Birthday lunches are lavish – filled with special dishes cooked in elaborate ways. And that’s why I particularly remember a birthday meal with a very simple menu hosted by a friend many years ago. He invited us for lunch at Nagaland House on APJ Abdul Kalam Road. Our meal consisted of lightly boiled vegetables, rice and dal. And there was the pork, cooked with barely any spices or oil – but the most delicious pork dish I’d ever eaten.
So, it was with sepia-tinged joy that I visited Nagaland House a few days ago. The canteen is small and well-appointed and has a limited menu. I asked at reception if there was pork, and was pleased to learn that it was available that day. The server informed me that the menu included a pork platter and a chicken platter. We chose both, and soon I had an array of dishes in front of me – chicken curry, pork curry, steamed vegetables, masoor dal, steamed rice and a small bowl of spicy chutney.
Naga cuisine Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The food was simply cooked – and very good. It wasn’t as light as last time, but still delicious. For example, the pork was covered in soft fat and came in a gravy with rich peppers. The steamed vegetables – cabbage and beans – were crisp and lightly sweet, and paired well with the chilies in the gravy. The chicken, again, was cooked well. The pieces were big and soft, but the gravy was the same: thin and hot. The masoor dal was cooked just like we make it at home, well mashed, and with just a few basic spices.
The server told me it was advisable to call ahead before going there for lunch, so the kitchen could prepare the dishes in advance, or you would know what was on the menu that day. The menu includes dishes like pork ribs, but you won’t always find these dishes ready – so it’s good to give them notice.
I paid ₹800 for two thalis. The pork ribs are priced at ₹600 per plate. There is also a Nagaland House in RK Puram – but even there you have to book in advance.
I remember the time when there were no Naga food outlets in Delhi. I had some good Naga friends who made delicious chutney for roasted birds and that was my introduction to Naga food. Then, friends would bring smoked pork from Nagaland – and I remember how delicious it was.
Now, of course, there are many big and small eateries spread across the city. The Nagaland kitchen in Green Park is known for its food (it has a Naga section with dishes like chicken with bamboo shoots wrapped in banana leaf and crispy pork belly with dry fish chutney). Humayunpur in South Delhi is the center of North-Eastern food. The amount of chilli is high and extremely spicy Bhoot Jolokia Or Ghost Pepper is a much preferred chilli. There is no doubt that the food of Nagaland warms the stomach. But it also warms the heart.
Nagaland House; 29, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road; 7 am to 9.30 am, 12 noon to 2.30 pm, and 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm; Call 8800134093
