Galouti Kebab......

 Galouti means 'soft,' something that melts in the tongue, and that was the intention. The original Galaouti Kebab is thought to have been prepared by Haji Mohammad Fakr-e-Alam Saheb, the originator of the Moti Pulao, who offered the court this creamy, silky, mouth-watering delicacy. Instead of beef, he used the best cuts of lamb, which he chopped finely and mixed with a tenderiser, as well as a wonderful blend of over 150 unique spices to enhance flavour. For a delicious finish, the minced meat was formed into patties and fried.

The Nawabs of Lucknow were well-bred men. They were just as serious about their pleasures as they were about their courtly responsibilities. Nawab Asad-ud-Daula (1748-1797), successor of Siraj-ud-Daula, made important contributions to Lucknow's culinary culture, with food historians frequently crediting him with bringing about a culinary Renaissance. The Nawab was believed to be extremely giving, and a popular saying at the time was, "Jo Khuda nahi dega, wo Asad dega" (What God won't grant you, Asad will). However, by the time Asad came to power, the British had taken over the office, leaving the Nawab free to pursue his two passions: big buildings and delicious eating.

The generous Nawab was so fond of kebabs that he had special orders for his cooks to come up with a new variant of kebab everyday. Even during the time of the Great Famine of 1783, his khansamas(cooks) were busy creating newer versions of kebabs that were incredibly soft and flavoursome. 

The khansamas rose to the occasion as well, inventing new techniques of cooking, flavouring, and employing exotic ingredients like as sandalwood, rosebuds, rose, red gensing, and pathar ke phool. All of these components, as well as over 150 unique spices, are claimed to have been used in the'shahi combination' of the aforementioned kebabs. The kebabs allegedly contained one particular ingredient or spice each day to add variety, which piqued the Nawab's interest.

According to folklore, the Nawab had lost most of his teeth owing to old age, but his love of kebabs was far from dead. So, for their toothless Nawab, the seasoned khansamas devised a popular version that required no chewing while retaining the same rich flavours and taste of a kebab.