AWADHI CUISINE

DESINGED BY
Sunil Kumar
Research Scholar/ Food Production Faculty
Institute of Hotel and Tourism Management,
MAHARSHI DAYANAND UNIVERSITY,
ROHTAK
Haryana- 124001 INDIA Ph. No. 09996000499
email: skihm86@yahoo.com , balhara86@gmail.com
linkedin:- in.linkedin.com/in/ihmsunilkumar
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webpage: chefsunilkumar.tripod.com

SUNIL KUMAR 1
 HISTORY
THE VERY MENTION OF LUCKNOW,
WHICH WAS THE SEAT OF AWADH
CULTURE, BRINGS TO MIND THE
TRADITION OF ‘PEHLE AAP’ (AFTER
YOU), THE LANGUAGE DRIPPING
WITH POLITENESS AND THE
LIFESTYLE OF THE NAWABS. BUT
WHAT APPEALS THE MOST IS THE
CUISINE OF AWADH, WHICH IN
SOME WAYS , WAS A CULMINATION
OF ALL THAT WAS BEST IN ART,
CULTURE AND SCIENCE.
SUNIL KUMAR 2
 THE ERSTWHILE PROVINCE OF AWADH
WAS FAMOUS FOR ITS STANDARDS OF
GASTRONOMIC ETIQUETTE. THIS
CULTURE IS STILL FOUND PRESERVED IN
THE SANCTORUM OF THE ERSTWHILE
LANDED ARISTOCRACY OF LUCKNOW
AND A FEW ADJOINING DISTRICTS, THAT
FORMED PART OF AWADH ; AND OF
COURSE THE FAMOUS ’BAWARCHIS’
WHO, WITH TREMENDOUS DISCIPLINE,
BORDERING ON RELIGIOUS FERVOR,
STILL FOLLOW THE TRADITIONAL STYLE
OF COOKING HANDED DOWN TO THEM BY
THEIR ANCESTORS.
SUNIL KUMAR 3
 TRADITIONS AND
CUSTOMS
TEHZEEB-O-ADAB: ETIQUETTES
THE COLLECTIVE NAME FOR FOODS
SELECTED FOR FEASTS AT HOME OR
SENT OUT IS TORA. IT CONSISTS OF
PULAU, MUZAFAR, MUTANJAN, SHIRMAL,
SAFAIDA, SHIR BRANJ, SHAMI KEBABS
ALONG WITH MURRABBA, ACHAR, AND
CHUTNEYS.
DASTARKHAWN

SUNIL KUMAR 4
 RAMZAN: THIS IS THE
MONTH THAT THE MUSLIMS
FAST; NOT EVEN WATER IS
DRUNK DURING THE DAY.
EARLY MORNING FOOD IS
EATEN AND THEN IN THE
EVENING THE FAST IS
BROKEN. ( SAHERI AND
IFTARI)
SUNIL KUMAR 5
FATIAH: THIS IS THE
SERVICE DONE AFTER A
PERSONS DEATH

SUNIL KUMAR 6
 THE HINDU
INFLUENCE
HALWAIS THE STANDARDS OF THE
MUSLIM CHEFS ARE HIGHER, AND THE
HINDU HALWAIS PLAY AN IMPORTANT
PART WHEN THE DESSERTS HAVE TO BE
PREPARED FOR THE MASSES
HINDU CONFECTIONERS ARE ON THE
WHOLE MUCH BETTER AND MORE
POPULAR THAN MUSLIMS, AND THE
PEOPLE WHO REALLY APPRECIATE
SWEETS ARE THE HINDUS. POSSIBLY
BECAUSE MUSLIMS ARE MEAT-EATERS,
THEY PREFER FOOD CONTAINING SALT.
HINDUS ON THE OTHER HAND PREFER A
SWEET TASTE.
SUNIL KUMAR 7
 SEASONAL CHANGES
EFFECTING FOOD
SPRING: A SEASON OF REJUVENATION, OF
EXULTATION AND FESTIVITY; A GARB OF
YELLOW AT VASANT; ZARDA PULAO IS
EATEN DURING THIS PERIOD,
SUMMERS: COOLANTS SUCH AS AAM KA
PANNA, SHIKANJVI AND LASSI ARE HAD AS A
PART OF A DAILY MEAL. FRUITS SUCH AS
MANGO, MELONS, WATER MELONS ARE
ALSO CONSUMED IN GREAT QUANTITIES.
CHUTNEYS, MURRABBAS AND ACHARS ARE
MADE IN GREAT QUANTITIES. LOTS OF
RAITAS ARE ALSO HAD
WINTERS:
SUNILFOOD
KUMAR THAT HAS A WARM 8“
TASEER” ARE HAD IN THE WINTERS
IN WINTERS THE WOMEN FOLK SIT
IN THE CENTRAL COURTYARD OF
THE HOUSE, GOSSIP AND MAKE
PICKLE WINTER VEGETABLES IN
GREAT QUANTITIES.

