Crave Bits

Tag: lucknow

  • Tunday Kababi:Serving Perfection

    Tunday Kababi:Serving Perfection

    The effortless tossing and spinning atop fingertips that have mastered the art of making soft,well spanned rumali rotis,skewers being fanned ,the spicy aroma of kebabs being made on open charcoal flames ,the soft smoky smell that lingers in your nostrils,the slicing and dicing of fresh salad,onions chopped into rings and the chutney being made on stone ‘silbatta’ ,coriander,chillies and lemon grounded into a perfect mix. This is the heavenly sight of the Tunday Kababi’s open kitchen in Aminabad ,Lucknow.
    Established in the year of 1905,this place has still not lost its charm and flavour.It has never ceased to amaze people.The city of Nawabs has yet another ace in its deck of foody cards.With numerous franchises across the nation,in fact some even around the globe,The original Tunday Kababi is the Kohinoor of its kabab kingdom.

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    A typical eatery with all the cooking,simmering,frying and brewing happening right in front of your eyes,attaining a seat here is a tough bargain.
    A colossal menu that comprises of every Mughlai dish you could think of,presents before you a dilemma that is tough to tackle,let alone dismiss.
    To choose between biryanis ,kormas,shorbas and kebabs is without a doubt a really tough call.But to ease that tensed nerve ,here is a suggestion,begin with the all time favorite and famous KABAB.
    Galuati,seekh,shaami,kakori,pasinda and boti kabab.Yes THOSE are the types of kababs that you have to choose from.Though it totally depends upon what your personal choice of kabab is,yet for those who are treading on the Nawabi grounds of mughlai food for the first time,a personal favorite is the Galauati kabab.
    This particular type of kabab is a favorite of a vast majority,hence in all possibility ,even the rarest of cases who are not fond of anything mughlai will develop a liking to the galauati ,the moment their tastebuds come in contact with the kabab.

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    What is so special about it?
    Well now,getting into the details of WHAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL,we begin with the preparation.Galauati kababs are made from mutton that is well beaten ,tender and juicy.They are then kneaded and rolled into soft lumpy round masses and then pressed down in a perfect circular shape on the ‘tava’ heated on charcoal flame.Flipped more than three times,the benefit of such rigorous cooking methodology will be uncovered as soon as your order arrives.The subtle smoky and spicey smell of crispy kababs is the most prominent of all sights in your plate.Taking the first bite would require you to break a portion of the soft rumali roti and as you pressure your finger on top of the kebab,the crispy crust of it breaks away ,paving way towards a soft ,juicy center. Precisely,this is the beauty of tunday ke kabab.Its not just a treat to the palate but a visual and olfactory treat as well.
    Having made your first bite,the very moment you place it on your tongue,you would experience a subtle yet savory blast of flavours.The spices ,the way the mutton is marinated ,the smoky charcoal aroma,the freshness of the chutney and salad,all work together to conjure up the most fantastic of mughal food experiences.After the first,there is no stopping,you shall devour all the contents in your plate.
    If your stomach still allows ,the butter chicken,Nahari mutton,Mughlai parantha,mutton curry and mutton biryani are also a must try.Neither too spicy nor too bland,maintaining the perfect balance of flavours the butter chicken and mutton gravy are also among the list of popular favorites.

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    The Mughlai parantha comes by as a surprise element. Clad in the spongy soft armor of flour made exterior with beautiful brown-1red spots bearing the sign of being well made,resides the core made up of mutton stuffed in every interstice of it.
    This preparation is one beast of a dish that absolutely escalates the sensitivity of your tastebuds,catapulting you to the most sensuous of all palatial pleasures.The biryanis have a similar effect.Yet as stated earlier,the kababs are the show stealers .On the whole ,Tunday kababi offers you dishes that envelope your senses and make every bite an experience so indulgent that it leaves an everlasting mark on your memory.Each cell in your brain,stomach and tongue shall remember its delicious and delectable taste.Your olfactory nerves shall tingle at the mere thought of it,and the salivary glands shall water at the name of its dish.

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    Amazingly enough,an order for two people costs around Rs.250 or so and what is even more praiseworthy is just how filling this food is!As far as the hygiene,quality and validity of the praises showered are concerned,well it has been functional for over a hundred years,has numerous franchises and has a four and a half stars on Zomato,now that speaks volumes!A complete paisa vasool,each penny shelled out is justified by each bite you eat.Value for money,great taste,unforgettable experience and a delectable treat to the senses all under the same roof. The royal foody stroll in the fields of Nawabi Kababi would not have been possible without them!BON APETITE!

