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Mumbai's best mutton biryani
Heated words, and a few rice grains, flew between our expert panelists. But they finally agreed upon Mumbai's best gourmet pots of gosht biryani
Mumbai’s best mutton biryani -- Recommended: Dum Pukht’s gosht biryani
A five-star biryani from a five-star hotel.
To feed the construction workers, large cauldrons were filled with rice, meat and vegetables, sealed and slow-cooked for hours to create a one-dish meal.
One day, the Nawab caught a whiff of the aroma emanating from these cauldrons and immediately instructed his royal cooks to serve the dish. The rest, they say, is history. The dish is now famous around the world.
The elaborate cooking method involves simmering over a slow fire in a thick, large-bottomed vessel, which is sealed with dough to allow the contents to cook in their own juices. The process allows the spices and meat to release their flavors gently while retaining their natural aromas.
"The gosht biryani at Dum Pukht is a fine example of this cooking style," says Sanjiv Khamgaonkar, Best Eats judge and food blogger. "The mutton is tender and the long-grained rice is so very fragrant."
Now, who would think a famine would have inspired such a great meal?
ITC Maratha, Sahar Airport Road, Sahar; +91 (22) 2830 3030. Open daily 7-11:45 p.m.; www.itcwelcomgroup.in
