Pakoras

sizzling oil

fried dough

smells of saunf

'home' shifts base

in the guise of a mother

Tummyfull of love

A tummyfull of love
What my mother gives me
The dust is rising again
and the sun is unkind
but my tummyfull of love
makes me smile
how do the mothers know
to mix kindness with the curry leaves
and toss in a smile with the salt
so everything becomes bearable
bad days
broken phones
cramps
longings
and this becomes a fat I don't mind

Feast first @ Shakahari, Mariott

LINK: http://know.burrp.com/food-dining/feast-first-shakahari-mariott/51604

When food fit for the Nawabs calls, you give in and answer it with a bite, saysSandhya Ramachandran as she feasts on Awadhi cuisine.

Ghazals drifting from the restaurant mentally paint a picture of regal interiors, heavily chikankari-ed drapes, hookahs strewn, and a mahaul all set for an evening of wine and dine.

Then you realize you’re in the dry state – Gujarat, as you step into a standardMarriott-interior of stone slabs, large horizontal wooden beams and glass accents. At Shakahari, Courtyard by Marriott -Ahmedabad’s serving of Hyderabadi and Awadhi cuisine, the food brings legends alive and transports you to the land of aromatic spices and robust meats. As song after song continued to be rendered from an elevated manch by two very enthusiastic performers, the starters arrived.

The Akhrot ke seekh (Rs 400) was an interesting dish. The walnut stuffing was rich, creamy and the coriander accents were refreshing. The Paneer Shahjahani tikka (Rs 400)  contained peanuts in the sauce that combined beautifully with soft sweet prunes. The Sarson ke phool (Rs 400) – tender broccoli marinated in mustard and cooked in a tandoor with cheese and nuts, surprisingly won plenty of favour with us.

The winner of the starters pack however was the Kachcha kela kali mirch (Rs 350). A delightful combination of raw bananas tossed with peppercorns and cherry tomatoes and gently spiced with cinnamon, it makes for a spicy and aromatic start to the meal ahead.

The breadbasket was a carb-lovers paradise. The innovative Chilli olive naan (Rs 100), the lachcha paratha (Rs 100) was aromatic and the layers simply melted in your mouth. The Nawabi favourite – Warqi paratha (Rs 125) was thick, soft and perfect to mop up the curries ordered. The Masala kulcha (Rs 125) and Plain roti (Rs 100) – both simple versions of the leavened flatbread rounded of the offerings of the breadbasket.

To accompany the various versions of roti,we began with the Paneer hara pyaaz (Rs 400). We laud the chef’s talent at balancing the crispbold raw onions while sacrificing their potent pungency in this dish.

The Martabaan Chhole (Rs 375), one of the more popular dishes of Hyderabadi cuisine, has chick peas marinated in tea and tossed with twenty-six differentmasalas. Although that sounds like a whole lot of spices to take in at once, the taste surprisingly was very wholesome and homemade. The Subz-e-Shakahari (Rs 400) – the signature dish that married Nawabi cuisine with vegetables from across the world has asparagus, broccoli, cherry tomatoes and water chestnuts in brown gravy – a surprisingly sublime fusion!

The Tarkari Biryani (Rs 375) enticed us into digging in, despite a full stomach. Cooked in the dum style, the spices blended with the rice and seduced the tongue into slavery. Combine the creamy blended Dal shakahari (Rs 375) with this and you just found your perfect meal. The Peas pulao (Rs 250) had sweet swollen peas sprinkled in fragrant rice served with the special Raita (Rs 125) – a yoghurt-based condiment.

Although we were overwhelmed with the royal spread, we caved in to our sweet cravings and sampled the dessert platter. Every slurp of the Gulab ki kheer (Rs 300) was made memorable by the perfectly sweet marriage of the condensed milk and the scent of rose petals.

The Dry fruits halwa (Rs 300) – a blend of nuts, semolina and ghee, this one was a simple yet delicious sweet treat. The Zauk e Shahi (Rs 300) had mini Gulab jamuns soaked in lachhedar rabdi - full fat milk, which is thickened with sugar and flavoured with cardamom and dry fruits – was a straight shot to dessert heaven. We credit the chef for resisting the temptation to make this one super sweet.

