5/5 Bridgepoint S. 5 years ago on Google
Romantic
dinner/family
celebration
at
Dum
Pukht
was
definitely
interesting,
a
unique
"Awadhi"
culinary
experience
in
a
beautiful
setting.
This
iconic,
award
winning
restaurant
beckons
you
to
partake
in
a
royal
experience
as
it
recreates
the
200
year
old
culinary
legacy
from
the
kitchens
of
the
majestic
Nawabs
and
serves
on
beautiful
serveware.
Located
in
the
ITC
Maurya
Hotel
in
Delhi,
Dum
Pukht
is
an
interesting
place.
Forget
the
luxurious
feel
of
the
decor
and
the
outstanding
service
and
let's
focus
on
the
history
behind
this
restaurant:
Dum
Pukht,
a
process
of
slow-cooking
in
a
sealed
‘handi’,
allows
the
ingredients
to
mature
in
their
own
juices
to
bring
out
the
intense
flavours,
aromas
and
leisurely
luxury
of
the
food,
imbuing
it
with
richness
that
distinguishes
the
cuisine.
Reviving
the
artfulness
of
courtly
manner
and
presentation
from
across
the
country,
Dum
Pukht
brings
you
the
grand
cuisine
of
India
in
a
setting
that
truly
befits
its
regal
origins.
Decor:
The
exquisite
décor
infused
with
deep
sapphire
blues
and
silver,
reminisces
a
bygone
era
and
evokes
a
sense
of
the
old-world
charm.
SIGNATURE
DISHES
Dum
Pukht
presents
Dum
Pukht
Biryani,
Kakori
Kabab,
Dudiya
Kabab
and
Shahi
Nehari.
Background
and
Chef:
Coming
from
a
lineage
of
Royal
Chefs,
Chef
Qureshi
joined
ITC
Maurya
in
1977
and
was
instrumental
in
the
inception
of
Dum
Pukht
-
a
legendary
restaurant
that
presents
the
finer
nuances
of
Awadhi
cuisine
with
its
slow-cooked
recipes.
Centuries
ago,
in
1784,
the
rich
and
powerful
Kingdom
of
Awadh,
known
for
their
love
for
culture,
music,
dance
and
epicurean
delights,
was
struck
by
famine.
Nawab
Asaf-ud-Daulah
initiated
a
food
for
work
program
employing
thousands
in
the
construction
of
the
imposing
monument
of
Bara
Imambara.
Large
cauldrons
were
filled
with
rice,
meat,
vegetables
and
spices,
and
sealed
to
make
a
simple,
one-dish
meal
that
was
available
to
workers
day
and
night.
One
day,
the
Nawab
caught
a
whiff
of
the
aromas
emanating
from
a
cauldron
and
the
royal
kitchen
was
ordered
to
serve
the
dish…thus
being
the
‘discovery’
of
‘Dum’
or
‘slow’
cooking,
which
was
further
refined
to
please
the
royal
palate.
(Source:
restaurant's
website)
PROS:
1.
Dum
Pukht
is
a
slow
cooking
method
from
the
Awadh
region
of
Northern
India,
Dum
meaning
breath
in
and
Pukht
meaning
to
cook.
2.
What
is
extraordinary
there
is
that
the
Chef,
Gulam
M.
Qureshi,
is
a
fifth
generation
of
Chefs,
and
cooks
according
to
the
tradition.
3.
The
food
is
a
succession
of
dishes,
some
of
them
very
surprising,
such
as
the
lamb
kakori
kebab
that
is
literally
melting
in
your
mouth.
The
secret?
The
lamb
is
minced
seven
times,
making
this
so
delicate
that
moving
it
from
the
main
dish
to
the
plate
requires
a
special
move
and
there
is
not
need
for
a
knife
to
eat
it.
CONS:
1.
Long
wait
time.
2.
Can
be
spicy
for
some
palettes.
Do
not
forget
to
taste
the
beetle
leaf
that
is
stuffed
with
various
seeds,
similar
to
what
you
would
find
in
many
Indian
restaurants.