KolKata
india 4
taste& travel international April–June 2012
proxy Indian
kolkata
kolkata
india
Kolkata
Where on Earth
proxy Indian
Wow! Kolkata
above
Men bathing facing page Detail from Kali and Shiva mural.
By Elyse Glickman In Kolkata, Elyse Glickman discovers that Indian cuisine has far more depth than even the largest lunchtime buffet at her neighbourhood Indian eatery would suggest. April–June 2012 taste& travel international
5
kolkata
india proxy Indian
above
Flower market.
In the early 1980s, Chicago’s Jewish West Rogers Park neighborhood transformed almost overnight into ‘Little India.’ Department stores became sari emporiums. Diners and delis became curry-laden buffets. Five-and-dime stores became snack Just as the sparkling silk saris and 22 karat gold wedding jewelry seemed so much more glamorous than the and sweet shops, and Madonna-inspired fashion of the time, the mostly Punjabi foods that found a home in the neighbourhood’s main thoroughfare existing grocery store (Devon Avenue) were that much more adventurous and alluring. Foods became a great spot for samosas, palak shelves were retrofitted Flavorland paneer, pakoras (fried vegetables) and chana masala (garbanzo bean curry). with fragrant foods in More recently, the Los Angeles suburb Artesia has been my destination for all things Indian. My friend Leyla and I head there ornate packages. While to get our fix of dosas, curries, and other vegetarian delicacies. Leyla, a tenured high school English teacher, had a clothing some locals were business on the side that brought her to India every two years— I had envied for a long time. But that desire would be resistant to change, my something remedied with my frequent flier miles and a fantastic service known as MakeMyTrip.com, recommended by Leyla’s Kolkatamother, grandmother based friends. I also received guidance from New York-based Krishna Vegaraju, whose company, Travel Corporation India, Ltd., organizes customized specialty tours, with itineraries that include and I became smitten cooking classes, trend-setting restaurants and explorations of the street-food scenes. While both companies are known with Indian culture. 6
taste& travel international April–June 2012
kolkata
india
proxy Indian proxy Indian KatjusaC
clockwise from top left ??????????????????????
throughout India they are actively seeking non-Indian clients — culinary travellers in particular. With the help of Make My Trip and Vegaraju’s suggestions, we pulled together a ten-day food and shopping itinerary that took us through the “Golden Triangle” — a popular section of India that covers Delhi, Agra (site of the Taj Mahal), and the cities and villages of Rajasthan. From there, we ventured on to Kolkata, West Bengal, along India’s tropical Northeast Coast. Kolkata is not as recognizable a travel destination as the now en vogue cities of Jaipur or Udaipur, but it deserves to be, with its diversity of stores, markets and restaurants. The city could be described as a Southeast Asian version of Miami. In town, we stay with Leyla’s friends, Shelley and Dolly, who are marvelous cooks in their own right. In and out of their kitchens, we savour variations of Bengali fare, which is lighter, milder and more fragrant than its more familiar Punjabi relatives. On the advice Dolly, the starting point for my Kolkata discovery is the historic New Market shopping area, established in 1874 for British colonial residents. In the middle of this patchwork of meat, fish, produce and sundry stalls lies Nahoum’s Bakery, an old-school Jewish bakery so adored by locals and
regular visitors that it has its own Facebook page. David Nahoum, grandson of founder Nahoum Israel Mordecai, literally keeps the fires of tradition burning with a variety of Jewish breads, cream rolls, baklava, macaroons, pastries and interesting Indian culinary hybrids like cheese samosas. In the late afternoon I join Shelley for tea at her favorite afternoon hangout Flury’s, a popular and packed Swiss-owned dessert emporium with decadent Alpine pastries, made locally with the use of Indian seasonings, and a side of chai tea made with whole milk. The next day, we spend lunch wandering the ‘street food stalls’ at Haldiram’s, another Kolkata food institution. Haldiram’s operates supermarkets and manufactures sweets and chats sold worldwide but its flagship location is a stand-alone food court devoted to India’s finest street foods, like puchkas (hollow fried puri pastry filled with a mixture of water, tamarind, onion, chili, masala spice and potato), popular all over India but raised to high art in Kolkata. On our third evening, we bring in Chinese food from the Tangra neighborhood, which in itself is uniquely Indian in its spices and preparation, and markedly less sweet and greasy than Chinese-American take-away. April–June 2012 taste& travel international
7
kolkata
…Kolkata is not as recognizable a travel destination as the now en vogue cities Jaipur or Udaipur, but it deserves to be… india proxy Indian
above Grinder below Kali
and Shiva mural.