It’s an enlightening realization at the end of a meal, that goades you into understanding that while democracy may have pushed the Nawabs to the backseat, but their food can still hold its own even today. Shakahari is a must visit for every foodie who loves a rich feast. Aur khaane ke saat, kuch shaayri bhi ho jaaye!

Must try: Akrot ke seekh, Sabz-e-Shakahari, Gulab ki Kheer

Meal for two: Rs 2200+ taxes

Coffee and Conversations @ Fresh Roast Cafe

LINK: http://know.burrp.com/food-dining/new-cafes-in-ahmedabad-coffee-fresh-roast-cafe/51356

For evenings lit up by lights strung around trees, scented with coffee and peppered with great food, The Fresh Roast Café is the place to be, saysSandhya Ramachandran.

The Fresh Roast Café is tucked into a cosy gully, but you just might miss it if you aren’t looking for it. This three-month old café is a part of the Heritage Hotel in Paldi whose history dates it back to 1922. With 33 rooms and 18 suites to boot, all it needed was a place where guests could have a quick bite, which led to idea of starting the Fresh Roast Café .

While you could munch on your starter seated in the Burma wood panelled interiors, you could also choose to lounge in the lovely outdoor area with its constant hum of water from the fountains. We decided we wanted to capitalise on the pleasant light breeze before the scorching summer really hit us. The outdoor area merrily beckoned to us with its pretty white wrought iron furniture, and twinkle lights wound around tree barks.

So as the evening crept up on us, the rich and strong Espresso Americano (Rs 65) woke us up for the meal ahead. We also sipped on a rich and smooth Hazelnut coffee (Rs 85). A creamy nutty flavour kissed with the heady taste of coffee, we were slaves to its smooth taste to the very last sip. Order the Caramello Mocha (Rs 80) for a bold caramel flavoured coffee, that you wont forget easily.

Our salads for the evening – the Peach Mozzarella Salad (Rs 130) and the Fattuce Salad (Rs 130) turned out to be wise choices. The Peach Mozzarella Salad was an exquisite combination of sliced peaches tossed with mozzarella cubes, mixed with basil and lemon vinaigrette, laid out on iceberg lettuce and garnished with herbed croutons.

The fruit-vegetable combination salads could easily turn out to be a disastrous affair but Fresh Roast Café’s Peach Mozzarella Salad sailed through brilliantly, the sweetness of the peach and the sour creamy taste of the mozzarella cubes complimenting each another beautifully.

The Fattuce Salad, with diced tomatoes, cucumber, red and yellow peppers, lettuce, olives, feta cheese and Parmesan cheese, was a tad salty but great overall. Refreshing to taste, we feel that the dish makes for a great contender for the perfect brunch award (with far less salt though).

The Feta cheese Cucumber Tomato Basil Panini (Rs 155) that we ordered next was a good eat- the cheese holding together the vegetables and herbs well. The next item on our night’s meal was the Pizza Milano (Rs 250). Made with jalapeno peppers, olives, onions and capers, this thin-crust pizza was served with three delicious homemade dips. We’ve never had pizza with dip before, but decided to give it a shot. While the mustard dip was pungent enough to give the wasabi a run for its money, the herbs olive oil dip was a perfect add-on for some health and taste. The third part of this potent triad – the chilli garlic dip proved to be a mix of flavours that was sure to be a crowd pleaser here.

Fresh Roast is definitely one of the better cafes in the city in terms of both food and ambience. One visit surely calls for more (psst! We have already made three). The quality and quantity of the food is a great value for money option. So trust us blindly this time and order anything on the menu. It sure hasn’t disappointed us so far!

