Good food, like good music, has to be shared. That is why when a young, would-be-married couple called to say they wanted to come over and a new Hyderabad-Andhra food delivery said it wanted to send across some of its iconic dishes, I thought it should all happen at the same time. So the food came, and the friends came, and a great time was had by all.
Right balance
I must say I am having a whale of a time. I may not be stepping out much, but I am certainly getting to eat some delicious food. Right now, I eat in very small measures (mouthfuls, really), but I get the taste – and the idea. And I have no hesitation in saying that this new food outfit – called Sassy Begum – delivers excellent food that must not be missed. The food has the right balance of spices, is delicious and comes nicely packed.
The place is run by two young people called Sahil Hassan and Aashica Khanna (9999122999). I got to know about the Hassans and their great fondness for food when I read – and wrote about – this book called ‘Saffron and Pearls’, written by Doreen Hassan. It was a delightful book, full of little anecdotes about food and people, and some wonderful recipes. Sahil Hassan is Doreen’s son, and some of the dishes that Sassy Begum offers have evolved out of family recipes. The food, the people behind Sassy Begum say, is cooked with fursat (leisure) and mohabbat (love) – “which are both essential in making sure that each dish bursts with flavour”.
We started with the minty and nutty Sikhampuri kabab (₹ 395). The kabab was the way it should be, tender yet meaty, with its little heart of yoghurt and green coriander. The haleem (₹ 650) was simply superb. This meat and wheat dish had been cooked over long hours, and thickened and flavoured with cashew nuts and poppy seeds. I had some and immediately wanted some more. The haleem came with a small box with containers carrying fried onions, lemon and what Sassy Begum says is its secret gravy. I didn’t need the gravy, for the haleem was moist and truly melt-in-the-mouth.
Tamattar ka kut
The friends really enjoyed the Hyderabadi kuchchey gosht ki biryani, which had tender pieces of meat cooked in fragrant rice. The biryani (₹ 995 for a handi) came with raita and salan. The mirch ka salan – called Sassy ka salan (₹ 325) – was a dish of plump green chillies in a sauce tempered with dried coconut, sesame seeds, peanuts and tamarind, and got the maximum number of votes. The carnivores in the family even loved the tart tamatar ka kut (Rs 350), which had small pieces of paneer in it. I am not allowed prawns – yet – but I was told that the prawn masala (₹ 495) was excellent, with a lovely after taste of fennel.
For dessert there was khumani ka meetha (₹ 295). This is served with cream, but since I couldn’t have the cream, I found it a bit too sweet. So I had to make do – rather happily – with the baked rasgulla that the young friends had brought with them.
Sassy Begum delivers across Delhi NCR, through Zomato and on their own if they get an order in advance for ₹ 2,000 or more. Try it out – the food is sassy, yet royal. And that’s quite a combo!
