Wine & Dine – The Nawabi Way !

Lamb, generally speaking, is an immensely wine-friendly meat, and when it’s lightly flavoured with herbs, garlic and olive oil, it’s even more suited to red wine.  In general, bigger was better, though in the very best pairings the wines were well structured and showed some refinement. However in India everything comes with a twist .So instead of just plain old cooked lamb what we have here is something better, something tastier and something royal .Here we call it Kababs .

So the next time you plan to eat out just walk into Kakori Kababs & Curries. We offer you a range of mouth watering delicacies that will leave you wanting for more.

Order a bottle of Red Wine and as you enjoy the ambience while taking the occasional sip pick what you want to tantalize your taste buds with.

Be sure to try out the in house specialty, the kabab which gives the place its name, the Kakori Kabab. Originating from Kakori, a place in Lucknow, these are delicious mouth watering tender rolls of minced lamb mixed with mild spices and cooked on a skewer in a clay oven.

If you want something that the former Nawabs were fond of then Sikandari Raan is just the dish for you. It is the leg of a baby lamb, marinated overnight and char-grilled in a clay oven.

If you are still in the mood for more and the wine just refuses to finish then go ahead and try out either the Ghost Sheek Kabab or the Barra Kabab. The Barra Kabab is a plateful of delicious lamb chops marinated in spices from the beautiful land of Kashmir.

A Nawabi meal, perfect in every aspect with service that would equal any royal household is just the perfect way to end the day.

Lucknowi Tehzeeb

Lucknow, the ‘golden city of the east’ retains an old world charm that fascinates one and all. Regarded as one of the finest cities of India, Lucknow emanates a culture that combines emotional warmth, a high degree of sophistication, courtesy and a love for gracious living. This sublime cultural richness famous as ‘Lucknowi Tehzeeb’ blends the cultures of two communities living side by side for centuries, sharing similar interests, speaking a common language – Urdu.

Tehzeeb means to be orderly and dedicated to building ones lives on a solid foundation of order and service. Many of the cultural traits and customs peculiar to Lucknow have become living legends today. The credit for this goes to the Nawabs of Awadh, who took keen interest in every walk of life and encouraged everyone to attain a rare degree of perfection.

During olden days, male children of Nawabs used to be sent to learn Tehzeeb to the Dancing girls of Chowk, i.e. inside Akbari Darwaza in Nakhas area. The language spoken by these Nawabs was Urdu, perhaps the sweetest sounding language in India. It is also said that since the time of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, it was a social prevalence to be extra courteous and soft-spoken using chosen lingua; interacting with each other and going to the Nawab’s palace which was open to all. This free access to approach the Nawab made his ‘riyaya’ so ‘tehzeebzada’ that it became a tradition and was carried through generations.

Sample this funny story (chances are you might have heard it before already in some form):
Two Nawabs of Awadh wait to board a train. When they find they are both making to enter, they step aside and the first immediately makes way for the second saying, ‘Pehle aap’. But the second will have none of it and likewise insists, ‘Pehle aap’. The first Nawab however will not budge from his position and neither will the second, both insisting that the other must board first. The polite impasse continues until the train departs.

Maybe they were carrying politeness a bit too far, but history tells us that the tehzeeb of Awadh really was something else. It showed in the care even ordinary citizens took in dressing themselves, in adornment, in speech, and manner, in their appreciation of art and music and especially in developing a refined culinary standard.

Indian cooking styles

Indian cooking has its own set of cooking techniques, methods, and equipments, like any other cuisine of the world, and these also differ from region to region. The cooking methods here are as versatile as our language. In general terms, cookery is the art of preparing food by the application of heat. The methods of cookery involve gentle to intense heat, wet or dry, and vary in application from natural fires to complicated technological instruments.

A variety of food items are cooked, such as tough meats and starchy vegetables, which makes them easier to eat and also improves the taste. There are various reasons why we cook our food. The basic ones are:

• Cooking makes food easy to digest.
• Cooking improves the appearance in flavour, texture and colour
• Cooking helps in preserving the food, by making the food safe and sterile

The choice of the most suitable method of cooking is fundamental to achieving the most palatable results. The methods of cooking can be classified according to the method of heat transfer to the food: conduction, convection, or radiation. I have some listed some popular and common Indian Cooking techniques; however cooking techniques differ by region.

