GLUTTONY @ JYRAN - TANDOOR DINING & LOUNGE, SOFITEL MUMBAI BKC

I have always been in awe of the cuisine of the north-western frontier of Indian subcontinent. In my opinion, the veneration of this gastronomy stems from its genesis dating back centuries to the royal kitchens of the Mughal Empire and its surrounding princely states. The meticulous cooking procedures, potent use of ingredients and creation of bespoke preparations were a hallmark of these kitchens. Today, many eons later, the recipes handed down through generations of khansamas or chefs of these royal kitchens have attained the status of culinary masterpieces.

Jyran - Tandoor Dining & Lounge at Sofitel Mumbai BKC takes pride in presenting these intriguing dishes to mesmerize the taste buds of Mumbaikars. With its new menu specially curated by the skilled Chef Shadab Ahmed, Jyran is ambitiously elevating the level at which this cuisine is being recreated in modern times. Chef Ahmed with his decades of experience of catering to royal taste buds across the country has brought some of the most sophisticated preparations to life in this new menu.

So, here is a look at my gluttony with a few dishes from this new magnificent à la carte menu at the grand Jyran - Tandoor Dining & Lounge:

APPETIZERS:
PARATDAR PANEER: Parat means layer and this is the first time I have come across an appetizer of paneer (cottage cheese) created by an astute layering process. A flavorsome vegetable stuffing of mushrooms and green peas finds itself interposed between three silken sheets of the cheese. Grilling is done for a duration just enough to retain the soft texture of the cheese and infuse it with flavors from the vegetables.

LUCKNOWI GALOUTI with ULTA PARATHA: These were truly majestic lamb kebabs arrived at by mixing finely minced lamb with subtle amount of garam masala. A sprinkling of rose and kewda water made the dish very aromatic and inviting. The kebab was served placed on a thin sheet of flaky paratha and a mere morsel of this dish was a pleasure to the palate.

LAHORI SEEKH: Coarsely minced lamb was mixed with a secret Lahori spice blend, onions, ginger, garlic, fresh green coriander stalks as core ingredients. The texture of the mince had been kept slightly coarse to impart a more firm texture to the seekh as opposed to the smooth consistency seen in case of Lucknowi seekh. The seekh was cooked to perfection keeping the meat moist and bringing out each and every core ingredient discretely.

MURGH KE PARCHE: Chicken breast were marinated in ginger-garlic paste, dry Indian spices and cooked on a griddle. A surprise ingredient that added an additional layer of flavor and aroma to the chicken was sandalwood. This regal style of using sandalwood in cooking elevated the dish to another level altogether.

MAIN COURSE:
PANEER DUM ANARI: The use of layered paneer had been extended to this delightful main course dish as well. Pieces of stuffed paneer were cooked in a gravy comprising of cashewnut paste, beetroot and pomegranate juices. The use of these ingredients had imparted a beautiful combination of creamy, sweet and tart flavors.

BHUNA GOSHT: Chunks of lamb were cooked in a gravy comprising of dry roasted spices, chopped onion, tomatoes and ginger-garlic paste. The elements of the masala had beautifully pervaded the lamb that had gained a succulent texture post cooking. The gravy had a mild spicy flavor and paired perfectly with a butter naan.

RAAN CHANGEZI: Termed after the Mughlai warrior Changez Khan, this dish entailed a braised pot roast in tandoor (clay oven) of the raan or luscious leg of lamb rubbed with an aromatic Mughlai spice mix. But, when the dish arrived at the table I was a bit disappointed as I found the meat to be a little dry and felt that the spices had not permeated thoroughly into the meat.

DAL MAKHANI: Split black gram was simmered away for hours with dollops of ghee (clarified butter) to arrive at this comforting lentil preparation. The flavors were very refined, subtle and addictive.

MURGH BIWI KA PULAO: This dish involved long grain Basmati rice cooked with birista or crisp, browned, fried onions and Indian spices including bay leaf, black cardamoms etc. The dish had an enticing aroma, a sublime flavor and the chicken was cooked to perfection leaving it tender and moist.

DESSERTS
TABAKH JAMUN: When the dessert course arrived at our table, I was quite surprised to see the unusually huge size of the gulab jamun (deep fried cottage cheese dumpling soaked in sugar syrup). But soon my awe gave way to appreciation for the way this sweet delight had been arrived at. The gulab jamun was huge in size than usual ones as it entailed a very sumptuous filling of saffron threads and dry fruits held together by semolina. The dumpling was sugary and its sweetness was balanced off by the flavors of the filling in it.

KULFI: The tabakh jamun was so awesome that it made this Indianized version of creamy ice cream seem very lackluster. The flavors of the kulfi were very mundane and I was left underwhelmed with this dessert.

So, do try out the new menu at Jyran - Tandoor Dining & Lounge at Sofitel Mumbai BKC and let me know of your experience.
Till then, HAPPY EATING…