Category: Places

The Shimla Affair – Chapter I

I hadn’t realized how close we were to our hostel. I looked at my watch, it was around 7:30 PM, but it felt like it was 11 already. The Shiv Temple which stood brightly shining in the morning sunlight looked a bit dull now. The only shops which seemed busy were the two liquor stores selling Desi Liquor. Kasumpti tends to be this way, much more humbler compared to the happenings at the mall. And even colder. Actually the hunger made me feel extremely cold.

I spotted a few eateries, a set of shady ones serving gas inducing pulses and cold flaky jalebis. I just entered one of them, followed sheepishly by my friend, who had been busy talking to a series of brain-dead girls since an hour, or so I assume.

A stout-looking, grumpily smiling aunty welcomed us and asked us to take a seat. The place was empty, and dimly lit, with walls having those smoky oil spots with flaky distemper, a trait common across so many small-town eateries. The tables were dirty-white, enhancing the grimness of the place. The grimness was equally reflected on aunty’s face, wrinkled around the edges, but still carrying that rose-tainted Himachali charm.

I asked the clichéd question, “What’s there to eat?”, she came back with an equally clichéd response, “Dinner!!!”. I didn’t think much and asked her to layout dinner for two. My friend was still on phone, the hmms and long pauses quite indicative of his boredom. Talking on phone to girls has never been my thing. Never will be.

She cleaned the table using a dirty rag, then using the same one to clean our compartmentalized steel plates. These plates reminded me of the plates used in langar, or my favorite plate at home as a kid. I used my T-Shirt to give my plates another decent wipe. T-Shirt had a coating of cold sweat on it, but atleast it was my own sweat.

Kadhi Pakoda and Maa Ki Daal were served first, along with some stale-looking chopped-yesterday kind off onion and green chillies I took a spoon and started sampling stuff, the daal was hot and fresh, and minimal usage of Garlic provided a confirmatory evidence of its freshness. Kadhi felt stale, like really stale, with a strong whiff of Hing (Asafoetida) in it.

I started looking around to kill time till the rotis arrived. There were pictures of gods and goddesses and few cut outs of Filmstars from the region’s favorite Punjab Kesari editions. There was huge blue drum next to an old creaky door, an off-color blue drum, the shades of the place giving it a rather Instagrammed feel. Maybe it was used to store water. Maybe that’s where aunty stored this awful Kadhi, and recycled it for guests like us.

To add insult to injury, she got some Pakodas made in evening and popped them in the Kadhi served on our dishes, as if that would help? I reminded her about the rotis. She asked me to wait for couple of minutes.

I heard a slight creak of the door behind me, I felt someone entered the main eatery area and started walking towards us. I didn’t bother as all I had on my mind were the impending rotis. I felt a touch on my elbow, a touch of warmth on my cold elbow, a soft and special touch. I smelt a freshness in the air, it had replaced the Asafoetida smell, and all my tiredness had disappeared at that very moment. She stopped, I looked at her, and at that very moment things became exciting yet silent. The gaze of those rich brown eyes was superbly complemented with a sharp, rather pointy noise. Her complexion was clear, and the rosy Himachali sheen on her cheeks exuded freshness. Her faint green kurta and the deep blue head scarf just went so well with her beautiful face. That amazingly beautiful pahadi face.

She walked towards the stove and started rolling the dough. Her long slender fingers rolled the dough and then divided it precisely into separate balls. She started rolling the dough balls and lighted the stove. I saw a few small drops of sweat flowing down her cold white face. It was all so beautiful. I wish I could have been a painter and captured that moment.

The rolling seemed so seamless, and in a smooth action that dull off-white colored dough had transformed to a spotty white colored, hot air filled Roti. She piled on a 3-4 rotis in a basket and then dabbed a bit a of Ghee on it. The dab was accompanied with a smile, ghee does represent love in some way for sure. Aunty walked towards her probably to pick up the basket, but she shut the stove, picked the basket before aunty reached it and came towards our table. As I shamelessly watched her face, she served me and my still talking-on-phone friend. How the hell can he miss this? In a way it was good that he was missing all this. I don’t think he could have appreciated it the way I did.

The rotis kept on coming, the boring kadhi developed a lovely flavor, daal felt like the one from the Golden Temple at Amritsar, it is strange how love, or the thought of it can completely change your life. Or at least the flavors in it.

Read part II here.

November 3, 2012
The Healing Chill of Hebbe Falls

A chill runs through my body, crossing my spine, and within touching distance of my brain. I can only feel the cold water massaging my bruises, playfully interacting with platelets busy constructing a clot. I can sense a relieving burn crawl over my scratches, and it is extremely refreshing. Suddenly all the tiredness faces an existential threat. I feel a rush of energy pass through my body. Water can do that to you. Chilled water can do it better. A super chilled waterfall after an injury-laden trek tops it all. It can pump life in you within seconds and make you feel alive.

