Monday 06 / May / 2024
A few years back a dear friend who knew of my insatiable interest in the cuisines of the world, gifted me a cookbook, The Food of the Grand Trunk Road. Written by Anirudh Arora and Hardeep Singh Kohli, the book contained a collection of the finest recipes that had sprung up along this route, which winds through the subcontinent and into Central Asia. Being one of South Asia’s oldest and longest roads, The Grand Trunk Road for centuries has not only linked the eastern and western regions of the Indian subcontinent, running from Bengal, across north India, into Peshawar in Pakistan up to Afghanistan, but has also linked the cuisine of each place, making a drive along this by way of a unique culinary journey.
I had long forgotten about the book until the other day I received an invite from the Hormuz Grand to attend a special dining event called, 'Kabul to Kolkata, and Kolkata to Kabul: A soulful journey on the old Grand Trunk Road.' The invitation conjured up memories, not only of the book, but of distinctive spices, cuisines, and flavours.
I arrived at Qureshi Bab Al Hind restaurant in the Hormuz Grand, ready to give in to this unique concept of food journey, and to let the chef take me away with the vibrancy, diversity, tradition, and nostalgia of regional cooking.
I took a sip of the thirst quenching watermelon juice, and the journey began. The lentil dip with bread was three different lentils and it was accompanied by papad and three different pickles. One was outstanding, and upon enquiry, it turned out to be green papaya ka muramba.
The Kabul to Kolkata menu begins with three starters. The Kabul speciality, Chapli Kebab, pounded lamb with fresh herbs and pepper that's shallow fried, was very soft and had a wonderful, distinct taste. From Punjab, Amritsari Macchi, hammour fillets flavoured with caraway seeds were batter fried, with perfectly crisp exteriors and tender interiors. The Benarasi Aloo Chaat, very famous in Varanasi, was quite tangy and the chilly roasted baby potatoes were some of the most flavourful I've tried anywhere.
For those who opt for the Kolkata to Kabul menu, starters include Bihari Kebab, a speciality of Patna, which is utterly to-die-for. Chunks of meat are marinated in Peshawari spices and dum grilled before being pureed and pan-seared to melt-in-the-mouth perfection. The Tangri Kebab, well known in Lahore, Pakistan, consisted of chicken drumsticks marinated with potli spices and chargrilled in a tandoor.
The Lawrence Road de Machchi Tikke, from Amritsar, featured boneless chunks of fish marinated in tandoori spices and chargrilled. A hint of mustard oil added spunk to the tikke.
The vegetarian menu features some star starters as well, with marvellous Dahi ki Gujiya from Delhi, a dish of lentil dumpings soaked in yoghurt and flavoured with various chutneys. The vegetable chop from Kolkata and Aloo Anardana Chaat from Allahabad were also lovely.
The main courses were up next on our route. For the Kabul to Kolkata menu, we enjoyed Delhi speciality, Masaledar Bataer, a tandoori marinated quail that is chargrilled and served with a rich gravy. Haleem aur Ulte Tawe ke Paranthe from Lucknow and Macher Jhole from Kolkata, hammour cooked in mustard and spices in Bengali style, rounded out the mains.
For the Kolkata to Kabul menu, we enjoyed Gobhi ke paranthe, stuffed cauliflower paranthe, from Haryana along with Googni with Luchi, dried white peas in very gentle spices from West Bengal, and Namak Mandi ki Kadhai a Peshawari dish from Pakistan for which chicken is slow-cooked in a spicy gravy. The vegans also have a lot to choose from, with chhole bature, makke di roti aur sarson da saag, and sabziyon ki taharee on the vegetarian menu.
All the menu "journeys" finish the same way, with gajar halwa, phirni, and zarda. A perfect ending for a meal fit for a king. More than a meal, this feast was a spectacular trip through time and space, with the flavours of the different cuisines of India transporting me through the kitchens, spice markets, and byways forever committed to my memory and to my palate.
Dine the Grand Trunk Road until September 17
Qureshi Bab Al Hind
Hormuz Grand, Seeb
Dinner: 7-11pm, Daily
Lunch: 12-3pm, Friday-Saturday
Reservations:+968 2435 0500
Price: OMR16/ OMR 19 with select beverages
