As per a popular story, the then Nawab Nasruddin ordered his cook – Janashin Ali Hussain that there are many things in the treasury of Hindus, what new will you bring? After listening to this, Hussain ordered a tandoor from Iran and prepared a sweet Tandoori bread, which came to be known as the first tandoori item in the history of India. Earlier it was called Bakarkhani and was prepared with flour, dry fruits, saffron, desi ghee and milk. The khanaama made a few combinations of these Rotis and presented them to the Nawab. When he ate this bread, he loved the Bakarkhani and its shape. He asked the cook to make this variation only, which later came to be known as ‘Cheermaal’, as it was supposed to be torn off. Later on it became popular as ‘Sheermal’.
Another story says that this delicious bread was prepared during the reign of Naseeruddin Haider in Lucknow. A person named Mahmood had opened a small restaurant in Firangi Mahal where Nihari was famous and he apparently created a new form of roti to be eaten with a bowl of Nihari. Later, this roti came to be known as Sheermal. Mahmood’s chief cook was Ali Hussain, who later set up his own stall and since then, Ali Hussain Sheermal has become an integral part of this town. This shop was started in 1830 in Sheermal Wali Gali, Lucknow and is presently run by Mohammad Umar and his nephew, Mohammad Junaid, in the sixth generation of the family.
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