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Indian Express
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
A taste of Calcutta in London: The story behind Asma Khan's restaurant Darjeeling Express
The jam-packed streets of Soho in Westminster, London, reflect the city's vibrant diaspora and multiculturalism. From Chinese to Thai and Italian, the area offers a global gastronomic tour in just a few blocks. Among these flavours, tucked on the top floor of Kingly Court, is Darjeeling Express, a restaurant known for its Mughlai and Bengali cuisine Established in 2017, it is run by a team of all-women chefs and has a menu that remains proudly consistent. 'There are some restaurants that can change the menu and get away with it. We get people crying and screaming at us. We're quite trapped because we can't really change things,' says Asma Khan in an interview with Asma, an India-born British restaurateur, began her journey by hosting intimate 'supper clubs' at her home. Today, her restaurant, Darjeeling Express, stands tall among London's Michelin-starred dining spots. So how did a home cook open one of London's most popular Indian restaurants? Asma comes from a family with royal lineage. Her father, Farrukh Said Khan, was a Muslim Rajput, while her mother, Faizana Khan, was of mixed Bengali and Bihari heritage. 'My nana (maternal grandfather) was my father's landlord when he was posted to Calcutta working for General Electric Company (GEC),' says Asma, adding, 'he was quite a regal-looking man with his huge moustache, and my nana was impressed.' She explains that while the matrimonial alliance was formed, little was discussed about the practicalities of the marriage itself. 'My mother had never eaten roti in her life. She loved fish and rice. My father, interestingly, sees fish and gets scared. And he doesn't eat rice. There were also language and other differences. But they got married.' Asma was born in the family's Elliot Road home in 1969. 'I remember waking up with the sound of the trams,' she says. 'I must have been two and a half years old when a crow took my food while I was eating on the verandah; that's my first memory of food.' The family then moved to Hyderabad due to Farrukh Said Khan's transfer. 'My brother was born there. Then we went to Madras (present-day Chennai).' The Khans lived opposite former chief minister Jayalalithaa's house. 'At that time, she used to call us her Bengali neighbours. And we used to climb on the wall, and she used to give us sweets.' Asma reiterates that they always identified with Calcutta and being Bengali. 'Even though I am technically only a quarter Bengali.' Asma says that her maternal grandfather and two of his brothers married women from Bihar. Her grandmothers, with their entourage of cooks, ayahs, and drivers, all spoke in Hindi or Urdu. 'So sadly, the Bengali language kind of slipped off. But from a very young age, I identified strongly with Calcutta. This was home for me.' 1974 brought some good news for the Khans as Farrukh Said Khan was transferred to Calcutta. 'I remember my father's tears when he came in and said he had been transferred. Everyone was silent. I remember that emotion.' The family was both excited and relieved to return to Calcutta, she describes. 'A sense of homecoming…We were going home! And that is a feeling that I relate to even now.' Initially, Asma's mother thought of taking cooking classes. However, luck, according to Asma, landed her a catering contract at the Tata Centre. 'That was her first catering job… the rest is history.' She soon began catering at some of the city's most popular clubs — Tollygunge Club, Royal Calcutta Turf Club, and Calcutta Cricket and Football Club. Meanwhile, Asma attended La Martiniere School on Rawdon Street and later, Loreto College on Park Street. 'There was a very different sense of equality at that time in the 80s. Calcutta in the 80s and 90s was an incredible space,' says Asma, adding that one felt protected and valued. That feeling of protection wasn't the only thing that Asma loves about Calcutta. Food was central to her growing years. She talks about the 'rolls at Badshah in New Market, the chana bhatura and tutti frutti at Kwality on Park Street, the dosa at Jyoti Bihar, and the Chinese at the Taj Hotel.' That wasn't all. The American chop suey at Bar-B-Q is unmatched, although the queue to get a place is terribly long,' she laughs. For sweets, she names K.C. Das on Chowringhee, and for mishti doi (sweetened yogurt), Khan recalls visiting Mithai on Park Circus. She also explains the colonial influence on her family's food. 