SUNIL KUMAR 9
 OUR AIM IN THIS
GASTRONOMIC JOURNEY IS TO
INTRODUCE THE
CHARACTERISTIC TASTES AND
FLAVORS OF THIS REGION
WITH THE HOPE THAT THE
AUTHENTIC DISHES FROM
AWADH WILL BE RE-CREATED
IN THE KITCHEN .
SUNIL KUMAR 10
 THE STORY OF AWADH
CUISINE WOULD NOT BE
COMPLETE IF THE VARIOUS
SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF
COOKING WERE NOT
DESCRIBED.
SOME OF THEM UNIQUE TO
AWADH REGION.

SUNIL KUMAR 11
METHODS OF COOKING

SUNIL KUMAR 12
 BAGHAR
THIS IS A METHOD OF TEMPERING A DISH
WITH HOT OIL/GHEE AND SPICES. IT MAY
BE DONE EITHER AT THE BEGINNING OF
COOKING OF A DISH, AS IN CURRIES, OR
AT THE END AS IN THE COOKING OF
DALS. IN THE FORMER CASE 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 RAW
INGREDIENTS ARE ADDED AND FURTHER
COOKED. IN THE LATTER CASE THE
SAME PROCESS IS CARRIED OUT IN A
LADLE WHICH IS IMMERSED IN A
COOKED DISH AND IMMEDIATELY13
SUNIL KUMAR
COVERED WITH A LID,
 DHUNGER
THIS IS A QUICK SMOKE PROCEDURE
USED TO FLAVOR A MEAT DISH,
DALS OR EVEN RAITA. THE SMOKE
VERY EFFECTIVELY PERMEATES
EVERY GRAIN OF THE INGREDIENT
AND IMPARTS A SUBTLE AROMA
WHICH ENHANCES THE QUALITY OF
THE DISH.THE PROCEDURE MAY BE
CARRIED OUT EITHER AT THE
INTERMEDIATE STAGE OR AT THE
FINAL STAGE OF COOKING . THIS IS A
COMMON TECHNIQUE EMPLOYED
WHILE MAKING KEBABS.

SUNIL KUMAR 14
 DUM DENA
THIS IS THE FREQUENTLY USED
METHOD USED IN AWADH COOKING.
‘DUM’ LITERALLY MEANS ‘BREATH’ AND
THE PROCESS INVOLVES PLACING THE
SEMI-COOKED INGREDIENTS IN A POT,
SEALING THE UTENSIL WITH A FLOUR
DOUGH AND APPLYING VERY SLOW
CHARCOAL FIRE ON TOP,BY PLACING
LIVE CHARCOAL ON THE LID, AND SOME
FROM BELOW.. THIS METHOD IS
FOLLOWED FOR A NUMBER OF
DELICACIES SUCH AS PULAO AND
BIRYANI. ANY DISH COOKED BY THIS
METHOD IS ‘DUM PUKHT’ OR ‘DUM
SUNIL KUMAR BAKHT’. 15
GALAVAT

THIS REFERS TO THE USE

OF SOFTENING AGENTS
SUCH AS PAPAIN (FROM
RAW PAPAYA) OR KALMI
SHORA (KNO3) TO
TENDERISE MEAT.

