Delhiites feasted like a Nawab at a Hyderabadi food festival organised recently. From flavoursome biryanis to kebabs, khurmas and shorbas, a varied mix of 20 Hyderabadi dishes were on offer.

Held at Indyaki, Radisson Blu, Paschim Vihar, the festival was a first time initiative curated by chef S K Saibjan, who tweaked a few recipes by amalgamating regular ingredients with flavours and fragrances from other cuisines. 

The 10-day culinary trail included a blend of Mughlai, Lucknowi and Persian cuisines with bold flavours packed with rich aroma. 

Metrolife was first served with Hare masale ka murgh tikka, Soya paneer ka tikka, Tati ke kebab and Makai matar ki seekh from the starters of the menu. The dishes were a harmonious blend of Hyderabadi spices, suspiciously selected by the chef and cooked to the perfect degree.

While a buffet was set up for the festival, the starters were served on the table. Yet with live music and a soothing ambience, we couldn’t stop ourselves from browsing over the multiple dishes and trying hearty portions from each of them.

Mirch macchi ka salan, Murg chandi korma and Zafrani murgh dum Biryani along with vegetable raita were a few good picks from the non-vegetarian main-course menu.

A bunch of attractive options were available for the vegetarians as well. From Zimikand channadal ki shammi to Hare masale ka paneer, Paneer tikka zardaloo, Veg Biryani Haleem to name a few were all nawabi in their own styles. Among them all, Lauki aur channa dal subz nizami handi was the highlight of the menu, especially because of the balance of the spices and the rich aroma.  We rounded up our meal with sweet delicacies like Sher Khorma, Double Ka Meetha and Figgie. A heady concussion of exotic, unique and traditional Hyderabadi flavours, the desserts were tantalising for the taste buds, tempting us to ask for more. 

At Rs 1,599, the festival was a pleasant change for people in West Delhi where reportedly North Indian cuisine is mostly offered in restaurants and cafes.