Simple recipes, rich flavours!

Chef Tariq Ahamad Parry, the Kashmiri chef, who comes from the family of Master Wazas is not new to Taj Group of Hotels in Hyderabad.

He had earlier titillated our taste buds with his Kashmiri delights at Taj Krishna. Aren’t we glad he is back…this time at the pool side restaurant Kabab-e-Bahar at Taj Banjara.

He will be hosting the Kashmiri Food Festival during dinners and has conceived amazing dishes on the a la carte menu.

While the northern most state of India is more popular for its meat dishes, one must not miss the vegetarian dishes that use Kashmiri spices, and ingredients like yoghurt, almond, and cashew paste to enrich the flavours.

In short, do not miss the likes of yummy Nadru malai tikki that Chef Tariq has made it the right kind of chewy and soft, from minced lotus stem, and Chaman aur mirchi ki tikki on the starter menu.

On the non-vegetarian starter menu, in order to get the rustic taste of Kashmir one must surely try the Tabak maaz (Lamb rack cooked on a hot plate before its shallow fried with spice) and Seekh Kebab – Kashmiri style.

On the vegetarian main course is Kashmiri rajma that always makes one wonder how such simple dish gets that deliciousness minus the onions.

Also there is the Butt haak – the quintessentially Kashmiri saag cooked in its own water and tempered with garlic and whole chilli – such simplicity and so much awesomeness.

And of course, not to forget the Dum Aloo, cooked with Kashmiri spices and chilli powder that make for the red gravy, which can compete with any meat dish (an exaggeration well deserved).

How do Kashmiris manage to rustle up such flavour-rich dishes by using simple and rustic cooking methods, one wonders – a quality that holds good for its meat preparations too!

The meat beaten well to leave out the fat and fibre and made into soft dumplings find their way into the Mutton rasta made by using saffron, spice and chilli and Mutton gustaba cooked with a yoghurt flavoured with dry mint.

Evidently the former is spicier and the latter is trifle sour and the meat balls soak in the yoghurt giving it a distinct taste.

Also on the main course, one can try the chicken preparations like Waza chicken and the Kukkar badam korma (Chicken cooked in almond gravy).

The dessert menu is limited, but never mind – the tasty Kesri phirni and Badam aur suji ka halwa make it up well enough.

What: Kashmiri Food Festival
When: Till November 30
Where: Kabab-e-Bahar, Taj Banjara