Kebabs and Kurries at the ITC Gardenia is a speciality Indian Cuisine restaurant that is known for bringing together the ancient culinary secrets, long forgotten herbs and exotic flavours to pamper your platter. It is a melting pot of innumerable new dishes which originated throughout Central Asia and ultimately found a home in India. This post is going to talk about our experience of trying out the new additions to their existing menu, so read on to know more about the unveiling of the enticing new menu!
Ambience wise, show kitchen is visible from all corners of the restaurant where the sight and smell of cooking have enough in them to seduce your senses. Different kitchens work in tandem to prepare a delectable feast of kebabs, curries, biryanis and desserts. The overall setup of Kebabs and Kurries reflects the haunting beauty of North Indian forts. A brass motif engraved wooden entrance, Dholpur stone flooring and carved wooden pillars create a look of rugged earthiness.
In general, the sumptuous fare at Kebabs and Kurries comprises a mouth-watering array of kebabs and a wide range of dishes from all over India. These dishes are categorized as Quarmas, Qaliyas and Salan. Quarma is derived from the Turkish word kuvarma which is the most basic meat preparation, qorma is aromatic and rich in flavour. The dish is cooked in browned onion paste and yoghurt and the meat is sautéed in ghee alone. The art of making qorma lies in the art of roasting and the chefs here have mastered that art. Qaliyas are made with lamb, fish or chicken sautéed in ghee and enough water to cook, qaliyans use powdered spiced, of which turmeric is particularly important.
Our meal revolved around the new additions, the personalized menu gave us an idea of what we were gonna expect from this lunch experience, we were so looking forward to getting started with it. The first dish to arrive was the Murg Kali Mirch, these massively sized tikkas of boneless chicken are blended with cream cheese, lemon juice and coriander. We then tried the Labgeer, these are crisp aromatic patties made from beetroot that is stuffed with the goodness of green chilis, mint, cashew and cheese flavoured cardamom, this to me is one of the must-try dishes when you are at Kebabs and Kurries. Nadru ki Chaamp is their take at mock meat, they look similar to mutton chops and are a delight to eat. Next up was the Jhinga Ajwaini, where you get jumbo sized prawns that are marinated in an ajwain flavoured mixture of yoghurt, red chillies, turmeric and garam masala, roasted over charcoal fire. Brilliant stuff indeed!
Moving on to the next course, we tried the Kurries section, the delicately flavoured Qormas, Qaliyans, Salans and Dopiazas simmered in deghs, copper handis and cauldrons are sure to enliven your meal. I paired the Mahi Qaliya, Murg Khushk Purdah with Khamiri Roti and Kulcha. The Nihari was outstanding, the meat here is simmered overnight with herbs and spices and then the outcome was flavorful meat that is rich and succulent. Dal Bukhara and the Dum Pukht Gosht Biryani were the crowd favourite preparations that adorned our table next, I had heard about them so many times in the past and was longing to try them since long, and to me, they were the celebrity dishes that everyone wanted to get their hands on. The Biryani was one of the best I have had, the nice and long basmati rice is layered with braised lamb which is then garnished with fresh green herbs and browned onions.
In addition to these nicely curated gravies that we had, The Kurries collection showcases the kitchen’s repertoire of luscious Quarmas which include Mewa Makhane ka Quarma, fiery Mahi Mirch ka Quarma, Murgh Aloo Quarma and Dum Pukht’s signature Koh e Awadh. The Kofteh, Qaliya, Do Piaza and Salan culinary styles are represented in the menu and some highlights include Bukhara world famous Dal Bukhara Khasta Kofeth, Dogar Aloo Mashoor, Thande Masale ki Macchli, Murgh Bemisaal.
Khubani Chenna
It was time for desserts and we had the sampler’s platter that had the three signature dishes of K&K, the Shahi Tukda, Shaan-e-Aam and K&K Kulfi. Just when we were about to leave, the master chef came up with a suggestion to try out another dessert that was not on the menu, it was the Khubani Chenna that was prepared from baked yoghurt custard with apricots and chenna, there is something about Indian desserts that are served in earthenware that catches my attention all the time, loved this one to the fullest.
So that’s the end of our scrumptious lunch affair at Kebabs and Kurries – ITC Gardenia, the place offers a well-contemplated collection of dishes from the fabled Indian Cuisine that is sure to bring out the memories of ancient culinary secrets.
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