Seafood was often enjoyed at Royal Mughal banquets and celebrations, and this dish is a favourite from our à la Carte menu. In this article, we explain the spice mix that gives this dish its name: Panch Phoron, and how we use it to flavour King Prawns for one of our most popular dishes.

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What Is Prawn Paanch Phoren?

A delicious prawn curry flavoured with paanch phoren. We simmer Freshwater King Prawns in a thick, smoked gravy with butter and tomato, and a traditional blend of five spices.

A Closer Look at the Five Spices in Paanch Phoren

Indian Five Spices

Most Western spice cupboards have a jar of Chinese Five Spice, the ubiquitous blend of spices that lends East Asian food its gentle warmth and light flavours. But do you know of the five whole spice seeds used in North Indian and Bengali cuisine, Paanch Phoron?

Paanch Phoren is a blend of fenugreek seed, nigella seed, cumin seed, black mustard seed & fennel seed, in equal parts. They’re used to temper in hot ghee until they pop and burst, before adding any other ingredients. This infuses the fat with their aromas so they can spread evenly throughout the dish.

Fenugreek / Methi

• Light, floral, slightly bitter.
• High notes

Nigella / Kalonji

• Bitter, peppery flavour, similar to onion and oregano
• Middle notes

Cumin / Jeera

• Warming, nutty, slightly sweet and smoky
• Middle notes

Black Mustard / Sarson

• Mild, nutty, earthy flavour
• Low notes

Fennel / Saunf

• Strong anise flavour, sweet
• High notes

Paanch Phoron balances the high, sweet notes of fennel and fenugreek with the low, nutty notes of black mustard and the middle notes of smoky cumin and peppery nigella to create a rounded, complex, and aromatic flavour profile.

Using Smoked Butter in Indian Cuisine

At Itihaas, our Prawn Paanch Phoron is flavoured with smoked butter, which lends an earthy, rich aroma to the sauce. Smoked ghee is sultry and delicious, complementing the spices to recreate the luxury of a royal banquet, for a modern palate.

Our tandoori cooking method involves a charcoal-fuelled clay oven, which lends a smoky flavour to meats and naans alike. The rich, buttery smoked sauce in our Prawn Paanch Phoron carries this flavour throughout the dish.

At Itihaas, we are always developing our ingredients and techniques to achieve perfectly balanced tastes, aromas and textures. This experimentation is what makes us one of Birmingham’s best Indian Restaurants.

The Itihaas Touch

We use only the freshest King Prawns of the highest quality. The shell stays on to maintain their texture and flavour while they simmer gently in the sauce.

Our Panch Phoron is blended by hand to achieve optimal proportions, always using whole spices for authentic flavour. When the spices are tempered in the hot pan, they brown and burst, releasing aromatic compounds that penetrate every ingredient.

Try it at Itihaas

You can order this historic royal banquet dish from Itihaas’ A La Carte Menu to enjoy in our restaurant or at home. For an experience like no other, visit our Indian restaurant in Birmingham and enjoy Maharajah cuisine from the Mughal empire era, historic recipes cooked for modern palates, and Indo-Chinese fusion dishes, all on a single menu.

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Looking for the best summer cocktails in Birmingham? At Itihaas, our summer cocktail menu is curated to delight your senses—refreshing, fragrant and designed to pair perfectly with bold Indian cuisine.

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Enjoy Signature Indian Cocktails in Birmingham

Our skilled bartenders bring creative flair and finesse to every drink. Discover vibrant, flavour-driven cocktails influenced by Indian flavours to capture the energy of summer.

Masala Daiquiri

Crafted with spiced rum, chai masala, grapefruit and lime, our Masala Daiquiri infuses classic daiquiri structure with aromatic Indian spices for a bold, citrus-forward sip.

Bombay Bazaar

Bombay Sapphire gin meets peach, raspberry, blackberry and orange juice in this fruity, refreshing cocktail. The fruit juices layer sweet and tart notes to complement the juniper flavour of the gin.

Mumbai Mojito

Passionfruit and lime muddled with Havana Club 3‑year rum, stirred with ice and mint and topped with soda, putting a fresh, tropical twist on a favourite summer cocktail in our Mumbai Mojito.

Rose Water Martini

Elegant and aromatic, this martini replaces Vermouth with rosewater and St Germain elderflower liqueur. Shaken over ice with Grey Goose vodka and finished with rose prosecco for a delicate fizz.

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Classic Cocktails, Perfectly Executed

Prefer beloved classics? Our bar delivers with precision to give timeless drinks the attention they deserve. Enjoy an expertly made Moscow Mule, a bold, fruity Margarita or an elegant Bellini.

