Chickpeas and Shahjahani Dal: What’s the connect? 

It doesn’t need to be reiterated that the Mughals endowed Indian history with the richness of art, culture and architecture. But that’s not all. They also left behind an enticing culinary legacy, characterised by a blend of exquisite colours, distinctive fragrances and table manners too! Every emperor also contributed to the evolution of Mughal cuisines with their own favourites. Shah Jahan can be credited with adding new spices to the food. When he moved his capital from Agra to Shahjahanabad, Shah Jahan got to know that the water of the new city was making his subjects sick. This is when he ordered that food should be cooked with spices having medicinal properties like more haldi, red chillies, cumin and coriander, all in increased amount.  

Some records suggest that Shah Jahan loved enjoying his food, spending long hours at the dining spread. It is also believed that Shah Jahan enjoyed fresh fruits and would have them weighed in front of him.  

The legend of Shahjahani Dal 
Unfortunately, Shah Jahan was imprisoned in Agra Fort after being deposed by his power-hungry son Aurangzeb. During his confinement, he was allowed to choose only one item that would be used to cook delicacies for him. Well, the beleaguered monarch did not ponder his options for long. Legends have it that he wished for chickpeas. And for the next eight years, until his death in 1666, he solely ate dishes made from this legume.  

The emperor's choice of chickpea above foods was unsurprising as it could be used in a variety of recipes. Perhaps he imagined that he would never be weary of it. This is how Shahjahani Dal got its name. This dish is made of mashed chickpeas cooked in thick gravy and slightly flavoured with spices. This dal continues to excite the taste buds of foodies throughout the subcontinent and beyond even today. 

Fact file: Mughals and their tryst with food 
While we know that Mughals lent Indian cuisine a rich legacy, there are many unknown facts about the emperors’ love for food and the Mughal kitchen. Here are some of them for you to savour.  

• Initially, Babur wasn’t in love with Indian food. Instead, he preferred the fresh meat and fruits of his native Samarkand. However, fish was something that he really enjoyed as it wasn’t available in his hometown.  
• Humayun is credited to have brought about Iranian influence to the Mughal kitchen.  
• Akbar, who was a vegetarian thrice a week, loved Indian food. In fact, he had his own kitchen garden which was watered by rosewater. The aim was to ensure that the vegetables smelt good after being cooked. 
• Aurangzeb is known to be a vegetarian throughout. In one of his letters to a son, he has been found to express his love for Qubooli. This is a form of biryani cooked with rice, Bengal gram, dried apricot, basil, almond and curd. 
• In Mughal kitchens food used to be cooked in rainwater mixed with water from the Ganges.