The Hindu Business Line : Serving up khana khazana

There’s a value-for-money buffet during lunch, and a la carte menu in the evenings. So, if the chef’s famous ‘Sham Savera’ is on your mind, then this is the place to go.

Hot and happening: The Yellow Chilli restaurant in Mumbai

Aruna Rathod

It’s a simple formula — red plus green makes yellow. So, Yellow Chilli the restaurant it was.

“A few years ago, I discovered the yellow chilli on the streets of Meerut, where my grandparents and mother hail from. As all connoisseurs are aware, Meerut is the melting pot of unique chaats. The special yellow chilli spice mix that the chaatwallas used here added that extra zing and brought together a confluence of flavours, aroma and colour,” says Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, the brain behind Yellow Chilli.

It’s a sure-hit menu. ‘The Yellow Chilli’ at Powai, a Mumbai suburb, serves a value-for-money buffet during lunch, while you can have the chef’s signature dishes from the a la carte menu in the evenings. So, if the chef’s famous ‘Sham Savera’ is on your mind, then this is the place to go.

“We plan to extend ‘The Yellow Chilli’ offering to other markets. Partnering with Citymax (from the Landmark Group) enables us a wider reach across the country,” says chef Kapoor. Besides Mumbai, the restaurant-chain is also present in Pune and New Delhi.

“The signature dishes are served only on the a la carte menu, especially because they have to be served immediately,” he explains.

Some mouth-watering specialities are Hare Masale ka Bhuna Paneer, Paneer Mirch Kadai, Nimboo Paneer Tikka, Lifafa Paneer, Royal Hara Bhara, Lahsoon Dhania Murgh, Lal Murgh, Raan Buzkazi, Sham Savera, Paneer Kalimirch, Lalla Mussa Dal, Kadai Murgh Palak Methi, while the desserts include Kesari Indrayani, Gulab-E-Gulkand, Chocolate Walnut Brownie with Malai Kulfi Sizzler.

Chef Kapoor decides the ingredients, keeping in mind the profile and preferred tastes of prospective patrons.

The buffet menu is conceived after careful planning based on the food’s texture, colour and taste. “We also take into consideration how the food will withstand the hours that a buffet usually has,” he adds.

With a menu that doesn’t leave you overfull, the combination of veggies, meat and rice is just perfect. Besides the done-to-perfection chicken starters that we had (you can have vegetarian fare too) in the main course, the rajma masala was so soft and yummy that it paired well with rice and rotis. The vegetarian items on the menu included baghara baigan, mixed vegetables, paneer masala, while the non-vegetarian items were mutton curry, chicken masala and biryani.

The desserts had ice-cream, rossogollas and kheer. On the way out, one can even pick up cookery books authored by Chef Kapoor, ready-to-cook spice mixes, and pickles from a special counter.

The buffet is priced at a modest Rs 249 (all inclusive per person) on weekdays and Rs 299 (all inclusive per person) on weekends.

A Peek at the menu

On the a la carte menu, you can begin with a Kesar Elaichi Lassi — a thick, fresh yoghurt shake, flavoured with rose, saffron and cardamom; or Tamatar Basil Shorba — tomato soup tempered with cumin and flavoured with tulsi, the Indian basil; Kali Mirch Makai Shorba — vegetarian delight prepared with fresh cream corn, crushed peppercorns and Indian herbs.

A few innovative starters are Masala Tomato Cheese Roomali Khakra — crisp roomali roti sprinkled with tangy tomato and cheese powder.The crisp Channa Tikki has Kabuli channa tikkis with chopped ginger, garlic, fresh coriander and lapsi, served with kasundi-garlic yoghurt, while the Nadru Churme serves golden-fried sliced lotus stem tossed in dry spices.

The main course has Lasooni Dhania Murgh made with succulent pieces of boneless chicken marinated in burnt garlic, yoghurt and fresh coriander and grilled in a tandoor; The Lal Murgh — pan-fried chicken on bone tossed with button red chillies; Sham Savera spinach kofta, stuffed with malai paneer and served in tomato and honey gravy.

For the calorie-conscious, there are ‘lite’ options such as Bhutta Palak — fresh corn stir-fried with spinach tempered with cumin and fennel, garnished with toasted sesame seeds and fried garlic; Khumb Matar Hara Pyaaz — button mushrooms, peas and spring onions, tossed in onion tomato masala and pickled ginger; and ‘Chowka Matar and Beans’ — soft green peas and French beans tossed with onion and chillies, with a hint of aamchur.

In case of the Dal Mizaaz — a yellow lentil preparation, tempered with a hint of mint, you can have olive oil tempering. Among desserts, the Gil-E-Firdaus is a brown rice rose phirni — an in-house speciality that is prepared with sugar-free options.

Related Stories:
Sanjeev Kapoor plans quick service restaurant chain in US
Citymax ties up with chef Sanjeev Kapoor

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