The food at Northwest Kebabs and Curryhouse is predominantly
influenced by the cuisine of the Mughals, Turks and Tughlaqs who made their way
to the Indian Plate via travelers and conquerors from Persia, down to India traveling over Afghanistan and
Pakistan, which were all part of one empire, and the food of this region is popularly
known as Northwest Frontier Cuisine.
The food at Northwest focuses on genuine recipes sourced by Chef
Sanjay Tyagi whose inspiration comes in the form of recipes from old-time hotel
cooks of Royal families along with meticulous research from the food of this
region. Interestingly, this place has a spotless open kitchen unlike most Indian
places and shows their confidence in delivering a top-notch experience to its
customers. Here is what we had over a lunch on a rather sunny afternoon:
The session started off with refreshing Aam Panna, a
staple in the North of India to ward off the ill effects of the tempestuous
afternoon loos. And Chef assured us that no sweeteners added, which is a
refreshing change from sugar-hopped drinks served at a lot of places.
Appetizers:
1. Murgh Ke Chaanp: So, these were chicken drumsticks evidently marinated in yoghurt to give it an unmistakable lusciousness in every bite. This was indeed a surprise hit with everyone at the table, and the spice level being mild, is a sure shot winner every time.
2. Mutton Behari: Tender escalopes of mutton leg slow cooked to perfection with a rich blend of spices, this was like a cross between a Boti kebab and a chapli that is popular in the by lanes of Lucknow.
3.Dahi Ke Kebab: A dish popular among vegetarians across India, there are as many different variations of this one. The version here at Northwest was beautifully made with the filling taking on an almost khoya like sweetness, and elevating this dish to the next level. It was less sour than I expected it to be and definitely a variation I would recommend
Mains:
1. 
Bharwa Bataer(Quail) Musallam and Mirchi
Parantha: One of the centerpieces of Awadhi cooking, and
the very acme of culinary refinement practiced in that culture, a whole bird
(musallam means “whole”) would be cleaned out, stuffed with nuts and dried
fruit, and then roasted, cooked in some jus, and there would be a spiced gravy
usually poured over it all. It is a complicated recipe. The dish was served up
by the Lucknowi elite. And now that that age has passed, it is one of those
heritage “wow” dishes in danger of being lost This rendition of Bharwa Bater Musallam
by Chef Sanjay Tyagi takes me back
to my spent time in Lucknow, chasing classic Awadhi dishes that have gained a
cult following. A rich gravy of fragrant spices, butter and cream, this left us
wowed. Paired with the slightly spicy mirchi parantha, this was heavenly!
2. Nargisi Kofta and Ulta Tawa Parantha:
Another popular facet of Awadhi cuisine was multiple levels of stuffing, if you
get what I mean! And did you know, this is what inspired the famous scotch
eggs? IKofta is a classic mughlai recipe, where marinated mutton keema is
wrapped on hard boil eggs and braised into rich yogurt gravy. Pairing this with
the beautiful tawa paranthas just leaves you gasping for more.
3. Afghani Gosht Pulao: It would be amiss if I did not mention this one. Fragrant, Yellow basmati rich cooked to perfection in a mutton broth to give it a slight edge, this comes as a relief against some of those heavier main courses. And as Chef repeatedly pointed out, this is NOT biryani, so any comparisons would be unfair.
At this point, while already slipping into a slow but steady
food coma, we had space left for one last dessert, the Husn E Ara, similar
to a double ka meetha, where bread slices are deep fried and soaked in hot milk
flavoured with myriad spices such as saffron and cardamom. This version had a
pineapple stuffed between the bread and was topped with generous amounts of rabri.
Delicious!
Overall, an unforgettable experience in the heart of
Koramangala, and one that I would thoroughly recommend to anyone who wants to
try Mughlai cuisine, or someone like me who relishes food from this region.
