The author is a food writer and columnist based in Mumbai.
Since time immemorial, royalty has been the patron of art, culture and cuisine. Royal kitchens have nurtured the talents of great chefs. Creativity was not just encouraged but demanded. It was a never-ending competition to create the ultimate dish for the jaded palate. Chefs in royal kitchens were a pampered lot and innovation and creativity were handsomely rewarded. The stately kitchens of India abound with legends of exotic foods including a dish that had live birds flying out of it when uncovered. Any wonder then that these kitchens spawned a range of dishes that are today so closely identified with their place of origin. To go into a description of the variety of foods associated with these kitchens would require more space than one article. So, for now, let us just look at the variety of kebabs that emerged from these kitchens.
Perhaps the most famous cuisine was that of the nawabs of Avadh. The very word conjures up images of affluence and opulence. Images of a time of gracious living where the culinary arts were at their most evolved. The highest recommendation a chef could have was that he belonged to Avadh or Lucknow, as it is now known. This was the birthplace of some of the finest food in the land. The nawabs of Avadh were an indulgent lot and had always craved the best foods even when old and toothless. This led to the innovation of one of the most celebrated kebabs of the day, the Shahi Gilawat ka Kebab, reputed to be so tender that even a toothless person could eat it without difficulty. It is also said to contain over a hundred aromatic and digestive spices that were supposed to ensure one's continued health and well being.
We usually associate kebabs with the advent of the Moghuls into India. This is not strictly true. Although the word kabab is derived from the Persian (aab means water and kum means less - it is a dish cooked with less water), the kebab in many forms was already a well-established tradition in India.
The Rajputs, for example, made suley or smoked kebabs long before the Muslim invasion. Hunting being a popular sport of theMaharajas, game meat was a favourite. This meat was often cooked over an open fire in the forest. Meat that was not consumed immediately was pickled and preserved for another day. The origin of the kebab was probably just a hunk of freshly killed meat smoked or cooked over a simple wooden fire with a little salt and maybe some chilli powder added to it. The subtle addition of flavours, textures and tastes was an art form that evolved over a period of time. Most of the Maharajas were adept at cooking and evolved elaborate recipes using the finest ingredients. The late Maharaja of Sailana was a legendary cook and has even published a book of his recipes. Not all kebabs are made of meat. From the state of Kishengarh in Rajasthan comes the dahi ka kebab, made with yoghurt and chickpea flour flavoured with saffron.
Another state in Rajasthan known for its kebabs was the state of Palanpur. The Nawabs of Palanpur were of Afghan descent who came to India in the twelfth century. Surrounded on all sides by Hindu Rajputs, they were a microscopic but important Muslim state in that area. The food was pure Mughal and their pulaos and kebabs were renowned. It is said that the shammi kebab was perfected in Palanpur.
The Moghuls brought with them their culture and their cuisine. Ingredients hitherto not generally used formed a fusion with the local foods. They were the first to use dried fruit, fragrances such as rose and kewda and nuts. These ingredients were brought from Turkey, Persia and Afghanistan and soon adapted to the local cuisine. As the various conquests continued and alliances formed, whether due to marriage or war, these influences slowly found their way around the country. Here they mingled with the local ingredients and formed a kind of fusion cuisine particular to that part of the country.
One of the best examples of this is the cuisine of the Nizams of Hyderabad. Here the Moghul love for meat was blended with the fiery spices of Andhra Pradesh to create what is truly one of the greatest of dishes of India. The Hyderabadi likes his meat in large chunks and heavily spiced, unlike the delicate kebabs of Lucknow (Avadh), where the meat is ground so fine that a child can eat it. Also the subtle fragrances and flavours used in Avadhi cuisine are not to be found here. Meats are spiced with fiery chillies and tempering this fire is the sourness of raw mangoes, tamarind, lemon and yoghurt. Hyderabadi Patthar Gosht, a tongue searingkebab so named because it is cooked on a heated stone, can today be found in the galis around the Charminar. It is said that the heated stone releases minerals that mix with the spices on the meat and give the kebab its special flavour. Another kebab is made of minced meat baked and then presented covered in silver varq to resemble a sweetmeat! Still another kebab is cooked and then smoked with a live coal to give it an unusual smoky flavour.
