HYDERABAD: Fast is passé when it comes to food. Now it is slow cooking and slower eating with the memories lasting much longer. A leisurely two-hour, six-course Sunday lunch I had at the Ghiza Kitchen (Bengaluru) recently, transported me to the romantic lands of Afghanistan and Pakistan, a journey through the age-old Spice Route.
“My great-grandfather came from Afghanistan trading horses. My grandfather, father, my uncles, cousins, everyone is into horse racing, except me. I have taken a diversion into filmmaking and now food”, smiles the gracious host Himayath Khan, showing me two well-preserved horse hooves of “Red Sun” – his father’s champion racehorse. It’s a rare heirloom that reflects the tradition of preserving the past and taking pride in the lineage.
“Ghiza Kitchen serves to friends and friends of friends. Normally we have seven to ten guests, and never take more than fifteen – we need to have a minimum of five though, only then we can aim to make good food and make good friends: our guests are an interesting mix of people with different backgrounds. My wife Azra hails from Karachi in Pakistan. Growing up in a large family she had seen food being cooked, shared and enjoyed: she has inherited the rich legacy of Afghan and Pakistani cuisine with grandmothers, aunts and older cousins sharing the family recipes and cooking tips. She has worked on some of the traditional dishes and has brought in novelty: her “Nalli Nihari” and “Dum Afghani” (Kabuli Pulao) are much sought after”, says Himayath Khan proudly.
Fasting and Feasting, especially during the Holy Ramadaan, the Khans are used to hosting ‘Iftar’ parties with the choicest dishes that garner huge compliments from the guests. Then came a time when friends started suggesting that they take up hospitality professionally. Thus started a fortnightly Sunday Lunch: six carefully chosen Pushtun delicacies, cooked with care and served with warmth. Ghiza is an ideal place for connoisseurs of food: to taste, to appreciate and to get educated on food cultures. Running over two hours, the leisurely sit- down lunch gives you ample opportunity to make new friends and the common thread is, food of course!
As we sip the welcome drink that looks and tastes like Roohafza, our host explains that it is a traditional drink served at homes and weddings in Afghanistan with a dash of Roohafza to add colour. It is served at Ghiza’s lunches as the sweet in it prepares the stomach and palette for the heavy lunch that is to follow. Aptly named “Pakhair Raghlay” it translates from Pashto to English as ‘Welcome’. Over this passionate red drink introductions are made and we exchange notes on various good food joints in the city. Like “grace before a meal” we all religiously click pictures of each course as it arrives. No one can escape this social media ritual, I suppose.
The first entry is “Seekh Boti” – a chicken lover’s delight. We are told this much-loved street food is a hot favourite at Burns Road in Karachi. Marinated overnight and pan-fried to perfection, the kebab just melts in the mouth, drawing an exceptionally gratifying taste from the slow cooking process.
The Afghani green sauce with a strong aroma of coriander, raw garlic, limejuice, and chillies matches with it perfectly. What appears next is the familiar Shammi Kebab – called “Khosh Mazaa Shaami” – a Pakistani minced mutton cutlet, famous for its softness added with an age-old combination of secret herbs from Azra’s home.
Dum Afghani slowly makes an entry next. This authentic Afghani dish, slow-cooked overnight till the meat is almost fall-off-the-bone tender, is served with rice of Kabuli Pilaf and Brea’s Delhi kulcha. I fall in love with the super soft kulchas. Charsi Tikka comes with Puri- Paranthas, strongly reminding me of “Pranthe wali galli” in Delhi and makes me nostalgic. Marinated overnight, the pan grilled Charsi Tikka is smothered with its signature malai sauce. The crisp puri paranthas disappear into thin air.
The much awaited, Azra’s forte, “Nalli Nihari” follows - slow-cooked mutton with bones of the marrow, served again with velvety Delhi Kulchas. We are told that this is an authentic Karachi take of the Nalli Nihari, which also finds mention in the Mughlai cuisine. The cooking process allows the dish to absorb the flavourful bone marrow fully, creating one of the best-tasting meat dishes in the world.
Like a beautiful princess, the “Lab-e-Janan” arrives, dressed in elegant colours and contained in a dainty cup: a fitting finale to the fabulous feast! It is a mix of fresh seasonal fruits, vermicelli, milk, and something more that prompts me for a second helping.
As we recline on the bolsters with a contented smile sipping the Arabi Kahwa served with pieces of jaggery, I think of “Klook”, the booking platform that helped me discover this wonderful gastronomic experience; giving a fast and convenient access to popular attractions, experiences and services for travellers like me to discover the sounds, colours, and even tastes of places around the world!
Here’s what you need for your own wonderful experience:
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What are you waiting for? Sunday sans traffic and a scrumptious meal! Sounds good, na?
(The author is a documentary filmmaker and travel writer; she blogs at vijayaprataptravelandbeyond.com)