From silver rice to pampered chickens: 5 most royal yet peculiar cuisine practices of Emperor Akbar

Food has always been more than just fuel; it’s a window into history, power, and personal choices - even when talking about emperors who once ruled across India.

In Mughal India, meals were grand theatres where medicine met majesty, and one ruler stood out for turning dining into an art of survival and sophistication. Akbar’s table wasn’t just about excess; it symbolised an empire’s delicate balance of traditions and innovations.

Today, when we savour biryani or samosas, echoes of those royal kitchens still linger in our everyday feasts.

One of the most unique and royal dining cultures belonged to Emperor Akbar. Here’s a breakdown of what his table looked like:

Akbar’s physician-led menus

Akbar’s daily feasts were carefully planned by royal physicians, or hakims, who selected ingredients based on their health benefits. Eunuchs served the food through a strict chain of command. According to a Homegrown report, food historian Salma Hussain notes, “The daily meals were usually served by eunuchs, but an elaborate chain of command accompanied the food to the table.
The hakim (royal physician) planned the menu, making sure to include medicinally beneficial ingredients. For instance, each grain of rice for the biryani was coated with silver oil, which aided digestion and acted as an aphrodisiac.”

Chickens pampered like royalty

Palace chickens received VIP treatment to ensure the best flavour and purity. According to A History of Food in India (2014) by Colleen Taylor Sen, “The palace chickens were fed by hand with pellets flavoured with saffron and rosewater, and massaged daily with musk oil and sandalwood.”

Akbar’s kitchen buzzed with over 400 cooks from India and Persia, along with tasters, clerks, and a storekeeper. Ice from the Himalayas was brought in through courier relays to cool drinks, which were served in gold and silver dishes wrapped in cloth. It was luxury meets logistics.

Vegetarian days and garden rituals

Akbar followed certain religious practices, going vegetarian three days a week and drinking only Ganga water. Salma Hussain adds that he also tended to his own kitchen garden, sometimes watering vegetables with rosewater to enhance their fragrance when cooked.

Popular dishes included sanbusas (samosas), saag (spinach cooked with ghee, fenugreek, ginger, cardamom, and clove), harisa (meat with cracked wheat, ghee, and cinnamon), halim (a vegetarian pulse version), yakhni stew, and whole roasted lambs, as mentioned in The Empire of the Great Mughals: History, Art and Culture. He also banned beef to respect his Hindu and Jain subjects.

Poison checks in every bite

The fear of poisoning was real, especially after Babur’s agonising vomiting episode, described in Babur: The First Mogul in India (1997) as “...an abrupt, violent spasm of nausea was choking Babur as he began to vomit in convulsions of agony and retching.”

Akbar’s team - including cooks, bakawals, and the Mir-Bakawal - tasted everything before it reached him. The overseer sealed dishes with his mark, clerks maintained records, and staff escorted the food to the table. Meals were served on carpeted floors under cloth covers; even bread and pickles were sealed. The Mir-Bakawal tasted the food again before Akbar began his meal, often starting with curds and setting aside a portion for mendicants.

Legacy on Indian plates

Akbar’s food habits continue to influence Mughlai cuisine even today. From biryani and samosas to rich stews, many beloved dishes can be traced back to royal kitchens like his. Guided by hakims, shaped by faith, and infused with Persian and Indian influences, his meals left behind a legacy that still defines indulgent Indian dining.