  • Unparalleled Taste of the Awadhi Cuisine

    Unparalleled Taste of the Awadhi Cuisine

    The sumptuous meal that the city of Awadh has to offer is nothing short of magical. The royalty and the grandeur of it will leave you mesmerized. It will leave an everlasting impression on your taste buds. You’ll always want some more of it. You will get the Nawabi feel in every bite you take. Such is the magnificence of the Awadhi cuisine. The city is notably famous for the dum style of cooking. It originated in Awadh, or the present day Lucknow. This style of cooking goes back to the 16th century. The food is cooked over a slow fire in a closed container.  With the increased time of cooking, the entire flavour of the spices and herbs used, is released into the dish. This gives a distinct taste to the Awadhi cuisine. Sometimes cooking dough is used to seal the mouth of the container in which the dish is being prepared. This leads to aroma of the spices to seep through the dough, thus providing it with a flavour.

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    Awadhi Dumpukht

    Not just the style of cooking, but also the way in which the meal is spread out elaborately, will make your mouth water. The presentation of the food has a royal touch to it. When you sit down to eat, it will appear to you that you’re a king and everyone on the table is waiting for you to take the first bite! In the olden times, the spread was laid out in the centre and it was necessary for everyone to sit around and eat together. Such a spread is known as Dastarkhwan. It consists of a variety of dishes like kebabs, korma, biryani, roomali rotis, nihari kulchas, sheermal etc. Such practices can still be observed around the city. The menu of the Dastarkhwan changes with the seasons.

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    A typical example of the spread: Dastarkhwan

    The menu of winters is very different from that of spring. In winters, heat giving, rich meat is preferred. During spring, various kinds of crispy snacks are prepared. Similarly during summers, a variety of dishes and desserts are prepared using raw mangoes. Sewaiyan is another sweet dish which can be often seen in the houses during the pious months of Ramzan. The dishes that form a major part of the Awadhi platter are Kebabs, Biryani, Korma and a variety of breads. Kebab is the identity and pride of Lucknow. Kebabs are made from meat, fish or vegetables that are grilled on a chulha. Lucknow boasts a wide variety of Kebabs, namely, Kakori Kebabs, Seekh Kebabs, Galawat ke Kebabs, Ghutwa Kebabs, Shami Kebabs, and Boti Kebabs etc. Vegetarian kebabs are made using yam, kidney beans, jackfruit (kathal), peas and taro (arbi). The most famous shop for kebabs in Lucknow is the Tunde Ke Kabab. It is a 100 year old shop which serves the best kebabs in the city. It boasts of using 160 different homemade spices which is their trade secret. The who’s who of Bollywood come all the way to try out these kebabs. The list of the fans is endless. So many of the Bollywood biggies fly out the khansamas (cooks) from here to cater their functions. This is surely a feat to be proud of.

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    Galouti Kebabs

    Lakhnawi biryani is another dish that is famous worldwide. It is a special preparation of basmati rice with species, curd, meat and/or vegetables. It uses the method of layering. The meat and the rice are cooked separately. They are then layered on top of each other and baked. Vegetarian biryani is also very common.
    Biryani

    Biryani

    The various types of breads that are eaten are chapatis, pooris, parathas, naans, roomali roti, tandoori roti and sheermal (sweet naan). Korma is the curry used which is made by braising meat or vegetables in case of navratan korma. The Awadhi desserts have the perfect kind of sweetness and taste that is required after a meal. Kulfi is one such dessert which is famous among the masses. It is made from rich milk and cream. Prakash Ki Mashhoor Kulfi is the oldest known shop for kulfi. They offer the best falooda kulfi in the city. A type of halwa which is specially prepared in Lucknow is the sohan halwa.  Different cereals like gram flour, sooji, wheat etc. are used to prepare halwa. It is heavily garnished with rich dry fruits. The barfi, jalebi and rabri are some other desserts to look up to. After the meal, consumption of Paan is quite common. An evening without Paan is thought to be incomplete. Paan is made from betel leaf which is garnished with saffron, spices, silver foils and other condiments.

    Falooda Kulfi

    Falooda Kulfi By Prakaksh ki Mashoor Kulfi

    After boasting of the nawabi Awadhi cuisine, Lucknow still has a lot to show off in terms of street food. Be it Idris ki biryani or Shukla ki Chaat, be it Rahim ke Kulchey Nihari or Royal Café k paani-batashe, every single one of them is worth a try. And when you try them once, you’re surely going to be a fan. The originality of the taste will hold you spellbound. Paapdi chaat, tikki chaat, dahi bada, paani poori, sev poori etc., the names are enough to tickle your taste buds. Where else can you get eight different types of paani for the paani puri at one stall? That’s right, in this magical city which has a cuisine so quintessential!

    Shukla ki Chaat 

    Aaloo Tikki by Shukla ki Chaat

    The mouth-watering delicacies that this culture offers are just too many to name. Piece of advice, go try out some Awadhi cuisine, you are missing out on a lot. Trust me, you’ll be thankful!