Ever wondered how would it be to see a menu that only talks about kebabs and gives a detailed explanation? Kebabs, the all-time favourite Indian starters can never be turned away and Guftagu Dobara, the fest at K&K in ITC Kakatiya will only make you wonder at the stories behind the many kebabs that we relish.
Guftagu Dobara is a repeat of what happened in the ITC Hotel in Delhi in 2002. Guftagu was the biggest ‘kebab convention’ of sorts where all the speciality kebabs of Awadh, Peshawar and Lashkari were introduced for the first time in a menu. After 2002, the fest comes to Hyderabad for the first time.
The menu has over 18 speciality kebabs, each more complicated and tricky then the other and promises to keep one wondering about flavours, fragrances and the ingredients used. Chef Aamer Jamal says, every flat lamb meat kebab isn’t patthar ka gosh and every kebab made from the leg of the chicken needn’t be tangri kebab .
In the same way, corn kebabs don’t have to be simple and every floret of cauli flower needn’t be phulgobi .
Take for instance Khasta Bhutte Ki Tikki , shelled sweet corn kernels ‘bhunaod’ with select spices and copious quantities of condensed milk, portioned into tikkis and grilled to perfection. Saying no to this will be an offence and a case of missed chance on how sometimes vegetarian food can be appealing to non vegetarians.
Chef also takes pride in the tandoori broccoli, which is boasted to have been made in a fanatically guarded marinade of hand picked ingredients, pot roasted in a tandoor.
This fest is an attempt to bring back Lashkari cuisine, which isn’t much talked of because of the high calorie content. “The Lashkari food was for soldiers. So it’s high on calorie which isn’t much preferred considering our lifestyle,” explains Aamer.
The menu isn’t just about ingredients and taste, it comes with its share of history as well, the Termezi Macchi for instance, is named after the Al Hakim at Termizi who prided himself over the notion of imbibing the use of ingredients with medicinal properties in food.
The use of cheese, crème cheese makes the kebabs a pure delight to the palate.
That’s what the Jhinga dum nisha promises.
There is the Mallika-e-Dariya as well, steaks of salmon, matured in a richly spiced marinade of dill, fennel, ginger, honey and trace of mustard oil, roasted in a tandoor. Fish lovers will love it.
Looking for something different? Kadak Seekh Reshmi is a kebab chosen from the Peshawari cuisine and is a delight to eat.
The fest isn’t just about food, it is about the tradition of cooking and the stories that come with it. And that makes it a definite Guftagu Dobara.
