RAMPURI CUISINE

DEVUM KAPOOR

ROLL NO. 140967

 RESEARCH ON
RAMPURI CUISINE
Submitted by

DEVANSH SIYAGH
ROLL NO 140596

In partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of

degree

Bachelor of Science
In
Hospitality & Hotel Administration
Under the guidance of Mr. Gauri shankar (Faculty IHMCT & AN)

INSTITUTUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT

CATERING TECNOLOGY & APPLIED NUTRITION
CHENNAI-600113
 DECLARATION

I declare that the project entitled “RAMPURI CUISINE”

submitted by me for the Degree of Bachelor of science in
hospitality and hotel administration program is the record work
carried out by me under the guidance of MR. MATHEW
AROCKIARAJ, INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT
CATERING TECHNOLOGY AND APPLIED NUTRITION,
C.I.T. CAMPUS, CHENNAI and has not formed the basis for the
award of any Degree, Diploma in this University or any other
university or other similar Institution of higher learning.

Place :Chennai
Devansh Siyagh
 BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that project work entitled “RAMPURI

CUISINE”submitted in partial fulfillment for the award of the Degree of
B.Sc. in Hospitality and hotel administration by NCHMCT , Noida in
Collaboration with IGNOU, New Delhi is an Authentic work carried out by
him under my complete guidance. The matter embodied in this project work has
not been submitted earlier for the award of any Degree of Diplomat any other
institution to the best of my knowledge and belief

SIGNATURE OF THE PRINCIPAL SIGNATURE OF THE GUIDE

 INDEX

Abstract

Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Rampuri Cuisine
1.2 Nutritional Aspect

Chapter 2:
2.1 RAMPUR (U.P)
2.2 Geographical features
2.3 Culture, Music, Architecture and Festivals
2.4The rise and revival of the ancient Rampuri cuisine
2.5 Varieties of Rampuri Cuisine
2.6 Famous Dishes
2.7 Experiences of different people with Rampuri Cuisine
2.8 Awadhi Cuisine
2.9 Mughlai Cuisine

Chapter 3: Summary and Conclusions

3.1 Summary
3.2 Concluding Remarks
3.3 Research Methodology
3.4 Data Analysis

References
 Chapter 1
Introduction

A festival or gala is an event ordinarily staged by a community, centering on and

celebrating some unique aspect of that community and its traditions, often marked as

a local or national holiday, mela or eid. Festivals often serve to meet specific

purposes, especially in regard to commemoration.

The Rampuri cuisine that we talk about and label as such is essentially a “courtly

cuisine” — blending influences from Awadhi, Mughalai, Rajput, Afghani and other

kitchens.

Though Rampur as a region has a rich and varied history of people of different

ethnicities coming and settling here — as part of the larger territory of Delhi initially

and then Lucknow. It is only post 1857, when the nawab sided with the British, that

the principality came into its own. Rampur became a stable princely state. An
evolved cuisine seems to have been a natural outcome of royal visitors, who came

as guests, bringing their own cooks, spices and culinary traditions.While Nawabi

cuisines of India are often a part of festivals and menus, the cuisine of Rampur is

one of the most unexplored royal cuisines in India. However, according to Chef

Rehman Mujabeer the royal cuisine of Rampuri Nawabs is no less historical &

deserving than the famous Awadhi, Kashmiri, Mughlai or Hyderabadi cuisine.

The area around Rampur has always been coveted for its agricultural wealth. When

Afghan Pathans came in hordes from almost barren mountains into the plains of

South Asia they had first served as warriors in the armies of the Delhi Sultanate

founded in the early 13th century. Once the rulers had consolidated their power in

the new capital city of Delhi, armies branched out into the lush countryside to

conquer some more fertile fields bursting with grains and pulses of a thousand

variety all year round. 

From warriors, these people gradually settled as landowners, the more powerful

amongst them later declaring themselves masters and lording over those with none,

or lesser assets. 

The Jalali Pathans enjoy a somewhat similar history although the family did not

make it to the throne of Rampur. Before settling down in the plains, the Jalalis too

must have had wholesome lakshari meals in the tradition of nomadic armies used to

preparing and consuming food in a hurry. As the same warriors settled down to a

more permanent lifestyle and changed their profession from fighters to farming, they

found enough leisure to make exciting experiments in all aspects of life, including

eating. 
Over time the mostly barbecued meat of animals slaughtered after a hunt by the

warriors was marinated and cooked in a tenderizer like pulped raw papaya, or

yoghurt. Often a variety of vegetables and sometimes whole grains and spices

available in such abundance around the fertile fields of this part of the Indo Gangetic

plains were also thrown into meat pots, to produce the most magical meals found on

this side of the Ganges river. 

People continued to feast and to fast here till Rampur was declared a British

protectorate in the late 18th century. Its rulers were expected to fight even less

battles then and used the wealth generated from the agricultural produce around

them to concentrate on high living, leaving colonialists to fight their dirty wars for

them. This relief from military responsibility provided ample time to both the people

and princes of Rampur to perfect finer things in life like poetry, literature, entertaining

and eating well. 

 Chapter 2

2.1 Rampur (U.P.)

Rampuris a city and a municipality in and headquarters of Rampur District in the

Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It was formerly known for its various industries,

including sugar refining and cotton milling. Its library has more than 12,000 rare

manuscripts and a fine collection of Mughal miniature paintings.

It is the administrative headquarters of Rampur District. According to the government

of India, the Rampur District is one of several Muslim majority districts on the basis

of the 2001 census data on population, socio-economic indicators and basic

amenities indicators.

Originally it was a group of four villages named Kather, the name of Raja Ram

Singh. The first Nawab proposed to rename the city 'Faizabad'. But many other

places were known by the name Faizabad so its name was changed to Mustafabad

alias Rampur.
Center: Jama Masjid Rampur, Clockwise from top : Rampur Railway Station; Mohammad Ali
Jauhar University; Rampur Raza Library; Aryabhatt Planetarium; Gandhi Samadhi; Bab e
Nijaat
2.2 Geographical features

Location in Uttar Pradesh, India

Coordinates:  28.8°N 79.0°E

Rampur, located between longitude 79°05' E and latitude 28°48' N, is in Moradabad

Division of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is surrounded by district Udham Singh Nagar in

 north, Bareilly in east, and Moradabad in west and Badaun in south. Spread in area

of 2,367 km2, Rampur is 192-meter above sea level in north and 166.4-meter in

south. It is home to farms that cover long stretches of land. During rainy season just

after a long period of rain the mountain ranges of Nainital can be seen in the north

direction.

During Summers the temperature is usually from 43 °C to 30 °C and during
Winters it is from 25 °C to 5 °C.

