[NoRules]

Noticed the 'Just Biryani' banner few days back at Heritage Fresh, Road No.36 and a coming soon banner at Road No.2 Fresh. Was near by earlier today and wanted to check out the biryani.

Took a chicken biryani @ 140/- and a mutton biryani @ 170/-

They are offering a 10% promotional discount and are opening several outlets in association with Heritage Fresh. The central kitchen will be at Film Nagar.

The biryani was pretty decent, nice and spicy, the meat was cooked just right. Only problem was the rice was very dry. A little moistness of rice and little more masala, it will be a fantastic biryani. But @170/- for MB, I think it is expensive as even the quantity is not too much. If you are very hungry then one person can finish off one biryani on his own.

Pics:

[hyd_traveller]

Originally Posted by bblost

Siddique Kebeb Center is the thorn at the side.

Picked up Chicken Butter Masala. I don't know why they called it butter chicken masala.

Hi Imran,

I am not sure whether only I am being dumb in understanding but despite reading your post at least 3 times, I have not been able to decipher what you mean.

From what I can understand from your post is that you ordered "Chicken Butter Masala" but Siddique Kebab Centre called it "Butter Chicken Masala".

So what exactly is the issue?

Does it really matter whether they mentioned Chicken first or Butter first as the name of the dish?

Or, is there something, which I am missing!!!

[bblost]

Originally Posted by hyd_traveller

Hi Imran,

I am not sure whether only I am being dumb in understanding but despite reading your post at least 3 times, I have not been able to decipher what you mean.

From what I can understand from your post is that you ordered "Chicken Butter Masala" but Siddique Kebab Centre called it "Butter Chicken Masala".

So what exactly is the issue?

Does it really matter whether they mentioned Chicken first or Butter first as the name of the dish?

Or, is there something, which I am missing!!!

Oops I am so sorry.
The dish was called Butter Chicken Masala. It was sold as Butter Chicken Masala.

In reality it was cooked chicken added to a paste made up of fried onions, some tomatoes and capsicum. As an afterthought some spices had been added.

It was the most horrible butter chicken masala I ever had.

[hyd_traveller]

Originally Posted by bblost

It was the most horrible butter chicken masala I ever had.

Thanks Imran. I strike off SKC of my list.

Telangana Food is different from Andhra Food and also Rayalseema Food.

I bet that most of us (me included) would not be able to differentiate between them.

Outlook Traveller of June 2012 carries an article about Telangana Food available at Hyderabad by Lesley A Esteves.

Extracted, edited from the above mentioned article :

1) Pramada's Sweets, Hots and Pickles - Traditional Telangana Spice - A Missing Taste in Life, House No. 70 in a quiet colony near Tank Bund (please google for more details and address), 9am - 9 pm, 040 2761 3276 : avakkai, chintakaya, nimakkaya, allam-bellam, karijelu, sakinalu, sarva pindi, pally laddus, etc.

2) Sri Lakshmi Telangana Pindi Vantalu, Tilak Nagar, New Nallakunta, 093 9265 6368 : sarva pindi, sakinalu, ariselu, boondi laddu, bakshalu, pappu garelu, etc.

3) Horizon Restaurant, Celebrations Complex, 66A/67, Road No. 1, Jubilee Hills, opposite Chiranjeevi Blood Bank, 040 4010 0888 / 040 4017 5761 : kodi vepudu, mamsam, vepudu, natu kodi, chapa vepudu, etc. Jewel of Nizam Pudding is a dessert available here (custard poured over qurbani kaa meethaa).

4) Sri Devi Swargruha Foods, Sai Durga Complex, opposite HMT Nagar, Nacharam, 040 6517 8508 / 040 2717 8508 : sakinalu, pheni, ariselu, sarva pindi, garelu, karijelu, etc. --> This is the most famous outlet specialising in Telangana Foods as per the article.

5) DDS' Cafe Ethnic, same Lane as Deccan Development Society's Organic Millet Shop, Zaheerabad, 6am - 10pm, 08451 27 5632 : jonna, taida, korra, saama, sajja are used and meal can be sour tamarind gravy, korra pysham, kandipappu, peanut gongura chana dal, mudapappu sambhar, jonna pelala laddu, sajja murukkulu, sajja roti, korra khichdi, etc.

6) Vijay Curry Point, Next to Sowmya Nursing Home, Ramnagar Road, 10am - 11pm, 091 3355 5670 : boti, heart, gizzard, blood, liver, chicken liver, head, chicken fry, egg fry, egg curry, jonna roti, talakaya kurra, chicken vepudu, Telangana style paya, gongura boti, puntakura boti, etc.

7) Narayana's Curry House - Telangana Special, Lane opposite Universal Store, just after Vijay Curry Point, Ramnagar Road, 8am - 11:30pm, 081 0663 6665 : kodi vepudu, talakaya, boti, chepala pulusu, endu chapala,

Other Telangana dishes like bagara rice, matka gatka, golichchina mamsam, jelala pulusu, etc. are not yet available.

