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This Indian restaurant in Bengaluru dares to explore the cuisine of the heartland and beyond
The Hindu
Experience diverse Indian cuisine at Jugni in Bengaluru, featuring traditional recipes from smaller towns
“Indian” restaurants, especially ones serving North Indian cuisine usually restrict themselves to Punjabi or Lucknowi dishes. So it was a refreshing change to dine at Jugni in Bengaluru. Here, restaurateur Farheen Quadri has curated a menu that represents dishes from smaller towns and the heartland of the country. Located in Koramangala, Jugni borrows from Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Bengal and other states, and showcases both traditional recipes and street-style dishes.
The decor is what really catches my eye as I walk in for lunch on a busy weekday. Handpicked by Farheen, the furniture at Jugni features a lot of rattan, cane and wood. Indian textiles and weaves fill the space with vibrant colours. The chairs are mismatched and vintage, giving the place a distinctly chic Indian aesthetic.
For chaat lovers there is plenty to choose from. The shakarkandi papdi is a special dish eaten during Navratri while fasting. Sweet potato is fried in ghee and a variety of spices and topped with a saunth (dried ginger) chutney. Another must try is the avocado mathri chaat. Mathri, savoury crackers from the North, are shaped into cones, and filled with sweet yoghurt, avocado, boiled potato and the usual chaat accoutrements.
The small plates and bar nibbles take you on a journey across the country. Bengal’s beetroot peanut chops reminded me of my childhood in East India. Tea time was not complete without these deep fried cutlets made of spiced beetroot and a nutty tempering. The kasundi it is served with is bright and cuts through the greasiness of the dish.
Next we have the Bhavnagar chilli, a specialty from the streets of Gujarat. The chilli peppers are stuffed with a potato mixture, wrapped in nimki and deep fried. This one is a little hot, so the pineapple salsa that is served with is very welcome. The hunter style gurda kaleji is a spicy dish of liver and kidney. The rustic style preparation has hand pounded spices. I also wash these down with a rum cha clarified cocktail, made of dark rum, milk, cinnamon and tea, which is not too memorable. The drink fell a little flat in its flavouring and mouthfeel.
For mains, go for the slow cooked Champaran mutton. Hailing from the Champaran region of Bihar, the dish consists of meat cooked in an earthenware pot. The unique flavours of the dish come from mustard oil and whole cloves of garlic. Pair it with the hemp heart infused parathas, or soft rumali rotis. After such a rich meal, I end on a lighter note with elaneer payasam. Tender coconut’s delicate texture makes this one a favourite.
A few of the experimental and fusion dishes, such as a rasagulla chaat, do not really hit the mark, but the menu at Jugni impresses me with the diversity. What it does best is classic and some lesser known Indian dishes. A good option for a family dinner where the food needs to be in focus.
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