This summer, say yes to meat

It’s a common notion for people to avoid eating meat in summer; it increases the body temperature, they say. Quashing this belief, K&K at ITC Kakatiya is conducting the ‘Hadaya-El-Seyf’ food festival, which means ‘Gifts of the summer’.

In this food promotion, Sous Chef Aamer Jamal is presenting dishes made from various meats, which are prepared in a way that they do not increase heat in the body.

“These dishes are prepared using a lot of local greens and produce, which comes only in summer and acts as body coolant if consumed. These ingredients make the meats mellow. In deccani cuisine a lot of garam masala is used, however, it is avoided in summer,” Chef Jamal shares.

The whole food affair starts with a tall red glass of ‘Sherbat Rooh Afza’, which acts as a body coolant and it is followed by ‘Mahi Hariyali Tikka’; it is a dish made from river murrel fish and hara masala; the fillets are marinated in yogurt giving it a tangy taste that tickles your palate.

The ‘Chuggur Gosht’ made from lamb is cooked with tender shoots of tamarind and has a piquant taste and the succulent dish is best enjoyed with roti. “The tender tamarind shoots are a specialty of this season and it is used in many dishes like chicken, dal, etc. These are available only in summer and is a delicacy when cooked,” Chef Aamer says.

The ‘Dakhni Saag’ is mélange of spinach, fenugreek (badi methi), soya, spring onions and dill, the dish is seasoned with chillies making it little spicy.

Another dish which is marinated in yogurt is ‘Taash Kebab’. It is made from tender lamb meat and is served with a dash of lemon and raw onion rings making it a tasty affair for appetite. The juicy kebab melts in your mouth and gets you asking for more.

‘Murgh Methi Tikki’ is made from morsels of chicken, also marinated in yoghurt and the curry is a blend of tender fenugreek shoots in mustard oil. The tender chicken is pot roasted.

Another delicacy from the sea is ‘Ambada Jhinge’. The prawns are simmered in tangy roselle leaves (also known as gongura, which is pretty famous in the two Telugu States) and tomatoes. It is said that this dish was perfected by the rikabdars of the Nizam’s in collaboration with local chefs.

One thing the summer offers which makes people happy is the king of fruits - mango. In many deccani dishes, raw mangoes are used to give a naturally tangy taste. ‘Kairi aur Murgh ke Kebab’ is one such dish, which uses skewered raw mango including chicken, which is marinated in yogurt.

Chef Aamer says “The overuse of raw mangoes in a dish makes it bad and the right balance is imperative while using them.” “The food in summer tends to spoil soon and cooking with these ingredients makes the food stay fresh as they have a special quality, which does not let the dishes go bad,” he adds.

Take a stroll in the Old City on any Friday and you will find every other hotel in the vicinity offering the weekly special ‘Kaddu ka Dalcha’ and ‘Bhagra Rice’. The combination of these mouth-watering dishes is much sought after by Hyderabadis.

The menu on ‘Hadaya-El-Seyf’ also offers ‘Kaddu ka Dalcha’ and ‘Bhagara Rice’ and it will surely take you on a culturally rich gastronomical ride.

Dhoodiya kebab; Dakhni Kadhi; Tamatar Murgh; Murgh Aloo ki Tahri and Kaddu aur Sabudane ki Kheer are the other must tries in the food festival, which is a la carte and costs Rs 3,000+ taxes for two.

Hadaya-El-Seyf April K&K, ITC Kakatiya