Must try: Peach Mozzarella Salad, Rich n smooth Hazelnut coffee, and the three homemade dips

Meal for two: Rs 700 + taxes

Food with a view @ Azzuri Bay

LINK: http://know.burrp.com/food-dining/food-with-a-view-azzuri-bay-gandhinagar/49841

If you have ever wished to lunch in a place with your friends and have a comfortable time, some good food, lovely ambience and great service, Azzuri Bay is the place to go, says Sandhya Ramachandran.

In the heart of Gandhinagar, Azzuri Bay stays true to its name and boasts of a wonderful view of the azure waters of the Bay of Bengal from its rooftop dining area. Enter and the rest of the place is equally impressive. A simple interior space with wooden furniture, clear pools of water and statues of Buddha help you leave the chaos of the world behind and ready you for the feast to come.

After a quick look around, we almost wished we had stopped by for dinner, if only to see how breath taking this place is at night. We began lunch with an orange popsicle, looking as if it landed on our plates straight out of the school-side ice cream carts, wrapped in a transparent polythene cover – an odd choice perhaps, but we were glad for its sharp citrusy flavour.

A Thai ice tea (Rs 150) refreshed us with its crisp lemon grass flavour while the San Fransisco ice tea (Rs 150) had us sold on the exciting mix of lime, fresh mint and black berries with tea.  The Pan-Asian combination tasting vegetarian and non-vegetarian platters (Rs 525 each) arrived next. Special mention needs to be made of the vegetables served on sugarcane skewers. An innovative skewer made out of a strip of sugarcane held up a minced vegetable and herb lollipop, that was spicy on the outside and mildly sweet closer to the cane. While we thought the vegetarian satay had too much turmeric for our taste, the spicy vegetable Thai rolls with the sweet-chilli dip proved to be the perfect foil for it.

What had us asking for more, however, were the salt and pepper prawns – a winning combination of fiery prawns cooked with plenty of piquant spices and finished with a spritz of lime.

To some, starters are a meal by itself and to others, it is the shubh aarambh or welcome to a meal. Since we readily agree with either stand, we greedily gobbled up the Mediterranean combo tasting platters (Rs 525 each). The stir-fried prawns and the quirkily named ‘Almost Shawarma’ on the platter was flavourful and had great texture.

However, the falafel was disappointing. Overloaded with too many bold Indian spices, it tasted like something that was more Indian than Egyptian to us.

The Three Cheese Chilli rolls with cheddar, mozzarella and cottage cheese fillings was also disappointing with cottage cheese that had gone sour. While the Vegetable Crostini was a tasty eat, the winner from Mediterranean was definitely the Stuffed Baked Mushrooms. Soft button mushrooms topped with cheese and herbed crumbs and baked together, we wish it came with a ‘like’ option, which we could click over and over again.

After our relay of tasting platters reached a close, we picked the Bocconcini and Melon Salad (Rs 375) – Bocconcini with strawberries, musk melon and water melon tossed with mixed greens, virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and garnished with almonds and roasted walnuts. We were sure, this was one dish could have been used to appease even the angriest God.

With such an impressive start to our meal, the main course didn’t exactly blow us away. The Veiled Spinach, artichoke, ricotta torte (Rs 375) was a dish with a few vegetables, ricotta cheese, herbs and olive oil mixed with pepper and chilly sauce and baked in a pie shell – sadly it was more lack lustre than the name makes it out to be.
The Chicken lasagna (Rs 400), though was a meal by itself. Thanks to the generous serving size, we happily tucked in to the beautifully seasoned chicken baked just the right balance of cheese.

The Mississippi Mud Pie (Rs 180) was delectable with its slab of coffee ice cream bound with walls of chocolate brownie. The Tiramisu (Rs 180) was soft, moist and decadent. In fact, we’d even say it’s a top contender for being one of the best Tiramisu’s in town.

On the whole, Azzuri Bay definitely is a good place to eat, topped with courteous service and a wonderful ambience. Head there when you have plenty of time on hand and can lounge over lunch and lengthy conversation on a sunny afternoon.

