Of the many things the Mughals are known for, food has probably won them the most acclaim. At the Spice Room restaurant at Hotel Yak & Yeti, Mughal fare is taken very seriously and is a delectable treat for the foodie.
To beat the heat, we started with the Mango Daiquiri, a refreshing frozen drink that relaxes you and whets the appetite. This is sipped between bites of the Hara Kebab, a soft kebab made from spinach and a helping of lentils, pan grilled in butter and sprinkled with fenugreek.
“Mughals transformed cooking by fusing Middle Eastern cuisine with Indian spices and ingredients. This fusion produced some of the most exquisite Mughlai food which we crave for even today,” says Nabin KC, Head Chef of the restaurant. On Nabin’s recommendation, we try Dahi ke Kebab in the vegetarian option. Made with hung curd, the delicious kebabs were easy winners.
Of the many things the Mughals are known for, food has probably won them the most acclaim. At the Spice Room restaurant at Hotel Yak & Yeti, Mughal fare is taken very seriously and is a delectable treat for the foodie.
The Murg Tikka Mirza Hasnu consisting of boneless chicken legs marinated in ajwain-flavoured mixture of yoghurt, red chillies, turmeric and garam masala, skewered and roasted over charcoal gives off a slight smoky flavour. It is fairly hot, with a hint of a sweet-sour taste. The Lal Shikampuri Kebabs, made immortal in popular culture by “Rang De Basanti” provides the clichéd melt in the mouth sensation. “The beetroot flavour doesn’t go with everyone but this particular fusion is praised by many,” shares Nabin. Talking about Mutton Roganjosh, Chef Nabin contends, “We take the meat of specific parts of the goat to prepare this dish. It will not taste as good if lamb is used.”
Another speciality we dig into is the Zaiituni Murgh Seekh — tangy boneless chicken grilled in the tandoor and cooked with an assortment of vegetables. It is spicy and along with vegetables offers an assortment of taste and flavours, complementing the Naans or Rotis to perfection. The Pind ka Kukkad, boneless chicken simmered in brown onion and yoghurt gravy is also absolutely delicious. Chef Nabin says, “It only requires a functional tandoor and was the preferred curry for an army on the move. They used to catch prey, cook it over the tandoor, sprinkle the condiments and continue marching with the meat rolled up in a naan.”
No Mughal meal can be complete without the biryani, and the Vegetable Biryani served with raita does not disappoint. The preparation offers a mix of flavours that are lip smacking good. “It’s a tough job to get the authentic recipes and try to replicate them but once I got the knack of ingredients of the royal gastronomic journey, I did justice to it and brought life to the magical Mughlai flavours again,” shares the talented chef.
We finish the meal with the Rasmalai, a dessert soaked in thick reduced milk sweetened in saffron syrup, garnished with pistachios and finished with slivers of pistachio, shavings of almonds and served with love.
