Squares of char koni naan for sale at Munshi Naan Opposite: brightly dressed a Ƭaste women in Hyderabad of histoRY
Ca rla Grossetti joins chef Anjum Anand to uncover the culinary secrets of India’s Hyderabad.
Photography Aparna Jayakumar
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from top Anjum Anand examines “It is only through actually being here produce near Charminar monument; that you realise how important meat brightly hued spices for sale in is to the people of Hyderabad. The Laad Bazaar; a little girl in the streets of Hyderabad mutton is tenderised in green papaya, opposite, from top The area and it just falls apart so beautifully.” around Charminar monument is Historically known as a pearl- and always busy with traffic and street diamond-trading centre, modern-day hawkers; Anjum (at right) speaks Hyderabad is on the map for being with women at Laad Bazaar home to more than 1000 global conglomerates, including Google and Facebook. Anand is visiting the capital of the southern Indian state of Telangana to gather inspiration for The Spice Tailor, her sauce and chutney range. With the help of a local guide, Anand says she aims “to get to the heart of Hyderabad through its cuisine”. While the city has plenty of he warren of streets around attractions and artistic treasures, it’s Laad Bazaar in the southern the Hyderabadi biryani that most Indian city of Hyderabad are intrigues Anand, and she’s thrilled to thronged with men and have been invited into the home of Twomen hawking everything from local culinary expert Mehboob Alam copper pots to strings of pearls, dried Khan to learn all about it. figs and dates, glittering plastic bangles Khan has dedicated decades to and large vials of pungent pickles. perfecting the city’s signature dish and All around are mobile vendors and adheres to a recipe that he says dates makeshift stalls piled high with back hundreds of years, to the kitchens pakoras, papaya, limes, red onions, of the Hyderabadi royalty. Like the ginger, coriander, turmeric and coils skyline shaped by minarets and of golden vermicelli. The harsh dome-shaped tombs, the biryani discordant sound of beeping horns is a legacy of the Nizams who ruled is the city’s soundtrack and the Hyderabad for two centuries until 1947. stallholders must put an extra edge “I was about 15 when I made my into their shouts in order to lift their first biryani and I learned this recipe voices above the whirrs and clunks from my mother. It follows the of the traffic around the iconic traditional method of cooking in a deg 16th-century Charminar monument. [a large pot-bellied copper pot] over a When British-born chef, TV charcoal fire and sealing the lid with a personality and author Anjum Anand circle of dough to keep the steam slices through the dusty streets of inside,” says Khan, who is in his late the old city in the golden light of the 60s. “Although my family migrated afternoon, she causes a commotion from the North West Frontier Province as she stops near a man barbecuing [modern-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, skewers of mutton. A crowd gathers near Pakistan], I am the fourth around Anand as she selects a sampler, generation to be in Hyderabad. marvelling at the beguiling spice mix I feel like this is where I belong.” of pepper, salt and cumin, along with As Khan talks Anand through the the meltingly tender meat. secret of making a good biryani – “a “I’ve always remembered mutton true Hyderabadi biryani is made the from my childhood visits to India, kacchi [raw] way of cooking rice with but what strikes me about Hyderabad raw mutton” – his words ring out like is how much attention they pay to incantations, his way of speaking tenderising the meat,” says Anand. both direct and precise. When the She was born in London, spent time giant deg arrives, Khan breaks the in Geneva, Paris and Madrid growing dough seal and Anand’s eyes light up. up, and inherited a love of Indian food The fluffy white rice is dotted with from her Punjabi-immigrant parents. rich, tender hunks of mutton, which is
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“If you’re interested in Indian food, the cuisine Hyderabad biryani of Hyderabad is well worth understanding. It’s serves 4-6 Preparation 45 minutes (plus 2-24 hours marinating time) a cuisine that stands out because it’s so refined, Cooking 1 hour 30 minutes so pure. It is food that is not going to evolve The Hyderabad biryani differs from others I’ve tried. It is because people don’t want it to evolve – this is delicate and fragrant; subtle but flavourful. The art is in food that was fit for royalty” – Anjum Anand achieving a harmonious flavour and cooking the meat and rice together to perfection. The green papaya tenderises the meat, but if you can’t find it you can leave it out.