Choose a Fresh Fruit Daiquiri or Margarita in flavours like mango, strawberry, raspberry, blackberry or pineapple for seasonal flair, or a classic Pina Colada for a creamy coconut flavour.

Refreshing Summer Mocktails

For those who prefer to keep things alcohol-free, our mocktails are crafted with the same attention to detail and seasonal flair. Each is designed to refresh and impress with its vibrant flavours.

Bollywood Dreams sees fresh strawberries and blackberries muddled with rose syrup and lengthened with lemonade for a fruity, floral cooler perfect for warm evenings.

Jungle Mungal brings tropical sunshine to your glass with orange juice, mango, pineapple, and a touch of rose syrup, smoothed with a hint of fresh cream.

And for something creamy and cooling, the Mint & Coconut Colada combines fresh mint, pineapple juice, sugar syrup, and coconut cream—an exotic, indulgent treat.

Pairing Your Cocktail with The Perfect‑Match Indian Dishes

At Itihaas, we believe in harmony between drink and dish. Our cocktails not only refresh—they elevate. Here are a few pairings designed to enhance both food and flavour:

• Masala Daiquiri + Lamb Chops: Citrus and spice lift the rich, smoky lamb without overshadowing it.
• Bombay Bazaar + Seafood Platter: The fruity gin cocktail amplifies the delicate sweetness of prawn and scallop starters.
• Mumbai Mojito + Chicken Tikka: Mint, lime and passion fruit refresh and counterbalance the spiced chicken.
• Rose Water Martini + Paneer Jalfrezi or vegetarian dish: The floral, saffron hint complements and cleanses the palate.

If you’re unsure, our knowledgeable team is happy to recommend the ideal cocktail match—whether you’re dining or looking to enjoy refined pre‑dinner drinks.

Visit Itihaas This Summer

It’s one thing to order cocktails—another to experience them in a setting that feels effortlessly elegant and refreshingly contemporary. If you’re searching for an outstanding Indian restaurant in Birmingham with cocktails that deserve a place in the sun, Itihaas delivers.
Our stylish interiors and cooling cocktail menu make us the prime destination for summer evenings, dates, and celebrations. You’ll enjoy refined service, original recipes and carefully executed classics alongside luxury Indian cuisine at one of Birmingham’s Best Indian Restaurants.

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Indo-Chinese food, otherwise called Sino-Indian, Hakka chinese or Desi-Chinese cuisine, is a distinct style of Chinese food adapted to appeal to Indian tastes, with spices, oils and sauces. It also includes Indian dishes twisted to include typically Chinese flavours. Indo-Chinese food is frequently stir-fried in a wok, with many fusion restaurants cooking where the woks are visible to the customers. Base ingredients are rice and noodles, cooked with common Indian vegetables and spices, and using Chinese sauces such as soy and Sichuan sauce.

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The Cultural Backdrop – Chinese Migration to India

The most commonly cited origin of Chinese-Indian Fusion Food is migration from Southern China to Kolkata. In the late 18th century, Kolkata was geographically accessible from China by land. Migrants from Northern China and Hakka communities in Guangdong and Fujian provinces travelled to Kolkata to work, with the earliest setting up a sugar cane plantation and factory.

In the 1830s, the British government in India encouraged Chinese labourers to migrate for work in the Assam tea gardens. These migrants assimilated and settled, and migration continued until the mid-twentieth century when India gained Independence. The Chinese diaspora in India earned a living tanning leather, growing crops and, famously, running Chinese restaurants.
By the early part of the 20th century, Kolkata had a thriving Chinatown, and restaurateurs had begun adapting their cooking to suit Indian tastes.

The story of Indo-Chinese cooking can also be said to begin with several isolated encounters, including shared influences along the ‘Silk Road’, which passed from China to what was then Persia, connecting with other trade routes into India at the feet of the Himalayas. Other cross-cultural exchanges are more than likely, as India and China were neighbouring empires in ancient times, sharing culinary practices throughout Southeast Asia.

The Birth of Indo-Chinese Fusion

Wherever there is migration, there is cultural fusion. Just as the Indian migrants to the UK adapted dishes to British tastes (see our blog on the origin of Chicken Tikka Masala), the Chinese restaurants in Kolkata began offering adapted dishes that would appeal to Indians. The first of many Indo-Chinese restaurants was Eau Chew in Kolkata, offering a new style of cuisine. These early restaurants created dishes with names such as August Moon Rolls and Fiery Dragon Chicken. The fusion food spread quickly to smaller restaurants and street food vendors. Today, Mumbai street food has Chinese variants, such as Sichuan dosa and Chinese bhel.

