Huma and her father Saleem in front of his restaurant Saleem’s, New Delhi

“No, no, that’s not right,” her father, Saleem Qureshi interrupts. “She has forgotten, but I haven’t, that every day, and mind you, every single day, she used to have a long ‘farmaish’ [wishlist] of kebabs and tangdis that she wanted to share with friends at school. I’d gladly have it made for her according to each of her friend’s spice preferences. Daily ke toh inke nakhre hote the bhai [It was a daily drama],” he laughs. “Tangdi is still my favourite, though nutritionists insist on having chicken breast, I do prefer the leg piece and treat myself to it occasionally,” she laughs.

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Many from Kailash Colony, South Delhi, have seen Saleem’s transform from a butcher’s shop to one of the city’s most successful restaurants. We are told their kebabs and tikkas are to die for. But coming from a family of raw meat traders and butchers, it wasn’t easy for Saleem to convince his family to start a restaurant. “We were a bunch of friends who loved eating good food. Chicken tandoori and mutton burra were my favourites. We would meet every evening, cook food and have deep discussions on the preparation and methods of different dishes. We had access to the best meat and other ingredients and would test what we could make today with which part of the meat—from kormas to niharis to kebabs—we experimented every day. That’s where the idea for the restaurant was born”. But, in his  family, this was considered blasphemy. “My father was so upset that I would be serving food to people and washing their dishes. For 15 days, no one spoke to me. I had to get my mother to intervene and convince the elders to allow me to follow my passion. Today, almost 80 per cent of our extended family is in the food business. The younger generation is grateful that I paved the way. I am humbled, but honestly, all I did was just follow my heart,” he smiles.

Huma plays the iconic chef and author Tarla Dalal in her new film, Tarla

Huma, who isn’t interested in cooking, only eating, says that her father and Tarla Dalal followed their passion around the same time and it took them places. “She was passionate about vegetarian food, he loves non-veg and yet, food is such a unifying factor, bringing people together. At this age too, my father is willing to learn. When he saw the batata mussalam in the Tarla trailer, he looked up the recipe, put his mind to it and came up with a dish. It’s now being served at the restaurant and is gaining popularity among non-veg lovers too. Potato in a creamy, buttery gravy—what’s not to like, right?”

Huma has never needed to promote her father’s restaurant as it already has a loyal following. So, what’s the recipe for Saleem’s success, we ask? “For a good non-veg dish, bade log yeh kehke gaye hai ki gosht kam se kam badshah hona chaiye, bananae wala kam se kam wazeer hona chaiye and masalae gulam hai [it is said that the meat should be at least the king, the cook should be at least the minister and spices are mere servants, acting on the instructions],” he tells us, adding, “For 25 years, I have survived on just four hours of sleep, ensuring that everything is perfect, always. In our business, we have no days off and to run a successful one, you must have the good intention to feed—niyat mein taqawat honi chaiye—otherwise, even if you use the best ingredients, you’ll not be able to make a memorable dish.” 

Saleem Quereshi

Huma’s mother couldn’t cook when she got married. “At one time, she added water to bhindi and look at her now, she’s left everyone—including me—behind with her culinary prowess.” Ask the father-daughter about their diets, Huma says she loves nihari, mutton seekh and chicken korma. Saleem says, “Huma ke ajeeb ajeeb healthy diets hote hai [she follows many weird and healthy diets], I love my non-veg for three meals. Breakfast is nihari and khameeri roti; lunch and dinner is hari mirch ka kheema or kadhai gosht or korma. In veg, (if I ever have it), it is navratan korma, paneer kadhai and dal makhni, which you must try for sure,” he adds, inviting us to his dastarkhwan in Delhi. 

And can we expect a branch of Saleem’s in Mumbai? “Inshallah, soon,” he signs off!