A couple of hours back…

Ah, the beautiful landscapes around Kemmangundi (Karnataka), and the soothing winds blowing on this hilltop. Why should we leave all this and go for a trek? Down-treks are easier these guys tell me. I have never been a trekking person – up or down – nothing excites me. I am just going on this one to keep my friends happy. I have been told about this particularly scenic Hebbe falls some 8-10 Kms down the trek. Waterfall!!! So much pain and trouble just to see a waterfall. I am not the kind of person who would trade relaxation for effort on a holiday. Or maybe I am?

We start the trek as a cheerful, semi-drunk, happy high sort of a group. Few beers had been gulped with an afternoon barbecue featuring my Ajwain Flavored Paneer Tikkas, but it’s the sights and sounds around which have made me high, or so I think. As with most treks in India, this one starts as a dusty and dry trail. Being a down trek we had already started slipping and losing control over the trek.

A few minutes into the trek and I start laughing rather unsympathetically over a friend slipping. Before I realize I trip and start rolling down the hill. A chill runs through my body, full of fear, of injury, or even death, and I close my eyes. Darkness. Till Infinity.

As I open my eyes caught in a thorny shrub, with distant voices of my friends falling on ears and prickly and intense pain running through my body I realize it isn’t that bad. My friends come rushing on and apply their healing dosage of Water, Antiseptic, and a healthy serving of trekking gyaan.

Right now I feel terrible. Ashamed. Dead-like. Tired. Fail. Stupid. Maybe a mix of everything.

And a few moments back…

I am slowly realizing the extent of damage- a number of scratches, a couple of cuts on knees and elbows, and countless small bruises all over my body. But somehow I know I am walking towards something special. I don’t know what it is, but the afternoon heat metamorphosing to the pre-evening chill, and the dusty lanes transforming to Hulk-Green surroundings are giving me signs of things to come. All of a sudden through those green leaves I spot Hebbe Falls. I can smell the wet scent of earth, and hear the profound sounds of a waterfall. I had lost sense of all my senses sometime back. But as I stand in front of the waterfall, I have regained them, feeling every bit of the waterfall. I throw my bag and jump in.

October 21, 2012
अमृतसरी प्रेम कहानी, जो हो न सकी…

निकला था मैं देश देखने,
खाने पीने, और कुछ अच्छा लिखने.
क्या पता था यह सफ़र मेरा दिल तोड़ देगा,
ग़म भरे मोड़ पर ला कर मुझे छोड़ देगा.

भरवान दा ढाबा के वोह करारे कुलचे
मदमस्त चने और खिलखिलाती लस्सी.
फिरनी जैसी आपने कभी न खायी,
नरम पनीर की बाहों में संतुष्टी पायी.

चटोरेपन का अध्याय पूर्ण कर,
जब निकल रहा था उदर से डकारो का स्वर.
तभी आई पीछे से एक मधुर वाणी
“Excuse Me”

सुन के लगा यह तो है कोई अपनी,
कानो में घुल सी गयी जैसे फिर वही मलाईदार फिरनी.
लम्बा कद, गोरा रंग, हलके हरे नयन,
पहली नज़र में ही मेरे दिल ने कर लिया उसका चयन.

उत्सुकता से भरी, हलकी सकपकाई, हलकी चकराई,
करना चाहती थी भारतीय खाने की पढाई.
मैंने कहा मैं समझाता आपको क्या मक्खन क्या मलाई,
मन ही मन कहा वाह कन्या तूने क्या किस्मत है पायी.

बातो ही बातो में पता पड़ा घूम रही वोह अपना ७१वा देश,
थी पत्रकार, करती खबरों से प्यार और गर्मी से क्लेष.
वार्तालाप आगे बढ़ा, जन्मा प्रेम का नवंकुर,
उन आँखों में भी दिखा बढ़ता लगाव क्षणभंगुर.

उसने कहा कल कल दिन “साथ” करीबी गाँव है घूमते,
अमृतसर की गलियों के स्वादों को चखते.
दिल गया धड़क और बढ़ी मेरी आशा,
पर पेट में हो रही थी गुडगुड और सिर में घनघोर तमाशा.

इन सबके ऊपर आधे घंटे में थी मेरी बस,
प्रेम और पेट के बीच हुआ मैं बेबस.
मैंने सोचा यही थी अपनी कहानी,
अलविदा कहते हुए आखों में आ गया पानी.

जाते जाते मिला मुझे एक दोस्ताना आलिंगन,
जिसकी यादो के सहारे कटेगा मेरा जीवन.
माहौल तो पका, पर प्यार की फिरनी न पक सकी,
अमृतसरी प्रेम कहानी, जो हो न सकी, जो हो न सकी…

-अभिषेक ‘देसी’ देशपांडे

October 15, 2012
Spicy Hot Summer, Served With Buffalo Dip

There are summers, and then there is that idiotic summer.

