Taste a bit of Gujarat

When we decided to take a trip to Gujarat (Ahmedabad and the Kutch area), I was a bit sceptical about what’s in store considering the trip’s main focus was seeing the migratory birds that come down to Bhuj during this time of the year. My other apprehension was the food. I have heard much about the distinctiveness of Gujarati cuisine, with its variety of fried/roasted snacks on one side and the sweetish tinge to every other dish, the latter being the root cause of my concern (sweet dal? I don’t think so!). I was prepared to face the worst.

Nothing, ofcourse, could prepare me for what Agashiye, a charming restaurant in old Ahmedabad, had in store! Agashiye, is essentially what it means in Gujarati – a terrace. The terrace that greets you in this case is a dining area in an ethnic setting with a spread of old style Gujarati furniture neatly laid out.

There is a snacks area with low seating where you can just hang out with family/friends and relish the appetizers, at the same time soaking in the quaint atmosphere and the polite service provided by the waiters wearing Gandhi caps. A couple of steps ahead is the uncovered dining area with similar furniture where we would eventually proceed for the main meal. In between, it would be worth taking a walk around the heritage home where the restaurant is situated.

The restaurant serves 2 meals – Standard and Deluxe. Mind you, the Standard here would satiate the appetite of a horse (also considering its unlimited). The deluxe would probably offer a few more snacks and a couple of added vegetables. We decided to go in for a Standard. There is a different menu for each day of the week and this day happened to be a Wednesday.

Appetizers

The meal began with snacks or Farsan as they call it, which consisted of White Dhokla and Methi na Gota (Gota being a sort of fried pakoda made with Chane ki Dal/Besan) - both hallmarks of Gujarati cuisine. The dhokla, especially with the green chutney was out of the world, very different from the fluffy ones I’ve had in other parts of the country and the Gota was not far behind. There was a Palak soup which was absolutely fresh.

Although I felt like gobbling a dozen dhoklas that day, we made a conscious decision to contain our appetite considering the spread that was to come and we did not regret it. Not a minute had passed being seated at the dining table that a plethora of waiters descended upon us – one with a tradition copper hand wash vessel, one placing the Sprout salad and Papad (Lijjat no doubt) on the table, one with some glasses and ‘Chaanch’ ready to serve... and the list continues. Service is impeccably professional out here matched with an equal amount of warmth.

A small cute bowl with Papdi Chaat, just enough for a taste was served – it is these small nuances that go a long way in delighting the guest.

Within minutes, my thali was set with 4 vegetables, Kadhi, Dal, kheer and breads – we’ll take it one at a time. The veggies served that day were Tal Mariwala Bataka (semi fried Potatoes with spices), Panchvati (five vegetables cooked with kidney beans), Dahi Wala Hara Channa (green chick pea cooked with yoghurt and spices) and Fansi Makai in Milk (French beans and corn). In addition, we had the customary staple dishes Gujarati Dal and Kadhi. I have to say that the sweetness that I was dreading was actually pleasant to taste. The cooks had managed to create just the right balance between the spices and the sweet tinge. The Dal was exceptional and I couldn’t get enough of it. The accompanying breads were called Fulka Rotli (the North Indian phulka), Palak parotha and Choda ni dal na pudla.

Pudla is basically a salty version of a pancake, which is common in Gujarati households and can be made using Chane ki dal, Moong dal, Besan with different stuffing.

There was also plain rice and Khichdi with rich Ghee to add to the calories. Just take a second here and imagine the coverage of spices, lentils and vegetables that came together in this one meal, all perfectly balanced, each with a unique taste and cooked to perfection - bliss!

As much as I wanted the rich taste to linger a while longer, our stomach had to be full sometime L . We finally come to the sweets, served at the beginning as per tradition. This comprised of a lovely Orange Khir and Gajar ka Halwa.

I have heard the Mango Srikhand here is to die for so if you happen to visit during mango season, do ask for it.

 The meal ends with ice – cream and paan (Betel). Ice creams served here are organic and ours was with Sitafal (sugar apple), not too bad. Paan was a bit of a disappointment since I was expecting the usual North Indian style meetha paan but this was a something different.

Thus came about my first authentic tryst with Gujarati cuisine. One has to remember, that like many large states in India, Gujarat offers more than one cuisine based on the region where it originates so calling any dish Gujarati would perhaps be too generalist. The food at Agashiye was essentially Ahmedabad style, characterized by a bit of sugar added to every preparation. 

If you move towards Kutch as I did, the food will include less of fresh vegetables owing to the climate but a lot of milk based preparations. I got to savour a bit of that as well at a local joint called 'Prince' in Bhuj.

I’m waiting for another chance to come back again to this fascinating state and explore further. For now, next time you’re in Ahmedabad, do not miss Agashiye at the House of MG opposite the exquisite Sidi Saiyad Jali.. baraabar khajo!

