Made with kaffir lime, red curry paste and rice as a coating, this dish is Haka’s take on the Indonesian Satay. The aroma of kaffir lime makes it a refreshing bite. A good accompaniment with your favourite sip, there’s a vegetarian version of the dish as well.Rs 350 for chicken and Rs 290 for veg.
Crispy outside and juicy inside, this is a yummy snack. Rice and crushed cornflakes are used to coat the chicken wings. Rs 340
Spongy and moist, the Thai Cakes too have kaffir lime and red curry paste along with evenly blended fish. Rice has been used as a binding agent in this dish. While we tried the fish version, there’s a vegetarian version with corn as well. Rs 265 for fish and Rs 215 for veg.
These are dumplings with a twist! The rice grains are stuck on the well-seasoned chicken balls, which are then steamed, giving it a unique spiky appearance. Try this dish with a spicy or a sweet-and-sour dip. Rs 270
Unlike other Thai curries, there’s no coconut milk in this dish. The gravy is broth-like but is flavoursome and has kaffir lime zest, kaffir lime leaves, chillies, jaggery, tamarind and beaten rice as its key ingredients. While the Crab Sour Orange Curry costs Rs 350, the chicken and vegetarian curries cost Rs 375 and Rs 340 respectively.
A twist on the traditional Thai Curry, this is the hero of the festival. As the name suggests, one of the main ingredients is tender coconut that adds the perfect sweet notes to the dish. This sweetness paired with Thai spices make it t2’s fave. While the one with chicken costs Rs 375, the vegetable and prawn versions cost Rs 340 and Rs 450 respectively.
Another highlight of this festival is this sweet dish. Made with sticky rice, coconut cream, coconut milk and served with the season’s favourite mangoes, this dessert is a thicker version of the Bengali payesh. It’s not overtly sweet yet rich, with mangoes adding freshness. Rs 150
What: Khao San Food Festival
On till: June 7, 12.30pm to 3pm and 7pm to 11pm
Where: Haka, 4th floor, Mani Square, Kankurgachhi; 2nd floor, Block E, City Centre Salt LakeMeal for two: Rs1,000-plus
If Bangkok features on your favourite travel destinations list and you know the vibrant city inside out, you would definitely be familiar with Khao San Road — the hub of bars and clubs and amazing local food. If you are missing a trip to Bangkok this summer, worry not. You can sample Khao San fare right here in Calcutta at Haka, the Oriental restaurant chain from the Speciality Restaurants group with outlets in City Centre Salt Lake and Mani Square. The Khao San Food Festival is serving up an a la carte spread that is predominantly Thai, with rice used as an ingredient in all the dishes.
“We decided to do something different with Haka and after a lot of trials and consultation with our chairman and managing director Anjan Chatterjee, we selected the best dishes for the festival,” said Debashish Ghosh, GM, Speciality Restaurants.
“During a recent trip to Bangkok, I got to know that the happening Khao San Road used to be one of Bangkok’s largest rice markets. That’s when the idea of creating Thai dishes with an element of rice in each dish came about. I gathered some local recipes and incorporated rice into them and curated the menu for the festival,” said Indraneel Bhattacharya, executive chef, Haka.
Text: Nandini Ganguly
Pictures: Arnab Mondal
