Mumbai Food: Savour authentic Awadhi, Mughlai cuisine at Kangan

If you seek fine dine Indian food that specializes in Awadhi Mughlai and North West Frontier cuisine look no further than Kangan ndash situated on the 18th floor of The Westin Mumbai Garden City The stunning view of the city that never sleeps only adds to the magicThis time I was there to check out a new menu thatrsquos been recently launched This new menu is the brainchild of the very talented Chef Angad Rai who now leads the culinary team as Chef de Cuisine With his amazing expertise in Mughlai and Awadhi cuisine hersquos also worked with some of the biggest names in the hospitality industry Now with a profile as impressive as his we were indeed looking forward to an extraordinary meal thatrsquos fit for royalty The enhanced menu has Chef Angadrsquos signature dishes that we were ready to get a taste ofAssorted starters at KanganThe evening began with an assorted platter of vegetarian and nonvegetarian startersThe Palak Anardana Tikki was a subtly flavoured but hard to not love combination of cumin spiced spinach tikkis with pomegranate and yogurt Therersquos no reason why a vegetarian wouldnrsquot want to give this a tryThe Nadroo Shikhampuri which is basically lotus stem kebabs that instantly stole the show with innovation as well as flavour as the stuffing included green mango relish So differentWe also got a taste of ZaikaeZaika a unique rendition of the much loved paneer tikka but with a wholesome layer of tulsi holy basil pine nuts and pickled prunes You see where this is heading Chef Angadrsquos touch is all about innovation but keeping it as earthy as possibleOne canrsquot really go wrong with potatoes so when we bit into the soulfully stuffed Aloo Ke Nazakat we knew it was love at first bite Its safe tandoori flavour is bound to become an instant favourite for mostLast but not the least the Dahi Ke Kebab is not totally new at Kangan but I love how Chef Angad has reinvented it by incorporating spiced mango chunks These semolina crusted hung curd medallions are little bites of vegetarian heavenMoving on to the nonvegetarian appetizers I had my share of meats that were cooked in various styles and tasted even betterIt all began with the Murg Bardari Tikka thatrsquos marinated and cooked in a tandoor with yellow chillies The chicken was beautifully succulent and flavourful with layers of kasundi mustard and some cheeseUp next we checked out the Kakori Kebab which may have been the softest lamb Irsquove ever laid my eyes on the way it crumbled on my plate was quite a sight in itself They melted in my mouth even before I knew it and thatrsquos a sign of well cooked meatJust when I realised I hadnrsquot tasted any seafood preparations yet the Khatti Jhinga arrived at our table The kaffir lime marinated prawns were cooked in a tandoor and werenrsquot as exceptional as I was hoping it to be Nevertheless the flavours were common but deliciousSo what happens when you use spiced buttermilk as an infusion You get the ohsolovely Chaas Murgh Tikka Cooked in a tandoor for just the right amount of time the effortless way in which I could cut the chicken proved it this starter is definitely worth some praiseThe main course at KanganEven though we were super stuffed by the time the main course arrived certain dishes stood out for all the right and delectable reasons The Kashmiri Seb Ki Sabzi is one that may not be for everyone as it truly is an acquired taste This slightly spicy but also sweet and sour apple curry is made with a dash of Kashmiri red chillies and is oneofakindThe Dum Aloo Benarasi is rich and goes extremely well with some piping hot tandoori rotis or zaffrani taftaan Made in cream sauce and almond puree these little baby potatoes make for a stunning main courseNext the Chilgoza Phalli caught my attention Pencil beans and pine nuts stirfried with red onions and tomatoes I couldnrsquot help but be in awe of the amalgamation of flavours this one brought outAmongst the nonvegetarian main course options I was introduced to the supremely aromatic Kacche Gosht Ki Biryani Even though I love my biryani sans the accompaniments raita or salan this one comes with the some lovely mirchi ka salan that ideally compliments the preparationI also got a taste of the very ingenious Jhinga Anardana Now to imagine the two coming together and it turning out to be a successful combinationhellip Hard to believe but it happened The subtle sweetness to this rich and thick gravy was well receivedThe Murgh Awadhi Korma was another preparation that gave out some major royaltylike impression Super rich in texture and heavy on the appetite itrsquos quite a meal in itself but not outstanding for any unusual reasonsDal KanganLast but not the least take this as a special note from me to you Make sure you never walk out of Kangan without having their stunning Dal Kangan A signature dish the slowcooked black lentils and tomatoes is finished with some white butter and is best enjoyed with a portion of steamed rice One can make a hearty meal out of it I know I have in the past and absolutely loved itIt was time to move onhellip to desserts of courseThe dessert platter at KanganA tasting portion of the Gajar Halwa Malpua Rabdi Akhrot Ka Halwa Gulkand Gulab Jamun and Ras Malaihellip Which ones do you think won us over Well the most unusual of them all ndash the Akhrot Ka Halwa Kashmiri style walnut fudge was a tad bit too sweet for me but I guess it will appeal to those who have a massive sweet tooth The Gulkand Gulab Jamun was meant to taste slightly different but I didnrsquot really pick it up as such As simple as they were I thought the Ras Malai and Malpua Rabdi were quite lovely No experiments were conducted on these and I guess thatrsquos perfectly okayhellip after all certain preparations are best enjoyed in their original preparation styleIn conclusion the North West Frontier Province cuisine can go beyond the usual and cliched Kanganrsquos Chef de Cuisine Chef Angad and his talented team will make sure your dining experience is anything but ordinary So go ahead try out the newly launched unprecedented menu thatrsquos been beautifully designed for its patrons