Tuesday, November 13, 2018

'पर क्या करें, दिल है की मानता ही नहीं!' - by KJS Chatrath


One lands back in India after visiting more than  half a dozen countries of Central America and Europe in five weeks and what does one do? Rush for some real Indian food. One was tired of the boiled, half cooked, bland and totally tasteless western food.

A plate of Jahangiri Chicken curry and tandoori rotis was what the doctor ordered.

Yes, one knows that oily, spicy and cholesterol inducing food is not good for someone racing through 75+, पर क्या करें, दिल है की मानता ही नहीं!

Yes, one finishes it off with a small plate of kheer and then goes to mend ways with the jet lag murmuring 'God is in  his heaven, All is right with the world' (With thanks to Robert Browning)

Saturday, August 25, 2018

'Oof...this Bengali cuisine' - by K J S Chatrath


 Lucchis, Dhokar dalna; Khajur chutney; Kasa Mansho at Bhojohori Manna, Puri, Odisha.
(Photo and details courtesy Ruchira Nautiyal.)







http://bhojohorimanna.com/puri-menu.html 

I have to make a trip to Puri, Odisha to try these tasty looking dishes....

Sunday, August 19, 2018

'Odiya cuisine- one of the best in the world' - by K.J.S.Chatrath

 Photo courtesy Shatarupa Mishra and Abhishek Tripathy.

 Having spent half of my life is Odisha, I can say with certainty that Odiya cuisine is one of the best in the world- far superior to the highly over rated French cuisine.

Of course my favourite cuisine continues to be Panjabi food- food of the state to which I belong.

But I would without doubt put Odiya cuisine at number two.

Having left Odisha over 15 years back, I pine for Odiya food. In fact I realised the greatness of Odiya food after leaving the state. Delhi does not have good Odiya eating places. Or till recently it did not have one.

Now my friends Shatarpua Mishra & Abhishek Tripathy inform that a resturant in Saket New Delhi is serving authentic Odiya food. It is called 'Odisha Hotel'.

I plan to go there and enjoy the food whenever I go to Delhi next, hopefully in the knowledgeable  company of some Odiya foodie friends.

In the meantime take a look at a photo shared by Shatarpua Mishra & Abhishek Tripathy of the food served there.   

I would be happy if friends suggest other restaurants in Delhi serving good Odiya food.

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

'The worst Indian restaurant that I have visited abroad' - by K J S Chatrath.



I have visited quite a few places in India and broad. Since I am fond of Indian food, I visit the Indian eateries wherever I go. While in India it is possible to have excellent food in lower and mid-priced restaurants, on the other hand in Indian restaurants abroad the food is not cheap.


 More often than not these restaurants are run by Indians or Pakistanis or Nepalese or Bangla-Deshis. By and large the food that one gets in such restaurants is not authentic Indian stuff. One can imagine some modifications to suit the local palates- like less use of chillies, spices and oil, but one cant change the very look and taste of such dishes.

 Now to an Indian restaurant that I visited in 2017 in Santiago, Chile.

I ordered a modest fixed meal. 

The so called 'Dal Fry' is here for you to see. It was the most tasteless 'daal' that I have had in my life. In the name of "fry' there was an onion ring and s bit of coriander. It appeared to have been cooked centuries ago and heated and re-heated a couple of times. If a restaurnat cant make a decent edible daal then it has no right to advertize itself as an Indian restaurant.

Boiled rice was of the cheapest possible quality. The so- called tandoori roti was over done.

 
The spicy chutney turned out to be chinese chilly sauce.

The gulab-jamuns seemed to have been brought straight from the frig, without properly heating.

My take- even if some one offers to take you there- refuse politely.


An adjoining shop selling cheap Indian stuff. 

P.S...As usual, I was a full paying customer.

Monday, July 2, 2018

'Traditional Khanna from Udaipur, Rajasthan, India'


Traditional Khanna from Udaipur, Rajasthan.  Jakolma ( a puri made only by 7 people now in Udaipur ), chakki ki sabji ; ker sangri, Govind gatte ki sabji, dal bati!!! 

Photo & details courtesy Ruchira Nautiyal

Sunday, April 29, 2018

Thali meal at Krisna restaurant of New Woodlands Hotel, Chennai' - by K.J.S.Chatrath

Thali meal at Krisna Restaurant, Hotel New Woodlands, Chennai. Rice served with the meal is not in the photo. Well presented but just average in taste and aromas bordering on the bland. Definitely not amongst the best South Indian meals that I have taken.!

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

'Pakhala Bhata- an Odiya dish to feel drowsy during hot summers'- K.J.S.Chatrath


Photo source-Wikipedia 

Pakhaḷa seasoned with curry leaves, cumin and fried chilly peppers with alu-potala bhaja (potato and pointed gourd deep sauté) and Badi bhaja.

Sometimes water is mixed in the leftover rice of dinner and it is allowed to ferment. When taken for lunch the next day, this pakhal bhata gives one slight drowsiness