Tandoor:

Tandoori cooking is one of the highlights of Indian cuisine. The Indian tandoor is a clay oven that can reach temperatures as high as 550⁰F. It looks like a rounded bee-hive. Tandoori is a hotter and quicker form of cooking than the western barbecue. It is used to make naan breads, kebabs, tandoori meats and stuffed rotis and paranthas.

A traditional tandoori oven must be seasoned. A paste is made of spinach and applied to the inner surface and left to dry. Paste of mustard oil, buttermilk, jaggery and salt is applied over the spinach. A small fire is lit and the temperature allowed to rise gradually until the emulsion peels away from the walls of the tandoor. Repeat for a few times. A brine solution is sprinkled on the inner walls to facilitate the sticking of breads like naans to the sides. To know if the oven temperature is optimum, try and stick a naan to the sides, if it falls off, the oven is not hot enough. Meats and Paneer are marinated; the kebabs are seasoned with herbs and spices. They are also basted with ghee to withstand the drying of meats which happens at such high temperatures. Meats, Kebabs and Naan come out perfect in a Tandoor.

Dum (Steaming):

This process reflects the ingenuity of the Indian chefs. They virtually created a baking oven and a pressure cooker with very simple ideas. Food was partially cooked beforehand. They then put this in a pot and sealed the cover with atta (dough) to capture the moisture within the food as it cooked tenderly and slowly over a charcoal fire. Coals were also placed on the lid to ensure even cooking.

They then added their main ingredients like rice or vegetables or meats or all three with spices, herbs, seasonin

gs, saffron, and tomato and let the food continue to cook in its own steam. The entire dish retained all its flavour and aroma and the slow cooking created perfect foods fit for their emperors and kings.

 

The Indian Biryani is one of the most popular Dum dishes. Dum means “to steam”.

Frying: Frying is the process of cooking food in hot fat or oil. Food can be fried in two ways.

a)      Shallow frying    &     b)      Deep frying

 

 

Baghar/Tadka/Chonk (Instant seasonings/Tempering):

The goal of this technique is to add flavour to a dish very quickly. Spices and herbs are added to hot oil/ghee. Hot oil extracts and retains the aroma, essence and flavour of the spices and herbs. This tempering is done in two ways.

1. As the first step in the cooking process, before adding the rice, vegetables or lentils.
   
2. Pouring the tempered oil over dal. Spices and herbs cooked this way retain and enhance their flavours.

A common recipe for baghar is to add either cumin or mustard seeds in hot oil and let them sizzle for a few seconds then add a pinch of asafoetida and red chilli powder.

Uses – Pour over cooked lentils that have already been boiled with ginger and turmeric, over steamed vegetables and over yogurt raitas and rice

.

Grilling:

Grilling is cooking over glowing fire. The food is supported on an iron grid over the fire, or between electrically heated grill bars. The grill bars are brushed with oil to prevent food sticking and can be heated by charcoal, coke, gas or electricity. The food is cooked on both sides to give the distinctive flavour of grilling.

Roasting:

Another method of cooking food by dry heat is called roasting. Roasting is cooking on a glowing fire. While roasting, the food is put directly on the hot tava, hot stand or hot fire and cooked. For e.g., brinjals, potatoes, maize etc.

 

 Baking:

Baking is a method in which food is placed inside a closed box called an oven. The inside the oven is made hot by fire or electricity. The food gets cooked by hot air. This is among the lesser used methods in Indian kitchens.

 

 

 

 

Dhuanaar (Smoke Seasoning):

Glowing charcoal is placed in a small pot, which is ten put in a bigger pot. Cooked meats are placed around this. Dry spices and ghee are poured on top of the coals and a lid is quickly placed over the larger pot. These meats imbibe the fresh smoke taste of ghee and cumin. It is very popular in the cold months of North India, especially in the desert areas.

Extravaganza of the Nawabs!

The Nawabs in India descended from a Persian adventurer called Sadat Khan, who was named Nawab of Awadh in 1732. As the Mughal empire waned, the Nawabs grew stronger and more independent and the need to out-do the Mughals and impress the British became more important than running their kingdoms.

