I, like a million others, have always dreamed of doing a travel show where i get to travel for free and see the beauty that nature has to offer, at somebody else's expense. So i sign up for this show which merges two of my most loved things - Travel & Food. Through this show, and a journey of 45 days, i discovered India like i had never seen it before.
My route for shoot was DEL-ASR-SXR-DHM-SVL-DED-MUT-MTJ-AGR-LKO-VNS-GWL-JAI-BKB
Reminiscing some of the most astounding discoveries I made through this route with Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi and my fantastic team!
DELHI (DEL)
I have lived in Delhi for a fair amount of my life and I felt I hadn't seen the city enough when i went there for the show. While i was growing up in Delhi, i ate at the same places time and again, went to the same places every weekend primarily because family loved it. This time, i chose places to eat at, to roam around and boy! was i amazed.
It was peak summer 23rd May, 2014 when we began shooting in Delhi. It has always been known for its chats and chhola but to me the most amazing discovery was Ganesh Fish, the guy who dips his bare hand in boiling hot oil and fries fish. Bang in the middle of the city, Karol Bagh area this guy is unbelievable in action. Not only are his antics amusing, but his fish tastes as good. Me and my crew chose to have dinner there after pack up and we were not disappointed. The Afghani chicken at Ganesh Fish mart is incredible among many of its delicious non-vegetarian fares.
The Epic Roshan Di Kulfi surprisingly famous for "Dahi Bhalle' (Above)
(Above) street side chholey kulche i grew up eating.
(Left) the epic Afghani chicken at Ganesh Fish Mart
This my friends is the fish that the maestro dipped his hands in hot oil for. ---------------->
(Left) Ama Cafe, Majnu ka Teela.
Another fascinating discovery was a restaurant in Connaught Place that i may have passed by a million times when i lived there but never really cared to eat at - Kake da Hotel. Undoubtedly one of the best palak chicken, paneer and the best ever Mutton kurma i had in my life.
But what will stay with me for life is my experience in the modest city within a monster city. The Tibetan settelment at New Aruna Nagar Colony is a city within Delhi. When our cars stopped at the entrance of the settlement, little did i anticipate what was awaiting inside those narrow lanes. There were a few monks in their classic maroon robes walking in and out that gave the vibe of that area instantly. As i walked deeper inside i could hear sounds of chanting and bells, i could smell momos in the air and i saw women freely sitting at their doors in whatever clothes they wished to wear. It was very highly unlike Delhi. For that moment in fact i forgot i was in Delhi, i thought i was in Mcleodganj or Ladakh or Tibet for that matter. A good 15 min walk into the lanes, i realised how massive this colony was and how these immigrants had made this place their own safe zone. The houses were typically 'pahadi' and I looked like an 'outsider' there but i wasn't unwelcome like they are treated most places. I found this cafe, AMA in the same vicinity and a narrow staircase led us up to the first floor. When the door opened i was instantly teleported into Tibet. It was not like anything i had seen or expected before in Delhi and i was welcomed warmly by Tenzing who owns the cafe. The place is warm and friendly as any cafe should be, but what made it score brownie points was the superb food and ambience it provided.
Delhi right from UPSC chat, Roshan di Kulfi, Kamla Nagar ke chholey bhature to Moti Mahal (the inventors of Butter Chicken and Tandoori Chicken) to the delicious momos at Tee Dees at Manju ka Teela... Delhi has earned more food respect in my head now than ever before.
AMRITSAR (ASR)
I havd never travelled to Punjab and one of my top things to see had The Golden Temple among the rest. So visiting Amritsar was special to me that too twice in a months time.
Our shoot began with the famous Amritsari Kulcha's at 'All India Famous Kulchawala' who makes only Kulchas! Amirtsari Kulchas are essentially stuffed with potatoes, paneer or cauliflower and soaked in desi ghee then smothered with a big dollop of butter. Best eaten piping hot with some punjabi chhole, one kulcha can give you enough carb to run like a machine for the day. Its not the most humble way to start your day if you are not a Punjabi, but i saw men, women and children eat 3 without cringing. Well, i downed 1 and half. If i had stayed longer, 3 wasn't impossible.
