You can smell the aroma even before you walk in to the room. Inside the kitchen, Harjinder Singh, or just Chef Sweety to most, is tossing a handful of chillies into the pan like he’s done a thousand times. No recipe cards, no fuss. “My father never taught me from a book,” he says. “You look, you taste, you remember.”
Earlier this month, Ministry of Kebabs at Novotel Kolkata pulled him in for Punjabi Yaarana, a 10-day pop-up built around friendship and the sort of food that makes you slow down. Think smooth butter chicken, earthy daal, and naans slapped straight onto the tandoor wall. We caught up with him over a scrumptious lunch to talk menus, old family secrets, and why salt, chillies and turmeric still do all the heavy lifting.
How did you set the menu for Punjabi Yaarana?
I followed the Ministry of Kebabs format of set menus. Punjabi food has so much variety. I kept five non-veg starters, five veg starters, and five curries. Everything I make is special, whether it is veg or non-veg. There are paneer, chicken, mutton and also soya for vegan guests.
Many assume Punjabi food to be only butter chicken or kali daal. What do you say to that?
Punjabi cuisine is so vast. There is something for everyone, and we also use a lot of seasonal vegetables. The menu is long, but people rarely look beyond butter chicken or paneer tikka masala. I tell them to try new dishes. If you never try, you will never know. Quality is key. I always use simple but good ingredients.
What are your favourite spices?
Salt, chillies, and turmeric. Even if you add too many things, the taste may not improve. You must know when to add the spices or how long to cook them.
Can you tell us about a family recipe that has been passed down through generations?
My grandfather’s Pindi chole. In Rawalpindi, before partition, he cooked them in oil canisters over coal and left them overnight. By morning, they melted like butter. Even with a pressure cooker today, you cannot get that texture.
What’s next for you after this pop-up?
I have multiple pop-ups in line across India. I will then fly to Singapore for a high-profile Sindhi wedding.