Chef Salim Javed of Mint Caterers
Interview by Tahira Khan
I had the wonderful opportunity to speak to The Founder and Creator of The Mint Catering Group over a coffee and speak to him about his passion for the food industry, how he got there and the highs and lows of his business journey. I also got to find out about how he got married in between all the restaurant ventures, the trips back and forth to Bangladesh and how his foodie time abroad has helped him achieve and master his final vision.
Tell me about your relationship with food as a child?
Well as a child I saw my mum cooking and heard good things about her cooking from back home in Bangladesh and I tried to get involved at home with her cooking, if she was cooking something I was on the side watching her and giving her ideas and then we would end up making something completely different altogether.
Growing up during the college years and my twenties
It started when I was at college studying for Business Studies as everyone did at the time and one of my uncles took me to his restaurants for some part-time work in Crawley (Brighton) in the early nineties when I was just twenty years old. It was the long holiday period when I started there six days a week. There was many other staff there chefs, caterers from the older generation and they pushed me into a higher position, so I started at front of house for a good few months, and then after three months my uncle said he was going to get married and I had to run the restaurant, so I was literally thrown into the deep end. I was put under a lot of pressure but I took charge of the running of the kitchen and front of house but I was enjoying it at the same time. I loved seeing the food come to life and was very involved with food giving different ideas to the chefs, like why don’t you add this or that and I ended up changing the recipe every time (laughs).
So what was your first Business Venture?
I took some time out to work out what I really wanted to do, and all I knew was that I enjoyed working with food but still not sure exactly what. But I needed to do something for myself to stand up on my own feet as my family was suggesting and also putting on the pressure to get married. But I went in a complete different direction from the catering sector and at the time in the mid 90’s there was a growing popularity in becoming a driving instructor and owning a driving school you know like BSM, I had to get serious about things now. So my first venture was completely off track, I managed to get a few friends and business partners together and invested in the business of owning a driving school, even though I wasn’t a qualified driving instructor. By four months we had about thirty cars, it was doing really well, I felt that the business was well established and on its feet so that’s when I left my partners in charge of the business and travelled to Bangladesh to finally go and find a wife.
Beginning married life
When I was in Bangladesh I stayed there for quite a few months to decide who I wanted to get married to, it was a long process of checking out potential brides and I didn’t like some of the aspects of the traditions. My mother on the other hand was quite good who gave me plenty of time to choose as I wished, and then I knew I had to stay a long time to make a decision and choose the right person but I wasn’t happy with the choices given to me, Then through a friend I met a girl who I eventually liked. My mother got fed up after six months and said “right I think we have had enough time now, have you made a decision otherwise we are heading back to the UK”. It was at that point I said I had someone in mind, from thereon it was a very fast process of checking out the family background, arranging the marriage date through my family, it took about six months altogether.
After my return
When I arrived back to the UK and after seeing a decline in the driving school over a few months, it didn’t work out due to many reasons and I ended up becoming in debt and had to sell all the cars. I tried to save the business but it was better to close it down. I needed to do something and the only thing I knew was catering. But the thing I hated was alcohol and I wanted to avoid that, even though my uncle’s offered me a decent percentage of the profits, but deep down it wasn’t right for me. Then I was offered another restaurant management project after staying there for a week I decided that it needed a complete restructure to get it back upto standard again, that’s what I have been doing for the last 8-9 years. During that period I started going back into the kitchen again and began changing the menu again by chopping and changing things around like I did with my mum just a bit of innocent experimenting here and there. I then discovered that no one in the food industry has traditional home-cooked menus, instead they all had a gravy base. There wasn’t anything like home-cooked fusion dishes. One dish was chicken with tarragon that I created. Then there is a traditional Bengali lemon called the ‘Shatkora’ that originates from Sylhet, I created specialty based curries from that fruit and it had such an amazing response from the customers.
Managing Joint Ventures
A couple of my friends had a restaurant and catering company and I was called in there to help restore the restaurant after the success of the last project.
I looked into that project and the first thing I said was taking out the alcohol bar and shorten the menu with just a few authentic dishes not twenty. We also looked into the wedding sector and introduced the waiter service, crockery and cutlery into the Asian catering industry rather than the plastic disposables used in local community centres at the time and over time we became the local Bengali household name in the community for Asian wedding catering. There was even someone who came from Bristol who wanted to print our name in the invitation in recognition of the reputation and prestige we had. I always wanted to do something big, so during that time
I made a business plan to create a banqueting hall. I took ownership of The Leyton Town Hall, which I planned to call ‘Entourage X’ a multi functional wedding banqueting hall, restaurant and on site catering. It was closed for ten years. It was a great listed building and had lots of potential but in 2011 I lost out big time due to the issues from the conservation officers which were really delaying the opening and it was resulting in huge debts of rents mounting up and I had to sell assets back home to pay everything off. It was the worst time loss for me in many things. It was better to let it go, it was a really tough time, I was lost, but after that I headed to Bangladesh again for a long break and disconnected from everything and everyone.
The Turning Point
By 2009 I had left the partners to leave to go on a long foodie trip to India, North Bangladesh, The Middle East, Goa and Calcutta again. I tried all sorts of food, from street food to fine dining and taster sessions with the best 4-5 Star Chefs. I started getting involved again with the ideas and recipes and still loved it. Then I finally came back with a light bulb moment and `I knew that catering and cooking was my passion every single time.
One of my good acquaintances was trying to track me down with a banqueting hall project in Tunbridge Wells. When they finally got hold of me they asked me to join there venture and I agreed to manage the project for a while to help them out but I knew it was temporary and I was still going to have another sustainable business that’s when I finally started up “Mint Caterers” with my business partners who I want to thank for there help, they are; Safiul Alam, Abu Taher, Shahedur Rahman, and Jahangir Hasan Mintu, who all collaborated the new business concept based upon the aroma and taste of the mint leaf that is used in food and beverages. They have all been amazing and thank God we are doing very well. We have put our business heads together and achieved to gain the credibility of many of the top 5 Star Hotels such as The Hilton, Chigwell Marquees, Radisson Group, Fennes Estate and many more by providing a bespoke catering service for all occasions and all people not just the Asian community and it has worked out really well, thanks to God. My future plan is to keep doing this and expanding within the hotel sector for another few years and then I plan to retire and relax finally inshallah.
Mint Caterers
13 A Rigg Approach, Leyton, London E10 7QN
Phone: 020 3302 7870
www.mintcaterers.co.uk
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TURNING OVER A NEW BAYLEAF
Ask Tofozzul Miah for the secret of his success in more than 30 years in the restaurant business and he’ll tell you that the answer is simple.
“You have to keep ahead of the game and constantly reinvent yourself – or you won’t maintain your advantage over the competition,” he tells me at his Bayleaf restaurant in the bustling north London suburb Whetstone.
As if to emphasis his point, a few yards away from our table his staff are taking part in a demonstration of some state-of-the-art, computerised kitchen equipment.
“Our approach is simple,” he adds proudly. “We look to combine the freshest natural ingredients with the latest man-made technology, so that we can serve our customers a menu that is both imaginative and of a consistently high standard. This includes using all of the latest equipment at our disposal.”