Key Characteristics of Indo-Chinese Dishes

The defining feature of Indo-Chinese fusion is the balance between heat and sweetness. Spices like green chillies and red chilli powder add heat, but sauces are blended with sugar and honey to add sweetness that makes the cuisine approachable and unique, even for those who aren’t accustomed to very spicy food.

Global Spread of Indo-Chinese Cuisine and why people love it

By adding Indian masalas to Chinese dishes, the Chinese restaurateurs developed a sweet but spicy, oily, glutinous cuisine that Indian diners loved. Chicken curry became chilli chicken. Aloo Bhindi transformed into Kung Pao potatoes with okra.
The combination of sweet and spicy, dry sauces, textures and stir-fried foods is a crowd-pleasing cuisine, and gets an honourable mention on our A La Carte Menu.

Indo-Chinese Cuisine at Itihaas

Our Chilli Paneer is seasoned with chinese spices, stir-fried with spring onion, mixed peppers, chilli and garlic and tossed in dark soy sauce to create a delightful sweet and spicy take on Sichuan Paneer, an Indo-Chinese classic.

A vegan option is our Chilli Garlic Mushrooms. White button mushrooms are fried in crispy tempura batter and stir-fried in the same way as the paneer dish.

Enjoy the Itihaas Experience

Itihaas is proud to be a renowned Indian restaurant in Birmingham which provides a wide range of Indo Chinese menu options, all of which are packed with flavour.

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Each month, we dive deeper into one of our menu items to tell you more about the ingredients we cook with and the culture evoked in the recipe. Today, learn about one of our poultry dishes, Dhaniya Tahree Murgh.

“A Northern Indian household favourite, diced chicken pieces curried in a thin but smooth gravy, cooked on the spicy side with onions, paprika and coriander.”

Diced, boneless chicken, flavoured with plenty of coriander and cooked in a smooth, spicy sauce: Dhaniya murgh is a fantastic example of North Indian cuisine, as served in our Indian Restaurant in Birmingham.

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About North Indian Cuisine

Much of the cuisine found in Northern India and Pakistan is influenced by the Mughlai style, which emphasises cooking the food over slow fire or tandoor oven, using rich spices and nuts like saffron, almonds, cashew nuts, poppy seeds, coriander seeds and cardamom. Signature dishes also use plenty of ghee, yoghurt and cream or curds to produce a rich gravy. 

Key Ingredients of Dhaniya Tahree Murgh

Every household has unique takes on recipes. Without giving away too much, here are the main constituents of Dhaniya Tahree Murgh at Itihaas.

Dhaniya Tahree – Coriander Sauce

Dhaniya is the word for coriander, a herb that has a fresh, peppery flavour. Its cousin is cilantro, widely used in American dressings. Coriander seeds are roasted lightly and blended with paprika to enhance their earthy, warming fragrance. This is the main flavour of the tahree (or tari), a smooth, thin sauce common in North Indian cooking. 

Murgh Tikka – Chicken Pieces

Murgh is the word for chicken in both Urdu and Hindi. We marinate diced boneless chicken pieces in coriander and yoghurt paste before adding them to the gravy and cooking well. The marinade encourages the chicken to absorb the flavours of the coriander and other spices, so that when cooked, the taste is strong through every mouthful.

Coriander: An Essential Herb

Dhaniya/Coriander is used throughout South Asia, as fresh leaves, seeds or powder. Ground coriander is often mixed with cumin and is included in many masalas.

The ground seeds provide warmth and nuttiness, whereas the fresh leaves and stems are used as a tangy, aromatic garnish. The root is used to flavour Nihari, a slow-cooked meat stew from Lucknow. Every part of the Dhaniya plant can be used, and it grows readily wherever seeds are thrown, making this herb a staple flavour.

The herb is also medicinal, with recorded use dating back to 6000 BCE at least. Coriander and fennel tea, drunk hot, is a proven remedy for indigestion. Coriander-infused milk is consumed for backaches and cramps.

Pairing Suggestions: What to Eat With Dhaniya Tahree Murgh

Dhaniya Tahree Murgh is a home-cooking favourite that is deeply rooted in Northern India. Choose tandoori roti or naan to soak up the sauce, with a Punjabi salad on the side.

Drinks should complement the fragrant notes of coriander, with a sweet lassi or creamy Coco Calcutta mocktail. 

