HYDERABADI CUISINE
Umm! The mouth watering Shahi cuisine of Hyderabad! As soon as a person hears the mention of Hyderabadi Biryani, he starts whetting his appetite! The wafting aroma hits you before you set your eyes on the delicious mounds of fragrant, steaming rice with the tempting sight of a traditionally cooked chicken peaking out! It is so popular that it takes a special mention in the world of cuisines. A part from this king of the delicacies, the entire Shahi Nizam cuisine is very popular for its rich and aromatic taste. "The food is a dream of deliciousness", said the Persian Ambassador who came to the Qutub Shahi Kingdom in 1603. The elaborate Dastarkhan, on which are place steaming hot dishes of dum ka murgh, a baked chicken full of savory herbs and spices. Lagan ke kebab, bhagare bhaingan, machili ka qualiya, mirch ka salan, haleem, and different kinds of Biryanis served with Bhurani. Even the desserts are world renowned. Khubani ka meetha, badam ki jaali, hub ke laoz, azam jahi meetha, etc, satiate you beyond imagination.
Another specialty eaten very early in the morning is Nahari, a curried soup of sheep's trotters and tongue. It cooks all night, and a nothing stale is considered edible, it is served up right away in soup bowls, and you drunk in piece of spongy Sheermahal bread. And during the festival day of Id-ul-Fitr, it is traditional to serve sheer quorma, the delicious kheer, made with Sevian, dried fruits and dates.
This cuisine owes its origins to the Mughlai style of cooking of the Asaf Jahi period. By carefully mellowing and nurturing the typical Mughlai flavours with a blend of spices, the cuisine of Hyderabad was born. While there is a certain exotic quality to some of the royal foods, it is also known that a true Hyderabadi will go any where in the city for a well prepared dish, however humble its origin.
For those who want a taste of the royal menu, there is a variety of Biryanis (a rice and meat preparation, seasoned with spices and flavourings); Kababs (meat pieces or minced meat cooked in many different styles such as Boti Jhammi, Kalmi, Shikampur, Sheek, Lagan-ke-kababs, Dum-ke-kababs); Kormas (either meat or vegetables cooked in a rich creamy gravy) and Lukhmi (pastry). During the month of Ramzan, one gets to taste Haleem (a pounded wheat and meat preparation). For those who prefer more homely food, there is Khichri (a rice a lentil preparation); Kheema methi (minced meat with fenugreek); Nahari (stew of tongue and lamb trotters); Rumali Rotis (bread as thin as a handkerchief) and Chakna (a spicy dish of meat).
For vegetarians there is Bagara Baingan (a rich spicy preparation of aubergines); Mirch-ka-salan (chillies in a creamy gravy); Tomato kut (aromatic puree of tomato with flavourings); and Shahi dahi vadas (lentil dumplings in yoghurt sauce).
For dessert, on can have a pick from Double-ka-meetha (a bread and cashew nut pudding); Qubani-ka-meetha (stewed apricot dessert); Ande-ka-Piyosi (made with eggs, mild, almonds and purified butter); Badam-ki-Jhab (marzipan) and Dil-e-Firdaus (a rich, milk-based sweet).
Hyderabad's 400-year-old culinary history, like its culture, is unmatched by any other state in India. In fact Hyderabad was known for the spectacular way its aristocracy entertained. Of all the Muslim cuisine, Hyderabadi is the only cuisine the sub-continent that can boast of a major vegetarian element. This has much to do with the local influences. Considering that the elite of the erstwhile Hyderabad state came from the north of India and was almost entirely Muslim, this is a little surprising. The nation's vegetarians, of course, stand to gain by it.
Some of the salient features of Hyderabadi food are the key flavors of coconut, tamarind, peanuts and sesame seeds. The key spice is chili, which is used in abundance and is the reason for the sobriquet "Dynamite Food". There's just one word to describe Hyderabadi cuisine - FIERY!
