Exclusive: Home Chef Mansi Seth Kapoor Spills Best-Kept Secrets Of Awadhi Cuisine Through Vegetarian Dishes

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When one thinks of the rich and diverse culinary landscape of India, it's easy to get lost in the myriad of flavors and textures from every corner of the subcontinent. Yet, nestled in the heart of northern India, Awadhi cuisine stands out as a gem that remains largely undiscovered by those who follow Jain or vegetarian diets.

Known for its opulent and aromatic dishes, Awadhi cuisine is deeply rooted in the royal kitchens of Lucknow, and its vegetarian offerings are as rich and varied as its famed kebabs and curries. For people seeking to explore new culinary horizons, Awadhi food offers a treasure trove of flavors that are both indulgent and aligned with their dietary preferences.

In a conversation with Boldsky, Home Chef Mansi Seth Kapoor shares why Awadhi cuisine is a flavor vault that needs to be unlocked and dishes out culinary secrets of the vegetarian spread of Awadhi 'dastarkhwan' or a great spread.

Awadhi Cuisine: History Behind Cooking Slowly On Low Flame

The decline of the Mughal Sultanate saw the rise of regional kingdoms. 'Awadh', which gets its name from Ayodhya was one such kingdom. Blessed with this heritage from ancient times, fertile lands of the Indo Gangetic plains, 'Awadh' was always a center of art, culture, and cuisine. The advent of the Nawabs ushered in a new epoch of epicurean excellence both in terms of cuisine and gastronomic etiquette.

It was the Awadhi cooks who introduced the 'Dum' style of cooking or the art of cooking slowly over low flame. In the modern context, Awadhi cuisine is mostly represented by 'Dum Biryani', 'Kebabs', and Nihari. These dishes have steadily been gaining popularity all over India and the world.

Legacy Of Awadhi Cuisine

Mansi shares that the "Awadhi Cuisine" we know today is just the tip of the iceberg. The non-vegetarian fare has eclipsed the incredible spread of vegetarian dishes that pre-existed in the region and were also an integral part of the Awadhi 'dastarkhwan'.

The legacy of Awadhi cuisine extends beyond its historical roots and culinary techniques. It is a symbol of the rich cultural heritage and artistic expression of the region. The cuisine's elaborate preparations and intricate flavors reflect the grandeur of the Nawabi era and the enduring appeal of traditional Indian cooking.

Mansi hails from Lucknow, the cultural heart of the former province of Awadh in North India, known for its rich culinary heritage where different communities contribute unique tastes, flavors, and dishes. She belongs to the UP Khatri community, who are traditionally strict vegetarians, even excluding onions and garlic from their kitchens.

Image: Phirni (left) and Pea Kachori with Dry PotatoVeg & Tomato Chutney (right)

However, a shared passion for food and the influence of friends who were as close as family helped her family to embrace a diverse range of food cultures, enhancing their culinary experiences. Mansi has hosted various Awadhi food tables and runs a successful catering service from home. She's passionate about the legacy of Awadhi cuisine and we asked her specifically about the 'Jain' friendly Awadhi dishes she cooks.

Gourmet Food Inspired From Nature

Chef Kapoor says, the bounties of nature have inspired the cooks to create dishes as per the seasons hence the vegetarian fare of this region is a gourmet's delight. Every season is associated with its typical tastes and flavours'. She goes on the describe how every vegetable or grain has a 'taasir', that loosely translates to inducing certain reactions in the body. For instance some foods make you feel hot and some cool you down.

That's 'taasir' of that particular food. This innate healing quality of the food gained precedence. 'Aam panna' (Raw mango drink popular during summer), 'sherbets' (Drinks from various seasonal fruits and flowers) and gourds were favoured in summer. While the heavier foods like Puris (Fried bread), milk based desserts, urad dal ,etc were eaten in winter. The logic being the warmth these food bring to the body.

