A Weekend in Jaipur

Posted by Siddhartha on February 10, 2011

A Standard Churma and Rose Churma with simple misri-mawa as a dessert

I am neither a fan of the tanginess of ker-sangri, nor have the ability to bear the chilli-heat of lal maans. Probably I am a RINO (Rajput in name only, though the acronym is more commonly used by Sarah Palin types for more sensible Republicans). Anyway,  due to shortcomings of my taste buds, I was not very optimistic of a good culinary experience in Jaipur. But dreading the thought of eating naan-palak paneer-dal makhani meals (well, I love these but then ..) even away from Delhi, I tried to build in some local hangouts and few tourist favourites into our three day stay.

With our two young kids, early morning chill of mid-December meant that daily breakfast was in our faux-heritage hotel, Umaid Bhawan itself. 

I had read about beautiful views of Jaipur from the Rajasthan Tourism’s Durg Café, so taking advantage of being at Nahargarh fort around noon, we decided to have lunch there. How misplaced was my trust in accuracy of information of the Web, and ability of a government department to run a proper restaurant! Yes, the windows of Durg Café overlook Jaipur but they are covered with dense iron mesh. The thali meal we had would not have been out of place in any railway canteen, just with doses of extra chilli.

Even 18 month olds can't resist Jaipur's famous lassi

But we quenched the heat with superb lassi at famous lassiwala on MI Road. Thick, rich yoghurt in a tall kulhar (terra cotta glass) was divine. When we went the next time, this shop was closed, having run out of yoghurt for the day (as it usually does by late afternoon, I was told). We fell for one of the imitators that flank this shop, and were disappointed, so look out for the real guy.

Just opposite this lassiwala is another Jaipur institution, Nero’s. This is one of those multi-cuisine restaurants which were in vogue before we in India realized that ‘continental’ and ‘Chinese’ is actually many different cuisines, and none of those are similar to their Indian versions. But the food isn’t bad; though I was a bit disappointed with overuse of tenderizer in ‘maans ke sooley’ (grilled lamb chunks).

I know that Chokhi Dhani has many detractors, and I, myself, knockout such tourist traps out of my itinerary. Maybe it was a case of low expectations, but I enjoyed the experience of a squat-down family meal. The food itself is the sideshow, but isn’t a letdown as some make it out to be. Yes, it is adapted to western tastes, but it also gave an opportunity to someone with abysmally low chill-heat tolerance like me, to taste some of the Rajasthani dishes.

Maans ke sooley

LMB Thali Menu

Lakshmi Mishthan Bhandar wasn’t designed to cater to tourists but has become touristy by word of mouth, in much the same way Karim’s in Delhi or Mahesh in Mumbai have. They have two thali options – one traditional and other for those who want to taste Rajasthani food but cannot do without some Punjabi dishes. The food was tasty, but, as with most ‘traditional’ eateries in India, a tad too full of desi ghee.

We tried the famous kachauri’s at Rawat’s, both the savoury one as well as fat and calorie laded mawa kachauri, which is served soaked in sugar syrup. The kachauris were good, but would have loved for the shop to serve some chai with it on the premises. We were referred to a place round the corner for tea but balancing few plates of kachauris including some syrup filled ones wasn’t fun :-(

Mawa kachauri, not for those on a diet

And if you happen to be in nearby Pushkar, find time for a coffee at Sixth Sense, a lovely terrace eatery in hotel Seventh Heaven. While restricted only to residents of the hotel, our two kids provided us a ticket to entry. Generally catering to western tourists, this is an amazing island of serenity in chaos of Pushkar. Truly, a place with character.

Chokhi Dhani dinner is a nice family photo-op

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Second Day of Gluttony in Amritsar

Posted by Siddhartha on January 23, 2011

After the fabulous poori-chhole breakfast the previous morning, and encore was in order. So this time we headed to Kanha, also on Lawrence Road. Unlike Kanhaiya, Kanha has an enclosure for a sit-down meal. While there are some small differences in taste e.g. the launji at Kanha is more tangy and less sweet and the chhole have a darker hue, the food is just as tasty.