SUNIL KUMAR 16
 GHEE DURUST KARNA
THIS IS A VITAL STEP IN COOKING
ALMOST ANY AWADHI DISH. IT IS
ESSENTIALLY THE TEMPERING OR
SEASONING OF THE COOKING MEDIUM.
THIS IS IMPORTANT TO REMOVE THE
RAW FLAVOR OF THE GHEE OR OIL AND
FLAVOR IT WITH KEVRA, CARDAMOMS.
THE METHOD IS AS FOLLOWS :
HEAT 500GM OF GHEE OR OIL TO A
SMOKING POINT THEN REDUCE THE
HEAT AND SPRINKLE 1 TBSP KEWRA-
WATER AND ADD 6 GREEN CARDAMOMS
AND STIR TILL THE WATER EVAPORATES
AND THE GHEE GIVES A PLEASANT
AROMA. REMOVE FROM THE FIRE,
STRAINSUNIL
THROUGH
KUMAR
A MUSLIN CLOTH17AND
KEEP FOR FURTHER USE.
 LOAB

IS A TERM WHICH REFERS TO

THE FINAL STAGE IN COOKING
WHEN THE OIL USED DURING
COOKING RISES TO THE
SURFACE, GIVING THE DISH A
FINISHED APPEARANCE. THIS
OCCURS WHEN SLOW COOKING
OF GRAVY DISHES IS INVOLVED.

SUNIL KUMAR 18
 MOIN
IT IS THE SHORTENING OF
DOUGH. IN THIS PROCESS
FAT IS RUBBED INTO THE
FLOUR AND MADE INTO A
DOUGH FOR KACHORIS OR
POORIS OR PARATHAS. THIS
MAKES THE FINAL PRODUCT
CRISP AND FLAKY AND
CRUMBLY.
SUNIL KUMAR 19
 TASEER:
THIS IS THE EFFECT OF FOOD ON THE
HUMAN BODY UPON CONSUMPTION. THE
FOODS CAN THEREFORE BE CLASSIFIED
AS HAVING A GARAM TASEER (WARMING
EFFECT) OR A THANDI TASEER( COOLING
EFFECT)
MOST FOODS HAVING A GARAM TASEER
ARE CONSIDERED APRODISIAC IN
NATURE AND ARE MAINLY CONSUMED IN
WINTERS.
FOODS THAT COOL THE BODY , OR HAVE
A THANDI TASEER ARE MAINLY
CONSUMED IN SUMMERS.
SUNIL KUMAR 20
METHOD OF PREPARING LIQUID
REFRESHMENT(ABDAR KHANA, ) . RED CLOTH,
WHICH WAS KEPT DAMP,WAS TIED ROUND THE
PITCHER OR DRINKING VESSEL IN ORDER TO
COOL IT BY THE WIND. THE HOTTER THE WIND,
THE COLDER IT MADE THE CLOTH, WHICH IN
TURN REDUCED THE TEMPERATURE OF THE
WATER INSIDE THE RECEPTACLES. OFTEN
CLOTH WAS TIED ON THE MOUTHS OF GOBLETS,
PICTURES AND EVEN JARS WHICH WERE THEN
HUNG UPSIDE DOWN FROM THE BRANCHES OF
TREES AS THEY WERE COMPLETELY SEALED
THE WATER DID NOT SPILL OUT AND THEY
BECAME BEAUTIFULLY COLD. IN THE RAINY
SEASON, EARTHENWARE JARS WERE HUNG
INSIDE A HALL.
SUNIL KUMAR 21
 JHALNA
PITCHER PULLING.
AN ELABORATE PRACTICE WAS TO
IMMERSE SMALL PICTURES IN A
LARGE EARTHENWARE VESSEL
FILLED WITH BRACKISH WATER
AND THEN SPIN THEM ROUND AND
ROUND. IN A SHORT TIME THE
WATER IN THE PITCHERS BECAME
AS COLD AS ICE

SUNIL KUMAR 22
 INGREDIENTS
ALLSPICE ( KEBAB CHINI): USED WHOLE OR
GROUND. BERRIES SMELL LIKE THE BLEND OF
CINNAMMON, CLOVES AND NUTMEG.
ANISE( SAUNF): LIQUORICE -LIKE FLAVOR,
USED IN VEGETABLES, BREADS AND DESSERTS
ASAFOETIDA( HING): RESINOUS GUM OF A
TREE, USED IN BAGHARS
BAY LEAF( TEJ PATTA): USED IN BAGHARS AND
CURRIES
BLACK PEPPERCORNS( KALI MIRCH): USED IN
MEAT, SOME FISH AND VEGETABLE DISHES,
USED WHOLE OR GROUND AND UPLIFTS THE
SIMPLEST OF DISHES

