Chef Dyuti Banerjee of MasterChef fame, and chef Sayani Sengupta, a team leader of chef volunteers for the Millet Revival Project of The Locavore, presented an elaborate food pop-up called The Solstice at Deshaj Store and Cafe in Ballygunge on June 21, celebrating the summer solstice. The 21-course menu celebrated the varied cuisines of India, taking foodies on a culinary journey spanning across mountains, plains and beaches.
The culinary adventure began with an ode to monsoon. A steaming Kashmiri Kahwa, Tibetan Po Cha (butter tea) and Bombaiyya Irani Malai Chai were served with a platter of fritters consisting of Bihari Thekua (a rustic jaggery biscuit), Kerala’s Parippu Vada (lentil fritter) and Bengal’s Paat Patar (jute leaf fried in a batter) Bora.
Up next, the chefs transported us to beachside shacks. A fresh Ilish peti bhaja was served alongside a crispy Maharastrian-style Bombil Rava Fry and a spicy Kaara Muttai (Tamil street-style egg masala roast).
A rainy afternoon and a plate of khichuri feels like a culinary match made in heaven. The khichuri platter served had four rice preparations — a Tamil temple-style Ven Pongal, a Sikkimese Drothuk with Ilish (Buckwheat congee cooked in ilish stock), Uttarkhandi Til Khichdi and Bengal’s ultimate comfort food Makhon Bhaat (steamed gobindobhog rice with a dollop of butter). Accompaniments like Khaad Gosht (Garhwali-style mud-baked mutton), Royyala Pachadi (Andhra Prawn pickle), Injipuli (Kerala-style ginger and tamarind chutney), and Shutki Eromba (Manipuri dried fish chutney) celebrated the age-old recipes of some Indian states.
After a refreshing break with a Darjeeling cold brew, came the dessert spread. The sweet platter celebrated Maharashtra’s love for Aamras-poori, Goa’s jaggery rice known as Bethem and Uttar Pradesh’s Kathal Kheer.
The food pop-up was organised by Thought for Food Consultancy with the backdrop of Deshaj’s aesthetic store selling sustainably sourced food products, eco-friendly lifestyle goods and more.
