Zaika-e-Nizamuddin Mughlai Food Festival Brings Mixed Flavours to Sheraton Hyderabad

A Mughlai food festival titled 'Zaika-e-Nizamuddin: The Flavours of Mughal' is currently underway at the Sheraton Hyderabad, running until July 19. Curated by Team Zaika-e-Nizamuddin, a collective of four women chefs, the event offers a curated thali format aimed at bringing the rich culinary heritage of Old Delhi to Hyderabad.

The festival has delivered a mixed experience for local diners. While some traditional dishes have succeeded, others have fallen short of expectations due to inconsistent execution.

Team Zaika-e-Nizamuddin has spent the last 12 years taking their Mughlai cuisine to various cities across India, including Mumbai, Delhi, and Kochi. Their showcase at the Sheraton Hyderabad features a compact thali format designed to highlight classic recipes. The team is known for their passion for preserving traditional recipes and sharing them with diners, alongside their warm hospitality.

The meal begins on a refreshing note with Mohabbat Ka Sharbat, a cooling drink. The main thali features a variety of dishes including Murgh Pulao, Panchmel Dal, Sabz-e-Nizamuddin, Shahi Paneer, Gosht Keema Palak, and Murgh Salan.

Among the highlights of the festival is the Gosht Keema Palak, paired with tandoori roti, which features well-balanced flavours and tender meat. The meal concludes with Kulhad Kheer, which emerged as a major highlight of the menu for being creamy and comforting.

However, other items on the menu did not consistently deliver the richness and complexity associated with Mughlai cuisine. The Murgh Pulao lacked depth and fragrant spices, making it taste rather bland. The Murgh Salan and Shahi Paneer also failed to leave a lasting impression. Additionally, the Chicken Shami Kebab starter had a soft texture but was heavily dominated by lentils, with very little chicken flavour coming through.

Despite the inconsistent execution of some dishes, the festival offers Hyderabad residents an interesting concept and a chance to experience a curated menu prepared by the enthusiastic culinary collective.