If you are visiting Punjab there is no chance we would have skipped the sedating Lassi. Our stop was the famous Gyani lassi but turned out that the guy next to Gyani is more famous and makes better lassi than Gyani. His lassi is large tumbler of whipped yoghurt heartily mixed with tons of sugar and half an inch of rich cream on top... nothing less than anaesthesia. But this lassi monster is so refreshing that we had to have one. The owner infact wouldn't let us shoot without downing one glass and then he offered another after the shoot. I only wanted a khatiya to sleep after 2 glasses of sedation.
Oh that took us to the world's largest Khatiya. Right in the middle of no-where... only a mental punjabi can think of something so insane. A khatiya that can seat 60 people at once! Quite frankly Punjab is full of amusing things everywhere you look around. The infamous Jugaad or just situationally funny things... Amritsar is delightful.
One of the other most ancient and under rated cultures in India is our very chai-culture. (i want to believe it is ancient, just makes my love for tea a bit more respectful and just) Gyani tea stall, a hangout where people gather in multiples after their morning exercise, walks, jogs, runs and sip tea and eat kachori's. Nothing so notably good about the tea but its the experience that is awesome.
I have been to several dhabas in my lifetime but none with a rich history like Kesar Da Dhaba. This Dhaba is operational since pre-independence India, since 1916. So their who's who ate here includes Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and many more... the kitchen is repulsive and you should be glad as normal customers you don't need to enter any kitchen before you eat. But when you enter their kitchen you cannot ignore the wonderful aroma of kaali daal cooked overnight for 8-10 hours cooking in a ginormous pot, freshly baked tandoori roti's and saag. It just takes your breath away. But what takes the cake here is their dessert - Phirni or saffron flavored rice pudding. So dense, so aptly sweetened and so divine! Kesar da Dhaba for me is a must do purely for the food experience.
From my knowledge North Indians are no big fish eaters, but because Punjab has 5 rivers flowing forming the heart of the land, fish are abundant here. Then i discover the most abused item on every menu to be delightfuly different in actuality. The Amritsari fish! Its not red at all... its not grossly heavy on the pallatte and not at all chewy like what we get anywhere else. I was told Makhan Fish was the king there and i wasn't disappointed at all. The delicately flavored Singhada fish (cat fish i guess) died for a cause i say! For all its flavor it should be called a martyr of food!
So much we ate and then we crossed this gali full of Ramlubhavan Aam Papad... several by the same name and the original ironically hosted his delicacy on small redi under the tree. That little thing to flush down all that food! This place is humble, his aam papad modest and man he is famous!
We also visited Chef Harpal's old family home which an hour away from Amritsar. I had never seen a punjabi pind and i was most excited to see the mud slapped houses and massive joint families. I must have been a 100 degrees of a peak summer noon and we were shooting in worst possible time of the year but his family kept us hydrated with tea, sherbet, more sharbat and lots of snacks. They had buckets full of iced water and i was overwhelemed because these villages do not get water in their taps like us, they fetch water from a nearest resource and for them to give us buckets of drinking water was a huge deal and kind gesture. His family of chacha's, tauji, women in the family and their children so warm and welcoming its not even funny. The Punjabi hospitality and unconditional love they shower is beyond words.
Apart from the food, there were experiences that will go down to my grave with me! Both sent goosebumps down my spine for two totally different reasons. One was my visit to Wagha Border. Something that as an Indian i have grown up thinking what kind of a border could it be that suddenly seperated two countries that were once the same? I was already excited to get there and i was seated right on the first seat at the gate where all the action happens.
Even before the ceremony began there was a certain buzz in the air... certain anxiety. I was constantly looking at the other side of the fence like they were looking back at us as well to see if we were any different from them. Surprisingly they did not have horns, nor did they have feet grown from the head, they were just like us... so why the fuss? When the ceremony began with a loud thump of feet and shouts filling the air, my blood rushed to every part of the body in excitement. It was no less than riding a rollercoaster. The flags were de-hoisted after the ceremony and then the public was allowed to walk around.
We reached a point where it was Zero Mile, just one stone that indicated Pakistan to one side and India to the other. I just kept looking at the stone... THIS??? This divides us? Well, for any patriotic person its an experience to last.
