The first thing that we are told hen we arrive in the city of Lucknow is to try the Kabab’s at Tunday. This is the most famous kabab and Awadhi cuisine joint in the city. The place is world famous and a must visit by most travellers who come to explore this city. I too was excited and wanted to die in this very traditional food joint.
The restaurant started in 1905 and its famous for its Buffalo Meat Tunday Kabab’s, they are so soft and tender that they melt in the mouth. Usman Bhai is the man who operates the food joint and has been honoured by many business awards for the delicacies that Tunday cooks up for its guests. The restaurant also has a hall of fame, almost all great Bollywood stars have eaten here including Shah Rukh, Amir Khan and Salman Khan. I managed to get a picture of the Hall of Fame Gallery and was pleasantly surprised that it was a large joint. The seating arrangement was on the lower floor and one had to climb down a fleet of stars to get to the main dining area. The place was simple wooden tables and simple chairs. Their sheer busy waiters carrying plate full of kaka’s and biriyani’s to the many customers.
Tunday Kababi
I took my seat and then went through the menu, I was tempted to order a mutton korma and a Awadhi Biriyani but the changed my mind. I finally ordered four pieces of Buffalo Tunday Kabab with to roti’s, along with a large piece of Shahi Tukra. The kabab’s where indeed mouth-watering and melted in the mouth, I managed to wash it down with a can of mountain dew.
The place is neat and clean and they have air conditioning, one is served fast and there is less waiting time.
After a meal one can enjoy a shahi paan and even purchase attar or perfume form the many shops around this famous eatery.
Tunday ke Kabab also known as Gauloti Kabab is made from over 160 different ingredients and nasals that the buffalo minces meat is cooked with. The Kabab’s are part of Awadhi Cuisine and was introduced by the great Saab Wajid Ali Shah.
The story and the legend have it that once the Nawab threw open a coalition to all his royal cooks and khansama’s that whoever cooked up the softest and chewiest kababs in the kingdom would be declared the winner. It was here that a cook by the name of Haji Murad Ali he was also called Tunde because he had only one arm made the most delicious kabab’s with over 100 ingredients which including many aphrodisiacs. This the Nawab enjoyed and liked the most the Kabab’s since then got the name of Tunday Ke Kabab and Haji was declared the winner. Th fame of the delicious kabab’s spread all over Awadh. They were also known as Gauloti Kabab’s on a Hindi Urdu word which means melting in the mouth.