Hence there are traditional dishes such as Grandma’s Dum-Biriyani (‘just like it’s cooked in rural Indian villages’) to the fusion duck-based dish Battakh, where the subtle combination of ingredients and spices lives up to the label ‘where east meets west.’
Trying to get the full Bayleaf experience, we sampled a blend of chicken, meat, fish and vegetable dishes and found each one a cut above your average Indian restaurant fare.
That went for the mixed starters all the way through to the tasty fish and lamb mains. All were all expertly flavoured, clearly demonstrating the restaurant’s penchant for fresh ingredients and home made spices.
With anything up to 100 covers on a busy night – it’s clear that Bayleaf’s loyal customer base are more than happy to spend in the region of £30-£35 a head for a quality meal in high quality surroundings.
The restaurant’s success is a testament to hard work and overcoming any obstacles that my come your way, says Mr Miah.
“It has to be a passion not just a job,” he adds, “If I’d given up in my early days, when I started a restaurant in south London that was simply in the wrong location, I wouldn’t have had the success I’m experiencing today.”
That success is not just demonstrated by the quality of the food and service on offer at the Bayleaf – but also by Mr Miah’s standing in the restaurant community, where he has held prominent positions in the British Bangladeshi Catering Association.
He is also a founding trustee of the local Bangladeshi Welfare Society of Barnet – while, more recently, taking on the “completely new yet enjoyable experience” of presenting the Channel S live Restaurant Talent Show.
Just shows that constantly striving for improvement – turning over a new leaf whenever you can and keeping up with the latest developments – definitely pays dividends.
Bayleaf Restaurant is at 1282 High Road, Whetstone, London N20 9HH Tel: 020 8446 8671 – www.bayleaf.co.uk
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SECRET IS IN THE SPICE
“My secret is in the spice.” And for multi award winning County Durham chef, Syed Zohorul Islam, that magic mix won him another spectacular accolade as he was recently traveling to Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta) India, as part of the Taste of Britain Curry Festival team.
That accolade came for the Executive Chef at the Capital restaurant in Durham while he was flying the flag for the British Curry from the North East of England at the Raaj Kutir Hotel, Kolkata, India, where he and three other curry chefs showcased their Best of British popular high street favourite dishes in the city where the curry trail of Great Britain originally started from.
Syed, 56, at this prestigious food festival served up a variety of dishes – his speciality lamb, chicken, duck and fish dishes. Of course the classics favourites such as Chicken Tikka masala, Zalfrezi and Balti dishes were also on the menu.
With a string of prestigious awards under his belt, his passion for cooking, inventiveness and creativity has taken him to British curry promotion from London to Ljubljana, Manchester to Madrid and Durham to Dhaka.
From his grandmother’s humble home in Sylhet, Bangladesh, where he first discovered his love of cooking. Syed has steadily climbed the ladder of success since coming to England at the age of 16, learning his trade at his uncle’s restaurant in Sunderland – the city which is home to him, his wife and family of five.
But he says of his latest trip to Kolkata, India, where he was a part of the Taste of Britain Curry Festival team was “a real challenge.”
That’s because as he explained: “Kolkata was once the proud capital of the British Raj in India and it also has a big Anglo-Indian community and of course this is a city which was home for Nobel Laureate Mother Theresa.
“We gave our diners the best of British. The diners of the city of Kolkata are not unfamiliar with British tradition and culture, so we all had to do our very best and something different.
“We had a great team to India this time. I have really enjoyed working with Michelin Star chef Mark Poynton from Cambridge, who was part of the delegation. It is always a pleasure to work with a chef from the mainstream of British food scene. I have already started to experiment with some of chef Mark’s recipes from the Cambridgeshire Cookbook he presented to me.”
Syed is immensely proud of his achievements as a chef. His restaurant the Capital is based in the Claypath of Durham, stone through away from the University of Durham and Durham Cathedral.
As this is a top university city many of his Restaurant customers are students and visitors to this great historic city.
Syed has an enthusiastic team to ensure all his diners are treated with best food and services.
Syed says, “to run a good restaurant you need a top team. And if you have a top team then you have a top restaurant “Because of the great team effort for past 18 years, the Capital Restaurant has gained a dedicated following of customers who travel regularly from Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Washington even from Stockton on Tees.”
The most popular dish at the Capital is Zalfrezi because it’s not too hot and not too mild yet with a little kick. However, from every September like new in takes at the University, new dishes are added on the menu and a selection of main courses rotated with the seasons, giving customers fresh delights to tickle their taste buds.
The Capital Restaurant is very much a family business with his nephew and business partner Shibir Miah, managing Front House and overall business.
Syed Islam and Shibir Miah have together replicated success of the Capital Restaurant a mere stone’s throw away in the city’s Market Place where they are also running The Spice Lounge restaurant.
Both restaurants serve up the same award winning formula which Syed knows their customers love – the traditional flavours of Bangladesh combined with modern Indian fusion dishes, his exclusive, speciality dishes of aromatically spiced spring lamb, duck cooked in tamarind and honey sauce, his delicately flavoured Chicken Korma and mouth-watering salmon and King Prawn fusions.
The hallmark of this innovative chef’s success is all down to the fact that he is always “thinking and experimenting.” And that has also won him an enviable reputation as a first class wedding cook, catering for hundreds of people at a time throughout the North East of England.
Shibir Miah, says: “He is very passionate about what he does and he loves coming up with new dishes and he is very consistent in his cooking as well.”
Such success is all down to his skilful cooking, impressive creativity and of course that secret spice mix, of which Syed says: “It’s a secret I can’t tell.”
The Capital Restaurant, 69 Claypath, Durham DH1 1QT Tel: 0191 386 8803 www.capitalindian.co.uk
Shozna of Chef Jamal Uddin
Offers eye-watering tandoor lamb chops
Traffic hurtles past the busy throughfare that is the Maidstone Road. If motorists knew that a culinary delight was located here, they might slow down. Maybe even take a pit stop and sample some of the glorious food on offer here.
The historic town of Rochester draws in many visitors from overseas, with a roaring tourist trade. Unlike many holiday hotspots, the cuisine of Rochester has not suffered. Usually, tourist fare is a quick, tasteless and bland affair. Nothing could be further from the truth about Shozna, a veteran of some eleven years in the county of Kent.
This Indian eaterie does not have an easy task. Their challenge is to appeal to loyal locals as well as the tourist trade, who are often just after a quick bite to eat before jetting off on trains, planes or automobiles.
Chef Jamal Uddin Ahmed and his brother pride themselves on pushing the boundaries of Indian cuisine. Sure, they cater to the chicken tikka masala crowd, but also to those with a discerning palate. As a seasoned eater in the best restaurants that the UK capital has to offer, I have to say that Shozna’s lamb chop, ample and tender, puts to shame some of the more famous London restaurants, with their steaming, eye-watering tandoor lamb chops, piled high on large metal salvers.
Here, the lamb shank chettinad was a generous portion of meat, and the animal it came from must have been born from a herd of giants. It sat plump and inviting, surrounded by a glistening sauce which hits you with a Marmite-like tang. The meat is tenderised to perfection by grating raw papaya skin, which is made into a paste and then added to the marinade.
