Telugu cuisine is native to the people of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Typically known for its tangy, sweet and spicy taste, the cuisine is very diverse due to the wide variety of people and the varied geographical regions. All regions — Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana — have distinctive cuisines where the predominant staple food is Ragi based roti in the semi-arid Telangana area. At the same time, rice is prevalent in the irrigated Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, and ragi is common in the Rayalaseema regions.
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana liberal use of spices in the food makes the cuisine one of the richest and spiciest in the world. The vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes feature prominently in the menus of top restaurants in Hyderabad. Indian staple Rice is served with a side of dal locally called Pappu if often made with tomato, gongura, and tamarind and a small serving of spicy and hot varieties of pickles form an essential part of Telugu cuisine.
There are several regional variations due to the topographical differences in the Telugu-speaking population spread over a wide area. Over the years, cultural factors have affected the cuisine’s eating habits.
The proximity of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to the western, central and eastern Indian states makes the gastronomy of these border regions more diverse with the spread of Telugu to the neighbouring states. Different communities have their variations, and the rural areas still follow the centuries-old cooking habits and recipes.
The Coastal Andhra region proximity to water bodies makes rice, dal, and seafood a part of its staple diet. This place is one of the largest producers of rice and chillies. Ulavacharu is a famous soup made from horse gram and is a popular part of Telangana cuisine in Hyderabad.
Rayalaseema is the southern region of Andhra Pradesh. This place has some unique dishes in its cuisine. It is famous for being spicy because of the liberal use of chilli powder in almost all the dishes.
Apart from people in this region who are vegetarians, the majority of the population cook and consume non-vegetarian dishes. The state has access to abundant seafood and has an extensively established poultry industry. Lamb meat is another traditional fare prepared with century-old recipes. When it comes to the non-veg aspect of the Telangana cuisine in Hyderabad Chepala Pulusu is a must.
The uber-popular Hyderabadi Mutton biriyani has its local variations such as Avakaya Biryani, Ulavacharu Biryani are available in top restaurants in Hyderabad such as Rayalseema Ruchulu. Popular dishes served in Andhra cuisine style restaurants include the spicy, Andhra Chilli Chicken, Chicken Roast, and Mutton Pepper Fry. Some of must-try Telangana food in Hyderabad are
● Chepala Pulusu: A delicious fish curry redolent with freshly ground spices and tamarind juice.
● Royyala Kura: This tangy Prawns curry is cooked with tamarind and onions.
● Gongura Mamsam: This spicy curry made with tender lamb pieces with Gongura and a paste made of green chillies.
● Kodi Gudla Pulusu: It’s an Egg curry made with onions, green chillies and coriander.
These curries are often served with steamed Rice, Roti or Ragi Sangati