Clay’s Kitchen and Bar is in Reading, Berkshire. It specialises in food from Hyderabad and Andhra but also serves a range of dishes from across India. The decor is minimal and sleek, with a large central skylight and shop front-style windows ensuring the dining room remains airy and bright.
The a la carte menu focuses on all aspects of Hyderabadi food, from the royal courts of the Nizams to everyday street food. Starters include bhooni kahleji (pan-fried chicken livers with dried mango powder), gobi manhcuria (Indo-Chinese style stir-fried cauliflower) and leshun ke jhinge (grilled jumbo king prawns).
Mains continue this theme. Meka mamsam (Andhra style goat curry), beef mahekhayla (cross cut shanks with wild mushrooms) and chicken xacuti (chicken thighs with coconut and dried tamarind) are just some of the meat dishes. Vegetarian options are also plentiful. There’s wild mushroom bathani masala, shahi paneer kofta (deep fried balls of cheese in a creamy sauce) and indrahar (five types of lentils in a steamed cake with a rich tomato sauce. Three kinds of Hyderabadi style dum biryani (paneer, chicken, shrimp or lamb) complete the mains.
All mains apart from the biryanis should be ordered alongside rice or bread. Bread options are roti or paratha, the former available with grated beetroot. Several sides are also on the menu, including chana masala, bhindi fry (okra with peanuts and fried onion) and tomato pappu (a dal with black mustard seeds).
Alongside the restaurant, Clay’s also offers nationwide delivery of a range of dishes in cooked and chilled vacuum-packed form. These are available on the Clay’s @ Home website.