DECCAN TIFFIN
I’ve been a fan of the supper club concept ever since I did my own many many years ago. For the whole of May that year I hosted three events a week in my central Brighton flat, and as I lived in Preston Street back then it was something of a case of coals to Newcastle. But it was a great success and huge fun, although most of the time I was in the kitchen slaving over a domestic cooker creating six courses for ten people at a time. Yes I was as crazy then as I am today, and no, I will not be doing it again, too old and too aware that there are people out there better suited to doing it than I now am.
And one of those talented cooks is my good friend Priya Deshingkar. Priya is an amazing cook and a champion of regional Indian cuisine and she despairs at some of the abhorrent dishes that she has, over the years, encountered that are so far from the real thing.
Priya hosts Deccan Tiffin themed supper clubs in her Hove home on a regular basis and I had been twice before, both times enjoying the food of course, she really is a culinary talent. But what makes it even more special is sharing the evening with strangers, all food lovers of course, some regulars and some coming to the event for the first time.
A few weeks ago Priya messaged me with a few words that caught my attention immediately. We have talked long and hard about my love of Indian dishes and she was very aware that I have several favourites. At the top of the list comes a dish that I know as dahi vadai. I first ate it when I was 19 years old in a restaurant in Tooting Bec called Sri Krishna, it’s still there and I still miss it. Back then it came as a starter and cost 50p, yes I know, I am ancient but at least it wasn’t in old money!
Dahi vadai they described as a lentil donut floating in yoghurt with mint and coriander sauce and tamarind water. It was not the whole story as the yoghurt was spiked with green chilli and ginger. I loved it!
Her message was to tell me that it was on the menu for her next supper club and was I going to come. Well too right I was going to be there. So on a blustery autumn evening Ms C and I turned up in Hove armed with a large bunch of white roses and a couple of bottles of zero alcohol wine, it’s always a bring your own bottle event.
This was a Divali Feast, a celebration of the festival of light and Priya welcomes everyone with a short talk about that celebration and the food that is to come. We listen attentively, she is a fine speaker and she knows her stuff, but with wafts of aromatic delight coming from the kitchen behind her we were all no doubt anxious to be seated in her large and elegant dining room.
The menu is sent to you in advance which is fine by me and it means there is no waste, not that we would waste anything, and each of the three courses comes with a meat and a vegetarian option. Now as I was with Ms C I suggested we had one of each and share. I certainly wanted to try everything and she was in agreement.
So off we set and that first course had the lentil dish I so love, here called dahi bhalle. Now to describe it as a donut would not do it justice, it is made of cooked and spiced urad beans that are then formed into balls, fried and then dressed in yoghurt with the herb and tamarind dressings.
I was immediately taken back to Tooting in 1975, bliss on a plate. But so too was the bhuni kaleji, spicy lamb’s liver. I’m an offal fan for sure, even though it does spike my gout, but I was not going to miss this treat and Ms C totally agreed, and looking down the long table empty plates proved that both dishes were a hit.
Our next courses were equally delicious, lamb qorma (korma) Priya explained was as far from you average UK korma as you can imagine and she was right, this royal dish was a rich and tender bowl of softly yielding chunks of lean lamb, cooked on the bone for full flavour but falling apart at the lightest touch, and all in fascinating blend of spices including kewra, an extract made from pandan flowers, and a rich gravy. A gravy that Priya insists is as important as the meat if not more so. The vegetarian dish was matar paneer. I’ve eaten this dish many times but never as good as this, cubes of cheese and some potato with lots of peas and all scented with fennel seeds.
The rice dish also deserves star billing as it was bejewelled with apricots and prunes, the sweetness a perfect balance to the gentle chilli heat. And a pyazka raita, yoghurt with red onion, coriander leaf and toasted cumin rounded out the feast.
To finish Priya had made an Indian sweet that she described as a labour of love, a long process of cooking down ghee and roasted gram flour flavoured with cardamom and forming into balls. I loved them, we both did, and when offered a second we jumped at the chance. And to finish china cups of ginger infused chai!
Deccan Tiffin is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy proper Indian dishes, to make new friends and to meet the extraordinary Priya Deshingkar. Her next supper club is on November the 22nd but tune in to Latest TV next week when Priya will be a guest on my show talking about her food passions and the next event.