I was interning with an organization studying tribal arts in the Rathwa tribe dominated Chota Udaipur region of Gujarat. In a constantly sweltering Sun, which was seldom in mood to bend itself below 45 odd degrees, we roamed across villages exploring styles of Pithora Paintings and scouting opportunities to work on other tribal art forms.

There are summers, and then there is that romantic summer.

I remember squeezing out time to go through multiple books at the same time. I fell in love with Arwen from Lord of the Rings and the landscapes of Shire as described by Tolkien, before the book eventually consumed me. I fell in love with villages, with the way Indians lived, took pride in our deep heritage and diverse art forms, and developed a significant admiration for tribal women with their shiny skin and confident demeanor.

There are summers, and then there is that delicious summer.

From the 10 year old kid who took me behind his hut at night to mix Gin for me in a earthen pot, to the old uncle who showed me the distillation process for Mahua made liquor, I discovered the existence of Alcohol. I remember taking the first sip, and it was hot, as hot as the Sun on top, it burned my food pipe for a second, but left a deliciously hot aftertaste. Then there was my new found addiction for soft-drinks (the one I always regretted), to unbelievably and brightly colorful Re. 1 shaved-ice candies, popularly termed Jaundice flavored candies by my Professor. But the taste which stayed for me forever was having Huge Makai Rotlas (Maize-Flour Bread, almost 10 inches in diameter), served with spicy hot red-chili garlic dry chutney.

There are summers, and there is the one that comes alive.

“You look like a Yamraj”, my friend shouted.

“I am one, bwhahahaha”, I replied.

Here I was on one of those idiotic summer days sitting comfortably on a buffalo-back, rekindling my romance with my sense of freedom, with a couple of delicious drops of water flying from the pond and vaporizing of my parched tongue.

Earlier in the day we had helped our host in the village with some clean-up of his house and then offered to help him take his buffalos for a cleanup. But as I cleaned the buffalos in the village nahar, I slowly soaked in the mood, and didn’t even realize when it became a little adventure involving me and my friend, our host’s son, his friends and the friendly buffalos. We all took a dip in the small pool which had formed at the side of the village stream, saving ourselves from the occasional burst of energy by the head banging buffalos. It was even better with them laying in pool with us climbing on backs, playing “desi” cowboys, or enacting Yamraj and feeling awesome about acting stupidly.

And suddenly in that one moment everything I did that summer came together, all those images of intense summer heat, beautiful paintings, the earthen pot distillation unit, that spicy chili garlic chutney. And my summer came to life, with a bit of spice, and lovely Buffalo dip.

————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Have you ever gone dipping with Buffaloes in a village pond? Or Elephants, maybe?

————————————————————————————————————————————————–

October 14, 2012
A Walk through Misty-cal Shimla

It is still early in the morning and Shimla is slowly waking up to the misty morning chill and steaming tea vessels. The bus stop seems quite unprepared for 7AM in the morning, with newspaper vendors still unwrapping the Punjab Kesaris, and the bus windows being cleaned of dried vomit from yesterday’s torrid journeys. I walk towards a stall and ask for a cup of tea, sweetness much more than the heat of the first sip hits me. But I guess I require a sugar rush, for the long and tiring walk ahead.

Walking through Shimla is as much an exercise as it’s an experience. I climb towards the mall, the city center so beautifully built by the British that you tend to forget the puffed up breath and tiredness. There is beauty all over, the old Victorian structures and wooden buildings, the cutest of school kids in their bright uniforms and toned blazers, beautiful people with an amazing Himachali sheen on their skin, and above all the mist filled scenery one can enjoy all year-round.

Its around 8 AM now and the shops have started cleaning up for another day, I chuck the shops, shoo away the monkeys and walk towards the ridge after crossing scandal point. I buy a newspaper and sit on the old colonial style benches. Slowly the town seems to be waking up from its sleep. There is an extra-tone of brightness the sun has added to it, discussions are picking up all around, school kids are flocking the ridge area, and travel agents have started chasing the few tourists around.

I walk down towards the Indian Coffee House, a century old institution serving Filter Coffee and breakfast to the mall’s flockers. I enter the coffee house, take a window view and order a coffee. As I look out of the window I feel a sense of completeness, it has been a morning well spent, observing people, being on the sidelines of active discussions, and just soaking in the fresh air. Well a lot of calories have been burnt, time to eat something now!

October 5, 2012
Thali Memoirs and A Visit to Rajdhani

Honestly, I have slightly moved away from the Thali format (by Thali I mean the Unlimited Thali formats, representative of the scores of Marwari-Rajasthani-Gujarati style platters). My initial indulgence in Thalis was a result of petty bets on hogging more rather than any particular interest food. We took so much interest in wiping clean watis of aam-ras, popping those mini-puris and puran–polis, or having more servings of Khichdi-Kadhi than each other, that we hardly noticed the freakishly amazing array of flavors on offer.

