NH44, India’s longest highway, stretches from the foothills of the Himalayas in Srinagar to the southern tip of the peninsula at Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. This 4,115-kilometre route traverses some of the country’s most scenic landscapes, passing through the fertile plains of the Ganges in Uttar Pradesh and the arid regions of central India via Gwalior, before heading southwards through the Deccan plateau’s cities like Hyderabad and Bengaluru, and later through the temple town of Madurai.
As one drives along this highway, one can stop to relax and enjoy local delicacies in the 11 states it crosses. In a nod to this culinary journey, we explore the flavours of NH44 not on the road but at Pride Plaza Hotel’s ‘Highway to Taste: NH44 Festival’. The recently-concluded festival showcased dishes from many states along the highway, including Jammu, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
The dhaba ambience
Highways in India are renowned for dhabas that serve delicious, affordable local dishes, and Café Pride’s entrance replicated this rustic atmosphere. A black carpet that mimicked a highway greeted us. Semi-circular milestone markers, showing the names and distances of various states, added to the ambience. Colourful tyres and truck placards further enhanced the roadside vibe, while staff dressed in traditional attire added a touch of authenticity to the dhaba-like setup.
Starters for every palate
Our culinary journey began with Murgh Badami Shorba, a dish from the Nizami culinary traditions of Hyderabad. This almond-rich soup, typically enjoyed in winter, featured melt-in-the-mouth chicken chunks and was garnished with coriander. Each sip was truly chicken soup for the soul. Executive Chef Rakesh Singh Rana shared the secret behind its rich flavour: “Usually, people just boil the chicken and add it to the shorba, resulting in a bland taste. But we slow-cook the chicken and spice it up, just as they do in Hyderabadi feasts, to enhance the aroma and flavour.”
Next, we headed to Lucknow, the City of Kebabs. The pillow-soft Dahi Kebabs, made from homemade chhena (cottage cheese) and curd, and stuffed with roasted dry fruits, indulged us with their sweet and nutty taste. Their savoury counterpart, the Lamb Seekh Kebab, was a juicy tandoor delight full of rich umami flavours. For those who enjoy smoky, charcoal notes, the Bhatti Ka Murgh, a popular roadside dish in North India, was an excellent match. “We marinated the chicken pieces in ginger garlic paste and lemon juice for a little tanginess, letting them sit for six to eight hours before cooking them in a clay oven for that distinctive charcoal flavour,” Rana explained as we savoured the starters.
A journey across states
The main course began with a tour of North India. Kashmir’s Mutton Rogan Josh, another winter speciality, filled the air with the rich aromas of fragrant spices like star anise, cinnamon, and bay leaves. The slow-cooked mutton, though not quite falling off the bone, was hearty and perfectly complemented by Keema Kulcha — a leavened bread stuffed with minced meat, often enjoyed in Punjab and Old Delhi, two key stops along NH44.
Speaking of Punjab, the state’s quintessential dish, Butter Chicken, offered a feast with its cream-laden, rich gravy. Next, we sampled Punjab’s typical Dhaba-style Dal, made with chana and urad lentils, and enriched with ghee-tempered cumin and mustard seeds. We dip our kulcha into this simple, home-style dish, which exemplifies why it’s affectionately called ‘ma ki dal’ (mother’s lentils). Another example of homely cooking was the Aloo and Sem Sabzi (potato and green beans). “I hand-picked fresh vegetables from the hotel’s kitchen garden, which has a variety of chillies, beans, and okra growing,” Rana revealed, highlighting the freshness of the dish.
We finally take a southern turn and opt for the Masala Prawns, which drew influences from the culinary traditions of Mangaluru, Chennai, and Kochi. The prawns, coated in spice, had a crispy, charred exterior and were tender inside. We paired them with a sweet, tangy pineapple dip to add a burst of zing. After this fiery kick, we ended the meal with something sweet. Punjab’s kewda-water-infused Dry Fruit Lassi came to the rescue. Its creamy, sweet, and silky texture, along with the fragrance of kewda and the nuttiness of dry fruits, provided the perfect finale to our highway food trail!