Punjabi cuisine has undergone much abuse, so much so that the mere mention of Punjabi food fest gives a major déjà vu. But that won’t be the case if the fest is hosted by chef J.S. Sodhi of Amritsar. This tall Sardarji, more popularly known for 'Sodhi caters, taste of Amritsar' walks in at a relaxed pace at Sheraton, Gachibowli and says, ‘You just taste this food, then you won’t say no to Punjabi food. Punjabi food has gone through a major shift as it travelled states and countries. What is mostly served as Punjabi food is a major drama of red curry and masala and I am here to show the real magic minus all that frills of floating oil and a marriage of masalas.” Assured, you quickly settle down to relish the fare.
First came a basket of kulcha with a pyaaz mukka mar ke (hand punched onion) and green chillies. Don’t roll your eyes at the combo. The unique taste is to be relished. After the fluffy, non-stringy kulcha by Sodhi and his team, every other kulcha in the city will fall short. On that note, don’t miss the keema kulcha.
After the kulcha, a sweet lassi will keep you company till the next round of goodies from Amritsar lands on your plate. At a distance, in the open kitchen, the bhatti ki murg and mutton chops are hissing away. Sodhi pushes a plate of bhatti ki murg and says, “ yeh khake dekhiye, phir tandoori murg nahi khayenge .” And true to his words, the open grilled juicy chicken marinated with almost nothing and basted in desi ghee is a pure delight. This isn’t just finger-licking good, but good enough to lick your plate clean.
The array of kebabs which Sodhi has on offer is different; different in the meat cut, different in the marination and finally its taste too- very light on your palate and stomach. Nothing can explain the lightness of the marination that leaves no ‘after taste’.
For the plain naans and kulchas, there are a lot of accompaniments. The special of them all is a keema, kaleji and gurda all in all. Then comes dal makhani, dal fry, Punjabi chole, Punjabi chicken and a lot more.
The aroma of Punjabi chicken is simply mouth-watering and the gravy is light.
A Punjabi fest is not worth the visit without a taste of sarson ka saag and makki ki roti . The sarson ka saag is a delight in itself and deserves several helpings. The fresh makki ki roti with a desi ghee drizzle is a treat. Desserts are a plenty, but phirni and malpua can complete the sweet end. The fest is on till September 2 at Feast, Hotel Sheraton.
