The Royal Court of Avadh was famed for excellence in every sphere. The Nawab himself a gifted musician, was a discerning connoisseur of the performing arts, poetry, sword craft and a great patron of culinary excellence. Princes from kingdoms as far away as Persia were sent to Avadh for tutelage in 'nazaqat' - the acquisition of fine taste.
Avadhi cooking is very evolved and very intricate. The making of a certain kind of kebab (there are over a 100 varieties made in Lucknow even as of today) would demand a certain cut of mutton from a said variety of lamb, marinaded thus, spiced so, smoked for hours over a slow fire of a specified wood, all by a team of cooks under the eagle eye of the Royal Cook. The dish, of course, would be served (as is done to date) with an appropriate roti/paratha/naan/sheermal accompanied by the chutney or pickle thought best for the purpose.
The event is said to have occurred in the 18th century. The annual festival of the Royal Court was under way and artistes, performers and poets from across lands were gathered, displaying their talents and collecting their reward. The Royal kitchen was of course bustling with activity and the aroma of the epicurean delights they were cooking up was wafting into the Royal Court, increasingly distracting the young princes from the cultural feast they were being treated to. Finally, one of the princes (doubtless from some barbaric land) could take no more and he ran from the court and broke into the kitchen. This started a riot with the other princes following suit rushing to the kitchen, grabbing food from the vessels and gorging themselves while the Royal retinue watched, aghast.
The chief cook was the first to recover his wits; he ordered his cooks quickly into a line to hand out rotis/parathas with kebabs wrapped in them with a splash of chutney.
When the king entered the kitchen he found the riot well controlled and the cooks hard at work quickly dishing out meals 'to go'.
Legend has it that the king was so overcome by gratitude for the deft handling of the situation that he took off all the jewellery he was wearing and ordered it distributed among the kitchen staff for 'saving Avadh's izzat'.
And thus was born what is known as the Kathi Kabab Roll.
Source. Food folklore.
Tailpiece.
Got up at our usual time, the chores and was ready by a half past 9. Lekha is into the 'Ayodhya Kaandham', where King Dasaratha has passed away and Bharatha is preparing to inform Sri Ram about the mishap.
Bibin of the PCI had come by, to carry out the quarterly servicing of the house with sprays and pastes. Have also renewed the AMC.
PS.
51 years back, it was on this day that American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin had landed on the Moon, at the Sea of Tranquility. The third astronaut, Michael Collins was circling the moon in the Command Module all the while! And I was in class IX at the Sainik School, Kazhakootam.
Avadhi cooking is very evolved and very intricate. The making of a certain kind of kebab (there are over a 100 varieties made in Lucknow even as of today) would demand a certain cut of mutton from a said variety of lamb, marinaded thus, spiced so, smoked for hours over a slow fire of a specified wood, all by a team of cooks under the eagle eye of the Royal Cook. The dish, of course, would be served (as is done to date) with an appropriate roti/paratha/naan/sheermal accompanied by the chutney or pickle thought best for the purpose.
The event is said to have occurred in the 18th century. The annual festival of the Royal Court was under way and artistes, performers and poets from across lands were gathered, displaying their talents and collecting their reward. The Royal kitchen was of course bustling with activity and the aroma of the epicurean delights they were cooking up was wafting into the Royal Court, increasingly distracting the young princes from the cultural feast they were being treated to. Finally, one of the princes (doubtless from some barbaric land) could take no more and he ran from the court and broke into the kitchen. This started a riot with the other princes following suit rushing to the kitchen, grabbing food from the vessels and gorging themselves while the Royal retinue watched, aghast.
The chief cook was the first to recover his wits; he ordered his cooks quickly into a line to hand out rotis/parathas with kebabs wrapped in them with a splash of chutney.
When the king entered the kitchen he found the riot well controlled and the cooks hard at work quickly dishing out meals 'to go'.
Legend has it that the king was so overcome by gratitude for the deft handling of the situation that he took off all the jewellery he was wearing and ordered it distributed among the kitchen staff for 'saving Avadh's izzat'.
And thus was born what is known as the Kathi Kabab Roll.
Source. Food folklore.
Tailpiece.
Got up at our usual time, the chores and was ready by a half past 9. Lekha is into the 'Ayodhya Kaandham', where King Dasaratha has passed away and Bharatha is preparing to inform Sri Ram about the mishap.
Bibin of the PCI had come by, to carry out the quarterly servicing of the house with sprays and pastes. Have also renewed the AMC.
PS.
51 years back, it was on this day that American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin had landed on the Moon, at the Sea of Tranquility. The third astronaut, Michael Collins was circling the moon in the Command Module all the while! And I was in class IX at the Sainik School, Kazhakootam.
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