On a gastronomical journey...

A Sunday which was very different from normal Sundays... A trip which is very different from any other trips that I have taken till date...

I have been in Hyderabad for the last 9 years, however, had not got much opportunity to taste authentic food of the area. Hence, when TOI launched the passion trail, I could never let go of the opportunity. 

On Sunday, 31st January, I along with 11 other foodies and TOI representatives Sreeram and Sankalp, decided to take a food journey to taste authentic Telangana food. We met at TOI office in Banjara Hills around 5.45 am. While the rest of the world had fitness on its mind, we chose a rather gluttonous route!! Our group consisted a melange of  foodies - chefs, food bloggers, restaurateurs, food critics and people like us (who just loves to eat).

Foodies in front of TOI office

Our first stop was Shah Ghouse, an Irani restaurant in Tolichowki. Over plates of tandoori roti, naan-roti (square pieces of soft bun), paya curry, gurda curry, keema, khichdi khatta and tomato chutney, the breakfast was an assault of spicy food, which we are normally not ysed to in the morning. We ended breakfast with the humle Irani chai and Osmania biscuits. Now it is time to guess, what else was on the menu for the day!!

Khichdi khatta

Paya curry

Naani-roti

Irani Chai 

For lunch, we traveled 200 kms to Beerpul village, which is after Karimnagar. Here, the owner of Sreedevi foods (home cooked food served in AP, Telangana for 17 years and is the first woman entrepreneur in the state) and her family arranged for lunch under a 500+ year old banyan tree. Food was cooked in traditional fashion in earthen utensils on wood fire. It was a picturesque location and completed the rural experience for us. The most amazing part was the entire family getting into the act and serving each and every dish. We learned that currently the entire family (which contains approximately 200+ members) live in Hyderabad and only comes to the village for special occasions. However, due to TOI request, they made a family outing where the current generation assembled to help their aunt with the food preparation and serving lunch for us. The bonding in the family was very evident and it was quite impressive to see such humility in every member.

500+ year old Banyan Tree which was our lunch spot

Beerpur family who served us lunch

We first tasted kallu / toddy which was also a first time for me. This is a non-alcoholic beverage created from the sap of various species of palm tree such as the palmyra, date palms and coconut palms.  There were snacks like Makka Gudalu (a corn snack served with a delicious coarse green chilli chutney), kudumulu (steamed rice balls), poornalu (a jaggery sweet), atukulu chudwa and Sarvapindi (a flattened fried flour snack) that whet our appetite. 

Kallu / Toddy

Atkulu Chudwa

Poornalu

Kudumulu

Sarvapindi

The main course had whopping 15 dishes being served - Menu included Karapu Annam,  Pappu Charu (tamarind dal), Bajji Pulusu (brinjal fry), Budida Gummadikaya Kura (pumpkin curry), Bendakaya Baaji (bhindi fry), Thalakaya Kura (mutton curry), Meka Mamsam (meat curry), Ambali, Perugu, Neyyi, Chintakaya tokku, Pataklu (cheniga pappu boti), Boli pelala muddalu, Jonna rotelu, Natu-kodi pulusu (country chicken curry), China chepala Pulusu (fish curry). Some of these are actually lost recipes of Telangana - known by very few today.  

Bendakaya Baaji

 

Telangana on my plate

After such a heavy breakfast and lunch, it didn't feel like I could eat another bite. The four hour drive back to Hyderabad was hardly an exercise, but it gave our taste buds time to prepare for the final culinary onslaught. Our final destination was Aish Restaurant in The Park, Somajiguda.  From a rural lunch to a fine dining experience - what more could we have asked for!! The staff warmly greeted us to the dining hall where a play of chrome with Nizams' pictures and mirrors create a contemporary ambience. Chef Mandar had personally customized the menu for us. 

Dinner started with a watermelon mocktail, followed by starters which ranged from the unique Tootak (semolina pastry with a duet of potato and sweet potato filling), to murgh mutabbak (a revival chicken, egg and cheese kebab), dum gosht ke kebab and chicken and black pepper broth. Main course included a rare and lost recipe, Chironji ka dalcha (buchania seed and mutton stew), sufiani pulo and zaffrani bakarkhani (pyaz ka kulcha). It was a dinner fit for the kings!! In a fitting end to the highly calorific meal, we were served two desserts - Gil e bisht (a rice and almond pudding) with sugar kissed rose petals and angoor ka khatta (grape shorbet) created with liquid nitrogen - poured on it and stirred vigorously by the chef, while we watched awe-struck!!

Murgh Mutabbak

Tootak

Gul e bisht with sugar kissed rose petals

Making of Angoor ka khatta with liquid nitrogen

With the culinary journey that I took on this day, it just did not satisfy my taste buds, it satiated me visually as well. Dining under the massive banyan tree is something I would cherish forever.  From breakfast to dinner, the day was a kaleidoscope of delicacies that ranged from rich Deccani delights to typical Telangana savories. My heartfelt thanks to Sankalp and the TOI team for making this such a memorable experience!!