Thali rates – Rs. 425 for Standard, Rs. 575 for Deluxe;

Timings – 12 noon to 3:30 pm, 7pm to 11pm

The House of Mangaldas Girdhardas
Opp. Sidi Saiyad Jali, Lal Darwaja
Ahmedabad-380001.
Gujarat, INDIA

Visit the website for more details

Culinary fusion at Crimson Chakra

Chennai has finally managed to make me overcome my laziness and pen down my thoughts on the underrated dining experience in the city. It has been almost a year since I have been in Chennai and I can count at least 7 joints I have thoroughly enjoyed. The city actually offers a lot of variety in cuisines and it would be a crime not to give due credit to a host of innovative restauranteurs that have set up shop here. No wonder its called the 'Gateway to South India'. So here goes!  
 
It had been a while since we enjoyed the pleasures of a fine dining ambience, so we headed out to the much recommended Crimson Chakra located near Adyar, Chennai. The name is a bit misleading, to say the least.. I almost thought it might be a dim lit place with couches, bean bags, curtains made of beads and candles all around. Well, I got that last one correct! What delighted me about this restaurant first up was the fact that it is set in a bungalow.

A house cafe instantly brings a homely and comforting feeling to the dining experience, and the one point that Crimson Chakra did not disappoint in was the ambiance.

An arched doorway leads you into the warm glow of the restaurant and you’re greeted with some spunky art pieces, lamps and dining seats made of bamboo. The house, in fact, belongs to the owner Nikhil Moturi’s grandfather.

Coming back to the food. We were a group of six, majority being non-vegetarian, each with a considerable appetite. The menu is essentially divided into two – Fusion Continental and South Indian. I’m still on the quest for what exactly comprises of ‘Continental’ cuisine but more on that some other time. The joint offers two options – a fixed menu or Ala Carte. The fixed menu primarily comprises of south Indian cuisine, a mix of dishes from Kerala and Chettinad with a couple of Continental bites thrown in. Although I appreciate the Chef’s attempt to do a fusion, Grilled Chicken and Indian style Chicken curry at the same time didn’t work for us. To avoid confusion, we went in for Ala Carte (a choice we did not regret).
For starters, we tried the Stir Fried Prawns Olivette, Tawa Kozhi and Curried Mushroom & Corn Sacks for the veggies. The Prawns were quite good, set in a sharp tomato based vinaigrette with olives while the Tawa Kozhi (Kozhi in Malayalam is Chicken) in contrast was a lovely blend of Indian spices cooked till tender. The Mushroom and Corn sacks is a good try especially with its accompanying garlic based dip - something different.

For the main course, the majority decided to go in for ‘continental’. The fusion theme finally got to me and I decided to savour the aromas of Kerala cuisine for a change. So I went ahead and ordered a Mundiri Kozhi Currie with Appams. The dish was served last in order and lived up to expectations and the wait. Very similar to the tradition Kozhi stew, the preparation was a bit spicier in taste and thoroughly enjoyable with the steaming Appams that were served. The Chicken was boneless and well cooked (worth a mention since a lot of joints serve half cooked Chicken worthy of a struggle).

Blackened Fish New Orleans

My neighbour went in for Blackened Kingfish fillets New Orleans, grilled fish in a tomato and cheese sauce. A bit of sweet (honey probably) in the sauce gave it a different touch but was overshadowed by the bland taste of the fish itself. A bit more of marination would have done the trick. We met a similar experience with the Baked Stuffed fillet of Sole Mahler. The idea was great – sole mashed with potato, egg and cheese batter and baked to perfection – the end result, however, was an overdose of the batter and minimal taste of fish, one would probably get a snippet every second mouthful. The Poached Chicken Breast Clemenceau was a delight – a simple culmination of mushroom, herbs and cream, topped with wine and mixed with tender chicken pieces. It is difficult to get a good aroma and taste to white sauce and the Chef’s got it bang on.

Cottage Cheese Steak

The vegetarians ordered the Corn, Peas and Cottage Cheese Steak and Blackened Cottage Cheese Steak. I would recommend the latter as it offers a perfect balance of all ingredients (you can feel the taste of each constituent) and, again, the unique touch represented by the cheese sauce and tomato base.

The dessert menu also comprises of Indian and non-Indian delicacies. This time, we all zeroed in on the non-Indian side and it was a Chocolate extravaganza. Mud Pie, Warm Fudgy Nutty Brownie (it was the name that hooked me on) and Warm and Indulgent were ordered to be shared amongst the 6 of us. If you do not want to make it too heavy, go for the Mud Pie. Warm and Indulgent, a chocolate fondue of sorts, was pure bliss – a must have for the calorie unconscious.

Overall, I would give a big thumbs up to Crimson Chakra, for its sheer variety of preparations, the quiet and warm ambiance and because every effort has been taken towards giving a unique taste to each dish. What’s more, the restaurant offers a Candle Room (a small area with a romantic setting) and a pet friendly dining area as well.

There is also pool side seating available with a couple of tables lined up in the pool itself where you can dip your feet in the water – a perfect setting for a hot Sunday afternoon.

Meal for 2: Approx Rs. 1200 including starters and dessert (the restaurant does not serve alcohol) 
Fixed Menu – Rs. 545 (Veg) and Rs. 604 (Non-veg) per person inclusive of taxes 
Timings – 12.30 pm to 3.00 pm and 7pm to 10.30 pm all days