The upstairs restaurant is for fine dining, booked by couples, family or friends wanting a special night out. Recently decorated, three sparkling, huge glass chandeliers glitter spectacularly from the ceiling, giving off a nightclub vibe enhanced by the subtle pink under lighting of the bar. The décor is lifted by the addition of well-chosen Indian antiques.
Mirrors with wooden frames which were once part of grand palaces and temples now grace the walls. Figures of female deities strike graceful dancing poses from niches set above well-upholstered banquettes and tables. Only the timber frames attached to the ceiling remind us that we are in an olde-worlde part of England, in the former King’s Arms pubs.
For me, the starters are the stars of the menu. The nimbuwali jhinga is not to be missed. The huge king prawns marinated in lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon grass, yoghurt, honey and garlic, brings out the marine taste of the seafood rather than overpowers it. Particularly pleasant were the shells, burnt black to give a charcoal crunch. A bite of mango offers a juicy palate cleanser.
Best presentation goes to the murgh tiranga, a triumphant trio of chicken tikka – two of breast meat – one of thigh. The latter was a meaty pleasure, with a powerful earthy flavour. A treat to the eye with its reddish-pink curls of onion adorning the chicken.
The coriander fish is a light, engaging dish, made with green chillies, garam masala, coconut milk – and no surprise here – coriander. Excellent accompaniments are phaldhari naan, packed with fruit and nut, so adding a crunchy sweet contrast to the tender fish. Specially created is the Shozna naan, a good choice for pizza lovers as it has a lavish layer of sun-dried tomato and basil. Many of the dishes are mild, so you won’t get a curry so hot it blows your head off, unless you specifically ask for it.
You can feel the passion, excitement and dedication that the brothers bring to the table. I would say it’s one of Kent’s best-kept dining secret, but it’s not. People come from miles away to eat here. If you want to sample these wonderful dishes, do book a table early.
SHOZNA
153 Maidstone Road,
Rochester ME1 1RR,
Kent Tel: 01634 847847
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Nahid Hassan launches first cookbook
Restaurateur and chef Nahid Hassan, who owns Shanti group of restaurants in Stockholm, launched his first cookbook in the Swedish capital in October. “Vego Curry” in Swedish, which translates into “Veg Curry” comprises of ‘Indian and Bengali recipes’ prepared from scratch, just as they are prepared in India and Bangladesh.
“The vast majority of Indian restaurants in Sweden actually make Bengal food, and it’s now time for the Bengali food to be properly introduced in the Swedish home cooking,” said Nahid Hassan. “Among the 60 selected recipes are classics like korma, tikka and daal, and many other great dishes – from breakfast to bread and sweet dishes,” he added.
Through the book, one can learn how to make their own blends of spices, prepare vegetables and relish some freshly-made home-cooked food. “You get an insight into how the true family meal works and what you need at home to quickly cook up a tasty meal,” he said.
The 160-page cookbook can be bought from his restaurants or directly through the retailer. The content covers an area that has so far been sparse among Swedish cookbooks. With side dishes such as bhajji, different kinds of sauces, chutneys and raitas, Nahid Hassan introduces the world to a completely different experience of Bengal food culture.
Hassan opened his first Indian and Bengali restaurant – Shanti Classic in Stockholm in 2000. Following its success, he now runs five others – Shanti Soft Corner, Shanti Touch of Bengal, Shanti Gossip, Shanti Ultimate and Shanti Culture Club. The latest Shanti Culture Club can be called a “meat-free” restaurant as it serves only vegetarian, fish and seafood-based dishes.
Nahid has won several international awards for his restaurants and entrepreneurship and believes in understanding the importance of food and culture and how they are related. “Some people don’t know what they are serving in their restaurants. Food helps in connecting different kinds of people and various cultures and being in this industry, it is the biggest advantage.” He also won the Best in Europe Category/Best in Bengali Vegetarian Restaurant Category for Shanti Culture Club, Stockholm at the Curry Life Magazine Annual Awards 2018.
Dhaka Regency
British Bangladeshi Entrepreneur Who Made It Big
Story of a Non Resident Bangladeshi (NRB) Hotel Project, Dhaka Regency is inspiring changes in Hospitality Business in Bangladesh.
British Bangladeshi Entrepreneur, Musleh Ahmed, has a brilliant story of taking initiative and making ideas happen. With a group of NRB investors and entrepreneurs, he founded Dhaka Regency Hotel in 2007. Now a decade later, this has evolved into a thriving Hotel enterprise including over 400 members of staff.
What does it take to build a company from scratch? Why do people start things and build things? What motivates entrepreneurs? Musleh Ahmed in a candid conversation with Editor in Chief of Curry Life Magazine, Syed Nahas Pasha, opens up about his journey so far – the umpteen challenges, followed by success. Several international 5-star hotel chains breezed into Bangladesh in the last few years but only a handful have really made their mark from scratch. The luxurious Dhaka Regency is an example of the latter. Established in April 2007, as ‘a destination of indulgence’, this prominent hotel promises to deliver the best service in the industry. Despite all the hardships, Mr Musleh Ahmed stands tall, keen to bring better and bigger opportunities in the hospitality industry to Bangladesh. He is also
actively involved in Non-Resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) activities in Bangladesh and UK.
Born in Sylhet, Bangladesh and brought up in the UK, Musleh graduated with an honour’s degree in Marketing & Management from London Guildhall University. He is now the Chairman of Dhaka Regency Hotel & Resort Limited, which he founded in 2007. The exquisite hotel has 225 guest rooms including suites, where the décor and design is splendid and attention to detail noteworthy. There are few multi cuisine restaurants — Grandiose Restaurant, Grill on the Skyline (roof-top restaurant), Comfee Lounge, Club 13, Shisha World, and other facilities such as an authentic Thai spa and salon, health club and gym, and a spectacular roof top swimming pool.
After successfully running the business for 12 years, with an impressive cash dividend of 22 per cent to investors last year, Musleh is pleased with the phase the business is at. “The project took off well on time as we had the investments coming in sooner than expected. There was some hindrance from locals who thought we were being unrealistic in terms of our timeline, but we were determined to do it,” he says, highlighting, “We are in the process of going to the capital market to raise money and expand. We are all very positive about going public and looking forward to expand and grow.”
Starting Point
The idea of getting into a hotel business was completely out of the blue. Musleh and his friend, Arif Motahar, who moved back to Bangladesh while working for BRAC, brainstormed on various ideas while trying to discover opportunities. However, when this project came along, they both knew this was the challenge they were looking for. “It was a big dream, a huge challenge. I was 28, and Arif was about 32 then. Neither of us had taken up anything as challenging before in our lives,” he recalls.
Weighing various options to devise investment plans, is crucial to every business. “Going to the bank was an obvious option but I am a strong believer of networking. Hence my plan was to look for investors and set up a consortium. So rather than going to the bank, we brought together a pool of people – most of them Non-Resident Bangladeshis (NRBs).”
