J W Marriott Chandigarh Presents A Royal Feast from Arcot's Amir Mahal

Having dug deep into the annals of history to unveil a regal culinary experience confined to the exclusive kitchens of the Nawabs of Arcot, the ‘Royal Cuisine of Arcot’ food festival at J W Marriott in Chandigarh was launched recently. Recipes that are nearly 200 year-old recipes preserved by the Nawabs of Amir Mahal, have been recreated for this gastronomic fest. Chef Abdul Quddus, Chef-in-charge, Saffron, JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu has been invited as a guest chef to curate the event.

The 10-day festival will showcase the rich legacy of this cuisine which has had leaders such as former Prime Minister, Late Jawahar Lal Nehru to the former Indian skipper MS Dhoni heartily endorse it for its unique flavours.

History of Arcot

A deep influence of multiple cultures can be found in the culinary capital of the ancient Carnatic region, Arcot and its royal cuisine. Set in the urban town of Vellore, near Chennai, Arcot was once one of the greatest empires of India established by Mughal ruler Aurangzeb in 1692 to form a stronghold over the Carnatic region in the Southern Deccan. The “Carnatic” empire, under the legal purview of the Nizam from Hyderabad, witnessed the golden period of the Mughal Empire, the rising influence of the Maratha Empire, and later the emergence of the British Raj.

Amir Mahal, the Nawab’s residence in Arcot is where the stately cuisine of the royal family has been preserved like heirloom jewels till date. The royal kitchens of Amir Mahal, its secret recipes, and the legacy of creating culinary masterpieces are currently being passed on to the tenth generation of Ustaads or royal cooks.

Having trained rigorously under the Ustaads of Amir Mahal while staying at the Nawab’s palace, Chef Abdul learnt the various nuances of the cuisine of Amir Mahal and understood what makes the cuisine so exquisite.

Meticulously researched and recreated by Guest Chef Abdul Quddus and the team of Chefs at JW Marriott Chandigarh, the Royal Cuisine of Arcot is all set to take patrons on a journey into the history of Arcot and in turn the history of Carnatic through a culinary kaleidoscope.

Royal Cuisine of Arcot’

The ‘Royal Cuisine of Arcot’ takes the gourmands into a journey that starts from melting-in-the-mouth kebabs through to the main course of rich spicy curries. It takes a long pause at the steamyArcot Biryani and ends with its mouth-watering sweet dishes. It is the little nuances and delicate flavours which lend the cuisine its unique character. “Take Mongodi shami and Nimona shami for instance.

The green lentils used in the Mongodi shami are unique to the Arcot cuisine while Nimona Shami uses green apples as for its base for an exquisite sweet and sour kebab which is unheard of elsewhere.  Similarly, the main course dishes of Arcot Cuisine takes richness to another level with curries being made with almonds and cashews based gravies in recipes such as Phans Loung Kofta Curry with yam koftas in cashew gravy or Aloo Gosht Korma which has Lamb Trotters in almond gravy”, adds Chef Abdul as he explains the nuances of this rich cuisine.

A special place of honor in the Arcot Cuisine is kept for the Arcot Biryani. Famous as the most exquisite rice and lamb preparation in the country, the Arcot Biryani has been replicated in many restaurants in and around Chennai over the last decade. The recipe of Amir Mahal however remains exclusive to the Ustaads in the royal kitchen and Chef Abdul who will be presenting the dish as part of the food festival at JW Marriott Chandigarh. He claims the secret for the best Arcot Biryani is to add the best ingredients available along with a dash of love.

Ingredients of Arcot Cuisine

Arcot cuisine is particularly known for using rich flavourful ingredients like Saffron, yellow mustard, the whole turmeric apart from dry fruits and nuts in its curries all of which culminates to give light, delicate textures with intense, infused flavors that leave you feeling sumptuously satisfied afterward.

Slow cooking, a signature cooking style of the Arcot cuisine, ensures that maximum tastes and flavors are retained in the recipes with marination for a long time and cooking over slow heat. Dal -E- Nawab, a unique green lentil preparation is cooked overnight in royal cumin, butter and a secret mixture of home-pound spices. Dhungari Chaat, on the other hand, is marinated days before being prepared so that the lamb ribs can soak-in maximum flavors.

The desserts in Arcot’s cuisine are famed to be the pinnacle of sumptuous delicate flavors. The famous Makhan Peda from the cuisine is what dessert-lovers would claim-dreams are made of; so much so that the delicacy is now spread across the length and breadth of the country, commonly known as Gulab Jamun. Another must-try from the menu is Amrit Phal, a mixture of semolina, condensed milk, saffron, almonds, and rose and the Badam ka Kund that leaves a lingering and refreshing aftertaste for the patrons of this royal Mogul feast.

The Royal Cuisine of Arcot will be available for the patrons of JW Marriott at Saffron from April 15th to April 24th. It can be savoured for dinner from 7:30 pm to 11:30 pm every day and for lunch from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm on weekends and will be available in vegetarian and non-vegetarian set-menus, each priced at INR 2150 /- plus taxes and INR 2750/- plus taxes respectively. You can also call at 0172-455 5555 to reserve your table at Saffron at JW Marriott Chandigarh.