Elyse proxy Glickman Indian
8
taste& travel international April–June 2012
When it comes to special occasion dining, Shelley and Dolly are particularly fond of Oh! Calcutta and Sigree. Sigree chef-de-cuisine Sandeep Pandey derives his menus from Uttar Pradesh and the ‘frontier near the India/ Pakistan border,’ where lamb, chicken, fish and vegetables are slow-roasted over a charcoal fire of the restaurant’s namesake iron vessel that seal in the meat’s natural juices. Under Oh! Calcutta chef Joymala Banerjee, steamed cooking techniques and tropical flavours dominate, resulting in far lighter fare than what most Americans may associate with Indian cuisine. It is also one of the most memorable meals of the trip. “When restaurateur Anjan Chatterjee opened Oh! Calcutta, he was explicit in his goal to make the menu a specific expression of the food coming out of Kolkata,” explains Speciality Restaurants’ Regional Business Manager Debashish Ghosh, who visited our table during our meal. “In almost every dish, we have the influences from our mothers, who in turn were influenced by British, French, Portuguese and other cultures, which makes the Bengali facet of Indian food culture stand apart and surprise foreign visitors.” While my culinary wanderlust was satisfied thanks to the picky palates and intelligent guidance of my local hosts, I still had a craving for shopping, given the beauty of Indian textiles. Flower and fashion stalls are as busy in Kolkata as they are elsewhere in India. The city is also home to several spotless enclosed malls like Shelley’s favorites, South City and The Forum. While I snapped up gorgeous tunics at Ritu Kumar and Biba, the Westside department store had wonderful things for bath and bedroom. I also scored some great kitchen and cocktail bar finds at FabIndia, a store known for its ethicallyproduced fashion and home accessories from various villages around India, at fill-your-suitcase prices. I wanted to quench my history and culture thirst, so I headed to The Indian Museum, one of the oldest museums in Asia, founded in 1914. In addition to its beautiful gardens, the site also boasts a 4,000 year-old mummy, fossils, coins, stones, Gandhara art, meteors and botanica mounted in library-like settings, with displays and artifacts exhaustively labeled. It also has airconditioning, which was welcome, as my journey to the subcontinent was in the mid-summer heat. “You really need to come back in December,” Shelley said. “There is so much more happening in Kolkata with the holiday season and winter festivals.” The temptation to return is firmly embedded on our to-do list, but it's combined with a belief that Kolkata is also figuratively one of the hottest cities on Earth. It’s only a matter of time before the rest of the world catches on.
kolkata
Serves 6
Raane Sigree
ok
Co
it
S i g r e e - st y l e R oa s t L a m b india
Lamb 1 bone-in leg
Ginger 2 inch piece, peeled and chopped Garlic 6 cloves, chopped Salt 1 Tbs
Red c hili Powder 1 tsp KatjusaC
Szechwan Pepper 1 tsp, ground Garam Masala 1 tsp
above ?????????
Nahoum’s Bakery
F-20, New Market Road, Esplanade, Dharmatala, Kolkata 91-033- 6526-9936
c innamon Powder 1 Tbs
t Visi
it
Haldiram’s Kolkata 58, Chowringhee Road Kolkata 91-33-2282-7516
Oh! Calcutta
10/3, Elgin Road 4th Floor, Forum Mall, Kolkata (Calcutta), India 91-033-2283-7161
Sigree
5, Silver Arcade Jbs Haldane Avenue Em Bypass, East Kolkata Township Kolkata, India 91-033-2251-7031
Bay Leaves 2
Malt Vinegar ½ cup Dark Rum 1 ¼ cup 1
Blend ginger, garlic and spices with rum and vinegar in a blender or food processor. Rub mixture onto the lamb leg, then place it in a clay pot or cooking vessel.
2 Preheat
oven to 375°F. Roast the lamb uncovered until thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat (not touching bone) registers 125°F for medium-rare.
3 Take
out the cooked lamb and carefully remove the bones.
4 Sprinkle
finished lamb with a little more rum.
5 Serve
in the cooking vessel with caramelized onions and mint chutney on the side.
1
Old Monk, from India, is recommended but any dark rum will do.
Restaurant & Bar La Olla FabIndia Stores throughout India
www.fabindia.com
Los Angeles-based Elyse Glickman has been covering food, beverage, lifestyle and travel since 2002 as a writer and editor for trade and consumer magazines. When she’s not on assignment, she enjoys entertaining and bartending at home for friends and exploring LA's ethnic dining scene.
Ad a p t e d f r o m a r e c i p e b y S a n d e e p P a n d e y , Chef de Cuisine, Sigree.
