Recipes from the league of Khansamas

It was the rather unusual name Pracheen India Before 1947 and the variety of dishes on its menu that made me want to order food from this restaurant in Kailash Hills.

The meals here are an amalgamation of ancient secrets and flavours, prepared with the help of old khansamas, recipe books and documented facts and history.

Every dish is prepared with the same authentic ingredients and process as was done before the nation achieved Independence.

My order arrived within an hour packed and labelled neatly, with wooden cutlery, hand wash sachets and tissues.

The veg starter Awadhi Paneer Saunfiana Kebabs originated from the Mughlai kitchens and Daal Ki Shammi from Awadhi homes, while the non-veg Tandoori Chaap hailed from the Frontier Provinces (comprising Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan) and Murg Ke Sule from Rajasthan.

All these were tender, with just enough of spice not too overbearing or hot. The Saunfiana kebabs were melt-in-mouth chunks of paneer marinated with malai and saunf, while the Shammi kebabs made from black daal and secret spices, were sprinkled with kewra for flavour and fragrance.

The lamb chops stood out among the non-veg starters but both the Chap Taj Daar and Murg Ke Sule were a bit spicier than usual. My family and I enjoyed the starters so much that we regretted having ordered only one helping of each.

The mains came in generous portions. Each dish was delectable with the right amount of spices thrown in. Be it Rajasthan’s Laal Maas or Goanese Chicken Cafreal (in the non veg fare) or Hyderabadi Bhagara Baingan and Kolhapur’s staple dish, Maratha Subz Kolhapuri.

However, the accompanying breads proved disappointing. Both the Butter Naan and the Tandoori Roti felt a little leathery while chewing; the Tandoori Lachcha Paranthas being the saving grace. We ended our lunch with polishing off the smooth Rose Gulab Phirni.

A QUICK CHAT WITH VIDIT RAWAT, FOUNDER AND OWNER, PRACHEEN INDIA BEFORE 1947

Where did you get the idea to prepare pre-1947 food?

The idea behind the concept of serving preindependence food came from the sheer need of serving authentic Indian cuisine which has been forgotten today. We mainly see fusion and modern Indian cuisine being served everywhere, whether it’s street food or global cuisine based fine dine.

How do you guarantee the authenticity of dishes?

We did an extensive research on each dish from the recipe books written at royal kingdoms. Our team of
chefs was trained by khansamas from different regions of the country, each an expert in respective regional cuisine. Each dish on the menu is prepared individually from scratch using the techniques used in the royal kitchens by the khansamas.

PRACHEEN INDIA BEFORE 1947

104, 1st floor, DDA Market, Kailash Hills, East of Kailash, Delhi 110065
Meal for two: Rs 1,600