Delicious Punjabi treats

Delicious Punjabi treats

FPJ BureauUpdated: Saturday, June 01, 2019, 06:39 AM IST
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Though Rajasthani and Gujarathi thalis are generally more popular, to Puranmal’s goes the credit of elevating authentic and delicious Punjabi thali. With outlets in Lokhandwala and R City LBS Marg, Ghatkopar, besides Khopoli and Ahmedabad, their a la carte menu includes North Indian, Continental and Chinese and yes. We first reached the third level where Food Court is located but soon learnt Puranmal is tucked away on the first level at R City Mall. This pure vegetarian restaurant has an airy feel with muted décor in black boxed sofa-style seating and silver-cream motifs on the walls.

The difference between any thali place and Puranmal is that you are served a pre-plated thali with 2 sweet dishes, welcome drink and chaas are limited while the main course and starters are unlimited at approximately Rs.437 per thali. Waiters don’t hover around you and the items and quantity served is quite generous that mostly you will not have to ask for a helping.

Our Punjabi Thali tempted us with tikki, kachori, paneer gravy item, one veg preparation, potato subzi (tasted good as it was mildly spiced and flavoursome) a choice of dal (tadka or makhani) – I suggest you skip makhani dal and go for dal tadka. Then the usual accompaniments of papad, salad and raita with jeera rice. Sweets have limited serving – Malai Sandwich and Kulfi Falooda. A filling thali of vegetables, dal, rotis along with buttermilk and a welcome drink should more than suffice for a good eater.

Their chaats are tongue-tingling – especially Aloo Tokri ki chaat where grated potato is fried to form a cup-like container to hold the filling and as you bite into the aloo tokri and when the sweet-sour chutney with dahi topped with sev and pomegranate pearls explodes in your mouth, it is a not-to-be-missed treat. Mixed Kebab Platter consists of Saundhe Aloo, Paneer Tikka, Veg. Seekh Kebab and Stuffed Mushroom. Baked Multani Paneer is another unique dish –paneer, bell peppers, tomato are first cooked and then along with cheese it is baked to get a nice, velvety feel!

Diwani Handi, the Hyderabadi specialty, consists of mixed vegetables in ginger-garlic and green gravy. This handi preparation makes a superb partner to paranthas. Amritsari Chole is their forte and lives up to its claim. Veg Kolhapuri as is wont to be, is spicy. Sarson ka saag, Methi Malai Mutter and Navratna Korma are some of the many dishes on the a la carte

menu. Being pioneers in the sweetmeat business, Malai Sandwich, Jalebi with Rabdi, Gulab Jamun and Phirni are some of the specialties here.

On another visit we tried their Chinese offerings –  they didn’t disappoint either. Chilli Garlic Noodles with Veg Sweet n Sour had the right tanginess to it. Paneer Chilli and Veg Crispy for starters were excellent. We wounded up with Burnt Garlic Fried Rice and Three Treasure Vegetable (waterchestnut offered the right crunch to this soya sauce based gravy dish).

There are a couple of offers like Chinese sp. Friday – for Rs.349 unlimited soup to dessert; To sum up Puranmal is a place where you can have wholesome meal after watching a movie in the mall or gorge on unlimited chaat and pav bhaji plus one mocktail or soft drink at Rs.249 after some hours of shopping.

Diwani Handi

Ingredients
l 1 small sprig Coriander Leaves
l 4 tbsp Cashew Nut Paste
l 4 tbsp Cheese grated
l 2 tbsp Ginger-garlic chopped
l 1/3 cup Carrot chopped
l 1/3 cup French Beans chopped
l 1/3 cup Green peas
l 1/3 cup Potato cubed
l 1/3 cup Cauliflower florets
l 1/3 cup Paneer cubes
l ½ tsp Cardamom Powder
l 1 tsp Garam masala
l Salt to taste
l 2 tbsp Butter

Method
Grind coriander, ginger and garlic to a fine paste.
Heat oil in a pan and
introduce ground paste
with cashewnut paste.
Add vegetables, salt and cook till done. Sprinkle garam masala and cardamom powder.
Add paneer cubes and
cook for 8 minutes, gently stirring it. Add butter and sauté for another 2 mins. Serve hot with a garnish of grated cheese.

Baked Multani Paneer Tikka 

Ingredients
l 500 gms Paneer
l 1 cup Grated cheese
l ½ cup Capsicum strips
l ½ cup Spring onion sliced
l ½ tsp garam masala
l 1 tsp white pepper powder
l ½ tsp chilli powder
l ½ tsp cumin powder
l ¼ cup cornflour
l Salt to taste
l 1 tbsp Butter

Method
Carve paneer into long thin sheets and draw off excess water. Keep aside. Sauté spring onions and capsicum in butter. Season with pepper, cumin, chilli powders and garam masala. Add grated cheese and let it cook till cheese melts. Mix all the ingredients well. Spoon this mixture on the sliced paneer. Stretch it evenly up to half the length of the sliced paneer and fold. Prepare a batter with corn flour water. Dip the prepared paneer in this batter and bake in a pre-heated oven at 250 degrees. Alternately, you can shallow fry these stuffed paneer till golden brown on both sides.

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