Relish a feast fit for a king

Try these royal recipes preserved and passed on by descendants of the last Mughal Emporer, Late Bahadur Shah Zafar.

Intrigued by the glorious past of India’s royalty? Well, you needn’t live in a palace to feast like a king. We bring you guarded secrets from the kitchens of the erstwhile Mughal Empire, and some exclusive recipes that were safely guarded and preserved over the years by the descendants of the last Mughal Emporer, Late Bahadur Shah Zafar. These recipes belong to the Late Y. Masihuddin Tucy, the great grandson of Emporer Bahadur Shah, who introduced the ‘Lal Qilla Cuisine’ in ITC.

Taimoori Shorba

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg lamb jaws
• 500 gms lamb chops
• 500 gms lamb bones
• 10 gms cardamom
• 20 gms peppercorns
• 200 gms ghee
• 100 gms onions (chopped)
• 100 gms ginger garlic paste
• 1 gm saffron
• 1 bunch mint
• 1 bunch coriander
• Wate as a required
• Salt to taste

METHOD

In a handi, melt the ghee and saute the onions till transparent. Add ginger garlic paste, cardamom. Pepper corns, lamb jaws, chops and bones and saute well till it attains a brown colour. Add at least 5 liters of water and boil till the lamb chops are done. Now, remove the lamb chops and set aside. Add mint and coriander to the shorba. Also add the saffron to the same and switch to a slow flame. Now strain the shorba and season. Add chops to the strained shorba and serve hot.

Termezi Qurma

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg lamb curry cut
• 100 gms ginger garlic paste
• 10 gms red chilli powder
• 200 gms ghee
• 10 gms garam masala powder
• 50 gms almonds
• 20 gms coconut
• 20 gms chironjee
• 20 gms khus khus
• 200 gms curd
• 100 gms sliced onions
• 5 gms shahi jeera
• 1 gm saffron
• 1 bunch chopped coriander
• 5 ml lime juice
• Water as required

METHOD

Roast almond, coconut, chironjee and khus khus, and grind the mixture into a smooth paste. Heat ghee, add sliced onions and saute till brown. Then add ginger garlic paste and saute till it is cooked. Then add powdered masalas and curd. Add lamb and cook well. Add water and let it simmer till lamb is cooked. Now add the grounded paste and cook properly till it leaves oil. Finish with saffron, chopped coriander and lemon juice.