If there is one thing Indians are truly passionate about, it is food, especially the delectable range of local delights. Delhi Pavilion at Welcom Hotel Sheraton New Delhi turns one this year and aims to celebrate its first birthday with an array of local food culture and to experience the diverse flavours of the Mughal Era. Salma Hussain, a renowned custodian of India’s food heritage and Persian scholar, fondly known as Salma Apa along with Chef Vipul and Chef Mofid have come together to recreate the Delhi Sultanate cuisine- ‘Meeras-E-Sultanate’ or festival of the cuisine of Slave Dynasty. Her accumulated knowledge of the past years combined with the chefs’ proficiency have churned out the best dishes of the bygone era.
Salma Hussain
A BRIEF LOOK INTO HISTORY
Since history has a lot of role to play, talking about the earlier written accounts of food, the dishes have been discovered and translated from the books of the Mughal era. The early accounts would be gibberish to us today if the historians hadn’t translated and preserved them. Delhi isn’t the Delhi we know of today. It used to be Shahjahanabad. Qutb- ud-din Aibak who was from Central Asia initiated the Slave Dynasty in India. He ruled from Lahore and is remembered for building the Qutub Minar. The Turks and Afghans introduced tandoors during the Delhi Sultanate. Other items introduced were keema, kebabs and milk products. Breads and spices have been introduced to us from Central Asia where they were sold in ‘Bazaars’ and we have spent ages thinking that the bazaars were always here.After the Persian and Turks came the Mughals who taught us how to culminate the spices into dishes.
Starters
Starting the night with a refreshing Gulaab ka Sherbet just the way Babar liked it with sugar and rose essence. Samboosak from Central Asia, the predecessor of modern day ‘samosa’ used to be tandoor baked whereas the modern version is fried. Turkish Kebabs came beautifully plated put on skewers with grilled eggplant and meat. The kebabs instantly melted on the palate and the eggplant was generously dunked in spices rendering it flavourful. Eggplants, tomatoes, nuts and spices are the most frequently used ingredients of the Turkish cuisine.
Samboosak
Mains
The main course had vegetarian as well as non- vegetarian options. Khichdi Quroot Afghani was moong lentil and rice cooked together with marbles of minced meat, dried fruits and flavoured with saffron. Jalpari was a highly appealing dish with prawns cooked in a flavourful onion and tomato gravy setting the right balance between salty and sweet. Shahdeg tasted as good with mutton marinated with yoghurt cooked with sumac and pomegranate juice. Murgh Qutbia was sinfully indulgent with huge chunks of juicy tender chicken pieces lying in a thick curry of cream and nuts. It will make you fall in love with it as soon as you see it. Sultan’s Delight was another quirky yet exotic dish prepared with minced lamb and baigan bharta cooked in cream garnished with coriander and cream. Mahi Dolma was another innovative dish as dolmas usually have vegetarian fillings but this one had meat wrapped with fish with a semi- viscous gravy. The presentation was a winner.
Sultan’s Delight
Mahi Dolma
Coming to the vegetarian fare, Kofte Nilofari were made with marbles of lotus stem cooked in a rich and flavourful gravy and garnished with fresh coriander and green chillies. Badenjan Anari (eggplant cooked with tomato and pomegranate gravy). The flavours had all seeped in the eggplant and it had become a bit soft from the inside while retaining the crunch outside. Perizaad was a light dish prepared with cubes of cottage cheese cooked with tricoloured capsicum in a flavourful turmeric gravy. The aroma of the dish lingers on for long. Mauz Masala was another dish prepared with raw banana.
Salma Apa has discovered the exotic and presented it to us. It was one of the most memorable meals of my life and I was wondering throughout about the royalty. The desserts bring more delight as they are laid out in endless rows but it’s the soul soothing Kheer that would get a special mention.
Sadly a lot of such dishes have been forgotten or lost in time. Food forms an integral part of our heritage and all forms of it must be celebrated and preserved.
