HYDERABAD ON A PLATTER
THE CITY OF PEARLS HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR ITS DELICIOUS AND RICH FOOD. HERE ARE A FEW TRADITIONAL HYDERABADI RECIPES YOU CAN GORGE ON
The heirloom recipes in this book are reflective of Hyderabad’s ancient, multicultural history and before I give you more practical tips and pieces of advice on the recipes, I thought it might be interesting to delve into some history of Hyderabad.
What we recognise as Hyderabadi food today owes its origin to the Qutub Shahi dynasty which ruled over the erstwhile kingdom of Golconda for 169 years, from 1518 to 1687 before being conquered by the Mughals. Before the Qutub Shahi era, the region was ruled by the Kakatiya dynasty of Warangal and had also been a part of the Bahmani kingdom, which was based in Bidar that is now a part of Karnataka. Sultan Mohammed Quli, a Qutub Shahi king, built Hyderabad in 1580s, and was inspired by the beautiful, legendary Persian city of Isfahan. Poets, travellers, kings and common men alike sung praises of his new city, which though ruled by devout Shia Muslims, was very secular, multi-cultural and a haven for art and literature. The Qutub Shahi rulers were also great connoisseurs of food and their cuisine married Turkish and Persian influences with local ingredients and culinary traditions.
When the Mughals defeated the Qutub Shahi rulers and staked their claim over the kingdom, they chose to move the centre of power from Golconda to Hyderabad and appointed a governor for South India, with the title of Nizam-ul-Mulk. Eventually, the governor’s title was changed by the Mughals to Asaf Jah, giving birth to the Asaf Jahi dynasty, which ruled over Hyderabad for two centuries, from 1724 to 1948, when the state was annexed by a newly independent India. The Nizams were, also, discerning gourmets and brought in culinary influences from Telengana, Marathwada and Karnataka.
What makes Hyderabadi food so delicious and unique is the attention paid to every detail and technique, from marinating the meat and grinding masalas to the process of cooking, and then the garnishes, as well as how the dish is served.