Climate data for Rampur

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr Ma Jun Jul Au Sep Oct No Dec Year
y g v

Average 17.1 20.5 25.6 32.4 31. 31. 29. 29. 29. 27. 24. 20 26.1
high °C (62.8) (68.9 (78.1 (90.3 4 7 5 4 1 8 7 (68) 6
(°F) ) ) ) (88. (89. (85. (84. (84. (82) (76. (79.0
5) 1) 1) 9) 4) 5) 9)
Average 7 9.1 11.2 15.7 17. 17. 19. 21. 19. 13. 12. 8 15.5
low °C (°F) (45) (48.4 (52.2 (60.3 4 7 2 5 2 2 1 (46) 8
) ) ) (63. (63. (66. (70. (66. (55. (53. (60.0
3) 9) 6) 7) 6) 8) 8) 4)
Average p 18.2 24.5 12.1 12.4 21. 99. 168 207 99. 27. 6.1 9.0 58.5
recipitatio (0.717) (0.96 (0.47 (0.48 6 1 .1 .1 3 1 (0.2 (0.3 (2.30
n mm 5) 6) 8) (0.8 (3.9 (6.6 (8.1 (3.9 (1.0 4) 54) 3)
(inches) 5) 02) 18) 54) 09) 67)
Source: WWO
2.3 Culture, Music, Architecture and Festivals

2.3.1 Culture

Rampur is considered as third school of poetry after Delhi and Lucknow. Many

prominent and legendary urdu poets of the time like 'Dagh', 'Ghalib' and 'Ameer

Minaee' joined the patronage of Rampur court. Nawabs of Rampur were very fond of

poetry and other fine arts. They provided remunerations to the poets who were

associated with ' darbar.' Nizam Rampuri earned great name as poet. In addition,

Shad Aarifi was another famous poet from Rampur who evolved modern ghazal in a

very distinct style.

Presently, International Poets 'Shahzada Gulrez', 'Abdul Wahab Sukhan', Tahir

Faraz'and 'Azhar Inayati' represent Rampur School of poetry all over the world.
2.3.2 Music

Wazir Khan, the descendant of Naubat Khan, was the chief musician and master of

Nawab Hamid Ali Khan of Rampur. Without the blessing of Wazir Khan it was

impossible for a musician to find employment in the durbar.Wazir Khan's father

Ameer Khan beenkar was the most important musician of Nawab Kalb Ali

Khan court.Bahadur Hussain Khan beenkar uncle of Wazir Khan was the chief

musician of Nawab Kalb Ali Khan court and favourite musician of Nawab Wajid Ali

Shah.[16]Ameer Khan went to perform haj with Nawab Kalb Ali Khan.The court

musicians of the Nawabs subsequently gave rise to various gharanas or schools

of Hindustani classical music. Ustad Allauddin Khan (1881–1972) was

a shagird (disciple) of the legendary Veena player, Wazir Khan Naubat Khani, chief

musician of the court, and went on to establish the modern Maihar gharana with

disciples like Pandit Ravi Shankar, Nikhil Banerjee, Vasant Rai, Pannalal

Ghosh, Bahadur Khan, and Sharan Rani.

The Rampur-Sahaswan gharana of Hindustani classical music also has its origins in

court musicians. Ustad Mehboob Khan, was a khayal singer and Veena player of the

Rampur court; his son Ustad Inayat Hussain Khan (1849–1919), who trained and

lived in the city, founded the gharana.

2.3.3 Architecture

The Rulers of Rampur have had distinct impact on the architecture of the region. The

buildings and monuments signify the presence of Mughal type architecture. Some of

the buildings are very old and have been built over repeatedly in course of time.

One of the most well designed monument is the Fort of Rampur (It also houses

the Raza Library or Hamid Manzil, the former palace of the Rulers. It has a sizable

collection of Oriental manuscripts. The fort also houses the Imambara.

The Jama Masjid is one of the finest piece of architecture to be found in Rampur. It

resembles the jama masjid in Delhi to some extent and has a beautiful interior. It was

built by Nawab Faizullah Khan. It has a unique mughal touch to it. There are several

entry-exit gates to the masjid. It has three big domes and four tall minarets with gold
pinnacles boasting of a royal touch. It has a main lofty entrance gate that has an

inbuilt clock tower occupied by a big clock that was imported from Britain.

There are several entry-exit gates built by the Nawab. These gates are major entry-

exit routes from the city. Examples are Shahbad Gate, Nawab Gate, Bilaspur Gate

etc.

Small House Fort, now known as Raza Library

2.3.4 Festivals

Religious practices are as much an integral part of everyday life and a very public

affair as they are in the rest of India. Therefore, not surprisingly, many festivals are

religious in origin although several of them are celebrated irrespective of caste and

creed. Among the most important Hindu festivals

are Diwali, Holi and Vijayadashami, Mahashivaratri, Ram Navmi, Basant

Panchami, Sri Krishna Janamastmi and Raksha Bandhan,which are also observed

by Jains and Sikhs. Eid ul Milad, Eid ul-Fitr, Bakr-Id are Muslim religious

festivals. Mahavir Jayanti is celebrated by Jains, Buddha Jayanti by Buddhists, Guru

Nanak Jayanti by Sikhs and Good Friday, Christmas by the Christians.

2.4 The rise and revival of the ancient Rampuri cuisine
 Ro
yal kitchens in Rampur were famous for using ingredients like lotus seeds, banana
flower, khus ki jhad (roots) and sandalwood to give their dishes a unique flavour.

Say Rampur, and one in all likelihood be reminded of Rampuri Chaaku of Bollywood

fame (the long, foldable switchblade that the villain would often carry, and which the

Indian government had to ban after Dawood Ibrahim became big). The town, which

was once home to poets like Mirza Galib, is today a relatively obscure place in

India’s modern geographical layout. But this was not always the case. There was a

time when Rampur, a free kingdom tucked behind the lush boundaries of Lucknow,

was the place to be in for every artist, chef and littérateur. Thanks to the effort of one

royal: Nawab Faizullah Khan and his loyalty towards the British.

The story goes that after losing Bareilly, Nawab Faizullah Khan established Rampur

(erstwhile Mustafabad) in 1774 under the British protection as the Rohilla kingdom.

Though the treaty ensured that the Nawab, and his successors, would never find a

place in the history books of glory, it did make Rampur a safe haven to migrate for

artists and patrons alike.

In fact, post 1858, Rampur rose in prominence as the ‘varsity’ for most of the royal

khansamas from the Mughal and other royal courts, who unable to find work and the
artistic liberties they were used to in the royal court, migrated to this 17 gun salute

kingdom. This perhaps explains why Rampuri cuisine seems to be influenced by so

many cuisines, importantly the Mughlai, Afghani, Lucknowi, Kashmiri and Awadhi

cuisine.

With so many specialty chefs at their disposal, the Nawabs finally began developing

their own cuisine, which till the time was predominantly pasthun style. In other words,

meat heavy, made with less of spice and mostly grilled. The royal kitchens of

Rampur worked on a format that was the norm those days. So an expert of rice

would only work on rice recipes and not meat, and vice versa. However, the Nawabs

would often encourage them to explore and create new things, which allowed them

to step into each other’s territories and create wonders. The result were signature

dishes like the Meethe Chawal. A rice preparation where twice the quantity of

sugar/sugarcane juice was used to create a sweet pilaf that had the texture of

biryani. You could throw the rice on the floor and it would spill out like pearls.
 The
Raza Library, once a royal residence, today is the largest, richest collection of
ancient manuscripts, especially from Persia, Iran, Afghanistan and China. (Source:
Wikipedia)

Pulao Marmareed, a rice dish made with garlic cloves that are rendered shiny and

almost sweet in the process of cooking, giving the dish its name—a pulao with pearls

— was another. But the most exotic was the dal khichada. This simple sounding dish

was in fact made of rice and lentil kernels carved out of almonds and pistachios.

Such was the artistry required in this dish that even the Nawab had to inform at least

two days in advance for the dish to be prepared. And yet the Nawab didn’t have the

liberty to ask for more than what was served, which was done by the chef who

prepared it.

