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Rai & Krishna Chaudhary, TNN, Dec 28, 2025: The Times of India

Mehfooz Ali carefully opens his palm with the gesture of a stage magician performing a big reveal, his showstopping trick. The aroma that hits you is unmistakably Rampuri, coming from a blend of freshly ground spices that the khansama carefully infuses into an array of simmering pots, while overseeing preparations for a grand waleema (wedding feast). “Cooking”, he reflects, “is an art, and Rampur cuisine is a living legacy, shaped by continual fusion and innovation. And it’s coming back to life.”

The 38-year-old represents the fifth generation of khansamas who continue to serve the erstwhile Rampur royal family in Uttar Pradesh.


Rampur, around 350km from Lucknow, was a tiny princely state. It sided with the British after the fall of the Awadh Empire following the War of Independence of 1857 and, because it offered security, chefs from surrounding areas took shelter here. What was born was Rampuri cuisine — a melting pot of Mughal, Afghan, Lucknowi, Kashmiri and Awadhi styles. 


Khansamas Go Online


But, by the 1970s, the cuisine that flourished under the nawabs began to fade, largely because of changing social and economic dynamics, but also since many of its recipes were a closely guarded secret, says Aslam Khan, another chef serving the erstwhile royal family. With the passing of each old master chef, a wealth of unique knowledge — known only to him — died out and, without that knowledge, any attempt to recreate the culinary masterpieces proved frustratingly futile. 
It is social media, Aslam says, that “breathed new life into the almost forgotten traditions, especially among young people eager to rediscover and experiment with Rampur’s unique dishes.” 


With Instagram accounts showcasing royal recipes and several restaurants near the Rampur-Bareilly highway serving their own versions of Rampuri fare, classic specialities such as adrak halwa, hari mirch halwa, taar gosht (mutton curry with a string-like consistency), and mutanjan (a sweet and savoury dish of meat and rice) have found new followers. 
“It looks like the old times are coming back,” Mehfooz says, barely able to con tain his excitement.

From Secret To Viral 


Aslam and Mehfooz both started social media accounts, where they prepared centuries-old recipes for modern audiences who simply lapped it up. The surge in local interest inspired young foodies to experiment with dishes like Rampuri shab-deg and yakhni shorba. Instagram and Facebook reels became key tools in popularising the cuisine.


Munne Miyan, 65, a khansama whose culinary lineage also stretches back generations, readily concedes that while he may have no idea about social media, “its impact is undeniable”. “Without it, our craft might have been lost forever.” He says social media did what the old khansamas ought to have done by passing on their secret recipes: keep knowledge — and Rampuri cuisine — alive.


Thanks to this newfound interest, the once closely guarded recipes are being celebrated through video series, food festivals and digital campaigns. 


Kazim Ali Khan, scion of the Rampur royal family, also acknowledges the transformative impact of the digital space. “The revival of Rampuri cuisine is visibly unfolding on digital media, giving a boost to our mission of sharing the kitchen’s unique aromas with both the Indian and global audience,” he says.


All this, of course, would not have been possible without the Rampur Raza Library — a vast repository of rare manuscripts, references to the evolution of recipes, and even cookbooks. It was a historian, Tarana Husain Khan — author of ‘Degh to Dastarkhwan: Qissas and Recipes from Rampur’— who, as part of the University of Sheffield’s ‘Forgotten Foods’ project, translated and revived many dishes, using both archival research in the library and oral histories from surviving khansamas . Access to these manuscripts — now referenced in podcasts, blog posts and video tutorials — played a huge part in bringing the lost dishes back to life.


One of those nearly lost dishes preserved in the library is samnak halwa, a barley-and-wheat delicacy associated with the celebration of Nawroz, a tradition that travelled to Rampur via Afghan and Persian cultural circuits. Records of this dish — which remains, to this day, a winter staple at Rampuri weddings and waleemas — are preserved in the writings of Nawab Kalb Ali Khan, who ruled the state from 1865 to 1887.


Another indispensable dish, taar gosht, is a slow-cooked mutton preparation using tender cuts simmered in a fragrant stock ( yakhni ). A rich paste of fried onion, ginger-garlic paste, yoghurt, and ground spices is added gradually, allowing the meat to yield its fat, forming a silky, string-like gravy — the characteristic ‘ taar ’. Often finished with nuts, saffron, and a hint of kewra water, the preparation is the perfect example of the depth and elegance of Rampur’s culinary tradition. 


Past, Plated For The Present


“Today’s revival efforts centre on reconnecting with the remaining khansamas and translating their memories and ancient cookbooks,” Tarana says, adding that it’s a continuing effort to revive and reinterpret Rampuri recipes for new audiences. 
 “In truth, Rampur cuisine’s richness survived only because of those anonymous masters — who are fragile links in the chain between nawabi patronage and culinary innovation — and the incentivising push of the digital revolution we call social media.”


For foodies, the change is already visible. Delhi resident Sharat Sharma, a frequent traveller who never misses a stop at the restaurants dishing out Rampuri fare along the highway, said: “Over time, Rampur cuisine has become a brand, often appropriated by people with no real connection to the erstwhile state. Authenticity suffered as a result. But that authenticity is being restored. And it’s now more accessible than ever.”