Forgotten Foods Festival of Rampur Cuisine
Join us in the quiet hills of Satkhol for a rare journey into the legacy of Rampuri royal kitchens, where history is served on a plate.
A collage showcasing the rich and rare dishes from our Forgotten Foods Festival of Rampur Cuisine, a truly unique gastronomic experience held in the mountains.
Nargisi Kofta, named after the Narcissus flower. These koftas with boiled egg centers are a beautiful and delicious example of the artistry of Rampuri royal cuisine.
Rampuri Dahi Badas, a dish to aspire to. Unlike the common chaat, these are flat, palm-sized, and so soft they can be 'eaten with lips'.
Anannas Pulao, a sweet and savory rice dish with pineapple. Historically, it was presented with a real-looking pineapple made of sugar, showcasing the grandeur of the era.
Do Gosht Pulao, a yakhni pulao made with two kinds of meat, mutton and chicken. A delicious and rarely cooked Rampuri ensemble that we revive at our festival.
Lauki Bharwa, where bottle gourd is stuffed with paneer and khoya, then steamed and served in a delectable curry. A testament to the creativity of vegetarian dishes in royal cuisine.
About The Forgotten Foods Festival
This isn't a cooking demonstration where you just watch and eat; it is an immersive exploration of culinary heritage led by food historian Dr. Tarana Husain Khan. We revive dishes like the delicate Rampuri dahi bada—so soft it melts instantly—and the complex Do Gosht Pulao, using traditional techniques that have slowly faded from modern, hurried kitchens.
Rampur's royal cuisine is a story of Indo-Islamic fusion, a legacy of the former princely state. At our festival in Satkhol, we strip away the layers of modern, simplified cooking to reveal the slow-burn magic of these traditional recipes.
Every meal is an act of preservation. Whether it is the intricate artistry of Nargisi Kofta—named after the narcissus flower—or the sophisticated balance of sweet and savory in Anannas Pulao, each dish offers a direct connection to an era gone by. We focus on the 'khansama' (royal chef) traditions, where spices are layered with patience and ingredients are treated with profound respect.
Why bring this to the mountains?
Because the quiet of the Himalayas is the perfect backdrop for slow food. When you aren't rushing, you can truly taste the difference between a mass-produced meal and a dish steeped in legacy. During the festival, you get more than just recipes; you get the context of why these dishes were created, how they traveled through royal kitchens, and how they define the identity of the Rampuri people. It is about understanding food as a cultural artifact that requires our attention to survive.
The Himalayan Writing Retreat
We are a community of creators and storytellers based in the quiet hills of Satkhol. When we aren't helping writers finish their manuscripts, we are diving deep into the cultural histories that shape our identity, like the rich, vanishing food heritage of Rampur.
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