ALT HL: Ramadan Special | Try these 11 delicacies from Old Lucknow to make a wholesome feast for Sehri
It’s not wrong to say that during the month of Ramadan, the City of Nawabs turns into nothing less than a culinary paradise. Lucknow, secular and diverse, comes to life during the zestful month of Ramadan. It becomes a foodies’ haven, especially in the middle of the night, where the lanes of Old Lucknow glisten and glow with the iftaar and sehri magic!
So, here’s a complete food walk for you — a rundown of the must-try food items to taste tradition and treat your taste buds:
Haleem (Khichda)
Prepare your taste buds for what is coming, foodies. It’s the much anticipated, almost sacred and zaykedaar Haleem! A common sight during Sehri, Haleem is a wealthy paste-like stew that is prepared with meat, lentils and spices.
The dish is a filling meal in itself and, with time, has become an intrinsic part of the cultural affairs during Ramadan, especially much sought-after in Old Lucknow.
Location: Multiple shops in Hussainabad
Bun Kebab
The city has an age-old love for buns and bun-maska, proven by the fact that it’s one of the very few things you’d find everywhere and all the time. Not only during Ramadan, but bun-maska is something that you’ll find in the city at any given time. Be it for breakfast at 6 AM or late-night chai sessions!
So, when a simple bun maska is so well sought-after, imagine what would happen if you mix the perpetually-in-demand kebab in it?
Foodies go gaga over this mouth-watering yet simple food and a renowned combination is Bun Kebab from Kareem’s — a modern twist dipped in traditional flavours!
Location: Kareem’s
Kulche Nihari
A winter staple in Lucknow, tell us, who would hear the words ‘Nihari Kulche’ and refuse the dastarkhwan? Embodying the rich cultural tehzeeb and zaika of Lucknow, the iconic dish carries with it a living legacy.
Kulche Nihari, comprising soft, fluffy kulchas paired with rich meat stew, remains a top favourite of food connoisseurs and one delicacy that sells like hotcakes in Old Lucknow.
Location: Mubeen’s, Handi Nihari shop in front of Chhota Imambara
Seekh Kebab
Another Lakhnawi specialty, the tender and flavoursome Seekh Kebabs remains as an easy and go-to item during Ramadan. Old Lucknow is adorned with rows of roadside kiosks and shops that might fall short of anything but Seekh Kebabs!
Synonymous with the integral Awadhi zaika, these grilled delights, with the goodness of varied spices and flavours, will leave anyone craving for more.
Location: Multiple shops in Hussainabad
Keema Puri
The city is renowned for its versions of food that revolve around keema, that remain a top choice for Lucknowites during Ramadan. And just one of such delicacies is Keema Puri. While many prefer Nihari Kulcha above all, a lot of food lovers go for the rich Keema Puri — a must-try treat in Chowk!
Umda is the word that comes to mind when we talk of the dish — a delightful amalgamation of flavours involving minced meat (keema) combined with fluffy puris.
Location: Unnamed shop, in front of Chowk’s Tunday
Besan Roti with Lehsun Chutney
Comparatively a lesser-known dish, the authentic Besan Roti served with tangy lehsun chutney is a flavoursome combo! Extremely pocket-friendly and fulfilling, the meal is not only adored for its taste but its health-benefits (owing to the fact that it’s made of gluten-free besan which is loaded with fibre and protein).
Thus, it is also a popular item amongst fitness enthusiasts of Lucknow who are fasting during Ramadan. And a shop you can explore the delish Besan Roti and Lehsun Chutney is Old Lucknow’s Daud Besan Roti Stall, constantly surrounded by throngs of foodies.
Location: Daud Besan Roti Stall, near Akbari Gate
Kakori Kebab
Not far from Lucknow is Kakori, the name of which is inscribed in golden words throughout the pages of India’s rich history, where these delicious kebabs originated.
Legend goes that once the Kakori natives, known well for their khaatirdari and tehzeeb, during the Nawab-era, created a customised softer version of Seekh kebabs for a British official. This version eventually came to be known as the famed Kakori kebabs!
What can be said about these melt-in-the-mouth kebabs that hasn’t been said before? If there’s one thing that Lucknowites know how to do, it’s kebabs and its array of versions! Finely-grounded and cooked over fire, the well-minced and elongated Kakori Kebabs are a popular foodie choice, especially during Ramadan.
Location: Hussainabad
Biryani
Biryani and Lucknow go hand in hand. So, simply put, a food journey is never complete without a delicious plate of Biryani. Whether you’re a chicken lover or a mutton enthusiast (the choice is obvious, isn’t it?), you’re just a wholesome meal away from being completely content!
Location: Hotel Charminar
Kashmiri Chai
Quench your thirst with a warm, soothing cup of Kashmiri Chai, embellished with special spices and almonds to enhance your Ramadan feast!
Pink-hued and decadent, the Kashmiri Chai is a Lucknow-stamped winter specialty. It remains as one of the top go-to beverages of chai lovers and often fulfills people’s late night chai pangs in Old Lucknow, a dedicated destination that showcases a row of stalls serving the same.
Location: Hussainabad, Aminabad (beside Mughal Zaika), Chowk
Shahi Tukda
Lucknowites and their love for succulent mithai never gets old. Whether it’s Holi or Eid, any festival is incomplete without a plethora of lip-smacking sweets! And one mithai that elevates the Sehri experience in the Old Lucknow areas is the highly revered Shahi Tukda!
If you do have a sweet tooth, there’s nothing more succulent and zaykedaar than the heavenly dessert. Soaked in sweetened milk, the fried bread is garnished with the richness of saffron and nuts.
Location: In front of Mughal Zaika, Aminabad
Paan
Finally, you gotta finish your food walk strong with a mouth-watering serving of paan. The vibrant paan and UP, in general, intertwine together at innumerable historical junctions. The anthropological development dates back by centuries, so much so that paan can easily be found at every single wedding as a mouth freshener, since the dawn of time. And, interestingly even during Ramadan, Old Lucknow has an entirely separate corner reserved for the paan-savouring people.
Located in the cradle of Akbari Gate in Old Lucknow, Azhar Bhai Ka Shahi Pan Shop is where you have to be to try a variety of flavour-rich paan! The age-old place offers an array of tantalising paans, which btw have health benefits too. A must-try here? The Shahi Meetha Paan!
Location: Azhar Bhai Ka Shahi Pan Shop, Akbari Gate
Have you explored the Ramadan-special midnight food market in Lucknow’s Chowk & Aminabad yet?
