I remember a familiar face in our neighborhood shopping arcade. Before the pandemic entered our lives, he could be seen standing in front of a small makeshift tandoor grilling chicken and fish tikkas for his loyal (and salivating) customers. The heady aroma of grilled food was always appealing, but I especially looked forward to it on autumn evenings, when the body was longing for something warm.
The gentleman hasn’t reopened his shop yet, but I hope he does. Thinking of those succulent tikkas from his little corner on a November evening, I started scouring the internet for suitable kebab and tikka outlets in my part of the city. I clicked on a place called ‘The Heritage of Awadh’ in Noida’s Sector 7 (D66), took a look at the menu, and decided it was exactly what I was looking for.
Two dear friends were coming over for tea and I hoped to convince them to stop by for dinner – along with a plate of kebabs. I bought one for Mutton Boti Kebab (₹290 per plate), Mutton Galouti Kebab (₹300 for six pieces), Chicken Malai Tikka (₹330), Varki Paratha (₹40 per piece) and Roomali Roti (₹20 each). Order entered. , Food was delivered through Swiggy in neat little boxes.
We thoroughly enjoyed dinner, even though our tea – with a bacon quiche (baked by guests), egg sandwich, mutton chops and almond cake – was rather heavy. The view of Galouti Kebabs and Parathas was breathtaking, so we relished Awadhi with pleasure.
Kebabs and Parathas
The kebabs were delicious, with a hint of nutmeg aroma in it. It was not as soft as Galouti could be, but I liked it that way. a little firm, it Does not break when touched, and goes well with parathas, which are mildly sweet, as is the case for making varki parathas. These parathas are different from normal layer parathas as the dough is kneaded with milk, giving it a pleasant taste.
Chicken Malai Tikka got pass marks. It was creamy, but not quite as memorable. I have eaten juicier tikkas in the little corners of Old Delhi. Boti Kebab was a surprise, it came wrapped in thick gravy, which was delicious again. I wiped down the gravy – rich, but not overly – with soft roomali roti. However, the next time I order from there, I will ask them to go easy on the red chillies. It colored the gravy and contributed to the flavor, no doubt, but left me tossing and turning all night.
Awadh’s legacy has its pros and cons. I was pleased with the pros, of course – the galouti with paratha won a high grade – and I am sure they will be able to optimize the chili factor for their customers. Meanwhile, I await the return of my friendly neighborhood tandoor – and the sound of grilled tikkas in the air.
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