Hyderabad Cuisine

SeeFoon deepens her explorations into Indian Cuisine

Pics by Yugin

Legend goes that the Nizam of Hyderabad had 49 types of Biryanis cooked in his kitchen which churned out delicacies that were an amalgamation of Turkish, Mughlai and Arabic influences blended with native Telugu and Maratha culinary traditions.

Hyderabadi cuisine is also known as Deccani cuisine, and at the newly-opened eatery, Hyderabad Recipes, this addition to the Indian cuisine repertoire in Ipoh is a welcome one. For not only is the culinary experience a pleasant one but the decor is pleasing and elegant; a far cry from the sweaty, barely fan-cooled places that abound.

Here in Hyderabad Recipes, BBQ or Tandoori items coupled with their wide assortment of Biryanis are the stars on their menu with one page devoted to each. Mirchi-ka-salan, a thick brinjal (eggplant) paste cum sauce and vegetable raita (fresh yoghurt mixed with chopped raw vegetables) is served with most of the Biryanis in a choice of chicken, lamb, egg and vegetables and styles.

Traditionally, cooking of biryani employs two different methods. Hyderabadi biryani is the most popular. Believed to have originated from the times of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, Hyderabadi biryani can employ both cooking methods. The Pakki Hyderabadi Biryani involves cooking basmati rice and meat separately and then layering them together. While the Katchi Hyderabadi Biryani uses raw marinated meat (chicken or lamb) placed between the layers of basmati rice infused with saffron, onions and dried fruits. Both types utilise a slow-cooking method using dough-sealed earthen pot called a Dum Biryani.

There is one Dum Biryani at Hyderabad Recipes which is listed as Chicken Dum Biryani and consists of layers of chicken and basmati rice cooked in layers, and flavoured with saffron. The one we had was fragrant, the rice fluffy and complemented beautifully by the brinjal sauce that was slightly tart, smooth and well-spiced, RM18.40. The Mutton Biryani was equally delectable at RM21.90.

The BBQ items of Kebabs and Tandoori, surprisingly listed primarily Chicken items although two fish and one prawn dish were included which we didn’t sample. We had a mixture of kebabs with subtle nuances in the flavouring of each, some more bland than others but the accompanying chutney provided some necessary fire. They offer a Tandoori Platter 5 types of 3 each at RM60.50 and 5 types of 4 each at RM82.60.

We then tried a selection of their various breads and ate them with a delectable Butter Chicken, deboned morsels of tender chicken marinated in yoghurt and spices, cooked in tomato and cream was not overly spicy and gentle on the tongue, RM 18.40 (a must-have).

There was also the very creamy Palak Paneer (cottage cheese cooked in spinach puree) which we mopped up with the different breads, RM17.60.

I am not usually a fan of sweets, especially Indian ones as they are often sweet, cloyingly so. However, to my delight, I actually enjoyed some of the ones I tasted here as the sweetness was controlled and toned down.

The Qubani Ka Meetha, stewed apricots garnished with ice cream was refreshing, RM12, while the Double Ka Meetha, Indian bread pudding in the form of deep-fried Gardenia bread cooked in milk n cashew nuts with hints of ghee and cardamom was delicious, RM6.60, and so was the Gajar Ka Halwa, minced carrot tossed in milk and sugar, RM6.

We finished our meal with Masala tea.

Hyderabad Recipes is a worthy addition to the Ipoh Indian culinary scene. They also have a delivery service via Food Panda.

Address:
Restoran Hyderabad Recipes (Halal)
34 Jalan Sultan Abdul Jalil, Kampung Jawa, 30300 Ipoh.

Business hours:
10.30am-11.30pm; 24/7
Ask for Maninder Singh 05 246 0755