But it helped that in the prime of my hogging days I was based in Ahmedabad, the capital of thalis in India. Slowly I was getting educated about a culinary tradition basic to Indian cooking and eating, the Thali. It took different meanings- from the thali eateries outside Baroda station which were a simple and affordable replacement for home cooked food, to the luxurious experiential dining at Vishala in Ahmedabad. One of my favorites was Pakvaan at Ahmedabad (Near Ellis Bridge), for me it stood for affordable luxury, especially in the cash-strapped days of engineering.

But then there was what most consider to be the Holy Grail of all Thalis, Govardhan Thaal, at SG Road, Ahmedabad. I remember sneaking past its 56 dish-written whiteboard on multiple occasions, just to be turned-off by the Rs. 120 price tag. I recall when Dad came to visit me and asked for a place where we could go out for Dinner, Govardhan was the place I chose. And I still remember that meal, from the rose-petal-water handwash, right to the rasmalai.

Times changed and once I came to Mumbai, Rajdhani at InOrbit, Malad gave me an opportunity to relive those Thali memories. Sometimes I feel Thali eating is more about an interesting company, you don’t get time to talk between that quick serving, but you can easily talk with your gestures, eye movements (about to pop-out in case you have had more than enough) and more often than not, a Burrp.

But then offlate my eating capacity has taken a dip, and the more I have explored food, the more I have started resisting thali. It has become very difficult for me to consume in high quantities, and also I need time and space to absorb a dish, both aesthetically and through my digestive system. Needless to say sometimes the Thali restaurants do come across as slightly intrusive, with their hands popping out of all directions with food, allowing little peace of mind.

So initially when I received this invite for Rajdhani, I was slightly tentative to go. But then I thought, let’s go, for all the great memories…

The Visit to Rajdhani

I will not talk much about the food on offer, because there are few people (Gaurav, Shirin, and Krytie) who have already talked about it. To be short I loved the starters (Patra and Vatana Pattice), then I was lost in the middle with lot of servings, and then regained some ground with the Kheer, a piece of Jalebi, and some Kadhi-Khichdi, and ending it all with a gorgeous Paan-Shot (I like the one served at Punjab Grill much more, guess they use an actual Paan). It’s not like I didn’t like the food, but somehow as I mentioned above I have moved away from the format. But that’s my perspective, a lot of people do love this format (like almost all the members in my entire family).

I think it is much more important to highlight the processes straight from sourcing to cooking, from serving fresh to developing a signature serving style, from expanding the concept from a single restaurant to a chain, and above all for serving fresh food, daily. So here are two things which stood out for me during my visit:

Serving FRESH food, daily: Most of the successful players in the business tend to be experts in minimizing wastage, reusing stuff and taking pains to source good quality stuff at minimizing wastage. And yes these are traits more important than having a wide menu, or a great ambience. If you are not getting what I am trying to explain, read something about the restaurant business like Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential, its all about minimizing wastage and keeping your costs in control. So a lot of places you go to actually don’t end up serving “FRESH” food, because it doesn’t make business sense (remember the times when you had so much Garlic in your Daal Tadka, or on a Sunday Brunch you had 2-3 types of Shredded Chicken Salads).

I love Rajdhani because it serves FRESHLY COOKED FOOD. You visit the kitchens and see limited quantities of a standardized menu being prepared, and you notice the limited cold storage, you know you are eating fresh stuff. And given the tough Industry this is, it is a big USP. And believe me it is a USP. It is one thing which makes Rajdhani food similar to food at home, along with the service which is full of Love (or as we do in India, with Ghee).

Check out this video of our Kitchen tour (and you can take one anytime during your visit to Rajdhani). Mr. Nair, the VP of Khandani Rajdhani, guides us through the cooking process, the techniques, and the history of Rajdhani.

Speaking the Language of Food: Goto any restaurant and you see people from all over India working as part of serving staff. But go to a Rajdhani and you will only see people from Rajasthan. Why? Simple, these are people who have grown on Daal Baati or a Gatte ka Sabzi, they will serve what they know. Plus these guys have developed their own code-language of communicating to cut down on service time. We got this small demo at Rajdhani.

The effort which the staff puts in serving is something unachievable in any other format, they know about the food, they contribute to its creation, and also create a new affectionate language around the same, and the feeling is communicated to its customers. I was reminded of this quote from the Italian movie Life is Beautiful.

You’re here serving, you’re not a servant. Serving is the supreme art. God is the first of servants. God serves men, but he’s not a servant to men.

Serving really is a supreme art at Rajdhani. (Although as I mentioned above I have moved away a bit from this format, still I appreciate the effort they put in their service).

