Amazing confluence of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah’s royal kitchen and music.

It is said that music keeps playing in the royal kitchen of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh. Due to which the mood of kitchen and mines was determined. He was the Nawab who took the rituals and experiments of the mines to the next label. Many of the dishes which will be very famous around you, you will not have any idea that this is the gift of Wajid Ali Shah’s mind. Many times he used to give challenges. Do you know the story of unfaithful Kawab and in the same way the biryani made of garlic without onion.

First of all, let’s talk about Nawab Wajid Ali Shah’s relationship with the royal kitchen and song-music. For him, the place was like artistic practice, in which music, raga, perfume, prayer and food flavors used to mix together. He believed that “hunger is also a tone, and food is his melody.”
This was the biggest example of considering the “kitchen a means of juice” in the culture of Awadh.

In the court of Wajid Ali Shah, special ragas were played at the time of cooking. The raga of all the time was different and according to that food was also taken different flavors and mood according to different times. If the tone of the raga courtie Shankara was shattered at night, then this food was heavy, thick and non -vegetarian. The morning raga used to be from Bhairav, meaning this time is of light sattvic food, so at that time food or breakfast was of the same mood.

After listening to these ragas, cook used to cook food, so that the pace of hands and the speed of the brain remains coordinated. They were taught that the food should be cooked after listening to the “voice”, not watching the clock. The royal fancists were given primary education of music. It seems to be innovative experiments. It does not seem to have been repeated in the world of catering or in some other way. But it seems that Wajid Ali must have been how many innovative men of his time.

When “Kofta-e-Nargissi” was cooked, a thumri was often sung in the raga Yemen, “Nain Milay Ke, Prem Batay Ke…” Banchi believed that it keeps moisture in the hands and rhythm in the mind. The stories of the kitchen of the Nawab of Awadh are famous all over the country. Even when the British took him to Kolkata, he took all the courtiers, Jananakhana and the royal kitchen with him.

So what do you feel with this name. How would it have been unfaithful kebabs and how it would have been made. There is also an anecdote. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah said to the chief conscience, “Make a kebab that disappears as soon as he comes on the tongue – like a Mehboob’s infidelity!”

Nawab meant, soft, silky, dissolving in the mouth – raw, but cooked. This challenge was given to “Talat Ali Bawarchi”. He marinated the meat in papaya juice, curd and more than 120 spices for months. Then cooked it on low flame on a thin pan – without turning.

And then the same kebab which was called, “Bewafa Kebab” or “Galaoti Kebab” (Galaoti means that which dissolves in “cheeks”). This is the Kawab which many famous kebabs of Lucknow make brands and feed the world.

The story of Wajid Ali Shah and without onion-garlic biryani is a unique, interesting and slightly mysterious anecdote in the world of Awadhi and Lucknowi food. This can be called a beautiful confluence of kitchen challenge, Nawabi Zayke and religious-cultural sensitivity.

Around 1856, Wajid Ali Shah was removed from power by the British. He was spending a deported life in Kolkata (Metiabruz), even then he did not give up his royal lifestyle.

One day there was a discussion in his court that the taste of biryani is incomplete without onion and garlic. Many courtiers and cook also agreed. At that time, Lucknowi Biryani was made with onion-garlic, but Wajid Ali Shah felt that it should be proved that even without these two, biryani can become “delicious”.

The Nawab called his most trusted Khas Bachchi ‘Mohammad Mahfuz Ali’ and said, “Even if you can create such a flaw without onion and garlic that people are forced to lick fingers – then understand your wonder!”

Mahfuz Ali took a challenge, but was not easy. Onion-garlic does not just taste taste, but also works to soft meat and “bind the spices”.

Mahfuz Ali prepared a unique mixture of spices. Nutmeg, Javitri, Kevda, Rose water, cardamom, cinnamon, balanced combination of cloves. Yogurt was used for “body”. Tejpatta, green coriander and mint. Clean ghee and low heat-ie ‘powerful’ technology. The most important thing was “Marinet to be marinated with yogurt and papaya juice”, which made it very soft and tasteful without onion-garlic.

When this biryani was presented before the Nawab, he tasted a morsel. Closed eyes. Then slowly said smiling,
“This is a prayer… God is mentioned on the pretext of eating!” Nawab named it, “Neer Onion, Neer Lasun Biryani” means “biryani devoid of onion-garlic”

This biryani later began to be presented on some special religious occasions, especially on those occasions when onion-garlic was abstained (eg on the days of Muharram or for Vaishnavas). Even today, many traditional cook houses – especially in Lucknow and Metiabruz (Kolkata) – make this style biryani. It is also called “Satvik Nawabi Biryani”.

When the sweetness in Sivaiyan came from new Panayog

Wajid Ali Shah liked sweet Sivahayan, but one day he said to his special cook, “Try to be so late that even without sugar.”
Chefy roasted dry sivas in ghee and put poppy seeds, dry fruits, rose water, kevda, and cardamom in them. Then there was no milk, but mawa (khoya) was added to it. Cook on low heat. So this food was of course not sweet from sugar but came as a new sweet experiment, it was called Kimami Sivaiyan. It is made like Prasad on Muharram and Eid.

Once the Nawab jokingly said, “Make a biryani that will eat himself, we do not even touch the stove.” In response, it was also made. Chefan used the ashes of the oven, in which Biryani’s “Handi” was pressed between hot stones.
The stove was not the heat of the stove, but the inner steam and heat continued to die. A biryani named “Dum-e-Lakhanvi” was cooked without direct heat. There was such a softness and fragrant style in its taste that Nawab himself was shocked.

Source:
Pushpesh Pant – Gourmet Journeys Through India
SADAF Hussain-Dastarkhwan-e-Awadh
Articles of Pak historians, especially on Metiabruz’s kitchen
Kitchen -based documentees: “Raja Rasoi Aur Anya Kahaniyaan”
Abdul Haleem Sharr – Guzishta Lucknow
Dr. Salma Hussain – Solyly for the Soul: Nawabi Cuisine and Culture
Raja rasoi aur anya kahaniyaan (EPIC TV)
Lucknow University Archives on Sanjay Suryavanshi’s Awadh