Kolkata's winter inevitably evokes a sense of urgent romance. The roads which once evaporated heat in summer, get clad in mist as the winter sun simmers to give a sense of belongingness, the fuzzy dawn gets stirred awake with the dense fumes rising from a hot cuppa on another lazy winter morning. This is Kolkata and the truest essence of it - Winters. The perennial love for food is what makes Calcuttans way too different when it comes to fulfilling gastronomic desires. Beyond the plump pithe and Nolen gurer payesh, what awaits in Kolkata is a hidden gem of the Mughlai gastronomic culture still carried on traditionally in its little winding and unwinding bylanes of the City of Joy. Here is my brief journey which started off at 4 a.m, through the alleys of Zakaria Street and Beck Bagan.


While disputes and debates still reign supreme about the origin and introduction of Nihari to the culinary landscape of South Asia, what remains firm is the sheer supremacy of the dish in itself. Some say Nihari originated from the kitchens of the Mughals, a strong influence of the Persian culture, while others argue this being introduced by the Awadhi’s, perhaps then perfected and reshaped by the Mughal khansama’s. A striking difference of colours and appearance is visible, between the ones you get in Delhi and Lucknow; Kolkata graciously adopted the Mughal heritage and culture, and even today fine eateries and establishments perfect their art in making Nihari and serve the same in the wee hours of the morning.

The word Nihari, which traces itself back to the Arabic word ‘nahaar’ signifying morning, was traditionally a dish had by the Nawabs after concluding their morning prayers, making its association with breakfasts well-defined. Ultimately, it is a hearty stew shaped and served up as a traditional early morning breakfast; the perfect Nihari is slow-cooked for 6-8 hours overnight in large vessels. With a fine concoction of various spices, this slow-cooked meat is made with shanks of beef, mutton or lamb, while Paya is composed of beef or lamb feet. Cross-connections do exist, but they are mostly uncommon and hard to find. Available early in the mornings of winter, there are few restaurants in Kolkata who excel at this, and has literally made its name over years for carrying forward such a rich lineage. Sufia, undoubtedly the most popular joint to bet over for a delicious Nihari, the dish came with two slurpy portions of meat, accompanied with a rich, oily and thick consistency and with a generous dash of lime and a sprinkle of coriander, these were literally melt-in-the-mouth.

Paired with Dal-Puri, this was a perfect breakfast to start the day. Not too heavy on the pocket and costing a meagre amount of around Rs. 110, the taste and flavours spoke volumes of the fact why the portions get sold out by 5:30/6 a.m in the morning.


My next stop was at the legendary restaurant Shiraz, to try their Paya. A bowl of Paya with two portions of Tandoori Roti, came with a leg piece and had flavours quite similar to the Nihari. Soft and succulent, the tandoori roti helped me mop up the gravy, and leave with a smile and face of contentment! Talk about piping out the rich oil out of the feet, and a bill amount of just Rs. 215 approx, this was one avenue of Mughlai food worth exploring.


Last and final stop was at Saiqa near Beck Bagan area; the breakfast starts here not before 6 AM. Two portions of Dal Puri with Nihari, the beef here was slightly stiff, but tastewise at par with the rest of the places. Perhaps the cheapest of all, the entire fare was billed at Rs. 68. The spicy, rich and buttery Nihari and Paya explained why it is such a preferred dish among the masses and enjoys such a fan following in Kolkata. A completely new dimension of how Kolkata has accepted various cultures, traditions and culinary habits, the taste and flavours of Nihari and Paya is something, which transcends and will always be an iconic part of Kolkata’s breakfast landscape.