I have written about various food promotions at Daniell’s Tavern at The Imperial New Delhi over the
years, but it just struck me that I never shared the interesting story
behind this fine-dine Indian restaurant.
The uncle and nephew duo - Thomas and William Daniell – were artists who were
commissioned by the British Empire in 1786 to capture the rich culture and
culinary traditions of India in their paintings. After starting their journey in
Calcutta they moved up North and West travelling along the Ganges as far
as Kanpur and the Mughal cities of Agra and Delhi. On their way back
the Daniells stopped at Lucknow and were vastly influenced by the city’s
royal resplendence. The next port of call was Madras and then Mysore followed
by Bombay before they returned to England. While they did a fine job of
144 sceneries of India, they also collected a plethora of recipes through their
travels. The eclectic menu of Daniell’s Tavern thus brings alive the taste of
each of the places they visited.
 |
| Chef Ved Prakash and Chef Mirza |
The delicious meal was served in the most luxurious
setting. But the best takeaway turned out be the recipes shared by both the
chefs. I am sharing the recipes
below for your benefit. Do try your hand at some of these traditional dishes
and drop in a word about how they turn out.
Details:
Daniell’s
Tavern, The Imperial, Janpath, New Delhi – 110001.
Meal for two: Rs 6000 ++
Clasf of the Titans menu available till 24th
November 2018.
Time: 6:30pm-11:45pm; only for Dinner
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CHEF MIRZA’S RECIPES
Dahi
Anjeer Ke Kebab
Ingredients
100 gm Anjeer
250 gm Hung curd
400 gm Paneer
150 gm Roasted Chana powder
150 gm Bread Crumbs
50 gm Ginger
25 gm Green Chilli
50 gm Green Chopped coriander
200 gm Ghee
40 gm Garam masala powder
15 gm Elaichi powder
10 gm Roasted Jeera powder
Salt to taste
Method
1. Take hung curd in a bowl, add grated paneer,
chop ginger, green chilli, green coriander, garam masala, elaichi powder,
roasted jeera powder and salt.
2. Mix all neatly and fold this, mix with soft
hands with roasted chana powder and bread crumbs.
3. Make balls and stuff it with Anjeer and flat
stuffed balls and shallow fry on slow fire.
4. Serve with mint chutney.
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Kakori
Kebab
Ingredients
500 gm Mutton Boti
60 gm Ginger & Garlic paste
150 gm Onion
40 gm Red chilli powder
15 gm Cardamon powder
30 gm Garam masala powder
0.5 gm Saffron
100 gm Ghee
100 gm Roasted Chana powder
200 gm Cashew nut Paste
200 gm Almond
10 gm Coriander root
2 drops Kewra Water
Salt to taste
Method
1. Rub Lamb boti with red chilly powder, cardamom
powder, garam masala powder, salt, ginger and garlic paste, and keep it
aside to rest for 2 hours.
2. Mince it six times with onion and coriander
roots.
3. Add cashew nut paste, almond paste, saffron and
kewra water and rub it well.
4. Put this mince on skewer and cook it on sigdi.
Turn it after intervals.
5. Serve with mint chutney.
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Tulsi
Ajwain Ka Mahi Tikka
Ingredients
600 gm River Sole Fish
100 gm Basil paste
15 gm Ajwain
100 gm Ginger & Garlic paste
50 gm Green Chilli paste
40 gm Garam masala powder
10 gm Cardamom powder
200 gm Hung curd
50 gm Dairy cream
Salt to taste
50 ml Mustard oil
10 gm Kasutri Methi
10 ml Lemon juice
Method
1. Wash and clean the fish. Cut it into tikka cut.
Mix salt, ginger, garlic and lemon juice and keep it aside for at least 30
minutes.
2. Mix all the spices with hung curd and mix it
well.
3. Add the fish and let it marinate for 1 hour.
4. Arrange the skewers across the clay oven about
4-5 inches from the heat. Turn it regularly until it turns light brown in
color. Cook it for 7-10 minutes.
5. Baste it with oil and leave it for 10 minutes.
Again, cook it until it turns golden brown.
6. Remove it from tandoor and apply fresh lemon
juice.
