The non-veg samosa and the non-veg dahi bada, both exist and are as tasty and as relished as the vegetarian variety in the city of Lucknow. The old city has many such hidden wonders and delicacies but all of them are today down market and low priced. The same food item could cost a packet in Gurgaon or Delhi but here in Avadh, it remains unnoticed and sidelined.

The fall of the nawabs and the rise of the British changed things forever in the city of nawabs. Never known for its industrial base Lucknow may have declined and died out had the British not decided to shift the capital of the state of Uttar Pradesh from Allahabad to Lucknow. Economists the world over will be surprised to know that there is no industry in Lucknow. The only traditional industry that exists is geared to catering to the demands of a rich and pampered nobility of little vision and changing tastes. There is chikan embroidery for the begums and nawabzadas. There is zari and zardozi work for the same group of people and there is artificial jewellery, there are kite makers and there are kebab makers.

The change in the profile of the elite of the city led to the decline of certain food items in Lucknow. The hardcore meat-eating nobles of the nawabs were replaced by vegetarian bureaucrats and vegetarian traders who came from other parts of the state. Eating meat was forbidden in their homes but after a couple of pegs of the latest whisky the desire to taste forbidden fruit was very high in the new dominant males of the kingdom. Since they were done after office hours the kebab and biryani wallah (maker) began to prosper while the non-vegetarian breakfast and snack items went begging for want of patronage. Today, the new millionaires of the city are undoubtedly the kebab makers. Lines of cars their engines running and the AC on can be seen in the dark lanes leading to these quaint kebab outlets, soda and whisky is brought by the clients and consumed in steel glasses with plates of shami kebabs and chicken masala. The list is endless.

But in the morning, the breakfast items go neglected. The sahab has a puja to perform to repent for the sins of the evening and to quietly eat his parantha with dahi. If it’s a Tuesday then go forbid even an egg shall not be seen near the table.

But the mince meat samosa still exists and is available for rupees two a piece in the old city of Lucknow on Victoria Street. Here Haji Mohammad Iqbal still sits in the shop started by his father Haji Salamatullah. For those who are anxious to taste this new delicacy please don’t go on a Sunday as the area is exceptionally crowded.