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Palatable platter

A joint that suits for an evening out

DELICIOUS Variety of Chaats on offer Photo: M. Moorthy

For most Tiruchiites, the Chaats at the Nilgiris is a familiar place. Even if they had not visited it one could hardly miss out the crowd hanging out at the joint in the evenings, especially during weekends.

Regular haunt

For several youths, it is a regular haunt. The Chaats, as the name suggests, is a place for lovers of `chaat dishes.' Starting from the most popular item of `pani Puri,' the menu lists out nine more varieties of `puri,' including `Jain Pani Puri,' `Behl Puri,' `Fruit Bhel Puri,' `Jain Behl Puri,' `Masala Puri,' `Sev Puri,' `Alu Puri,' `Dhai Puri' and `Fruit Dhai Puri.'

The other dishes you can order are `PapriChaat,' `Bombay Chaat,' `Khatta Meetha Chaat,' `Fruit Chaat' and `TavaChaat.' "But the benchmark dishes are `Pav Bhaji' and `Dhai Puri.' The right choice of ingredients, mixing them in proper proportion, ideal selection of chatni for specific dish, and above all on-the-spot preparation using hygienic techniques are the factors which set our chaats apart," says Rajesh M.Chawla, who has realised the demand for chaats among Tiruchiites and the need for `relax-and-enjoy' environment, with an element of privacy in this entertainment-starved city. oft-buttered `paavs' served with `bhaji,' prepared on the spot, go to make a mouth-watering dish. "We mix capsicum, onion and peas, all mashed together," he says. For those unable to take one sumptuous Paav Bhaji, a Mini Paav Bhaji (equal to half the quantum), is available. Many prefer Mini Paav Bhaji so as to go in for other dishes."

"The Dhai Puri is prepared using a lot of dhai poured on masala puris. It is a favourite dish of college students," he says.

Good mix

Usually, a set of crispy Pani Puri has six pieces on a bigger plate. "But,to make it more attractive, we provide the customer a smaller plate andserve the puri. Filled with ice, kara pani and sweet water, our customer is tempted to go in for more puris, at times even forgetting the number of puris supplied one by one," says Mr. Rajesh, explaining the success of his business. Taking a due note of the dictum `taste differs,' "we offer specific dishes to suit your need. The Jain Paav Bhaji, for instance, is bereft of garlic,onion and potatoes while Alu Puri is filled with alu masala and mouth-watering chutney". `Bombay Chaat' is the proper mix of papris and channa topped with delicious chutney, which takes one down memory lane of eating chaat at Chowpathy in Mumbai.

The Papri chaats are topped with curd masala and tamarind extract. Favourite fruits are carefully topped on Fruit Dhai Puri. Basket Chaat, with a cute little awesome basket, wraps `royal gravy' topped with curd, fruits, cherry, coriander leaves and sev.

Rajesh also plans to add Chaat-Exotic, Chaat-Sizzler, Chaat Shai and Kashmiri Chaat to the menu. He attributes his success to two factors: patronage from quality-conscious customers and a team of chefs led by R. Shankar Singh from Nawda district in Bihar.

M. BALAGANESSIN

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