Now, let the Telangana cuisine experts and foodoholics like Traveloholic, Ravveendrra, Mobike008 and others here on TBHP add or contradict to the above article before and after visiting all the above outlets.

Let the debate begin!!!

[NoRules]

Originally Posted by hyd_traveller

Telangana Food is different from Andhra Food and also Rayalseema Food.!

The article is not inaccurate but while it says it is about Hyderabad, there is mention of Zaheerabad. Not sure why.

On the topic let me give a little back ground about the food of Telangana. For those who are not aware, I hail from Adilabad district and all my student life I studied in Nizamabad and Warangal districts. I think I have a fair understanding of the cuisine of the region.

There is not much difference between the basic telangana / rayalaseema / north karnataka / marathwada food. Please note all these areas have historically been dry areas and the staple food was jowar / wheat / sajja / raagi / makka whereas Andhra region with its abundant water was a rice growing area and hence their staple food was rice.

Typical telangana food is jonna rotte, brinjal curry, pappu chaaru (tur daal) / pesara pappu (moong daal). Sajja rotte / makka gatka / jonna (jowar) - godhuma (wheat) ambali etc were also part of the cuisine.

In vegetarian moong daal, seasonal veggies and thinned down tur daal are eaten along with Ambada (gongura) and greens like palak, thotakura etc.

In non-veg it is mostly mutton and naatu kodi (country chicken) and fish in some areas with water sources.

Mutton is cooked in a fiery spicy style - watery eyes, running nose and sweaty forehead and upperlip are the signs you see on everyone at a typical T daawat. Items like golinchina mamsam (fried mutton), kheema curry, talakaya koora (head), paya, nalla koora (made with goat blood), boti curry, boti gudaalu, boti nalla, bheja curry / fry, gurda (kidney) and liver fry / curry. Some places Liver is burnt on coals and eaten straight away.

Natu kodi curry is a typical specialty served when guests come home. Ankapur style desi chicken has now become a very famous dish and is available in several areas in Hyderabad too. In one outlet at Nizamabad they sell close 300-400 birds cooked every sunday. It is a norm for me to bring Ankapoor desi chicken (cooked at Ankapoor) whenever I come back from a visit to my village.

In fish korameenu (murrel) is cooked in most parts of Telangana and another delicacy is Jellala pulusu (cat fish). Very tasty. Prawns are also available in some parts of Telangana.

What the author has mentioned are the stores which sell Telangana savories. Sakinalu is one of a kind savory from Telangana. No function / wedding is complete without the women folks coming together and making this item. Making sakinalu is a big event in itself and there are several outlets which sell it along with other items listed above.

Sarva pindi (savory) - Sarva is a bowl / bhagona made of brass. The rice dough mixed with other ingredients is applied as a layer inside the sarva which is then cooked on its own steam. Few drops of oil are applied and this can be stored and eaten - this dish is made especially when people go on pilgrimage and need something easy to eat. Boorelu / Bakshalu, garijelu / pappu gaarelu / boondi laddulu /chegodilu etc are the other sweets / savories.

I will definitely visit the places mentioned in the list, esp the curry points to check them out.

[mobike008]

That was an excellent summarization Ravi of Telangana food. I personally dont feel there is ANY difference between Telangan and Rayalseem food but, there is definetly a difference in taste between Andhra food vs Telangana/Rayalseem food

For example, the Kakatiya Mutton that I enjoyed tremendously at Hotel City Grand in Warangal was the most fiery kind and typical telangana style. You cry oodles of tears but, still cannot help loving it

Whereas, Kakatiya Mess in Hyderabad is a good example of Andhra style food. It is spicy but, not similar to the ones like telaganga of which another popular example is Rayalseema Ruchulu.

[kippu]

thank you guys for showing me fisherman's fare , went there for lunch today and ordered
chicken kiev
fish hara masala?
urfa kebab
fish fingers

all of them were equally good and i am totally stuffed , will have to return there to try some other dishes

i enquired about the turkish chef and the waiter told me hes gone back and he has no idea if he will come back

[k_nitin_r]

Originally Posted by SILVERWOOD

Been to chutneys on Saturday for Lunch and ordered 2 south Indian thali. (SILVERWOOD+1)

Was shocked to see that it was more like a gujju/Rajasthani thali, the vegetable curries tasting sweet.They ran out of the gongura chutney which was the only thing i liked.

Originally Posted by spadix

I have always believed that Chutneys was set up to cater to non-local tastes, but that's perhaps just me.

I've been able to eat at Chutneys earlier because their food wasn't spicy like that at other places (Southern Spice, Spicy Venue, Rayalaseema Ruchulu). However, over the past two months they seem to have changed their recipes - the food is too spicy to eat without exhausting the tissues that they place on the tables and choking on mucus. I'm avoiding them like the plague now because the food at Chutneys causes a stomach ache after all the spices in their new recipes.