The doodhiya biryani was yet another example of culinary excellence. The biryani

characterised by its white colour used milk to create a biryani that looked like white

sheet, and was one of the few dishes that were served by the chef who used his

palm as ladle. Old court documents show that using the hand as ladle to serve

dishes, especially the vegetarian shorbas and curries were commonplace, as it was
believed that such serving helps enhance the flavour of a dish. Of course from the

chef point of view this was an excellent way to ensure that the portion sizes were

right for everyone, and the food never fell short.

Yet another interesting fact about the cuisine was the use of spice blends. The

Rampuri Chaat Masala for instances uses more ginger compared to the Delhi Chaat

Masala; the Rampuri Korma—unlike regular ones with a white gravy rich in cashew

nuts—is identified by its red gravy, which is not due to red chillies but tomatoes.

In fact, the royal kitchens were famous for using ingredients like lotus seeds, banana

flower, khus ki jhad (roots) and sandalwood to give their dishes a unique flavour. The

first iteration of kele ka kebab, kathal ke seekh and alu ke kebab was introduced in

the Rampuri court before it made its way to the other courts of India much like the

famous adrak ka halwa. Folklore has it that one of the descendants of Nawab Khan

had to have a good quantity of ginger to get his health back.

But due to the sharp taste, the Nawab would often avoid it and find excuses to skip

it. That’s when the royal sweetmakers were entrusted with the work of bringing out a

more palatable way of feeding the Nawab his quota of ginger. The chefs worked
relentlessly, and after a week presented their dish, which was placed nonchalantly

between the regular lunch buffet. It was a general practice those days to be discreet

with any new innovation. If, in spite of that, it caught the Nawab’s attention, the dish

was worked on and then the final dish was presented in a ceremony that was akin to

the Master Chef competition today. So after a week, the Nawab was presented with

the dish in a similar manner. Enticed by the unusual colour, the Nawab asked for the

dish twice before he was told that it was adrak. But by then the Nawab had taken a

liking to the dish and it became one of the royal favourites, much like the mirch ka

halwa, which came a few years after ginger and reached the Bhopal court. Many

believe that the do pyaza dishes that use browned as well as raw onions came from

the kitchens of Rampur, where onions were used both to give the dish a sweet and

sharp taste.

Innovative usage of ingredients was a forte of the chefs of Rampur. The usage of

bottlegourd and papaya to tenderize meat for kebabs and curries first began in

Rampuri kitchen, and also the use of varq. The famous sweetmeat garnish today

was put to clever use in the Rampuri court, where instead of the parda (made of

maida), which was present in the Mughal court, silver or gold varq were used to

serve dishes. This had a dual purpose: first to keep the dish warm and moist, and

two, it ensured that the dish wasn’t tampered with. Such was the finesse of the varq

used in the kitchen that even the slightest touch would tell that the dish has been

touched and immediately rejected.

So how does one really differentiate between Rampuri cuisine and others? With

most of the surviving khansamas or chefs unwilling to part with their family recipes,

most of the dishes served today are interpretation of the few individuals who have

tried reviving this almost extinct cuisine.

What remains however is the usage of spice in the food, which is minimal yet

effective. Unlike the hot spices of Old Delhi; sourness of Hyderabadi food and

sweetness of Awadhi khana, Rampuri cuisine is characteristed by the use of

ginger,onions and a mix of javitri (mace) and jaiphal (nutmeg) and khus roots. And

then of course some are identified by the names like the Sabz Akbari was named

after the famous Mughal Emperor and his nine gems, the Noorjahani Datia is said to

be an ode to the famous queen and the now extinct Kebab e Faizullah was to the

Nawab itself. It is said that the meat was kept medium rare given the Nawabs love

for meat.

As per medieval history Rampur was the part of Delhi and was divided

between Badaun and Sambhal districts. Being situated on upperside of Rohilkhand,

it was known by the name Kather and was ruled by Katheria Rajputs. The Katheria

Rajputs fought for about 400 years with the rulers of Delhi and later with Mughals.

They fought with Naseeruddin Mahmood in 1253, Gaisuddin Balwan in 1256,

Jalaluddin Firoz in 1290, Firoj Shah in 1379 & Sikander Lodhi in 1494. In the

beginning of Mughal period the capital of Rohilkhand was changed

from Badaun to Bareilly and hence the importance of Rampur increased.

Flag of princely Rampur

The Rohilla War of 1774–5 began when the Rohillas reneged on a debt they owed

the Nawab of Oudh for military assistance against the Marathas in 1772. The

Rohillas were defeated and driven from their former capital of Bareilly by the Nawab

of Oudh with the assistance of the East India Company's troops. The Rohilla State of

Rampur was established by Nawab Faizullah Khan on 7 October 1774 in the

presence of British Commander Colonel Champion, and remained a pliant state

under British protection thereafter.

Faizullah Khan

Nawab Faizullah Khan laid the first stone of the new fort at Rampur and thus

Rampur city was founded in 1775. Originally it was a group of four villages named

Kather, the name of Raja Ram Singh. The first Nawab proposed to rename the city

'Faizabad'. But many other places were known by the name Faizabad so its name

was changed to Mustafabad alias Rampur. Nawwab Faizullah Khan ruled for 20

years. He was a great patron of scholarship, and began the collection of Arabic,

Persian, Turkish and Urdu manuscripts which now make up the bulk of the Rampur
Raza Library. After his death his son Muhammad Ali Khan took over, but he was

killed by the Rohilla leaders after 24 days, and Ghulam Muhammad Khan, the

brother of the deceased, was proclaimed Nawab. The East India Company took

exception to this, and after a reign of just 3 months and 22 days Ghulam Muhammad

Khan was defeated by its forces. The Governor-General made Ahmad Ali Khan, son

of the late Muhammad Ali Khan, the new Nawab. He ruled for 44 years. He did not

have any sons, so Muhammad Sa'id Khan, son of Ghulam Muhammad Khan, took

over as the new Nawab. He raised a regular Army, established Courts and carried

out many works to improve the economic conditions of farmers. His son Muhammad

Yusuf Ali Khan took over after his death. His son Kalb Ali Khan became the new

Nawab in 1865.
Nawab Kalb Ali Khan was literate in Arabic and Persian. Under his rule, the state did

much work to uplift standards of education. He was also a Member of Council during

the Viceroyalty of Lord John Lawrence. He built the Jama Masjid in Rampur at a cost

of Rs. 300,000. He was also knighted in Agra by the Prince of Wales. He ruled for 22

years and 7 months. After his death his son Mushtaq Ali Khan took over. He

appointed W. C. Wright as the Chief Engineer of the state and built many new

buildings and canals. Nawab Hamid Ali became the new ruler in 1889 at the age of

14. Many new schools were opened during his reign, and lots of donations were

provided to nearby colleges. He donated Rs. 50,000 to Lucknow Medical College. In

1905 he built the magnificent Darbar Hall within the Fort which now houses the great

collection of Oriental manuscripts held by the Rampur Raza Library. His son Raza Ali

Khan became the last ruling Nawab in 1930. On 1 July 1949 the State of Rampur

was merged into the Republic of India. Rampur today presents a slightly decayed

appearance: the palaces of the Nawabs are crumbling, as are the gates and walls of

the fort. However, the Library remains a flourishing institution of immense value to

scholars from all over the world.

Imambara, Fort of Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, ca.1911.

The Nawabs of Rampur sided with the British during India's First War of

Independence in 1857, and this enabled them to continue to play a role in the social,

political and cultural life of Northern India in general and the Muslims of the United

Provinces in particular. They gave refuge to some of the literary figures from the

Court of Bahadur Shah Zafar.

