India serves a host of Biryanis, many of which are not even heard of much. From the royal kitchens of Mughals to being the comfort food, biryani and pulao have travelled through time and landscapes, capturing the essence of all the regions with its versatility it is the most rejoiced meal today.
Remembering the love and fondness for biryani, ITC Royal Bengal’s “Jashn e Biranj” festival sounds like an indulgent offering. This culinary journey held at the Grand Market Pavilion, promises an exceptional celebration of flavours, spices and aromas. “Jashn e Biranj” features aromatic and flavourful Biryani and Pulao from Karnataka, Hyderabad, Malabar, Lucknow and Bengal.
Chef Zubair Qureshi hails from a lineage of royal khansamas, and has learnt many recipes from an early age from the royal kitchens. His grandfather was khansama (chef) to the Raja of Mahmudabad in Uttar Pradesh. Born in Agra, Qureshi grew up in a home where his father, uncles and cousins were chefs. His life centred on recipes and ingredients as far as he could recall. Interestingly, the chef has a special andaaz (skill) of mixing spices which he uses in his heirloom recipes. His extraordinary skills have made him a legend in the city of joy and he has curated a delectable menu for this festival.
Speaking on Jashn e Biranj, area executive chef – East, ITC Hotels, Vijay Malhotra said, “Slow-cooked with handpicked spices to impart a delicate infusion of flavours and textures, each dish is artfully balanced to present a feast fit for royalty. These heirloom recipes are from royal kitchens and presented under the aegis of ITC Hotels' initiative, 'Kitchens of India,' in keeping with our ethos of Responsible Luxury."
If your choice of meal is vegetarian, you can choose you pick among dishes like Kathal ki Biryani (raw jackfruit bulbs roasted in spices, yogurt and shallots and then cooked with fragrant biryani rice), Bharwan Mirch Dum Biryani- (a delicious Rajasthani Biryani made with stuffed bhavnagri green chillies), Gucchi Subz-e-zar Biryani (Morels filled with clotted cream and green herbs tossed with spring onions finished on Dum), Doodhiya Dum Biryani (Rice cooked with milk and spices), Kala Moti Biryani (Kabuli Chana simmered in vegetable stock, yoghurt and basmati rice), Subz Andhra Biryani (Basmati rice simmered in yoghurt gravy, vegetables and chettinad spices), Arab ka Amrit (Dates stuffed with dry fruits & khoya cooked in hara masala flavoured with cardamom & saffron) and more.
Non-vegetarian loved can dig into a Gosht Noor Mahal Biryani (Marinated mutton keema wrapped on hard boil eggs braised into spicy rich yogurt gravy cooked with basmati rice on dum), Murgh e Zaffrani Biryani (Mace and saffron marinated chicken simmered with Basmati rice cooked on Dum), Shrimp Malabar Biryani ( Flavourful prawn and rice preparation tinged with green masala and southern spices), or Gosht Nargisi Kofta Biryani (mutton keema braised into spicy rich yogurt gravy with basmati rice cooked on dum). There are a few more known and unknown biryani variants that are a must-try when at ITC Royal Bengal this weekend.
When: Till Feb 11, 7-11 pm. The menu is a part of the dinner buffet.
For reservations: 44464646.