A cuisine that can be best described as rustic and robust, the North-West Frontier cuisine is characterised by a simple style of preparation where chunks of meat, sea food or vegetables are marinated sparingly and cooked in a trademark clay tandoor. This is often cooked at high temperatures so that the juices and the taste are retained. The focus is on retaining the flavours of the ingredients used. This method is adaptable to vegetarian ingredients as well.

Sofitel Mumbai BKC has Sunday lunch at Jyran curated by Chef Shadab Ahmed where guests can relish the signature dishes of the delicious North-West Frontier cuisine.

Pakhtooni Broccoli Malai

Ingredients

• Broccoli florets - 500gms
• Cream cheese -       1 cup
• Fresh cream-  100gms
• Hung curd-   100gms
• White pepper powder- 5gms
• Salt- to taste
• Green chillies - 4 - 6 (adjust to taste)
• Fresh coriander roots -10 gms chopped

Method:

•  Blanch the broccoli florets in boiling water and then immerse them in cold water to retain the green colour.
• For the marinade, mix together hung curd, fresh cream, grated cheese, chopped green chilli, chopped coriander roots and salt, and whisk well.
• Apply the marinade to the blanched broccoli and place them on skewers.
• Cook in a tandoor until they are golden brown.
• Serve with green chutney.

Nargisi Paneer Tikka

Ingredients

• Paneer- 200gms
• Dry fruits chopped mix with paneer-50gms
• Garam masala-10gms
• Hung curd-100gms
• Olive oil-50ml
• Yellow chilli powder-10gms
• Salt-to taste

For Nargisi Masala Powder:

• Sesame seeds-10gm
• Dried red chillies-2 tsp
• Dhuli urad dal-50gms
• Chana Dal)-50gms
• Mustard seeds-20gms
• Whole dry red chillies-10
• Roasted chana dal-50gms
• Asafoetida-5gms
• Jaggery-50gms
• Salt-to taste    

Method:

• Cut the paneer into pieces of equal size for tikka, and slit each piece in the middle to stuff with the dry fruits mixture.
• Take a pot and marinate the stuffed paneer tikka with hung curd, chilli powder, olive oil, garam masala, salt and Nargisi masala powder.
• Cook in a tandoor for 5 to 7 minutes.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and micro greens
• Serve with mint chutney

Omar Khayyam Ka Murgh

Ingredients
To spread over whole chicken

• Whole chicken - 1 kg
• Chilli powder-  1½ tbsp
• Salt- 1 tsp
• Ginger garlic- 2 tbsp
• Lemon juice-  juice from half lemon

For Chicken Biriyani

• Chicken- 250gm curry cut
• Oil-1 tbsp
• Rice- 150gm
• Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tsp
• Chilli powder- ½ tsp
• Garam masala- ½ tsp
• Saffron- 1gm
• Curd- 50gm
• Mace- 5gm
• Cardamom- 5gm
• Cloves- 2gm
• Onion- 20gm
• Cinnamon stick- 2no
• Rose water- 2tsp
• Mint leaves- 5gm
• Coriander- for garnish

To roast and for preparing paste

• Almonds- 20gm
• Cashewnut- 50gm
• Cumin seeds- 1 tsp

For preparing Gravy

• Oil- 4 tbsp
• Whole cardamom- 2
• Whole cinnamon- 2
• Bay leaves- 2
• Onion chopped- 1
• Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tbsp
• Tomatoes chopped- 2
• Chilli powder- 1 tsp
• Cumin powder- ½ tsp
• Coriander powder- ½ tsp
• Garam masala- ½ tsp
• Yogurt, beaten- 1 cup
• Saffron strands- 2 pinches soaked in 1 tbsp water for 5 minutes
• Coriander chopped- 20gm

Method:

• Remove the internal organs from the whole chicken and drizzle 3 table spoons of lemon juice over the chicken; rinse it thoroughly under running water.
• Pat dry with kitchen paper towel.
• In a small bowl, combine 1 tbsp chilli powder and 1 tsp salt along with 2 tbsp water. Spread this all over the chicken and keep it aside.
• nPlace a pan on medium heat fire; add almonds (skin peeled off), poppy seeds and cumin seeds, and roast them for 3 to 5 minutes till the almonds start to turn golden. Add these to a blender, add ¼ cup water and grind into a smooth paste. Keep aside the paste.

Chicken Biryani:

• Prepare biryani masala with ginger, garlic, ghee, curd, onion, and spices.
• Add chicken and cook.
•  Boil the rice with cardamom and cloves until it is half done.
• Then add the rice to biryani masala and cook under pressure (dum) for about 30 minutes.
• Let the chicken biryani cool down for a few minutes.

 Gravy:

• Place the pan or handi on medium heat fire and add 4 tbsp oil. Add whole cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaves, saute for a few seconds.
• Add the chopped onions (onions should be chopped into small bits), season with salt and saute till they are translucent.
• Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for a few more minutes.
• Add chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala, mix them well and cook for a few seconds.
• Add tomatoes; cover the pan and cook till the tomatoes are mashed up.
• Add the ground almond-cashew nut-cumin seeds mixture, mix well and cook till the oil oozes out of it.
• Beat the yogurt well in a bowl using a whisk.
• Add the yogurt to the pan, combine well.
• Add the saffron strands soaked in water, mix well and cook the mixture for a few minutes.
• Add chopped cilantro and combine well.
• Taste the gravy, if needed add more salt.
• If the gravy is too thick add ¼ cup warm water to thin it down.
• Place the whole chicken into the gravy.
• Using a spatula, rotate the chicken inside the pan, pour some gravy over the chicken.
• Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 25 minutes. Rotate the chicken and pour the gravy over it every 5 minutes.
• If the gravy has thickened, add some water to thin it down.
• After 25 minutes of cooking, using 2 wooden spatulas gently flip the chicken over so that the breast side is upwards now, pour the gravy over the chicken and cook covered for another 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, uncover, rotate the chicken using the spatula, pour the gravy over the chicken and cook for 10 minutes.
• Total cooking time is 30 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the fire, cover the pan and let the chicken rest in the pan for 10 minutes.
• Stuff the chicken biryani along with onion into the cavity of the whole chicken.
• Using a kitchen twine, tie the legs and wings of the chicken so that they are intact, and the biryani stuffing wouldn't come out.
• While serving, transfer the whole chicken on a platter.
• Enjoy the delicious Omar Khayyam Ka Murgh with your loved ones.