Must try:  Salt and pepper prawns, Stuffed Baked Mushrooms, Bocconcini and Melon Salad

Meal for two: Rs 2000 plus taxes

b! Review: Simar @Nungambakkam

LINK: http://know.burrp.com/food-dining/b-review-simar-nungambakkam/47410

Go to Simar if you want to be overwhelmed by Punjabi hospitality, good food and a posh dining experience, says Sandhya Ramachandran

Are you craving generous hospitality and great Punjabi food in the heart of Chennai? Head to Simar on Khader Nawaz Khan Road and prepare to be pampered.

Simardeep Kaur, the brains behind this Punjabi fine-dining experience, tells us how the restaurant business runs in the family, and it was only a matter of time before she started her own restaurant venture. She has even played a large role in the interior design and décor of the place. This has resulted in classy inverted egg-shaped chandeliers, a predominantly white and black space and a Punjab-inspired mural that takes up an entire wall.

After taking in the ambience, we began with a welcome drink of refreshing jaljeera that geared up our appetite. However, the lassi that was served alongside was not as thick and hearty as we usually like it. Thechanna chatpata salad made from chickpeas and vegetables, and the onion rings tossed in chilli powder and drizzled with lime – would make juicy and unquestionably delectable side dishes for a game on television.

We were overwhelmed when platters of starters – one each for vegetarian and non-vegetarian – arrived at our table. Recovering from this pleasant surprise, we dug into the peshawari aloo. Cheese, paneer and cashew nut stuffed into a potato and baked together made it the clear winner of the vegetarian starters’ line up for us. The Iranian paneer tikka, grilled in a charcoal fire, has a beautifully smoky taste. The tandoori gobi and stuffed mushroom were also well made with flavours that came together well. The vegetable sheek kebab had an overdose of ginger that dominated any other taste the vegetables might have lent to the dish.

We loved the stuffed Thai chicken starter while the mahi fish tikka was also well prepared. While the tandoori prawns weren’t fantastic, the mutton sheek kebab was tough and chewy. We really had to battle every morsel before swallowing.

Just as the starters had us satiated, the main course arrived. The breadbasket had a series of naansand paranthas and there were bowls full of side dishes to dip every piece of roti in. What caught our fancy was the ajwain parantha (parantha made with carom seeds). Aromatic, tasty and just plain divine to eat, theajwain parantha is a sure winner.

Amongst the side dishes, the baingan bartha -brinjal cooked until tender and submerged in the tasty gravy, when combined with the ajwain parantha and one couldn’t ask for anything better.

Maybe we said that too soon, as the combination of the makki ki roti (roti made from corn) and sarson ka saag was excellent too. The flavour, taste and texture were enough to immediately teleport us to the colourful plentiful land of Punjab. This is definitely the signature dish of Simar.

In the non-vegetarian curries, the mutton rogan ghosh was the one that gets out vote. Order this dish and get stunned by its tasty gravy and well-cooked mutton. Go for the prawn masala if you wish to taste a good and slightly sweet curry.

As women at a table nearby chatted effusively, enjoying a slow meal, the biryani arrived. While the mutton biryani was a tad, dry for our liking, the pea’s pulao compensated amply by being aromatic and delicious.

For those of you with a sweet tooth, give the rabdi, phirni and the gulab jamun a shot, but the one that won our taste buds over had to be thedoodhi halwa. Grainy, semi-sweet and garnished with slivers of almonds, it was the perfect end to a rich meal.

Must have: makki ki roti, doodhi halwa, mutton rogan ghosh

Meal for two: Rs 600+taxes

b! Review: Kaapicheenu kiosk @Alwarpet

LINK: http://know.burrp.com/food-dining/b-review-kaapicheenu-kiosk-alwarpet/47380

The promise of filter kaapi is enough to lure you to KaapiCheenu, saysSandhya Ramachandran

Step into the Kaapi Cheenu kiosk and it almost feels like the South Indian house wakes up to greet you. Complete with a platform-column-flat roof, or thinnai-thoon-mittam, this traditional setting preps you for a steaming cup of filter coffee. Thankfully, we weren’t disappointed.

