Lamb From Muzbi To Modern

What is your favorite lamb recipe? Chops? Shoulder? Leg? Steaks? Grilled? Baked? Marinated? Rubbed?
Most of us run out of ways to prepare lamb before our mint jelly is finished. If young mutton ranks high on your list of preferences, you’ll be interested to know the Royal Cooks for the Mughal Empire in India were able to create a different preparation of lamb for each day of the year. That’s well over three hundred dishes—far more than today’s cooks would be able, or inclined, to create.
Although other meat showed up in the Mughal cuisine, lamb was their meat of choice for both religious and geographical reasons. As Muslims they didn’t eat pork. Large quantities of beef were unavailable in the predominantly Hindu country (India) they ruled. Fish and other seafood were unfamiliar and not easily available in their landlocked empire.
These wealthy Mughals, builders of the memorable Taj Mahal, lived a life of luxury, drama, and complexity—an opulence which was reflected in their food. Any ingredient they wanted could be summoned to their table. Gold and silver foil garnished tops of food. Fifty different dishes would be prepared for a banquet. Multitudes of spices were daily ground for their meals. Read more »