An English visitor to the court of Awadh wrote, “The style in which this remote colony lived was surprising, far exceeding even the expense and luxuriousness of Calcutta”, the then capital of India. The British, already impressed with the lavishness of the Mughals, were flabbergasted by the Nawabs’ excessiveness.

While the Nawabs were lovers of poetry, song, dance and kept large harems, most of the money from their treasury went towards food. The average spend on food in those days would be in the region of Rs 70,000 per month, and this did not include the salaries of the vast retinue of cooks who were a highly prized and zealously protected lot during their reign.”

There were three categories of cooks in the household. The ‘bawarchis’, who cooked food in large quantities; the ‘rakabdars’ who were gourmet chefs and prepared exquisite dishes and meals; and the ‘nanfus’ who made a selection of rotis and breads. There were many ‘rakabdars’ in a household, each specializing in a particular dish or cuisine.

A typical everyday ‘dastarkhwan’ or spread of food in Awadh would not be complete unless it had the following dishes:

• Korma (braised meat in thick gravy)
• Salan (a gravy dish of meat or vegetable)
• Qeema (minced meat)
• Kababs (pounded meat fried or roasted over a charcoal fire)
• Bhujia (cooked vegetables)
• Dal
• Pasinda (fried slivers of very tender meat in gravy)
• Rice cooked with meat in the form in the form of a pulao, chulao (fried rice) or  served plain
• There would also be a variety of rotis.
• Deserts like Gullati (rice pudding), kheer (milk sweetened and boiled with whole rice to a thick consistency), Sheer Brunj, (a rich, sweet rice dish boiled in milk), Muzaffar (vermicelli fried in ghee and garnished with saffron).

The menu changed seasonally and with the festivals. In the winters, paya (trotters), meat koftas and kidneys were favoured along with birds like partridge and quail. In the spring and summer, they included fish in their diets.

(Source: http://sanjivkhamgaonkar.wordpress.com/2011/02/)

India-the spice bowl of the world!

They come in different shapes and colours, dried or fresh to brighten up you food palette! They add taste, colour and variety to the human existence and cause you to cringe in their absence. Just a pinch here or an extra there, can make a world of difference! Enter, the great Indian spices! From the tiny mustard, to the shapely kaali mirch, from exotic kesar to the ubiquitous haldi, spices have always helped Indian food stand out in the global arena.

The fame of Indian spices is older than recorded history. The story of Indian Spices is more than 7000 years old. Centuries before Greece and Rome had been discovered, sailing ships were carrying Indian spices, perfumes and textiles to Mesopotamia, Arabia and Egypt. It was the lure of these that brought many seafarers to the shores of India.

The Greek merchants thronged the markets of South India, buying many expensive items amongst which spices were one. Epicurean Rome was spending a fortune on Indian spices, silks, brocades, Dhaka Muslin and cloth of gold, etc. It is also said that Indian spices and other famed products were the main lure for expeditions to the East.

Today, when spices cost so little, it seems unbelievable that they were once a royal luxury and that men were willing to risk their lives in quest of them. The spices of the East were very valuable in those times; a pound of ginger was worth a sheep, a pound of mace worth three sheep or half a cow. There were rich people who were ready to exchange gold for pepper and cinnamon.

Now, even scientists are diving into the kitchen cupboard and discovering, to their pleasant surprise, the significant health benefits of some of the most common Indian.

The following is a list of commonly used Indian spices and some of their health benefits:

• Bay Leaf
  Bay leaves contain compounds called parthenolides which have been helpful in the treatment of migraines, which could explain its traditional use as a natural headache remedy. They also contain eugenol, a compound with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, explaining their long-use in herbal cold remedies.

• Cardamom
  This versatile spice is included in a wide range of dishes, from Indian curries to desserts and teas. It’s believed to counteract stomach acidity, stimulate appetite, ease nausea, cure bad breath, and relieve gas and bloating. Referred to as the “Queen of All Spices” it contains potent antioxidants and is often included in liver detox. Cardamom has also been used as both an aphrodisiac and to fight obesity. Yet more study needs to be done on how well it may aid weight loss.

