It took six months for chef and food custodian Mohammed Shareef to decide for the menu change at K&K, ITC Kakatiya known for its rich scrumptious blend of Deccani and Awadhi delights. At least 17 dishes have been added to the already sumptuous list. It’s interesting to note that a lot of dishes prepared with vegetables have been added. They are made in such a way that the same appear and slightly taste like those prepared with chicken or mutton.
But what decides the ticking off a dish from the menu? Explain the curators of the menu chef Aamer Jamal and chef Mohammed, “We monitor the popularity of dishes and also take feedback from guests. Based on that we decide to bring in more items to the menu or remove a few.”
We discovered beetroot in a new delicious form of kebab called Labgeer which appeared and tasted much like the vegetarian version of Shikampur. There was a mixture of cheese flavoured with mint leaves, cashew nuts and green chillies filled inside that gave an amalgam of flavours when tasted with green chutney. The sweetness of the beetroot balanced the spices.
On the table was also brought the goodness of lotus stems called Nadroo in the form of galettes that appeared like any other piece of mutton chaanp flavoured with cumin, ginger, garlic and green chillies. We recommend the Dum Pukht Biryani prepared in a handi. The grains, though fluffy, tasted a bit different than the version of its Hyderabadi counterpart.
The secret was in the use of chicken stock while layering the biryani. The liquid gives it a unique flavour and texture when combined with kewra, meetha attar otherwise used traditionally in Awadh and Bengal. The Nihari was another star on the table with its succulent pieces cooked in a spicy gravy. We relished it with naan and tandoori roti. For the desserts Shaan-e-Aam is a must-try. It’s a concoction of reduced chenna and Alphonso mangoes served with slivers of pistachios and chandi ka varq.
— Saima Afreen
saima@newindianexpress
@Sfreen