'My mother cooked a lot of continental food… She made Chicken à la Kiev, a prawn cocktail inspired from what was served at popular joints such as Sky Room, Mocambo, and Trincas on Park Street.' Having spoken at length and passionately about Calcutta's food, Asma says, 'All the Indian Chinese food in the rest of India is horrible. Calcutta Indian Chinese is really Indian Chinese.' Pausing for a few seconds, she utters excitedly…'And then, this kind of fabulous Dhaba culture – the chicken bharta, which is such a Calcutta thing. It's the adding of eggs to chicken. It's the combination of the Punjabi trucker and the Bengali kind of sentiments.' From a supper club to Darjeeling Express What remains in Calcutta for Asma is a house. 'My parents moved back to Aligarh, and my ancestral home on Elliot Road was demolished.' However, Asma bought a flat in the newly built apartment at the same place. 'I was the last granddaughter to be married from that house. And my mother was born in that house. So that link to that house was so great. In some ways, it's nice that I have a flat on the 11th floor.' Asma and her husband left Calcutta in 1991 for the United Kingdom. Years later, she began a supper club at home. 'I served chicken chop, rezala, kosha mangsho (dry chicken), gughni (chickpeas), luchi, aloo dum, and biryani.' 'People must have a desire to try good food,' she explains as her purpose behind the supper clubs. In 2017, she turned the supper club into a restaurant, retaining the name Darjeeling Express. 'My supper club was called Darjeeling Express after the toy trains in Darjeeling, which I cherished very much. Moreover, I thought my clients should know that it's by the same person. Otherwise, I would not call it this,' she laughs. Everything about the restaurant is designed to reflect Calcutta — walls painted in warm yellow hues, adorned with family portraits of the Khans and their home on Elliot Road, and a menu curated from Khan's favourite picks in the city. Although the eatery offers three varieties: à la carte lunch, pre-theatre menu, and set menu dinner, what remains constant are the tangra prawns, puchkas, niramish (a Bengali term for a vegetarian dish), prawn malaikari, and kosha mangsho. There is a cocktail called Jhal (a Bengali term for spicy) and a mocktail Jhalphoron. For dessert, Asma's restaurant serves the iconic Bhapa Doi, steamed yogurt. The locals and tourists alike flock to eat these dishes, resisting any change. 'That's what Calcutta food does to one,' she says gleefully. From the menu, Asma says, the favourites are kosha mangsho followed by prawn malai curry. 'Ta-da! Both Bengali dishes. These are our top favourites.' The next favourite is Calcutta biryani. When asked to describe it, she says, 'It is mild, fragrant. It does not contain too many spices, and the biggest thing is that the rice is not sticky. It's just separated.' Khan's favourite element of the biryani is the aloo (potato). 'The potato is better than the meat and the rice. All the flavour has gone into it. Best thing in the world. If that's the last meal of my life, I don't want the biryani. I just want the aloo.' 'And no city in the world, and I have travelled the world, for me, compares to Calcutta,' she asserts. 'I wish the government would do more. The state government would do more to promote tourism. I am tired of people coming to my restaurant and saying, Oh, I've been to India, I've been to Kerala, I've gone to see the Taj Mahal. I ask: Why have you not gone to see Calcutta? Our colonial history, our Bengali heritage, the beautiful stories about the synagogue, Nahoum's, you've got the Armenian tradition, you've got this amazing Muslim food as well as Indian Chinese (food). We have everything in the world but not tourists.' Asma expresses her desire to give back to the city that gave her an identity. 'I am willing to do it for free… to encourage people to put Calcutta as a destination. You cannot understand India if you do not understand and have not eaten in a city like Calcutta. It's the food capital of India and of the world.' On her plans for Darjeeling Express, Asma says she wanted to do something in Kolkata. 'In the West, I have achieved a lot. I need to go home. But in which way and how, I don't know. But the calling is very, very strong. The desire to go back is there. I want to go back when I can be of help. I want to go back when I still have the fire and I'm physically strong and I have the creative energy. Because the city has given me everything. I am what I am because of Calcutta. I also want to do something for Calcutta.' 'The Calcutta I grew up in,' Asma says in a low voice, 'has changed…I feel lost now'. Buildings demolished, streets renamed, modes of transportation modernised, and people more aloof. 'Yet,' she notes, sounding positive, 'the food remains the same – the best in the world.'