After a visit to Durgiana Temple, we stopped by the famous lassi shop opposite Regent Cinema. It was freezing cold so the shop was unusually quiet. Here, we were looking for pedewali lassi which has richness of khoa from the peda in addition to the rich, thick yoghurt of the lassi. Unfortunately, this special lassi was not available. We were told that it is a very skill and labor intensive thing and the karigar (literally ‘craftsman’) who makes it was on leave. But they tried to compensate with an extra helping of fresh, white butter which was a first for me as I am more used to lassi being topped up with malai (clotted cream).

Rich anc creamy yoghurt for the lassi

After a leisurely stroll through the bazaars of old Amrtisar, admiring phulkari embroidery and buying jootis (handmade, embroidered shoes with pointed toes), we took a rickshaw ride through narrow lanes to reach Kesar da Dhaba or just ‘Kesar’ to locals. Founded in 1916, it is as unpretentious as an eatery can be without being rundown. But then this place is about food, and for the first time I am compelled to use ‘simple’ and ‘rich’ together to describe a meal. We opted for an aloo paratha thali and a paratha thali. Thalis came with chana curry and ma ki dal (black dal), the dal so rich that top one centimeter if the bowl would have been just desi ghee. While curry and dal were rich without being exceptional, the lachchha paratha was the softest and tastiest, I have ever eaten. I don’t know if it had to do with the quality of the wheat or way of making.

Kesar da Dhaba Thali

In the evening we decided to sample the aam papad at the rerhi (pushcart) next to BBKDAV College. I knew of aam papad as this neatly layered sweetened, sundried mango pulp, almost golden in color. I came to know that this is lowest quality and hence cheapest variety as it has more sugar and less mango. The real aam papad was ugly looking, dark colored thick sheets which were not sweetened at all. We tasted some and got a lot more packed, all of which I finished within a few hours of reaching home even before anyone else had a bite.

Aloo Tikki at Brijwasi

I have realized that chaatwalas who dunk their aloo tikkis in yoghurt and chutney have a lot to hide. The tikkis at Brijwasi, with green peas and small pieces of paneer, are so tasty that they are rightly served with chutneys on the side. We were so full that dinner would have been an overkill, hence we decided to finish this trip on a sweet note with gurwala halwa (semolina halwa with loads of desi ghee and made with jaggery instead of sugar) at Kanhaiya Halwai. We were lucky to have it fresh out of a karaha (large vat). One last time, with absolute disregard to our arteries, we asked for extra helpings and vowed to return to Amritsar as soon as we had shed all the excesses off.

An hour day in gym for two weeks and counting, shedding the fat off is proving difficult and wait for the next trip, painful :-(

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Two Days of Gluttony in Amritsar – Day 1

Posted by Siddhartha on January 18, 2011

This trip was long overdue. In fact, the first Culinary Yatra was conceived as a trip from Delhi to Amritsar with stops at select dhabas on the way. Lot of milk and ghee went gone down Punjabi alimentary canals since then, the initial proponent of this idea has become a respected film star, but the trip materialized only now.

Poori - Chhole at Kanhaiya

I started the day with breakfast at Kanhaiya Lal on Lawrence Road (there is Kanha ‘Kanhaiya Lal’ down the same road and more on that later). Pooris made with dough that was mildly spiced, sweet-sour launji (a potato curry), tasty chhole, large chunks of vinegar soaked beetroot and cauliflower, all made a fulfilling breakfast combo. I don’t know if it had to do with mild spicing, or close to freezing temperatures but even a poori-chhole breakfast did not feel heavy on the stomach.

Within an hour we were eating the karha Prasad at the Golden Temple. Still to recalibrate ghee consumption to Punjabi standards, we bought four portions of the Prasad to offer in the temple. With enough ghee to soak my palms completely after seeping through the donas (dry leaf bowls), four portions would have been a meal after such a heavy breakfast. But we were on a mission, so followed it up with a meal at the langar (free meals provided through donations and volunteer contributions). Roti-bengal gram curry-urad daal meal was the simplest and the lightest meal I had during the two day stay.

Butter smeared, flaky kulchas at 'All India Fame' on Maqbool Road

Since we were there only for two days, we had to squeeze in a second lunch later in the afternoon – at the legendary, All India Fame Kulcha on Maqbool Road.  They have one person occupied full time just  to scoop out butter with his hands from a huge pot and smear it all over a single kulcha, one after another. Some job this! Since the dough is made almost like a puff pastry (layers separated by fat), it results in a flaky texture. While the taste and texture of the kulchas were out of this world, I was not so impressed with the chhole which seems to have suffered from neglect and cost cutting :-( . I did not take a liking for the onion-tamarind chutney (not in paste form like typical chutney but with chopped onions) either but it seemed to be popular with everyone else so must be good.

