INDIAN COLONIAL CUISINE DONE RIGHT
Peppermill’s contemporary take on traditional recipes scores high on flavourful fare
Growing up in Dubai during the late 80s, those painful family outings often led the entourage to a neighbourhood curry place where creativity would gleefully dig its own grave following one glance of the menu.
Fast forward two decades and the city’s food scene today can rival that of Paris, London and New York. And by this we aren’t limiting the scope to Michelin-starred restaurants taking pride of place in luxury hotel chains. Independent eateries found at the local mall have also upped their game, giving free rein to the imagination to enhance the overall experience.
Peppermill’s extensive menu is one such gem that savours the joy of traditional Indian flavours with just a hint of innovation to enhance, and not overpower, timeless recipes. Tucked away on the first level of The Dubai Mall, the restaurant brings the legacy of colonial cuisine to your table — a method of cooking that originated nearly 200 years ago. During the 1900s, European chefs in India often experimented with Eastern spices to create a form of Anglo-Indian cuisine that appeased the delicate palette of the British and the French settlers.
While Peppermill plays with its spices to appease UAE taste buds, the recipes stay true to its origins, which we sampled from the first course. The evening began with a traditional chaat platter, heaving with staple favourites and some interesting makeovers. While the standard aloo tikkis held a promise of comfort fare, the accompanying samosas nudged the potatoes aside to make way for spiced cauliflower stuffing. While the onion fennel fritters with a Gujarati kadhi dip served a curious, yet delicious mix, the star among starters were the edamame dosas.
The mini pancakes, crisped to perfection, were bursting with flavours, stuffed with edamame beans and potatoes, accompanied with a side of tomato chutney.
Not quite sure whether the rest of the meal would live up to its fanfare, we weren’t disappointed when the Peppermill lentil broth made its way to our table, a spice-infused soup that perfectly blanketed an array of steamed mini rice cakes or idlis in an innovative twist on the recipe.
Happily sipping away on our chef-recommended mocktail between courses, Memsaab’s Marigold was a refreshing blend of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice that was infused with thyme, elderflower syrup and topped with sparkling grape and edible flowers.
The mushroom garden was surprisingly yet another highlight of the night, serving up a mix of different varieties, fried, grilled or simply sauteed in spices to give a rich experience.
Considering we had opted for vegetarian cuisine through the courses, we stuck with it for the mains as well, opting for an unusual take on the simple mutter paneer, a tikka nestled in the heart of a cashew-rich lababdar gravy, topped with a sauce of baked peas that gave the pungent serving a slightly sweet and much welcome after-taste.
An hour into this review and several courses in, we were quite ready to wave a white flag but succumbed to a shared dessert recommended by our chef.
Genetically devoid of a sweet tooth, or even a semblance of one, it was with grave scepticism that I allowed myself to be persuaded into giving the rasmalai cake a try.
The saffron-soaked cheesecake was truly a king among desserts — and that yet wouldn’t do justice to this work of wonder.
Sprinkled with sweet boondi, delicate slivers of pistachio and safflower, every little bite promised a piece of heaven. How we wished we had skipped at least two courses to make room for this masterpiece.
As we rose from our chairs, buckling under the weight of all that rich goodness, we were confident our next outing at Peppermill would start with the dessert first. We can call it our contemporary take on a traditional meal.