News18
17-07-2025
- Sport
- News18
Mughlai, Parsi, Arabic, Chinese: What Cuisines Are Served At Mohammed Siraj's Joharfa
Last Updated: Cricketer Mohammed Siraj has launched his first restaurant, Joharfa, in Hyderabad, serving Mughlai, Parsi, Arabic, and Chinese cuisine with a focus on traditional flavours Mohammed Siraj has embarked on a new venture, following in the footsteps of several cricketing legends, by launching his first restaurant, Joharfa, in the heart of Hyderabad in Telangana. The restaurant, which officially opened on June 24, offers a rich and diverse menu featuring Mughlai, Persian, Arabic, and Chinese cuisine. Mohammed Siraj, currently touring England, shared that Joharfa holds deep personal significance for him. 'The city of Hyderabad has given me recognition," he said. 'Through this restaurant, I want to give something back; a place where people can come together, share a meal, and enjoy flavours that feel like home." According to a PTI report, Joharfa is helmed by a team of experienced chefs and focuses on fresh, high-quality ingredients and traditional cooking techniques. Mohammed Siraj added that the restaurant's unique identity lies in its emphasis on authentic, home-style flavours. He warmly invites anyone wishing to savour the finest dishes from India and across the globe to visit Joharfa and enjoy the experience. The 31-year-old cricketer has had an impressive international career, representing India in 37 Tests, 44 ODIs, and 16 T20s, with 102 Test wickets, 71 ODI wickets, and 14 T20 international wickets to his name. He is the senior-most pace bowler in the Indian team after Jaspreet Bumrah. view comments First Published: July 17, 2025, 12:16 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
NDTV
07-07-2025
- NDTV
Dum Ke Roat Recipe: What Goes Into Making Hyderabad's Beloved Cookie
Hyderabad's food story is not all about biryani and haleem. The city's identity is also steeped in its bustling bakery culture. Trays of Osmania biscuits, cream buns, and airy sponge cakes beckon from glass counters and street-side stalls. From the Irani cafés of Abids and the suburban bakeries of Toli Chowki to the hip cafés in Hitech City, these spots have become everyday sanctuaries for tea drinkers and snack hunters. Each bite reflects a blend of Mughlai, Turkish, and Deccani influences that are stitched into the city's culinary fabric. At the heart of this legacy sits dum ke roat - a dense, saffron-kissed cookie that is baked low and slow. Once a sacred offering, it has now become an all-season favourite. Packed with khoya, ghee, semolina, and crushed dry fruits, the cookie is chewy, rich, and deeply nostalgic. Today, dum ke roat is more than just a sweet treat. It is a bakery-born icon, loved across homes, communities, and airport snack counters alike. Also Read: 7 Iconic Eateries In Hyderabad To Experience Old-World Charm History Of Dum Ke Roat: How Hyderabad's Traditional Cookie Became An Icon The origin of dum ke roat dates back to the early 1900s, when Mir Osman Ali Khan, the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad, is believed to have introduced the sweet as part of a religious gesture. During a city-wide procession, he distributed roats while praying for the well-being of his grandson. That moment sparked a tradition. Every year, households would prepare dough at home and take it to communal ovens for the slow-baking process. Though rooted in prayer, the cookie eventually made its way into homes and bakery counters. Its rich flavour and comforting texture slowly cemented its place as a permanent fixture in the Hyderabadi sweet scene. Where To Eat Dum Ke Roat In Hyderabad: Best Places To Try Dum Ke Roat In Hyderabad If one place defines dum ke roat, it is Subhan Bakery in Nampally. Opened in 1971 and now run by Syed Irfan, Subhan sticks to traditional methods. The cookie is still baked with pure ghee, freshly made khoya, saffron, and a generous mix of cashews and almonds. While demand surges during Muharram and Ramzan, Subhan keeps the ovens going year-round to serve loyal regulars. Also Read: 5 Iconic Bakeries You Must Try In Hyderabad Other legendary spots for dum ke roat include: 1. Pista House: Known for their haleem, their roat version is slightly firmer - perfect for shipping across cities and even abroad. 2. Karachi Bakery: Famous for their fruit biscuits, Karachi Bakery's roat holds its own, widely enjoyed across Hyderabad and beyond. 