Slow cooking is an art and over the years this style has got its due recognition too. Slow cooking the meat or other items underground has been there since thousands of years even the evolution of kitchens when smoked meats or vegetables were treasured and helped conserve fuel too.
India in particular has not been devoid of this style of cooking as many parts of the country this is pretty much popular. Going by the hunting traditions of Rajasthan most nomadic tribes are also to cook in underground oven where they just leave meat, vegetables are seasoned and wrapped in leaves and then gets buried in the dessert and letting it cook for several hours. The heat that is created helps the food to get cooked. The pit dug or the hole in the ground is called ‘Khad’
Kunal Kapoor in one of his Facebook posts while cooking Pahadi meat also writes “Watch me as I cook a leg of mutton inside the ground. The meat is marinated with local Kumaoni ingredients like bhang ke beej, wrapped in leaves, buried in a pit of fire & slow cooked. This method of cooking was used mostly by armies or soldiers in Rajasthan. The armies would dig the ground and light a fire so as to avoid detection where the camp was at the same time they would bury the meat inside so there would be no smoke for any enemy to spot them. Again once the cooking was done they would dig out the pit remove the meat and then fill the pit again so as to leave no trace of camping”
One of the beauty and simplicity of the underground ovens are that they cook everything all at once as all things are wrapped and put inside to be cooked. No mixing, no tossing needed. But to miss that cooking in an underground oven is nothing less than an art as you need to know how exactly to maintain the temperature. The idea is to select meat and vegetables carefully as to those which get cooked almost at the same temperature and for the same duration.
Chef Hemant Oberoi is known for his experiments with Kahd style of cooking. Further adding he said “The smoked rustic aroma of earth or mitti mixed with spices and ghee makes the dishes much delectable. The trick of cooking with Khad lies in the fact that it needs to sealed well”.
Khad cooking was and still more of a royal expression in Rajasthan and till date many Royal families have their khad classics they have preserved till date. Khad cooking is about celebrating great outdoors. These 'cook-outs' that mostly happen during winter in open air sand dunes and once done it’s all about discarding your fork and knife and enjoying the food cooked in the heart of nature. These slow-cooked regional dishes have a charm of their own. From the nomads to the Royals, Khad has a special place in the culinary culture of the country.