Post independence

Important descendants of the Nawabs include Murad Mian the first child of Murtaza

Ali Khan Bahadur of Rampur. Begum Noor Bano, the widow of the former Nawab,

Zulfiquar Ali Khan of Rampur. Begum Noor Bano has become a politician and won

the election from Rampur parliamentary constituency in 1999. She lost the elections

in 2004,2009 from Rampur and 2014 from Moradabad consecutively. Murtaza Ali

Khan and Zulfiquar Ali Khan (aka Mikki Mia), who continued to use the title of Nawab

as a token even after independence and abolition of royalty but never ruled Rampur,

are now dead. Murtaza Ali contested an election from Rampur opposite his mother

Rafat Jamani Begum in 1972 and won. Although the two brothers were always

political rivals they never faced each other in elections. Subsequently, the family was
also involved in smuggling scandals involving some smuggling from Pakistan, where

one of the sons of Murtaza Ali is married. Raza Inter College, Hamid Inter College

and Murtaza Inter College are three higher secondary schools named after three

nawabs.

Nawab of Rampur Yusef Ali Khan and his family on elephants scorted by Rampurian and
British troops to the encampment of Lord Canning

The present Nawab of Rampur, Muhammad Kazim Ali Khan Bahadur (born 16

October 1960), is an Indian politician and the present titular Nawab of Rampur. The

eldest son of Zulfikar Ali Khan Bahadur, he succeeded his father as titular Nawab

upon the latter's death in 1992. He was educated at Chandigarh University where he

took a Bachelor of Arts degree and at Columbia University where he took a Master of

Arts degree in architecture and urban design in 1988. He served as a member on the

Raza Library Board in Rampur from 1993 to 2002. From 1996 to 2004, Muhammad

Kazim Ali served as a M.L.A in the Swar Tanda Uttar Pradesh state assembly; in

2003 he was briefly the state minister for minority welfare and hajj affairs. Since

2003, he has been the Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Development

Corporation.
2.5 Varieties of Rampuri Cuisine

Rampuri cuisine is a distinguished subject for table talk; its big dishes — the taar

qorma, sambhal ke seekh, the home-style urad gosht and lauki gosht — known to

just a few connoisseurs but connoisseurs nevertheless. The Rampuri cuisine that we

talk about and label as such is essentially a "courtly cuisine" — blending influences

from Avadhi, Mughalai, Rajput, Afghani and other kitchens.

Though Rampur as a region has a rich and varied history of people of different

ethnicities coming and settling here — as part of the larger territory of Delhi initially

and then Lucknow. It is only post 1857, when the nawab sided with the British, that

the principality came into its own. Rampur became a stable princely state. An

evolved cuisine seems to have been a natural outcome of royal visitors, who came

as guests, bringing their own cooks, spices and culinary traditions. 

Kebab Recipe

One of the easiest kebab recipes that you can try out though is the chapli. A legacy

of the pathans who settled in this part of the Gangetic plane, Rampur is perhaps the

only place where you traditionally find the chapli.

Take 1 kg machine-minced mutton, 30 gram finely-chopped mint and chopped

coriander each, 3 medium-size chopped tomatoes and onions each, 20 g khadha

masala, 10 g garam masala powder, 25 g finely chopped ginger, 30 g finely chopped

garlic, 20 g chana powder, salt. Mix a all the ingredients together with minced meat.

Ensure it doesn't become a paste. Leave the dough for an hour to rest. Make flat

patties with hand and shallow fry. Garnish it with fresh mint before serving.   

Taar Qorma

The best known and most distinctive Rampuri dish by far is the taar qorma, a must at

all wedding receptions, where only taar qorma and rotis (cooked on a kachcha,
wood-fired, makeshift oven) is served. The dish derives its name from the layer of fat

— "taar" — floating over of the curry, made primarily from beef (though restaurants

now do mutton versions). The taar contained maximum flavour and would be drunk

out of small katoris, or bowls, after the diners had finished with the meat.

The qorma of Delhi — rich and made with browned onions — this is a simpler

preparation, where the base is raw onions. Of course, slow deg-style cooking is

inevitable in these kinds of cuisines, but you can skimp on the oil at home and make

a healthier version.

Recipe of Taar Korma(A Royal Indian Recipe for Mutton/ Goat Curry):

500g mutton or goat, cubed

Fried onion-ginger-garlic paste:

1 tablespoon ghee

1 large onion, roughly cubed

3 garlic cloves, chopped roughly

1 inch piece of ginger, chopped roughly

For the nut paste: 

2 tablespoons flaked almonds

1 tablespoon chopped unsalted cashew nuts

1 tablespoon unsalted sunflower seeds

1/2 cup milk

For the rest of the dish: 

1 - 2 tablespoons ghee

5 green cardamom pods

5 whole cloves

1 - 2 sticks of cinnamon, about 2 inches worth.

1 - 2 bay leaves

1 star anise

¼ cup tomato puree (around 75 ml, approx)

1½ cup hot stock (I used vegetable, as that's what I had on hand) (375 ml)

¼ cup yoghurt (around 75 ml approx)

½ tsp hot chilli powder

½ teaspoon ground black pepper 

1 - 2 tsp salt (to taste)

To finish the dish: 

½ teaspoon saffron threads

1 tablespoon warm milk

¼ teaspoon crushed cardamom

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

Additional items: 

An extra 1 cup of hot stock (250 ml), to be used as necessary.

Large handful fresh chopped cilantro, to garnish

Method: 

1. To make the fried onion paste, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a wide pan. Add the

chopped onions. Fry on a medium heat for about 10 - 12 minutes, until the onion is

golden and fragrant. Add the chopped ginger and garlic, and fry for another minute.

Blend to a fine paste and keep aside.

2. To make the nut paste, soak the almonds, cashew nuts and sunflower seeds in

the milk for about 15 minutes. Grind to a fine paste, adding a little more milk, if

neccessary. Keep aside.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a heavy pot. Add the cardamom pods, cloves,

cinnamon, bay leaves and star anise. Stir together for about 30 - 45 seconds, until

the spices are fragrant. Add the goat/ mutton pieces and fry them for about 1 - 2

minutes, until they start to brown.

4. Add the fried onion-ginger-garlic paste, tomato puree and hot stock to the

browned goat/ mutton. Stir together and heat until just beginning to simmer.
5. Take the yoghurt in a bowl. Add a couple tablespoons of the simmering gravy into

it, and whisk well. This will stop the yoghurt from splitting when you add it to the

gravy.

6. Gently add the tempered yoghurt into the simmering meat and gravy, and stir until

it is all incorporated into the sauce.

7. Add the ground black pepper and chilli powder to the sauce. Stir well. Then add

salt to taste. Stir again.

8. Bring it to a gentle boil, then turn the heat low, and cover the pot. Let the meat

slow cook, until it is fork tender. This could take anywhere between 1 - 2 hours. Test

by taking a small piece out and sticking a fork in it. If it falls apart, the meat is

cooked.

9. Preheat oven to 350 F.

10. Very gently, lift the pieces of meat into an oven safe pot or casserole.

11. Take out the bay leaf and the cinnamon stick(s). 

12. Return the sauce to the heat, and whisk in the nut paste. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes.

If the sauce becomes too thick, add the additional hot stock, 1/4 cup at a time, until

the consistency is to your liking. It should be rich and creamy, but not overly thick.

13.Take out of the oven, and let it rest for a few minutes. Stir, then garnish with fresh

coriander, just before serving.

14. Serve with naan or saffron rice for a truly regal experience.

15. Whisk in the saffron + the milk it was soaked in, into the sauce. Stir in the

crushed cardamom, ground cloves, ground cinnamon and grated nutmeg.