vegetable oil for frying then piled onto platters and served is so glaringly different from all other 2 onions, thinly sliced alongside raita and mirchi ka salan Indian cuisine. It gives me so much 500g lamb pieces (lean pieces of leg are ideal, (chilli and peanut curry). It’s a banquet joy to learn about it.” with the bone in if possible) fit for a Nazim, and 50 or so guests The next day, the air is humid and 4 large cloves garlic, crushed to a paste gather around the table that is also heavy as Anand again ventures into 10g ginger, peeled, crushed to a paste laden with dhal fry, creamy chicken the city, where she pinballs from chai ½ tablespoon green papaya paste (optional, made by with spices, mung bean masala, wallahs to stalls selling hand-churned peeling a green papaya then grating the flesh) eggplants in peanut sauce, stuffed ice cream. She stops to talk with a 1½ teaspoons salt roasted chickens, a whole barbecued sari-clad streetside vendor barbecuing ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper goat, a meat and lentil stew and corn, and calls into a kebab shop 1 heaped teaspoon garam masala chicken curry. To follow, there's stewed serving pathar ka gosht (meat cooked ½ teaspoon red chilli powder or to taste apricot dessert, bread pudding and tea. on a hot stone). Anand’s tastebud-led ¾ teaspoon black cumin seeds, lightly pounded Despite not growing up in India, tour also takes us to the cupboard-sized 2½ tablespoons lemon juice, plus 2 teaspoons extra Anand is reverential about her Indian Munshi Naan, which has queues 110g plain yoghurt heritage and it’s a pride she shares snaking around the block. 6 cloves with Khan, who is deeply committed It’s here that Anand is invited to 2 x 2-inch cinnamon quills to preserving the country’s ancient crouch alongside the roti wallah on a 12 green cardamom pods culinary traditions. bare cement floor that is quivering in a handful of chopped coriander leaves and stems, “If you’re interested in Indian food, film of heat. Anand watches as the plus extra to serve the cuisine of Hyderabad is well worth young man expertly slaps the roti handful of chopped mint leaves, plus extra to serve understanding. It’s a cuisine that stands against the wall of a cement oven, 200g chapati flour or strong bread flour out above a lot of the others because which is black from years of cooking 500g good-quality basmati rice it’s so refined, so pure. It is food that is smoke. As Bollywood music blares in large pinch saffron strands Wash the rice well in several changes of water, then put not going to evolve because the people the background, the roti wallah 4 tablespoons milk in a bowl, cover with water and soak for 18-20 minutes. don’t want it to evolve – this is food cackles and sings, before leaning green chillies to serve Meanwhile, fill a large saucepan with water. Add the that was fit for royalty and they forward and plucking out a square remaining 3 cloves, cinnamon, 6 cardamom pods, mint, are justifiably proud of that,” says of bread for Anand to try. “It’s soft on Heat 5cm of oil in a saucepan, then gently fry the onions coriander and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Season with salt. Anand. “The flavour profiles present the inside and crisp on the outside but for 10-15 minutes or until just brown and crisp. Remove Fry the saffron in a dry saucepan over medium heat until in Hyderabadi cuisine are so different. it’s not too dense or doughy. It’s unlike with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain and cool on crisp, then pour in the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook for The Mughals didn’t like heat and any naan I’ve eaten,” she says. paper towels. Reserve the oil. 1-2 minutes, then remove from the heat. spices and it’s because the food has When Anand arrived in Hyderabad, Wash the lamb well, then pat dry with paper towels and Drain the rice, then add to the saucepan of water and such a strong Mughal history that it she had no firsthand knowledge of prick all