SUNIL KUMAR 23
CARAWAY SEEDS( KALA OR SHAHI
JEERA): SUBTLE FLAVOUR, USED IN
MEAT AND RICE DISHES
CARDAMOM: 2 VARIETIES
GREEN CARDAMOM( HARI
ELAICHI) : HAS A COOL SCENTED
FLAVOUR, USED IN CURRIES AS
WELL ASDESSERTS
BROWN CARDAMOM( BARI
ELAICHI); USED WITH SAVOURY
FOODS
SUNIL KUMAR 24
CHILLIES
GREEN CHILLIES: ADD A SPICY FLAVOUR
RED CHILLIES: HOTTEST
YELLOW CHILLIES: THE GROUND SEEDS OF THE
DRIED RED CHILLIES
CINNAMON( DALCHINI): GENTLE, SWEET, MUSKY
FLAVOUR; USED IN BOTH SWEET AND SAVOURY
PREPARATIONS
CLOVES(LAUNG): HARD, DRIED, POWERFUL
AROMA AND SWEET TANGY FLAVOUR; USED IN
FISH MEAT, VEGETABLE OR PULSES; ALSO USED
TO GIVE DHUNGAR

SUNIL KUMAR 25
 CORIANDER LEAVES( DHANIA PATTA):
USED FOR GARNISHING OR TO MAKE
CHUTNEYS
CORIANDER SEEDS( DHANIA): MILD,
SWEET, PUNGENT FLAVOUR; USED FOR
THE AROMA; POWDER GIVES THE DISH
MORE FLAVOUR AND BODY
CUMIN( JEERA); STRONG FLAVOUR AND
AROMA; USED IN BAGHARS; CAN BE USED
RAW, DRY-ROASTED, WHOLE OR
POWDERED
FENUGREEK: METHI DANA

SUNIL KUMAR 26
 UTENSILS AND
EQUIPMENT USED

SUNIL KUMAR 27
 BHAGONA OR PATILI
IS GENERALLY A BRASS ONE. IT COMES
WITH A LID. IT IS USED WHEN GREAT
DEAL OF ‘BHUN-NA’ OR SAUTE IS
REQUIRED, OR EVEN BOILING AND
SIMMERING. ITIS ALSO REQUIRED FOR
YAKHNI OR SALAN, KORMA OR KALIYA.

SUNIL KUMAR 28
SUNIL KUMAR 29
 DEG/ DEGCHI
IT IS A PEAR SHAPED POT WITH A LID
MADE OF BRASS, COPPER OR
ALUMINIUM. THE SHAPE OF THIS
UTENSIL IS IDEALLY SUITED FOR THE
‘DUM’ METHOD. IT IS USED FOR
COOKING PULAO, BIRYANI, NEHARI
ETC.

SUNIL KUMAR 30
 KADHAI

IT IS A DEEP, CONCAVE
UTENSIL MADE OF BRASS,
IRON OR ALUMINIUM AND
IS USED FOR DEEP
FRYING.

SUNIL KUMAR 31
 LAGAN

IT IS A ROUND 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 TOP
AND BOTTOM.

SUNIL KUMAR 32
 LOHE KA TANDOOR

IT IS AN IRON TANDOOR, AS
DITINCT FROM THE CLAY
TANDOOR MORE COMMON
IN DELHI. IT IS A KIND OF
DOME-SHAPED IRON OVEN
USED FOR MAKING MOST
OF THE BREADS SUCH AS
THE SHEERMAL, TAFTAN,
BAKARKHANI ETC.

SUNIL KUMAR 33
MAHI TAWA
IT IS THE AWADH VERSION OF
THE GRIDDLE SHAPED LIKE
ABIG ROUND, FLAT BOTTOMED
TRAY WITH RAISED EDGES, IT
IS USED FOR COOKING KABABS.
ALSO USED FOR DISHES
WHERE HEAT IS APPLIED
FROM BOTH ENDS, WHEN
COVERED.

SUNIL KUMAR 34
 SEENI
IT IS A BIG THALI OR ROUND
TRAY USUALLY USED AS A LID
FOR THE LAGAN OR MAHI
TAWA WHEN HEAT IS TO BE
APPLIED FROM THE TOP. LIVE
CHARCOAL IS PLACED ON IT
AND HEAT IS TRANSMITTED
THROUGH IT TO THE FOOD.
THUS THE INDIRECT HEAT HAS
THE DESIRED EFFECT OF
BROWNING AND COOKING THE
INGREDIENTS.

SUNIL KUMAR 35
SURAHI (EARTHENWARE
PITCHERS),
ABKHORAS (EARTHENWARE
DRINKING VESSELS)

SUNIL KUMAR 36
 ALL THE COPPER AND
BRASS UTENSILS ARE
ALMOST ALWAYS USED
AFTER ‘KALAI’ OR
TIN-PLATING THE
INSIDES.