16. Take out of the oven, and let it rest for a few minutes. Stir, then garnish with

fresh coriander, just before serving.

17. Taste and adjust the salt, if necessary.

18. Pour this sauce/ gravy over the meat pieces. Cover the casserole or pot tightly

with foil and place a lid on top. Place in the oven, and cook for an additional 20 – 25

minutes.

North-west flavour to feast in the east

Rampur may have been forgotten, thanks to the vagaries of time and space, but the

recipes are very much alive with Nawab Syed Mohammad Ali Khan or in short,

Murad Rampur.

What sets Rampurs food apart from the oft-eaten Mughlai recipes is the elaborate

procedure that goes into the making of the dishes. In those times, a kaliya master

would only make kaliyas, a kebabi would just prepare kebabs and the same was true
for the men behind the sweetmeats. I have all the recipes compiled in one book,

which I may publish some day, revealed the Nawab.

At the Taj festival, you are truly spoilt for choice. If you want to take a non-vegetarian

trip of Rampur ka khana, you can start off with the Murg Chapli Kebab (chicken

mince dumplings flavoured with aromatic spices and cooked in a traditional vessel

from Rampur) or the more exotic Bhuna Gurda Kaleji (pot roasted mutton liver and

kidney cooked with traditional Rampuri spices). For the main course, while there are

quite a few dishes on offer, the must-haves include Mutton Tar Korma (a special

lamb preparation from the house of the Nawab), Shab Deg (a kaliya of mutton chops

cooked overnight in yoghurt) and Bater Mussalam (quails cooked on dum with a

thick almond and cashew gravy).

For a veggie, Rampuri food doesn’t sound all that romantic but the use of lotus

seeds and stems is quite unique. You can try the Kamal Kakri Kebab (lotus stem

cooked with Rampur spices) and then move on to Subz Makhana Qaliya (celebrated

Rampuri vegetable curry with lotus seeds).

To go with the kebabs and gravies, you must try the Sheermal (rich bread made with

flour and milk) or the less exciting Rampuri Roti made from wheat.

For that sweet ending to your culinary conquest, have the Gulathi, a thick phirniwith

dry fruits.
Mughlai mix

After the hilsa hysteria, biryani passion is fast catching up with every hotel worth

its zafran hosting a feast of the Mughlai classic. The latest to bite the binge-wagon is

Kenilworth with a biryani and kebab festival tantalisingly titled Mahek Biryani Aur

Kebab Ki, at its Indian speciality restaurant, The Marble Room.

The a la carte lunch and dinner menu features a wide variety of biryani with some lip-

smacking kebabs. One can choose between Kachchi Gosht ki Biryani, Peshawari

Biryani, Murg Dum ki Biryani, Ilish Biryani, Seafood Biryani, Vegetable Parda Biryani

and Paneer Tikka Biryani.

The kebab menu consists of preparations like Murg Irani, Nawabi Tangri, Dum ke
Mahi Kebab, Jhinga Anarkali, Noorjahani Gosht Kalia, Bawali Seekh, Bharwan Subz

Bahar, Chutney Aloo Tikka and Paneer Pasanda Kebab. The menu also features

some rather oily preparations of Chicken Chaap and Mutton Kassa.

Biryani binge

Serving up preparations from Padma nadir paar theke like Elish Machher Biryani and

Chingri Machher Biryani, the classic Mughlai dish it seems has travelled east as well.

The restaurant completes the circuit with Lucknowi varieties like Murg Nawabi and

Gosht Nawabi Biryani and those originating from Hyderabad like Dumpukht Gosht

Biryani and Dumpukht Murg Biryani.

Rampuri cuisine is essentially a “courtly cuisine” that evolved along with its sultans

and their taste buds. It is a blending clout of Mughlai, Awadhi, Afghani, Rajput and

other cultures. Even the British have an impact on this cuisine culture. This evolution

was also a natural outcome of inhabitants and visitors from various parts of the

world.
Nawabs fashioned their menus to suit individual zest. They treated the royal visitors

with recipes created especially for them. The visitors' choice to the use of various

ingredients in various combinations brought the difference to this culinary tradition.

And this cuisine also took more glorious turns when the royal cooks from various

places came as refuges in the city.

Seasonal Cuisines in Rampur

The smell of rich meat and chicken dishes, eggs and ginger from Rampur kitchen,

reflects that the winter is on trial. During summer, delicately flavored dishes and

desserts are prepared and served in the royal house to its visitors. The season for

mangoes is cherished in Rampur, as the orchards flourished with mangoes that are

squashed into aam ras (mango juice) and are served proudly naming it asSamar

behisht.

Luscious Kebabs of Rampur

Rampur will celebrate the taste of kebabs. These are crisp, soft and spicy pieces of

fish, mutton, chicken or a vegetable roasted or grilled in a skewer. It is no wonder if

the city brags about these kebabs as their pride because it is worth it. To start with,

let it be a Murg Chapli Kebab, the chicken dumplings flavored with spices or the

vegetarian Kamal Kakri Kebab, a lotus stem cooked with special herbs and flavors,
every hundreds of these different kebab are cooked in their unique way and each

have their unique taste and not one tasted similar to another. Not to lose even a

pinch of its native taste, these kebabs are cooked in the traditional vessel made in

Rampur.

The Lip-smacking Kormas in Rampur

Mutton Taar Korma is another delicacy from the royal kitchen. These korma dishes

get their taste from the magical hands of the royal chefs. It is also believed that, this

exquisite dish tastes good only when cooked with Rampur’s water and this belief is

well rooted that people from various parts of the country order water from Rampur to

prepare this dish.

Delicious Desserts in Rampur

Rampur chefs present innovations in their plates in the form of desserts. Mirchi Ka

Halwa (a dessert made with peppers) Aloe Vera Ka Halwa (a dessert made with aloe

vera) are the brain children of Rampur. Halwa is the famous sweet in Rampuri

cuisine. It accompanies every course meal. Adrak Ka Halwa (halwa made with

ginger) is an ecstasy of royal cuisine. Apart from this, desserts like Gulathi (Rampuri

rabri), Kemami Sevian (vermicelli with dried fruits and nuts) and Shahi Tukra (bread

pudding) will kindle your appetite for more. But nothing can beat Motiya, with an

unmistakable flavor of pistachio in this rice pudding.

Vegetarian Food in Rampur

There is a misconception that Nawab’s recipes don’t sound romantic for vegetarians,

but Rampuri cuisine has kept its pace along with the evolution in bringing out new

and different vegetarian dishes especially hundreds of varieties of kebabs and

kormas. Kebabs are made even with not-so popular vegetables like Matar (peas)

and Kele (banana/ plantain), Aloo kebab (roasted pieces of potatoes) Tomato

Shorba (Thick gravy of tomatoes), Matar Biryani (Rice cooked with Peas and
vegetables) are some of the other vegetarian delicacies introduced by Nawab’s

chefs.

The Secrecy killed the Legacy of Rampur Cuisine

The Khansamas, as they are commonly called in Rampur are the royal chefs, have

revealed only a portion of the secrecy in this heritage cooking, to the world. Chefs

around the country believe that the recipes rolling around in the name of Rampuri

cuisine are the evolved versions of the royal cooking but not the same. Still there are

parts of cooking lessons to be presented by the Khansamas to the world and hopes

continue that the descendants of these royal chefs will reveal it.

