What is 200-year-old Nizami sweet that Harsh Goenka is raving about? All to know about ‘Badam ki Jali’

Harsh Goenka introduced his followers to 'Badam ki Jali'—a 200-year-old Nizami-era delicacy. Describing the intricately patterned and baked confection, he praised the heritage dessert as “soft, nutty, melt-in-the-mouth and not too sweet.”

While Hyderabad’s culinary fame is dominated by its iconic biryani, haleem, and khubani ka meetha, industrialist Harsh Goenka recently took to social media to spotlight one of the city's "lesser-known treasures."

In his recent X post, Goenka introduced his followers to 'Badam ki Jali'—a 200-year-old Nizami-era delicacy. Describing the intricately patterned and baked confection, he praised the heritage dessert as "soft, nutty, melt-in-the-mouth and not too sweet."

“Hyderabad is famous for biryani, haleem and khubani ka meetha. But one of its lesser-known treasures is Badam ki Jali,” he wrote. “A 200-year-old Nizami-era sweet, it’s made with almonds, sugar and cardamom, delicately patterned and baked. Soft, nutty, melt-in-the-mouth and not too sweet.”

Several of his followers were intrigued by the introduction, so much so that a person from Hyderabad said they had not heard of it before.

“Though I have lived in Hyderabad since 1969, I never heard about it, Harsh ji, even in my Nizam Club, a true Hyderabadi social joint. Thank you for enlightening me jee,” the user said.

Here's all we know about Badam ki Jali:

What is Badam ki Jali?

Badam ki Jali is a traditional, intricately crafted almond-based confection originating from the Nizami era of Hyderabad. The name translates directly to its physical description: Badam (almond) and Jali (lattice or mesh).

This delicate, baked almond sweet is essentially characterised by its lacework design, boasting a slightly crisp golden exterior and a soft, chewy, marzipan-like centre.

Badam ki Jali: History and origins

The delicacy traces its roots back approximately 200 years to the royal kitchens of the Nizams of Hyderabad, though culinary historians often link its earliest iterations to the Arcot Nawabs and the Nawayath community of Madras.

Originally, Badam ki Jali was an exclusive luxury reserved for royal banquets, aristocratic weddings, and high-profile gatherings.

Because the creation process was highly labour-intensive and required expensive ingredients, the recipe was closely guarded by select aristocratic families and their private chefs.

Over generations, a few traditional families in Hyderabad’s old city inherited and preserved these exact techniques.

Today, legendary establishments like Nafees Sweet House and Imperial Sweet House in Hyderabad remain famous for handcrafting the authentic version of this heritage dessert.

Badam ki Jali: Cultural significance

Badam ki Jali holds a significant cultural weight in Hyderabadi traditions.

It is a staple at traditional Hyderabadi Muslim weddings, often taking centre stage in the sanchaq, gifts sent from the groom’s family to the bride. It is also highly sought after during Eid and other major festivals.

In recent years, a cashew-based variant, Kaju ki Jali, has also become popular, utilising the exact same artisanal techniques.

About the Author

Arshdeep Kaur is a Senior Content Producer at Mint, where she reports and edits across national and international politics, business and culture‑adjacent trending stories for digital audience. With five years in the newsroom, she strives to balance the speed and rigor of fast‑moving news cycles and longer, context‑rich explainers. <br><br> Before joining LiveMint, Arshdeep served as a Senior Sub‑Editor at Business Standard and earlier as a Sub‑Editor at Asian News International (ANI). Her experience spans live news flows, enterprise features, and multi‑platform packaging. <br><br> At Mint, she regularly writes explainers, quick takes, and visuals‑led stories that are optimized for search and social, while maintaining the publication’s standards for accuracy and clarity. She collaborates closely with editors and the audience team to frame angles that resonate with readers in India and abroad, and to translate complex developments into accessible, high‑impact journalism. <br><br> Arshdeep's academic training underpins her interest towards policy and markets. She earned an MA in Economics from Panjab University and holds a Post‑Graduate Diploma in Broadcast Journalism from the India Today Media Institute (ITMI). This blend of economics and broadcast storytelling informs her coverage of public policy, elections, macro themes, and the consumer‑internet zeitgeist. <br><br> Arshdeep is based in New Delhi, where she tracks breaking developments and longer‑horizon storylines that shape public discourse.

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