Jashn E Dawat: Home Delivered Hyderabadi Platter from Anjum’s Kitchen

Among the well-known home chefs of Hyderabad, Naaz Anjum is a prominent name. Specializing in Hyderabadi cuisine, the food from her home-based setup Anjum’s Kitchen is extremely sought after among the food lovers in the city. She is often my go-to person to order food when I have parties at home. Apart from Hyderabadi delicacies, she also has expertise in other dishes from the Telangana region.

A textile engineer by training Naaznin (or “Naaz” as she is known) opted to bank on her passion for cooking, as circumstances forced her to a work-from-home situation. The five year old Anjum’s Kitchen delivers regular meals every day to monthly clients, caters for large and small parties as well as conducts appreciation courses of Hyderabadi cuisine for the interested.

Recently, a delegation of students from one of the top culinary institutes of USA was in Hyderabad in February to get deep insights into Hyderabadi cuisine. I was the coordinator of the visit to the city and took them around to many famous eateries of the Old city. But as per the participants, the highlight of the trip was the hands-on demonstration at Naaz Anjum’s place regarding how to prepare Zaffrani and Sofiyani Biryani.

Soon after, COVID and lockdown have brought in a gloomy scenario. Among the food lovers, the inability to go around the city enjoying the best food has further worsened the mental state. Though with Unlock 1.0 restaurants are open again, many are yet hesitant to visit at this point. But the urge to enjoy a sumptuous range of dishes still remains strong.

To address this need, Anjum’s Kitchen has launched “Jashn-E-Dawat”, a wholesome platter consisting of select dishes usually served at Hyderabadi feasts for marriages and other festive occasions. The platter priced at Rs 1500 (plus home delivery charges) can feed at least two people, and comes neatly packed in a box made of aluminium foil. 

The first item to try out from the platter is Marag, a sublime broth of mutton.  The dish can be had either on its own or along with the local naan. Anjum’s marag had the right amount of creaminess and spices, and as per my wife, it was the best dish from the platter.

Next, we went for the Chicken 65. The Hyderabadi boneless delicacy is a dish Naaz is known for as she is consistently good in making this. While Warqi paratha is the right combination for this, the platter had Rumali Rotis which were no less good as an accompaniment for the soft and spicy chicken pieces.

I rate the Gosht Dum Biryani of Naaz one of the best in town. No excessive spices like the street biryani shops in the city. The Mirchi ka Salan is a highlight too, a dish that can be lapped up on its own. The Dahi ka Raita is not watery either.

Dum ka Murgh is a popular dish for Hyderabadi functions, and the platter has this rich and spicy delicacy along with Dil Naan (the heart-shaped Hyderabadi bread which is a favourite for weddings). 

The dessert section is showcased through Khubani ka Meetha, the apricot based delicacy which is native to Hyderabad.

The beauty of food from Anjum’s Kitchen is the balanced taste of all their dishes. You will not find any overpowering elements in the spices. She has many other aces up her sleeve, and maybe over time, we may have more varieties of platters available from her.

Currently, the platter is available only on the weekends. You need to place prior orders (99082 43017) to grab the same.