• Cinnamon
  This spice is a rich source of antioxidants, has anti-inflammatory properties, eases digestion, and may even reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels. It also helps stimulate blood flow and is an herbal remedy for poor circulation. Cinnamon is also considered helpful for weight loss, but more research is still needed.

• Cloves
  The active compounds in clove lend it anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. It is also has anti-inflammatory effects and has been studied for use in aiding detoxification from environmental pollutants.

• Cumin
  As a traditional herbal remedy its uses include: diuretic (helps the body shed water), relieve diarrhea and bowel spasms, relieve morning sickness, and ease carpal tunnel syndrome.

• Fennel Seed
  Fennel seeds are not only loaded with powerful antioxidants, but also contains fibre, foliate, potassium, and vitamin C. It is believed to boost the immune system, reduce blood pressure, and aid in detoxification of the body. It contains compounds that help relieve smooth muscle spasms, which in effect, helps ease abdominal cramping and spasms. Fennel is also a mild appetite suppressant.

• Ginger
  Ginger is packed with many active compounds, including gingerols, zingibain, bisabolenel, oleoresins, zingiberole, just to list a few. Its many proven uses: naturally treat nausea from morning sickness, treat nausea related to motion sickness (found to be more effective than Dramamine, without the side-effects); anti-inflammatory properties help ease muscle and joint pain. It also has a diaphoretic property (causes sweating) and so is used to cleanse and detoxify the body, stimulate circulation, and ease bronchitis and congestion.

• Turmeric
  Often called the “King of Spices”, turmeric is an essential ingredient to the mix of spices known by most of us as curry. Its primary antioxidant, curcumin, is an essential ingredient for liver detox and is also a natural arthritis treatment for its anti-inflammatory effects. The latest scientific studies are showing that turmeric may also be a promising diet aid that targets the belly fat by inhibiting the growth of fat cells.

• Saffron (Zaffran)
  It is the most expensive spice of all. It has a distinctively pungent, honey-like flavour and aroma. It is available as whole threads or powdered. When ground they form a russet powder. The filaments can be lightly roasted, crumbled in a little hot water and left to infuse to bring out their full strength. Saffron is used to colour rice dishes, sweets, puddings, sauces and soups to bright yellow.
  Saffron, a spice derived from the flower of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus), is native to Southwest Asia.

• Onion Seeds (Kalonji)
  These are small, irregular shaped black seeds of the plant that grows in India – Kalonji. This spice can be used fresh or dry roasted in curries, and added to vegetables, relishes, pickles and yogurts. It is featured in many spice mixtures such as the Bengali five-spice mixture panchphoron, which also includes fenugreek, mustard, cumin and fennel.

India has a long culinary tradition of creating complex and flavourful dishes that are better known for their rich taste rather than their health benefits. Yet, it’s this liberal use of herbs and spices that makes this style of cooking highly nutritious.

http://www.kakorikababs.com/

Source: www.health.com

Paneer – Indian cheese at its best!

Paneer is one food item which can be found in every kitchen in every corner of India. Once a hardcore vegetarian friend told me that paneer is craved by every vegetarian, the way a non-vegetarian craves for chicken! I cannot deny the fact, that although I am a hardcore non-vegetarian, I still love paneer. Unlike other cheese in the world, Indian cheese does not have rennet, hence it is completely vegetarian.

Making paneer is a fairly a simple process; it is prepared by boiling whole cream milk and adding acid or lemon to it to separate the thick contents. When the milk coagulates the water is removed and pressed to get a block of paneer.

Paneer has many health benefits and is a treasure trove of nutrition.

For one, paneer is actually light on the stomach and easy to digest. Also, paneer has the necessary amount of protein required by the body for growth and renewal.

What many of you might not be aware of is the fact that Paneer is stacked up with calcium. Hence, it helps children and women to strengthen their bones. Paneer also helps to prevent and reduce back and joint problems.

Paneer, taken in moderation, actually helps in reducing weight. So, for all those who are on a strict diet and believe that eating paneer is a sin; here is a myth which is busted. You could include paneer as part of your diet too.

There is also another interesting aspect to this food item; paneer reduces the development of insulin resistance syndrome. This syndrome is associated with obesity, hypertension and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Hence, paneer is all about tackling the problem of insulin dependent diabetes.