2.6 Famous Dishes in Rampuri Cuisine

DAL E MUMTAZ
Ingredients

Washed black gram  1 Cup

Milk (boiled) 1cup

Cream ¼ cup

Green chili 2no

Ginger 1-inch

Salt to taste

Ghee ¼ cup
Cumin ½ tsp

Onion 1 no, medium size

Method

In a pan, add 3 cups of water, dal, salt, green chilli, ginger and cook it over medium

flame for a few minutes till 80% cooked. Remove from the flame and drain the water.

To this, add milk and let it simmer over low flame, stir occasionally. Add cream and

cook for a few minutes more.

For the tempering, in a fry pan add ghee, onion, cumin, put on high flame for 2-3

minutes. Add to the dal and serve with roomali roti.

SHEESH PALAO

SHEESH PALAO (Source: Chef Mujeebur Rehman, Founder Kitchenett E Awadh)

Ingredients
Basmati Rice (pre-soaked for at least 30 minutes) 3 cups

Fried cottage cheese 12-15 cubes

Mixed Vegetables 1 cup

Onions (thinly sliced) 1 no, large

Cashew 12 no

Green chillies 4 no

Saffrom 1gm (dissolved in water)

Cloves 5 no

Cinnamon 1 stick

Black Cardamom 3 no

Bay leaves 3 no

Small Cardamom 6 no

Cumin ½ tsp

Black pepper ½ tsp

Garlic-Ginger paste 2 tsp

Ghee 1 cup

Salt to taste

Method

In a pan, heat the ghee and add the sliced onion and fry until translucent and slightly

brown. Now add the cumin, black pepper, cardamoms, cinnamon sticks, black

cardamom, clove, bay leaves, cashew and fry until light golden in colour. Now add

the ginger garlic paste, vegetables, green chilli and salt, sauté well for 3-4 minutes

on medium flame or until vegetables are half cooked.

Add the pre-soaked rice, stir properly, add 4 cups of water, you can adjust water

quantity as per the quality of rice. Increase the flame slightly, wait till 2-3 minutes or

till the water is reduced to half. Throw in the fried cottage cheese cubes and saffron.
2.7 Experiences of Different People with Rampuri Cuisine

It is the formidable single-edged Rampuri chaku and the lilt of Mirza Ghalib’s poetry
that come to mind when one thinks of Rampur, a town nestled 150 km away from
Delhi and 350 km from Lucknow, one of the most popular sub-roots of this Muslim
kingdom.
Tat ke Ghosht at Sahib and Kipling Room
But those aren’t Rampur’s only raison d’êtres. The town holds the door into the
kitchens of a lesser-known Mughlai cuisine, too. In them, you will neither encounter
overpowering fragrances typical of Lucknowi food, nor taste the ghee-laden, creamy
textures of Awadhi food. What you find in Rampuri cuisine are dishes made in clay
pots and spiced with unrefined, khada (raw) masalas, dal chini (cinnamon)
sandalwood and pili mirch (yellow chilli), a local favourite.
Rampuri Nalli Ka Korma
Rampur’s glorious culinary history dates back to 1774, when its leader, Faziullah
Khan, founded the state. Established under the presence and protection of British
Commander, Colonel Champion, the region provided a safe and open-minded
atmosphere for artistic development. To take advantage of these liberties, an
abundance of cooks and artists from the surrounding area moved to Rampur. For
this reason, the Rampuri cuisine is heavily influenced by the Mughlai,
Afghani, Lucknowi, Kashmiri and Awadhi cuisines.
 Gular Ke Kebab

Connoisseurs of good food

In 2013, Delhi-based writer Neha Prasada co-authored a book, Dining with the
Maharajas, on a thousand years of culinary traditions of the maharajas. During her
research on Rampuri cuisine, she interviewed princess Naghat Abedi, whose father,
Murtuza Ali Khan, was the last nawab of Rampur. “Rampuri food is heavy on non
vegetarian delicacies especially red meat based preparations. While it has many
influences and similarities between Lucknowi food and the food from the kitchens of
the Mughal courts of Delhi it has its own distinct flavours. As compared to the
Awadhi food of Lucknow it is less fragrant and there is a use of whole spices. Also
the dishes lack the sweetness that is often associated with the food from Lucknow,”
says Prasada.
Trade secrets
The yesteryear delicacies made in the royal kitchens remain popular, thanks to chefs
who carry forward the knowledge of their forefather khansamas.
Lucknow’s Mujeeb ur Rahman’s forefathers were khansamas in Nawab Wajid Ali
Shah’s family sometime in the 17th century. “My grandfather was a khansama till the
age of 70, but my father became an electronics engineer. He even made me pursue
an MBA, but my heart lay in cooking. My grandfather trained me in the art of nawabi
cuisine,” says the 41-year-old Lucknow-based researcher, who now curates food
festivals across the world.
Rampuri cuisine, says Rahman, has many distinct dishes that reflect the skill and
expertise of its khansamas. Tar Korma, a Nihari dish whose gravy is a rich reduction
of its lamb stock, is one such delicacy. “Even Rampuri desserts, such as Mirch Ka
Halwa, which is made from capsicum, Adrak (ginger) Ka Halwa and even an Aloe
Vera Halwa, are made with precision and age-old techniques,” says Naved Sayyad,
executive chef, Orchid Hotel, which is hosting a Rampuri food festival with Rahman.
Kebabs, rotis, dal Kebabs are inseparable from nawabi cuisine and every region, be
it the North West Frontier, Hyderabad or Lucknow, has its own version. Rampur
offers Sambhal ka Seekh, which is a minced meat kebab marinated with coriander
seeds, and ginger on skewers. Nayaab Tandoori Champ — lamb chops marinated
with spices — are indigenous to this area, too. On the vegetarian front, Kathal ke
Kebab is made of jackfruit.
The royal dal, made of toor dal (yellow pigeon peas), is boiled in milk, with a tadka of
pure ghee. “This dal is pale yellow or whitish in colour. Legend says that during the
Mughal rule, khansamas melted gold coins and added it to the dal,” says Rahman.
Another popular dal in Rampur is Mash ki Dal, which is the white urad dal prepared
dry with fried onions, ginger and fresh coriander, adds Prasada.
Interestingly, it was Babur who introduced the tandoor to India as he didn’t quite take
to the rotis in the subcontinent. It was only after that the Indian bread underwent
various makeovers. Some royal households even made a single roti made of 20 kg
of flour. “In Rampur, they also make a Khameer Roti, which is made using yeast. A
distinct innovation of the royal Rampur cuisine is Badam Ki Roti. Lest you think that
the roti was simply stuffed with almonds, let me tell you that the flour itself was
ground almonds!” says Sayyad with fascination.

A Royal Khichdi
Sayyad reveals how, in a bid to outdo each other, khansamas often turned kitchens
into labs. “Chefs used many camouflage dishes, and one such Rampuri dish is
thekhichdi. The cooks carved grains out of almonds and pistachio,” he adds.
In those times, eating was a ritual in itself, according to Kinny, who is hosting a
Rampuri festival at Sahib and Kipling Room.
I admire how the Rampuri cuisine used simple ingredients such as Gullar (white fig),
Nadru (lotus stem), kathal (jackfruit), pineapple and amla. This simplicity leaves a
royal taste on your palate,” he adds.

Chef Mujbeer Rehman, one of the practitioner and propagator of old-style Rampuri
cuisine in India, has experienced first-hand the labour of getting these recipes from
the last few surviving khansamas. He says, “For them, these are not mere recipes
but a legacy that is guarded with life. You could spend a whole year working with
them, and yet there is a good chance that you may not find the recipe at all.” In fact,
it took Chef Rehman over three years and constant visits to Rampur, and working
under a few khansamas to get the recipes that were narrated to him like a story.
“They would say it once, and you had to grasp it all.”

