This is Part 15 of Flavours of India, our series on India's regional cuisines. Start from Part 1: Chettinad or read the previous part, Part 14: Bihar.
Lucknow, the capital of the old kingdom of Awadh, is famous for its tehzeeb (refined manners) and a cuisine to match. Under the Nawabs in the 18th and 19th centuries, royal cooks called rakabdars competed to create ever more delicate dishes. Awadhi food is aromatic rather than fiery, and is known for slow cooking.
What makes Awadhi cuisine special
- Dum pukht: slow-cooking food in a sealed pot so it cooks in its own juices.
- Delicate aromatics: mace, nutmeg, cardamom, saffron, kewra and rose water.
- Kebabs: galouti, kakori, shami and boti kebabs.
- Breads: sheermal, warqi paratha and ulte tawe ka paratha.
- Pakki biryani: the Lucknowi style, where meat is cooked first and then layered.
The legend of the galouti kebab
Galouti means "something that melts in the mouth". According to popular legend, it was created for an ageing Nawab of Lucknow who had lost his teeth but still loved kebabs, so his cooks minced meat so finely, and tenderised it so well, that it needed no chewing. Lucknow's Tunday Kababi in Aminabad has made the dish famous for over a century.
Galouti kebab recipe
Makes: 14-16 kebabs · Prep: 30 minutes plus 3-4 hours marinating · Cook: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 500 g mutton mince, very fine (ask your butcher to mince it twice)
- 2 tbsp raw papaya paste (the tenderiser)
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 3 tbsp fried onions (birista), crushed
- 2 tbsp roasted chana dal powder or roasted besan
- 1 tsp red chilli powder and 1/2 tsp garam masala
- A pinch of saffron soaked in 1 tsp kewra water
- 2 tbsp ghee, plus more for frying
- Salt to taste
For the galouti masala (grind to a fine powder)
- 1 blade mace and a small pinch of nutmeg
- 4 green cardamom, 4 cloves, 1/2 inch cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp shahi jeera
- 1 tsp dried rose petals (optional)
Method
- Put the mince in a food processor with the papaya paste, ginger-garlic paste and fried onions, and process into a very smooth, sticky paste.
- Mix in the chana dal powder, chilli powder, garam masala, 1 1/2 tsp galouti masala, saffron-kewra water, 2 tbsp ghee and salt.
- Smoke (optional): make a small well in the mixture, place a small bowl in it with a piece of red-hot charcoal, pour a few drops of ghee on the coal, cover tightly and leave for 5 minutes.
- Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours. Don't leave it much longer, as papaya can make the meat mushy.
- With greased or wet hands, shape small, thin patties about 2 inches wide. The mixture will be very soft.
- Heat a little ghee on a flat tawa over medium-low heat. Cook the kebabs for 2-3 minutes per side until deep brown and crisp outside. Flip carefully with a flat spatula.
Tips
- Chill the mixture well; cold mixture is easier to shape.
- Don't press the kebabs on the tawa; let a crust form before flipping.
- If raw papaya isn't available, the kebabs will still taste great but will be firmer.
How to serve
Serve with small ulte tawe ka paratha or sheermal, onion rings, lemon and mint chutney.
Other Awadhi dishes to try
- Lucknowi (Awadhi) biryani
- Nihari and kulcha
- Kakori kebab: long, soft seekh-style kebabs.
- Basket chaat from Hazratganj
- Makhan malai: a winter-only cloud-like milk froth dessert.
Next in Flavours of India: Assam's tangy masor tenga.