SUNIL KUMAR 37
DELICACIES

SUNIL KUMAR 38
 KEBABS
GALAVAT KE KABAB
GOLA KABAB(GRILLED
MINCED MEAT BALL KABAB)
SHAMI KABAB
KAKORI KEBABS
GULNAAR KEBABS: KEBAB
OF CHICKEN FLAVOURED
WITH TOMATOES AND SPICES,
GARNISHED WITH ROSE
PETALS: COOKED IN A
SHALLOW PAN
SUNIL KUMAR 39
NON- VEGETARIAN
DELIGHTS
NAHARI
MURG WAJID ALI -SAFFRON
FLAVOURED CHICKEN
BREASTS DONE IN RICH
ALMOND BASED GRAVY.
MURG MUSSALLAM
KUNDAN KALIYA
NARGISI KOFTA
SUNIL KUMAR 40
MURG KORMA
PISTEY KA SAALAN
MURG-DO-PYAZA
ZAMIN DOZ: WHOLE FISH
STUFFED WITH SPICES, SEALED
IN AN EARTHENWARE CASE,
BURIED IN THE GROUND AND
COOKED BY PLACING COW
DUNG CAKES ON THE GROUND
ABOVE.

SUNIL KUMAR 41
 VEGETARIAN
DELIGHTS
GOBHI MUSSALLAM
DHINGRI SHABNAM
MASALEDAAR BHARWAAN
BHINDEE
NIMONA: STRICTLY HOME
FARE

SUNIL KUMAR 42
 PULAOS AND
BIRYANIS
SHAH JAHANI PULAO
DEGI BIRYANI DURING THE
DAYS OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY,
WHEN THE NAWABS OF AWADH
TOURED THEIR KINGDOMS, DEGI
BIRYANI FOUND MUCH FAVOUR
WITH THEM. IT IS HIGHLY
NUTRITIOUS AND IS MADE FROM
MARINATED LAMB CHOPS AND
RICE WITH SUBTLE BLENDING OF
CURD AND SPICES, DECORATED
WITH SILVER LEAVES.
SUNIL KUMAR 43
LUCKNOWI BIRYANI: DUM
PUKHT METHOD OF
COOKING IS USED IN THE
PREPARATION OF THIS
LAMB AND RICE
PREPARARTION
YAKHNI PULAO

SUNIL KUMAR 44
 BREADS
• NAANS
• VARQI PARANTHA
• JALEBI PARANTHA
• GILAFI KULCHA
• SHEERMAL
• TAFTAN
• ROOMALI ROTI
• BAKHARKHANI
SUNIL KUMAR 45
 DESSERTS
• LAUKI KI KHEER
• CHAWAL KI KHEER
• FIRNIV
• SHAHI TUKRE
• SHEER BRANJ
• BALAI KE TUKDE
• SHAKRAMBA: SOOJI AND RAW
MANGO KHEER
• MUTANJAN A SPICED
MEAT, SUGAR AND RICE
PREPARATION
• SAFAIDA, A SIMPLE, SWEET RICE 46
SUNIL KUMAR

DISH
JALEBIS(ZALEBIA IN ARABIC),
SWEETS FORMED IN A SPIRAL, GLAZED
WITH A SYRUP
IMERTIS, THICK SWEETS WITH SYRUP
BALU SHAHIS, MOIST, ROUND SYRUPY
SWEETS
PERA
TAR HALWA, A SWEET MADE WITH
CLARIFIED BUTTER, AND EATEN WITH
PURIS, IS PURELY HINDU

SUNIL KUMAR 47
• HALWA SOHAN,
• PAPRI, HARD AND DRY
• MALAI PAAN,
• DUDHIA, LIKE A THICK
MILK JELLY
• BARFI, DRY, WHITE AND
SOFT SHOWS THAT IT
ORIGINATED IN PERSIA
• KHURME, HARD FOLDED
PANCAKES
SUNIL KUMAR 48
• GULAB JAMUN, SOFT,
SYRUPY CROQUETTES
• JAUZI HALWA WHOLE
WHEAT HALWA

SUNIL KUMAR 49
OUR TRIP TO LUCKNOW

SUNIL KUMAR 50
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The famous imaam
bara

SUNIL KUMAR 55
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An assorted bread platter

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