Last night the dishes which left a impression on my mind was a delicacy have never

heard of and never ever tasted . I could not have imagined in my life time that some

thing like could be invented or innovated … Eggs are important part of Food in every

culture and civilization But this was defining moment for me When Chef M. Rehman

after we relished it and not even a drop or grub was left in the bowl asked us what

did you eat? Answers or Guesses pouring in from all sides … Imagine to our own

amazement it was ANDEIN KA HALWA … Texture was not that of egg … Egg was

transformed into Mava or Khoya . Its just experience or cognitive reflex which brain

could not understand … felt like khoya but made up of Egg . Its like those which they

show in Star trek series … Matter has changed itself … Beyond words … just a

experience .

Second dish was just another dish which I could have thought not possible … Main

ingredient ofcourse the king of Veges – Potato but then Hero was not Potato … It

was Sandal ( Chandan ) paste . baby potatoes nicely grilled in sandal paste and

aromatic name of Sandali Allo . I think world is missing some thing if they have not

tasted it .

In kebab section the plate was laid and kebabs were roaring .. Chapali kebab ,

sheekh kabab and then lovely tangy tamatari machi … ofcourse Rampuri cuisine and

chapali kebab go hand in hand … But the Kebab which literally dented taste buds

was Subz Khumani Kebab … sweety and tangy of khumani ( dried Apricot ) as

stuffing … its like waltzing .

Last but not the least Chicken Chungezi … Subtle yet spicy … Chef M. Rehman said

there is special chungezi spice which makes this dish royal .

2.8 Awadhi Cuisine

It was 137 years ago that the last of the kings of Avadh walked on the sarzameen

(land) of their beloved Lucknow. While these monarchs sat on the throne of Avadh,

there was nothing that they left untouched, thankfully, for their touch was like the

proverbial magic wand. It could raise the most mundane of activities into the realm of

art and to unattained heights of excellence. Little wonder that even bawarch is

became master creator of culinary delights. Powerful courts all over India vyed with

each other to wean away a cook who had either worked or was trained in Lucknow.

To belong to Lucknow was the highest qualification a cook could hold. The ruler of

Avadh engaged in peaceful pursuits since the battle of Buxar, and laid the foundation

of a culture which dazzled the world. Under their patronage developed a cuisine

which did not remain the prerogative of royalty alone. Recipes traveled from the royal

kitchens of the nobilities and from there, to the kichens of ordinary people. All the

while, research and innovation proceeded unabated in the bawarchi khanas of the

royalty and aristocracy where money was no constraint, neither was time. In the mid

18th century, in the personal bawarchi khana of Nawab Shuja-Ud-Daula, Rs. 60,000
was spent per month or Rs. 7.2 lakhs per year on the preparation of dishes. The

dishes which adorned his dastar khwan did not come from the kitchen alone but from

five other bawarchi khanas, including that of his mother Nawab Begum and his wife

Bahu Begum. These ladies separately spent Rs. 9,000 per every month on the

preparation of food. The staggering salaries of the hierarchy of cooks and other

kitchen staff came from a separate budget. However, high salaries were not the only

reason for the excellent performance of the cooks. They were given total freedom to

pursue their work their own way. Examples of cooks laying down conditions of

employment before crowned heads, and the latter meekly accepting them, would

only be found in Lucknow. And in Lucknow alone would you find cooks strutting off in

a huff if the king did not sit down for a meal when told to do so by the cook because

the food was hot. A tale is told of a cook employed only to prepare mash ki dal (arhar

ki dal) on a monthly salary of Rs. 500. The dal was not cooked daily but once in a

while, and the king was condition bound to sit down at the dastar khwan when he

cook announced that dal was ready. The king once delayed, so the cook left. Before

leaving, he emptied the contents of the dish at a place where stood a stalk of a dead

tree. In a few days, leaves started sprouting from the stalk and before long, the tree
turned a healthy green colour (source: Abdul Sharar’s The last phase of an Oriental

Culture). The story may appear like an exaggeration but the fact remains that the

ingredients that went into the preparation of the royal dishes were very nutritious.

It was unwritten law that the master would sanction whatever quantity of ingredients

the cook demanded. No questions were asked nor doubts expressed. Another

popular story goes that king Ghazi-ud-din Haider slapped his vazir Agha Meer for

reducing the quantity of ghee used by the cook in preparing parathas. The king was

no fool. He said that even if the cook pilfered some ghee, so what? The parathas he

made were excellent, while”you rob the whole monarchy and think nothing of it.”It

was not royalty alone who pampered their cooks. The nobility, aristocracy and

people of lesser means toomaintained well stocked and well staffed kitchens from

where were turned out the most exotic of dishes. Begums and ordinary housewives

too preserved in their kitchens and acquired an excellence that could match the skills

of a professional bawarchi.
 CULINARY TERMS

DHUNGAR

This is a quick smoke procedure used to flavour a meat dish,daIs or even

raita. The smoke very effectively permeates every grain of the ingredients and

imparts a subtle aroma, which enhances the quality of the dish. The

procedure may be carried out either at the intermediate or the final stage of

cooking. This is a common technique employed while making kababs. The

method is as follows. In a shallow utensil or a lagan in which the meat or

mince has been marinated, a smallbay is made in the center and a katori or

onion skin or even a betel leaf (depending on the dish) is placed. In it a piece

of live coal is placed and hot ghee, sometimes mixed with aromatic herbs or

spices, is poured over it and covered immediately with a lid to prevent the

smoke from escaping. The lid is not removed till about 15 minutes, so as to
allow the smoke to work on the ingredients inside. The coal is then removed

from the utensil and the meat put through further cooking processes.

DUM DENA

This is a frequently method used in Awadh cooking. 'Dum'literally means

'breath' and the process involves placing the semi-cooked ingredients in a pot

or deg, sealing the utensil with flour dough and applying very slow charcoal

fire from top, by placing some live charcoal on the lid, and some below. The

Persian influence is most evident in this method though in Awadh it has

acquired its own distinct character. The magic of dum' is the excellent aroma,

flavor and texture which results from slow cooking. This method is followed for

a number of delicacies such as the Shabdeg, Pulao and Biryani. Any dish

cooked by this method is 'Dum Pukht' or 'Dum Bakht'.

GALAVAT

Refers to the use of softening agents such as papain (from rawpapaya) or

kalmi shora to tenderise meat.

BAGHAR

This is a method of tern pering a dish with hot oil / ghee and spices. It may be

done either at the beginning of the cooking as in curries, or at the end as for

(pulses). In the former, the fat is heated in a vessel to a smoking point and

after reducing the flame, spices are added to it. When they begin to

crackle.the same process is carried out in a ladle which is immersed in the

cooked dish and immediately covered with a lid, so that the essence and the
aroma of the spices, drawn out by the hot ghee are retained in the dish giving

it their flavour.

GILE HIKMAT

Talking of Persian influence on Awadh cuisine one cannot ignore this in

teresting method adopted for cooking. 'Gil' in Persian is earth or mud and

'Hikmat' implies the procedure of the Hakims. This method is generally

followed to prepare 'Kushtas' which are the ash-like residue of substances

which cannot be consumed in their natural form as they are toxic,for instance

gems or metals. But when adopted for cooking purposes the method is as

follows. The meat or vegetable to be cooked is generally taken whole and

stuffed with nuts andspices, It is then wrapped in a banana leaf or cloth and

covered completely with clay or 'Multani Mitti' (Fuller's Earth)so as to seal it. It

is thereafter buried about 4-6 inches deep.