I visited the Golden Temple later that evening. Gurudwara Harmandir Sahib... topped with the golden peak relfected in the serene pool of nectar it is surrounded with like a galaxy on earth. The long cue only added to my anticipation to get in bow down. I sat by the pond for an hour soaking up the experience and unwinding from the long tired day.
Amritsar to me was an overwhelming journey. One that was both gastronomically and spiritually gratifying.
My route for shoot was DEL-ASR-SXR-DHM-SVL-DED-MUT-MTJ-AGR-LKO-VNS-GWL-JAI-BKB
Reminiscing some of the most astounding discoveries I made through this route with Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi and my fantastic team!
DELHI (DEL)
I have lived in Delhi for a fair amount of my life and I felt I hadn't seen the city enough when i went there for the show. While i was growing up in Delhi, i ate at the same places time and again, went to the same places every weekend primarily because family loved it. This time, i chose places to eat at, to roam around and boy! was i amazed.
It was peak summer 23rd May, 2014 when we began shooting in Delhi. It has always been known for its chats and chhola but to me the most amazing discovery was Ganesh Fish, the guy who dips his bare hand in boiling hot oil and fries fish. Bang in the middle of the city, Karol Bagh area this guy is unbelievable in action. Not only are his antics amusing, but his fish tastes as good. Me and my crew chose to have dinner there after pack up and we were not disappointed. The Afghani chicken at Ganesh Fish mart is incredible among many of its delicious non-vegetarian fares.
(Left) the epic Afghani chicken at Ganesh Fish Mart
(Left) Ama Cafe, Majnu ka Teela.
Another fascinating discovery was a restaurant in Connaught Place that i may have passed by a million times when i lived there but never really cared to eat at - Kake da Hotel. Undoubtedly one of the best palak chicken, paneer and the best ever Mutton kurma i had in my life.
But what will stay with me for life is my experience in the modest city within a monster city. The Tibetan settelment at New Aruna Nagar Colony is a city within Delhi. When our cars stopped at the entrance of the settlement, little did i anticipate what was awaiting inside those narrow lanes. There were a few monks in their classic maroon robes walking in and out that gave the vibe of that area instantly. As i walked deeper inside i could hear sounds of chanting and bells, i could smell momos in the air and i saw women freely sitting at their doors in whatever clothes they wished to wear. It was very highly unlike Delhi. For that moment in fact i forgot i was in Delhi, i thought i was in Mcleodganj or Ladakh or Tibet for that matter. A good 15 min walk into the lanes, i realised how massive this colony was and how these immigrants had made this place their own safe zone. The houses were typically 'pahadi' and I looked like an 'outsider' there but i wasn't unwelcome like they are treated most places. I found this cafe, AMA in the same vicinity and a narrow staircase led us up to the first floor. When the door opened i was instantly teleported into Tibet. It was not like anything i had seen or expected before in Delhi and i was welcomed warmly by Tenzing who owns the cafe. The place is warm and friendly as any cafe should be, but what made it score brownie points was the superb food and ambience it provided.
Delhi right from UPSC chat, Roshan di Kulfi, Kamla Nagar ke chholey bhature to Moti Mahal (the inventors of Butter Chicken and Tandoori Chicken) to the delicious momos at Tee Dees at Manju ka Teela... Delhi has earned more food respect in my head now than ever before.
AMRITSAR (ASR)
I havd never travelled to Punjab and one of my top things to see had The Golden Temple among the rest. So visiting Amritsar was special to me that too twice in a months time.
Our shoot began with the famous Amritsari Kulcha's at 'All India Famous Kulchawala' who makes only Kulchas! Amirtsari Kulchas are essentially stuffed with potatoes, paneer or cauliflower and soaked in desi ghee then smothered with a big dollop of butter. Best eaten piping hot with some punjabi chhole, one kulcha can give you enough carb to run like a machine for the day. Its not the most humble way to start your day if you are not a Punjabi, but i saw men, women and children eat 3 without cringing. Well, i downed 1 and half. If i had stayed longer, 3 wasn't impossible.
