Book excerpt: Timeless recipes from the stately kitchens of the Awadh regionDastarkhwan (noun): A meticulously laid out ceremonial spread of food. The nawabs of Awadh were renowned for their extravagance and their patronage of the best craftsmen. Of all the arts that flourished then, cooking was considered one of the finest, and its practitioners were among the most sought after. Famous for its nafaasat (refinement) and nazaakat (delicateness), Awadhi cuisine blends spices over a slow fire to achieve seasonal harmony with nature. Retelling anecdotes and secrets long held by the descendants of the nawabs, talukdars, bawarchis and rakabdars of the region, Sangeeta Bhatnagar and R.K. Saxena recreate the culture and cuisine of a culturally and imaginatively rich era.