CHEF OF THE WEEK

Grand Master Chef Mohammad Imran Qureshi is skilled in the art of preparing korma, salan, hehari, kaliyan and biryani to perfection, having honed his skills under his father Imtiaz Qureshi, an expert in traditional Awadhi cuisine.

Having worked with ITC Hotels, he has had the privilege of being part of Dum cuisine being recreated by his father. He has showcased his food at festivals in Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, Kuala Lumpur and many cities in India.

And as a culmination of years of experience and a hoary tradition behind him, he has successfully launched signature Qureshi restaurants in Oman and Malaysia.

In a candid conversation, he answers questions about himself and his work:

Your philosophy of food
Good, healthy, simple recipes will always create magic
Your favourite cuisine
Awadhi/ Lucknawi
Your idol
My father, Chef Imtiaz Qureshi
Your favourite spice
Saffron. It has great health benefits too
Your hot selling dish
Doodhiya Biryani and Lucknawi Qorma
Lessons learnt in the kitchen
Every day is a new day. Each day brings new challenges and hence new learnings
Passionate about?
My family, my food and my life
For your last meal on earth, what would you choose?
The divine grain called basmati. Definitely,it will be biryani

Koh-e-Awadh
Elegantly exposed lamb shanks, Dum cooked in cardamom-tinged juices and marrow, finished with saffron

Ingredients:
Lamb Shanks – 3
Ghee – 50 ml
Onions – 100 gm
Tomatoes – 60 gm
Ginger Paste – 10 gm
Garlic Paste – 10 gm
Brown Onion Paste – 20 gm
Bay leaf – 1 gm
Black Cardamom – 1 gm
Green Cardamom – 1 gm
Black Pepper – 1 gm
Chili Powder – 5 gm
Turmeric – 1 gm
Mutton Stock – 250 ml
Salt to Taste

Garnish
Ginger juliennes and coriander sprigs

Method of Preparation:
1. Take ghee in a lagan (vessel) Put whole spices.
2. Add onions and cook until they turn golden.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook it for a while.
4. Add lamb shanks. Cook for 45 minutes and keep stirring every five minutes.
5. Add rest of the spices and rich mutton stock. Mix well and cover with a lid. Let it cook for 20-25 minutes.
6. Once cooked, adjust the seasoning.
7. Put it in a serving bowl and garnish with ginger juliennes and coriander sprigs.