Chef Sanjay Tyagi’s latest venture showcases lesser-known dishes from the North West

CHEF SANJAY TYAGI is the brains behind restaurants such as Umerkot and Jamavar, both serving pathbreaking North Indian food. Now, he has launched Northwest Kebabs & Curry House in Koramangala, which takes you on a culinary journey through what was once the Gandhara Province in the Peshawar Valley. The menu takes inspiration from cuisines like Kashmiri, Pashtooni, Punjabi and Middle Eastern. We paid the newly opened restaurant a visit.

We were welcomed with a refreshing lassi and a Nariyal Shikanji (tender coconut water with lemonade). The meal began with a selection of appetisers. The Teekhi Machli (a fish fillet spiced with tamarind and yellow mustard), impressed us with its tangy flavours, while the Kakori (made with vegetables and dry fruits) was a favourite because of its textures. One of the signature dishes of the restaurant is the Shinwari Kadhai. The Pashtun delicacy has a smoky and silky tomato gravy, with notes of green chilli and black pepper. The deeply flavorful dish is served in the iron kadhai that it is cooked in, so it retains the smoky aromas. For vegetarians, we recommend the Bhindi Musallam — sliced okra served on a bed of golden onion and almond gravy, which paired beautifully with the saffron-laced Ulta Tawa Paratha. Our meal was also accompanied by Banjan Borani — grilled eggplant layered with tomato jam, and a mint and garlic yogurt sauce.

Delicately flavoured, the eggplant was grilled to perfection. We rounded off the meal with a simple, but comforting, Samak Ke Chawal Ki Phirni, barnyard millet cooked with milk and saffron. Head to Northwest Kebabs & Curry House when you are in the mood for authentic, well-made and off-beat
North Indian that goes beyond Butter Chicken.

Rs 1,200 for two. At Koramangala
 

anagha@newindianexpress.com

@anaghzzz