Musleh drew this idea from his past experience where he worked as the General Secretary of Graduate Forum, a London-wide project, based out of Tower Hamlets. “We worked with young graduates, guiding them as they embarked on a new journey. We organised conferences, encouraged youngsters to network through professional groups for lawyers, accounts, business consultants and so on. I wanted to apply this to my hotel business too,” he elaborates.
“So, we created a consortium and invited people to chip in as shareholders – small portions of investments from interested parties rather than one big chunk from the bank. Many NRBs and restauranteurs came forward, making us the pioneers of NRB consortium on this grand a scale. We then knew we could achieve the unachievable,” he adds.
Words of Wisdom
Musleh had a very strong message for the younger generation, his one and only message was loud and clear. “Focus on your education as that’s your foundation. If you want to be successful, you have to finish your graduation at least,” he says, adding, “If you’ve not completed your education, at some stage in life, you will see that is becoming your biggest barrier for progression in life. I know people rely on different skills and talent, so education is not the parameter to do well. However, it is very important to complete your education.”
Sharing a few takeaways from his experience working with a large workforce, the entrepreneur has few advices for investors. “You have to be very committed to the purpose. You cannot achieve the desired results by living in one place and managing people or a company from another – at least not in the initial days. For this you must have good business planning, know the feasibility and work out costs,” he elucidates, as he reveals his desire of writing a book to share all his experiences.
“Secondly, you should be ready to deal with the problem like a local and if need be, with the help of locals. You need to employ the local expertise to help you deliver. Start with the right partners, with common objectives and people who are the right wavelength as you’ve got to deal with plenty of challenges,” he says, adding, “Lastly and more importantly, if you see someone growing, encourage them rather than pulling them down. The country is not full of problems, there are opportunities as well.”
Chasing Dreams
With over ten years of experience as a banker, business advisor and a social entrepreneur, Musleh always wanted to pursue his own business project but waited for the right time and looked to gain more experience. He assisted in creation of many successful business ventures in UK and Bangladesh. “In the banking sector, I worked for Natwest and Llyods TSB, following which I moved to voluntary sector organisations. My first project was at EMEP (Ethnic Minorities Enterprise Project), European-funded projects that help local SMEs, this one primarily focusing in the Brick Lane area.”
“Through the restaurant regeneration projects, we ran the Brick Lane Curry Festival, the Brick Lane festival annually for which I was the program manager. Few years later I started my first venture, a store named Aarong, selling products made by rural artisans in Bangladesh.”
Aarong traded handicrafts which were made by Bangladeshi women, who were supported by BRAC – world’s biggest NGO based in Bangladesh, with a mission to empower them. During the time, travel was intensive and Musleh made the most of it. “Since I was born in Bangladesh and brought up here in the UK, I loved going back to Bangladesh. There was so much to learn, know and explore about the culture and life there,” he says. “Visiting the production lines in rural parts of the country every 3-4 months was very interesting as I learnt something new every time and I made a lot of friends as well,” he adds.
After 10 years of business, the store located off Valence Road in East London, was shut down due to decline in demand and crowded markets. On the brighter side, the frequent travel to Bangladesh sparked a fresh business idea – to establish a lush and lavish hotel in the South Asian country’s capital.
Not All Rosy
Bringing people from various walks of life can be a daunting task. “The entire process taught me a great deal. The concept of investors and consortium and how it works was not something everyone understood. There were so many people coming from different backgrounds and level of understanding and the with the size of the project, it wasn’t easy,” he explains, adding, “For example, interference in daily business disrupted the functioning of the operations. Initially some people’s attitude was like as they owned the hotel. They failed to understand it is a huge project with over 400 people working together, unlike a family-run business. The day-to-day operations are carried out professionally, in a planned and systematic manner.”
“So, it became critical to make them understand as shareholders, they should just concentrate on the returns and not interfere with the operations. The board makes the decisions. I’m a chairman of the company but I don’t get involved in daily operations. You have a team of people who are professionally running the show, executing their job responsibilities,” the entrepreneur adds.
Another crucial aspect was the upcoming boom in hotel industry. “Bangladesh only had a couple of 5-star hotels, that too owned by government. We can proudly say we were the first privately owned 5-star hotel in Bangladesh, at that scale. There were a few privately owned hotels in Bangladesh, but none with all the facilities we had.”
“Now there are number of international brands coming into Bangladesh after us, so it’s like we paved the way for them. We have top brands like Le Meridian, Radisson and many others. This in itself is a huge achievement,” he affirms.
With the growing number of hotels, the market is getting more competitive. “When we went into the market there weren’t too many choices, like these days. Now with the entrance of many popular chains, we are expecting at least 1500 more rooms end of next year in the market. So that’s a huge market supply coming in.”
Domestic Tourists vs International Travellers
Bangladesh has some beautiful towns, natural reserves and seaside locations that can be turned into tourism spots. In the present scenario, almost 97 percent of tourists are domestic. Incidentally, the government too has noted it and set aside a sizeable budget for the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality. Therefore, the scope for international tourism is huge.
“The potential for international tourism is enormous. This is certainly a good opportunity for us — resorts and hotel owners. Recently at the Gulf and Indian Ocean Hotel Investors’ Summit 2019 in Dubai, hoteliers particularly from countries in the Indian Ocean region united with business leaders, developers and key decision-makers, to discuss issues, strategies and developments in the hotel industry. It was a great experience for me as I was there for the second year talking about the Bangladesh market,” the entrepreneur shared.
Speaking about domestic tourists, Musleh reveals, “Recently, we opened a Tea lounge in Sylhet –a place where you can just hang out or have meetings, just as a small project and the response is amazing. At the moment, there are not many international brands in Sylhet – there is a Moven Pick coming up near the airport which is expected to open soon. Like Sylhet, there are many districts across the country which can be developed in tourist places.”
Eco tourism is an upcoming and entirely new approach to travelling, which Musleh strongly supports. Resorts and hotels which opt for this help preserve the natural beauty, appreciate cultural and natural history of the environment, and create economic opportunities for local people. “There are lots of beautiful places like Sundarban, Bandarban, Rangamati etc. My plan is to have package tours from the hotel to take visitors around. These are experiences which children, teenagers and all age groups will appreciate,” he explains, pointing out how some youngsters, who travel to Bangladesh, don’t enjoy the experience of going back to their roots.
Promote ‘Made in Bangladesh’
With eco-tourism, comes the advantage of increasing employment opportunities. In a bid to promote Bangladesh-made products after having experimented it at his lounge in Sylhett, Musleh says, “I don’t want to import anything from China. I’m confident we can manufacture everything in Bangladesh itself. Rural artisans can do an excellent job if they are given proper guidance and incentives.”
He applies the same theory to hospitality training institutes too. “In order to meet demand of growing number of resorts and hotels, we intend to open more training institutes. Currently, we are running a hospitality training institute in Dhaka — Regency Hospitality Training Institute (RHTI), which is one of the leading institutes in the country and accredited and affiliated with international bodies. We’ve trained over 2000 people, many are working across the country, while some are employed abroad.”