All Andhraites love spices, especially red chilies, and use it so generously that your tongue, ears, eyes and everything else will burn days later. The cuisine draws its flavor from two rich legacies - the Deccani cuisine of Nizams with its delectable biryanis (rice flavoured with meat and vegetables), haleem (pounded wheat and mutton dish) and kebabs, and the spicy Andhra style of food, laced with mustard, garlic and chillies and eaten with doles of chutney and pickle. Eating Out:The history of Hyderabadi cuisine has stood high like it's culture and for the spectacular way its aristocracy entertained. For a gastronomical treat the hotels, restaurants and cafes in the city provide a variety of exotic food for all kinds of gourmets. Some of the most traditional Hyderabadi dishes which were probably served 400 years ago, and still served today are Biryani, Moghlai dishes, Chicken korma, Sheer korma, Double-ka-meetha, Gajar-ka-halwa . Be it the North Indian Peshawri delights, the traditional spicy South Indian or Continental & Mexican to the Chinese food or the best of Fast Food Centres, Pizzerias, Snack Outlets bakeries and sweet shops, Hyderabad caters to all pockets and tastebuds.
Hyderabad has a typical cuisine which combines the tastiest recipes of the south with the northern Mughlai. The most popular is the birani or pulao. It is the aromatic long grained basmati rice cooked with mutton or chicken pieces. These meat pieces add a flavor of their own to the preparation. The kababs are barbecued meat, hot and succulent, they are irresistible in taste.
Hyderabadi food has also taken many influences, slowly displacing the standard flavours by more improvised ones. This is best demonstrated by the advent of chicken, which if mentioned alongside mutton, is considered nothing short of sacrilege by the gosht-eating population. Mutton being the revered meat, chicken never really stood a chance till the broiler came along. This was clean meat and the North Indian love for Tandoori Murg took over. The point to be noted here is that in Hyderabad, it is the hen that is considered a delicacy while in the rest of the country, it is the Murgha or the rooster.
There are several dishes in this repertoire that have their origins elsewhere but have been in and around the place long enough to be called natives. This is the quality of
Hyderabadi, foreigners can walk in as anybody, but after tasting the waters of Hyderabad, they are forever Hyderabadis.
The 400 years of Hyderabadi culture also has its origin in Art, Music & Dance, Poetry, and last but not least, the Cuisine. Hyderabad is never complete without the mention of the "Shahi Dastarkhan". The Dastarkhan is the Dining place where the food is served and eaten. It is normally a low chowki for the dining table and cotton mattresses for squatting and bolsters for the back rest. The Dastarkhan holds a place of reverence in every household. The Cuisine of Hyderabad has been influenced by various regional and religious cuisines, both Indian and Foreign, despite which it has been able to create an identity of its own. It has also been able to contribute towards making Indian cuisine popular world wide. The "Biryani" from this cuisine is one such example. What makes the Hyderabadi Cuisine special is the use of special ingredients, carefully chosen and cooked to the right degree. The addition of a certain Herb, Spice, Condiment, or an Amalgam of these add an unique taste and texture to the dish. The herbs and spices used and the method of preparation gives the dish its name. "Murgh do pyaza" gets its name from the onions that are added twice to the dish in two variations. The Masalas or the rich blend of herbs, spices and condiments give the dishes a base, or what is popularly known as "Gravy". Some of these blends are a well-kept secret that pass only down the family line or from the Ustad(Teacher) to his Shagird(Pupil). The head cooks or the "Khansas" were an asset to the house hold, and were treated with due respect. The word "Nawabi" is as synonymous with the Hyderabadi cuisine as "Shahi" is with Luknowi. These terms conjure delicacies that are rich in taste and texture with mouth-watering aromas. The "Kebabs" in Hyderabad need a special mention, the "ShammiKebab" is one such popular dish. The Kebabs are originally from Greece!! The Hyderabadi meal is never complete without the bread from the kilns of the local bakers. The breads from this cuisine are equally popular, be it rich "Sheermal" or "lukmi" (bread stuffed with savory mince meat). Bread is not only an accompaniment to the meal but also forms a base for a popular sweet dish "Double Ka Meetha".
Yummy!! Mouth-watering Shahi Cuisine of Hyderabad. There is a saying among the younger generation of Hyderabadis these days. They say " Let us starve ourselves for hours before its arrival on our tables". This saying is actually a tribute to the Hyderabadi Biryani. Even, we, the Staff of Reachout, feel the same way. Whenever we plan to go out for Biryani, we make sure that our appetite is super strong and our stomachs completely empty so that we can indulge in a pure, unadulterated, sumptuous taste of Hyderabadi Biryani.
Hyderabad's strong Mughalai influence is perhaps the reason why the Hyderabadi Biryani has become so popular all over India. This famous dish has been experimented time and again to a perfection. Infact the Biryani has influenced a Hyderabadi's tongue so strongly that usually other famous dishes of Hyderabad takes a back seat. It takes an extra ordinary taste for other dishes to beat the competition of Biryani.
