Finicky queens and salty tea

The men impressing upon you the richness of Bhopal’s culinary heritage are Chef Afsar Ahmed from the Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, a WelcomeHeritage Hotel, and its owner Sikandar Hafiz Khan, who hails from the royal family. The two, in Mumbai recently as part of a food fest, are also piling you with the stuff gourmets in Bhopal have.

It’s rich, but irresistibly so, with a large infusion of dry fruits. ‘‘We like our food rich, lavish and exotic,’’ says Ahmed, as he gestures for the Murgh Musallam—chicken stuffed with mawa and an assortment of dry fruits. The chicken is cooked to perfection and the aroma of saffron precedes the dish. But Khan, ever the perfectionist, sends it back. ‘‘The gravy has to be laced around the chicken. Its aroma adds to the experience of the meal.’’

Bhopali cuisine, says Khan, has bloodlines in Afghanistan. Nawab Dost Mohammed Khan, from Tirah in the Hindukush mountains, was, on winning a battle for the queen of Bhopal, gifted the state. He brought strong Afghani influences into the local cuisine, which is why it makes ample use of saffron, green cardamom, clove, nutmeg, mace and dry fruits.

Over the years, as cultures and people intermingled, more diverse influences moulded Bhopali cuisine. The Lucknowi and Hyderabadi touches become apparent in the halims and biryanis, evident in the contents of a clay pot of steaming saffron-hued basmati rice with chunky meat. The minty, watery raita, though, was all Bhopali.

The royalty, according to Ahmed, mostly indulged in meats, while vegetarian varieties were gradually included in daily cooking over the years. Now, favourites include stuffed brinjal, colocassia leaves (either cooked in gravy or served as a crispy dry snack), or the more lavish barfi-shaped gramflour Jeer Rai Kadiye in a thick gravy.

And the link to the invaders pervades everything from entrees to desserts. From Gullati (a rice pudding) and Zarda (flavoured sweet rice) to Muzaffir (vermicelli fried in ghee and garnished with saffron) and Shahi Tukra (deep fried bread, topped with sweet thick milk), the inspiration’s decidedly Mughal.

Having said that, indigenous Bhopali twists still show up. Their Sulaimani Chai—served from a copper samavar—is made with an unlikely pairing of sugar and a pinch of salt to bring out the flavour of the tea.

The key to good cooking, after all, is picking the right influences, in the right measures.