Apart from all these advantages, there is this one big reason why you should have Paneer- it simply tastes delicious. Awadhi cuisine and paneer go hand in hand. Paneer is considered the most royal vegetarian dish of all, and why not – the Nawabs of Awadh loved it and the khansamas of these Nawabs made a variety of rich dishes with paneer. Now, Kakori Kababs & Curries bring you the same royal paneer dishes which used to be prepared for the royals!

Lassi – The Indian Smoothie!

Indian cuisine is as diverse as its people. Among the drinks or beverages consumed in India, lassi is quite popular. Lassi is known as the World’s 1st smoothie! This roots of this refreshing drink date back to the very beginnings of Indian civilization – 1000 B.C from Punjab (North India). Prized throughout India for its great taste and healing properties. It’s a wonderfully light, cool & creamy blend of yogurt, flavoured with the finest fruits and spices.

 It is consumed by over one billion Asians throughout the world. With its smooth, cool and refreshing taste, it is the perfect accompaniment to the hot and spicy flavours that epitomise Indian cuisine. This traditional drink is economical and plentiful in India, where cows and buffalo provide an overflow of dairy-based recipes. Chilled lassi is an extremely effective summer refreshment.

Lassi was once the preserve of India’s Maharajas. It is mentioned in ancient Indian texts and was widely used in Hindu rituals. In old times, people would have lassi because they wouldn’t get hungry quickly afterwards; and they could wait until lunch to eat again. Tart and refreshing, lassi serves to cleanse the palate alongside spicier foods. It aids digestion and is a healthy addition to any balanced diet.

 

Lassi is 100 per cent natural and is free from artificial colourings, preservatives and flavourings. Besides offering health benefits, lassi is also indulgent and can be enjoyed with or between meals.

 

The traditional lassi is a salty yoghurt drink which has a thicker consistency as compared to buttermilk. It can be savoured with various spices and ingredients, but it almost always includes ground cumin powder.

There are many twists added to lassi nowadays. Sweet lassi is a recent invention, but has become immensely popular. Rose water is a common ingredient for sweet lassi and adds a sweet, perfumed aroma to it. Sweet lassi can be flavoured with fruits like mango, pineapple, banana, lychee, strawberry, etc.

Some WOW facts about Lassi:

• Lassi is called ‘Mahi’ in Nepal.
• Lassi has a great nutritional value; it contains fat, protein, lactose, calcium, phosphorus.
• With a little turmeric powder mixed in, it can also be used as a folk remedy for gastroenteritis.
• Regular consumption of lassi reduces the chance of your hair going white before time.
• Lassi is considered to treat insomnia as it is sleep inducing.

Lassi adds a twist to everything ordinary and make it extraordinary. It’s just like creating the most refreshing drink with the simplest of ingredients!

 

 

I Heart Kababs

The world can be divided into two groups of people, those who love kababs and those who adore kababs. I am yet to meet a person who can flatly say that he does not like kababs. Depending on the way they are prepared and the ingredients used, kababs are classified into various types. Let’s look at some of the most popular kinds of kababs from the world over.

1.       Shish Kabab – It is one of the most popular and delicious kababs. They are grilled on ‘Skewers’ and go very well with steamed vegetables and salads.

2.       Doner Kabab – This type of kabab is made on a vertical rotating spit and is thereby called Doner Kabab which means ‘rotating kabab’. Shawarmas are made using this kabab. This kabab is cooked very slowly making it extremely succulent and tasty.

3.       Kathi Kabab – This is the most popular Indian kabab and is made using Tandoori chicken. It makes for a quick and tasty snack for those hunger pangs which strike without notice.

4.       Kakori Kabab – This kabab is named after a small town in Uttar Pradesh called Kakori, which is known for its wealth of experienced chefs. Part of the famous Awadhi cuisine, these kababs are made in skewers and generally eaten with rotis.

5.       Chapli Kabab – This is a minced version of kabab. It is generally very famous in Pakistan and is made from minced meat, preferably beef.

6.       Burrah Kabab – This kabab is made of spices and meat. It is part of the Mughal cuisine and very popular in South Asia.  They contain a lot of meat and are considered as a heavy meal.

