Biryani at its best at Masala House

Masala House is a new Indian restaurant in Dubai that has kept its interiors cosmopolitan but the cuisine traditional. It boasts a wide variety of north Indian classics, mostly from the nostalgic era of Awadhi royal feasts. Keeping alive the spirit of regal indulgence are some 16 varieties of dum pukth biryanis – rice and meat dishes cooked in clay pots sealed air-tight by dough. The names of the menu items, in Hindi, sound very colourful and it can be a bit hard for non-Hindi speakers to appreciate the effort. However, there are English descriptions alongside so the uninitiated guest doesn’t feel lost. We wanted to get down to the biryanis right away, but there were many tantalising culinary stepping stones to conquer first. For starters, there was the Machli Koliwada, spicy deep-fried kingfish fingers prepared in the style of the city where it originated – Mumbai. These boneless chunks of light delight are marinated with chillies, coriander, and gram flour. But they are not as oily or spicy as you would find them in Mumbai. Another no-bones appetiser we had was the Murgh Kastoori, tender chicken pieces marinated in green herbs and enhanced with fenugreek. Think of it as the Middle Eastern sheesh tawook, but loaded with herby seasonings instead. With appetites fired up by the teasers, the time was ripe for some classic biryani encounters. But there was a ‘problem’ – the seemingly endless choices on hand. The chef stepped in to assist as it was too difficult to pick and choose – and so the Murgh (chicken) Hyderabadi Biryani was served. There were raised eyebrows as the dish was brought out, almost as high as the dough cover of the clay pot that had ballooned up from all that cooking heat. You almost want to pop it and take a good whiff of the aromas bursting for release. As our server rather delicately uncovered the main course, we kept the forks and knives ready in anticipation. It was well worth the wait (which wasn’t too long considering it was slow-cooked). The heat and pressure technique had forced the chicken to cook in its own juices, along with the liberal masala (mixed Indian spices) true to the kitchens only found in Hyderabad. There have reportedly even been attempts to have Hyderabadi biryani ‘patented’ so that me-too restaurants don’t market shallow versions of this sought-after dish. To us, the biryani seemed authentic – fiery, tad oily, with long-grain basmati rice neatly lying without clinging in lumps. The flavour was rich, particularly of saffron, hot and spicy enough to make you sweat. We had to leave room for the curries – creamy and thick. And first up was the Kacche Mirchi ke Ghost, boneless chunks of meat marinated in green chilly, mint, spinach, garlic, and delicately topped with even more aromatic spices. The gravy was rich, and the meat tender with the pieces neither too big or nor small. The perfect way to have it is with the house-speciality Taftan bread. This is a soft, fluffy white disk of refined flour enriched with milk and yogurt and studded with sesame seeds. If you’re a vegetarian, a filling and satisfying dish to have is the Paneer Hara Masala (cottage cheese green curry). The tikkas of cheese are doused with the chutney and spinach gravy, which dominates this veggie option. Finally full, we had to stop there. There was nothing unique in the desserts section, but that is not to say the sweets there are not good. Details: Meal for two: Dh200 Location: BurJuman Call: 04-351 0166 Ratings: Food: Four stars Ambience: Four Stars Price: Four stars Overall: Four stars We recommend: Hyderabadi Murgh Biryani, Taftan, Machli Koliwada