One of ITC’s most iconic resturants, Dum Pukht, is now in Hyderabad at ITC Kohenur in the avatar of Dum Pukht Begum’s.

In keeping with its USP of celebrating  ‘Grand Cuisine of India’, Begum’s is a royal feast with age-old recipes from the royal kitchens of Hyderabad and beyond with equally lavish décor to match, recreating the magic of a bygone era.

True to its name, most dishes are slow-cooked to perfection so make sure you have sufficient time on hand to savour every bite of your meal. Some of my favourites from the menu were the Mahi Lagan Zafrani (murrel fillet flavoured with saffron, royal cumin and cardamom), the absolutely decadent melt-in-the-mouth Dum Pukht Kakori (minced lamb kebabs flavoured with cloves, and cinnamon, wrapped around a skewer and char grilled and served with a sprinkling of saffron).

For meat lovers the Dum Pukht Koh – E – Awadh (mutton shanks quorma dum-cooked in their own juices and perfumed with saffron) is a must-try. Complement that with Warqi Paratha (ajwain flavoured muti-layers bread baked in a clay tandoor) and there you have your foodgasm!

While the Dum Pukht  mutton Biryani  is legendary, the Gucchi Pulao (saffron fragranced basmati rice cooked with morels, stuffed with herbed cheese and finished in a sealed handi with cardamom) was an amazing first for me. Vegetarians have a new winner on the menu.

Khwaan-E-Shireen – the dessert platter of Badami Kheer, Khubani ka Meetha and Shahed-e-Jaam was the perfect end to a royal treat. If  I were to choose just one from the platter, the Badami Kheer get my vote hands down or rather spoons in.

The experience of dining at Begum’s is as royal as it can get – almost on par with Falaknuma Palace in my books.  And right in the heart of the city. A win win gastronomic delight for both diners and ITC Kohenur.

Address: Madhapur, ITC Kohenur, HITEC City, Hyderabad, Telangana 500081