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Feed thy neighbour

WITH LOVE FROM PAKISTAN Pakistani food on offer at New Delhi's Urban Pind

Besides enjoying the cricket series in Pakistan, we can now enjoy its food in India too. Pakistani food is being celebrated at Urban Pind at Greater Kailash-I. Although this menu, known as Khyber Pass, is not a regular feature of Urban Pind, it might become one, depending upon the public response. Urban Pind celebrated its first anniversary this year and has so far been serving Indian food. But this time it has come up with changes in the menu as well as the décor. Instead of plain walls it is adorned with Khajuraho sculptures on one side and Harappan seals on the other. If you really want to know why it is called Urban Pind, then the best time to visit is at night. The large windowpanes light up, giving the impression of the front portion of a truck.

Chef Narendar, who is into this profession for the past 15 years, explains, "We wanted to offer something new that is not Italian or Chinese, something not so common. So how could we forget delicacies from across the border?"

Onion chutney

Appetisers like tofa-e-zameen, paneer mirch masala and Lahori chholia seekh khumbwaali, accompanied by tingling onion chutney, whet the appetite for the delights to come. Nargisi kabab, Peshawari botti and other mouth-watering appetisers are on offer for the non-vegetarians. Seafood with authentic masala is another feature.

The main course features bharta Rawalpindiwaala, Khandhari bhindi and baghare baigun, paneer pakeeza among the vegetarian offerings and lamb vidaloo, Lahori chicken and others among the non-vegetarian dishes. Taste shalgam as never before with shalgam gosht curry. The rich names suggest lots of calories, but the chef informs us the dishes are cooked with an optimum amount of oil.

Rubyani biryani, basmati white rice and subz mithi ki tehri are the various kinds of biryani one could ask for. All the sumptuous dishes are accompanied by various kinds of breads like lachchha parantha, keema naan, Sindhi naan and zaffrani naan. If you are away from home and longing for "ghar ka halwa" the desserts like badaam ki barfi and moong dal halwa might serve the purpose.

A small "world menu" has also being added. This includes a sampling of Thai Russian and other cuisines.

Besides food, an attraction is the tang of coriander and cardamom, etc. which is added to the appetising cocktails.

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