If you are visiting Punjab there is no chance we would have skipped the sedating Lassi. Our stop was the famous Gyani lassi but turned out that the guy next to Gyani is more famous and makes better lassi than Gyani. His lassi is large tumbler of whipped yoghurt heartily mixed with tons of sugar and half an inch of rich cream on top... nothing less than anaesthesia. But this lassi monster is so refreshing that we had to have one. The owner infact wouldn't let us shoot without downing one glass and then he offered another after the shoot. I only wanted a khatiya to sleep after 2 glasses of sedation.Oh that took us to the world's largest Khatiya. Right in the middle of no-where... only a mental punjabi can think of something so insane. A khatiya that can seat 60 people at once! Quite frankly Punjab is full of amusing things everywhere you look around. The infamous Jugaad or just situationally funny things... Amritsar is delightful.
One of the other most ancient and under rated cultures in India is our very chai-culture. (i want to believe it is ancient, just makes my love for tea a bit more respectful and just) Gyani tea stall, a hangout where people gather in multiples after their morning exercise, walks, jogs, runs and sip tea and eat kachori's. Nothing so notably good about the tea but its the experience that is awesome.
I have been to several dhabas in my lifetime but none with a rich history like Kesar Da Dhaba. This Dhaba is operational since pre-independence India, since 1916. So their who's who ate here includes Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and many more... the kitchen is repulsive and you should be glad as normal customers you don't need to enter any kitchen before you eat. But when you enter their kitchen you cannot ignore the wonderful aroma of kaali daal cooked overnight for 8-10 hours cooking in a ginormous pot, freshly baked tandoori roti's and saag. It just takes your breath away. But what takes the cake here is their dessert - Phirni or saffron flavored rice pudding. So dense, so aptly sweetened and so divine! Kesar da Dhaba for me is a must do purely for the food experience.From my knowledge North Indians are no big fish eaters, but because Punjab has 5 rivers flowing forming the heart of the land, fish are abundant here. Then i discover the most abused item on every menu to be delightfuly different in actuality. The Amritsari fish! Its not red at all... its not grossly heavy on the pallatte and not at all chewy like what we get anywhere else. I was told Makhan Fish was the king there and i wasn't disappointed at all. The delicately flavored Singhada fish (cat fish i guess) died for a cause i say! For all its flavor it should be called a martyr of food!So much we ate and then we crossed this gali full of Ramlubhavan Aam Papad... several by the same name and the original ironically hosted his delicacy on small redi under the tree. That little thing to flush down all that food! This place is humble, his aam papad modest and man he is famous!
We also visited Chef Harpal's old family home which an hour away from Amritsar. I had never seen a punjabi pind and i was most excited to see the mud slapped houses and massive joint families. I must have been a 100 degrees of a peak summer noon and we were shooting in worst possible time of the year but his family kept us hydrated with tea, sherbet, more sharbat and lots of snacks. They had buckets full of iced water and i was overwhelemed because these villages do not get water in their taps like us, they fetch water from a nearest resource and for them to give us buckets of drinking water was a huge deal and kind gesture. His family of chacha's, tauji, women in the family and their children so warm and welcoming its not even funny. The Punjabi hospitality and unconditional love they shower is beyond words.Apart from the food, there were experiences that will go down to my grave with me! Both sent goosebumps down my spine for two totally different reasons. One was my visit to Wagha Border. Something that as an Indian i have grown up thinking what kind of a border could it be that suddenly seperated two countries that were once the same? I was already excited to get there and i was seated right on the first seat at the gate where all the action happens.
Even before the ceremony began there was a certain buzz in the air... certain anxiety. I was constantly looking at the other side of the fence like they were looking back at us as well to see if we were any different from them. Surprisingly they did not have horns, nor did they have feet grown from the head, they were just like us... so why the fuss? When the ceremony began with a loud thump of feet and shouts filling the air, my blood rushed to every part of the body in excitement. It was no less than riding a rollercoaster. The flags were de-hoisted after the ceremony and then the public was allowed to walk around.We reached a point where it was Zero Mile, just one stone that indicated Pakistan to one side and India to the other. I just kept looking at the stone... THIS??? This divides us? Well, for any patriotic person its an experience to last.
I visited the Golden Temple later that evening. Gurudwara Harmandir Sahib... topped with the golden peak relfected in the serene pool of nectar it is surrounded with like a galaxy on earth. The long cue only added to my anticipation to get in bow down. I sat by the pond for an hour soaking up the experience and unwinding from the long tired day.Amritsar to me was an overwhelming journey. One that was both gastronomically and spiritually gratifying.