3. Niloufer Café and Nimrah Bakery: These popular chai stops offer roat that pairs perfectly with Irani chai. Think quiet comfort in every bite. 4. Bakewell Cake House: Located in Mehdipatnam, this bakery is known for its Gur Roat - a jaggery-based version laced with dry ginger that adds an earthy depth. Dum Ke Roat Recipe: Step-By-Step Guide To Hyderabad's Traditional Cookie Do not be fooled by its simplicity - baking dum ke roat is a test of patience and balance. The right technique and ingredients make all the difference. Ingredients: Sooji and maida or atta Khoya Pure ghee Sugar or jaggery powder Crushed almonds, cashews, pistachios Aromatics like cardamom, saffron, nutmeg Milk and a dash of rose or kewra water Method: Soak and grind dry fruits to a coarse paste Warm the khoya and mix with sooji and flour Gradually add ghee, sugar, and aromatics Gently knead the dough, let it rest, and shape into thick discs Bake the discs on dum for a caramelised top and soft centre This slow-baking technique gives dum ke roat its iconic texture - crisp at the edges and chewy inside. The richness of the ingredients ensures that every bite is layered and memorable. Also Read: You Must Not Leave Hyderabad Without Trying These 9 Street Foods! Why Dum Ke Roat Is A Must-Try Hyderabadi Cookie For Every Season Whether picked up from a bakery in Toli Chowki or packed into a flight snack box at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, dum ke roat is a flavour capsule of Hyderabad. It carries memories, rituals, and a certain emotional weight that only food rooted in tradition can. Next time you sip tea in the lanes of Abids or browse biscuit tins at Subhan, do not leave without tasting this quietly iconic cookie. Advertisement About Somdatta Saha Explorer- this is what Somdatta likes to call herself. Be it in terms of food, people or places, all she craves for is to know the unknown. A simple aglio olio pasta or daal-chawal and a good movie can make her day. For the latest food news, health tips and recipes, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and YouTube. Tags: Dum Ke Roat Recipe Hyderabadi Cookie Hyderabad Biscuit Culture Show full article Comments
Mint
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Weekend food plan: Hotpots, noodle soups, and ‘shorbas' for rainy day comfort
The Japanese gastrobar Donmai is offering its own take on the traditional hotpot this season. Turn it into a fun DIY tableside experience with seasonal vegetables such as Napa cabbage, bean sprouts, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, lotus stem, fried tofu, leek, scallions, and a bed of slippery udon noodles in a sesame and oat milk broth that can also be customised as per individual tastes. It can be paired with a rice course and house dips. Add on a seafood or pork platter if you wish. Where: Donmai, G-03, Altimus, Opposite Doordarshan Towers, Pandurang Budhkar Marg, Worli, Mumbai Prawn dumpling at Across. Through their research trips to the eastern Himalayas, chefs Prakriti Lama Patel and Viraf Patel are trying to showcase the diverse culinary traditions of a region often overlooked in the mainstream. At Across, the chef-restaurateur couple channels their deep love for the mountain cuisines in the form of classics, but elevated with contemporary flair. This monsoon, sample the hearty noodle soups like home-style thenthuk in a mutton, potato broth, buckwheat and cheese fritters, Darjeeling-style aloo dum with nimki, pork saag curry, chicken wings spiced with the fiery dalle chilli, and dumplings in a kalonji butter gravy. There are cocktails too, infused with Himalayan ingredients. Where: Across, Hari Chambers, 5, 58/64, Shahid Bhagat Singh Rd, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai Contact: +91-7506128945 Chicken pulao at Persian Darbar. Savour the magic of slow-cooked spices, warm breads and piping-hot shorbas with a royal touch that are best suited for a rainy day. This monsoon, experience the rich heritage of Mughlai and Persian cuisines through an array of dishes including a choice of mutton kebabs, chicken and mutton biryanis and indulgent kormas with saffron rice, mutton tabak mash or the hearty murgh tabak soup, paired with taftan or rumali roti. Where: Persian Darbar (Bandra, Andheri and Pune) Contact: +91-9892957741/+91-9175623046
Scroll.in
03-07-2025
- General
- Scroll.in
A new book brings a Rampur family's culinary history and cherished recipes created by the matriarch
Musharraf Begum's beginnings were humble. She was from a small town in Uttar Pradesh called Chandausi. Due to the financial hardships faced by her family, they agreed to marry her off to a rich, much older gentleman from Rampur as his fourth and only surviving wife then. To this day, the tales of how my grandfather's first three wives died are vague and come in several versions. One story goes that my grandfather's wife was travelling to him on a ship after the nikah and they were caught in a storm where she passed away. The bottom line was that here was this nobleman with the worst luck when it came to his wives, so much so that no established family was willing to marry their daughter to him. The 'jinxed' Abdul Majeed Qureshi had to then seemingly settle for a fair, young uneducated girl from a family that was in desperate need of his financial support. She would later boast that she was chosen based on her beautiful hands and feet since that was all her in-laws saw before her marriage was arranged. Soon enough, her staff, children and townspeople began to call her Ammi – a moniker she earned early on, likely because of the authority she wielded at home and in the kitchen. Around 1946, when she was a