Each of us took turns holding a big bottle of champagne and pouring its sparkling contents into a tower of champagne glasses. While some did it with confident gusto, others quivered with the worry of shattering it all. Nevertheless, everyone thoroughly enjoyed participating in this little ritual to start the celebrations of the first anniversary of Peshawri - ITC Kohenur, Hitech City.
What followed was an indulgent, decadent meal, in line with Peshawri’s famous North-West Frontier Cuisine, which traces its origins to the North-West Frontier, a region that was part of British India and is now in Pakistan. Tucking into this historical cuisine was a unique experience — both vegetarians and non-vegetarians were in for a treat as the serving staff swiftly brought to our tables mouthwatering dishes, one after the other.
Before we could start, the serving staff gave us dining aprons, each with ‘Peshawri’ stitched on it. After all, it was going to be pleasantly messy, for we had no spoons, knives or forks. We were going to dine the traditional way. Even the ambience was regal, with dimmed golden lighting, Mughal-era paintings, and antique wall décor.
For starters, we devoured Subz Seekh and Tandoori Phool. The Tandoori Phool was definitely a standout — who can resist cauliflower florets, seasoned with spices and then coated with gram flour batter and just the right amount of ajwain? ‘Out of this world’ is an understatement to describe this delicacy. The Subz Seekh was delightful too, with a strong cumin flavour engulfing the minced vegetables.
We were so enamoured with the sights of the dishes and their flavours that we hardly noticed the cameras capturing our enjoyable moments. But when we did, we happily posed!
Meat lovers enjoyed the Tandoori Jhinga and Sikandari Raan. The Tandoori Jhinga, a dish where jumbo prawns were marinated in an ajwain-flavoured mixture of yoghurt, red chillies, turmeric, and garam masala — and then skewered and roasted over charcoal fire — stole both hearts and tummies. The Sikandari Raan, which was a whole lamb leg braised in a marinade of spices and cooked in the tandoor, looked rich and tasted amazing, with the tender meat transporting palates to another dimension.
But everyone’s favourite was Dal Bukhara, a Peshawri classic. Rich, indulgent, and creamy, we were tempted to savour the dish without a side. But we turned our heads with excitement as the server carefully carried with both his hands a large tray. There it was — the humongous Naan, made with 1.5 kg of dough. A feast for the eyes and the palate! It’s incredible to think that all these recipes have been savoured by so many generations.
We washed down our hearty meals with a glass of champagne and other refreshing drinks like Cranberry Breeze, Not So Saada Paan, and Vodka Shikanji.
Peshawri is known for its wonderful hospitality, so it was only natural that we were served two large bowls of desserts — one with a gulab jamun and the other with three little rasgullas. Of course, we gluttonously ate these sweet delights.
Jitendra Taak, general manager at ITC Kohenur, said, “Peshawri completing one year is absolutely exciting. The Peshawri in Hyderabad is the 10th of its kind in India. The amount of love Hyderabadis have showered on us is something I’m thankful for. The North-West Frontier cuisine is a winner and the format is comfort dining sans cutlery — we have guests who keep coming here to savour classic delights.”