South Indians almost have a patented manner in which they consumer kaapi.Served up in the ever-friendly version of the cup and saucer – the tumbler-davara, the kaapi decoction is prepared in a decanter.

Just the aroma of coffee wafting through the place is enough to calm you and invigorate you all at the same time. Look around to see if the original Cheenu or Manu Srinivas is around. Owner of Kaapi Cheenu, he and his friends from Oho Productions, Sambamurthy and Annamalai, came up with the branding for KaapiCheenu to give Chennai its very own ‘filter kaapi on the go’.

A little boy with the tumbler and davara cap, smiling at his grandma brewing kaapi, inspires even Kaapi Cheenu’s logo. Manu Srinivas talks about the time he  was studying at MICA, Ahmedabad and a 100 people turned up for the filterkaapi launch at a small campus retail store. This was when he realized that filterkaapi has a huge fan following. After he completed his Masters programme, he decided to start this venture and try to make filter kaapi a lifestyle brand in India.

Annamalai elaborated that to attempt to raise kaapi to this altar demanded sound branding and since Manu Srinivas was nicknamed ‘cheenu’ at home, the name ‘Kaapi Cheenu’ came about. That it was also a clear dig at the ever-popular cappuccino was an added bonus. After creating the little boy logo, inspired by Srinivas’ nephew, the thinnai-thoon-mittam- of the kiosk pretty much fell into place as well.

However, there is more to this fun little brand besides the kaapi. The Rose milk (Rs 25) andmoru-moru vadais or crunchy lentil fritters make for fun accompaniments to the coffee. The Rose milk prepared with rose essence, milk and sugar is served like a cold frappe and is sure to leave you refreshed on a hot Chennai noon.

The best part about the coffee here is it can be personalized as per your taste. This means that, if you are diabetic, prefer coffee black or full of milk or even sugary sweet, all you need to do is ask.

We began with the kaapi, straight up and without chicory. What we tasted resulted in a multi-sensory appreciation. At Rs 15 per cup, this was excellent value for money as our mind transported us back to summer evenings in the village, grandma’s lullabies and raucous games with cousins.

The regular Ulundu Vadai or lentil fritters (Rs 25) and the Masala Vadai – its spicy sibling (Rs 25) were great to eat, although the same couldn’t be said about Corn chilli cheese masala vadai (Rs 40) and the Mixed veggie ulundu vadai (Rs 30). At Kaapi Cheenu, we recommend sticking to the traditional foods, but don’t even think of skipping the kaapi.

MUST TRY: Filter Kaapi, Rose Milk, and Masala Vadai.

Photographs: Shruti Caulagi 

The count down begins – 12.12.12

LINK: http://know.burrp.com/drinks-and-nightlife/hyatt-regency-12-12-12-celebrations/47183

The Mayans may have predicted doom, but to foodies, it is just another reason to celebrate, thinks Sandhya Ramachandran as she joins the 12.12.12 countdown festival at Hyatt Regency, Chennai.

It has been celebration time at Hyatt Regency this December, with their Christmas Tree Lighting event drawing large crowds. Carol singing, wine and plenty of festivities began what is promising to be an exciting month that began with the 12.12.12 countdown event.

We will only know if the world will end on 12th Dec when we get to it. Why not enjoy life till then? This cheerful take on the Mayan Doomsday prediction was what led to the creation of the 12.12.12 countdown festival at 365 A.S. and Focaccia at Hyatt Regency, Chennai.

burrp! joins in the fun as Associate partners and Kingfisher spurs on the good times as beverage partners at this event that will span 12 days. With 12 kinds of beverages each spawning multiple versions and 12 kinds of tapas on the menu with different mood music for every day is bound to be a lot of fun. And this wower of a deal is on every day, leading up to the much-discussed twelfth night, at a mere price of Rs. 2012 plus taxes.

The balcony of 365 A.S., where the event is being hosted, has been set with large tables, ottomans and some cane chairs as seating. The DJ console in one corner constantly doles out music on the theme of the night and large blue lights make the trees around glow. The setting sets the mood for an extremely serene and comfortable evening. To add to this, the balcony of 365 A.S. is one of the breeziest places in the city! One cannot think of a better place to lounge and enjoy a drink!