A’la Carte Menu | Drinks Menu

Home Cooking Away from Home

For our chefs, ingredients are the foundation of good food. We use whole spices to create our masalas, authentic Indian spices and fresh ingredients. Our recipes are tried and tested for a perfect balance of flavours, which is why we’re considered one of the best Indian restaurant in Birmingham. Our Dhaniya Murgh is a dish guests order daily from our A’ la Carte menu, so it’s worth tasting on your next visit.

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The environment you choose for crucial conversations impacts the listener’s perception and responses, and a restaurant setting balances relaxation with professionalism. Whether it’s a business meeting or a fact-finding discussion, taking clients out for dinner can help smooth the way for success. 

Corporate dining can make a change from the office atmosphere, placing you on neutral ground. Rather than harsh fluorescent lighting, a restaurant provides a more comfortable, welcoming space which can set any tension or nerves aside. With a private dining room and quality Indian food, Itihaas is among the Jewellery Quarter’s top corporate dining venues.

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Why Meeting Clients at a Restaurant Works

There is a tried and tested tradition in business and legal fields of taking clients and partners for a meal. A working lunch or a celebratory dinner often results in positive outcomes for all stakeholders because of what happens when we eat together.

Creates a lasting impression 

Suggesting a dinner meeting shows clients that your company is doing well and values personal relationships, particularly the relationship you are developing with your client. Taking anyone out for lunch or dinner shows that you value and respect them much more than having them meet you at your offices, and the quality of the venue highlights how much.

Meeting at a stylish Indian restaurant with luxurious food makes clients feel looked after, a feeling that often affects how they feel about your work.

No distractions 

Unlike busy office environments, a dedicated table lets you focus on your conversation. You won’t be interrupted by phones ringing or people coming and going, and you can escape any tension or atmosphere that is so common in the workplace. Instead, you’ll be meeting in a relaxed environment that encourages connection.

Encourages better conversation 

A relaxed setting leads to more open and productive discussions. Eating a meal together comes with its own etiquette that is often shared across cultures, helping you build stronger client relationships.

Because dinners are an expense, you would only invite those who need to be present, reducing the amount of unnecessary viewpoints that might muddy the waters. Furthermore, a restaurant is neutral ground. Your guest will feel more able to challenge your assumptions and express their true opinions than in your office, which will help them to relax.

You can’t dive straight into business like you can in an office. It’s polite to get to know your client more over the starter, hear about their business or background, and share a little about yourself before you get down to the brass tacks.

The main course is more suited to discussing the key issues, as any disagreement can be diffused with a comment on the food.

Dessert and after-dinner drinks can round off a meeting well, sealing final agreements with a drink.

Itihaas is the Perfect Choice for Business Meetings

Our restaurant in central Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter is convenient for many businesses in the city, being a short walk from Colemore Row and St Paul’s Square. 

Our elegant interior creates a refined atmosphere that is ideal for professional meetings, being quiet and comfortable enough for productive conversations.

A Restaurant with Presentation Facilities

The only downside to hosting meetings over a meal is sharing presentations. Luckily, Itihaas can now provide the best of both.

We have recently added digital screens to our private dining room for guest use. Simply connect your laptop and load your slide deck to the screen. 

Bookings that include our presentation screens will also benefit from complimentary canapés and our Nespresso coffee bar.

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Recommended Dishes for Business Meetings

While some restaurants offer corporate dining menus, our guests are welcome to choose. From light bites to an indulgent main course, your dinner meeting can adapt the time available and the tone of your discussion.

Our a’la carte menu is a firm favourite for the solicitors, executives and business owners who meet at our restaurant. We offer a range of Tandoor-cooked starters and Chaat, as well as vegetable plates. Our main courses include meat curries and vegetarian curries, so your clients have plenty to choose from. 

We also have a range of set menus to support budgeting for client dinners. For parties of 8 or more, the Itihaas Set Menu offers a wide-ranging banquet experience with Rogan Josh, Makhani Daal and Pistachio Gajar Halwa for dessert.

Our Thali menus offer a more laid-back, traditional Indian dining experience with unlimited refills. Our Executive Thali meal features Goan Fish Curry, Delhi Butter Chicken and a succulent Railway Lamb Curry, served with naan and cumin-spiced rice. Vegetarian and Vegan Thali plates are also available.

How to Book Your Business Lunch or Dinner at Itihaas

Build positive client relationships with a corporate dinner at the best Indian restaurant in Birmingham. You can book a table online or contact us to book our private room: The Tiffin Suite.

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