The things which is commendable is that apart from achieving the above two, they have been able to replicate the model, and scale it to create a sustainable and a profitable business model out of it. On the sidelines of the visit when I was chatting with Mr. Nair, I recognized his love for Thali format and the cuisine, heard stories of his early days in business running Thali formats in Gujarat, and realized where all this love and affection in the staff comes from.

And he too like me, loves Govardhan Thaal and rates it as the best Thali Restaurant in India

I believe that if you are fond of Thalis, Rajdhani is a must visit place, for all its good service, and freshly prepared food. For people like me, I believe there is space in the market for a slightly slow-paced Thali restaurant.

Featured Image by Gaurav

Disclosure: Restaurant’s Public Relations agency covered all the expenses associated with the food tastings mentioned above. For more details refer my disclosure page.

September 23, 2012
Rajasthani Food Festival at Hornby’s Pavilion, ITC Grand Central

Last year during my visit to Rajasthan on the occasion of a friend’s wedding, I had an elaborate interaction with Rajasthani Cuisine. I respect the cuisine for its design under constraints, something which is evident by limited usage of fresh produce (rarely available in earlier times); its ghee-laden richness which resonates with its royal heritage and tradition; and Rajasthani people’s ability to eat hard and work harder to digest a rich cuisine.

So when last week I got an invite for a Rajasthani Food Festival at Hornby’s Pavilion, ITC Grand Central, I just couldn’t say no, I had to go.

Before I start and get lost in the food, I would like to mention the presence of Chef Kailash Chand Meena who is the in-house expert on Rajasthani Cuisine for the ITC Group of Hotels and was the brain behind the event. He gathered his expertise serving in the kitchens of Jaipur and Udaipur royalty and is someone who loves narrating his experiences. I had a great discussion with him on the innovative use of ingredients in Rajasthani meals, the royal traditions of designing elaborate menus, and the flavors of laal maans vis-à-vis safed maans. After all this he promised to make chakke ki sabzi and gulabjaamun ki sabzi for me on my next visit. You can catch up with him at ITC Soner Bangla (Kolkata), or at such Rajasthani themed events ITC organizes.

There were two starters on the Rajasthani menu, the simple chicken one and the Tilwaale Paneer. Tilwaale (Sesame) Paneer is something I first tasted a couple of years back in a Jain wedding and taste has stuck since then. Paneer is coated with Besan and sesame and then sort of stir-fired to make it crispy. One of my favorite dish. The chicken dish was normal.

Paneer Tilwaale

Daal-Baati Churma is a core constituent of any Rajasthani meal and people tend to be very particular about it. I have had the rough of ones of roadside dhabas in Gujarat and the really rich royal ones served in weddings. I asked Chef Kailash to make it for me the way he likes it, so he crushed the Baatis, added the Daal (which even independently was quite tasty), a dash of Ghee and sprinkled some Jaggery over it. I have never had Daal Baati with Jaggery on top and I liked the sweet flavor which went well with the Ghee-moistened baati.

Rajasthani cuisine generally doesn’t disappoint the vegetarians, and as expected there were the traditional Badi, Besan domianted sabzis. I lovedPithori ki Sabzi (Besan batter, steamed and cut in cubes with Tomato Gravy) and Mangodi ki Subzi (Moong Daal Badis in Gravy). One unique dish which I tried out was the Moongfalli ki Subzi (Raw Peanuts in a rich creamy gravy). I love peanuts in all forms and this is something I will surely try cooking at home too.

Mangodi ki Sabzi

Pithori ki Sabzi

In the non-vegetarian fare there were a couple of dishes, Chicken Kadhiwaala and Laal Maans. Chicken Kadhi was ok, and not that exciting for me. Laal Maans was spicy (as it is supposed to be) and the mutton was perfectly cooked. Although I could have taken another step on the Scoville Scale, guess this was good for patrons flocking ITC currently. Loved Laal Maans.

Chicken Kadhiwaala

Laal Maans

Accompaniments included the chapatis, the bajra bhakris, and sev-pulaav. Although another interesting dish were the green-tinged Papads. The saltiness (and the green tinge) in the Papad was a result of using the foam of Sambhar Lake as a key ingredient. These Chefs do go the distance when it goes to sourcing stuff.

Special “Sambhar Lake” Papads

Sev Pulaav

The dessert included the Ghevar (which I am not a big fan of and so won’t comment anything on it) and the Lapsi Halwa which has been a childhood favorite for me. Simple and nice.

Lapsi Halwa

All in all a good, controlled experience. Sometimes the Thali Restaurants tend to get on my nerve and overwhelm with so much food, having it in such a setting was a neat experience. Looking forward to meeting Chef Kailash again sometime soon.

Disclosure: ITC’s Public Relations team covered all the expenses associated with the food tastings mentioned above. For more details refer my disclosure page.

