“The place the boys are powerful however the lamb is tender”. Followers say that about meals from Pakistan’s Northwest Frontier Province (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). Giant chunks of meat or greens are sparsely marinated and slow-cooked in a tandoor at excessive temperature. The usage of spices is balanced to boost the pure flavours of the elements.
“What units it aside is its distinctive cooking approach, characterised by minimal marination and slow-cooking at excessive temperatures, which brings out the inherent flavours of the elements,” says Zeeshan Ali, a meals and hospitality advisor in Delhi.
Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp
Frontier cooking is straightforward, makes use of recent elements and eschews heavy sauces. Dishes use yogurt as a base for marination, mixed with spices like cumin, coriander, and garam masala. The marination infuses flavours and make the meat smooth and succulent.
The Ashok Resort in Delhi not too long ago hosted a Khyber Ki Peshkash meals competition with the Kohat platter comprising Paneer Tikka, Tandoori Khumb and Subz e Seekh priced at Rs 1,200. The Khyber platter of fish tikka, Murg Hazarvi Tikka and Chapli Kebab was served for Rs 1,700. The Raan Alishaan combo meal price Rs 2,500.
Patthar Ka Kebab and Chapli Kebab might seem to be easy dishes however the approach and elements used to prepare dinner them “stand out”, says Sanjay, govt chef at The Ashok who makes use of a single identify.
“These dishes should not simply concerning the flavours, they’re concerning the expertise. The recent stone and flat grill cooking strategies add a singular component to the dish, making it an interactive expertise for diners. Aside from the cooking strategies, what units these dishes aside is the standard of the elements used,” he says.
Bukhara, ITC Maurya, Peshawri – ITC Sonar, Khyber, Zaffran, Dum Pukht, Indian Accent, Kebabs & Kurries and Gulati’s are a number of the fashionable eating places serving this delicacies.
“At Gulati’s, our bestselling dishes in Northwest Frontier delicacies embody the famend Butter Hen, Dal Makhani, Biryanis and our flavorful Kebabs. Over time, we have now noticed a gentle improve within the demand for Frontier meals as extra folks hunt down genuine, hearty meals. To cater to up to date tastes, we have launched lighter and more healthy choices,” mentioned Namit Gulati, proprietor of Gulati eating places in Delhi and Gurgaon.
“At the moment how the spices, the way in which it’s cooked may be very totally different from what you’d really get there in that (Frontier) area. It is really largely boiled, non-spicy meals is what folks eat there – meats and greens cooked collectively, it is sort of a stew, which isn’t in any respect spicy and bland. In order that’s largely the affect of actual Northwest Frontier delicacies. In India, we popularised tandoori kebabs and that labored with the Indian spices.”
Kapoor spoke concerning the two unique Frontier dishes: Hazarwi kebab and Banno kebab. Hazarvi kebab is made with cream and rooster breast; cooking Banno is completed with egg. “They proceed to be fashionable. And naturally, dal which we name as maa ki dal, is named marsh there (Frontier). It is black urad that turned fashionable with tomato and ghee and butter.”
The kali dal is the longest cooked dal on the planet. The mix of entire black lentils (urad dal), tomatoes, ginger and garlic — is cooked and simmered over the gradual coal fireplace of the tandoor in a single day for 18 hours at a stretch!
| Restaurant | Metropolis | Approx. price for two in Rs |
| Bukhara, ITC Maurya | Delhi | 8,000 |
| Frontier, The Ashok | Delhi | 4,000 |
| Khyber | Mumbai | 3,000 |
| Zaffran | Mumbai | 2,000 |
| Dum Pukht, ITC Maurya | Delhi | 8,000 |
| Peshawri, ITC Sonar | Kolkata | 3,000 |
| Kebabs & Kurries, ITC Resort | Bengaluru | 4,500 |
| Barbeque Nation | A number of cities | 2,500 |
| Indian Accent | New Delhi | 6,000 |