So, what on Earth was so shattering that I drove all the way to Panchkula from Chandigarh, just to have a buffet meal? The answer is the Pahadi Food Festival which Masala Grill has organized. Now, here's a thought which probably struck any other hotelier in this region. A huge chunk of chefs in the tri-city are from Himachal or hilly areas in general. And yet, we have all kinds of festivals ranging from Hyderabadi, Goan to Bengali, Rajasthani and South Indian. But I, at least, have never heard of a Pahadi food fest, when you've got just the right folks in the kitchen to make it happen.
So, full marks on that note to team Cove. Now, for the execution. When we travel, we enjoy local favourites of the region. So, when in Goa, you just can't avoid the vindaloo or the fish curries or even the calamari. But that works to a point after which saturation hits and one yearns for homely food from the roots. Similarly, chefs who’ve left their native villages and towns and have come to the city to work, miss their cuisine, their own flavours, their home. So, when a chef is asked to serve his home cuisine, you can imagine how excited they get and you can never be disappointed if the chef is happy. This is precisely what we saw and savoured at the Masala Grill during this festival which officially begins on 6th and ends on 15th April.
We began the meal with tadka chaas which was outstanding and it set the system rolling for the meal. The meal itself began with Kukhura Soup, a light chicken shorba that was just superb. Perfectly spiced and yet devoid of any thickener, this was chicken soup for the soul.
Among the starters, I absolutely loved the Topchi Kukkad, a type of grilled chicken that was just outstanding, to say the least. Along with that, the Gaad ko Machha, a type of ajwain grilled fish was equally superb. From the vegetarian menu, Pahadi Siddu was a bao style steamed dumpling with daal pitthi filling which was unique and went brilliantly with the novel garnishing that was served along.
I also loved Bhabri ka Paneer and Tehri ke Ptunge.
The mains blew us away. The simplicity that we experienced in this meal was very impressive. Most festivals try to commercialise dishes which usually means they’re over enthusiastically prepped with spices, cream or other enhancers. Here, the quintessential “atithi devo bhava” was evident in the homely cooked cuisine. For instance, the Pahadi Jangli Murgh was a simple chicken curry which was 10/10 in its own right. I generally don’t like chicken curries, in lieu of the more Punjabi, creamy and buttery gravies or the complete opposite oriental style recipes. But this curry blew me away. The chicken was exactly how one cooks at home, a little too soft and too easy on the bone and the curry was spot on, perfectly balanced on spices and flavours.
In a similar fashion, the Kirti Shahi Shikaar was a mutton gravy done absolutely right. Not only the mutton was succulent, the gravy itself was just brilliant. When paired with some of the most amazing rotis we’ve ever had, such as the must-have ‘Mungri ki roti’ or the kachori like Suwali, you would be left with nothing more than heart’s content and a big smile on your faces.
I loved the assortment of rotis that were served. They were filled with everything from colocasia to beans and more and they were all very unique, very novel, very earthly. From the vegetarian menu, my favourite was the Kafulu ka saag.
We finally made it to desserts and what better way to end the meal than with Parwal ka Chamcham, Amla ka murabba and Jhangora ki Tasmai, a type of rice kheer. Overall, we were left super impressed by the authenticity of the cuisine and a chance to discover recipes that we, townsfolk hardly know about.
You must try this fest. It is unique, never seen before and quite economical too. Savour it, as long as it lasts and I wish this becomes a regular feature here.
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