September 19, 2012
Episode I: What to eat in Varanasi?
Anything. Simply, anything.

Amidst all the chaos and confusion of Varanasi, food is one thing which instills some sense of order, with its simple yet mouthwatering flavors dominating a lot of other experiences one has in the city. Varanasi’s food is defined by its place in Hindu culture and tradition, its regional influences (Eastern Uttar Pradesh and proximity to Bihar), the influx of foreign visitors and their will to explore its cultural nuances, and above all its relationship with the river Ganga.

I got an opportunity to taste some incredible food on my visit to Varanasi in July, and have some insightful conversations on the cuisine, preparations, and its fusion with external influences. Hope some of my experiences help you make a decision on What and Where to eat in Varanasi.

Given there is a lot to talk about, I will put a follow-up post. In the second part I will share insights about the evolution of Italian food in Varanasi, Cafes, and much more.

A couple of key points before I start:
- When it comes to cleanliness, Varanasi is quite sad. Look around for clean surroundings, check if the stuff is being freshly prepared in front of you, and as a rule avoid drinking water at any place. You can’t run away from flies at any place but ensure that stuff you eat was well covered.
- I am not liable for any stomach upsets 🙂
Kachoris, chaats and all the fried delicacies you can think of. Kachori-subzi is the city’s stand out breakfast item. Remember you can have three variants of kachoris (fried snack usually filled with a spicy mix of pulses) :
1. Simple puris served with aloo rassa (potato gravy) usually only served during breakfast;
2. The regular kachoris stuffed with moong-daal served with aloo rassa or chutney;
3. The mini-kachoris you will find on the ghaats served with aloo-rassa.
There is no place in particular which you can choose and pinpoint on for having the best kachori in Varanasi, but MadhurMilan near Dashashwamedh is particularly famous. I ended up having it at a local sweet-vendor and was served 6 puris and subzi for 15 Rs. The small kachoris are mildly spiced and one can gobble up half a dozen easily without much hustle. Although all of them tend to be a bit greasy depending on the amount of oil which has been mixed with the crust. The aloo rassa has a strong presence of Hing (Asafoetida), but it tastes quite like the one at home. And yes do combine it with a plate of sweet-syrupy Jalebis.

Kachori-subzi is the best consumed in morning after the famous Varanasi sunrise and a Holy Dip in Ganges (if you muster the courage to do it with the filth around).

When it comes to chaat you will get all the usual variations ranging from Tikkis (potato patty served with chick-pea gravy), paani-puris and dahi-vadas. Again there are a million places to choose from but when it comes to chaats, Kashi Chaat Bhandaar is an institution in itself. Located close to Dashashwamedh, this small shop run by KeshriJi and the family serves all the popular chaat items. I got a chance to taste the Tikki (mildly flavored made in Ghee), Dahi-Puri and Pani Puri here.

But the clear winner is the Tamatar Chaat (Tomato Chaat). A cross between Maharashtrian Pav-Bhaji and a Kathiawadi Sev-Tamatar, this seamlessly fuses the spicy with sweet and sour, complete with a helpful dashing of crunchy Boondi Sev.

Your body might attain salvation through a dip in Ganga, but your stomach won’t attain the same unless you have the Tamatar Chaat at Kashi Chaat Bhandaar.

Interacting with Rajesh KeshariJi was quite an interesting experience, his family has served chaats for three generations now, and as he gleefully boasted about famous people visiting the shop he couldn’t stop smiling through his Paan-stained teeth.

He claims Tamatar Chaat to be the family’s original (and proudest) invention and he will ensure that you don’t leave without tasting his bomb-sized Gulabjaamuns (Fried Mawa balls soaked in sugar syrup) or the Malaidaar (super creamy) Kulfi-Falooda.

Ok and apart from Kachoris and Chaats there are tonnes of things you will find walking on the ghaats, like these awesome pakodis we had near Assi.

Litti-Chokha. A popular dish from the Eastern U.P. / Bihar region, Litti Chokha represents how simple and delightful Indian food can be. Littis are charcoal-baked wheat balls, stuffed with a Bhojpuri staple ingredient Sattu. Sattu is gram flour prepared by roasting gram in hot sand.

So what is so unique about the Sattu in Varanasi which makes its Littis so flavorful? If one has to believe the locals, the sand comes from the beds of River Ganga, and adds a unique taste to the Sattu. Maybe this was too far fetched a connect for me, but if you ta
ste the simple Lahi-Chana (Puffed Rice and Grams) cracked in hot sand and sold on the shores of Ganga, you will somewhat agree with theory.

Chokha is a mix of mashed Roasted Brinjal (Baingan Bhartain India, and similar to Baba Ghanoush minus the Tahini), mashed potatoes, lightly spiced with a dash of freshly chopped tomatoes, onions and cucumber for crunchiness.

