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A
tryst with sambar vada in Manhattan
by T N S Behl
New
York: The Indian consulate, which has been trying its best to make
the Indian media contingent comfortable and at home, has perhaps uncomfortably
gone that extra mile to provide them with traditional Indian fare like
dal, chawal, palak paneer, tandoori chicken, sambhar, vada for all the
three meals breakfast viz. lunch as well as the dinner. The journalists
expressed their disappointment, as they felt that their journey to foreign
shores could have been made more memorable by a bit of culinary adventurism,
say with a good helping of seafood etc.
-Sept 22, 2004
Hyderabadi biryani spices up Karachi's Jail Road
Karachi:
If you want spicy, finger-licking fare, then head for Karachi's Hyderabad
Colony where famous dishes like hareesa, biryani, mirchi ka salan (chilli
curry), murgh qorma, haleem, sheer qorma (vermicelli pudding), to name
a few are on sale. Popularised by the 12 shops located between University
Road and Jail Road, the Colony is one of the most favoured destinations
for lovers of spicy food. It has nearly 200 houses spread over two lanes,
the Daily Times reported. Ask 29-year old Waqar Ahmed, the owner of one
of these shops, and he will wax eloquent about why these dishes from Deccan
Hyderabad are so popular. "The reason is that even after decades, no one
here has expertise to prepare Amawadh (mango marmalades)," says Ahmed,
who opened up a shop in 1996 after eight years as a jeweller. The food
is prepared in homes or factories. "name any dish of Hyderabadi cuisine,
and I bet you will get it," Ahmed says. Amir, the grandson of (Late) Abdul
Hai - the first shopkeeper of the street - says that his grandfather started
the business in 1959 on a pushcart offering only three varieties of pickles.
Now, it has turned into a two-storey outlet with a factory. "The third
generation is running the same business. I and my three brothers run this
shop and a factory to prepare food. We have employed around a dozen people,"
he says adding that his "Deccan Achar Ghar" is the biggest shop in the
street. He adds that his pickles are exported to the UAE and Canada. The
locals relish the dishes and appreciate the competitive prices too. "We
come here three or four days a week," says Adnan Habib, who is enjoying
biryani with three fellow students of Islamia College at S M Chatkharay
House, another outlet in the street famous for biryani and hareesa. He
added: "We used to walk from our college to Hyderabad Colony and have
biryani at Rs 25 per plate. What more do you want?"
-Sept 7, 2004
Rava masala dosas spice up Lahore's streets
Lahore:
Three Indian chefs have arrived here to spice up the Lahori palate
with south Indian delicacies. Chief Chef Balasubramaniam from Tamil Nadu,
and his colleagues will cook popular dishes of Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra
Pardesh and Tamil Nadu for the people of Lahore. According to the Daily
Times, the chefs, who are affiliated to the Gurgaon-based ecotel hotel
Uppal Orchid, are taking part in a fortnight-long food fest titled "Solidarity
with a Southern Twist". The festival, which starts today, is being held
at the Pearl Continental Hotel till September 17. This is a return visit
from Uppal Orchid, as the two Pakistani chefs had arranged a Pakistani
food festival at Uppal Orchid in March.
-Sept 9, 2004
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