Naan qalia facts for kids

Naan khaliya is a traditional dish from Aurangabad, India. It's made with mutton and many spices.

Naan khaliya is a very old and special dish from Aurangabad, a city in Maharashtra, India. It's a mix of tender meat, usually mutton, cooked with lots of different spices. Imagine a delicious, soupy curry served with a special kind of bread called Naan. Naan is a flatbread baked in a super hot oven called a tandoor. The "khaliya" part is the tasty meat and spice mixture.

History of Naan Khaliya

This dish has a cool history! Long ago, a ruler named Mohammad Tughlaq moved his capital city from Delhi to Daulatabad. A huge number of people, including his army, traveled with him. It was a big challenge to feed everyone on this long journey.

So, the shahi bawarchis (which means royal cooks) came up with a clever idea. They dug big hot ovens in the ground. Here, they quickly baked thousands of naan breads. At the same time, they cooked the "qalia" (the meat mixture) in huge pots called deghs. They slowly cooked either beef or mutton with many local spices. This dish became very popular with the soldiers. They even called it 'siphaaiyon ka khana' or 'fauji ka khana', meaning 'soldiers' food'. Today, Naan khaliya is still a favorite in Aurangabad. It's often made for weddings and other special events.

How Naan Khaliya Is Made

Making Naan khaliya involves two main parts: preparing the naan bread and cooking the qalia curry.

Making the Naan Bread

The naan breads are baked in a special clay oven. This oven is usually set up in a hole in the ground. The fire for baking comes from a side opening. The baker, often called a bhatiyara, sits by the oven. He carefully places the naan dough inside to bake. He then uses special long rods to take out the fluffy, baked naan. As soon as they are ready, the naan get a brush of turmeric and jaggery water. This gives them a lovely golden color and helps them stay fresh longer.

Cooking the Qalia Curry

The qalia is a soupy curry with many ingredients. It takes a long time to cook properly. The exact spices and ingredients can change a bit depending on the town near Aurangabad. For example, the qalia made in Aurangabad often uses yogurt. But in Khuldabad, they might use Lemon instead. The qalia is always cooked in a very large pot called a degh. When it's ready, a layer of spicy oil forms on top. This oily layer is called tari.

See also

In Spanish: Naan qalia para niños