The Nawab sent one of his cooks to Paris and London for trainingDesi, English and sweet dishes were prepared in three separate kitchens A special menu was prepared every day, many items were imported from Europe
Much has been written and said about the food habits of kings, Maharajas and Nawabs before independence. The kitchens of some royal families and Nawabs were really amazing. They used to be spacious. Not only was their staff large but their food was also special. Many special dishes of India came from the royal table. However, the Nawab we are talking about, used to spend so much money on the kitchen every month, even the richest people today would not be able to do that.
This is the Nawab of Rampur. It is said that the kitchen staff and cooks in his place were so big that very few royal kitchens of kings and Maharajas had such splendor. It is said that the kitchens or dastarkhwans of all these kings and Maharajas not only cooked food or various kinds of dishes but also research on food, spices and sweets was carried out here. Because of this, so many dishes came out of the kitchens of our royal dynasties.
According to research by Perplexity AI, the Nawabs of Rampur had employed a large number of kitchen staff in their palace, which gradually decreased over time.
– During the reign of Nawab Syed Hamid Ali Khan (1894-1930), around 100 cooks worked in the palace kitchen.
– His son Nawab Syed Raza Ali Khan (1930–1949) reduced the kitchen staff to 30 cooks and several assistant cooks.
– However, later their number decreased even more. Now this number may be as much as it would be in the houses of the rich people of the country.
– Following the abolition of the Privy Purse in 1971 and court cases over properties, the cash-strapped royal family had to make do with a reduced kitchen staff and could barely maintain the vast palaces.
Dastarkhwan decorated at Khasbagh Palace with Nawab of Rampur Syed Raza Ali Khan in the 1950s (courtesy – book deg to dastarkhwan tarana husain khan)
What type of kitchen
The kitchen in Rampur Mahal was divided into three parts and each part was quite big. Cooks with different expertise worked in it.
There were three types of kitchens – English, Indian and related to sweets. All these three kitchens were in the Khasbagh Palace of Rampur Nawab. Each kitchen was headed by a chief cook. He was assisted by a team of cooks, assistant cooks, trainees and helpers.
The cooks and kitchen staff were all men. This staff always wore white kurta-pyjama and navy blue bandgala coat. However, the dress changed a bit according to the rank.
The last surviving chef was Majidbhai, who had joined as a trainee in 1966 with his father, who was the head chef in the English kitchen.
Tarana Hussain Khan, who spent her childhood in Rampur, Aligarh and Bareilly, is now working on a research fellowship at Sheffield University in England. She recently wrote a book on the food prepared in Rampur Mahal, named “Deeg to Dastarkhwan”. In it, he wrote, the number of kitchen staff at the Rampur Nawab’s palace declined from around 100 cooks during the time of Nawab Hamid Ali Khan to just a handful by the 1970s.
Khasbagh Palace of Rampur, where new food traditions were created and became quite famous. (courtesy British library)
The Nawab sent the cooks to London and Paris for training
When people in the country did not even know about English food, then around 1889, Nawab Syed Hamid Ali Khan started a part of his kitchen as an English kitchen. There is a story about how English food started being prepared, according to the administrative report of 1889-90, the Nawabs specially sent their cook Irshad Khan to Paris and London for training.
When he returned, he trained other chefs. Then such English and French dishes started being prepared in this kitchen that even an Englishman or a European who came for a feast would be amazed after eating them. Then English dishes became a part of the daily meals in Rampur Palace. All the best European food adorned the table.
Later this chef started Rainbow Bakery in Rampur in 1954, which is still famous for Danish cookies. His family now runs it.
Special Rampuri Kabab Nargisi made in Rampur palace. Its taste and flavour was different. It was made in traditional Rampuri style. (courtesy – book deg to dastkhwan tarana hussain khan)
Where did English food items come from?
– English breakfast of Quaker Oats, juice, eggs, fresh fish from the Arabian Sea
– Jaime from England
– Cheese from Switzerland
– Soups, cutlets and roasts
– Lunch: Roast and salad
– Irish stew seasoned with fried onions
– Indian spices added to chops, stews and roasts to suit Rampuri flavour
– Sweetened English custards and puddings
– Nawab Syed Raza Ali Khan also used to have a light English lunch. Dinner mostly included Indian dishes.
These mines also started the trend of an English mixed mines in Bareilly and Rampur and the surrounding areas.
How much did the kitchen cost then?
Nawab’s daughter Mehrunnisa Begum wrote in her memoirs that Nawab Syed Hamid Ali Khan’s kitchen expenses per year were Rs 250,000 on the Indian kitchen and Rs 1,50,000 on the English kitchen. At present, this would be around Rs 8.3 crore per year on the Indian kitchen and Rs 4.5 crore per year on the English kitchen. That is, if we add the expenses of both the kitchens, it would be a little more than Rs 1 crore per month.
Who decided the menu?
The women of the house decided the menu. There were a few regular dishes that had to be kept in large quantities for the servants. English dishes or Indian versions of English dishes were served daily.
Tags: Food, Food Stories, Prayagraj cuisine, rampur news, Royal Traditions
FIRST PUBLISHED : July 12, 2024, 14:31 IST