Niyaaz

Critic´s Review

• Food: 3.5 / 5
• Service: 3 / 5
• Decor: 2.5 / 5

-By Odette Mascarenhas

One communes with nature, with art, with the spirit. Now it’s Niyaaz (communion) with food. The communion of two colliding cultures resulted in a magnificent cuisine called Mughlai. It is showcased in this small, contemporary-designed restaurant in the heart of Panjim. The three dishes considered to be their house specialities are Kache Dum ka Biryani, Mutton Rogan Josh and Mutton Keema - Mughlai recipes cooked in Muslim homes and made famous in the district of Belgaum. Let’s take the Biryani. The cuisine of Awadh is the original cuisine which introduced Dum Pukht to the world. The ‘kacha’ (raw) mutton is marinated in freshly hand-ground spice. The pieces are then mixed with curd before being cooked in the kacha dum style with atta as a seal. This is known as purdah (veil), which becomes hard as the dish cooks. And as the lid is lifted from the handi the aroma will create a surplus of saliva that will accumulate in the oral cavity as the fragrance of an Avadhi repast floats in the air. The Mutton Keema - the finely minced meat delicacy is cooked in pure ghee with the basic Mughlai spices. The flavors of ginger, garlic and chilli hit the senses as the cooking takes place in the kitchens. The moist succulent meat is a must-have with parathas, especially the Reshami Parathas. Some specialties like Chicken Southe is the chef’s creation. Deep-Fried Chicken Satay with the chef’s own tri-combo sauce (schzewan, soya and peanut) is a chef’s recommendation. If your stomach craves for refreshment at some ungodly hour of the morn, when all other establishments in Panjim have downed their shutters, they are there to take care of that need. One can guarantee that at the end of the experience it will be a ‘communion’ with all the culinary senses.