Two Mumbai chefs share rare recipes from their grandmothers’ kitchens

Every time we talk to chef Haseen Qureshi he shares a new story while referring to a page from the culinary history of undivided India Hailing from a long line of rakabdars royal chefs of Awadh who served erstwhile royalty Qureshi a chef at Taftoon Bar and Kitchen is a gatekeeper of sorts for a 200yearold legacy and has access to secret recipes passed down through generations in his familyUshering in Bakra Eid he tells us ldquoWe have had a long list of delicacies painstakingly prepared by my ammi badi ammi aunts and sisters The whiff of divine aromas would waft across our home I used to be and still am a huge fan of the gosht nihari and the safed biryani The nihari meat would fall off the shank like butter and the fragrance of the biryani was mythical It was a highlight for all our guests I would keep eating till I was scolded and asked to stoprdquoChef Mohammed Danish from Westin Mumbai Garden CityQureshi tells us that a common misconception about making biryani is that it is an extensive and elaborate affair ldquoOn the contrary it was created as an optimum nutrition source for vast armies on the move Just handpick quality ingredients like longgrain basmati rice preplan and prep in advance for example keep fried onions handy settle on a good ricetomeat ratio and you are sorted for a memorable meal fit for royaltyrdquoFor Chef Mohammed Danish chef de cuisine at Kangan The Westin Mumbai Garden City Goregaon there has been many a Bakra Eid spent outside of his family home in Lucknow ldquoWhen you start working you canrsquot always go home for Eid And so I often remember those special days from my childhood going to my grandmotherrsquos house at Shahjahanpur to be welcomed by her and an army of aunts with long trays of kebabs korma and biryani The taste of her kimami sevainya still lingers on my palate Of all the kormas she made and she did have a few variants the gosht taal makhana is my favourite I can sense her presence in the aromas of korma simmering gently on the chulhardquo he recallsGosht taal makhanaIngredientsgtgt 100 ml oilgheegtgt 200 gms onion slicedgtgt 500 gms mutton with bonegtgt Half a bulb of garlic mincedgtgt 12 tbsp minced gingergtgt 75 gms fullfat yoghurtgtgt 14 cup cashews ground into a fine paste with watergtgt 2 black cardamomsgtgt 8 green cardamomsgtgt 7 clovesgtgt 1 bay leafgtgt 12 tsp black peppercornsgtgt 1 smallsized cinnamon stickgtgt 15tsp coriander powdergtgt 12 tsp cumin powdergtgt 1 tsp deghi chilligtgt 50 gms taal makhanagtgt Salt to tastegtgt Kewra water a few drops as per preferenceMethodHeat the oilghee in a deep pot or pan Fry sliced onions on medium to evenly brown Remove and rest on a paper towel to make them crisp Add the mutton spices ginger and garlic to the same oil in the pan and fry over medium to high heat till the mutton changes colour Add in the yoghurt and cashew paste and fry until the oil separates Add water and bring everything to a boil Cover and cook on low heat for about 1 12 to 2 hours Crush the fried onions into a fine powder Add to the gravy and cook for a further five to 10 minutes Add in the kewra water and fried taal makhana Garnish with julienne ginger fresh coriander and makhanaSafed gosht ki biryaniSafed gosht ki biryani is a family recipe of Chef Haseen Qureshirsquos home which was prepared during festivalsIngredientsgtgt 12 kg muttongtgt 2 to 3 tsp gingergarlic pastegtgt 1 tsp turmericgtgt 1 tsp chilli powdergtgt 12 cup cashew nut pastegtgt A pinch of garam masalagtgt 4 to 5 tsp curdgtgt 2 to 3 tsp saltgtgt 3 tsp gheegtgt 2 to 3 tbsp oilgtgt 2 to 3 cups milkgtgt 1 cup fried oniongtgt A pinch of saffronChef Haseen QureshiMethodMarinate the meat with gingergarlic paste turmeric and chilli powder Then add cashew nut paste garam masala and whisked curd Leave in the refrigerator for an hour Then bring the meat to room temperature Season with salt Add some ghee and oil to the handi transfer the marinated meat stir and cook the meat for a few minutes Cover with the lid and simmer for another half an hour Parboil the rice and layer it with cooked mutton Pour saffroninduced milk over it Add a little salt garam masala fried onions and ghee over it Cover the handi with the lid and weigh it down with something heavy Keep the flame low and cook for about half an hour Serve it hotHandy Hacksgtgt Choose a thick bottom wide skilletgtgt Soak the rice before and seasonflavour it while boilinggtgt Marinate the meat the longer the betterAlso check outgtgt A festive spreadTreat yourself with festival specials kidney bean and mushroom galawat almond flake and corn gallets champarat gosht raanekandahar at this Andheri venueOn June 28 to July 5 5 pm to 130 am on weekdays 12 pm to 4 pm and 7 pm to 130 am on weekendsAt Badmaash B 12 Ghanshyam Chamber Andheri WestCall 7400491473 for reservationsgtgt Traditionally yummyIndulge in staple traditional Eid dishes like mutton seekh kebab and meat Lahoriya available at the Juhu and Dadar outlets of this popular eateryOn June 29At Pritam Da Dhaba Juhu amp DadarCall 24143311 Dadargtgt Balochi daawatWhile this menu wasnrsquot specially curated for Eid foodies will enjoy the fact that this weeklong special offering coincides with the festival Tuck into Dastarkhwan a food fest inspired by the Baluchistan region with dishes like tawa barrah kebab charga boti mahe tikke curated by Tiesta chef Rehman and his team There is a special menu for vegetarians tooOn June 29 to July 9At Tiara Meluha The Fern Hiranandani Gardens PowaiCost Rs 1500 for lunch Rs 2000 for dinner excluding taxesCall 9664465401 for reservations