Makhan Fish

For dinner, I planned a sampling of Makhan Fish and Surjit Chicken, both on Lawrence Road. The makhan fish shop has moved, so tried a new place on Lawrence Road Extension run by someone in the same family. Makhan fish is lightly marinated Singhara fish fry which is crisp on the outside, but the flesh inside melts in the mouth (hence the name ‘makhan fish’?). The fish is double fried, first in large chunks and then again after cutting into bite sized pieces. I was told this is what gives it the texture. Sold at Rs. 200 for 250 grams, it is not cheap street food, but very tasty and different from any other fish fry I have had. Not willing to walk back to Surjit’s in the cold weather, I tried the grilled chicken at the same place. A couple of spoonfuls of cream were put on top just before serving, and it tasted very similar to Aslam’s Butter Chicken near Jama Masjid.

My wife, who is a vegetarian, tried the paneer version of the famous Chawla’s Cream Chicken. This was the only thing we had in Amritsar which was just good, and not extraordinary, though it is possible that the cream-butter-pepper sauce would have tasted slightly different with chicken.

It is only now that I am realizing how much I ate during the day. Looks like I will have to do another post about the Kanha, Regent Cinema Lassi, Kesar Dhaba, Brijwasi Chaat and DAV College Aam Papad Rerhi that we visited on the second day.

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Best of Culinary Yatras in 2010

Posted by Siddhartha on January 1, 2011

Overall Dining Experience: French Restaurant at Hotel Devin, Bratislava

Cep Mushroom Capuccino

My first experience at a restaurant with a Gault Millau toque (and 13/20 score), and it was so good that it became my destination for two consecutive dinners. French Restaurant at Hotel Devin is a fine dining place with old world charm. Plush table settings, decent wine collection, and damn good chef make it a great experience. With under 40 Euros for a four-course meal (Venison terrine with Waldorf salad , Cep mushrooms cappuccino soup, salmon with a mango salad and a meringue cream with strawberry sauce dessert), even people like me can afford it.

Breakfast of the Year: Café Hopping in Vienna

Apfel Strudel and Viennese Melange

There’s something special about being at the Café at Hotel Sacher, sipping Viennese mélange, while admiring the Vienna Opera House. A coffee with a cake at Café Demel is a slightly different experience in busier and less intimidating surroundings. It helps that you are in one of the most beautiful cities of the world as you walk around burning some of the calories that you just consumed.

In February, we had gone for a breakfast walk through Old Delhi with Nihari and Daulat ki Chaat on agenda, khurchan as a last minute addition. That’s the losing finalist in this category.

 

 Dish of the Year: Aslam’s Butter Chicken

This isn’t the Punjabi invention of tandoori chicken dunked in tomato puree, but something that in could almost be defined as a salad (body-chicken, fat – Amul butter, acid – yoghurt, culinary school students’ would thus define this salad) with grilled chicken copped into small pieces and tossed with other ingredients but no further cooking. It is artery clogging, but then so many other things are without being as tasty. And your cholesterol count is certainly not on your mind as you wipe off last remains of yoghurt-butter sauce off the plate with roomali rotis.

Most Recommended: Bade Mian’s Kheer

I have almost become an unpaid agent for Jamaluddin bhai, not having missed a single opportunity to take friends and family there, get his kheer packed, or at least direct anyone who would care in his direction. I am a card holding bhaiyya, and know of many places which dish up amazing rabris, kheers, malai on the Lucknow-Sultanpur-Jaunpur-Varanasi stretch in our region on the. But Bade Mian’s kheer beats all of them hands down.

All for CV Value: Carnivore, Johannesburg

Some places need to be visited just so that you do not get left out of a conversation, and this is one of those. The food is ordinary, the theme extraordinary. Yes, I ate crocodile, kudu and zebra. But then it would not qualify for this list on taste.

