Where do you get the best pathar ka gosht in UAE?

Have you ever eaten pathar ka gosht? If you have, you know your meat; if you haven’t, then you must definitely try it once — you’ll instantly like it. The very name of the dish conjures images of adventure, for it has its origins in the jungles of India. Pathar in Hindi/Urdu means stone; and gosht is meat. Pathar ka gosht translates as meat on stone. Traditionally, it is made by marinating lamb pieces in a blend of yoghurt, papaya paste, garam masala and grilled on a hot stone.

The Nizams of Hyderabad who hunted wild animals as trophy heads to adorn their palace walls or had the animal hides cushioning their thrones, usually had a retinue of helpers for such excursions. The environs offered no luxuries of the royal kitchen and the cooks had to explore ways to serve game grilled with whatever tools were available. Legend has it that pathar ka gosht was the result of such culinary hunting expeditions. The meat was roasted on a wood-fired stone slab and served mixed with spices and onion.

Today, the dish is mostly made of lamb. In a way it is similar to a kabab the main difference being pathar ka gosht is traditionally grilled on stone that is heated from below by glowing charcoal. Being a Hyderabadi from the South Indian state of Telangana (erstwhile Andhra Pradesh) there’s no doubt I like the famous Hyderabadi Biryani, but I equally like the melt-in-the-mouth pathar ka gosht, the delectable kebabs and all things that sizzle.

The carnivore in me is always on the prowl for such dishes and when I found my favourite stone-cooked meat item is available here in Dubai, there was no stopping me. First, I chanced upon Biryaniwalla & Co in Ghusais. They make an amazing pathar ka gosht. The tenderised and marinated lamb is cooked on a greased stone griddle. Reza Ashtarin of Biryaniwalla & Co says they use tender meat and fresh spices to make the silken dish. Their kebabs are great, too, and of course you can try their biryani as well.

Very few food courts in the malls in Dubai offer such Indian dishes. But one place where I don’t miss the food closest to my heart is Hyderabadi Dum Biryani outlet in Century Mall in the Mamzar area. Apart from their eponymously named dish, they serve delicious meat preparations that include kebabs and sizzlers. Ramana Reddy, who runs the restaurant, says he personally oversees the operations to ensure that only quality stuff is served and in hygienic conditions.

The latest on the scene, Nizamat Hyderabad Restaurant, who have their branches in Dubai near Ghubaiba bus stand, in Sharjah’s Majaz 2 area and one more in Abu Dhabi, are definitely worth visiting to try their pathar ka gosht, kebabs and biryanis. Quadri, an engineer-turned-restaurateur with over 15 years experience in the field and the brain behind the Mezbaan chain of restaurants, claims their pathar ka gosht lives up to its name as they use special stone slabs brought from Hyderabad that withstand the slow fire over long hours to ensure an authentic taste of the dish.

Tayeb Restaurant in Deira, Dubai, too serves several meat preparations. Their talawa ghosht is simply superb. A must try. In Sharjah, Morning Star Restaurant shines bright when it comes to serving authentic Hyderabadi kebabs including talawa gosht (fried mutton). They, too, are well known for their biryani. And it’s one place where you get Haleem, another famous Hyderabadi delicacy, round the year.

Pathar ka gosht, talawa ghosht, kebabs and the sizzlers at these places are served with either imli ka chutney (tamarind chutney) or green chutney made of green chilly, coriander and mint along with raita (yoghurt with cumin powder and boondi). They are best eaten with rumali roti, tandoori roti paratha or plain chapatis (Indian flat bread).