Hyderabad is known for its heritage and food. Though you may have to visit the city of Nizams to check out its centuries’ old architecture, the famous cuisines are being served here in Capital at The Great Kabab Factory as part of its ‘Hyderabad Food Festival’. The key highlight of the festival is not only the authentic kebabs and biryanis which are being cooked in the Hyderabadi style but also the chef who has specially flown from the city. Chef Mohammad Qamaruddin has been part Hyderabad’s top hotels for a decade. “I have trained the staff here and we are not compromising at any point. We have got all the ingredients from the city. The spices of potli, nihari, dum ka murgh, biryanis, kebabs are all brought from ‘Dawa Saas Ki Dukan’, a popular shop in Hyderabad. It specialises in ingredients for Mughlai food,” chef informed us as he got us the tikkas and kebabs. Subz galouti, Nilgiri paneer tikka, Miapur aloo bukhara seekh and taaze phalon ki chaat filled the veg platter. The non-beg starters comprised murg dakshini chooza, Hyderabadi bhuni chop, Uadigiri murg tikka and handi gola kebab. But what stood out were Hyderabadi ghost biryani and its vegetarian version.
As we chatted with the chef, he shared with us his childhood memories which initially compelled him to become what he is today. “I am inspired by my father chef Mohd Ahmad Moinuddin who trained me since childhood. He taught me all the famous traditional cuisines of Hyderabad. Once he took me to a hotel where he prepared some dishes. A lot of people met and congratulated him. Then I came back and tried to cook some Biryanis. He noticed my passion and demonstrated the exact way. Since then, I was inclined towards cooking,” he said.
The Hyderabadi food comprises a broad repertoire of rice, wheat and meat dishes and the skilled use of various spices, herbs and natural edibles. The cuisine emphasises the use of ingredients that are carefully chosen and cooked to the right degree and time. The key flavours are of coconut, tamarind, peanuts and sesame seeds which are extensively used in many dishes. “The key difference from the North Indian cuisine is the presence of dry coconut and tamarind in its cuisine. Hyderabadi cuisine is a princely legacy of the Nizams of Hyderabad State. It is an amalgamation of Mughlai, Turkish and Arabic along with the influence of the native Telegu and Marathwada cuisines,” said the chef.
The specially designed extensive menu, which Qamaruddin has crafted includes all the main dishes from Hyderabad. We tasted falaknuma murg, shamshbadi macchi, loki mussalam, kamal kakri ki shammi, haleem and nizami murg korma. Barring some spices and chillies, the fare was an enjoyable affair. The festival is on till July 7.