A Mughal experience and more

Fine dining with a theatrical twist in Epping

Krishna loves to put on a show with his Rumali Roti flipping skills. He will roll out the fine dough and twirl away in the air for anyone who is willing to appreciate his special talent.

And when he brings it out of the kitchen with a flair, he loves to watch them marvel at it as they dunk into his Lamb Korma Usmani or Punjabi Chicken Curry.

Krishna, executive chef and host of Mughal Palace Fine Dining Restraurant at Epping, is passionate about feeding people in style. Having graduated from the Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa, New Delhi twenty years ago, he built his career in five-star hotels in India and abroad. A year and a half ago, he decided to do it all his own way, and got together with mate Mukesh Verma to settle into their own place at Epping.

Verma is an Agra man by background who started off in the travel and tourism industry, and so there’s no surprise as to the name Mughal Palace.

As we walk in to the restaurant, we notice the décor is predictably Mughal as well. Miniature paintings in the Mughal tradition adorn the walls, and as if to leave no doubt that you’re in an Indian restaurant, there’s the mandatory cricket bat, suitably framed, taking pride of place amongst the paintings. It’s probably signed by Sachin Dravid or Rahul Tendulkar, or one of their mates.

The menu is also predictable, with terminology such as Shuruwaat and Khaas.

But when that first entrée arrives, Malai Tikka, we know we’re in for a treat. Succulent as ever, and just that right touch of spice. Delicious.

Chilli Paneer is placed in front of us just as the entertainment picks up. It’s hot-as-chilli Rekha and white-as-paneer Amitabh in Salaam-e-Ishq (Mukaddar Ka Sikandar). We realise that the dances are all mujra, a Mughal style of entertainment: it may seem alien today, but who cares, as over our finger-licking good Amritsari Fish, we watch a beardless Amitabh try very hard not to kiss a willing and comely Rekha.

The middle-aged Caucasian couple on the next table are just as mesmerised as us. “How come she’s all ethnic, but he’s dressed in western clothes?” they ask us, perplexed.

“That’s India for you,” we reply, pretending to know the answer. “So conflicting, yet so captivating…”. We’re trying to eat that Chaat gracefully at the same time: the explosion of tastes in the mouth is one to savour, and we wish we don’t have to answer any more deep questions about our culture.

The restaurant is filling up. The waiter asks us in perfect English if we are ready to order mains. After four giant entrees we are actually done, but tell him we want to take a break. Meanwhile Madhubala is declaring undying love for Dilip Kumar as Prithviraj Kapoor seethes away in anger. No prizes for guessing that number. Wonder what our friends think of it all.

As our mains are brought out, the baby-faced Krishna tells us that the Kali Dal is cooked in true Bukhara style, and that the sauce for each of the curries is a different blend. “Notice the dark sauce for the lamb,” he points out expertly. “That comes from the use of red onions. Your chicken on the other hand, blends well with a white onion masala”. He means his kitchen will not store a ready-made one-type-fits-all masala base.

So what are his special preparations?

“My Butter Chicken and Kali Dal are the two most popular orders, but I like cooking the Tava-grilled veggies, the Biryanis and the Duma Bakra, a baby goat preparation marinated in spices and soaked in Indian rum overnight and then cooked on a spit. Of course it is usually ordered at our outdoor caterings, but if you make a special order I can prepare it for you with a leg of lamb”.

The Mughal tradition of cooking is said to have evolved out of the need for feeding large armies on the move. It was easy to find game, which was marinated in ground spices easy to carry, and then cooked inside makeshift portable ovens called tandoors. Today of course, it has developed into a fine art, which you can savour at restaurants like this one.

But at Mughal India, you get much more than Mughal cuisine. There’s dosas and other southern dishes too, as well as Indian Chinese and ‘British Raj’ specialties like Balti Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala. And don’t miss the ‘Aussie’ offerings such as Kangaroo and Dariya Ka Crocodile!

“I cook the Kangaroo with rich herbs and spices to complement the roo’s distinct flavour,” Krishna reveals. “And for the crocodile I experimented with a creamy coconut sauce which turned out pretty good”.

But wait, there’s more! Mukesh shows us round the function venue upstairs where you can host your private parties.

“We’re also planning to hold cooking classes here in the near future,” he reveals.

Back on our seats downstairs, the soft-spoken Krishna has coaxed us to try his all-time