At the start, it was a struggle for Musleh to find trained and skilled staff. “Initially we survived on people returning with experience from Middle East, staff who worked in top hotels in Dubai and Saudi Arabia. But now it’s the other way around. We have our former staff working in Atlantis The Palm and other top places, so it is a matter of pride for us.”
Upcoming Projects
More than happy to rally around his community and people, Musleh says, “I will certainly invest more in Bangladesh. I’m getting a lot of experience and exposure and understanding the market better. My primary focus will be the hospitality industry as that’s where most of my experience lies, but I don’t mind looking at other sectors too.” Talking about projects in the pipeline, “We will be opening our next in Cox’s Bazaar, which is on a seaside location; then there is another one in Sylhet and a third project in Dhaka,” he says. About the branding, he elaborated, “The one in Cox’s Bazaar is named Cox Regency, Dhaka one is Dhaka Regency. In Sylhet, we are also looking at opening another training institute branch.”
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Beverage Baron Bharat Bharania makes it big
Running a success full business has been a dream come true for Leicester-based British-Indian Bharat Bharania. He speaks to Curry Life Editor in Chief Syed Nahas Pasha about his enthralling journey and shares all it takes to scale new heights.
A strong believer of ‘there’s no shortcut to success’, Leicester-based British-Indian Bharat Bharania has made it big in the UK with this winning formula. Starting off with less than four hundred pounds, Bharat has propelled his business to greatness, almost from nothing. He left behind his family property and assets in Uganda, before he arrived in UK with his mother, brother and four sisters in 1972. He began school and part time work in Leicester, a year before he touched teenage.
“My first job was at a chips shop, where I used to carry sacks of potatoes, put them into the peeler and then the chopping,” he recollects. “It wasn’t one of the most friendly times – bullying and racism was rampant back then. Now when I look back, I think it just makes you stronger. Because of everything you have gone through, you become more street wise, smart and bold.”
A confident Bharat then went on to pursue an apprenticeship (in Heavy Goods Vehicle) for 4 years. After a few years and some experience in retail business, Bharat moved to Greece for two years. “As a trader, I sold rice, grains pulses to those based in the shipping industry – most of the workers in the shipping industry were from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Philippines and as these items form their staple diet, business was brisk. Greece, during those times was No. 1 in the shipping industry, so we were supplying in bulk to ship chandlers & super markets,” he explains.
“In 1996 we incorporated Inter-Trading Leicester Limited. Prior to that, we were functioning as Inter-Trading Sole Trader. In 1998, I moved back to Leicester from Greece and took up Mythos Beer agency. My focus, by then was, primarily getting into wholesale of beer, wine and spirits, to on-trade businesses,” he says, adding, “We have been distributing nationally to wholesalers and deal in direct retail business-to-business. We also export to other countries.
When asked if a fresh start in Uganda, in terms of business, was on the cards, since he was born there and spent a significant part of his childhood there, he elucidates, “There are plenty of opportunities, but the major problem is that the currency fluctuates tremendously and there’s strong foreign exchange control in those countries. Previously, I used to export to Uganda. In fact, I speak Swahili, Gujarati and Hindi.” This did not come as a surprise. With grandparents, parents & wife from Gujarat, there’s not one but many reasons for Bharat to keep going back to India.
Bharat’s current business ventures include Inter Trading Limited (in UK) and Volta Investments, which is involved in commercial farming in West Africa. But his largest investment so far has been in the warehouse (the second one) he bought about 17 years ago. Spanning about 28000 square feet altogether, with 10 full-time employees.
“At any particular time, We have warehouse full of beers, wines, liquors, beverages, alcoholic and non alcoholic,” says Bharat, whose brother and nephew (brother’s son) are his support system in his businesses.
Like other industries, the market has changed massively for the beverage industry. The purchasing power has escalated and so has the demand for a mix of different brands and multiple choices. “When we first started, we were dealing with less than 100 SKUs. With growth, the focus changes. Once you stock a product, you are expected to sell all other similar kinds of products. For example, if you go to buy tea, you expect them to stock milk and sugar. You don’t go to four different places. Similarly, when you’ve got a bigger range, one product helps sell the others.”
Asked about his favourite brand, Bharania says, “We have all the big brands, however, the best is from Britvic. As a supplier they understand our business therefore with each others support we try and stock every brand of theirs.” For him, craft beers is just a fad like RTDs (Ready to Drink) and he believes in stocking as many brands as possible. “RTDs were big once upon a time but now flavoured ciders has taken over the market. Similarly, craft beers sell mostly within the M25 area.”
The 57-year-old businessman believes in having a healthy competition. “Competition is good. It keeps you on your toes. You’ve got be smarter than smart to make money and be successful.”
Expanding his business is next on Bharania’s agenda. “We are always looking to grow the business. If there are any opportunities, we definitely give it a good thought,” he reveals, adding, “We have a wide range of beverages, probably about a thousand different ones or maybe over. Hence, the expansion is going to be within the drinks industry as you’ve got to stick with your trade. The idea now would be to buy somebody out – smaller companies, perhaps, so you get the instant results.”
The country is left in a lurch with pro and anti-Brexit talks but Bharania remains unruffled. “It is very hard to predict how good or bad Brexit is going to be for the country. Businesswise, if one door is shut, other doors can open. Maybe if UK starts doing trade deals with Commonwealth Countries – there are 53 nations – so that can mean a lot of business and many more opportunities. In short term, it’ll be hard, but in the long term, it will work. Whoever is the smartest will get the opportunity.”
He shares similar views about recession too. “There’s no recession. For me, it is as if opportunities are like one huge cake – all this time the just few nations had most of the cake but now every nation is biting at the same cake, so people are crying recession.” Nevertheless, he acknowledges all the opportunities he got here. “Certainly, UK has given me the right opportunities at the right time. Hard work and patience always pays of,” he says, concluding with another piece of advice – “Follow the leads, make choice by listening to your heart and start with organic growth instead of trying to become rich using short quick methods. You’ve got to stick with it, work hard and enjoy the journey.”
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Life During Lockdown for Indian Restaurants
For Indian restaurateurs up and down the country, the news that their business could finally re-open after first lockdown ended on July 4th July. It was welcomed with open hands. After months of boarded-up doors, empty kitchens and mounting economic struggle, those in the hospitality industry would finally be able to jump back into doing what they love best.
But what is this new reality really like for restaurants? After safely re-opening, did many find that they were faced with demanding customers, a shortage in tips and technological nightmares? Was the challenge in implementing the government’s Covid-secure measures not worth the attempt at re-opening?
Now, we have the new national lockdown was declared and came into effect from Thursday, 5 November 2020
For Abdul Milad, owner of Indian Moments, the past few months have been “completely upside down” for business: “It’s a complete disaster for the curry industry. We just have to rely on takeaways and delivery business to survive, despite investing a lot to make our place Covid safe.
Obviously, it’s not like before – business has completely calmed down. We are told to keep ourselves safe, but I don’t know, we are thinking about it all the time – what’s going to happen next, are we going to be ok – so yes, it’s really stressful at the moment.”
