By Rafiq Vayani
DUBAI: Wakha, the critically acclaimed restaurant chain that specializes in Afghani and Shinwari cuisines, has launched its latest diner at Jumeirah, Dubai. The move reflects the chain’s aim to expand its market reach and invite customers, new and old, to experiment with native ingredients, comprise great flavor combinations and enjoy a unique and memorable dining experience.
Muhammad Azam, Co-founder, Wakha, said: “At Wakha, our ambition has always been to serve our valued customers with the healthiest, freshest and most authentic Shinwari and Afghani cuisines available without the use of any processed spices and oil. We constantly strive to facilitate the best possible dining experience to everybody who walks through our doors and all customers are now able to choose their meat, how it is cut, pick different combinations of flavors and cooking styles, and also name their dish and take the precise details of their recipes.”
He continued: “We believe in providing a platform for a culinary adventure like no other and the approach we are adopting at our new restaurant places no restrictions on visitors with regards to eating options. We only use natural ingredients such as green spices, tomatoes, salt and lamb fat or fresh butter while all our signature cuisines are 100 percent halal. We look forward to welcoming everyone who visits the new restaurant in the coming months and years and providing them with a special dining experience like no other.”
Wakha, co-owned by Waqas Talat, Aqeel Sarwar, Saad Talat and Muhammad Azam was established with a clear vision to offer a true and authentic taste in the UAE and other international markets. The distinctive feature of the Shinwari cuisine is that all meat is charcoal grilled or cooked with lamb fat and salt with no or customized spices to provide a delicious and real taste of meat. The most famous items from the Shinwari cuisine are: Shinwari lamb karahi – fresh lamb cooked in natural lamb fat, tomatoes, green chillies and salt; Shinwari chicken karahi – fresh chicken cooked in natural lamb fat or fresh butter, tomatoes, green chillies and salt; Shinwari lamb tikka – charcoal-grilled fresh lamb seasoned with salt and natural lamb fat; Dumpukht/Rosh – succulent fresh lamb meat cooked on a very low flame in its juices and bone marrow for three to four hours with potatoes and seasoned aromatic herbs.
Wakha’s Afghani cuisine provides a real-time alternative for those interested in the rich Central Asian culture of Afghanistan. The flagship dish of the Afghani cuisine is the Kabuli Palao, which consists of tender lamb or beef, long grained steamed rice, raisins, julienned carrots, Kofta Nakhod, beef meat balls and grounded chickpeas.