Owing to cattle rearing culture, milk and it's products (like curd, butter, ghee) were a common source of nutrition and were included in the cuisine. Pickles , Murrabbas (Fruit preserve) and Chutneys were also made seasonally to enjoy and preserve the excess produce.

Untapped Areas Of Vegetarian Dishes In Awadh Cuisine

Certain communities in Awadh, including the Khatris considered vegetables like onion, garlic as 'tamasic' ( food that is believed to dull the mind and cause dizziness and disorientation) and did not include it in their kitchen groceries but nevertheless created masterpiece recipes without the same. 'Nimona', a winter dish made with fresh peas and dry dal dumplings is one example.

Since vegetables were mostly seasonal and the range was limited, the ingredient sourcing became innovative. They made excellent vegetables out of by products like vegetable peels of gourds like 'Turai- lauki' (Green gourds) also 'karela' (Bitter gourd).

A variety of dals were made with Hing (Asafoetida) and zeera (cumin) for their digestive properties. Food was prepared in Ghee and mustard oil as those ingredients were locally available. Steamed foods like 'Farre or Phale' (rice and dal dumplings) have been incredibly common place amongst the community.

Given the availability of green leafy vegetables one delicacy is 'Patod'. Prepared with Colocasia leaves, this dish is very popular both as a tea-time snack or an appetizer on a full-course menu.

These dishes are essentially 'Jain' meal-friendly. Apart from the regular fare, a lot of deep fried food that had a long shelf life like 'mathri, kachori, poori, phulki' etc was made on festivals and for travel. The basic ingredients of these preparations are mostly wheat flour, ghee or oil, and dry spices like jeera, ajwain, etc.

Essential Ingredients, Cooking Techniques That Change With Season

Milk, curd , ghee are very intrinsic to Awadhi cuisine for both vegetarian and non vegetarian. Vegetarians use 'Dals'(Pulses) in a lot of preparations as it is their primary protein source. Seasonal green vegetables and potato combination of foods is also extremely popular. Ginger, asafoetida, ajwain and cumin are used liberally to ensure good digestion.

The culinary habits are very scientific in the way the cooking techniques and ingredients change with seasons. The flavour comes mostly from the primary vegetable or grain used in the recipe along with the seasoning offered by spices which tease the tastebuds but never overpower them.

Mansi has hosted 'Awadhi' vegetarian meals where she curated menus keeping clear of ingredients like onion or garlic. According to her, ' Regional cuisine thrives in the home kitchens, where generations of women have used their creativity and insight to create the same experience of a vegetarian 'bhojan' (meal) with ingredients considered 'satvik'(healthy). Most of these dishes are Jain compliant or can be easily customised as per eating preferences.

Curds, dry fruits like cashews, almonds, khuskhus (poppy seeds), magaz (Dried pumpkin seeds), tomatoes and certain spices are such ingredients used to replace onion or garlic. Stuffed vegetables or Dulma of karela (Stuffed Bitter Gourd In Yogurt sauce), curries with local gourds etc are quite commonly made to impress the guests. Rasaji ki Subji (Gram flour preparation), Moongauchi (fresh green gram beans preparation), Kanduri (Gram flour preparation) are varieties of fresh Dal dumplings made in homes to offset the monotony of Dal chawal (Pulses with Rice, a staple diet for North Indians), says Mansi.

Certain sweetmeats like Imarti, Rasbhari , Pyau Bade , Halwas are made with pulses. Urad (Black gram) and Moong(green gram beans) Bari (Dry dal dumplings) are made with seasonal vegetables in winter. Raw Jackfruit is a popular summer vegetable and used extensively in 'Pulao', biryani, Salan, kebabs, and even pickles! Lotus stem and Colocasia( Arvi) are relished too in various preparations, she adds.

There are always constraints in cooking due to the availability of ingredients, their acceptance, or other reasons. However, a passion for cooking and creativity ensures that taste does not get compromised and that's another way that cuisines evolve and progress.