Vaishali Vijaykumar By Express News Service CHENNAI: Dhol beats set the mood for a leisurely dinner at The Raintree in Anna Salai on Friday. Up North, the rooftop restaurant at the hotel, wore a colourful look in line with the on-going Punjabi food festival — Pind Da Swaad. Spearheaded by chef Lucky Singh, the festival promises village delicacies from Punjab. “It’s authentic ghar ka khaana. These are items that my mother would prepare at home every day using simple, homegrown ingredients, vegetables and meat. I source spices from specific vendors and never compromise on quality in order to replicate the original taste. We Punjabis are known for our undying love for food and lavish spreads. I’ve tried to offer that to patrons in Chennai,” says Singh, who has 10 years of experience in cooking Indian curries and Tandoori cuisine. It’s been only 25 days since he moved to Chennai. “I haven’t explored many areas. I love south Indian food. The people here and I have something in common — we both know and enjoy food.” On the inaugural day of the festival Singh was constantly on his toes. He juggled between the tandoor kitchen, where well-marinated meats are skewered and cooked in the charcoal, and the regular kitchen where dal makhani was being prepared in an iron kadhai. During breaks, he frequented every table, explained the making, and interacted with patrons. “We love people and treat our guests with care,” he says. We began our meal with tandoori starters like bhatti da murgh and hara bara kebab. Our favourite was the tandoori jheenga. The king prawns were deveined, marinated and tossed until golden brown. Juicy and tangy, every bite was an explosion of flavours. It was paired with mint chutney and pickled vegetable salad. Even before we could pause, the main course was served. The ubiquitous maa di daal (dal makhni) and Amritsari kulcha make their way to our table. The kulcha was soft and stuffed with onion and potato. Options with cauliflower is also available. The dal was creamy, seasoned with a dollop of butter. The combination couldn’t have gotten any better. “It’s white butter and good fat. Keep your calorie count aside and relish the richness,” he tells us. We washed down the spiciness with pindi lassi served in a large glass. The thick beverage was garnished with malai, cinnamon and mixed nuts. Gulkhand was crushed and added to accentuate the sweetness. “I have a surprise element in the next dessert. Guess the secret ingredient,” chuckles chef Lucky as he handed us a bowl of paan ice cream generously drizzled with anise. As we failed to guess the secret ingredient, he reveals, “It’s thandai sourced from Mumbai. Paan ice cream might be common in Chennai, but the main ingredient with which it is made makes a difference.” Chef Lucky’s secret to good cooking is to cook with happiness, and it does reflect in the hearty meal he whips up.

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