April–June 2012 taste& travel international
9
kolkata
ok
Co
it
Serves 8
Chutneywalimakaiseekh B l e n d e d V e g e ta b l e K e b a b s w i t h G r av y
india
c arrots 1/2 lb, peeled & grated c hickpeas 1 x 16 oz can c auliflower 1/2 lb, florets
Vegetable O il 3 Tbs
Sweet c orn canned or frozen kernels, 1 cup
c hickpea Flour 1 1 cup, toasted s alt 1 tsp
Black Salt 2 ½ tsp
Vegetable O il for frying 1
Ad a p t e d f r o m a r e c i p e b y S a n d e e p P a n d e y , Chef de Cuisine, Sigree. below Garlands.
Combine all vegetables in a food processor and then blend in the chickpea flour and salts. Roll mixture into small balls and deep or shallow fry until golden brown.
To complete the dish
Vegetable O il ¼ cup
c umin Seeds 1 tsp
Ginger chopped, 4 teaspoons
Fresh c ilantro 1 bunch, chopped
c ardamom Powder 1 tsp
proxy Indian
Potatoes boiled and diced, 1 cup
Mace or Nutmeg Powder a pinch Amul C heese or Plain Yogurt
3
½ cup
Mint C hutney 4 ½ cup 1
Heat the oil and sauté the cumin seeds, chopped ginger and garlic.
2 Add
in the vegetable kababs and diced potatoes and sauté.
3 Add
the rest of the ingredients.
4 Serve
10
the kebabs drizzled with the pan sauce.
1
To toast the chickpea flour, heat in a dry skillet, stirring constantly until it becomes fragrant and just begins to change colour.
2
A purplish or pinkish-gray rock salt available at Indian markets.
3
Amul cheese is a soft cheddar spread available at Indian markets.
4
Available at Indian markets.
taste& travel international April–June 2012
Travel Corporation India (TCI) is an award winning destination management firm that offers special interest tours including culinary, Clic educational, wildlife and photo adventure, k while investing in eco responsible and socially aware tourism. TCI also markets exclusively India’s leading luxury train, The Indian MaharajaDeccan Odyssey. tcindia.com
it
MakeMyTrip.com, , founded in 2000, is a one-stoptravel-shop that offers the broadest selection of travel products and services in India, a 24-hour customer support service, and the ability for travellers to design their own custom trips to India. makemytrip.com
taste& travel international April–June 2012
proxy Indian
kolkata
kolkata
india
Kolkata
Where on Earth
proxy Indian
Wow! Kolkata
above
Men bathing facing page Detail from Kali and Shiva mural.
By Elyse Glickman In Kolkata, Elyse Glickman discovers that Indian cuisine has far more depth than even the largest lunchtime buffet at her neighbourhood Indian eatery would suggest. April–June 2012 taste& travel international
5
kolkata
india proxy Indian
above
Flower market.
In the early 1980s, Chicago’s Jewish West Rogers Park neighborhood transformed almost overnight into ‘Little India.’ Department stores became sari emporiums. Diners and delis became curry-laden buffets. Five-and-dime stores became snack Just as the sparkling silk saris and 22 karat gold wedding jewelry seemed so much more glamorous than the and sweet shops, and Madonna-inspired fashion of the time, the mostly Punjabi foods that found a home in the neighbourhood’s main thoroughfare existing grocery store (Devon Avenue) were that much more adventurous and alluring. Foods became a great spot for samosas, palak shelves were retrofitted Flavorland paneer, pakoras (fried vegetables) and chana masala (garbanzo bean curry). with fragrant foods in More recently, the Los Angeles suburb Artesia has been my destination for all things Indian. My friend Leyla and I head there ornate packages. While to get our fix of dosas, curries, and other vegetarian delicacies. Leyla, a tenured high school English teacher, had a clothing some locals were business on the side that brought her to India every two years— I had envied for a long time. But that desire would be resistant to change, my something remedied with my frequent flier miles and a fantastic service known as MakeMyTrip.com, recommended by Leyla’s Kolkatamother, grandmother based friends. I also received guidance from New York-based Krishna Vegaraju, whose company, Travel Corporation India, Ltd., organizes customized specialty tours, with itineraries that include and I became smitten cooking classes, trend-setting restaurants and explorations of the street-food scenes. While both companies are known with Indian culture. 6
taste& travel international April–June 2012
kolkata
india
proxy Indian proxy Indian KatjusaC
clockwise from top left ??????????????????????
