ITC Royal Bengal’s Jashn e Biranj is a celebration of what for many of us is a treat for all seasons. Biryani. This aromatic dish has many avatars, each to be savoured with gusto. ITC Royal Bengal’s Grand Market Pavilion has exactly that in mind. Chef Mohammed Zubair Qureshi is at the helm, plating up Hyderabadi, Malabari, Lucknowi, and Calcutta styles at the festival. Hailing from a lineage of royal khansamas (male cook), whose grandfather was khansama to the Raja of Mahmudabad in Uttar Pradesh, and having learnt many recipes from an early age from the royal kitchens, chef Qureshi has curated an extravagant biryani buffet with Murg, Gosht, Prawn, Fish, and Subz Dum varieties, accompanied by salan and raita.
The delightful vegetarian menu showcases unique creations like Kathal Ki Biryani and Gucchi Subz-e-Zar Biryani while the non-vegetarian options include Gosht Noor Mahal Biryani and Shrimp Malabar Biryani. The festival is in the spirit of ITC Hotels’ Kitchens of India series, highlighting the forgotten and regal cuisine of the nawabs keeping the principle of Responsible Luxury in mind.
“Indulge in an exceptional repertoire of biryani and pulao from the regal homes of Hyderabad, Lucknow, Karnataka, and Bengal. 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,” said Vijay Malhotra, area executive chef, East, ITC Hotels.
Gosht Nargisi Kofta Biryani is where hardboiled eggs are smeared with marinated mutton keema, braised with spicy rich yoghurt gravy and cooked along with Basmati rice on dum.
Murgh e Chooza Biryani is aromatic Basmati rice cooked with the meat of quail instead of chicken along with whole spices.
“Birian, which means ‘fried before cooking’, was brought to India by Taimur the Lame in the 14th century. Gradually, the humble rice dish made its way to the shahi bawarchikhanas, where it combined with the Indian pulao to transform into the stately biryani - a wonderful aromatic preparation where each grain of the finest long-grained Basmati rice has an individual fragrant smell,” said chef Mohammed Zubair Qureshi.