HYDERABAD: Chef Dr Izzat Hussain, an expert in the culinary world for over 20 years is in the city to be a part of Ghiza-e-Awadh food festival at The Dining Room, Park Hyatt. The Awadhi food festival started on May 12 and is on till May 21. Talking about the ongoing food festival, the chef says, “I belong to the royal family of Lucknow, so, the food festival is all about royal food. The dishes are not available on the streets of Lucknow either.”
Interestingly, he pursued medicine before becoming a chef. “I am still a practicing Unani doctor. During my stint as a doctor, I used to deal with naturopathy. I have researched a lot of spices. I cook food without using water or curd. The technique does not tamper with the original element or taste of the food products, retaining the original flavours and nutritional value of dals, mutton, chicken and vegetables. Not only that, I am strongly against using artificial colours for the sake of presentation. All the artificial elements used in food damages liver, spleen and kidney. At present, I only consult my old patients over calls,” he says, adding “For me Lucknowi food is the refined Mughlai cuisine.
When the Mughals came to India, their journey within the country from one place to another, the food went on to be more refined depending on the availability of the local spices. So, by the time Mughals reached Lucknow, the food became more refined as they got rid of unwanted spices. For example, the Hyderabadi biryani which people love so much here is full of spices. But when it comes to Lucknowi biryani, the spice level goes down considerably. According to me, food is a sort of medicine, whatever you are eating, be it protein, fibre or carbohydrate, it is beneficial for your health. So, if you find a good chef, you don’t need to select a good doctor.”
We started our royal gastronomical journey with Mutton Galouti Kebab which had the right hint of spices and had a melt in mouth texture. Next we focused on Chicken Burra Kebab, where the meat was juicy and had a nice flavour.The next dish from the chef’s kitchen was Chicken Champa served with naan. The curry was bursting with flavours unlike any other curries. We ended our meal with Halwa with the goodness of grated dry fruits cooked in ghee.“Chef Dr Izzat Hussain has been sharing his immense knowledge of Awadhi and Mughlai cuisine in the kitchen. After this festival, we are planning to have a kebab festival every month highlighting every region’s kebabs one after another,” concludes Chef Athar Hussain.