For vegetarians, we have dahi vadas (lentil dumplings in Yogurt), mirch-ka-sabu (chilies in a cream gravy), and the more common Bagaara Baingan.
On the dessert menu, Hyderabad is famous for double-ka-meetha (a bread and cashew nut pudding), Badam-ki-Jhab (marzipan), and Dil-e-Firdaus (a rich milk based sweet).
Thank the stars the cable culture cannot alter the yearnings of the palate! And of course the any-time favorite with all Hyderabadis - Irani-chai cannot be ignored! This purely Irani tradition of drinking chai is a spillover from Irani trade in the 1600s. Street-side 'Irani Cafes are most popular for it's typical refreshing Irani Chai that one would love to have at the first opportunity given.
Well, we have carried you from a simple appetite to the most heaviest of platters of Culinary Hyderabad. You will be excused if are tempted to lash your tongue a few times on your lips or if you involuntarily happen to get some water in your mouth.
MENU
Hyderabadi Chicken 65/Mint Chutney
Bagara Baingan
Mirch ka salan
Aloo Gobi Ki Tahari
Hyderabadi Biryani
Raita, Pickle and Pappad
Double ka Meetha
HYDERABADI CUISINE
Hyderabadi Chicken65
Ingredients
Chicken 5 kg (Boneless)
Lime Juice 150 ml
Salt to taste
Kesari colour 30 g (Optional - to give color)
Red Chilli Powder 250 g
Turmeric Powder 15 g.
Egg (Beaten) 12 nos
Besan flour 250 g.
Maida 100 g.
Pepper Powder 100 g
Garlic and Ginger Paste 150 g .
Oil to Fry.
Tempering
Oil 200 g
Mustard seeds 100 g
Curry leaves 1 big bunch
Green chillies 200 g
Onions 1 kg
Method:
1. Clean and cut chicken into 2 inch pieces and drain water completely.
2. Mix all the above ingredients well with chicken pieces.
3. Marinate for about atleast 3 to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
4. Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator and keep it in room temperature for about an hour.
5. Heat Oil in a deep fry pan. Fry all the chicken pieces few at a time until the chicken turn reddish brown in colour, temper with mustard seeds, sliced onions, slit green chillies and curry leaves and serve hot with mint chutney.
Mint Chutney
Mint leaves 5bunches
Coriander leaves 1bunches
Green Chilies 50gms
Ginger 50gms
Garlic 50gms
Sugar 15gms
Tamarind 25gms
Salt For taste
Method:
Grind the above together and serve along with Chicken 65.
Bagara Baingan
Ingredients
Baingan 2 kg
Sesame Seeds 250 g
Peanuts ½ kg
Cumin seeds 50 g
Chilli powder 100 g
Corriander powder 50 g
Methi seeds 10 g
Onion ½ kg
Tamarind 100 g
Mint leaves 1 small bunch
Green Chillies 100 g
Ginger Garlic Paste 150 g
Oil ½ litre
Method:
1. Fry separately sesame seeds, peanuts, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and methi seeds and grind them separately into powder.
2. Chop the onion and green chillies, finely.
3. Take a pan, pour 3 teaspoons of oil and put green chillies after 3 seconds put onions fry them well till it changes it colour to golden brown. Now put Mint and fry for few seconds and turn off the stove.
4. After it cools, grind them with ginger garlic paste, little turmeric powder, red chilly powder, salt, corriander powder into a thick paste.
5. Quarter each brinjal (do not cut it completely) and stuff the above ground paste into it and leave it aside for 15 minutes
6. Take a pan, add oil and fry the stuffed brinjals for few minutes.
7. Then add the remaining ground paste and cook for some more time, seeing that brinjals do not break.
8. When it is well cooked add tamarind water (little bit concentrated), mix them and let it be cooked for 6-7 minutes.
9. Now add cumin powder and methi powder and turn off the stove and Garnish with corriander leaves and serve hot with Hyderabadi Biriyani.
