If you are someone who loves North Indian cuisine and also has a taste for all things Punjabi then Kangan by The Westin Mumbai Garden City is the place for you. The hotel, which holds food festivals in regular intervals celebrating different cuisines of India, is hosting a Punjabi food fest that goes on till June 25. Every evening the team whips up everything from piping hot paya, butter chicken, dal makhani, and Amritsari fish to chilled lassi, chaat, and a host of desserts, and the foodies in the city can't seem to get enough of it.
Sweet Notes
When we sat down for dinner in a packed restaurant on the 18th floor of the hotel with a pleasant skyline of the city's Western line and live Punjabi music, we noticed that the sweet and live counters attract the maximum crowd. A few steps to our tables, we checked out the chaat counter which served Paani Puri, Chhole Chaat, and Bhel Puri. The sweet section had an array of delicacies including the Bundi Ke Laddoo, baklava, pastries and moose cakes, banana plums and much more. We picked up Apple Pie Pudding and Orange Plump Cake. For winter nostalgia we picked a small piece of Gajak from Rajasthan. The extensive dessert section also has Malai Barfi, Red Velvet Cake, Chocolate Moose, Orange Plum Cake, and Pinni.
We started with delicious hummus and bread next. We picked a crispy brown flatbread instead of a pita. The delicious taste of hummus set our mood for the rest of the meal that we were to try. We picked Ananas Tikka. The classic Pineapple Tikka had a hit of tangy, sour, and spicy flavour blended with the sweetness of the pineapple to it helping to take the edge off.
Saag and Pulao connect
We quickly moved on to kebabs that were slow-cooked on the tandoor and served hot with mint chutney. The soya, and paneer, are marinated in spices and mustard oil and allowed to simmer in the tandoor oven, we were told by the chef. He also informed us that none of the food he cooks has butter or heavy masalas, “Except butter chicken”. The cubes of paneer and soya had a distinct flavour from the ginger, garlic, and turmeric rub, while the heat from the chillies had easily balanced by the hung curd used in the marination. The kebab counter also has options like spice-rubbed chicken and fish for non-vegetarians.
In Dal Makhni and Wadi Pulao we trust
Following it up, we try the traditional delicacies from Punjab like Dal Makhni, Sarson Ka Saag, Amritsari Wadi Ki Sabzi, and Malai Kofta from their main course buffet section. We paired our bowls of vegetables with breads like Amritsari roti and naan which are also prepared and served hot from the live counters. The Dal Makhni cooked overnight without butter was easily our favourite. The Malai Kofta, on the other hand, has a heady aroma and taste from the garam masala. The mawa stuffed koftas have a fluffy texture.
The accompaniments for the bread like chicken saag masala, paneer saagwala, and sarson ka saag all involve mustard leaves which are a staple in Punjabi kitchens. If you are someone who prefers rice over bread, there are limited options but you can try Wadi Pulao. We, however, recommend signature bread and gravies over biryani and pulao. For non-vegetarians, Butter Chicken and Amritsari Fish is not to miss. To start with, take a bowl of Paya – a non-veg flavoursome stew.
Apart from this, the main course counter has Amritsari Chhole, Pindi Chhole, Chana Masala, Nihari Motton, Rogan Josh, Amritsari Fish, and Kunna Ghost among several other veg and non-veg Punjabi delights.
Some more dessert, please!
We wrapped up the dinner with some desserts like Daliya, Zarda, and Jalebi made and served live from the counter. Zarda, the traditional Punjabi sweet dish that translates to sweet rice made with rice, milk, and sugar is the star of the counter as it has the right amount of sweetness and is topped with crunchy nuts. The rice is infused with nuts and saffron water to add a yellow colour to the delicacy. Apart from this, the dessert and chaat counters have the usual fix of cakes, puddings, and mousses along with a host of salad and chaat options.
Rs 3,000 ++. From 7.30 pm onwards.
