Zafar's recipes

This is a classic dish of the Hyderabadi Nizams. The Nizams rules Hyderabad and the Deccan plateau from 1724 to 1948, 224 years. Over...

A korma, or "quorma" is a traditional Mughal dish. These curries were standard in the Mughal courts and royalty as a sign of wealth. A...

Mirza Dawood Ali Khan was titled Jung Bahadur by the Nizam and was commonly referred to as Dawood Jung. He was one of the most colourful characters in Hyderabad's history. The family originated from Iran in the early 1800s and settled in Hyderabad. There was significant immigration from Persia during that period, driven by India's strong economy under the Mughal empire. They were traders and prospered in Hyderabad, building monuments and mosques. Dawood Jung, himself a successful businessman...

I was staying at the fabulous Amata Boutique Resort and had the opportunity to try this sambal on the elaborate breakfast buffet. I love...

This is a Mughal dish that has been attributed back to the reign of Babur in the 16th century. This version is slightly different from the Northern "Shahi Tukda" (meaning royal pieces), where the bread is also seasoned with other spices, particularly cardamom, and topped with cream or rabdi (sweetened cream), making it a much richer dessert. Both of these desserts are of Mughul origin and seemed to take on regional variations as they travelled across the sub-continent. The name Double ka...

A sattvic diet is one of healthy eating, vegetarian cuisine that avoids garlic and onions. In practice, a saatvik diet is supposed to...

Pre-desserts adapt your palate to go from savoury to the dessert section of a coursed dinner. They are always sweet, but also spicy...

This is a dish I remember from my childhood and love. It is not well-known in Hyderabad and is slowly being forgotten. The dish is...

Rice is a staple in Mexico and is served on every table. It is used as a stuffing for everything, including tacos, burritos, and other...

During the Eid celebrations, my grandmother always had a large bowl of sheer khurma ready, and I would sneak into the kitchen and have a...

I travelled with the cookbook author and authority on Chinese cuisine, Fuschia Dunlop, in the village of Dali in the Yunnan province. I...

As soon as chicken soup is mentioned I think of a nourishing light soup that is both nutritious and healthy. The soup brings back...

Charred is a flavour that is usually associated with grilled meats, but charred vegetables and even fruit are delicious. They are often...

I love kimchi, the Korean mainstay for pickled cabbage. It is crunchy, spicy and perfectly acidic. There is always a bottle in my fridge...

A chutney is an essential part of an Indian table. It can be spicy, savoury, sour, or sweet. It plays with all the major taste profiles...

One of the most intriguing spices in Mexico is tajin seasoning. In San Francisco, we had a large persimmon tree. Our gardener would pick...

When you walk into an Indo-Chinese restaurant in India, Hakka noodles are always on the menu, and every table orders a plate. It is a...

At the start of summer, the streets in the major cities, including Bangalore, are filled with vendors who sell push carts and boiled...

Every now and again I have a craving for mashed potatoes, especially with a steak or other grilled meat. It is comfort food at its core,...

These eggs go by many names, million-year, 1000-year or 100-year eggs. The folklore behind these eggs is from about 600 years ago during...