5 Signature Dishes of Awadhi Cuisine

If you are visiting Lucknow, the city of Nawabs, then treating yourself to Awadhi cuisine is a 'must-do' on your bucket list. Awadhi cuisine draws powerful inspiration from the Mughals and is considered on parallel lines with Hyderabadi, Punjabi and Kashmiri dishes. 

The fact that sets Awadhi cuisine apart from other Indian delicacies is that all recipes are cooked on a slow flame on a tawa (skillet) to ensure the absorption of all food juices and minimum nutrition loss – a technique better known as Dum Pukht.  Another highlight is the frequent use of meats such as chicken and mutton as well as spices such as cardamoms  and saffron; and a few other uncommon ingredients such as lemon grass, silver leaf, rose petals, sweet perfume and sandalwood.

Did you know that the famous song ‘Dil Ne Dastarkhwan Bichaya’ from Aditya Roy Kapur – Parineeti Chopra starer movie ‘Daawat – e- Ishq’ was inspired from ‘Dastarkhwan’ – a Persian term used in Lucknow to describe the well laid out, lavish Awadhi feast?

Next time you are in Lucknow,  you may want to indulge in a food affair with the following popular Awadhi dishes.

1.      Murg Awadhi Korma

A classic Awadhi dish, Murg Awadhi Korma is made using chicken braised in a host of dry spices, whole spices, cashewnuts and other ingredients. The specialty of this korma is that once the gravy is cooked, it is flavoured with rose water, kewra water and mitha ittar.  Another variant of this dish is making korma using lamb pieces. Exotic, isn’t it?

 

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2.      Kakori Kebab

The mention of Awadhi cuisine is incomplete without the succulent kebabs, especially Kakori kebabs.  Named after Kakori, a city situated in the outskirts of Lucknow, these kebabs are made of minced meat and allowed to cook slowly on a skewer.  They taste even better when sprinkled with a  dash of lemon and rose petal powder.  Other famous kebabs include Galouti (made from lamb),Shami (made from mutton/lamb) and Pasanda (made from mutton).

 

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3.      Sheermal

Grab a bite of Sheermal, a sweet mughlai naan baked in oven. The flavours of saffron and cardamom mixed in warm milk are added to the dough to lend a delicious aroma to this flat bread. You can eat Sheermal as it is or along with meat based curries.

 

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4.       Pulao Noor Mahal

If the name itself is royal, then imagine how heavenly it would taste. As you would have guessed, this is a rice based dish flavoured with yakhni (meat stock, yoghurt and saffron mix) and hence also called Yakhni Pulao.

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5.      Khubani Ka Meetha

Any Indian food plate is incomplete without a dessert, and so is the Awadhi gastronomical plate.  Khubani Ka Meetha is a unique type of sweet prepared from dried apricots, lemon-sugar syrup and almonds.  It is a trademark Awadhi sweet dish for a wedding or other ceremonial menu.  It is typically served with malai, ice cream or custard.

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Hope you enjoyed the Awadhi food journey with us. 

Have you ever tasted Awadhi cuisine? We would love to know more about your experience!