From the comfort of a Chowki

BANGALORE: What is the best part of eating at home? It would definitely be the comfortable seating arrangement — sitting cross-legged and enjoying the meal. And we Indians sure love to do that! Now, you can experience the comfort of home combined with exquisite Hyderabadi delicacies being served at their table at he Chowki dinner being hosted by Bidri. The ambience at Bidri is Nawabi — dining tables set at a low height for comfortable chowkis, along with cushions for one to sit on. Once settled, the treat begins! The special Chowki dinner features four pre-set menus, which consists of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, in either North Indian or Hyderabadi flavours. If you’re vegetarian, you’ll be happy to know that for once, your meal will be able to compete with the non-vegetarian option! The Nawabi food journey begins with a portion of Tomato Dhaniya Shorba. Perfectly cooked, with a strong flavour of dhaniya, it gives a tinge of tangy taste, making one crave for more. But, don’t fill your tummy with a second helping, because there is a lot more waiting. For starters, the three vegetarian kebabs —­­­­­ Subz Till Sheek, Mutter Corn Tikki and Tandoori Bharwan Aloo, were served with a delightful tasting mint chutney. Amongst them, the Subz Till Sheek was the best and it tastes even better with a hint of mint chutney. The magical mint chutney simply makes everything taste a lot more delicious! The main course featured a range of conventional North Indian curries like Paneer Butter Masala, Subz Abeer, Diwani Subz Hundi Siya Mirch Aloo, along with the Bidri dal, a typical Punjabi kali dal. Even though the main course was a regular assortment of North Indian dishes, each of them were well made and tasted exquisite. The Paneer Butter Masala was in particular a treat to the taste buds. After savouring on the curries and dal with some assorted Indian breads, came the turn of  the Subz Biryani. Lightly, yet intensely flavoured, the Subz Biryani will be perfect for those who enjoy the flavours in the conventional biryani but not the excessive spice. Though the biryani was served with both Mirchi Ka Salan and Dahi Ki Chutney. We recommend sampling the dish without the dahi — the rice is so lightly flavoured that the heavy flavour of the yoghurt will only overwhelm the original flavour. The Mirchi Ka Salan, on the other hand, enhanced the taste of this lightly flavoured biryani.This was for the vegetarian platter. The non-vegetarian platter featured Murgh Badam Shorba, followed by Samak Tikka, Murgh Malai Kebab and Tattari Kebab as the starters. The main course featured Begamati Do Pyaza and Aloo Methi Kheema along with an exquisite Kachhe Gosht Ki Biryani. Make sure that you save some space for dessert, because it is definitely a treat for the sweet tooth. In a platter, an assortment of three desserts were served — Qubani Ka Meetha, Beetroot Halwa and the innovative Apple Kelebi. The Qubani Ka Meetha and Beetroot Halwa were delicious, but what really stole the show was the delicious Apple Jelebi — a slice of apple, covered with Jelebi batter and fried, served in a bed of condensed milk. Innovative and sinful, if you have space in your tummy for only one dessert, then this should be your first choice! Post such an elaborate meal and tummy full, one would surely want to go home and have a peaceful sleep!