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Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
5 min
30/12/2025
Awadhi is that Indian cuisine where the flavours are delicate, the textures creamy, and the ingredients rich. There’s nothing ‘humble’ about the slow-cooked stews, smoky, layered biryanis, or the layered breads engineered for texture, not convenience. It screams royalty, because that’s what it was. The Awadhi cuisine originated in the royal kitchens of the Awadh region (Lucknow, India), and even when it trickled down to the masses, it remained tinged with luxury (in ingredients, culinary techniques, and serving styles). Nowhere is that more evident than in the Awadhi flatbreads that are anything but commonplace.
Flatbreads, from the soft phulkas and crispy dosas to flaky parathas and naans, are integral to all regional cuisines in India. The flatbread might be cooked on a tawa, fried in hot oil, or baked in an oven, but it will be on your plate, proudly taking its place as the perfect side. Now, while every region brought its own twist to the flatbread, this article delves into the history and influence of one particular region or cuisine — Awadh. Awadhi cuisine transformed flatbreads from simple staples into rich, aromatic, and elaborate accompaniments that complement the region's complex stews and kebabs. And none were perhaps as ingenious as the ulte tawa ka paratha that became the classic side for melt-in-your-mouth kebabs. Dig in to know more.
Awadhi cuisine, a blend of Persian, Mughal, and local cooking traditions, emphasises richness, subtle flavours, and slow-cooking techniques (particularly evident in dum pukht biryani and nihari). The flatbreads reflect this royal heritage.
The four main influences on flatbreads that can be traced to the Awadhi influence are:
Ulte tawe ka paratha is literally what the name suggests — a flatbread (paratha) made on an ulta tawa (inverted griddle). It’s an ingenious cooking technique, or rather a clever innovation that royal chefs came up with to adapt sheermal (the signature Awadhi bread) for the common people ("Diwan e Aam"). It’s a cheaper alternative but still pairs well with kebabs like tunday (or galouti) and shami.
It's a soft, melt-in-your-mouth paratha, with a unique texture that can be directly attributed to it being cooked on an inverted griddle. While kebabs are the most often paired, they can also be consumed with meat gravies and veg stir-fries. Additionally, the traditional version used maida (refined flour) because it allowed elasticity and layering. However, many modern-dan recipes swap maida with atta because it is higher in fibre. The result is a paratha with a less flaky texture but an earthier flavour.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
The MP Sharbati Atta is made from wheat sourced exclusively from Madhya Pradesh, and the grains are carefully selected for their uniform size and natural golden colour. Consequently, it produces softer flatbreads (which helps with ulte tawa ka paratha). Additionally, to make utle tawa ka paratha, atta flour needs slightly more moisture and resting time. Since MP Sharbati atta has enhanced water absorption, its dough works better. Lastly, it also offers a pleasant natural aroma and premium quality texture that blooms in this dish.
Apart from ulte tawa ka paratha, Lucknow’s bread heritage has even more gems like:
Technically, flatbreads may be a side, but as the Awadhi versions show, they can be elevated to a luxurious dish that can even overshadow the mains. Whether you experiment with cooking techniques to make a warqi paratha or ulte tawa ka paratha, or order a sheermal from one of the OG restaurants, these Awadhi breads are worth trying.
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