where to eat for places that serve each dish.