Best Seafood Meal: Mercado del Mar, Guadalajara, Mexico

Molcajete

Dozens of shops selling fresh seafood from the coast only a couple of hours away, and many restaurants serving simple dishes using seafood at really cheap prices (10 oysters for about a dollar, and large plate of mixed seafood, both fried and grilled, for about thirty dollars, 10 small bottles of beer for four dollars) is what Mercado del Mar is about. Soup served in a large mortar like dish (molcajete), a live band playing, a clown performing to keep kids interested just outside add to the character of the place, not that fish markets anywhere in the world are short of it.

Purely on quality of seafood, the legendary Union Oyster Grill and the Legal Sea Foods chain (probably the only chain restaurant in the world I have admiration for) would rank better. What I liked about my mixed seafood salad and three wood grilled fish meal was how crisp the romaine was and how good the bread was, in addition to really fresh, delicately cooked seafood.

Best Meat Meal: Purani Dilli, Zakir Nagar, Delhi

When people were dressing up to visit the happening places in town, my New Year Eve dinner was at Purani Dilli in Zakir Nagar – half a plate of haleem (good, with higher meat proportion and lower fat than some famous Hyderabai places ), half a plate of nihari with the most fragrant rotis (yes, khameeri rotis that have a pleasant smell!), and a tasting of Changezi chicken (superb, with sweetness of onions and strong, almost raw flavor of garlic and ginger which gets lost in dishes with long cooking times) which my driver was having. So I ended the year with a happy meal, and certainly woke up happier than many who went partying :-)

Best Veggie Meal: Sukhdev Dhaba, NH1

The paratha menu is simple – aloo, aloo-pyaz, gobhi, mooli , and paneer. We ordered one of each. With generous stuffing and dollops of white butter, it was superb. We went there again in winter for sarson ka saag and makke ki roti, which was good without being extraordinary. The kheer is good, the gajar halwa even better. Service is efficient, and some colleagues even vouch for the effectiveness of the pain relieving oil sold by at one of the counters :-)

The Culinary Yatra agenda for January includes weekend trip reports from Jaipur and Amritsar, story of a goat stew from a different land, and why ‘chicken fajita’ is nonsense (literally), so be with me.

Wish you all a great year ahead!

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Merry Christmas!

Posted by Siddhartha on December 20, 2010

Christmas in the beautiful Tatras Mountains in the south of Poland feels to be the closest thing to spending time with Santa at the end of a travel by the Polar Express. The temperature is 10 t0 15 degrees below zero, and the Christmas trees on the roundabouts look like those on picture postcards.

One thing the weather does is that you do not feel so bad eating all the atery clogging food and heaps of it. Why should fat be any less harmful in cold weather is anyone’s guess! The food in the hills is very distinct from its neighbouring areas in the plains hardly 50 kms away.

The ethnic group inhabiting these mountains (“gory” is mountains and hence “gorale”) is believed to comprise of Polish, Czech, Ukrainian, Vlach and Slovak shepherds. So it comes as no surprise, that while lamb is a premium meat across Poland, here in the mountains you get the best of it – and none of the farm-fed industrial variety. My lamb sausages (at Karczma Slimak, a touristy replica of tradional Inns) were fabulous with really strong flavour of the meat (not like the sausages in frankfurters and hotdogs where the sausauge could have been made with soya and you wouldnt know) (Kilebaski baranie z cebula – that’s lamb suasage with onions)

The other speciality is Oscypek, a smoked cheese made from ewe’s milk. It is generally sliced and grilled and eaten with crandberry preservve (zurawina). While grilling gives it a chewy texture, the salty-somky taste is amazing.

 You can even buy this cheese from many street hawkers lining the tourist areas and grill it on a griddle at home – we always do!

Another thing that strikes you is that portions are more American than European. Every meal seems to be a Christmas feast, and no place highlights it more than Kolibecka, a highly recommended place on a busy roundabout (no one speaks English here, and you have to order food at the bar and find a seat for yourselves).
The food is amazing and portions twice the size of standard American ones. My portion of Golonka (fat enveloped pork knuckles) was full 1 kilogram by weight.
Even the dessert seemed to be two standard portions of cake served together – a cake with the goodness of poppy seeds:
Then building on this whole theme park like experience, at a restaurant on one of the ski slopes, I was served trout with small flames buring on trout head and tail!

And in the true spirit of Christmas, we used the popular winter local transport:

Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way;
Oh! what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh

 For me, the smile of my five year old during this sleigh ride is what the happines of Christmas is about..

Merry Christmas!

 

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