A slice of Russia pops up in Kolkata, courtesy Kolkata Food Trotters

Kolkata Food Trotters organises a pop-up of authentic Russian fare at Milee Droog, Kolkata, just ahead of the World Cup.
A slice of Russia pops up in Kolkata, courtesy Kolkata Food Trotters

The ties between Russia and Kolkata have flourished in several dimensions -- politics, literature and even circus/ballet shows -- but food was not one of them.

With the World Cup Football fever set to grip Kolkata, the Kolkata Food Trotters (KFT), a 3,600 –member strong Facebook community, struck the right chord by setting the stage for the soccer madness. KFT came up with an authentic Russian pop-up to tickle the taste buds of food lovers and give them a taste of Russia, just a fortnight before the World Cup begins there.

The guests enjoy a mesmerising show of magic presented by illusionist David Nobo
The guests enjoy a mesmerising show of magic presented by illusionist David Nobo

“This is the right time to give Kolkata a taste of authentic Russian food. Both the pop-ups that we planned, got sold out within a couple of days from announcement,” said an enthusiastic Somek Choudhury, founder of the food community, Kolkata Food Trotters that has so far organised unique theme-based pop-ups showcasing cuisines of various countries and states, providing a platform for the home chefs to exhibit their culinary skills.

Kolkata Food Trotters founder Somek Choudhury (centre) with Satyaki Manna (left) and Apratim Mukherjee of Russian diner Milee Droog
Kolkata Food Trotters founder Somek Choudhury (centre) with Satyaki Manna (left) and Apratim Mukherjee of Russian diner Milee Droog

KFT allied with Milee Droog, the only joint serving exclusive Russian cuisine in the city, with its chef Atanu Saha rustling up some delicacies for the gastronomes. Run by partners Apratim Mukherjee and Satyaki Manna, the cosy diner is plonked inside Gorky Sadan, the Russian centre of science and culture on AJC Bose Road in South Kolkata.

Borscht, a red, thick beef soup
Borscht, a red, thick beef soup

The evening kicked off with Kvass, a traditional Russian fermented beverage that is pungent in taste. There is always a chance that you might confuse it with a mild local beer. The drink was accompanied with a splendid performance by illusionist David Nobo, who took us all for a ride, with the incredible tricks up his sleeve. Just as we started getting befuddled with all the magic before our eyes, our senses were overwhelmed by the mildly aromatic, red Borscht, a red, thick beef soup. The soup retained its authentic Russian flavour and set the mood for the evening.

Beef blini
Beef blini

It was followed by beef and chicken blini. It was a finger food made of minced beef marinated with right amount of spices, wrapped in soft clothing of pan cake, topped with creamy, buttery, white sauce.  One of the guests, Pamela Nandi, a food blogger and an IT professional, pointed out that the Blini she tasted in St Petersburg had a crispier coating. “Though I like this softer version more and the stuffing retains the original taste of Blinis,” she observed.

Pelmeni
Pelmeni

There was Pelmeni, too -- Russian beef dumplings in hot watery soup. For those with a savoury palate, the dish may come across as really bland, but it had a distinct taste of its own and the beef inside was soft and succulent. The main course comprised Uzbek Plov, a rustic pulao from Uzbekistan, cooked with carrots and beef chunks.

Uzbek Plov
Uzbek Plov

Coming after such delicious platters, the Plov did not quite live up to our expectations, reminding us of rice over-cooked in a pressure cooker at home. But the accompanying Beef Sashlik made us crave for more. Only a little sautéing gave the meat a caramel coverage but it was rare inside, retaining the tenderness and flavour. It was so well-made that the guests kept asking for more.

Beef Sashlik
Beef Sashlik

With the Russian pop-up striking the right note among the guests, Choudhury took the opportunity to announce the future pop-ups to be organised by KFT. “We plan to organise an authentic Bangladeshi pop-up in June end and a Latin American fare in mid July. Besides, we are planning to organise food-related weekend trips to nearby places such as Santiniketan, where we plan to explore the place through the locally cooked gourmet foods, such as, pork cooked in handis,” he stated.

Milee Droog's chef, Atanu Saha
Milee Droog's chef, Atanu Saha

Besides letting the foodies have a great time gorging, the Kolkata Food Trotters has a noble intention, too. It plans to use the profit to sponsor a day’s meal for the lesser privileged school children. “There are many children, who do not get to eat a square meal, leave alone savour tasty dishes. We plan to ask the chefs to prepare a special dish each and treat them to delicacies that they, for the time being, cannot afford to eat,” said Chowdhury.

Sweet mango blini
Sweet mango blini

The fare ended on a sweet note indeed with the sweet mango Blini taking the cake. Made of mashed mango soufflé and cream wrapped with soft pancake, it tasted heavenly and none could stop at one. In Russia, though, they use blueberries or seasonal fruits instead of mango. Nevertheless, this minor tweaking is not only pardonable, but also welcome in the land of mangoes.

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