Logo

Synopsis Slow Oven or Dum Pukht has become one of the most refined forms of cooking in India, even though the style is no more than 200 years old. Slow Oven means cooking on very low flame, mostly in sealed containers, allowing the meats and vegetables to cook, as far as possible, in their own juices. The spices used are less than those in traditional Indian cooking, with fresh spices and herbs for flavouring . In some cases, cooking dough is spread over the container, like a lid, to seal the foods.  This is known as a purdah (veil), but on cooking becomes a bread which has absorbed the flavours of the food and the two are, therefore, best eaten together. In the end, Dum Pukht food is about aroma, when the seal is broken on the table and the fragrance of a Lucknavi repast floats in the air. Indian cuisine has a range and variety that is extraordinary, with each region contributing its won flavour. Modern Indian cooking borrows selectively from these diverse styles, assimilates and adapts them to suit the palate. The richness of Indian food, therefore continues to grow.