Food festivals are quite common these days, especially in Mumbai. But what makes a festival special is when the delicacy on offer is rare to find and absolutely scrumptious. I recently attended ‘The Legacy of Rampuri Cuisine’ Food Festival currently being hosted by Masala Bay, Taj Lands End, Bandra.
The Rampuri Cuisine curated by Master Chef Mujeebur Rehman is here to captivate you with a riot of flavors originated in Rampur.
Though Rampur cuisine is influenced and mostly mistaken with many North-West Frontier cuisines like Mughlai, Awadhi, Afghani, Lucknowi, et al. it has a rich heritage of its own. The subtle flavors and undertone usage of whole spices make it less sweet and more flavorsome than the other cuisines.
The meal course began with an assortment of Kebabs prepared using traditional Rampuri recipes. Chapli (Lamb) Kebabs, Mutton Seekh, Mahi Pasanda (Fish) deserve a special mention from among the different kebabs on offer.
The mains were nothing less of a meaty affair. Taar Korma, a Nihari inspired dish, is succulent lamb pieces doused in rich luscious gravy prepared using Indian spices. Paired with Sheermal, this was a crowd favorite.
Sheermal is a Saffron flavored flatbread with a crusty flaky exterior and cushy insides.
Murgh Begum Bahar is a chicken preparation with creamy yogurt. This cashew nut based curry was full of deliciousness and calories, oh so Rich!
While Rampuri cuisine mainly consists of non-vegetarian delicacies, there are some great dishes to please the Vegetarian palates too.
The kebabs include Aatishi Kumb (Baked Button Mushroom with spices) and Neze ke Aloo (Baby Potatoes shallow fried with Indian spices).
Dal Aswad is Black lentil slow cooked with tomato puree, spices and herbs. It can be easily mistaken for Dal Makhani but is completely different and has a tangy taste inclined by the Tomato puree.
An unusual array of desserts complete the fab cuisine. These include Chukander E AFroz (Beetroot Halwa), Gur E Yaquiti (Chickpea Pudding) & Ande ka Halwa (a sweet confection made of eggs).
While the Chickpea pudding failed to impress me with its overpowering sweetness of jaggery the “Ande Ka Jalwa” kept the flag of the Royal cuisine flying high.
Overall, it was a feast full of flavors. The tasting of different flavor combinations & sweet comprehension of yet another cuisine had me all smiles.
I was welcomed to Masala Bay, Taj Lands End, however, heaps of pics and opinions as always my own.
For more updates from my daily Food, Travel and Lifestyle snippets add me on Instagram
Until Then,
TheWickedSoul
