The dishes served at the royal courts of Hyderabad in India were a quaint amalgam of Turkish, Mughlai and Arabic influences but the final preparation was quintessentially Hyderabadi.
Purists indulging in Hyderabadi food, for instance will swear by the uniqueness of their biryani, a spicy version full of flavour but quite different from the spicy biryani variations that many southern Indian states claim as their own.
The same goes for haleem, that rich paste of lentils, wheat and meat. Seen in various avatars across northern India, the Hyderabadi version that uses the same basic ingredients is still a standout.
Over the years, many restaurants have tried to stake their claim on authentic Hyderabadi fare but few have truly mastered and fine-tuned their offerings to meet the requirements of discerning clientele and in as little time as Deccan Delight has. This UAE-based Indian restaurant that started operations in Ajman in 2018 and which recently launched a new branch in Sharjah, Al Nahda this year, came to fruition through the efforts of a few friends.
Hailing from Hyderabad and currently residing in the UAE, the founders of Deccan Delight are also self-confessed foodies, a fact amply reflected in the delicious food on offer at the restaurant.
Pure ingredients, soulful fare
Keeping the menu selective has allowed the brand to specialise in a dish that made Hyderabadi cuisine so popular in India and the world, the biryani. Deccan Delight arguably offers some of the most flavourful portions of Hyderabadi mutton and chicken biryani available in the UAE.
Simple and pure ingredients have never tasted so good, coming together to provide a symphony of flavour on the plate with aromatic rice and succulent portions of meat complementing each other with the help of spices that’s all part of a secret family recipe passed down through generations.
And it’s not just the biryani that makes restaurant visitors go weak in the knees.
The Deccan Delight menu is a smorgasbord of popular dishes from the region with chef recommendations including the Patthar Ka Gosht, essentially lamb slices sprinkled with pepper and tenderised with papaya that are marinated with spices and cooked to perfection on a stone slab over a coal fire.
The haleem at Deccan Delight is a masterclass in the art of slow cooking with pounded wheat and succulent mutton cooked for hours in a special blend of select spices and herbs, topped off with cashew and fried onions. Even its tea is special with the Dumdaar, as the name goes, packing a punch with spices and select ingredients from the royal kitchens of Hyderabad providing a truly special brew. Be sure to sample a cup.
Eat like a nawab
Deccan Delight constantly strives to maintain high levels of customer satisfaction by creating an inviting and comfortable dining environment for its guests. It successfully plates up that authentic taste of Hyderabad through meticulous planning and preparation by its chef and gracious support staff, and scintillating dishes that doff a cap to tradition. An ambitious roadmap for the future entails the brand using a franchise model for further expansion in the region and abroad as well, inspiring budding entrepreneurs in cultivating that entrepreneurial spirit so symbolic of UAE enterprise.
The nawabs of Hyderabad were food connoisseurs and exceptional hosts, entertaining their guests with exotic dishes served in an ambience that was warm and delightful. When you are at Deccan Delight, you eat like a nawab.
For reservations call Deccan Delight, Ajman on 06 768 2220 or the Sharjah branch on 06 522 3332