I don't know whether the impossible-to-eat-spicy is the local taste but if I eat any more of it, I'll have a hole where my tummy currently is. Considering that I generally eat spicy food that most people I know find too spicy to eat, I see this as going overboard... either the manager or the cook didn't get a salary hike despite the price hikes on the menu and decided to vent it out on the customers, perhaps?

Which one is the gongura chutney? I did see a green/brown thing; maybe they ran it for too long in the blender because I couldn't find it visually similar to the gongura chutney images on Google. The chutneys at Chutneys Banjara Hills are different from the ones at Chutneys Jubilee Hills (one of them serves 4 while the other serves 8... can't remember which is which). The white ones taste good - they have the white salty/spicy one and a white coconut-sugar mix. If the food ever gets too spicy and your tongue feels like it is ablaze, eat a spoon of the coconut-sugar mix :-D

[spadix]

Originally Posted by k_nitin_r

If the food ever gets too spicy and your tongue feels like it is ablaze, eat a spoon of the coconut-sugar mix :-D

If the chilli becomes too hit to bear, try salt or peanuts (it's the salt in the peanuts that helps) before ghee/sugar/water etc.

Also, certain parts of your tongue (tip and side edges) are more sensitive to chilli. So try chewing your morsel keeping it on the other areas.

Regards,
spadix

[NoRules]

Originally Posted by k_nitin_r

However, over the past two months they seem to have changed their recipes - the food is too spicy to eat without exhausting the tissues that they place on the tables and choking on mucus. I'm avoiding them like the plague now because the food at Chutneys causes a stomach ache after all the spices in their new recipes.

Is it? Then I must visit Chutneys soon.

I dont like Chutneys because I am not a big fan of spending money on veg food and secondly I believe it is an over rated and expensive chain. After reading your comments, I am curious how spicy it is now.

[Gadgetfreak]

Had been to Delhi darbar dhaba opp: to BHEL R&D, a little ahead of ferozeguda and before vimal theatre balanagar. It's a old favorite of family and we used to visit regularly as when we were kids. Had been here after a long time, As it is a very small dhaba, there were not many tables available and lot of waiting was there. Many people were there just for parcels.

We had ordered koyala chicken(I guess i spelled it right), Dal Mahakani,Paner Butter Masala, tandoori rotis and lacha parathas. Chicken was very very tasty, mom did not like dal makhani much but I found it to be decent. Over all good food but slow service due to heavy rush. More than value for money.

Dishes along with 4 Tandoori rotis and 5 lacha parathas and one packed drinking water bottle, total damages were just Rs.379/-

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Gadgetfreak

Had been to Delhi darbar dhaba opp: to BHEL R&D, a little ahead of ferozeguda and before vimal theatre balanagar.

I was a frequent visitor to DD even if it means travelling all the way from Himayathnagar. Used to love the low-cost VFM dhaba style food

Good to know the elderly sardarji is still maintaining good quality.

Check this post out : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifti...tml#post982632

Should visit them one of these days

[k_nitin_r]

Originally Posted by NoRules

Is it? Then I must visit Chutneys soon. I am curious how spicy it is now.

I went to the outlet in Banjara Hills (near Nagarjuna Circle) and ordered a south Indian thali. I went twice and it was spicy both times. For the folk who love extremely spicy food, it's something to live for.

[gauravdgr8]

Was finally able to take wife out for Pav Bhaji to Balvant Pav-Bhaji center behind Ramgopalpet PS.

The aroma was spreading till about 30 feet.

Initially ordered 2 to see how it tasted. The pav was made with masala and butter and was damn spicy. The Bhaji tasted nice, truly Mumbai style.

Ordered 2 more plates and 7 extra pav's, mostly without the masala.

Price: Rs: 50/-plate
Extra Pav: Rs: 10/-

VFM I would say.

Also tried the Bombay Kulfi Falooda corner in Sindhi colony. Nothing compared to the Prachi Kulfi in Sindhi Colony.

Had a chocolate softy at the Pizza joint across the road in Sindhi colony and was very creamy and nice. Worth the price.

[Ravveendrra]

Originally Posted by NoRules

..... It is a norm for me to bring Ankapoor desi chicken (cooked at Ankapoor) whenever I come back from a visit to my village.

.......

I will definitely visit the places mentioned in the list, esp the curry points to check them out.

My mouth started watering reading your post.

Ravi boss - When you go to your village next - I will lay siege to your house awaiting your return.

If you want company to try some authentic food - look no further.

Only one small point of difference - Telangana area, Rayalaseema area, Marathwada area, each have their own distinct styles. To be honest there is a palpable difference in styles between districts. Each small georgraphic area, in fact each family have their own distinct taste.

Cheers,