Love and Mustard

Calcutta’s streets have always bustled with people from all over the world including Jews, Armenians, Europeans, Chinese, and of course, Bengalis. This has created a cuisine unique to the city. And the one restaurant that succeeds in recreating the magic of Calcutta is Love and Mustard. Situated in the Galleria market, it has a cozy homely setting, and strains of melodious Bangla songs wafting in the air. “I started this restaurant to give fellow foodies the true taste of Calcutta, which is about much more than just the Bengali cuisine,” says Chef Meghna Singh.

And truly, there are many interestingly diverse tastes to discover here. Tastes that have enriched Calcutta’s food with the influences from many cultures.

Take mutton chop (Rs 155) for instance. Of Dutch origin, this popular Calcutta street food is a wonderful mix of ground mutton and potatoes with whole spices and onions, breaded and fried on the outside. Coming from Anglo-Indian homes, the devilled egg (Rs 95) is a hard-boiled egg coated with kheema and fried to perfection. The mutton rezala (Rs 255) is a delicacy from Bangladesh. A seemingly simple dish, the mutton is slow cooked in curds, saffron, whole spices and milk, making for a texture that melts in the mouth.

The adventure in diversity continues. On the menu are two Calcutta masterpieces, part of the culinary legacy of Wajid Ali Shah, a gourmet and the last nawab of Awadh. Chelo kabab (Rs 275) is a clear manifestation of the Persian influence on Calcutta during his reign. This wholesome dish comprises chicken shish kababs, shashlik, onions, bell peppers and saffron rice topped with a fried egg. It is a gentle dish, and a meal in itself.
Interestingly, the nawab’s exile by the British in 1856 created the Calcutta mutton biryani (Rs 155), which evolved from the Lucknow style biryani. Wajid Ali Shah brought his personal chef with him, who in turn decided to use potatoes instead of meat due to the nawab’s forced penury. Potatoes have since been the major characteristic of Calcutta biryani, though now it also has meat in it. This biryani is much lighter on spices than other biryanis.

In case you thought Calcutta cuisine was all about fish and meat, Love and Mustard has an extensive vegetarian menu as well. Ghughni (Rs 80), a popular Calcutta street food, has the sweetness of the yellow peas that perfectly compliments the heat of the whole spices, with the crunch provided by bits of fried coconut, and the pungency of the mustard oil. Some other delectables include traditional peas kachauri with cholar dal (Rs 105) which has a soft, yielding kachauri with the sweet and spicy taste of the dal, alu posto (potatoes cooked with poppy seeds; Rs 105), patal bhaja (Rs 50) and an extensive Bengali vegetarian thali (Rs 160).

I end the meal with payesh (Rs 80), a variant of kheer. The use of patali gur or date jaggery, special
gobindobhog rice, cardamom and milk creates a very earthy and exotic dessert.

Love and Mustard is the place to go if you are missing Calcutta. This food will take you back to its by-lanes. For others, the tastes that you discover here may even want you visiting Calcutta.

Love & Mustard
Shop No. 123, First Floor, Galleria Shopping Complex, DLF Phase 4, Gurgaon
Phone: 0124 4288246, +91 8802027711
Cuisine: Calcutta
Timing: 11 AM to 11 PM 
Cost: Rs 800+ for 2 (no alcohol served)    

RECIPE: MUTTON REZALA (courtesy Karan Bharadwaj, Sous Chef, Love & Mustard)