Moving back to the North, we have the princely states of Kashmir and Patiala, both of which have contributed greatly to the popularity of the kebab. The robust cuisine of the Punjab has spawned a tandoori revolution that is still going strong all over the world. Kashmiri Muslim cuisine on the other hand though almost entirely based on lamb is characterised by its use of delicate flavours such as saffron, cardamom and yoghurt. Kashmiri tabbak maas, a kebab made of the tender ribs of lamb is a gourmet delight. Should you ever have the good fortune to be invited to a Kashmiri wazwaan or banquet make sure you fast the previous day to do justice to this heavenly food.
Given below are two kebab recipe, adapted from Shalini Devi Holkar's book, Cooking Of The Maharajas. These unusual recipes are ideal to start off your kebab cooking sessions. Bon appetit!
SHIKAMPURI KEBAB
Mutton pieces (from the leg) 1/2 kg
Chana dal (split gram)1/3 cup
Ginger-garlic paste 1 tablespoon
Chilli powder 2 teaspoons or to taste
Green chillies, whole 3-4 or to taste
Salt to taste
Black cardamom 4
Bay leaves 4
Cinnamon sticks 4
Cloves 6
Yoghurt 1/2 cup
Garam masala powder 1-1/2 teaspoons
Green chillies, finely chopped 2-3
Fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped 1/3 cup
Fresh mint leaves, finely chopped 2 tablespoons
Lime juice 3 or 4 tablespoons
Fresh cream or hung yoghurt 1/2 kg
Eggs, lightly beaten 2
Oil or ghee to fry
Place cream or hung yoghurt in the refrigerator overnight or until firm. Put the meat along with the spices into a pot. Cover with water and boil until the meat is tender and all the water has evaporated. Remove from the pot and discard the chillies and whole spices. Grind the meat to a fine paste without adding water. Add the yoghurt, garam masala powder, coriander leaves, mint leaves and lime juice to the ground meat and mix well. Divide the meat mixture into equal parts (approximately 20 or 22). Take a portion of the paste and roll it into a ball between your palms. Flatten slightly and make an indentation in the centre of the meat, like a small cup. Fill this indentation with a small spoonful of the cream or yoghurt and fold the ground paste over to seal. Make all thekebabs in this way and dip in beaten egg, shaking off any excess, and fry in hot oil or ghee until golden brown.
DAHI KA KEBAB
Fresh, thick yoghurt 4 cups
Saffron threads, a pinch
Boiling milk or water 2 tblsp
Gram flour (besan) 2/3 cup
Powdered cloves 15 cloves
Powdered black pepper 1/2 teaspoon
Powdered cinnamon 1 teaspoon
Chilli powder 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Ghee to fry
For sauce:
Onions, thinly sliced 2
Garlic, finely pasted 5-6 cloves
Garam masala powder 1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder to taste
Salt to taste
Milk or buttermilk 1/4 cup or as required
Place the yoghurt in a muslin cloth and hang to drain for at least four hours. There must be approximately two cups of yoghurt thick enough to stand a spoon in. Presoak the saffron in two tablespoons of boiling milk or water. Add the saffron water, gram flour, salt, cloves, pepper, cinnamon and one teaspoon chilli powder to the yoghurt and mix well. Divide into equal parts to form small balls, flatten slightly to form kebabs. Heat ghee and shallow fry the kebabs, a few at a time, until a pale gold in colour. Remove from the pan and set aside.
In the same ghee, fry the onions until golden brown. Remove and grind to a fine paste and set aside. Add the garlic, chilli powder,garam masala, salt and ground onions to the ghee and cook on a slow flame adding the milk or buttermilk, a tablespoon at a time, to prevent them from burning. Cook until the flavours are blended and you have a thick sauce. Pour the sauce over thekebabs and serve hot.
Vivek Srivastava
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