Pind da Khana with Chef Lucky Singh at Courtyard by Marriott Chennai

 Side dishes.. All were laid out in neat wooden pots

 Kulcha with Pind chole..

 Roti with Sarson ka saag, butter and jaggery

 Pani puri with spicy water 

Gajar ka halwa [carrot halwa] & Kala Jamun [slightly different version of our Gulab jamun]

 The dessert platter- Moti choorladoo, Plain Jalebi , Pineapple jalebi and carrot halwa ice cream with nougat bits

Punjabi khana is something different.. it is not what you get in Delhi or Bombay or anywhere else.. The cuisine from Punjab and Pind region stands apart from every other North Indian food you would have eaten. And that is what had me curious about the Pind da Khana at Courtyard by Marriott Chennai..

Yes, the food has a lot of butter and ghee, but the beauty is it does not feel heavy at the end of the meal. During the course of dinner, had the opportunity to chat with Chef Lucky Singh is from Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai where he currently works as the Chef de Partie. With over 10 years of experience with food, he specializes in Indian Cuisine, with focus on Indian Curries and the Tandoor. When I told him how food to me was more than just the dish, it was about the journey, the history, he was very humble and responded that he cooks from the heart, and that is the only way he knows how to cook. 

This was his 1st visit to Chennai and he did share a bit about how he was still finding his foot and how the ingredients were different, therefore he wasn’t able to achieve the exact taste what you would get in Punjab /Amritsar… He went on to say that the water from the region makes a world of difference for the cuisine..  I guess that is true.. The way you cook, the temperature of the place, the vegetables, the quality of milk, butter and paneer, all of this makes a difference to the final dish.. 

But for someone like me who has been to Amritsar and eaten at the numerous dhabbas there, had lassi from their local stores, it was quite an experience to eat food that was straight from that region. Loved the flavours, the medley of spices that were used [ Chef makes his own spices and said nothing store bought works]. 

If you are a fan of Pindi chole, Rajma masala, Amritsari Bharta and the various kulchas, you should give this festival a visit. There was quite a range of options for the vegetarians and that was heart warming! You must also try the Roohafza drink or maybe the Mango lassi or if you are a fan of the Amritsari Lassi, then go for it. Served up in small glass bottles these are perfect for our warm summer evenings. 

Apart from these, you have a live Chaat counter, and a small salad bar as well. Oh and the highlight of the evening was the Dessert section- Jalebi, Pineapple jalebi[ it had a slice of pineapple that had been dippled in jalebi batter, deep fried and soaked in Jalebi syrup- was yummm], the North indian sweets and interesting ice creams that the Chef has whipped up just for the festival.  Btw, the festival is on in Bangalore subsequently…