7. Serve hot with mint chutney.
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Shaami
Kebab
Ingredients
500 gm Mutton boti
150 gm Chana Dal
100 gm Onion
50 gm Ginger
50 gm Garlic
25 gm Green Chilly
50 gm Coriander
25 gm Whole Garam masala
100 gm Ghee
100 gm Roasted Chana masala
30 gm Red Chilli
30 gm Jeera powder
30 gm Garam Masala powder
20 gm Cardamom powder
Salt to taste
Method
1. Take a Lagan. Add mutton boti and roast it for
about 5 minutes. Add salt, ginger, garlic, red chilly powder, whole green
masala, and onion.
2. Add green chilly, coriander and then add chana
dal and boil it.
3. Cook mutton until the water is absorbed totally
and the meat becomes tender.
4. Allow the mixture of mutton to cool down
completely.
5. Blend the mixture of mutton into a fine paste.
6. Add cardamom powder, garam masala, roasted chana
powder and salt.
7. Make a tikki in round shape.
8. Heat a tawa, add ghee and griddle fry tikki
until it turns golden in colour.
9. Serve with mint chutney and laccha onion.
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Jimikand
Ki Galawat
Ingredients
1 kg Jimikand
200 gm Onion
200 gm Ginger and garlic paste
250 gm Cashewnut
300 gm Ghee
50 gm Cardamom and Javitri powder
50 gm Garam Masala
25 gm Red chilli powder
10 gm Clove
200 gm Roasted Chana
Salt to taste
Method
1. Dice the Jimikand. Boil it with ginger, garlic,
red chilly powder, clove and mash it.
2. Make brown onion and cashewnut paste.
3. Take a Lagan. Add ghee and Jimikand paste. Cook
it for 20 minutes.
4. Add onion, cashewnut paste, garam masala,
cardamom powder, Javitri powder, roasted chana and salt. Mix it.
5. Make a tikki in round shape.
6. Heat a tawa, add ghee and griddle fry tikki
until it turns golden in colour.
7. Serve with mint chutney and laccha onion.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHEF VED’S RECIPES
Daniell’s
Lamb Curry
Ingredients
500 gm Mutton curry cut
500 gm Mutton boti
200 gm Onion
100 gm Tomato
30 gm Garam Masala
20 gm Dhania powder
30 gm Jeera Powder
50 gm Kashmiri red chilli powder
30 gm Ginger
30 gm Garlic
100 gm Desi Ghee
50 gm Dhania Green
20 gm Khada Masala
Salt to taste
Method
1. Take Ghee in a pan. Put khada masala, let it
crackle. Add sliced onion. Cook till it turns golden brown in colour.
2. Add Mutton boti and mutton curry cut. Cook till
it releases oil. Now add ginger and garlic paste and all the spices.
3. Cook on slow fire. Add some water.
4. Check seasoning and serve hot.
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Subz
Badam Ka Shorba
Ingredients
200 gm Carrot
200 gm Beans
200 gm Cauliflower
200 gm Green Peas
100 gm Onion
30 gm Ginger
20 gm Garlic
60 ml Cooking oil
20 gm Khada Masala
30 gm Dhania green
100 gm Almond
Salt to Taste
METHOD
1. Take fresh vegetables – carrots, beans,
cauliflower and green peas. Wash them properly and leave them aside to
dry.
2. Take Ghee in a pan. Put jeera, ginger, garlic
and all the vegetables. Cook it properly. Once cooked, let it cool down.
3. Grind into fine paste.
4. Take oil in a pan. Add chopped ginger, garlic
and the ground vegetables. Add water.
5. Let it boil. Once done, check seasoning, add
almond slivers and serve hot with namak pare.
************************************
Mahi
Nazakat
Ingredients
1 kg Sole filet, sliced
200 gm Onion
100 gm Tomato
50 gm Dhania powder
50 gm Jeera powder
30 gm Garlic
30 gm Ginger
100 gm Khoya
20 gm Cheese
20 gm Cashew nut
20 gm Raisin
30 gm Garam Masala
80 ml Cooking oil
30 gm Green coriander
30 gm Royal Cumin
Salt to Taste
Method
1. Clean fish fillet. Pat it dry. Flat it with a
knife.
2. Prepare stuffing with cashew nut, raisin, green
coriander and khoya.
3. Place fish on the table. Put stuffing and make a
nice roll. Bake it in salamander.
4. Take all in a pan. Add Royal Cumin, onion and
tomato paste and cook it properly.
5. Place fish roll in a serving plate. Add fine
gravy on it. Garnish with fresh coriander.
