Mention Punjabi cuisine and we’re instantly transported to sarson ke khet, bustling dhabas and aloo parathas glistening with dollops of ghee. Call it our Bollywood-induced nostalgia or the years spent growing up in North India, but Punjabi food has always held a special place in our hearts.
So, when Chef Deepa unveiled her new Punjabi breakfast menu for namma Chennai, it felt like a little slice of Amritsar had found its way south. Punjabi breakfasts aren’t known for doing things by halves, and this menu stays true to that spirit. It’s rich, comforting and as generous as a Punjabi host insisting you have ‘just one more’.
The breakfast spread, delivered to our office, was a feast fit for a king. There were beautifully blistered aloo kulchas with a crisp exterior giving way to a soft centre filled with a mildly spiced potato mixture, alongside buttery paneer parathas stuffed with creamy, mildly seasoned cottage cheese. The mooli parathas were equally delightful, the grated radish lending a subtle sweetness and gentle peppery bite, perfectly complemented by fragrant spices.
The bhaturas were pillowy enough to mop up every last morsel, and the poori is paired well with a comforting Aloo loungi that struck just the right balance of spice and tang. And then came the star of every Punjabi breakfast table, the iconic chole bhature. The chole were robust, flavour-packed, and slow-cooked to perfection, making every bite feel like a quick detour to the bustling lanes of Amritsar.
However, the saffron suji halwa turned out to be the dark horse of the meal. Rich without being cloying, it had an almost equal measure of suji, ghee and almonds. The sugar was kept in check, allowing the natural nuttiness and buttery richness to take centre stage. We polished it off happily, with the kind of satisfaction that calls for a full-blown ‘balle balle’ moment.
To round things off, there was a cooling thandai alongside a mildly scented rose milk, both offering welcome relief after a breakfast that packed quite the punch. If breakfast is indeed the most important meal of the day, this one certainly gets off to a flying start and leaves you saying, in true Punjabi style, ‘Oye hoye... hor vi le aao!’
Meal for two: `600 onwards
Available from 7 am till 10.30 am
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