The whole of August included a government-funded initiative, Eat Out to Help Out, which saw slashed bills in half for all restaurants, bars and cafes involved in the scheme. Abdul claims the scheme was “good for us, we did really well, even though the weekends were very quiet”, though he admits, however, that it hasn’t always been plain sailing for trade: “When we started it was bad, then August was very good, but after the scheme expired it became very quiet. We are still running offers on our side, for September we were doing £10 pp discount every Sunday-Tuesday, and because of the curfew we are opening earlier, so at lunch we offer 50% off until 6pm, and then from 6pm onwards it’s 30% off.”
Discounts have certainly helped maintain bookings, but how much longer can restaurants slash prices to appease anxious customers? Abdul admits he isn’t too sure: “It’s helped business, and it’s been busy. But the problem is that we don’t know. We are hearing there’s going to be another lockdown, so it’s not like before. It’s not like last year. We have a long way to go until we achieve what we were doing this time last year.”
Implementing the government’s Covid-19 safety measures has undoubtedly made it harder for restaurants to run as smoothly as before, says Abdul: “maintaining the safety measures in the beginning was hard, but now we are used to it. We know how to keep ourselves safe and take all the precautions: wearing masks, gloves, hand sanitising, washing hands, sanitising everything top to bottom before we open. The problem is when we are serving food to customers at tables, we are not able to serve at a 1-metre distance from them, we are almost neck to neck. That’s what scares us. Customers are sitting 1-metre away from each other, but we are not. It’s tough. But we are complying with the measures and every day we are looking into how we can improve and make it easier for us and the customers.”
With economic uncertainty continuing to ripple through each stage of the pandemic, restaurants are also witnessing a shortage of customer tips. Shahid Rahman, the owner of The Rajdoot in London, has personally witnessed a shortfall: “So many have lost their jobs or are on furlough, they face uncertain futures, so of course they’re going to be stingier with money,” says Shahid.
With so many changes necessary for restaurants to operate, Abdul Milad has witnessed a range in customer’s compliance with the measures: “When the customer comes in, we ask them to sanitize and scan the NHS QR code. Some customers do, and some don’t. Everyone sanitises that’s for sure – some even go to the toilet directly and wash their hands properly before they sit down – but you can’t get everybody to do the same, some don’t care.”
Abdul also mentions how the introduction of measures have arrived with a hike in prices:
“Covid-19 has put the expense up high for us: QR codes, hand sanitising, gloves, masks – there’s a lot of things to purchase and we’re spending a good amount each month on them. It’s definitely affected our profit margins and as a result we are suffering from not doing the same business as we used to do.”
The safety and confidence of staff are paramount to running a sustainable business, with Abdul admitting the past few months have seen a rise and fall in staff’s confidence: “At the beginning of lockdown, we closed completely for four weeks because my staff were very scared and so was I. After that, some of my staff felt more confident, so we opened for takeaway. Over the summer, the fear was still there but the rate was down, but now, because it’s increasing again and it sounds scary in the news, my staffs are getting scared to come to work. They are more worried now than they were in the beginning; they don’t know the future or whether they should continue to work. The way it’s going now, the Coronavirus is going to create a huge amount of problems with staff and running the restaurant, because if you don’t have staff, how are you going to run it? Furlough is stopping from next month, and if staff stay home, can you continue to pay their salary, or give them redundancy?”
This uncertainty has unfortunately already led to Abdul letting staff go: “I let two people go in May. I couldn’t keep them; the amount of furlough pay was not enough so they moved on. My fear is the furlough will stop and if Coronavirus spreads the way it’s spreading now – in the wrong direction – staff will want to stay home, to keep themselves and their families safe, which is very respectable and I respect that, but then again how am I going to run my business? Where am I going to have to find new staff? It’s a challenging time ahead for the curry industry.”
Aside from the financial problems that the industry faces, emotions are running high for those attempting to keep businesses afloat: “People are confused and scared, everyone is, but I need to go to work. The fear is there, I’m scared every day when I go to work. It’s an invisible enemy and we don’t know who is carrying it – those who come to eat at the restaurant may have it. It’s a difficult situation,” says Abdul.
The latest attempt from the Government to curb the second spike was the blanket 10pm curfew for all bars and restaurants, which has left the hospitality industry with even more logistical struggles, says Shahid: “I personally think banning household mixing would have been a much better idea than the curfew.”
Abdul is similarly disheartened by the curfew: “I was obviously very sad, and I don’t know how the 10pm closing will help fight Covid-19. Everyone is coming between 7-8pm and the kitchen is backed up. I definitely think it should stay for bars, pubs and clubs because young people go late at night and don’t maintain social distancing, but I don’t think the curfew for restaurants make any sense. I think the government are failing policy in this country. They are disorganised. They had enough time in the summer and they kept talking about the second wave in the autumn. The government are failing to do all of this and they are confused and confusing the public.”
Abdul acknowledges that his mental health has been seriously affected by what’s happened in the past six months: “I’m very concerned about my health, as well as my staff and my family’s. I go to work every day – I need to because it’s my bread and butter – but I’m worried and scared and it’s scary for me and my staff.”
With restaurants having no choice but to revert to delivery should a local or national lockdown occur, the upcoming weeks and months have never looked more tentative. “It’s very hard to tell, but something I always tell my family, and I tell my staff, is that we have a very challenging time coming ahead,” says Abdul. “I think coronavirus will remain after winter, and business-wise as a whole, not only curry industry but everyone will be affected, people will lose jobs, and it’ll have a big impact on every single business in the country. People will only survive who have the manpower and a very high reputation and people who run family businesses, they will be able to survive. Those who rely on employees are going to be tough for them. It’s going to be a challenge and we will definitely suffer. I just wish everyone all the best and wish everyone to be safe.”
As we collectively face uncertain futures, with the prospect of a difficult winter to come, restaurants are undoubtedly nervous about what lies ahead, with Shahid claiming winter will be “the hardest month yet” with fragile business conditions.
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Rahman brothers realise RAJDOOT dream
Not rattled about encountering day-to-day dealings, brothers Hamidur Rahman Sofu and Ataur Rahman Lyak, who own Rajdoot in Guildford, consider themselves successful restaurateurs, having overcome all hardships to achieve their goal.
Rajdoot translates to ambassador, bearing which in mind the duo envisioned creating a sophisticated, yet warm and friendly Indian cuisine restaurant, rich with flavours and quality.
Guildford was a perfect pick for them as they had started off their chef’s career in this very town. Donning the chefs’ hat was not as exciting as running a place on their own terms. At the tender age of 19, along with his 21-year-old brother, Lyak started the restaurant as a family-owned business in 1992. “It was not a business we inherited, nor did we own lots of property… it is sheer skill and hard work that has brought us fame in the curry industry,” Lyak says.
“At the time we started, things were not great. UK was recession-hit then, so there were challenges,“ he says, adding, “But now, business is brisk and we have carved a niche for ourselves.”
When asked about the competition in the industry, the restaurateur quipped, “I am not at worried about competition, all I care about is meeting expectations.”
“People visit the restaurant for the love of food. We have always maintained high food quality and will always do, and that is ‘one area’ always keep a close watch on,” he says. “It is good to have a healthy competition, but I don’t think we have a match at the moment,” Lyak laughs. 
