Hyderabadi cuisine


Hyderabadi cuisine, also known as Deccani cuisine, is the native cooking style of the Hyderabadi Muslims, and began to develop after the foundation of the Bahmani Sultanate, and more drastically with the Qutb Shahi dynasty around the city of Hyderabad, promoting the native cuisine along with their own. Hyderabadi cuisine had become a princely legacy of the Nizams of Hyderabad State, as it began to further develop further on from there. It is an amalgamation of Mughal, Turkish, and Arabic along with the influence of the native Telugu and Marathwada cuisines. Hyderabadi cuisine comprises a broad repertoire of rice, wheat and meat dishes and the skilled use of various spices, herbs and natural edibles.
Hyderabadi cuisine has different recipes for different events, and hence is categorized accordingly, from banquet food, for weddings and parties, festival foods, and travel foods. The category to which the recipe belongs itself speaks of different things like the time required to prepare the food, the shelf life of the prepared item, etc.
The legacy of authentic Hyderabadi cuisine and its unabridged royal saga of dishes and recipes is believed to still persist with old Deccan families.

History

Medieval period

The Deccan region is an inland area in India. The native cuisine was prominent until the Vijayanagara Empire lasted, it was during the rule of Delhi Sultanate, Muhammad bin Tughluq when he shifted the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad, the Deccan region adopted the foreign cuisines. In the 14th century when the Bahmani Sultanate was formed by revolting against the Delhi Sultanate in Deccan, the Turkish noblemen were appointed in the high positions, and introduced the Turkish cuisine.
The two-centuries-long political instability in the region of the Deccan and the main Central Mughal authority and migration has introduced Deccan with multiple foreign cuisines.
In Deccan medieval cuisine, banquets were common among the aristocracy. Multiple courses would be prepared and served in a style called Dastarkhān. Food was generally eaten by hand, served on among commons and nobility. The food was mostly meat oriented being grilled and fried in tandoor. The curry were highly seasoned and flavored by using spices. Fruits were preferred rather than dessert after main course. Once the meals are ended Kahwa was consumed that contains ingredients to digest food. The ingredients of the cuisine varied greatly according to the seasons and festivals, and many items were preserved in the form of Pickles.

Modern period

The modern cuisine was evolved during the Nizams in the mid-17th century, and elevated to a sublime art form. Hyderabad has a history of continuous influx of migrants from all over the world and in general from the Indian sub-continent, particularly since 1857. Most of the foreign food had been improved to suit the culinary preferences, resulting to form the unique derivative cuisine that excels over the original. Biryani and Haleem for instance is prepared all over India, but the Hyderabadi variety is ultimately from the Hyderabadi Biryani and Hyderabadi Haleem. Til ke chatuni with Arabic tahini, Persian dried lamb with beans is modified with dalcha, tandoori naan of Uzbek to create Sheermal. Most of the modern day desserts in Hyderabadi cuisine were introduced and invented during the times of Nizams, today that had become an integral part of cuisine.
Hyderabadi cuisine is an integral part of the cuisines of the former Hyderabad State that includes the state of Telangana and the regions of Marathwada and Kalyana-Karanataka. The Hyderabadi cuisine contains city-specific specialties like Hyderabad and Aurangabad, Parbhani, Bidar and others. The use of dry coconut, tamarind, and red chillies along with other spices are the main ingredients that make Hyderabadi cuisine different from the North Indian cuisine.

Course

Hyderabadi dinner also known as Dastarkhwan are usually of five course meal; Aghaz, Mezban, Waqfa, Mashgool Dastarkhwan and Zauq-e-shahi.

Starters

Lukhmi

Lukhmi is a regional non-vegetarian variation of the samosa, though, it is shaped into a flat square patty. It is made from flour and stuffed with minced mutton or beef, known as Kheema. It is eaten as an evening snack or served as a starter at celebrations.

Hyderabadi Haleem

is a popular dish of Hyderabad. It is a stew composed of mutton, lentils, spices and wheat. It originates from Harees, an Arab dish brought to Hyderabad by Arab migrants. Harees is still prepared in its original form in Barkas. It is sometimes served as a starter at celebrations, but it is usually only prepared during the month of Ramadan for the Iftar meal.

Biryani

is one of the most popular dishes of the city. It is distinctly different from other variations of the Biryani, originating from the kitchens of the Nizams of Hyderabad. It is a celebration dish of basmati rice and mutton, along with yoghurt, onions and various spices.

Variants

Pathar-ka-Gosht

is a mutton kebab. It is named for the traditional method of preparation, on a stone slab.

Hyderabadi Khichdi

The Hyderabadi version of the popular dish Khichdi is distinct from the many variants enjoyed all across India. It is eaten with Kheema. It is consumed as a breakfast item, as well as during the month of Ramadan for the Sehri meal.

Talawa Gosht

, or Talawa Gosht is a simple mutton or beef dish usually accompanied by Khatti Dal. It may be eaten with Roti or rice.

Desserts