Awadhi cuisine

The bawarchis and rakabdars of Awadh gave birth to the dum style of cooking or the art of cooking over a slow fire,
which has become synonymous with Lucknow today.Their spread consisted of elaborate dishes like kebabs, kormas,
biryani, kaliya, nahari-kulchas, zarda, sheermal, roomali rotis, and warqi parathas. The richness of Awadh cuisine lies not
only in the variety of cuisine but also in the ingredients used like mutton, paneer, and rich spices including cardamom and
saffron.
The bawarchis and rakabdars of Awadh gave birth to the dum style of cooking or the art of cooking over a slow fire,
which has become synonymous with Lucknow today.Their spread consisted of elaborate dishes like kebabs, kormas,
biryani, kaliya, nahari-kulchas, zarda, sheermal, roomali rotis, and warqi parathas. The richness of Awadh cuisine lies not
only in the variety of cuisine but also in the ingredients used like mutton, paneer, and rich spices including cardamom and
saffron.
Dastarkhwan, a Persian term, literally means a meticulously laid-out ceremonial dining spread. It is customary in Awadh
to sit around and share the Dastarkhwan. Laden with the finest and the most varied repertoire of the khansamas (chefs),
the Dastarkhwan of the raeis (the rich) were called Khasa (special).
A variety of dishes cooked under the barbecue method
The richness of Awadhi cuisine lies not only in the variety of cuisine but also is the ingredients used in creating such a
variety. The Chefs of Awadhi transformed the traditional dastarkhwan with elaborate dishes like kababs, kormas, kaliya,
nahari-kulchas, zarda, sheermal, roomali rotis, and parathas.
The Awadhi/Lucknow dastarkhwan would not be complete unless it had the following dishes.
korma (braised meat in thick gravy),
salan (a gravy dish of meat or vegetable),
keema (minced meat),
kebabs (pounded meat fried or roasted over a charcoal fire),
food coloring
lamb
pasanda (fried slivers of very tender meat, usually kid, in gravy)
fresh cake mix
Rice is cooked with meat in the form of a pulao
The Awadhi/Lucknow dastarkhwan would not be complete unless it had the following dishes.
korma (braised meat in thick gravy),
salan (a gravy dish of meat or vegetable),
keema (minced meat),
kebabs (pounded meat fried or roasted over a charcoal fire),
food coloring
lamb
pasanda (fried slivers of very tender meat, usually kid, in gravy)
fresh cake mix
Rice is cooked with meat in the form of a pulao
Sheermals were invented by mamdoo bawarchi more than one and a half century ago. They are saffron covered parathas
made from a dough of flour mixed with milk and ghee and baked in iron tandoors. No other city produces sheermals like
Lucknow does and the festive dastarkhwan is not complete without it. Saffron is used to flavour sweets too.
UTENSILS USED
Bhagona
Or the patili is generally of brass with a lid. It is used when a great deal of 'bhunna' or saute is required. or even for
boiling and simmering.
Deg/Degchi
pear-shaped pot of either brass, copper or aluminium.
Kadhai
a deep, concave utensil made of brass, iron or aluminium and is used far deep frying paoris puri

Lagan
Lagan is a Tradition square and shallow copper utensil with a slightly concave bottom. Used for cooking whole or big
cuts of meat or poultry especially when heat is applied from both the top and bottom.
Lohe ka tandoor
This is distinct from the clay tandoor, which is more common in Delhi. It is a dome-shaped iron oven covered with an
iron sheet, used for cooking a variety of breads like – sheermal, taftan, and bakarkhani.
Mahi tawa
griddle shaped like a big round, flat bottomed tray with raised edges. It is used for cooking kababs and, with a cover,
other dishes.
Seeni
big thali (round tray), usually used as a lid for the lagan or mahi tawa when heat must be applied from the top. Live
charcoal is placed on it and the heat is transmitted through it to the food.
Cooks

 Broadly, there are three categories of cooks in Lucknow. The bawarchis cook food in large quantities. The
rakabdars cook in small gourmet quantities. Rakabdars also specialize in the garnishing and presentation of
dishes. The nanfus make a variety of roti, chapattis, naans, sheermals, kulchas and taftans.

 Normally, one cook does not prepare the entire meal. There are specialists for different dishes and also a
variety of helpers, like the degbos who wash the utensils, the masalchis who grind the masala, and the mehris
who carry the khwan (tray) to spread on the dastarkhwan. The wealthy had their kitchens supervised by an
officer called daroga-e-bawarchi khana or mohtamim. This officer’s seal on the khwan guaranteed quality
control.