HYDERABAD: Hyderabad’s love for Mandi and Khabsa Laham goes far back in time to explore its history.
Almost 200 years ago when the then Nizam of Hyderabad decided to invite physically sturdy and well-built soldiers in his army given the increasing threat by the neighbouring provinces, he invited Hadhrami Arabs from Yemen. They were part of his personal army and were called Chaush. Their residential quarters were made in barracks in outskirts of the city.
As time went by, the word perhaps stretched, corrupted and became Barkas, now famous for its Mandi Laham, a fragrant dish of long-grained rice, succulent lamb pieces and dry fruits eaten with cabbage shreds and walnut chutney.
It’s not just the Yemenis settled in Barkas, who are known to prepare this sumptuous dish among others, at Tarnaka and Sitaphalmandi live several citizens from Yemen, mostly pursuing their Masters or doctorate from Osmania University and English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) located in the area.
That’s how the last weekend at the premises of Osmania University (OU) as part of ‘Food and Culture Exhibition - 2020’ organised by Telangana Foreign Students Association and ICCR, one saw cultural events and food stalls by students of several countries from Asia and Africa.
But it was the food from Yemen which disappeared first given its unique taste and texture.
There was, of course, Khabsa Laham and Mandi.
Other than these two typical Yemeni dishes there was Bent Alsahn, a layered bread prepared with wheat and eggs, baked in clay pits with a generous dash of poppy and sesame seeds on the top.
It is dipped in honey and then eaten. Another dish was Fahsah made with vegetables, fenugreek seeds and then mixed with lamb chunks and cooked on low fire.
And students prepared several of these items at their home in the surrounding areas. Says a Yemeni citizen Ahmed Fuad Musawa, 31, who’s a doctoral student in post-colonial studies at (OU), “I have been living in Hyderabad for more than five years and have celebrated several Eids here because this city gives a home-like feel. But because of the fee hike after 2014, many students have chosen to study in other parts of the country like Jaipur or Punjab.”
There are 30-35 Yemeni families living in the city most of them involved in higher studies. But it’s Hyderabad which gives them access to several food items if not all.
Says Mohammed Zabeer, 24, an undergraduate from Yemen studying English Literature from EFLU, “Though we are away and don’t get everything what we used to get at home, fests like these bring us together sharing food stories with one another.”
A look at their platter tells you that most of the bread varieties are similar to tandoori rotis. There was Rashbosh, Malbooj, Rateb all made from wheat flour.
The delicacy Lahuh was almost similar to that of dosa prepared with wheat and jawar eaten with curd or dipped in a chutney named Sahawek prepared with tomatoes, green chillies, coriander, garlic and cheese.
A close observation of the ingredients used in the cuisine tells you the similarities between Indian delicacies and the use of tandoor. Crossing culinary landscapes? Yes.