A recent visit to M Cafe in Marriot Whitefield turned out to be a trip to another world — one reminiscent of royalty and grandeur. A riot of colours greet you as you enter the place. The staff is clad in white with Rajasthani printed stoles, tied around their waist, while the women are attired in traditional ghaghras and Rajasthani folk songs play in the background.
As we are seated, we are greeted by Chef Maharaj Bhik Singh, who gives us a peek into his life. “I grew up in Rajasthan and cooked at a durbar for years before joining the hotel line. As I have cooked for prominent families in Rajasthan and spent my youth there, I know the flavours of the land like the back of my hand.”
He is currently stationed at Marriot Hotel, Jodhpur from where he has brought all the necessary ingredients.
When we expressed our surprise to find a chef who carries his ingredients with him instead of purchasing them in supermarkets, he satisfied our curiosity with: “The red chillies grown in the small village named Matoria and other spices are what defines Rajasthani food and I detest the idea of the authentic taste being altered due to variation in the ingredients. I also brought pickles and ghee with me as I want people here to experience the aroma of my land.” The red chillies are what gives the food the unique shade and taste.”
Singh also makes curds as it is consumed in large quantities and plays an important part in the dish.
We take a bite of chilla with a curd-based curry and mirch pakoda . The lightly-flavoured batair (quail) follows and melts in the mouth. Lagan ki boti (roasted lamb) is next which is richly flavoured but a little heavy on the belly.
Having completed the starters, we move to main course which is a combination of dal bati churma , often known as the traditional dish of Rajasthan. The dal is thick which makes it filling. Laal maas (lamb) is a little spicy but the taste convinces us to keep going till the last bite. Makai ki subzi (corn), ghatte ki subzi made from gram flour and degchi sula murg (chicken) were accompanied by bajre ki roti and kabuli pulao . It is authentic in every sense and Singh does justice to the dishes. The perfect balance of flavours is a big hit.
The dessert is a collage of doodh jalebi , phirni , moong dal ka halwa and other assorted Indian sweets which are the perfect way to end a hearty meal.
Being a perfectionist by nature, Singh goes on to give an example. “If I feel that a certain dish takes an hour to make, I will make it in an hour. There is no short cut in my dictionary. Other chefs may fall prey to time pressure, but I am adamant. If a dish needs time to cook to perfection I will make sure it is given time. I will not compromise on the taste. I feel each dish is unique and requires patience and love along with raw material. My recipes are authentic and when you eat the dal bati churma from our menu you will get a taste of Rajasthan in every bite.”