It sure is going to be a problem of plenty with the variety of drinks the menu offers one to choose from! We suggest you open with the Teacher’s Whiskey Highland Cream. The 12-year-old brew is so rich, it makes for a great opening drink.  And while you savour the creaminess of the drink, decide on the other eleven that you’d want to follow up with! There are martinis, beer cocktails, sangria, white spirits, shooters and flaming cocktails among others to choose from and varieties under each of these categories to keep you on your toes.

At the same time, as the evening darkens to night, nibble on some warm marinated olives, lamb meatballs, artichokes, oysters, lamb croquettes or tortillas. Every day offers a spin on the menu, so you must go on all the days to justify the true-blue foodie that you are!

A tapas to go with every drink you choose, plan to land at 365 A.S. when the event opens at 6pm, and stay till it shuts at 12 midnight to soak in every minute of the year end fun.Price: Rs. 2012 per person + taxes

burrp! picks from Chef’s Table

LINK: http://know.burrp.com/b-buzz/chefs-table-chennai-burrp-picks/46393

Sandhya Ramachandran makes a list of the most exciting dishes on the six burrp! Chef’s Tables across Chennai.

As Chennai gears up for the exciting burrp! Chef’s Table across six of the best restaurants across the city, we decided to scan the menu to tell you what you should must must try!

 The Chef’s Table begins on 16th November at Focaccia at Hyatt Regency, known for its splendid Italian cuisine. With the affable Executive Chef Thomas Angerer at the helm of the table, the evening promises to be full of fun and of course, good food. The dish on the menu that sounds most enticing is the antipasto (‘before the meal’ or a starter, in layman terms) of warm carpaccio of prawns, candied lemon, watercress, chilli. Primarily a dish of raw slices/pounding of prawns, the dish already makes our mouths water! Another dish we are looking forward to is the layered baked dish – the seasonal vegetables millefuille, balsamic glaze, crispy artisan cheese.

Burrp! Chef’s Table No 2 is at Beyong Indus (Taj Club House) on 19th November. A dish called ‘Chops of the Third Kind’ has our attention locked down on this menu! The three flavours of lamb chops and vegetables are made in jalfraize style ( marinated lamb chops and vegetables vegetables are fried in oil and spices to produce a dry, thick sauce to form a type of  curry).

On 20th November, when the Chef’s Table moves to Benjarong, we urge you to try the famed National dish of Thailand – the Phad Thai Goong - Thai rice sticks cooked in a sweet and tangy sauce with prawns, wrapped in an omelette. Chat up with Chef Anand and Chef Ram Kumar and get to know yourHormok Talay from your Larb Gai(well, wait and discover what they are at the Chef’s Table).

Apart from the pastas on offer, what draws us towards the menu at Tuscana’s Chef’s Table on 21st November, is the Gastrin. An ancient version of the baklava from Crete, this dish is made with nuts, seeds, and pepper layered between filo pastry (thin sheets of dough). Also a must have on the menu is the Greek coffee – strong, unsweetened and a purist’s delight!

At Teppan, on 22nd November, feast on the Grilled Tofu in Hoisin sauce (a Chinese dipping sauce made from soybean, sweet potatoes and other flavourings) with scallion and roasted garlic. If you love your garlic, toss in some of the burnt garlic and mixed vegetable fried rice!

We bring the curtains to a close at the Chef’s Table on 23rd November at Hip-Asia, Taj Connemara. Make sure you don’t miss the Saka – mushi susumiyaki. Made by cooking fresh salmon and vegetables in an envelope on teppanyaki, this delicious dish comes served with pickled vegetables and teriyaki sauce. There is also a very interesting sounding dessert that we recommend here for you to finish off your meal in style – the green tea tiramisu.

