18 | November | 2017 | PHOTO SCENE THESIS

“ Gastronomic Hyderabad in the Heart of Kolkata”, a one liner which may sum up the Hyderabadi Food Festival at ‘Oceanic’, The Peerless Inn Kolkata. The Peerless Inn,Kolkata has been known to showcase Culinary Art and tradition of different parts of the country. Regaling their guests’ palate, this time round the hotel endeavours to take you through a royal gastronomic journey of Hyderabadi Cuisine by featuring Hyderabadi Food Festival at Oceanic. By the help of this ten day long Food Festival, ( From 17^th November to 26^th November) the great tradition of Hyderabad can be seen through its Cuisine.

If we time travel through these delicious ethnic culinary art of Hyderabad we will get to know about Hyderabad’s preoccupation with food. A 400 year history is behind the culinary delights of Hyderabadi food. The Nizams of Hyderabad were great connoisseurs of food, feasting on an elaborate 10 course meals on a daily basis. The first Nizam chose the ‘Kulcha’ as the official emblem of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. Hyderabadi Cuisine even has different recipes for different events, and hence is categorised accordingly ,from banquet food, for weddings and parties, festival foods, travel foods. The category to which the recipe belongs itself speaks of different things like the time required to prepare the food , the shelf life of the prepared item. In the past, the food was called ‘Ghizaayat’.The cuisine was linked to the nobles, who religiously maintained the authenticity of the past, and the recipes were a closely guarded secret. The royal cooks known as ‘Khansamas’,were highly regarded by the nobles.

The Culinary Art of Hyderabad, evolved in the Kitchens of the Nizams , who elevated food to a sublime Art. We can say that Hyderabadi Royal ‘Khansamas’(chefs) were great Expressionist artist, The Royal kitchen being there Studio & the Cuisines being there Canvasses.

Hyderabadi Cuisine, is like the city’s culture ,which is an amalgamation of Mughal, Turkish, Arabic along with the influence of the native Telegu and Marathwada cuisines. Hyderabadi cuisine comprises a broad repertoire of rice, wheat and meat dishes and the skilled use of various spices, herbs and natural edibles.The use of dry coconut,tamarind,and red chilies along with other spices are the main ingredients that make Hyderabadi cuisine different from other parts of India.

Team Photoscenethesis had a great experience at ‘Jashn-e-Hyderabad’, savouring amazing Hyderabadi cuisines and through it perceiving the roots of Hyderabadi tradition. ‘The Shahi Dastarkhana’ ( The Royal Dining Hall) of Oceanic, The Peerless Inn Kolkata was looking splendid with sumptuous buffet filled with Handpicked Hyderabadi cuisines. Some of the dishes for the evening were:

Khatti Dal
Subz Kofta in Palak Gravy
Bhagara Baingan
Paneer Lababdar
Macchi Methi Masala
Dum ka Murgh
Mirch ka Salan
Subz Dum Biryani
Kacche Gosht ki Dum Biryani
Double ka Meetha

All dishes were Great and amazing in their own way. In other words we can say that all dishes were ‘Star performers’ of the evening . The Cuisine emphasizes the use of ingredients that are carefully chosen and cooked to the right degree and time. Utmost attention is given to picking the right kind of spices,meat, rice etc. Therefore , an addition of a certain herb, spice,condiment or combination of all these add a distinct taste and aroma.

Of all the Muslim cuisine,Hyderabadi is the only cuisine in the sub-continent that can boast of a major vegetarian element. The dishes for the evening like ‘Khatti Dal’, ‘Subz Kofta in Palak Gravy’,’Bhagra Baingan’, ‘Paneer Lababdar’. ‘Subz Dum ka Biryani’ are the testimonials of some of the Unique Vegetarian dishes Hyderabad possesses.

Next, we will say about the USP of Hyderabadi cuisine , ‘The Hyderabadi Biryani’ and the Signature style of cooking ‘ Dum-Pukht’ method. There is a saying in Hyderabad, ‘ithmenaan se’ or cooking patiently . ‘Dum ka Murgh’, ‘Subz Dum Biryani’ , ‘ Kacche Gosht ki Dum Biryani’ were the flag bearers of this unique style of ‘Dum-Pukht’. Biryani was accompanied by ‘Mirch ka Salan’, a traditional Hyderabad Salan ( Gravy) made in shallow wide flat bottomed handi. Proper use of Spices and right degree of cooking, made these dishes one of the Hallmarks of Hyderabadi cuisine.

Traditional Hyderabadi meal is never complete without the bread from the kilns of the local bakers. So our team ended our meal with a very popular Bread based sweet dish called ‘Double ka Meetha’ or Shahi Tukda .

These Food Festivals, projecting Ethnic and traditional cuisines are the Flag bearers of the Culture & Ethnicity of a region. Nowadays, due to our Cosmopolitan Culinary culture , rare recipes and dishes are getting lost and in some way the ancient flavours are dying out slowly. In a way we can say that, we are losing our Ethnic and traditional taste buds. An initiative like these by the Peerlees Inn , Kolkata will definitely revive our Ethnic and Traditional tastebuds.

Thus . we thank The Peerless Inn , Kolkata for such initiatives and we look forward to more Traditional food festivals like “ Jashn-e – Hyderabad’, that will improve our sense of Traditional Culinary Art & Culture.