Cooking with Heart: Chef Osama Jalali Brings Forgotten Recipes to Life

At the ‘Gharana-E-Pashtoon’ food festival at the Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel, renowned food critic and culinary historian and Chef Osama Jalali, has crafted a special menu that takes you on a journey through the rich flavours of the North West Frontier. Deccan Chronicle caught up with Chef Jalali to learn about his passion for preserving traditional recipes and the difference between merely cooking and truly feeding people.

Reviving Forgotten Recipes

Chef, what inspired you to revive ancient recipes?

“It all started in a very strange manner,” Chef Jalali begins. “I was a journalist. One day, I took my daughter to review a restaurant. We ordered a samosa chaat, which arrived with an orange foam and a green foam on top. My daughter asked, ‘Abba, where is the chutney?’ I told her the foam was the chutney. Then we ordered Phirni, which came deconstructed and hammered on the table with liquid nitrogen. She asked again, ‘Abba, where is the Phirni?’ and that’s when I realized our traditional Indian food was getting lost.”

Everywhere the chef went, he noticed that restaurants were rebranding themselves as ‘modern’ or ‘progressive’ Indian cuisine. “I feared that if this continued, the traditional recipes would be forgotten. I started researching and documenting recipes, translating Persian recipes into Urdu and then into English, and converting old measurements into modern ones. There’s so much to explore in Indian regional cuisine. With all the culinary shows and the rise of celebrity chefs, our food is now on a global platform,” he says.

Sourcing Authentic Ingredients

Highlighting the importance of sourcing authentic ingredients, Chef Jalali says, “We source all our spices from India’s oldest spice market—Khari Baoli in Delhi. We don’t use blends; we make our own masalas. Each dish has a unique masala and cooking technique. We prefer cooking in copper vessels and, when possible, on wood fires. We also ensure the correct meat cuts for different dishes, such as biryani and nihari, emphasizing the slow cooking process that's integral to authentic Indian cuisine.”

“One of our unique dishes is Gosht Halwa, a mutton halwa that tastes like almond or semolina halwa but is made from mutton. Another is Kancha Kofta, a meatball dumpling with a cavity inside, showcasing traditional cooking techniques.”

Talking about preserving authenticity, Chef Jalali. “I don’t like to bastardize my recipes. If you come to eat my food, it will be as it is meant to be. I adjust the spice level based on your preference but never change the core recipe.”

Preserving and Sharing Culinary Traditions

When asked about the challenges of preserving traditional recipes, Chef Jalali notes, “Many old recipes are kept secret, even within families. My mother was initially reluctant to share her recipes. But I emphasised that if we don’t share, these recipes will be lost. We now conduct workshops and masterclasses, and I’m writing three books and launching a YouTube channel to ensure these recipes are passed on to a wider audience.”

The Role of a Chef

Chef Jalali reflects on the evolving status of chefs. “Being a chef now comes with celebrity status, but it means spending less time cooking and more time in the public eye. True cooking happens behind the scenes. Every dish, even a simple one like an egg, should be made with passion and precision.”

He advises aspiring chefs, “Get your basics right. Learn the fundamentals. Food is made behind the camera, not in front of it. If you know the basics, you can adapt to any cuisine. Cooking de-stresses you if you love it. For us, feeding people and making their special moments memorable is the ultimate goal. There’s a big difference between just cooking for people and feeding them. I love to feed people,” he signs off.

Chef Osama Jalali’s dedication to preserving and celebrating traditional Indian cuisine is evident in his meticulous approach to cooking and his efforts to document and share these treasured recipes. At the ‘Gharana-E-Pashtoon’ food festival, guests can savour the authentic flavors of the North West Frontier, lovingly crafted by a chef who truly understands the art of feeding people.