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Superhit Sweety
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The Raj Pavilion puts out a line of signature dishes of star chef Sweety Singh whose creations, right from the starters to the dessert, are a superhit with Shah Rukh and the Chopras
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PHOTO: SAMPATH KUMAR G.P.
FLAVOURS OF THE EARTH The wafting smell of food out of the tandoor and the flavour of the handi-cooked food make Chef Sweety's dishes popular with Bollywood stars too
Master Chef of Punjabi Khana, Sweety Singh, associated with all the Punjabi food festivals of the Sheraton Group in India, isn't just known for his sweets. It is said his delicacies are a barometer to determine the asli Punjabi swaad.
"My father was a dhaba man. He went blind when I was a toddler. But his sensitive nose could ascertain the authenticity of any dish when he interacted with his team at the dhaba. Khane ka mazaa to swaad se shuru hoti hai (the joy of eating begin with the flavour)," Sweety recalled his father's words.
The ongoing Sweety Singh Ka Raj food festival at The Raj Pavilion, ITC Windsor Sheraton & Towers, brings the food of the balle balle region for a morning and afternoon multi-cuisine buffet, till August 6.
Each day is welcomed with a new garland of 25 Punjabi signature dishes of Sweety tucked away in the traditional handi and lagan (brass and copper vessels) that share space with matka dahi, to typify the Punjabi spread.
The overall buffet ambience at The Raj Pavilion looks sterilised, what with dishes displayed in the sleek induction cooking style with flat heating bases that have gleaming food holders resting on them.
Punjabi appetisers are as robust as the main course itself. Sweety Singh flags off the day's gastronomic journey with Amritsari machi fry and Amritsari taliya (gobi, baingan and pyas) making for crisp starters, and anardhane ka chutney (made of pomegranate seed) lending the required sourness to a crusty mix of besan covering the fresh sea catch.
The starters are teamed with the namak-da-lassi that has jeera and kala namak to do the needful, and the kesarwala doodh loaded with kesar, badam and pista with elaichi and rose petals giving a dominant aroma. Even as the mixture sits cool on your tummy, Sweety Singh reminisces how the Bollywood Chopra family enjoyed the rich beginners on his platter!
From now on it is an automated push to the main course as you spot the Punjab obsession — sarson da saag. Sweety quickly directs you to the hot makki di roti. "This is a heavenly combo, one doesn't go in without the other." But not a hint of sarson-ka-bitterness? "To get rid of the harshness of mustard leaves, I mix bhatua and palak greens," he explains.
And Punjabi cuisine would never be complete without Pindi chole. Given the fact that it is this dish that got Sweety into the limelight with the Sheraton Group, the yearning for a taste of his specialty increased all the more.
Even as the chole with asli ghee melts in your mouth, blended with kasuri methi, coriander and his own 14-spice speciality garam masala, Sweety confirms that although it was his dad's basic mix, contemporary changes were introduced, that luckily brought him a signature stamp on the dish. Pindi Chole takes the name from Rawalpindi in Pakistan, as the dish originated there.
And on I jumped to Patiala for some shahi chicken that indeed was true to its name, royal, along with kadak roti. Sweety's tandoor cooking is a celebrated one too with huge earthen ovens half-buried in the ground with a coal fire lit below. The rotis are called kachche koyile ka roti, (bread on open fire).
It has been a 14-year run for Sweety in the profession and almost seven years since his fans started relishing another of his hits — this time in the pickle section — bharwan mirch achar.
The special Punjab mirch is packed with saunf, mustard, kalonji, garam masala and mustard oil brought out often into bright sunlight for the masala to soak in the son and integrate.
If that sounds hot, try Sweety's sweet makkai-da-kheer, the sensational tail-ender with boiled corn in khoya and dry fruits... a fitting finale to some authentic, original Punjab cuisine. Little wonder that Sweety is Shah Rukh's favourite too!
RANJANI GOVIND
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