BIR-NANA RAMA AT FIERCE

There's a new dish in town and it's Fierce! Enterprising restaurateur Herukh T.Jethwani's latest brainwave inspired him to combine his restaurant's famed Hyderabadi dum biryani with banana leaf thali to create the hybrid speciality of Bir-Nana.

Diners can choose either South Indian or North Indian Bir-Nana Set (RM20-RM26 each) comprising their choice of Biryani (vegetable, mutton or chicken; fish only on Fri), 5 vegetables of the day, rasam (spiced tamarind-based broth), chicken curry or vathal kulambu (spicy, tangy veggie stew), raita, achar, pappadam and kesari (South Indian sweetmeat made from semolina).

 

We highly recommend the Mutton Bir-Nana (RM26) as the biryani comes sealed with dough around the metal dum rim, to ensure all the enticing flavours of Fierce's trademark biryani remain intact. Once the lid is lifted, a whiff of the spices, meat and rice should leave you drooling. Trust me, the first spoonful of this sublime speciality will have you wanting more.

Fierce also serves both South and North Indian Thali (RM10 each) - a fab value-for-money rice set presented in stainless steel compartmentalised tray. Depending on whether you're going with South Indian (SI) or North Indian (NI), every thali features white rice or par-boiled rice or chapati, 5 veggies of the day (including fried bittergourd chips), chapati, sambar (SI) or dhal (NI), vathal kulambu (SI) or veg curry (NI), rasam, pappadam, salted fried chilli and kesari.

Fierce has also introduced a selection of North Indian delicacies for dinner. While we waited for the culinary team to rustle some of the house specials for our sampling, we munched on crispy Onion Pakoras (RM8). Crisp on the outside, the sweet tender rings - cooked to order from 3pm daily - helped us to work up an appetite.

From the tandoor comes one of KL's best Chicken Tandoori (RM14 for 1/4 chicken). Suffice to say our dining party had nothing but praises for the chicken which was suitably charred on the outside yet irresistibly juicy inside.

If you prefer boneless chunks of meat, the Kebab Palette (RM22) is a godsend with four different variants: Tandoori, Malai, Haryali & Kalmi to tempt you. The Malai Tikka tasted seductively rich and creamy due to its cream, cheese and cashew marinade while we relished the invigorating mint, garlic, ginger, yoghurt and spice accents of the Haryali Tikka. 

Gram flour, ginger, garlic, cashew and spices form the basis for the Kalmi Kebab, rendering the delectable meat with a profusion of palate-pleasing nuances. Similar options of prawn, fish and paneer are also available priced at RM22-RM32.

Pouffy naans pockmarked with slightly charred surfaces are deftly prepared here too. Grab a basket of Mixed Naan (RM12) to share. Besides the plain version, the assortment includes garlic, butter and coriander naans which go superbly with gravy-laden dishes.

Perfect examples of those include Orange Prawns (RM30) and the fail-safe Palak Paneer (RM20). The first has springy crustaceans bathed in lightly creamy and subtly sweet gravy but such inventiveness was eclipsed by the spinach and cottage cheese purée's bright lushness.

 

No less decadent was Butter Chicken (RM22) brimming with distinctly smoky tomato and spice overtones. Other notable specialities to consider range from skewers of tandoor-cooked Mutton Rogan Josh (RM25) and Aloo Bhindi (RM14), delightful spiced potatoes with chopped ladyfingers.

Want to wrap the meal up with something sweet? We thought the Roti Nutella worth nibbling on as one serving shared meant the calories were spread among friends. ;D

For reservations at Fierce Curry House, please call tel: 03-2202 3456 or 019-3830 945. The restaurant is located at 16, Jalan Kemuja, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

QURESHI - A ROYAL CULINARY PASSAGE TO INDIA

 

Dum - large claudrons filled with rice, meat, vegetables and spices then sealed and cooked to produce an unbelivably delicious one-dish meal to feed large groups of workers - was once a common dish until the 18th century Nawabs took a fancy to it. Fast forward to 200 years later, two brothers Mohammed Ashfaque and Mohammed Irfan Qureshi who are from the Nawabs' family of chefs rediscovered the secret of dum cuisine and refined it to majestic new heights.