2.9 Mughlai Cuisine

Mughlai cuisine consists of dishes developed in Medieval India at the centers of

the Mughal Empire. It represents a combination of the cooking style and recipes

of Central Asia and North India. The Mughlai cooking styles is used in the traditional

cuisine of North India (especially Uttar Pradesh and Delhi), the Indian city

of Hyderabad and the Pakistani city of Karachi(particularly among Muhajir

migrants from India). The cuisine is strongly influenced by Central Asian cuisine, the

region where the Turco-Mongol Mughal rulers originally hailed from, and it has in

turn strongly influenced the regional cuisines of

modern India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The tastes of Mughlai cuisine vary from extremely mild to spicy, and are often

associated with a distinctive aroma and the taste of ground and whole spices. A

Mughlai course is an elaborate buffet of main course dishes with a variety

of accompaniments. Mughlai cuisine also gave rise to the Awadhi

cuisine of Lucknow.

Evolution & Distinct Features

The Mughlai cuisine developed in the royal kitchens of the Mughal Empire starting

from the rule of Babar who initiated the Mughal Empire in India in the 16th century.

His autobiography called ‘Babarnama’ mention about various food items including

Kebab prepared out of sheep. The Mughlai cuisine represents a mix of Indian

cuisines with that of the Persian cuisines. The latter already existed in India for

more than three centuries prior to the introduction of Mughlai cuisine. The different

Sultans of the Delhi Sultanate who ruled various regions of India from Delhi that

include the different Turkic and Pashtun (Afghan) Muslim dynasties introduced the

use of Tandoor, Kebab, Keema and Naan prior to the Mughal dynasty. However
with time these items developed as an integral part of the Mughlai Cuisine.  While

the Chagatay Turkic languages remained the native languages of the Mughals,

the Persian language was adopted by the Mughal Empire as the official language,

thus many of the Mughlai Indian dishes bear names in these languages.

Haleem

Mughlai cuisine has a profound influence on the culinary styles and regional

cuisines of present day India, Bangladesh and Pakistan and its cooking style is

applied in traditional North Indian cuisines, particularly in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh

as also in the South Indian city of Hyderabad in Telengana. The cuisine also

marks its influence in the city of Karachi in Pakistan, especially among the Muslim

immigrants called Muhajir who migrated from different regions of India following

the Partition of India. The Mughal cooking techniques also had profound influence

in the Awadh region which eventually led to the development of the Awadhi

cuisine of Lucknow.
 The Mughals were Muslims by religion and thus did not eat pork and as Hindus

did not consume beef thus meat of these two were not part of Mughal cuisines.

The primary non-vegetarian dishes would comprise of meat of goat, fowls, sheep

and venison. Among the most distinctive features of Mughlai cuisine are the

unique use of combination of ground and whole spices and the distinguishing

aroma that gives each dish a unique and exotic taste. Extensive use of milk,

cream and butter in various gravies and curries makes the dishes even more

appetizing with foodies ending up licking their fingers. The different spices, saffron,

dry fruits, ghee and other diary produces makes the traditional Mughlai cuisines

quite rich and heavy, however more lighter versions that are low in fat contents are

tried and tested nowadays by the more health conscious but enthusiastic foodies.

The Mughlai dishes are varied, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, starting from

Biriyani, Pulao, Naan, Kofta, Kebab, Pasanda, different tandoori items, to a wide

range of sweet dishes like Sheer Korma, Shahi Tukra, Kheer, Kulfi and Firni.

List of Mughlai dishes

 Kachri Qeema  Murgh Musallam

 Haleem (Khichda)  Kofta Shorba

 Mughlai Chicken  Nargisi Kofta

 Biryani  Murg Chaap

 Mughlai Paratha  Reshmi Kabab

 Qeema Matar  Boti Kabab

 Meat Durbari  Shahjehani Murg Masala

 Mughlai Chicken Pulao  Pasanda

 Murg Kababs Mughlai  Rezala

 Murg Noorjehani
 Kebabs

Murg Musallam

Desserts

 Shahi Tukra is a rich bread pudding with dry fruits, flavoured with cardamom.
 Sheer korma
 Falooda
 Kesari Firni is a rice based sweet dish streaked with Saffron
Firni
 CONCLUSION

The main problem with Rampuri cuisine has been that it has been virtually

impossible to tell it apart from Lucknowi food, save for some very fine nuances, not

easy to distinguish. Over the years, chefs have argued that the major way in which

Rampuri food differs from Avadhi is that the former uses more khada masala (whole

spice), while the latter displays more finesse. 

Rampur as a function of its geography — as something between Delhi's Mughalai

tradition and the Avadhi food. It has been influenced by both and is not as subtle as

Avadhi and not as rich/full of spices, ghee and nuts as Mughal food. 

Cooking in Avadhi cuisine involves blending masalas at different stages of

preparation. In Rampur, the masalas are simpler as you can see from the qorma.

And if you are making the Rampuri seekh or kakori, there is no need to add almost

100 odd masalas at different stages. 

 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The research methodology used for this study is as per occam’s razor.
Occam's razor is a problem-solving principle attributed to William of Ockham who

was an English Franciscan friar, scholastic philosopher and theologian. The principle

can be interpreted as stating Among competing hypotheses, the one with the fewest

assumptions should be selected.

In science, Occam's razor is used as a heuristic technique (discovery tool) to guide

scientists in the development of theoretical models, rather than as an arbiter

between published models. In the scientific method, Occam's razor is not considered

an irrefutable principle of logic or a scientific result; the preference for simplicity in

the scientific method is based on the falsifiability criterion. For each accepted

explanation of a phenomenon, there may be an extremely large, perhaps even

incomprehensible, number of possible and more complex alternatives, because one

can always burden failing explanations with ad hoc hypotheses to prevent them from

being falsified; therefore, simpler theories are preferable to more complex ones

because they are more testable.

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 DATA ANALYSIS

The history of Rampur and its cuisine was thoroughly searched out to get the data

about the city and its story and the dishes famous in the Rampuri Cuisine.

Awadhi and Mughal history were also extensively searched to get the data about the

Awadhi and Mughlai culture and the cuisines.

The point of difference between Rampuri, Awadhi and Mughlai cuisines and how to

find it were also read and researched.

 REFERENCES

http://www.rampuronline.in

http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/food-wine/the-rise-and-revival-of-the-
ancient-rampuri-cuisine/

http://www.mid-day.com/articles/food-special-rampuri-cuisine-a-nawabi-
fare/16100180

https://ambikasukumar.wordpress.com/2015/06/09/rampuri-cuisine-by-chef-m-
rehman/

http://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/NewsDetail/index/9/2846/The-Osama-of-Rampuri-
Cuisine

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rampur,_Uttar_Pradesh

https://highonwines.com/tag/rampuri-cuisine/

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/royal-rampuri-cuisine-a-blend-of-
delhis-mughalai-tradition-and-the-avadhi-food/articleshow/25137344.cms

http://www.thetiffinbox.ca/2012/01/taar-korma-royal-indian-recipe-for.html

http://todaysflavouris.blogspot.in/2011/08/rampuri-cuisine.html

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/et-cetera/royal-rampuri-cuisine-a-blend-of-
delhis-mughalai-tradition-and-the-avadhi-food/articleshow/25137344.cms?
intenttarget=no