7.       Kalmi Kabab – This is a very famous Indian dish where chicken drumsticks are prepared in a tandoor after the chicken has been marinated with yoghurt and a mix of spices to give it a unique flavor.

8.       Chelow Kabab – This is the national food of Iran and is very delicious. It is generally served with tomatoes, butter rice and other cooked vegetables.

9.       Galouti – This is another very popular Awadhi dish, very famous in Lucknow, India. It is served with coriander chutney which makes the combination ‘finger licking’ good!

10.   Testi Kabab – This kabab is named as Testi kabab as ‘Testi’ means jug and these kababs are served hot, in a pot or a jug. Testi kabab is a popular delicacy in Turkey.

I am sure reading about all these delicious kababs must have made you hungry. My suggestion –  head straight for Kakori Kababs & Curries, where you can sample some of these delicacies made by experienced chefs.

Biriyani,Biriyani and only Biriyani

We Indians love our biriyani and we mean it. Weddings, birthdays, anniversary, celebration, India winning tournament, or just feeling like eating something nice- Biryani it is!

There are lots of different stories about origination of biriyani in India but the most common one is that Biryani is derived from the Farsi word ‘Birian’. Based on the name, and cooking style (Dum), one can conclude that the dish originated in Persia and/or Arabia.

Now that was about the name biriyani and also different regions of India have different kinds or biriyani and their own history. I will list out a few for your understanding:

1. 2 AD mentions a Rice Dish known as “Oon Soru” (Tamil) which was used to “feed” military warriors. The ingredients mentioned were rice, ghee, meat, turmeric powder, coriander powder, pepper and bay leaf. This looks closer to Biryani we know of today.

2. Taimur (1336-1405) happens to be the “muslim ruler” who brought this dish to India from Persia according to some documentation. Taimur was in India between 1394 and 1399.

3.There is also story mentioned in Mughal Era that Mumtaz Mahal(1593-1631) once did a surprise visit to army barracks, and found that the army personnel were under nourished. She asked her chef to cook a dish which has Rice, Meat and spices giving carbs, protiens etc in right quantity to the warriors and this is the origins of Biryani. Now this story has resemblance to fact presented in #1 and in time line can be considered factually correct after Taimur’s invasion.

4. Lucknow (Awadhi) Biryani is considered the “start” of all the Biryani’s.

5. 1856, British deposed Nawab Wajid Ali Shah in Calcutta, as his cooks moved with him to Calcutta it gave rise to Calcutta Biryani.

6. Hyderabadi Biryani also has its traces in Mughal Empire. It is believed that Aurangzeb invaded the South and installed the Nizam-ul-mulk who later became the Nizam of Hyderabad. That explains the movement of the Biryani down south. From the Nizam’s kitchen originated the Hyderabadi Biryani and the complimentary sides Mirchi ka Salan, Dhanshak and Baghare Baingan.

7. The other branch of biryani is supposed to have crossed the Arabian Sea and come to Calicut, brought in by the Arab traders. The Calicut Biryani is served with vinegar pickles and papads fried in coconut oil, is a softer variety and light on the stomach has no relation in terms of taste to the other biryanis in the country.

8. In the northwest Memoni Biryani (people who inhabited the area between Sindh Gujarat and Pakistan) got evolved which is an extremely spicy biryani.

9. Another northwest Biryani that got famous is Sindhi Biryani which has its unique flavour through addition of “dried plums” and it also borrows addition of “potatoes” from Bombay Biryani.

I am sure while reading this article your mouth must be watering to gorge on some sumptuous dum biriyani. Well what are you waiting for rush to Kakori kababs and curries because I am rushing there!

Kabab goes on Guinness!

Yahoo News in 2005 reported one food-related Guinness Books of Records contestant comes from the Greek town of Patra. A restaurant owner there roasted a giant pork kebab that weighed over 4,000 pounds. The kebab was roasted on a giant skewer fueled by a natural gas tank. The kebab was roasted with over 330 pounds of spices. The current record is held by a Cypriot restaurateur who made a kebab that weighed 3,314.99 pounds. The kebab roaster, Costas Dasios said that the city’s poor would be the first to get a taste.

Now that’s a record!

Bon Appetit!

(Source: Yahoo News)