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Romancing Kakori Kebab
Chef Ashfaq Ahmed poses with the sumptuous spread of authentic Awadhi fare at Al Kakori
Way back in 1896, Nabbu Mian first prepared Kakori Kebabs at a railway platform in Lucknow to serve the Nawabs. Not much has changed since then in terms of taste, and the delicacy is today the signature dish at the Al Kakori, now run by Ashfaq Ahmed.
Interestingly it was Nabbu Mian’s great grandson Ishtiaq who introduced these kebabs to the ITC Maurya Sheraton way back in 1971.
Located in Vasant Place Market, Vasant Vihar, Rohini and Punjabi Bagh, the Al Kakori outlets serve superb Mughlai fare. Chef Ashfaq and Salim Ahmed have mastered the art of wrapping up Kakori Kebabs in romali rotis that melt in your mouth. “These days everyone prepares Kakori Kebabs but once you have it at our restaurants you’ll know the difference. We blend it with 52 different spices and that makes it soft and succulent,” explains Ashfaq.
And they have a swish clientele to boast of. “We’ve catered at several Bollywood weddings. For instance, we prepared the whole menu at the wedding of Feroz Khan’s daughter, Laila, and Nawab Mansur Ali Khan Patuadi’s wedding,” says Ashfaq. With an open-air restaurant at Vasant Place, there isn’t much to talk about the ambience but who’s complaining when one gets to savour authentic royal Awadhi cuisine! We also recommend the mutton Biryani, heavy but definitely a must-have. Cooked in the traditional Dum process in a clay handi, the Biryani is best enjoyed with raita and chutney. For a light meal, have Biryani with dry chicken tikka or tandoori chicken. What makes the food irresistibly good is the fact that Al Kakori has stuck to the family recipe. When it comes to food nothing can beat grandma’s theories, after all!
