Get a taste of authentic Kashmiri food right here in Bangalore and attain food Nirvana
Get a taste of authentic Kashmiri food right here in Bangalore and attain food Nirvana
As we stepped into Kungh, a new Kashmiri restaurant in town on a late Sunday evening for dinner, there was drum roll. By drum roll we really mean proper drum roll.
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A quick glance around seemed to solve our dilemma. Kungh shares space, cheek-by-jowl with an academy of music.
A band was perhaps practising their upcoming gig. Pleased at our reception, we entered into a tiny place that looked serene and laid back.
A neat little place, Kungh (pronounced Kongh) that is literally Kashmiri for saffron, the most treasured spice in the world, is a no-frills kind of place with Mughal-style saffron flower motifs on the walls.
The menu is limited but is perhaps as authentic as it could get.
For starters, we ordered Tabak Maaz (Rs 250) lamb ribs with fat, fried to a crispy level and topped with almond slivers and coriander.
Now Tabak Maaz is no ordinary dish and is not fried in any random oil. Pure ghee is used to take this dish to another level.
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Our other order was a Raal Mel Taalith (Rs 125) a medley of fried cauliflower, carrots and beans spiced with chilli powder and lime.
As we bit into our crispy lamb ribs, the lead singer of the band next door yelled out his call for arms for all metal heads (yes it was a death metal band) in his most nasty growling voice.
We were expecting soothing strains of Santoor (a stringed musical instrument from Kashmir) but what we got was hardcore thrash. Biting into flesh with guttural screams in the background. Perfect setting!
To soothe our musically hair raised nerves, we ordered a soothing salted Kungh Lassi (Rs 45). The saffron in the lassi cut into the creamy drink with its own fragrant spicy self.
For our mains, we were expecting the delicious haak (a brothy Kashmiri greens dish cooked in asafoetida, dried red chillies and green chillies in mustard oil and then boiled) and also the sublime Mooli Akhrot Ki Chutney (a dip made with grounded walnut, chilli powder, yoghurt, salt, and grated radish) for sides. But neither was part of the menu.
We decided to go for the Al Yakhni (Rs 145), bottle gourd cooked in a white yoghurt sauce, Rishta (Rs 250), minced meat balls simmered in a red yoghurt based gravy along with saffron rice (Rs 75).
The usually rather dull bottle gourd somehow came together beautifully with the yoghurt and the minced meat balls in the Rishta were spongy and had soaked up the right amount of the angry red gravy (a tinge of saffron being responsible for that rich colour).
While we were busy moping everything up with the saffron rice, a little boy ran into the restaurant with drumsticks.
On enquiry, we found that he is restaurant owner Javaid Ahmed's six-year-old, already on his way to playing a mean drum. We just hoped that he wasn't accompanying the next door band in their practicing session.
For dessert, along with the Phirni (Rs 25) we ordered a Noon Chai (Rs 10). Noon Chai is a salty, buttery chai flavoured with ghee that is generally drunk in Kashmir, post dinner.
The robust flavours of the ghee came together with the mild tea and tasted like a delicious soup.
The Phirni was delicate, flavoured with rose water and slivers of almonds hidden in it. It was the perfect way to go to heaven after a meal fit for paradise.
At 32, Castle Street, Ashok Nagar
Call 4112 6043
Kungh didn't know we were there. The GUIDE reviews anonymously and pays for meals.
