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Scurrying for curry

Rahul Verma waives his rules and goes hunting for meat curry in Chandni Chowk

ILLUSTRATION: TONY SMITH

Enough is enough, I told myself. I had had so much of vegetarian food that my stomach had started protesting loudly. For how long can one go on about kulchey-chholey and rajma-chawal? This week, I promised my sulky stomach, I'd go in for some good, old-fashioned, meat curry.

I know it's not quite the weather for eating rice and mutton out on the streets. But there was a gentleman I remembered who made such good stuff in Chandni Chowk, near the fountain, that I felt I'd waive some of my own rules this summer. There are not too many non-vegetarian food stalls or restaurants in this predominantly Hindu market place.

Meaty affair

But there was this little hole-in-the wall near Gurdwara Sisganj where one could chomp on some delicious mutton. An elderly Sikh - very handsome, as I remember - used to dole out all kinds of meat preparations: curries, meat pulao and so on - to the hungry masses.

This was a place I used to haunt in my youth and childhood. When we went to Chandni Chowk to buy clothes (those days Janpath didn't have its clothes shacks), we always stopped by at Sardarji's shop for a plate of "meat tari" (or mutton curry with rice). When I was growing up and travelling to and from Delhi to Meerut or Muzaffarnagar, this was where I used to catch my bus. And while I waited for the rickety tin shed on wheels to make its way to the bus stop, I'd entertain myself with Sardarji's meat pulao.

That I have grown in this interval became amply clear when I reached Super Restaurant. The old gent was no more - but at the very spot where I spent many a happy moment, his son, Avtar Singh, was making and selling meat and rice. And going by the crowd that had gathered there, he was doing good business. Between 2 and 4 in the afternoon, his shop turns into a mela.

Super is not difficult to find. Just opposite Sisganj Gurudwara, there is an HDFC branch. Super Restaurant is right there. There are cauldrons full of meat curries, minced meat, meat pulao, chicken pulao, chicken fry and so on. The most expensive dish there is the keemawallah meat - which is mutton cooked in mincemeat gravy. This comes for Rs.70, while a half plate costs Rs.35. The full plate meat tari is for 40, as is the meat pulao. You can even buy a soup ka gilaas for Rs.5.

Since vegetarians are always clamouring for kulchey chholey and chholey chawal, Avtar Singh has that as well. The vegetarian stuff comes for Rs.10.

His food is spicy and tasty, and you keep going back for more. I have had my fill for the time being. But when the weather improves, I am going to strike up a meaningful relationship with Avtar. His dad, after all, was an old friend.

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