Mughlai cuisine is one of the most
famous, aristocratic and magnificent cuisines in the world. It also
has a royal touch to it.
“India is a melting pot of various
cultures” and the same can be said about its cuisine. The Indian
cuisine has an influence of various cultures on it . Some of them are
indigenous and some are foreign. The foreign cultures include the
Mughals, Persian, Portuguese, English, French, Dutch and so forth and
so on. Indian cuisine is therefore multi faceted and culturally
diverse like the people themselves.
The influence of Mughal culture on the
Indian culinary scenario commenced after their invasion in the 16th
century. Mughals had elegant taste and were great food lovers. During
this period , the lavish Mughal cuisine was prepared for the Mughal
Emperors and their entourage of guests. The Mughals were famous for
their exuberant hospitality and that helped in the spread of the
Mughal cuisine in the various parts of India.
No Mughal feast was complete without
Saffron threads and rosewater. These two aromatics added a delicate
perfumed elegance to the flavor of the Mughal cuisine. The Mughal
Emperors specifically like the Saffron flavored meat and desserts
made with Saffron. The Mughal Kitchen or Matbakh as it was known as
at that time, was brimming with cooks from Persia, Afghanistan,
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and from all over Central Asia and of course
India. The refinement in the taste they had can be judged from the
fact that they simply loved the food that melted in the mouth and
disliked the food that needed excessive amount of chewing.
The khansama or the royal master chefs
in the Mughal kitchen brought in the best meat , vegetables and
aromatic spices like Saffron threads. Fruits were especially flown in
from Kabul, the royal delicacies were cooked only in the water from
the Holy river Ganga. The river Ganga shares the same importance in
the Indian Culture like that of River Nile in Egypt.
Sugar, Saffron threads and lemon juice
formed an integral part of Mughal cuisine. The almond oil rendered
the royal food a special taste and flavor. After a heavy meal to
satisfy the appetite, the Mughal Emperors gratified their taste buds
with a delicious dessert made from Saffron threads.
The Mughals were a connoisseurs of fine
dining along with art, music and architecture. Their influence on art
and architecture can be seen in the form of beautiful carvings and
great pieces of architecture like Taj Mahal which was built by the
Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his beloved wife.
They were particularly fond of music
and arts. The beautiful paintings adorning the walls of different
palaces of that era are a proof to their keen interest.
Mughals loved grandeur in everything.
Their meals were full of style, splendor and rich aromatic foods.
Their luxurious, savory food culture accompanied them to India as
well. In the course of time,the cultural exchange helped in
harmoniously blending of the traditional Indian cuisine with the
Mughlai cuisine. The delicious Indian cuisine got merged with the
Mughlai cuisine to form the delectable Indian Mughlai cuisine.
One such example is the Saffron Shahi Tukra or (Saffron Bread Pudding)
Let’s take a look at this Royal
Saffron delicacy.
To make Saffron Shahi Tukra you will
require 4 Slices of Bread, about 1/2 liter milk, 1/3 cup of sugar,
Clarified butter or Desi Ghee , 1/2 bowl of almonds, Pistachios etc,
2 tsp of Saffron threads, 1 small bowl of rose water.
1. First and foremost soak the 2
teaspoons of Saffron threads in 1 bowl of rose water.
2. Meanwhile, cut the bread slices
diagonally so that it forms a Triangle shape.
3. Now in a pan pour in appropriate
amount of Desi Ghee or Clarified butter, Heat the pan over medium
flame. Slowly slide in the bread pieces. Fry them till they get a
nice golden -brown color.
4. In a plate, covered with a kitchen
paper, place the bread pieces to absorb the excessive amount of
butter.
5. In another pan, pour in the milk and
bring it to a boil , now 1/3 cup of sugar and the Saffron threads,
1/2 bowl of almonds, pistachios to it.
6. Pour this mixture over the bread
slices. Allow the bread to soak up the milk, then arrange the bread
pieces on a decorative plate and serve hot.
Get set to taste Royal indulgence
in your home with this Saffron Shahi Tukra recipe, the Mughal way!
No comments:
Post a Comment