A khichdi of flavours

A khichdi speciality restaurant needs to ease up on the use of grease if it is to fulfil its promise of healthy food

A khichdi of flavours

Panchdhan khichdi

FOOD: AVERAGE
AMBIANCE: REGULAR
SERVICE: AVERAGE
COST: OVER-PRICED
VERDICT:

There are some dishes that carry an association for life. One such dish is khichdi. Being part Gujarati, this might seem obvious, but few dishes can match the comfort that this delicacy can offer.

In our pursuit to find the ideal version we arrive at Khichdi The Global Food (KTGF) in Mulund. KTGF excited our tastebuds because of their promise to cook and serve in earthen utensils to retain the nourishment of the multi-pulses dish; they also sell these vessels at the restaurant. The khichdi is served to patrons in pattal leaf plates to add to the experience. In addition to almost 60 types of khichdi, they also offer different types of rotla, thepla rolls, and a few predictable sabjis. The menu includes a few oddball options like Chinese khichdi.

Khichdi
Different rotlas with dhaba style sev tameta shaak

We call for a mutter corn thepyroll (Rs 100), methi na gota (Rs 150) and panchdhan khichdi (Rs 285) to start with. The crisp methi bhajiya is the perfect comfort snack on the rainy night we drop by; the 'akha dhaniya' adds a fresh flavour to the gota, but it could do with less sugar. The thepla in the thepyroll is undercooked and has too much stuffing; plus it's oily. The panchdhan khichdi is made with five kinds of pulses that are elevated by spices such as chilli and bay leaf. The off-putting part is the excess oil.

Next up, we move to the rotlas: ghee jav lasunya rotla (Rs 90), ghee methi masala rotla (Rs 100) and ghee bajra rotla (Rs 85). We also call for a dhaba-style sev tameta shaak to go with our rotlas. The lasunya rotla is too salty and needs to be roasted longer. The bajra rotlas tastes good, and we like the punch of fenugreek in the methi masala rotla. The sev tameta shaak has no curry or gravy left, as the gathiya has absorbed everything. Instead this version tastes like street side Chinese bhel. The excess masala and the chillies overpower the dish.

Methi na gota

We are hoping that the lila kanda lasun khichdi (Rs 285), mushroom pesto khichdi (Rs 325) and achari paneer khichdi (Rs 325) will salvage things, it's quite the opposite as the dishes are floating in oil. The pesto khichdi is unpalatable so we toss it aside. The achari paneer version has a slight tang one would associate with pickle but again, the excess oil kills it. Likewise with the lila kanda khichdi where we were expecting the delicate balance of flavours to be hero the dish. We end our meal with kesar rabdi (Rs 250) that's just about average.

For a restaurant that goes by the tagline 'kuch halka ho jae', KTGF needs to go easy on the oil and masala across its dishes. As grease is the last thing that one would associate a khichdi restaurant with, and the whole exercise of using earthen utensils and promoting it as a detox for urban residents hooked on to fast food seems futile.

At Khichdi The Global Food, PK Road extension, near Sai Dham, Mulund West.
Time 12 pm to 11 pm
Call 7400086153

EXCEPTIONAL, EXCELLENT, VERY GOOD, GOOD, AVERAGE
Khichdi The Global Food didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals

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