The latest addition to the Qureshi restaurant empire is ensconced within the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club (KLGCC). Opened during Ramadan this year, director Muhammad Ahsan Ali Qureshi shares how his father have carved a hallowed reputation for himself as a chef over four decades, and his four other brothers are emulating the family scion. "I'm the only one out of the kitchen and in the frontline," says Ahsan with a smile.

 

 As we sampled the restaurant's house drinks: Thandai (RM15) - a refreshing blend of milk with cardomom, almonds and saffron; Ambi Panna (RM15) - a summer cooler of raw mango, cumin and mint; Nimboo Nariyal (RM15) - coconut lemonade with tender coconut and mint and Lassi (RM15) - mango with yoghurt, Ahsan delves into the secrets of Qureshi's success. 

Brothers-in-arms...Ashfaque & Irfan Qureshi

"What makes us different is our meticulous and elaborate cooking methods, using handpicked spice mixtures and royal recipes of Mughal empresses. Our battalion of chefs are specialists of different dishes: kebabs, tandoor specialities, briyanis and dums while consistency is ensured from the standard spice blends the brothers have formulated and are produced in the family's own spice factories in India. Having established our footing in India and the Middle East, we're planning to expand further to Singapore, Indonesia and Australia with KL serving as this region's main outpost."

Seated in the private dining room, we got a good view that encompasses the opulently furnished dining area that can seat up to 85 persons. Even at its busiest period, the noise is noticeably muted by the plush carpeting, curtain drapery and linen-clad tables.

The 'star' dish (for me at least) has to be Tandoori Chicken (RM35) - a whole spring chicken marinated in aromatic tandoori spices and grilled to perfection. The marinade's deep-seated accents have permeated the moist, juicy meat so thoroughly that the juicy meat tasted sublime.

 

 After hearing Ashan waxing lyrical about the dum speciality of Raan E Qureshi (RM100), our curiosity was satisfied when the leg of mutton arrived. Once the sealed dough wrapping encasing the mutton was removed, we caught wonderful whiffs of the meat. Unsurprisingly, the meaty chunks were fall-of-the-bone tender, having been marinated in malt vinegar for 24 hours. Stuffed with onion, cheese and mint then cooked dum-style for 2-3 hours, it was served with roasted mushroom.

Good enough to be eaten on its own, the pot of Dum Lucknowi Biryani (RM45) also came sealed under a layer of dough. Again, when the covering was removed, a most appetising aroma rose from the mound of fluffy basmati rice perfumed with saffron, spices and marinated lamb; enticing us to dig in with gusto.

Simmered in rich, bright vermillion tomato cream flavoured with fenugreek, the sumptuous Butter Chicken (RM35) tasted lush on the palate; the thick, unctuous gravy enveloping our palate with a multitude of sweet, savoury and spicy nuances.

We mopped up the irresistible sauce with crisp yet flaky Lache Paratha (RM12) - swirly, thin mint-flecked paratha. The delicious flat breads also paired splendidly with the signature Dal Bukhara/Qureshi (RM30) - mildly hot stewed black lentils with tomatoes and aromatic spices, finished with butter and cream. You can douse the heat somewhat with Raita (RM10) - the restaurant's classic side dish of homemade yoghurt with cucumber (diners also have a choice of boondi, pineapple, tomato, mint or potato).

Dessert is taken equally seriously here but they are worth returning for. Try the Classic Rasmalai (RM20) - cottage cheese dumplings in saffron and pistachio reduced milk which boasted a slightly crumbly texture at first bite but soon yielded to dulcet smoothness in a twinkling.

Our initial skepticism was banished upon a bite of the Warm Carrot Halwa (RM15). Made from coarsely grated carrot cooked in milk instead of sugar, it is complemented by some super creamy, mildly sweet pistachio kulfi.

Spongy without the usual cloying sweetness is Gulab Jamun (RM20). Presented in a cocktail glass filled with diced fresh fruits, it's the perfect treat to conclude your outing to Qureshi on a sugary high.

QURESHI - Ground Floor, East Wing, Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, no.10, Jalan 1/70D, Off Jalan Bukit Kiara, KL. Tel: 03-2011 1007. Opening hours; Daily except Mondays from 1130am-230pm; 630pm-1030pm.