You can have this dish at multiple locations in the city, but I recommend the restaurant Baati Chokha (close to the Railway Station at Teliabagh). You can enjoy this delicacy at a neat and clean place and they have fancier variations like the Paneer stuffed Litti, and a variety of other Indian dishes to choose from.

Dairy products- Sweets, Lassi and Thandai.When it comes to high-quality dairy products Mathura leads the popularity charts, but I don’t think Varanasi will be anywhere behind.

I got addicted to this LassiWaala’s Lassi near Assi Ghaat (well that rhymes!). Lassi is served in Kulhad (small earthen cups), with a heavy helping of cream on top, and a few drops of rose-water on top. I can’t articulate the goodness of Lassi in Varanasi, for me it is better than the one I have had in Amritsar, or in Indore. It is much more creamier in consistency, and I think is blessed by the River Ganga herself.

Again there is no particular place to have a Lassi or Thandai in the city but you can trust Raju KeshariJi sitting right at the Dashashwamedh Square for an amazingly refreshing Thandai.

When Raju Keshariji (not related to Rajesh Keshariji from Kashi Chaat) started talking about the mix of Thandai and the spices which go into the making of it, he was hardly comprehensible through his paan-stuffed mouth. Then he popped in a pouch of Gutkha and still managed to gulp in half of glass of Thandai at the same time!!! (One of the most shocking image I carried back from my trip). When I offered him advice on how eating so much Paan can lead to health issues, he replied:

BhaiSahab, Saccha Banarasikhaana chodd sakta hai, Paan nahi. (A true Banarasi can leave food, but can’t leave Paan)

By the way for a Bhang infused Thandai, move to the Government Approved Bhangshops near the temple. You never know what you will end up drinking at other places!

You will see a lot of shops selling milk-based mithais(sweets) in Varanasi, although please be aware of the fact that given the number of tourists entering the place, and the quantities they are producing it might not always be safe! Milk and milk-based products do tend to have a number of adulterants. Shops like Madhurmilan are bigger and one can assume them to be safe.

Banarasi Kalakand is the most popular sweet here, although I found it a bit too sweet for my taste.

To be continued…
September 18, 2012
Breakfast, Bagels and more at Grain & Bagel, Malad

For most of us the definition of the weekend means going southwards in the city to explore the various interesting treats the new cafes in Bandra have to offer. It was in one such place earlier this year that I was introduced to the concept of Bagels. But couple of weeks back, I got an opportunity to head northwards to Malad to learn more about Bagels.

After I moved from Andheri I have rarely been to Malad. But Malad is developing, with a string of residential and commercial complexes coming up, there is a visible need for interesting cafes and restaurants. Grain & Bagel is an attempt to tap into this market, currently dominated by elaborate food courts and restaurants in malls in the area.

The first thing which is noticeable is the approach to the cafe, it’s hidden somewhere between concrete towers behind Infiniti Mall. It might give you an impression of an office cafeteria from a distance but once you enter the place, you find an open, warm and welcoming place.

The location works to its advantage as it offers peace inside a corporate park, as compared to the roadside noise of numerous other cafes elsewhere in Mumbai. The interiors are spacious and open and they do have FREE WIFI! Now about the food.

Breakfast menu: Maggi, Eggs and Pancakes

From the time I checked up the menu I was most excited about the Mornay Maggi. The dish is reminiscent of some lovely cheesy Maggi you will end up having in a hill station Maggi-Momo shack. Maggi is prepared in a creamy cheddar cheese sauce and plated with some parsley on top. Be it the excitement of having Maggi after sometime or the simplicity of the preparation, it took us no time to gobble it up.

A breakfast place is almost inconceivable without the presence of eggs (neglecting the brilliance of South Indian Veggie joints). We ordered a couple of egg dishes- the Irani Omelette and Scrambled Eggs with Pesto. The Irani omelette was quite “normal”, something which I won’t feel like having in a nice café. But the Eggs with Pesto made my day, the dash of pesto in scrambled eggs just takes them to a lovable level. The eggs were garnished with bits of Feta and some fresh Parsley, but the sad piece of bread and hash-brown served with it could have been avoided, or presented in a better way.

We ordered the regular pancakes (with maple syrup) which were soft, fluffy and simply delicious. The best bit is that they have an eggless variant, hopefully equally tasty!

Bagels

I am still getting used to the taste of Bagels and its texture. Caramelwings enlightened me about how the dough is hand shaped, boiled and then baked to achieve a dense and rather chewy consistency of Bagels. Reema added that these Bagels represent the New York style of Bagel making, popularly served with a healthy spreading of Philadelphia cream cheese with some simple toppings. I am lucky to be in this awesome company!

We first tried the Veggie Bagel with a Rye Bagel with lots of fresh veggies, a garlic cream cheese spread and a schezwan sauce. Simple and I would assume I still need some Bagel education before I can comment on their quality.

