New Delhi, Jan. 31 -- When in Aurangabad, visit Ajanta and Ellora.

On my first visit to the city, now officially called Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, I did just that. But, over the course of a long weekend, I discovered that there is much to do in this city that was once Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's stronghold, and much of it has to do with food.

Take the naan qaliya, the city's most famous dish. A rich buff/mutton gravy cooked in a large cauldron and a turmeric-singed naan combine to create this unique dish. It owes its origins to royal khansamas, who created this dish with limited resources to feed a literal army. In present-day Aurangabad, no Muslim wedding is complete without it.

I have my first taste of naan qaliya at the legendary Abd...