Tunday Kababs: Legacy of a Lucknow Man with one hand

 

Ever thought of chopping onions with one hand? It seems next to impossible until you indulge in folklores of legendary chef Haji Murad Ali of Lucknow for its famous Tunday Kababs. While strolling in the lanes of new and old Lucknow, I felt every page of the century old history was still alive in parts of this city.

Though the skyline in parts of this city is changing rapidly, the age old structures, houses, bungalows etc. are still intact to let your imagination run wild on how Lucknow would have passed through the Mughal era and the British Raj, and continues to hold its unique place even today as international food and retail giants makes their presence felt.
Whether it is Tunday’s Kababs or Chikan (fine age-old painstaking style of embroidery on clothes) or the famous mujaras, the reminisence of Nawabs and their extravaganza  still lives in the evenings of Lucknow.
Buying Chikan clothes was too fancy for my wallet. I heard the mujras are still played in some parts but nowadays it is more related to flesh trade which made me refrain from undertaking any ventures. I was left only with the choice of kababs to taste the Nawabi flavour of life. After all Lucknow is still famous for its kababs.
So I land up amidst the age-old structures of Aminabad and its marketplace to visit the famous Tunday Kababs which was strongly recommended. The aroma of the finely ground mutton being cooked is distinctive as one approaches the shop that sells Murad Ali’s craft.

And the picture of small patties’s of kababs – made of finely minced and spiced mutton – being caramalised on a tava or pan to perfection outside the restaurant is a delectable view for a person who has travelled miles from the concrete jungle of Mumbai. At least 100 patties could be made at a time on those hot frying pans, large enough to feed all kabab lovers who flock around the store particularly in the evening. The first timers were noticeable as they just couldn’t let go of the their mobile phone cameras and indulged in clicking pictures.

Mohammad Salman

Step inside the restaurant and one cannot miss the portrait of the legendary Haji Murad Ali. And here behind the cash counter I meet the great grandson of the much acclaimed chef Haji Murad Ali, who chose to carry on the legacy of Murad Ali. The cash counter is a tedious job to manage on busy evening like this but a down-to-earth 27-year-old Mohammad Salman agreed almost immediately to speak with me and take me back in time to the legacy of Tunday Kababs.
So what does Tunday mean? Tunday in this part of India literally means a man with one hand. And yes Chef Haji Murad Ali was a man with one hand. According to Salman said Ali saab was famous for his ability to chop onions with one hand. Yes, chopping onions with one hand!
So what happened to Ali saab. And Salman comes up with the history almost impromptu. Alisaab was fond of flying kites, and one day while flying a kit he fell down from the roof and broke his hand. In the 1800s, Alisaab’s hand could not be repaired and he was left with one hand for ever.  But that did not hinder Alisaab to carry forward his family’s business of cooking which is father had started in Bhopal. Born in 1877 Alisaab started his restaurant at Purana Chowk of Lucknow in 1897, and now family members run many outlets.

The invention of his special kababs was thanks to an ageing noble of Lucknow with no teeth who could not let his taste buds down for kababs which needed some chewing. He threw the competition of making softest possible kababs. Haji Murad Ali alias Tunday created the paste-like soft kababs to win the prize and more than that he gave a new identity to the town for decades to come. Salman’s mother prepares the food at Aminabad outlet and his grandmother makes at Purana Chowk.

The tradition of guarding the secrecy of recipe is still revered and only women in the house know what spice mix goes into the delicious Tunday Kababs, and Salman wouldn’t want to reveal the 160 ingredients that goes into making of kababs. All I learn is that the spices are imported from various countires. The recipes are same but the taste differs as his grandma still uses the heated coal for preparations, while stoves are in use at Salman’s restaurant. Salman informs that the recipes go through a change in winters when more dry fruits and spices go into the mix essentially to counter the cold climate.
A 10th grade passed Salman joined the business in 2006 and has no intentions of parting with the business. Though his kababs are famous, its priced in a manner where even the poor can afford it.  He has adopted the principle of ‘lesser price higher demand’. He wishes that Tunday kababs lives on for many more years to come, and keeps the legacy of his family. 

A little Bengali China

On my first trip to Kolkata, a friend strongly recommended me a visit to the place called China Town in Kolkata. From travel magazines, he had gathered some impressive details which, albeit painted a picture of imagination quite astonishing. Instead of other touristy places, I preferred to make a round of this China Town and here is what I went through.

First I boarded a taxi which kept me enticed from the moment I landed in Kolkata. Peppy young yellow giant with a blue strap in centre of the body of Ambassador Grand (BS III, 1500 DSL-5S) was nothing less than the king of the roads of Kolkata as its drives also displayed remarkable skills of dominating the road and cutting lanes with incessant honking, making every soul feel its presence.

My excitement was eroding with my taxi paving its way through narrow lanes of China Town. Not exactly a slum but a typical unorganised, unplanned colony with small polluting factories of metal casting and scrap – a quintessential area of every town of India. Bigger disappointment- couldn’t see any Chinese around but only Chinese restaurants and bars around every corner.

Giving last breath to my hope, I asked for the best restaurant and there I was, Big Boss. The place indeed was big. I climbed up to one of its restaurants on Monday afternoon where I was the only guest. I was greeted by a man in black suit who looked like a Chinese. But it was difficult to say as there were many Northeast Indians and even migrants from Nepal look alike and I really can’t tell who belongs to which part.

On settling down on my seat I was offered a menu which put aside but straight away asked, “What is your best dish? And is it authentic Chinese or Indianised?” the reply with a smile was not surprising as the captain said, “Sir, it’s Indianised Chinese.” I asked if there is any place which serves authentic Chinese? And he kindly shook his head.

After a while I tried to strike a conversation with him. His name was Robert, a Christian Chinese from China. And it sounded like worth a trip to me.

It was fourth generation of Robert, migrated from China. He could not put the number of Chinese living in the locality but he said that the population is now shrinking as the young generation is moving to other places of India in search of better opportunities. I forgot to ask him if he could speak Chinese but he had told me that it is no more of China in China Town. They speak Bengali, Hindi and English. They eat what all Indians eat, whether it is Chaat or bread-butter or Idli-sambar. They eat daal-chaaval and roti-sabzi. They celebrate Durga Puja, Diwali, Holi, Christmas and also Chinese festivals.

Robert still has relatives in China and they are still in touch but an interesting fact – International calling cards are cheaper in China and hence, relatives call him more often than him calling them. He has never been to China and so he was indifferent on being asked if he ever missed his home in China? Without any emotions, he said, Kolkata was his home now. This is the place which has given him home, a citizenship and occupation. “I studied here, lived here all my life and we also vote. Chinese customs and food are still a small part of us but we are Indians.”

Another tip that my friend had given me was about visiting China Town for early morning authentic Chinese breakfast available only at 6am which gets over by 7am. Robert said that he attempted it only twice in his life but still couldn’t get the taste of it as very small proportions are made and consumed quickly.

I left Big Boss with a sense of content that Robert was not missing authentic Chinese food in China Town, so why should I?

However, Indianised Chinese food was too spicy for me at Big Boss unlike other Indians flocking it looking exactly for the same. I wonder if it is time to shift the sides!