But most of all remember, we have just picked out one dish from the menu. There are oh-so-many more. With each menu offering you between a three and five course meal, with all-new dishes exclusively conjured up for the Chef’s Table event, get set and gear up for a gastronomical adventure with the Chefs between 16^th and 23^rd November!

Of traditional food and tales long-lost!

LINK: http://know.burrp.com/food-dining/chef-radha-rao-hyderabadi-food-fete-copperpoint/46172

Over tales of lost Hyderabadi cuisine and Jani mamu’s recipe collection,Sandhya Ramachandran chats up with Radha Rao who is in town to host the Hyderabadi Food Fete at GRT Grand Copper Point.

The first thought that struck me when I first spoke to Radha Rao was how passionate she is about food and how much I’d love to taste her cooking! That is the kind of person she is, effervescent and full of stories to tell about every dish she has carefully planned for the Hyderabadi Food Fete on at the GRT Grand Copper Point till 11th November.

Radha always had leanings towards food, as it was her father who opened the first of its kind Udupi restaurant in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Radha’s interest drifted towards Hyderabadi cuisine when she came under the influence of her uncle, the gourmet Chef Mir Hussain Ali Moosavi, whom she fondly calls Jani Mamu.

“I inherited all his recipes. He would go to the chowks (by-lanes) in Hyderabad searching for old books about food and cooking. Then he would patiently translate it from Arabic or Persian to Urdu. I translated them to English, although he would often tell me, ‘beta, learn all the languages’ to get the exact recipe,” she explains.

Radha feels that biryaniand haleem have become synonymous with Hyderabadi food and the lost traditions of Hyderabadi households, especially the Muslim families, need to be revived. And in this attempt, the Hyderabadi Food Fete was born, thanks to Radha’s enthusiasm and Mr.Sitaram’s (Culinary Director at GRT Grand) long-standing love for this cuisine.

I ask her to tell us more about the menu (and the tales they carry too!). She begins with the Badam Ke Rab, a sweet dish that likens almonds to God’s food. “It is an old recipe. No one has it, as far as I know. We got it from an old book from one of the chowks,” she elaborates. Her haleem dish has, along with the regular meat and wheat combination, chicken in the korma – yet another innovation found in her Jani Mamu’s collection.

One more badam dish she mentions is theBadam Ki Jaali that Muslim households get made during weddings to gift on silver plates, while inviting or as a return gift to guests. “It is a baked almond dessert,” she says, “and has an almond biscuit at the base with a silvervarq (foil) separating it from a mould cut biscuit that resembles lace or a jaali(screen)”.

In an attempt to give “a complete array of Hyderabadi food”, she has whipped up a menu that changes every day of the fete barring two or three regulars. With oh-so-much to feast upon, I decide to have some fun and urge her to suggest a must-have three-course meal to appease an irate boss.

“Start with the Motiya Sherbet, it would floor anyone,” she begins. “Then if your boss is a hardcore non-vegetarian, urge her/him to try thePattar Ka Ghosht. We cook the meat in the traditional way with actual stones. Also try the Dum Ka Murg(chicken cooked in the dum style of cooking) as its smoky flavour and tasty gravy is sure to please anyone. Finish it with two desserts. A cold one – Khubani Ka Meetha or stewed apricots, and a hot one – Dabbal Ka Meetha which is made out of Hyderabad’s Dabbal bread soaked in sheera (thick sugar syrup) and flavoured with nuts.”

“If you bring a boy instead of your boss, just serve the Motiya Sherbet,” she continues, “he’s sure to propose to you on bent knees with a rose!” Curious, I ask her what this magic dish contains! “Jasmine flowers, a proven aphrodisiac,” she laughs.

Must Try: Kabuli Biryani, Dabbal Ka Meetha, the “comfort food” combination of Steamed Rice-Kaddu Ka Dalcha (bottle gourd with chick pea lentils)-Tali Hui Bhindi (deep fried okra), Pattar Ka Ghosht, Motiya Sherbet

Meal for two: Rs.1900 + taxes

Food Photographs: Copper Point 

Chef Photograph: Sandhya Ramachandran