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| Mutton puffs in Candies |
Kunal Vijayakar has started a column on
food in the Hindustan Times which is pretty nice and anecdotal.
food in the Hindustan Times which is pretty nice and anecdotal.
One of the earliest posts that he wrote there
was on patties and how they are such an unsung part of Mumbai’s food culture.
Here’s the link.
was on patties and how they are such an unsung part of Mumbai’s food culture.
Here’s the link.
Which made me wonder why I have not written
about patties so far. After all I really love patties and have done so from
even before my teenage years.
about patties so far. After all I really love patties and have done so from
even before my teenage years.
There is something about the flaky crust of
patties which makes me give my heart to them.
patties which makes me give my heart to them.
Makes the ‘crush’ part of the Mumbai term,
‘crush patties’, seem like a bad pun.
‘crush patties’, seem like a bad pun.
Kolkata
There is a confectionery chain called
Jalojog (meaning snacks in Bengali) in Kolkata which was such a big part of my
growing up days.
Jalojog (meaning snacks in Bengali) in Kolkata which was such a big part of my
growing up days.
The more posh Flurys, Kathleen and later
Kookie Jar, were beyond our reach then as my mom raised my brother and me on a meagre college prof’s salary after our father passed away. These places were located in downtown Kolkata. A
world far away from the suburbs of Bansdroni where we lived.
Kookie Jar, were beyond our reach then as my mom raised my brother and me on a meagre college prof’s salary after our father passed away. These places were located in downtown Kolkata. A
world far away from the suburbs of Bansdroni where we lived.
However, Jalojog was always there for us on
special occasions. Whether it was for birthdays or Christmas or New Year,
Jalojog, with its reasonably priced mutton patties and chocolate pastries and
rockhard motichoor laddoos, would be a part of celebrations along with egg rolls
from the local shop.
special occasions. Whether it was for birthdays or Christmas or New Year,
Jalojog, with its reasonably priced mutton patties and chocolate pastries and
rockhard motichoor laddoos, would be a part of celebrations along with egg rolls
from the local shop.
Places like Merwans in Andheri would be the
Mumbai equivalent of our local Jalojog.
Mumbai equivalent of our local Jalojog.
I guess the Jalojog stores were franchised
and a sweet Bengali couple ran the store close to our house in Bansdroni.
and a sweet Bengali couple ran the store close to our house in Bansdroni.
I would sometimes collect a few precious
coins and go and pick mutton patties for Rs 1.50 I think. If memory serves me
right, these patties were triangular.
coins and go and pick mutton patties for Rs 1.50 I think. If memory serves me
right, these patties were triangular.
The chicken ones were more expensive at Rs
2.50 and had long strands of fried onions and pepper corns in them and seemed
like a once in a lifetime treat then.
2.50 and had long strands of fried onions and pepper corns in them and seemed
like a once in a lifetime treat then.
In college, during holidays, I would visit
a classmate who lived close to us. The Jalojog shop was next door to her house
and Anasuya’s mom would get us something from Jalojog to eat while we chatted
about college, our friends, college romances, teachers, studies and career
plans.
a classmate who lived close to us. The Jalojog shop was next door to her house
and Anasuya’s mom would get us something from Jalojog to eat while we chatted
about college, our friends, college romances, teachers, studies and career
plans.
A year back I met Anasuya and her mom after
about 20 years in Gurgaon and it felt great. Anasuya had made lovely kochuris
for us that morning.
about 20 years in Gurgaon and it felt great. Anasuya had made lovely kochuris
for us that morning.
I worked for a year before I left Kolkata
for Mumbai. The first thing I did with my salary was eat at all the places I
aspired to in my student days. High on that list was Kookie Jar which was just
next to office.
for Mumbai. The first thing I did with my salary was eat at all the places I
aspired to in my student days. High on that list was Kookie Jar which was just
next to office.
The flaky crust of the Kookie Jar patties
and the flavoursome chicken filling, were light years ahead of the tough crust
of the Jalojoga patties and the minuscule mutton filling in them.
and the flavoursome chicken filling, were light years ahead of the tough crust
of the Jalojoga patties and the minuscule mutton filling in them.
In fact, years later on a trip back to
Kolkata, I took K to a Jalojoga and figured out that by now Jalojoga dishes
tasted a lot better in memory.
Kolkata, I took K to a Jalojoga and figured out that by now Jalojoga dishes
tasted a lot better in memory.
But those were precious memories.
Mumbai
I remember being confounded in a training
session after I landed in Mumbai where a local colleague spelt patties as
‘pattice’ in a questionnaire.
session after I landed in Mumbai where a local colleague spelt patties as
‘pattice’ in a questionnaire.
Later I realized he was referring to what
we call chops (nothing to do with lamb chops of the Western culinary world) in
Kolkata. Potato encased croquettes.
we call chops (nothing to do with lamb chops of the Western culinary world) in
Kolkata. Potato encased croquettes.
My first patties memories of Mumbai are
when K’s mama, a rare vegetarian Parsi, would send me chicken garlic patties
from Merwan’s in Andheri.
when K’s mama, a rare vegetarian Parsi, would send me chicken garlic patties
from Merwan’s in Andheri.