Well, he did justice to his statement with a piping hot tray of their signature Tandoori Murgh Mushroom Dopyaza. The succulent chicken was seasoned with the right amount of spices and balanced with mushrooms, onions and capsicums. That was accompanied with special naan and a white and saffron pilao. The food was delectable and I couldn’t agree more with Lyak about them being above competition. Bhuna Lamb and Kadu Gosht (Lamb cooked with pumpkin chunks/cubes) served with steamed rice deserve a special mention too.
Their Sunday buffet is the bestseller and Lyak can never recall a single weekend that the restaurant wasn’t busy. “It is reasonably priced for a buffet – £10.95 for adults and children for £6.50 which include Starters/ 3 Main/ 2 Side/ Sundries. Unlike many other buffets, we maintain the quality of the food and have different items instead of the same menu every week.”
The 80-seater restaurant is packed almost every evening with diners and the queue for takeaways is no shorter either. Not only do they accept bookings for small events, parties, get-togethers, catering in other locations is also part of their business.
The décor of the restaurant brings back memories from an Indian holiday with pictures of the iconic Taj Mahal, The Gateway of India, Victoria Memorial and others, gracing the walls. The brightly lit bar looks inviting for a casual drink.
“What we have created here is difficult to find elsewhere. We maintain a family environment – cosy, comfortable and good food. We also work with the community regularly holding fund raising events, sponsoring local football teams, catering for small and medium sized parties, customising it for the occasion,” he confirmed.
Lyak is also an active member of the Bangladesh Caterers Association.
The former chef pays equal amount of attention to his staff. “Chefs and staff are the assets of our business. I’m lucky to have a great award-winning chef with us – Anwar Hussain. Understanding their needs, flexibility with shifts, cutting down work hours to manage stress levels is very important characteristic restaurant owners should have.”
Adapting to changing times, Lyak has opted for modern equipments and embraced technology. “We have commercial size dough kneaders, onion choppers and dishwashers. It is time-saving and useful for the staff,” he adds.
He also encourages his staff to participate in culinary workshops and training programmes.
When asked about how well does he deal with criticism, Lyak’s immediate response was: “I take it on the chin”. He adds, “Accepting and using criticism to better ourselves is something I’ve learned over the years. Reviews and comments are treated very seriously. I first understand the nature of the complaints – if the matter is serious in nature, we compensate or refund or replace.”
About growing and expanding in terms of number of restaurants his principles are quite clear. “I believe in investing time and effort in one place rather than having in many but not being able to attend to them personally.”
“For me family time and work-life balance is very important — sometimes business is priority, sometimes it’s family. There has to be a balance. I feel I have already achieved a lot and I am happy and thankful for everything. I am a successful restaurant owner, and a father to two lovely daughters — its all a blessing for me,” he signed off.
Rajdoot Tandoori
220 London Road, Burpham, Guildford
Surrey GU4 7JS
Tel: 01483 451 278, 01483 576 219
email: info@rajdoottandoori.com
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Sea Arch – The Non Alcoholic alternative gin
Inspired by the rugged coastline of Devon, Sea Arch: a sophisticated non-alcoholic gin-alternative has launched.
The premium spirit, blended and bottled in England, contains eleven carefully selected botanicals, twice-distilled in a traditional copper pot with spring water. The alcohol is then removed to leave behind pure, evocative flavour. This balanced sipper is best enjoyed on the rocks with a quality tonic and a slice of citrus.
Each sip offers juicy top notes of cardamom, blood orange and grapefruit, with a smooth long-lasting finish, drawing on samphire, cardamom and sea kelp, hand-harvested from the South Devon coast. Gin lovers will love the unmistakable base flavour of juniper. The launch is in line with the decline of alcohol consumption in the UK, which fell from 3.07 units per day in 2003, to 2.57 units per day in 2017.
Artisan Airwrap
Anishya Kumar, the Founder & CEO of Zinda Foods – is the innovator of a disruptive, game changing innovative wrap base trademarked as the AirWrap® – a low carb, artisan, natural, carrier, free of palm oil, trans fats, industrial additives, lard & preservatives. The first six months of her company have seen impressive growth in sales in Tesco of her filled wraps. The second quarter in particular reflects the consumer interest in having an alternative to standard wraps with the rate of sales much higher than expected.
The AirWrap is the anti-thesis of mass-produced ultra-processed tortillas. On launching the filled range of chilled ready to eat wraps into Tesco in January 2019, Michelin starred chef Alfred Prasad was the first to validate & champion this ingredient while developing fillings for the range. He said “The wrap itself is so unique compared to the generic, commercial wrap bases available, which gave me a lot to play around with. www.zindafoods.com
Introducing India’s First Craft Gin
When the world was going through a “Gin-aissance” back in 2015, two bar owners in Delhi, India who waited expectantly for the tsunami of Gin brands were left high and dry. The country which saw the invention of gin and tonic and where exotic gin botanicals are found, paradoxically most home kitchens was still in the dark ages when gin is concerned. If they wanted gin, they were going to have to make it themselves. They stepped out from behind the bar, got themselves a copper pot still and experimented with every spice, herb and fruit they could find. They found a lot, they distilled a lot, they tasted a lot and they fell down a lot.
It took them more than two years and a lot help from their mentor, Elizabeth Anne Brock, a board member of the Gin Guild, but they finally found a recipe they loved enough to not just want to serve at their own bar but to take to the rest of the country and the world. “Greater Than” or “>” is their London Dry Gin made in India using some of the best botanicals from India and around the world such as Juniper (Macedonia), Angelica Root (Germany), Orris Root (Italy), Orange Peel (Spain), Coriander Seeds, Fennel, Chamomile, Ginger, Lemongrass (India). Made in a 1,000-litre copper pot still source from Hungary, it is India’s first craft gin. As per its name, this gin looks for all things greater. We hope others do too. We hope others do too. For further information or stocking the Greater Than Gin, please contact: Hoshang Noria: +44 7734 537 840 or visit website: www.hapusa.co.uk
Asparagus Gin Launch Puts the Tip into Tipple
Asparagus Gin is the latest creation to bring to life the Vale of Evesham’s venerable veg. Launched to celebrate this year’s British Asparagus Festival, which is full force in Worcestershire until the end of June, the distillers, Hussingtree Gin, are amongst the first to successfully use asparagus as a botanical. They’re certainly the first Worcestershire-based maker to use world famous Vale of Evesham asparagus.
Numerous distillers have attempted to incorporate asparagus into their gins, but with varied success. The team at Hussingtree Gin spent over six months experimenting with distilling processes and botanical blends to unlock the vegetable’s unique flavour.
Distilled using the one-shot method in a traditional alembic copper still, the result is an incredibly smooth, distinctive dry gin. Richard Meredith, distiller at Hussingtree Gin, explains: “Asparagus, when distilled, delivers an earthy, nutty-sweetness on the palate. Our blend of botanicals, enhanced by local Droitwich brine salt during the distillation process, complement its characteristics beautifully.”
