All posts tagged: North Indian cuisine

A Dhaba experience in Indiranagar @ Dhaba by Claridges (12th Main)

Published by

It’s been a while since I dined at a Dhaba. After Bobby Da Dhaba moved from Ulsoor, I haven’t even ventured to any place with the name ‘dhaba’ attached to it! Having the iconic Delhi restaurant – Dhaba by Claridges opening on 12th Main in Indiranagar, was definitely a sign to flex my memory. We walked up the stairs that day and were bemused to see milestone markers on the walls, up to the restaurant on the second floor. Bangalore was missing a casual North Indian restaurant that serves up some delhi-style cuisine, and Dhaba by Claridges hits the spot!

Baingan Bharta (Indian Spiced Aubergine/ Eggplant Mash)

Published by

Baingan Bharta is something that I was introduced to seven years ago. (Basically, ever since I started working and it was de rigueur to have lunch in the office cafeteria!). The cafeteria food sucked. And day after day it was pure torture to let the undercooked, over spiced, all-round-sad food enter our mouths. I could have opted to take a lunchbox from home, but it was just too much work in the morning. (Besides, in those days I thought I was too cool for a lunch box!). So it was almost a godsend when a little Dhaba (highway or roadside restaurant; very popular in the North of India) opened up next to office. This was run by a Punjabi family who served home style meals at a modest price. (Which suited our pockets just fine!). They had a fixed menu written on a black board everyday and fixed quantities that would run out if you reached later than 1:30 pm. So we religiously moved our lunch break to 12:30pm and ensured we got the pick …

Paneer Butter Masala

Published by

Growing up in a South Indian household, Paneer was as exotic a dish to us as Polenta. Tandoor on M.G. Road was one of the first places I had a Paneer Makhni. Dada took us there with his business partner and family, when I was in junior school. The setting was formal and royal (ok, the waiters were dressed up in a turban!) and I was in awe of all the golden chandeliers. And there I tasted it…rich and creamy and tomatoey and cheesy. I was hooked…have been ever since. After that, it was something I religiously ordered whenever we dined out in a ‘North Indian restaurant’. (Ok, I still do!) The dish of course has moved from being exotic to completely local, with every Darshini across the corner serving ‘Paneer Butter Masala’! It’s almost staple in a North Indian Thali ordered in Bangalore. We never cooked paneer at home, because sourcing good paneer was difficult in the earlier days and mom’s home made paneer was at best – tough. Thankfully we have now come …