She runs brisk business with the help of her husband Hameet Khan and their two sons — Umar and Sabran — who take time off to support her.
A foodie herself, Mrs Khan decided to start something of her own so that she could serve people the real biryani. And all the cooking, packing and serving is done from her house. She has dedicated the ground floor to her catering business.
Mrs Khan cooks the biryani herself. “My customers insist that I make the biryani. That’s precisely why I haven’t entrusted the cooking to anybody else. People have got so used to my way of cooking that another recipe won’t go down well with them,” says Mrs Khan.
And she is on her toes 24/7 to ensure that taste, quality and service, all are in place.
“Nothing must go amiss. It’s not about the price or profit, it’s just that I want people to come back for more,” she said. She simply refuses to let us in on how it is cooked but the sight of only large cooking vessels is proof of the large amount she dishes up each time. The food is cooked only by order through the week and you’d find people take away nothing less than five or six packets on weekends. “We cater on order and supply to corporates during the week and on Saturday and Sunday, we cook in a large quantity. My sons also join in the process,” she said.
The chicken, egg and mutton biryani come with three accompaniments — raita, kheer and brinjal gravy. “The meat is bought fresh from the market and is cooked until it is soft. I always taste the dishes before they are served. The food has to rise up to a particular standard and it must be served in an attractive way,” insists Mrs Khan. The biryani is always cooked in less oil. “The chicken and mutton biryani are popular with the people.
We cook it over fire for a long time and I think that makes all the difference,” she reasons. The vegetarians haven’t been left out. The Khans also serve vegetable pulao, jeera rice, ghee rice paneer, dal makhani. “The vegetarian dishes are cooked only on order,” she adds. But why haven’t the Khans thought of opening a restaurant? Mrs Khan has an explanation.
“We cook food afresh every time. In a restaurant, we have to cook and wait for people to come and there are restaurants where the food is re-heated and served the next day. I don’t believe in the concept of re-heating. I prefer serving it hot and fresh,” she observed.
Julie, a housewife who recently placed an order with Mrs Khan, said she really liked the taste and the service they offered but she thought the food was a wee bit too oily.
“Considering the present market rate, the price is also reasonable. They have a good variety,” she said. The biryani costs anywhere between Rs 90 and Rs 110. A plate of kebabs cost Rs 30 and vegetarian dishes begin from Rs 50. Mrs Khan’s biryani is at 48/1, Hutchins Road, 2nd cross, St Thomas Town. For details, call 25475853.