Although I loved the Fluffy Scrambled Eggs with Chicken and Cheddar Bagel. It was plated with salad and I somehow feel that softer fillings rather than crunchier ones will suit me better, given the texture of Bagel.

The next step: Risotto and Spaghetti Bolognese

Thankfully I am much more informed when it comes to Risotto, the one we ordered with Mornay Risotto with Asparagus Tips. The dish looks simple yet elegant with Asparagus tips on top. Asparagus adds a crunchy and distinct element to an indeed well-done dish.

Spaghetti Bolognese was a bit of a disappointment with the lamb meat tasting rough and not smooth enough as expected. I was expecting meat to be soft, but it was of chewy consistency, something which disturbed the neatly done flavors of the sauce.

Desserts

We were served an assortment of desserts (Ganache, Mousse, Cupcake with amazing frosting) but I will talk about just one. Mandarin Pot De Crème was my favorite dish on the menu. As I heard the girls discussing its complex recipe with Chintan (one of the owners) I tasted the most amazing mix of Chocolate and Orange, which took me straight from the simple childhood delights of Amul Orange Chocolate to the complex world of orange reductions and cooked chocolates. Who cares, brilliant dessert!!! The best.

All in all Grains and Bagel was an interesting journey, I learned a lot about Bagels, scrambled through the remains of the delicious scrambled eggs with pesto, fell in love with the creamy Risotto and ended it all with the zest of Orange in Chocolate.

Definitely worth a visit, especially if you stay in the neighborhood of Malad.

I was accompanied by Ashrita, Amrita, and Reema for the review.

Disclosure: Restaurant’s owners covered all the expenses associated with the food tastings mentioned above. For more details refer my disclosure page.

September 11, 2012
App आये बहार आयी.

रविवार का था वोह दिन,
जब रह ना पा रहा था भोजन तकनीक के बिन.
यह दिन का हसने का, मिलने जुलने का,
संगणक और इन्टरनेट से बाहर निकल, हर व्यक्ति विशेष से मिलने का.

Nokia का नाम देख याद आयी मुझे उस प्रसिद्द नागिन की चाल,
सरलता और सुदृढ़ता के बल पर जिस Nokia ने किया था अपने दुश्मनों का बुरा हाल.
३२१०, ११००, २१०० और इ-७२ से जुडी वोह सुनहरी यादें,
Nokia की धुन की आड़ में पनपता प्रेम और कसमें वादें.

Nokia से ध्यान हटा तो दिखा एक मंच सुस्सजित एवं बड़ा,
एक तरफ था भारत का तकनिकी-गुरु, तो दूसरी ओर जूनून का प्रमुख-रसोईया था खड़ा.
इन दोनों में से किसी एक का पक्ष लेना तो था नामुमकिन,
एक फूल दो माली वाली थी समस्या एक हसीन.
एक तरह से अच्छा ही हुआ मुझे मंच पर नहीं बुलाया,
नहीं तो फूल तो क्या fool बना कर राजीव ने रहता मुझे सताया.

लाल सोमरस के प्यालो के साथ संध्या धीरे धीरे रही थी बढ़,
नशे के साथ तकीनीकी एवं पाककला का ज्ञान भी दिमाग पे रहा था चढ़.
समां भी बंध सा गया था, कुछ चेहरे थे जाने कुछ अनजाने,
ब्लॉग की दुनिया से निकल कर, आधे तो आये थे ताज के भोजन के बहाने.

फिर जैसे ही app आयी, आयी बहार,
Chaplin महोदय की चाल चलते विकास हो, या चित्रो में चेहरों का होता संहार.
मुझे पता है कुछ apps ऐसी हैं जिनमे बसी है मेरी जान,
क्योकि वोह मेरे दोनों शौक पूरे करे – भोजन और सामान्य ज्ञान.

फिर गरिष्ट भोजन, तस्वीरों और अच्छी बातो के साथ ख़तम हुई वोह शाम,
ज्यादा खा-पी लिया, अब सिर्फ आएगा Eno काम.

-अभिषेक ‘देसी’ देशपांडे

Nokia AppTasting और Indiblogger को मेरी तरफ से एक छोटी सी भेंट.

कृपया ध्यान दे:

Technology शब्द के लिए मैंने तकनीक का प्रयोग किया, मैं प्रौद्योगिकी और तकनीक के बीच झूल रहा था. भाषा में हुई किसी भी गलती के लिए माफ़ी चाहूँगा. इस बात पे मुझे हृषिदा की चुपके चुपके का एक संवाद याद आ गया:

भाषा अपने आप में इतनी महान होती हैं की कोई उसका मजाक उड़ा ही नहीं सकता.

Featured image by Shivani: निखिल, विकास, मैं और विकास में पूरी तरह खोयी हुई कन्यायें.

August 20, 2012