Pride Plaza in New Town is hosting a colonial food festival, offering items that became popular during the colonial era.
“This is our first festival on this theme,” said executive chef Tagar Shaikh. Rajbarir Ranna will continue till the month-end.
The Railway Cutlet (priced Rs 702) is inspired by recipes from the locomotive pantry car that would serve passengers on board with minced chicken spiced with garam masala, shaped into patties and shallow fried.
If rail journeys inspired the cutlet, a river voyage inspired the Steamer Mutton Curry (priced Rs 997). Steamship travel between Goalondo and Calcutta in the pre-Independence era had boatmen cook aboard the steamers. The curry they prepared was famous for its fiery, thin, red gravy with a layer of oil on top. It’s a dish that has become intertwined with the history of travel and cuisine in Bengal.
Another British import from Europe was Devilled Eggs, which is being paired with tamarind chutney (priced Rs 413).
Country Captain Chicken (Rs 702), admits Shaikh, is prepared following the same recipe as Dak Bungalow, which is more popular as a mutton dish. A classic Anglo-Indian dish, it originated in the 19th century in Dak Bungalows, which were government rest houses along postal routes.
These bungalows provided accommodation and food, and the cooks (khansamas) created such dishes to cater to the tastes of the British officers stationed in those rural areas.
There are several traditional Bengali items on the menu like Kumro Pata Kucho Chingri Paturi, a shrimp dish with steamed pumpkin leaves wrapped around shrimp marinated in grated coconut and mustard paste (Rs 997), Posto Diye Jhinge (Rs 584) and Radhuni Diye Tok Dal (Rs 348). The latter is the cheapest item on the festival menu, along with Kolai Dal.
The main course dishes do not come with rice or bread. That means ordering a plate of rice will push up the bill by Rs 348 and a piece of naan by Rs 171.