The Origin of Chicken Shami Kabab: Unraveling the History and Legacy of this Iconic Dish

Share This Post

The diverse flavors and dishes of Indian cuisine have the potential to make you go weak in the knees with a wide variety of options. However, shami Kabab stand out and receive the title of an iconic dish out of numerous other culinary delights. In this blog, we will talk about such a delicacy responsible for fulfilling the cravings of almost every person. Let us learn some lesser-known facts about the iconic dish of Indian cuisine, Chicken Shami Kabab

A perfectly delicious set of appetizers is what you must have on the occasion of a party, a get-together of friends, or a beautiful gathering of loved ones. After all, the crux of any and every celebration is none other than good food. Moreover, if you serve some dishes that bear the core desi flavors, the parties lighten up like no other, and your guests are also happy. But the million-dollar question of what dishes to serve lies in the abundance of choices, and it gets tricky to fix a few.

In such times, other than the usual main course comprising an authentic Indian curry and several other dishes, preference lies towards the all-time loved, traditional dish of the Mughlai cuisine, Kabab! Before we get to one particular variant, we must remember that there are numerous kababs in Indian cuisine. But out of them, the most iconic dish happens to be the most amazing, Chicken Shami Kabab.   

A delightful delicacy made with tender, melt-in-the-mouth minced chicken, this Kabab is the perfect side dish to enjoy with flavorful naans or parathas, or simply just by itself. If you are a lover of kababs, this will make you feel like you are in a foodies’ paradise right from the first bite. Apart from the fact that Chicken Shami Kabab is a tasty dish with a unique and delicious flavor of its own, there is an amusing story attached to its inception.

What is the origin of Chicken Shami Kabab?

The city of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, India, was once the heart of Mughal rule in our nation. As we know, the Mughals played a significant role in expanding Indian culinary heritage by introducing numerous delicacies, including the iconic dish Chicken Shami Kabab. But the story that goes behind its invention is quite interesting.

Back then, there used to be a ruling nobleman, Nawab Asaf-ud-Dulah, who had an unparalleled love for food. Naturally, he would savor his favorite dishes almost more in quantity than an average human could. The repercussion was not what you think if you hope he suffered from obesity. Asaf-ud-Dulah, gradually, with time, suffered a massive loss of all his teeth which left him completely unable to chew. As bad news as it can be for a person who loves food to the core, the Nawab was quite justifiably not ready to give up on his food love.  

So, to keep up with his love for meaty delicacies but not be able to chew anything anymore, the Nawab challenged the chef of his court. The challenge was to come up with a meat-special dish that could be enjoyed even by someone with no teeth. The chef seemed not to have taken the challenge lightly and ensured to invent a delicacy that would satisfy the Nawab. Thus, the very iconic dish, the soft, melt-in-the-mouth Chicken Shami Kabab, came into existence. 

The above mentioned story regarding the inception of the flavorful Chicken Shami Kabab is sure to stir up your cravings. If that is so, don’t wait any longer. Hurry up, visit a grocery store or Bombay Kitchen outlet near you, and grab a pack of this amazingly delicious and iconic dish, Chicken Shami Kabab.