A handsome prince falls in love with a magical doe and loses her. In the process of finding his lost love, he finds something even more meaningful. One might wonder, what is more, meaningful than love? Qutban Suhravardi believes that the answer to this burning question lies in the story of Mirigavati itself.

The Magic Doe and the Prince of Chandragiri

जलियाँवाला बाग़ हत्याकांड के बाद एक अनाथ लड़के ने कसम खाई दोषियों को सज़ा देने की। 21 साल बाद उसने वह प्रण पूरा किया और आज ही के दिन 1940 में 40 वर्ष की उम्र में हँसते हँसते सूली पर चढ़ गया।

मासूमों की मौत को भूला नहीं देश

RG Torne, also known as Dadasaheb, known for recording and directing the first film in the form of a play in 1912, as well as the first film distribution company in India, passed away on this day 1960.

The Pioneer of Film-Plays

वो जब बोलते थे तो अच्छे-अच्छों की बोलती बंद हो जाती थी क्यूंकि सच को सबूत के साथ पेश करने का हुनर जो उनके पास था वह किसी के पास नहीं था। भारत के 'द ग्रैंड ओल्ड मैन' ने विदेशी देश में उन्हीं की भाषा में उनका ही सच दिखा दिया।

अंग्रेज़ शॉक, दादाजी रॉक्स

The sixth, and longest-ruling, Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb (r.1659-1707), widely regarded for his orthodox policies, austerity and bigotry, passed away today, in 1707

The Emperor of Controversies 

"True love stories never have endings." India is filled with love stories of all kinds. Be it Heer-Ranjha, the Indian version Romeo-Juliet, or Anarkali-Salim's "Jab Pyar Kia Toh Darna Kya?" Shah Jahan-Mumtaz's royal Taj Mahal love story or Prithviraj-Samyukta's epic saga of love and rivalries. Each of these stories has a unique twist in them. One such love affair between a Mughal princess and a high-ranking British officer comes from the streets of royalty, Hyderabad.

A Forbidden Love Affair From The Streets Of Hyderabad

The World Health Organisation declared the Coronavirus outbreak as a global pandemic after 118,000+ cases are reported from 114 countries around the world, today in 2020

Announcing the Plague year

Author of Train to Pakistan, Khushwant Singh was an Indian author, lawyer, diplomat, politician AND journalist. Since his birth date was never recorded officially, his father had to make one up to get him into a school!

Nostalgic of an Undivided India

Anjali Mendes was a Bombay-born model – the first dark-skinned model to walk the ramp of designer Pierre Cardin in Paris. Born on January 29, 1946, Anjali’s long legs were what made her stand out – quite literally!

Ruling the Ramp – How Anjali Mendes Revolutionised the Modelling Industry

The perception of being rich for the people of this sub-continent is an elaborate multi-course, lavish and delectable spread of dishes displayed or offered on the table. Right? One of the best dishes to bring this richness to any table is the Awadhi Pasanda.

It is one of the must-have dishes created in the 16th century for the Turco-Mongol descendants ruling the sub-continent. Just like the Greeks and Romans who are considered great for conquering entire Europe, Persia, and parts of the Middle East and leaving their imprints everywhere, the Moghuls too, have conquered the hearts with their philanthropy for art, literature, and cuisine. 

The descendants of these Royals were the Nawabs or Kayasths who continued the aristocratic shaukeen mijaz in their lifestyle, especially their love to relish the delicacies in food. Cooks and Master chefs were revered personalities in the Gharana of Nawabs. Competitions held among the rakabdars were common and the reason for the invention of many drool-worthy dishes we relish today. 

One such resultant dish of the Kayasths is the Awadhi Pasanda. ‘The word ‘Pasanda’ means favourite and the mutton dish owed its name to the exclusive pasandida cuts of strips from the lamb or goat leg or specifically the thigh part, then flattened with a wooden mallet’. It became a mark of privileged status or exclusive for the Kayasths or the rich hard-to-get dishes.

A similar-sounding dish is found in the Encyclopedic book Manasollasa compiled by King Someshvara III in the 12th century. The book mentions a dish made of meat cut and pounded into thin strips and then cooked in yoghurt buji. Pasanda is also made of similar flattened strips marinated for several hours in yoghurt and then cooked with chilli powder, spices and herbs. 

The standard cooking of Pasanda is frying the flattened meat strips along with onions, seasoned with chilli powder, coriander leaves, and then garnished with blanched badaam (almonds). In fact, the original recipe is known as Badaam Pasanda. This oldest version of cooking style has dwindled except for a few descendants of the gharana.

The elite finesse of the dish is symbolic of its method of cooking. The original cooking style of Badaam Pasanda is marinating the meat strips and rolling them with fillers of blanched thinly cut almonds(badaam) and pistachios. The rolls are secured with strings and then lowered in the boiling curry of seasoned yoghurt and spices sauce or curry to be cooked at low flame. It is cooked for about thirty minutes to one hour, depending on the tenderness of the meat. Though nowadays the simpler method adopted is to lower the marinated meat strips into a boiling creamy and spiced gravy of yoghurt and almonds.


Awadhi Pasanda to Relish Image Source: Food NDTV

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As it is known,  the only constant in this world is Change, the Awadhi Pasanda has also indulged in many variants tried and tasted by dextrous culinary experts and elite shaukeens. The dish is also adapted in versions of chicken and vegetables catering to the different economic classes and food habits. 

Some of the variants are the Balti Chicken Pasanda, the Special Spice Blend which is flavoured with roasted cumin seeds, black peppercorns, crushed red chillies, methi(fenugreek) leaves and aromatised with cloves, both green and black cardamom, cinnamon, etc.

Awadhi Pasanda has thus graced the tables of aristocrats, the Kayasths and also the people who can afford and digest the rich zaika of Awadhi cuisine. Many Awadhi Food Festivals are held across the nation to keep the Indian taste buds drooling to the spiced aroma of these Nawabi delicacies. 

‘Like the Royal Awadhi Food Festival held at the Ramada Plaza in Chennai from 8th-17th April 2022, creating a Buffet Square which had the Chennaites flock, to indulge in the Awadhi Zaika assembled by Chef Nizam Quraish and Chef Haneef.’

So, the next time there is an Awadhi Food Festival, do not miss the chance to pamper the palate with this Nawabi delight. All in all the Awadhi Pasanda is the iconic representation of the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb or the culture of India.



Sumptuous Awadhi Pasanda Image Source: Seasoned Pioneers

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Culinary History

Culture

They say, “the road to a man’s heart is through his stomach”. Well, it holds true for all Indians irrespective of gender, class and age! Isn’t it? We are often teased as people who live to eat rather than vice versa. Our keen sense for the right flavour, aroma and blend has invented many dishes and distinctive styles of cuisine enriching our heritage in food just like the Awadhi Pasanda. You must have heard of the common local adage – “Accha khaya nahi toh kya khak jiya?” 


Waheeda Bi khan

Awadhi Pasanda of the Shaukeens

Waheeda Bi khan

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Latest Audio Stories

The Magic Doe and the Prince of Chandragiri

मासूमों की मौत को भूला नहीं देश

The Pioneer of Film-Plays

अंग्रेज़ शॉक, दादाजी रॉक्स