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India is a country that celebrates unity in diversity. A popular saying in Hindi goes by, ‘kos kos par badle pani, chaar kos par vaani (in every 3-4 km water or the taste of food changes, while in every 12-16 km language changes).’ There are 28 states and 8 union territories in India, each boasting a special cuisine featuring the use of indigenous ingredients, different styles of cooking, and flavourful taste.
Video Credit: Shivani's Kitchen/ YouTube
As the cuisine is different in different regions, so are the preferences of people. In some regions, people prefer to have poha while in others they love to relish dosa. Here is a list of 10 popular traditional breakfast options from 10 different regions of India.
Poha And Jalebi, Madhya Pradesh
Made with flat rice, poha is a lightweight yet hearty option for breakfast. One can find a different variation of it in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. However, the one in MP is quite famous because of the sweet flavours induced using onions. It is often topped with namkeen (savoury snack) and paired with sugar syrup-coated jalebi.
Jolpaan, Assam
From the land of ‘Blue Hills and Red River’, a must-try traditional breakfast recipe is jolpaan or jolpan. There are different variations of this rice pancake delicacy made using flattened rice, jaggery or sugar, milk, curd, rice flour, semolina, millet, and others. It is often paired with a hot piping cup of tea to complete the meal. Other traditional dishes consumed in the state for breakfast include luchi, paratha, ghugni, and roti.
Sattu Paratha, Bihar
If you are in Bihar, you will find sattu as a star ingredient in many dishes. It is nothing but roasted chana dal flour. It is used as a filling to make parathas for breakfast, which are considered healthy. Sattu is mixed with salt, ginger, onion, garlic, and green chilli. Paratha is paired with pickle and curd. This filling is also used to make litti for litti chokha, another scrumptious delicacy from the state.
Chakli Pitha, Odisha
Chakli pitha has origins in the regions of West Bengal, however, it is a popular choice of breakfast in Odisha. Flat rice grains are fried to make this dish and a batter is prepared using black gram, rice flour, salt, and edible oil. They look similar to dosa but are softer than the popular South Indian food. Chakli pitha is paired with white pea curry (ghuguni).
Bai, Mizoram
In most states, one can find rice dishes among the prominent choices for breakfast. The versatile grain can be used in many ways. For example, in Mizoram, a mixed vegetable stew is made using green chillies, fermented pork, and baking soda. It is paired with bai, a combination of brinjal, cabbage, mustard leaves, and potatoes, without the use of any spice or salt. It can be paired with a choice of hot or cold beverages.
Mirchi Vadas, Rajasthan
Rajasthani cuisine is known for the use of loads of spices to make dishes flavourful, hot, and spicy. Among their breakfast dishes, mircha vadas are quite famous. Green chillies, cleaned and sliced, are filled with a hearty filling of potato and other vegetables and spices. They are dipped in a mixture of gram flour and deep-fried until the crust is crispy and brown. Natives pair it with tea, tamarind chutney, and green chutney.
Puttu, Kerala
Made with rice and coconut, puttu is a wholesome dish that residents of Kerala enjoy for breakfast. Small rice grains are steamed along with coconut to enhance the richness and flavours. These are given cylindrical shapes and served with kadala, a bowl of spicy and lip-smacking curry of black chickpeas. Appam, erachi pidi, and puttu ularthiyathu are among other picks for the first meal of the day.
Pesarattu Upma, Andhra Pradesh
In different regions, there are a variety of dosa made. In Arunachal Pradesh, people like to gorge on dosas made with lentil batter that uses green gram dal. These dosas are later stuffed with semolina upma. This unique combination makes the dish more enriching in flavours. Pesarattu upma is served with tomato chutney, coconut chutney, or green chutney, depending on the choice of people.
Patal Bhaji, Goa
Patal bhaji or tonak is a spiced curry made with ingredients like coconut, dry white peas, potatoes, and roasted whole spices. It is a popular option for breakfast and is served with soft and fluffy pavs that are baked in mud ovens using wood fire. You can find these in the local bakeries. This looks similar to Maharashtra’s famous pav bhaji.
Siddu, Himachal Pradesh
Siddu is a steamed slice of bread made using yeast and wheat flour. These are stuffed with coriander, onion, khus khus (poppy seeds), and chillies. It is a popular breakfast dish in Himachal Pradesh and is often served with green chutney and ghee. It offers a boost of energy to the body and satiates hunger.