One question everyone has been asking of Richard is whether asparagus gin has the same effect on the human body as the vegetable itself and the answer is apparently not. The process used to make it seems to knock back those chemicals responsible.
Duck Biryani
RECIPE by Chef Yogesh Datta
Chef-Patron Yogesh Datta
Long regarded as one of finest Indian chefs of his generation, Yogesh Datta brings a strong sense of tradition to his cooking yet marries it with just the right sense of modernity and flourish. Born in Shimla, a hill station in northern India, Datta initially honed his expertise at New Delhi’s prestigious Taj Palace Hotel. This was followed by him working in a hotel in Geneva, Switzerland, where he learned the ropes for French cooking before embarking as an Executive Chef for the Indian section with the Sheraton hotel group in Dubai. From there, Datta arrived to work in London, heading up the kitchens of Tabla, a modern Indian in the Docklands. Thereafter, he went on to open the widely acclaimed fine dining Indian restaurant The Painted Heron in 2002 and subsequently, what is the City’s finest casual dining Indian, Bangalore Express.
Duck Biryani
with onion, tomato, cucumber relish
Serves 5-6 people
Ingredients
l Duck whole : cut into approximately 12 pieces on the bone
l Basmati rice – 1 kg
l Butter/ Ghee / oil – 200 gms
l Low fat yoghurt – 500ml
l Kashmiri chilli powder – 3 heaped tea spoons
l Turmeric – 2 heaped tea spoons
l Ginger/ garlic paste – 3 table spoons
l Onions 2 – chopped
l Tomatoes 4 – chopped
l Juice of 1 Lemon
l Asafoetida – commercial variety, mixed with flour (optional) – 2 teaspoons
l Special Garam masala powdered – black cardamom seeds, black cumin seeds (kala jeera), coriander seeds, Cumin seeds, mace flowers(javitri) and grated nutmeg. – 50 gms
l Bouquette garni- cinnamon sticks, cloves, green cardamom, bay leaves
l Saffron – 1 gm
l Salt – to taste
l Kewda water (optional) – 10ml
l Milk – half a cup
l Fresh mint – 1 bunch
l Fresh coriander – 1 bunch.
l Prunes pitted – 100gms
l Fried cashewnuts – 150gms (optional)
l Paneer grated (optional) – 100gms
l Fried brown onions (optional) – 100gms
l Onion /tomato/cucumber relish
l Sliced red onions, tomato juliennes and cucumber juliennes
l Greek yoghurt, cream, salt, pepper, chopped garlic and chopped coriander, salt to taste
Method
Wash and soak rice in cold water and set aside. You may leave the skin on the bird or remove it is entirely. Wash the duck in running water as well. Chop onions and tomatoes.
Wash mint and coriander bunches, chop the leaves and stems and keep separately. Pat dry the meat and marinate in one table spoon of ginger/garlic paste, juice of one lemon, salt and set aside for half an hour.
Heat a non-stick pan, sprinkle a little oil and add the duck pieces to brown on high flame. Heat ghee/ butter/ oil in a deep heavy bottom pan add asafoetida, turmeric, followed immediately by the chopped onions. When the onions begin to colour, add rest of the ginger/ garlic paste and red chilli powder. Cook over low flame until the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the chopped stems of coriander and mint followed by chopped tomatoes.
Add the duck along with yoghurt into the pan, cover and simmer over low flame, until duck is cooked.
In another pan add lots of water along with salt and bouquette garni- cinnamon sticks, cloves, green cardamom, bay leaves. Cook the rice until 3/4th cooked, throw away excess water and allow rice to cool to room temperature.
Soak saffron in warm milk in a small bowl In a deep heavy bottom deep pan, to layer the biryani, start with one fourth of the rice. Next add half of the cooked duck, half of coriander and mint, half of the special garam masala and half of the prunes and cashew nuts. Follow this with another layer of half of the remaining rice, followed by rest of the duck, garam masala, prunes, cashew nuts and half of the remaining mint and coriander. Top this up with all the remaining rice, mint, coriander, drizzle all the saffron milk around the pot along with the kewda water. Finish with fried onions and grated paneer. Cover the pot with a tight lid and cook again over low flame for 10 minutes. Serve hot with onion, tomato and cucumber relish.
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Mutton Rezala
Recipe by
Chef Utpal Kumar Mondal
Chef Utpal Mondal has gained international acclaim for his cooking but one of his proudest achievements was being named as one of three best chefs in Kolkata.
Bengalis love their cuisine as much as much as their art and the two become one in the hands of a maestro like Chef Mondal.
A glittering CV includes top positions at major hotel chains including the Taj Group and Radisson and he played a major role in the growth of Hotel Hindustan International, which now has a presence in five states on the Indian subcontinent.
His talent for Indian cuisine is matched by his knowledge of Italian dishes and he has cooked for people including Yasser Arafat, Sonia Gandhi and former British PM John Major.
One of his biggest gigs was cooking for the wedding of steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal’s daughter Vanisha to investment banker Amit Bhatia.
The wedding, which was attended by 1,000 guests, cost an estimated £30m and included six days of festivities in France.
Chef Mondal, who has won numerous awards including International Curry Chef at the Year Award. He describes himself as a ’24 hour chef’ who even dreams about food. Now if that isn’t dedication to food, we don’t know what is?
Bengalis love their food so being named one of the three best chefs in Kolkota when he was based there was one of the great accolades for Uptal Mondal.
Mondal is currently working as the Executive Chef at Radisson Kathmandu, Nepal.
We are delighted to offer one of his recipes in this issue of Curry Life for our readers. Few more of his recipes will be featured in future edition of Curry Life.
Profile Photo: Courtesy of Radisson Kathmandu
MUTTON REZALA
Ingredients
• Mutton – 1 kg
• Fresh green papaya skin juice – 20 ml
• Ginger garlic paste – 50gms
• Green chili paste – 10 gms
• Salt – to taste
• Sugar – to taste
• Clove/ Cinnamon stick /Green cardamom / Black cardamom / Bay leaf – for tempering
• Ghee (clarified butter) – 100 gms
• Curd – 200 gms
• Poppy seed paste – 50 gms
• Cashew nut paste – 50 gms
• Sautéed onion paste – 100 gms
• White pepper powder – a pinch
• Sandal wood powder – a pinch
• Mace powder- a pinch
• Garam masala powder – a pinch
• Sweet attar – few drops
• Dry red chili whole – few pieces for garnish
METHOD:
1. First marinate the mutton with salt, ginger garlic paste, curd, papaya paste, green chili paste and rest for 2 hours.
2. Heat ghee in a pan, put whole garam masala (cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, bay leaves), when crackles add ginger garlic paste. Cook for two minutes. Sauté sliced onion in a different pan and make a paste, add and cook for another two minutes.
3. Add marinated mutton. Once it comes to boil put the lid on and let it cook in a low flame till the mutton is cooked. Add cashew and poppy seed paste. Cook for another ten minutes. Finish with garam masala powder, white pepper powder, sandal wood powder, mace powder. Add sweet attar.
4. Check the seasoning. Heat ghee in another pan add fry red chili whole.
5. Serve hot.
Photo: Courtesy of Radisson Kathmandu
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