throughout India they are actively seeking non-Indian clients — culinary travellers in particular. With the help of Make My Trip and Vegaraju’s suggestions, we pulled together a ten-day food and shopping itinerary that took us through the “Golden Triangle” — a popular section of India that covers Delhi, Agra (site of the Taj Mahal), and the cities and villages of Rajasthan. From there, we ventured on to Kolkata, West Bengal, along India’s tropical Northeast Coast. Kolkata is not as recognizable a travel destination as the now en vogue cities of Jaipur or Udaipur, but it deserves to be, with its diversity of stores, markets and restaurants. The city could be described as a Southeast Asian version of Miami. In town, we stay with Leyla’s friends, Shelley and Dolly, who are marvelous cooks in their own right. In and out of their kitchens, we savour variations of Bengali fare, which is lighter, milder and more fragrant than its more familiar Punjabi relatives. On the advice Dolly, the starting point for my Kolkata discovery is the historic New Market shopping area, established in 1874 for British colonial residents. In the middle of this patchwork of meat, fish, produce and sundry stalls lies Nahoum’s Bakery, an old-school Jewish bakery so adored by locals and
regular visitors that it has its own Facebook page. David Nahoum, grandson of founder Nahoum Israel Mordecai, literally keeps the fires of tradition burning with a variety of Jewish breads, cream rolls, baklava, macaroons, pastries and interesting Indian culinary hybrids like cheese samosas. In the late afternoon I join Shelley for tea at her favorite afternoon hangout Flury’s, a popular and packed Swiss-owned dessert emporium with decadent Alpine pastries, made locally with the use of Indian seasonings, and a side of chai tea made with whole milk. The next day, we spend lunch wandering the ‘street food stalls’ at Haldiram’s, another Kolkata food institution. Haldiram’s operates supermarkets and manufactures sweets and chats sold worldwide but its flagship location is a stand-alone food court devoted to India’s finest street foods, like puchkas (hollow fried puri pastry filled with a mixture of water, tamarind, onion, chili, masala spice and potato), popular all over India but raised to high art in Kolkata. On our third evening, we bring in Chinese food from the Tangra neighborhood, which in itself is uniquely Indian in its spices and preparation, and markedly less sweet and greasy than Chinese-American take-away. April–June 2012 taste& travel international
7
kolkata
…Kolkata is not as recognizable a travel destination as the now en vogue cities Jaipur or Udaipur, but it deserves to be… india proxy Indian
above Grinder below Kali
and Shiva mural.
Elyse proxy Glickman Indian
8
taste& travel international April–June 2012
When it comes to special occasion dining, Shelley and Dolly are particularly fond of Oh! Calcutta and Sigree. Sigree chef-de-cuisine Sandeep Pandey derives his menus from Uttar Pradesh and the ‘frontier near the India/ Pakistan border,’ where lamb, chicken, fish and vegetables are slow-roasted over a charcoal fire of the restaurant’s namesake iron vessel that seal in the meat’s natural juices. Under Oh! Calcutta chef Joymala Banerjee, steamed cooking techniques and tropical flavours dominate, resulting in far lighter fare than what most Americans may associate with Indian cuisine. It is also one of the most memorable meals of the trip. “When restaurateur Anjan Chatterjee opened Oh! Calcutta, he was explicit in his goal to make the menu a specific expression of the food coming out of Kolkata,” explains Speciality Restaurants’ Regional Business Manager Debashish Ghosh, who visited our table during our meal. “In almost every dish, we have the influences from our mothers, who in turn were influenced by British, French, Portuguese and other cultures, which makes the Bengali facet of Indian food culture stand apart and surprise foreign visitors.” While my culinary wanderlust was satisfied thanks to the picky palates and intelligent guidance of my local hosts, I still had a craving for shopping, given the beauty of Indian textiles. Flower and fashion stalls are as busy in Kolkata as they are elsewhere in India. The city is also home to several spotless enclosed malls like Shelley’s favorites, South City and The Forum. While I snapped up gorgeous tunics at Ritu Kumar and Biba, the Westside department store had wonderful things for bath and bedroom. I also scored some great kitchen and cocktail bar finds at FabIndia, a store known for its ethicallyproduced fashion and home accessories from various villages around India, at fill-your-suitcase prices. I wanted to quench my history and culture thirst, so I headed to The Indian Museum, one of the oldest museums in Asia, founded in 1914. In addition to its beautiful gardens, the site also boasts a 4,000 year-old mummy, fossils, coins, stones, Gandhara art, meteors and botanica mounted in library-like settings, with displays and artifacts exhaustively labeled. It also has airconditioning, which was welcome, as my journey to the subcontinent was in the mid-summer heat. “You really need to come back in December,” Shelley said. “There is so much more happening in Kolkata with the holiday season and winter festivals.” The temptation to return is firmly embedded on our to-do list, but it's combined with a belief that Kolkata is also figuratively one of the hottest cities on Earth. It’s only a matter of time before the rest of the world catches on.
kolkata
Serves 6
Raane Sigree
ok
Co
it
S i g r e e - st y l e R oa s t L a m b india
Lamb 1 bone-in leg
Ginger 2 inch piece, peeled and chopped Garlic 6 cloves, chopped Salt 1 Tbs
Red c hili Powder 1 tsp KatjusaC
Szechwan Pepper 1 tsp, ground Garam Masala 1 tsp
above ?????????