Hyderabadi Mirchi Ka Salan
Ingredients:
Fresh big (medium thick) green chilies 2 kg
Mustard seeds 50 g
Kalonjee (onion seeds) 50 g
Fenugreek seeds 20 g
Tamarind pulp 150 g
Curry leaves 1 big bunch
Fresh chopped coriander 1 big bunch
Ginger garlic paste 150 g
Salt to taste
Red chili powder 100 g
Turmeric powder 10 g
Coriander powder 150 g
Garam masala powder 100 g
Jeera powder 50 g
Til (sesame seeds) 250 g
Ground nut 500 g
Fresh coconut grated 2 nos
Water 2 litres
Oil or ghee 750 g
Method:
1. Wash and slit the green chilies , apply little turmeric and salt, and keep it aside.
2. Grind sesame seeds, ground nuts and coconut into fine paste and keep aside.
3. Heat oil or ghee in a fat bottom vessel, add mustard seeds, kalonjee and fenugreek seeds and saute for some time. Add the chilies and curry leaves, see that the chilies are well soaked in oil. If the oil seems to be less add some more oil and saute the chilies for few seconds and then add ginger garlic paste and keep stirring for 2 minutes.
4. Add chili powder, turmeric powder, jeera powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and salt according to taste and saute for 2 minutes.
5. Add the grounded paste (sesame seeds, coconut, ground nuts) and saute continuously so that the chilies are well coated with the paste and add little water if required and keep stirring.
6. Note:-When the oil comes on top and the chilies are almost tender add the tamarind pulp, according to taste that is how sour you want and cook for 5 minutes and take out of flame. And garnish with fresh chopped coriander. Serve with hot parathas, plain rice or biryani.
Aloo Gobi Ki Tahari
Ingredients
Basmati rice 1 ½ kg
Aloo (potatoes), peeled and cut into Quarters 225 g
Gobi (cauliflower), cut into florets 225 g
Onions 500 g
Tomatoes 500 g
Oil 350 g
Turmeric 15 g
Garlic & Ginger paste 100 g
Chili powder 1tsp
Garam masala 50 g
Bay leaves 10 g
Cloves 10 g
Cardamoms 10 g
Cinnamon 10 g
Mint leaves 1 small bunch
Corriander leaves 1 small bunch
Ghee 200 ml
Salt to taste
Method:
Wash the basmati rice and soak in water for 30 minutes.
Heat oil in a pan, fry cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamoms for few minutes. Then add chopped onions, tomatoes, ginger & garlic paste, fry for few minutes and then add rice, cauliflower florets, potato pieces and fry for another 5 minutes.
Add chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves, fry for some more time, then add turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala powder
Transfer this mixture to the rice cooker; add required water, salt, chili powder and Garam masala. Stir well until the ingredients mixes well with rice.
Cook until it is done and garnish with cilantro leaves, if desired
Hyderabadi Biryani/Raita
Ingredients:
Lamb Meat 6kgs
Onions (deep fried) 500 gms
Tomato 1 kg
Mint 3 bunches
Coriander leaves 2 bunches
Green Chilies 100gms
Yoghurt 1 litre
Chilli powder 100gms
Turmeric Powder 30gms
Garam masala 30gms
Cinnamon 20gms
Cardamom 20gms
Bay leaf 20gms
Saffron 2gms
Cream 200 gms
Oil 250 gms
Raw papaya paste 150gms
Ginger garlic paste 250gms
Salt to taste
Marinate all the above for 1 hour.
To cook Rice
Rice 5kg
Shahi Jeera 20gms
Ghee 1 kg
Mint leaves 1 big bunch
Salt to taste
• Boil water and cook the rice till 60% done.
• Pour oil in a heavy bottom handi and cook the meat mixture till 50% done.
• Layer with rice, quartered tomato, slit green chilly, chopped coriander leaves and place on dum for 40mts. Pour ghee before serving.
Double ka meetha:
Ingredients:
Bread 8 loaves
Milk 10 Liter
Sugar 2Kgs
Double Cream 1Kg
Ghee 1Kg
Cashew Nuts 500gms
Saffron 2 gms
Almonds 250gms
Cardamom 10gms
Method:
• Cut each bread slice into four or into triangle.
• Fry them in clarified butter till golden brown.
• Make sugar syrup by adding half a liter of water to the sugar and boil it for 15 minutes.
• Add the powdered cardamom and the saffron dissolved in milk to the sugar syrup. Boil milk until it is thickened.
• Arrange the fried bread pieces on a flat tray and sprinkle the chopped nuts on them.
• Pour the sugar syrup, double cream and milk alternately over the bread pieces while they are still hot and finish it in the oven.
• Refrigerate and serve as dessert.
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