young new bride who had entered Rampur, a princely town much bigger than what she was used to, she had a lot to prove and a significant role to take on. Her biggest assets proved to be her passion for food and her ability to cook. As women of her generation often did, she controlled the kitchen, and her dazzling personality began to reflect in her food. With the influences of her hometown mixed with her newfound exposure to Rampur's more modern cuisine, Ammi created a food language that was uniquely her own. For instance, keema khichdi, a meal in itself made by slow-cooking mutton keema with rice and spices and eaten with a cube of yellow butter, cold dahi and mint chutney, is one of our most popular household staples, and has its origins in Chandausi. When Ammi just got married, a young boy was employed in the kitchen named Israil Bhai who went on to become her sidekick and together they created magic. I can still hear them bantering over why something was missing from the fridge and Ammi calling him tokri ke (basket case), as the most terrible insult she could muster because it was her worst-kept secret that he was too dear to her to rebuke him seriously. Despite a fairly large kitchen, they would often set up a choolah (stove) outside, using bricks and wood to slow-cook dishes. With eight children and several grandchildren, there were always people to feed. Cooking and eating seemed to be the central point of Ammi's world. Be it hosting daawats (feasts) on behalf of her husband for the Nawab and itinerant dignitaries, or a langar or family wedding, Ammi's kitchen was always feeding. Rampur cuisine, with its infusion of Mughlai, Awadhi and Afghani influences, when combined with Ammi's sensibilities and the Chandausi culture, resulted in a rather mutton-heavy offering. When most think of Rampuri cuisine, the first dishes that come to mind are kebabs like seekh and chapali. But, for me, the most representative Rampuri dish is our family staple taar gosht – mutton cooked in a masala gravy where the ghee is meant to be so generously used that when you dip your roti in it, there should be a taar (line) of ghee connecting your bite to the plate. Ammi used taar gosht as her go-to dish for all occasions, whether it was a wedding or a funeral. To her, the dish was rich enough that no one could criticize her for not doing enough while also satisfying the large appetites of our food-loving people. — An excerpt from the Introduction. Aloo tamatar (flavourful curry of potatoes and tomatoes) Ingredients 1 (2') piece ginger 10-12 garlic cloves 100 g ghee 250 g tomato puree 1 kg potatoes, boiled and cubed 1 tsp salt Red chilli (lal mirch) powder, to taste 1 lemon, juiced 6 green chillies (hari mirch), slit lengthwise Method Grate the ginger and garlic and add to a muslin cloth to squeeze the juice out. Discard the pulp and set aside the juice. In a large, heavy-based pan over high heat, add the ghee with garlic and ginger juice. Cook until aromatic. Stir in the tomato puree and sauté until the ghee separates and rises to the surface. Now add the potatoes, salt, and chilli powder. Reduce the heat and stir well. Pour in one cup of water, and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and add the lemon juice and green chillies. Mix well and simmer until the flavours meld. Remove from heat. Serve hot with tandoori rotis. Mutton keema inshtew (a comforting, hearty dish in a flavourful broth) Ingredients 2 1-inch cinnamon (dal chini) sticks 6 green cardamom (green elaichi) pods 2 star anise (chakri ke phool) 4 black cardamom (moti elaichi) pods 6 cloves (laung) 1 bay leaf (tej patta) 150 ml refined oil 8 onions, sliced 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera sabut) 1 kg minced mutton/lamb (keema) 2 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste Salt, to taste 150 g desi ghee 6 dry whole red chillies (sookhi sabut lal mirch) 150 g yoghurt (dahi) 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp chaat masala 6-8 large green chillies (hari mirchi) chopped 1 lemon, juiced Method In a mixer-grinder, blend the whole spices at medium setting for 2-3 minutes until finely powdered. Set aside. In a pressure cooker over high heat, add the oil and heat for 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, and add 2 sliced onions. Sauté until they soften and turn translucent. Add the cumin seeds, keema, ginger-garlic paste and season to taste with salt. Stir well. Lock the lid in place and cook for three whistles. Remove from heat and let the pressure release. Separately, in a large wok over medium heat, add the ghee and the remaining onions. Sauté the onions until they turn light pink. Add the red chillies. Remove the lid of the pressure cooker and transfer the keema into the wok. Add the powdered whole spices and stir-fry well. Stir in the yoghurt, garam masala, chaat masala, green chillies, and lemon juice. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the meat is cooked. Remove from heat and cover until serving to allow the flavours to meld. Serve hot with roomali rotis