Nahoum’s Bakery
F-20, New Market Road, Esplanade, Dharmatala, Kolkata 91-033- 6526-9936
c innamon Powder 1 Tbs
t Visi
it
Haldiram’s Kolkata 58, Chowringhee Road Kolkata 91-33-2282-7516
Oh! Calcutta
10/3, Elgin Road 4th Floor, Forum Mall, Kolkata (Calcutta), India 91-033-2283-7161
Sigree
5, Silver Arcade Jbs Haldane Avenue Em Bypass, East Kolkata Township Kolkata, India 91-033-2251-7031
Bay Leaves 2
Malt Vinegar ½ cup Dark Rum 1 ¼ cup 1
Blend ginger, garlic and spices with rum and vinegar in a blender or food processor. Rub mixture onto the lamb leg, then place it in a clay pot or cooking vessel.
2 Preheat
oven to 375°F. Roast the lamb uncovered until thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat (not touching bone) registers 125°F for medium-rare.
3 Take
out the cooked lamb and carefully remove the bones.
4 Sprinkle
finished lamb with a little more rum.
5 Serve
in the cooking vessel with caramelized onions and mint chutney on the side.
1
Old Monk, from India, is recommended but any dark rum will do.
Restaurant & Bar La Olla FabIndia Stores throughout India
www.fabindia.com
Los Angeles-based Elyse Glickman has been covering food, beverage, lifestyle and travel since 2002 as a writer and editor for trade and consumer magazines. When she’s not on assignment, she enjoys entertaining and bartending at home for friends and exploring LA's ethnic dining scene.
Ad a p t e d f r o m a r e c i p e b y S a n d e e p P a n d e y , Chef de Cuisine, Sigree.
April–June 2012 taste& travel international
9
kolkata
ok
Co
it
Serves 8
Chutneywalimakaiseekh B l e n d e d V e g e ta b l e K e b a b s w i t h G r av y
india
c arrots 1/2 lb, peeled & grated c hickpeas 1 x 16 oz can c auliflower 1/2 lb, florets
Vegetable O il 3 Tbs
Sweet c orn canned or frozen kernels, 1 cup
c hickpea Flour 1 1 cup, toasted s alt 1 tsp
Black Salt 2 ½ tsp
Vegetable O il for frying 1
Ad a p t e d f r o m a r e c i p e b y S a n d e e p P a n d e y , Chef de Cuisine, Sigree. below Garlands.
Combine all vegetables in a food processor and then blend in the chickpea flour and salts. Roll mixture into small balls and deep or shallow fry until golden brown.
To complete the dish
Vegetable O il ¼ cup
c umin Seeds 1 tsp
Ginger chopped, 4 teaspoons
Fresh c ilantro 1 bunch, chopped
c ardamom Powder 1 tsp
proxy Indian
Potatoes boiled and diced, 1 cup
Mace or Nutmeg Powder a pinch Amul C heese or Plain Yogurt
3
½ cup
Mint C hutney 4 ½ cup 1
Heat the oil and sauté the cumin seeds, chopped ginger and garlic.
2 Add
in the vegetable kababs and diced potatoes and sauté.
3 Add
the rest of the ingredients.
4 Serve
10
the kebabs drizzled with the pan sauce.
1
To toast the chickpea flour, heat in a dry skillet, stirring constantly until it becomes fragrant and just begins to change colour.
2
A purplish or pinkish-gray rock salt available at Indian markets.
3
Amul cheese is a soft cheddar spread available at Indian markets.
4
Available at Indian markets.
taste& travel international April–June 2012
Travel Corporation India (TCI) is an award winning destination management firm that offers special interest tours including culinary, Clic educational, wildlife and photo adventure, k while investing in eco responsible and socially aware tourism. TCI also markets exclusively India’s leading luxury train, The Indian MaharajaDeccan Odyssey. tcindia.com
it
MakeMyTrip.com, , founded in 2000, is a one-stoptravel-shop that offers the broadest selection of travel products and services in India, a 24-hour customer support service, and the ability for travellers to design their own custom trips to India. makemytrip.com
