Bonding over Bihari fare

Bihar mein aapka swagat hai Vijay Varmas dialogue in the web series Mirzapur comes to our mind when we receive an invitation for an afternoon meal at chef Chandana Nandkeolyars Bihari food popup at her 100yearold heritage home on Kitridge Road in Colaba Nandkeolyar is hosting the luncheon for an intimate group along with Harish Advani her Sindhi husband who over shikhanji entertains us with tales of their three boisterous cats and a timid dog Their balcony is home to 70 plants a rescued squirrel and a parrotChamparan meatNandkeolyar grew up in Patna and over time has mastered 7080 dishes that span Bihari cuisine My father was from Gaya while my mother hailed from Dhanbad My mother is from a royal family where she learnt to cook Mughlai food from their khansama Maqbool recalls the 50yearold as she breaks litti into two and pours warm ghee over it She has served this with chokha mashed brinjal potato and tomato cooked in mustard oil as well as ghughuni that is made from black Bengal gram While we dig into this she tells us the dish is Bihars staple it was made for armies who would carry sattu gram flour on them Brinjal and tomatoes could be sourced on the go and the dish was cooked on cow dungfuelled fireTash kebabIt is strengthening and keeps the stomach filled for long The cuisine of the state differs from the north to the south In the north preparations are more elaborate while southern cooks prefer the onepot cooking style of combining spices vegetables and meatLitti ball chokha brinjalpotato mash and ghughuni gravyIts fried snacks time these are easy to prepare and are offered to guests The Goolar kebab is made with minced mutton sattu chana dal and gingergarlic paste stuffed with onions and coriander Soft and flavourful we team this with three chutneys mdash pudina chutney spicy green chilli chutney and the standout yam suran chutney The pungent spike thanks to the mustard and tartness of lime in the latter is fingerlicking goodGoolar kebabCrispy pakoras are up next made with coarse chanadal kachri and barra urad dal pakora that reminds us of medu vada The unique one is a flat besan and peas fritter which is seasoned with salt The sweetness of the peas is fresh and the simple flavours pair well with the trio of chutneysAfter we recovered from the starters we moved on to the mains for which she had cooked Champaran meat The dish is prepared in a handi and derives its name from the region where the meat is sourced from We dont stir the pot after it is placed on the gas we prefer to allow the meat to cook in its own juices Nandkeolyar adds The curry is gamey and dense on the palate and when we bit into it the meat melts off the bone We also sample the taash kebab a dry chicken preparation is garnished with raw onionsNandkeolyar plans to visit her hometown for a deepdive into her native cuisine She mentions a special mutton kebab that is similar to a version from Pakistan This she shares is made with mutton strips I make it only for my popup at hotels or at home as it needs a certain nuanceStarting today Nandkeolyar will be at the FBAI Foodtruck in Juhu outpost of Bar Bank Here I am doing a more inspired version to go with the vibeAt Bar Bank JuhuTill February 21Call 9920024266