Welcome to the kitchen

Most restaurant kitchens especially in stand alone restaurants have signs to keep guests out of the kitchen. This is for a good reason, because you really don't want to see the business side of most eating places. Yes some restaurants do have show kitchens which is a little reassuring  and  there is the element of entertainment and even interaction.

The Rajdhani restaurant in Connaught Place actually has a sign which translated into English says 'Welcome to the Kitchen'.

This was so refreshing, I mean none of  the guests actually got up to see the kitchen, but hey, the message the restaurant is sending is 'We have nothing to hide' and we're actually quite proud of our kitchen and cleanliness and we could show you around.

For a bit I toyed with the idea of taking them up on the offer, that was till the thali service started. The thali is a large metal plate made of silver of more popularly and economically stainless steel. This plate comes with a large number of cute little bowls or 'katoris' which are used to serve curries.

Indian food is best eaten with the hands, tastes so much better, so sensuous,  just as I was wondering what to do about washing my hands, lo and behold! Yes, before the meal they actually briought around a brass jug and a large bowl so you can wash your hands while seated at the table. Talk about spoiling your guests :-)

Masala Chaas or buttermilk and Aam Panna which is a spicy sweet beverage made from tangy green mangoes soon appreared at our table and we knew the feast had started.

One by one the waiters brought serving containers with Rajasthani and Gujrati delicacies, there were so many kinds of chutneys and pickles, my mouth waters just thinking about them. Of course there were the usual suspects like the dal (lentil curry) and rice, however three dishes really stood out.

The first was the potli kachodi, like a small moneybag, pastry stuffed with a spicy lentil paste and then deep fried, this came with a lovely spicy, flaming red garlic chutney. The second dish that really intrigued me was the dal dhokli, small squares of chickpea dough boiled in a flavourful lentil curry with dices of apple and pineapple, believe me, it tasted awesome with the fresh wheat rotis. The third dish that I found pretty neat was the Chiku (Sapota) Halwa, very sweet with cashewnuts and cooked in lots of clarified butter.

Really loved the service in typical largehearted Rajasthani style, the service staff insisting you try this dish and that. With lots of ghee being poured on the rotis just like Maa did when we were children.

After our meal as we stepped out sated, into the remainder of yet another hot Delhi summmer afternoon, for a while it did seem like all was well in the world.