over with the point of a knife. Place the lamb in a spices. Bring to the boil, then boil for exactly 3 minutes. the city. But the intimate experiences bowl. Add the garlic, ginger, papaya paste, salt, pepper, garam Drain, reserving the cooking water. Spoon the par-cooked of sharing street food with locals and masala, chilli, black cumin, 2 ½ tablespoons lemon juice and rice over the lamb. a feast with the city’s culinary king the yoghurt. Then add 3 tablespoons of the onion oil and Add 100ml of the reserved hot rice cooking water to have left a lasting impression. two-thirds of the onions, crushed in your hands. Finally, add the milk and saffron, along with 4 tablespoons of the “Food is so much more interesting 3 cloves, 1 cinnamon quill, 6 cardamom pods and half the reserved onion oil. Pour this mixture evenly over the lamb when you imagine its history. When coriander and mint. Mix well with your hands to coat the and rice, then scatter with the remaining onions. Cover Hyderabadi people talk about their lamb in the yoghurt and flavourings. Cover and marinate in the dish with the lid, then use the dough to create an extra favourite food, it is as if they are talking the fridge for at least a few hours, or overnight if you have time. seal around the lid, pressing it onto the dish. about a family member. The level of When you are ready to cook, put the meat in a heavy- Place the dish on the stovetop over medium-high heat care and attention is enchanting. bottomed casserole dish or saucepan with a lid and allow for 7 minutes, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting from top A chai wallah; It’s like stepping through the the meat to come to room temperature. and cook for 50 minutes. Remove from the heat and stand mutton skewers are a favourite centuries,” she says. Put the flour in a bowl and add around 150ml water, for 10 minutes. Pull the dough off the dish and tear into Hyderabadi dish; young boys * Carla Grossetti travelled as a mixing to form a firm dough. Roll into a sausage as long pieces, then mix through the biryani. Serve topped with relax on a park bench guest of The Spice Tailor. as the diameter of the casserole or saucepan. Set aside. mint, coriander and chillies. ANJUM ANAND
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Where to Eat Bade Miyan Kababs This is Rayalaseema Ruchulu creams are indeed famous. Nimrah Cafe & Bakery This is the go-to place for pathar A chain that serves up Don’t miss the mango. the place to try traditional ka gosht – mutton cooked southern Indian dishes Mozamjahi Market, Nizam Shahi Rd sweet-salty osmania on a pre-heated stone. such as idli (savoury cakes) (opposite the Traffic Police Station), biscuits with a cup of chai. Behind the Rama Dasu statue, and dosa (crepes). Old City, Hyderabad Opposite Charminar, Upper Tank Bund Rd, Hyderabad rayalaseemaruchulu.com Khilwat, Hyderabad Munshi Naan Where to find Chutneys menu An array of Where to Stay Hyderabad House A popular arguably the city's best naan southern Indian, northern P yark H att A stylish, sleek choice for traditional – the most popular is the Indian and tandoor menus modern hotel that also offers dishes such as korma, char koni naan. Dabeer Pura are available here. Follow bespoke tours for visitors. mutton lukhmi and haleem. Cross Rd, Purani Haveli, Old the locals and order a thali hyderabad.park.hyatt.com facebook.com/hydhouse City, Hyderabad (a selection of dishes). Taj Falaknuma Palace Hotel Paradise Food Court The Jade Room, taj Shilpa Arcade, Road 3, Built in 1894, this hotel A great spot to try haleem falaknuma palace hotel Banjara Hills, Hyderabad was once home to royalty (a meat and lentil stew This beautiful historic hotel Famous Ice Cream and still retains plenty of laced with herbs). serves fabulous high teas. Appropriately named, this luxurious opulence, plus all paradisefoodcourt.com tajhotels.com place's hand-churned ice the mod cons. tajhotels.com
Taj Falaknuma Palace Hotel
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