Every city has its list of specials when it comes to food, and when we talk about desserts, everyone wants to indulge in the sweetness whether it makes them gain weight or not! Dessert goes to the heart not to the stomach. An amazing fact that I discovered while reading about lucknow is, that the Lakhnavi cuisine has basically originated from Persian cooks introduced by the Nawabs of Awadh in their royal kitchens.
Gulabi chai – This royal chai tastes nothing like the normal chai, it is famous in Kashmir as ‘noon chai’ and in Lucknow as ‘gulabi chai’. Made of flavors of kesar, elaichi, kewra, it gets its color from sodium bicarbonate which also gives it the taste. This hot unique beverage is served with imarthi or jalebi. You will get the best gulabi chai at Nakhas market. The secret tip is to visit at night and you’ll enjoy the market view along with your chai!
Nimish – Also called Makhan malai, it is a rich creamy dessert which is a part of the Awadhi cuisine in Lucknow. This is the cuisine of Nawabs which makes it rich in the variety and taste. The foggy winter mornings are the times to delish this dessert. The special thing about nimish is that it’s available in the Lucknow local Chowk area. It light and creamy texture just dissolves in your mouth.
Shahi tukda – Lakhnavi Shahi Tukda is a delight to have for dessert lovers. This mouth watering sweet dish is a bread pudding dessert of fried bread slices soaked in hot milk with saffron and cardamom. For the most authentic taste of this royal dish, one must try it at Dastarkhwan, Tunday Kebabi and Zaika. It is served with chilled saffron flavored thickened milk, topped with toasted nuts and you are ready to eat!
Phirni – Though you might have heard its name quite a few times but the sweet dish is nothing you can already imagine unless you actually taste it. The royal dessert is served at the famous restaurant Crazy Balls in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow. Phirni is made with special lakhnavi refinements like using aged rice called ‘Rangooni’. The restaurant Crazy Balls serves not just phirni but another exotic sweet dish, rabri bharwa gulab jamun which is again an integral part of the royal Awadhi cuisine.
Sheermals – Also called shirmal, this is traditional flat bread made in Bangladesh, Iran, Awadh, Lucknow and Hyderabad. It is not exactly a dessert but this sweet naan delicacy is baked in tandoor and looks like Danish bread once made. It is enjoyed in Lucknow with spicy curries like Lucknow kebab or nihari.
Khoya Ladoo – You must be wondering what a common ladoo is doing in this list of specials. The reason is purely patriotic! This khoya ladoo is available at Haji sweet shop in Lucknow, started almost fifty years back and it is still the same! It is like the Chandni Chowk of Delhi. They sell the ladoos at a surprising price of 1 rupee! The shop is full with queues and provides other traditional sweets as well.
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