When the earliest Pathan settlers made Rohilkhand their home in the early eighteenth century, they brought with them a culinary legacy that had evolved amid the rugged landscapes of Afghanistan. The hard-riding, hard-fighting warriors of the Safed Koh mountains preferred a primarily meat-based diet, and their kitchens revolved largely around the *bhuna*, or roasting, method, accompanied by coarse breads.

More than a century in the fertile plains to the northeast of Delhi gave rise to a cuisine that celebrates meat while also making imaginative use of vegetables in ways that are both comforting and deeply satisfying.

It was, however, the events of the 1857 Rebellion and the fall of Lucknow that proved to be a culinary watershed for the region. With patronage in Lucknow gone, many of the city's talented, now masterless chefs migrated to seek employment in the princely state of Rampur, which had sided with the British and, consequently, survived the upheaval. Over time, Rampuri cuisine gradually blended with the subtlety and refinement of Awadhi cooking.