Dastarkhwan-E-Awadh : The Cuisine Of Awadh"
Dastarkhwan-e-Awadh" describes the historical and cultural roots of the
Awadh cuisine, a product of a bygone era of gracious living. The Nawabs of Awadh were renowned for their extravagance and patronage of the best courtesans, craftsmen and cooks. Like the internationally acclaimed dance form of Kathak; the exquisite chikan embroidery, the cuisine of
Awadh is famous for its nafaasat ad nazaakat achieved through a magical blending of spices, slow fire cooking, and its harmony with the seasons of nature.
Dastarkhwan literally means a meticulously laid-out ceremonial dining spread. It is customary in the
Awadh region for three generations to sit around and share the dastarkhwan.
About the AuthorsSangeeta Bhatnagar received her college and university education in the capital city of Lucknow, the seat of Awadh culture. She also obtained her Ph.D. in Economics from Lucknow University and also lectured there for a few years. Complete dearth of books on Lucknawi cuisine fuelled the inspiration and the generous backing of U. P. Tourism Department and Hotel Management Institute , Lucknow made it a feasible proposition.
R. K. Saxena has two decades of rich experience in the hotel and catering industry. After graduating from Bombay University he got his Post Graduate Diploma in Specialised Hotel Management from Bombay Catering Institute. Thereafter , he spent ten years in the hotels of Lucknow, Bombay, Goa and Washington D.C. mostly operating and managing the catering outlets and hotels spending a lot of time in the kitchens. After heading the catering department of the Bangalore Hotel School for six years , he presently heads the Hotel Management Institute at Lucknow. Having been associated with Awadh cuisine for long the author was motivated to write a book on the subject because he felt that one of the finest cuisines in the world was heading towards an end due to under-research, under-documentation, lack of knowledge and publicity.
Yakhni Pulao, Sunday 26 December, 2010
