Lucknow, the city of Nawabs, is perhaps one of the oldest cities in Northern India. Apart from its ‘tehzeeb ’, culture and history one thing the city takes pride is the Awadhi cuisine. An integral part of the city’s gastronomical culture, this age old culinary style was inspired by the Mughals. A delectable platter of Lucknow’s Awadhi food consists of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies. Let’s take a closer look at what makes an Awadhi dish truly sumptuous and the great picks you should definitely try.
Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, is home to one of the finest cuisine in India – the Awadhi cuisine. The roots of Awadhi cuisine connects to the Middle Eastern and Persian style of cooking, which was brought to India by the Mughal settlers. The entire cooking style consists of a great mix of grains, dry fruits, vegetables and fruits apart from the non-vegetarian dishes. With time, the style was mixed and evolved by the north Indian kingdoms, especially the Nawabs of Awadh by addition of several herbs and exotic Indian spices. The Awadhi cuisine of Lucknow today stands as a sign of the preservation of culture by the locals.
Lucknow is conveniently connected to other major cities of India through air, rail and roadways. It is advised to make travel arrangements well before to avoid any hassles. The city also offers various accommodation facilities suited to different budget types. As a growing city, one can find an array of new age accommodation options like bed and breakfast, homestays and even Oyo rooms in Lucknow. Advance booking is always advisable in case of accommodations.
Talking of Awadhi cuisine, your Lucknow trip cannot be complete without trying these top 5 delicacies.
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Murgh Mussallam: A perfect mix of Persian
flavours and Awadhi cooking. It is basically a whole, roasted chicken stuffed with several spices and boiled eggs. The dish is garnished with dry fruits and wrapped in edible silver foil known aswark . -
Tunde Kebab: Another Awadhi delight, is prepared using minced mutton and several spices.
Being the trademark dish of the city, many local restaurants still keep their ingredients a secret. -
Shami Kebab: One of the most selling delicacy of Lucknow, the dish can be found in every nook and corner of the city. The dish is prepared using minced meat, vegetables and several
spices whichis held together by egg batter and turned into a patty before pan frying. Vegetarian version of the dish is also available which is used makes peas, cauliflower and potatoes. -
Shahi Korma: This delicious dish is used
making mutton and is normally offered with gravy.Korma is an Urdu term meaning cooked meat, hence the dish. The meat is usually mixed with yogurt, spices, cream, nuts and cooked on slow heat (also known as Dum Pukht). -
Biryani : Another trademark dish of the city, the Lucknawi Biryani is prepared not just in restaurants but also at homes. In this, boiled rice is added to cooked meat along with more spices and cooked over slow heat until it all becomes a good mix. It’s said a perfectbiryani can be identified with its aroma.
Apart from Lucknow, the Awadhi cuisine carries its stronghold in neighbouring cities as well. Tourist and locals alike frequent these towns in search of great taste. It’s like taking a Pune to Mumbai cab to enjoy Vada Pavs or travelling from Delhi to Agra to enjoy delicious Pethas . Nonetheless, Lucknow never fails to entice travellers with its fantastic, delicious offerings.
