Agra will at all times be synonymous with the Taj however past the marble marvel lies a wealth of culinary treats and flavours that talk to the city’s wealthy historical past and tradition: century-old stops for Mughlai nihari, conceived by the shahi hakeems of Akbar’s courtroom, haleem, biryani, khichda and veg choices like Munna Lal’s makkhan samosa, Anokhe Lal’s ghee parathe, and dal pakwan.
Panchhi Petha outlets dot the city, and whereas this candy stays among the many greatest meals souvenirs to take again, there are Agra-special savoury snacks, spice mixes and condiments that deserve a spot in your baggage. To discover the very best little parcels that journey properly and make nice items for food-loving family and friends, we spoke to Agra’s meals specialists for his or her recommendations on the very best edible souvenirs from Agra.
Traditional sweets: gajak, petha, ghewar
“When I am out of my chef’s apron, I take my friends and relatives to soothe their sweet tooth at my favourite spots that have been here for decades, and some for around a century. Though several districts in Uttar Pradesh offer you gajak, to me there’s none like Manoharlal Daulatram for fresh and crisp gajak that lasts for months. If you have a week-long trip before arriving at your gajak-loving friend’s place, you are sorted.
Now, petha is a dish Agra is known for. But today there are over 500 shops in the city selling their ‘original petha’. My favourites are the ones from the limited branches of the actual Panchhi Petha shops, which have just four outlets and green boards, one of which is right in front of Taj View. Another absolute favourite is Munnalal Gopal Das. These guys have limited, preservative-light varieties and do no experiments like chocolate petha or butterscotch petha. Simple and authentic. Munnalal Gopal Das also serves the best malai ghewar, but this dessert is available in the city only during the monsoon and has a shelf life of around 2–3 days.” – Ajay Mathur, chef
Dry Snacks: shahi dalmoth, bedai jalebi and extra
