Khade masala mutton
I started the venture in memory of my father and his passion for gourmet food," says Shaibya Patel, founder, From Udayan's Kitchen, who serves seasonal Indian cuisine from her home in Breach Candy. "A self-taught cook, he would draw inspiration from his travels to different countries, seeking out unconventional recipes that were indigenous." Under her father Udayan's tutelage, Patel was exposed to a variety of cuisines, ranging from what the maharajas of the Sailana's period ate to present-day Andhra and Malabar-Muslim feasts. Like him, Patel admits she's not a certified chef, and uses the same hands-on-training that she received as a child. "I have learnt how to reproduce not just his recipes, but also those handed down from my grandparents."
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Kebab with pomegranate
Rich in flavours, Patel has curated a menu that includes dishes from South India, Gujarat, Hyderabad, Kerala, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, focusing on creating a celebratory mood. "We pay close attention to what's in season and fresh on a day-to-day basis, and plan our menus accordingly. For instance, we cook smoked surti papdi undhiya in pots at our farm in Gujarat, and bring it back to the city during the cooler months," she explains.
Lemon rice
On a rainy evening, we order a spread of dishes from Patel's kitchen that come well-packed and still piping hot, a pleasant surprise, given the weather outside. Similar to the shami kebab, her kebab with pomegranate is lighter, with a smokey delicate flavour. It has an unusual surprise in the centre with a few ruby seeds lending it an aftertaste. We pair a bowl of raw mango rice (an Andhra dish) with Gujarati val ni dal and Kashmiri dum aloo. While we had wondered if the raw mango in the rice would make the meal too sour, we find ourselves feasting on a healthy dish mixed with a blend of pulses and grated coconut. With a few heaps of the dal and dum aloo, the meal comes together as comfort food on a glum day.
The pièce de résistance is the khade masala mutton. With meat so tender and bursting with flavour, we think it could've been marinated overnight and slow cooked. We pair the mawa chicken (a curry cooked in unsweetened mawa and coconut milk with a generous amount of ginger juliennes) with paratha.
"With the selection, I wanted everyone to taste, understand and discover the versatility of our country's flavours, and the variety of foods that change from season to season," says Patel. For now, she is taking deliveries across the city with a team that's been tested and quarantined together.
In the near future, her hope is to grow vegetables and fruits at her farm for all the vegetarian meals.
To order 9833287741 (four days prior to delivery)
Shaibya Patel with her late father, Udayan, whose recipes inspired her to launch the meal service
Shaibya Patel
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