How did Mughals influence Indian cuisine?

India’s culinary landscape is a mosaic of regional flavors, ingredients, and strategies that has evolved over the centuries, deeply inspired by the influence of many cultures and rulers. The most profound influence came from the Mughals, who ruled large parts of India from the early sixteenth century to the mid-18th century.

The Mughal emperors brought with them not only a sophisticated court subculture but also a rich and extravagant culinary lifestyle, replete with important Asian, Persian, and Central Japanese cuisines. Their influence transformed Indian cuisine, especially in the northern regions, combining it with local flavors to create what is now known as Mughlai cuisine.

The Mughals were descendants of the Mongols and Turks and had a strong cultural connection to Persian traditions. When Babur founded the Mughal Empire in 1526, he brought with him a variety of simple, tasty foods from Asia such as kebabs, pilafs and breads. However, as the dynasty flourished in the Indian subcontinent, the empire’s culinary practices became more sophisticated. Later emperors such as Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan promoted a blend of Persian splendor and Indian ingredients. This gave birth to Mughlai cuisine – a lavish, aromatic and rich cooking style that used spices, dried fruits, nuts and dairy products.

The Mughals introduced many new ingredients and culinary strategies to Indian cooking. Saffron, dried fruits (almonds, cashews, raisins) and aromatic herbs such as cardamom, cinnamon and cloves became a staple of the royal cuisine. They also popularized the use of ghee, cream and yoghurt to make expensive gravies and sauces.

Cooking techniques such as Dum Pukht (slow cooking in sealed vessels), skewering meat for kebabs, marinating with yoghurt and spices, and layering rice with meat to make biryani were delicate and formalized under Mughal cooks. These methods not only ensured excellent flavor development but also promoted the concept of treating food as art, which was an important component of the Mughal lifestyle.

Many of the most famous dishes of Indian cuisine have their roots in the Mughal kitchen. Biryani, perhaps the most famous of them, is believed to have been refined by the Mughals from Persian pilaf. Arranged with layers of basmati rice, spiced meat, saffron and fried onions, biryani reflects the Mughal love for aromas and flavours.

Another staple dish, kebabs – be they seekh kebabs, shami kebabs or galouti kebabs – have been perfected by Mughal cooks, who experimented with spice blends and meat textures. Rich meat gravies like korma, nihari and rogan josh are also part of this legacy, regularly cooked in a base of nuts and yogurt, cooked on low flame to achieve deep, complex flavours.

The Mughals also had an influence on long-lasting breads. Naan, Sheermal, and Roomali roti became part of the royal diet. These breads were often baked in a tandoor and served with gravy or used to elevate meat dishes. Even cakes saw changes, with dishes like Shahi Tukda, Kulfi, Phirni, and Sheer Khurram becoming mandatory for festive and royal meals.

Mughal cuisine did not remain confined to the royal kitchens. Over the years, it spread through the elite to the streets and homes of India, primarily in cities like Delhi, Lucknow,, and Hyderabad. The Mughals were instrumental in promoting the dastarkhwan (a ceremonial spread of food) and dining as a social and cultural affair.

The practice of serving more than one dish, using decorative utensils and focusing on presentation was heavily inspired by Persian customs and became absorbed into Indian hospitality traditions. Additionally, Mughal cuisine inspired regional cuisines, giving rise to sub-traditions like Awadhi cuisine in Uttar Pradesh and Hyderabadi cuisine in Telangana. Those regional cooks retained the essence of Mughlai flavors while adapting to local tastes, spices and available ingredients.

Today, Mughal-inspired food is deeply ingrained in the identity of Indian cooking. Whether it is the signature dish of Bird Tikka Masala in global Indian restaurants or the lavish dishes served at Indian weddings, the opulent and delicious soul of Mughlai cuisine lives on today. The legacy of the Mughals now lies not just in the recipes but in the techniques, flavours and approach to food they developed – wherein cooking no longer became a mere meal but an act of sophistication and artistry.

In short, the Mughal generation marked the culinary renaissance in India, combining exotic beauty with local soul to create a cuisine that is one of the country’s richest gastronomic treasures.