These are some of the best patties I have
ever had. Perfect flaky pastry, delectable and moist chicken filling inside.
They were so good that you could eat them the next day and would not even need
to warm them up.
ever had. Perfect flaky pastry, delectable and moist chicken filling inside.
They were so good that you could eat them the next day and would not even need
to warm them up.
In terms of excellence the Merwan’s chicken garlic patties would match up to
the patties at Kookie Jar in Kolkata, which are superior to those in Flurys,
the other Kolkata confectionery icon, in my opinion.
the patties at Kookie Jar in Kolkata, which are superior to those in Flurys,
the other Kolkata confectionery icon, in my opinion.
And here’s the thing. The Parsi owned
Merwans in Andheri (no relation to B Merwan in Grant Road) is a very simple
place which caters to the masses. The stuff here is very reasonably priced and
would be a Jalojoga level place. It’s hard to get the chicken garlic patties as they are usually sold out. You can settle for the beetroot stuffed vegetable patties then.
Merwans in Andheri (no relation to B Merwan in Grant Road) is a very simple
place which caters to the masses. The stuff here is very reasonably priced and
would be a Jalojoga level place. It’s hard to get the chicken garlic patties as they are usually sold out. You can settle for the beetroot stuffed vegetable patties then.
Merwan is different from Kookie Jar, which in Kolkata
would be a tiny notch below 5 stars though its prices seem quaint after Mumbai!
would be a tiny notch below 5 stars though its prices seem quaint after Mumbai!
Then Candies came into my life. Our second
home. I am there most mornings, writing, as I am now. K and I come here to
snatch a breakfast together whenever we get time or in the evenings after work.
home. I am there most mornings, writing, as I am now. K and I come here to
snatch a breakfast together whenever we get time or in the evenings after work.
In the evenings I sometime indulge myself
and have mutton puff at Candies and douse it with ketchup.
and have mutton puff at Candies and douse it with ketchup.
The Candies mutton puff is everything they say I shouldn’t have…maida
(flour), mutton, loads of oil or butter, ketchup…and it gives me a lot of
happiness. Don’t tell anyone but at times I eat the chips (called wafers
locally and crisps in the UK) which come with the patties here.
(flour), mutton, loads of oil or butter, ketchup…and it gives me a lot of
happiness. Don’t tell anyone but at times I eat the chips (called wafers
locally and crisps in the UK) which come with the patties here.
The filling in the mutton patties, like in
the vegetable one, is covered with spices used by Catholic Goan families as Candice, after
whom Candies is named, once told me.
the vegetable one, is covered with spices used by Catholic Goan families as Candice, after
whom Candies is named, once told me.
Mrs Carvalho, the lady whose family owns the American Express Bakery
had once told me that traditionally mutton puffs/ patties/ pattice (In American Express) in India were called
curry puffs and that’s why the filling
is always spiced with Indian spices. This was true of the Jalojog mutton puffs
too.
had once told me that traditionally mutton puffs/ patties/ pattice (In American Express) in India were called
curry puffs and that’s why the filling
is always spiced with Indian spices. This was true of the Jalojog mutton puffs
too.
The filling in chicken patties on the other hand, she told me, is marinated
in a more Western white sauce. I think Kunal referred to it as the French Béchamel
sauce in his piece.
in a more Western white sauce. I think Kunal referred to it as the French Béchamel
sauce in his piece.
The crunch of the puff pastry in the
Candies mutton puff is alluring and smothering. The joy of each fatty bite is
therapeutic in a sense doctors will never understand.
Candies mutton puff is alluring and smothering. The joy of each fatty bite is
therapeutic in a sense doctors will never understand.
K and my mother love the chicken sausage
puff there which is a bit like the sausage rolls I have had in Sydney.
puff there which is a bit like the sausage rolls I have had in Sydney.
For me though it has to be the mutton puff at Candies in the evening and its simple, mischievous, uncomplicated
pleasures which make me feel like a school boy again.
pleasures which make me feel like a school boy again.
Kolkata
again
again
Talking of being a school boy, my chat with
Kunal over lunch on Sunday on patties reminded me of the roller
dokaner (roll shop) ‘patties’ of suburban South Kolkata.
Kunal over lunch on Sunday on patties reminded me of the roller
dokaner (roll shop) ‘patties’ of suburban South Kolkata.
I used to go to the roll shops of Bansdroni
for these when I was in high school and then in college.
for these when I was in high school and then in college.
These ambitiously called patties are a dish
in the their own right.
in the their own right.
Mutton mince, fried with peanuts and finely
chopped onion and green chillies were enveloped in a spring roll casing like
maida sheath and then deep fried!
chopped onion and green chillies were enveloped in a spring roll casing like
maida sheath and then deep fried!
As they fried they bloated up and were then
kept on the flat griddle, on which the rolls were made, to keep them hot. They
were put into a thonga (bag made with recycled newspapers), smothered with red
and yellow sauce and covered with chopped chillies, cucumber and beet and the
wet thonga was then handed to you when you placed your order. Used to be less than 5 Rs for sure when i used to have them in the mid 90s.
kept on the flat griddle, on which the rolls were made, to keep them hot. They
were put into a thonga (bag made with recycled newspapers), smothered with red
and yellow sauce and covered with chopped chillies, cucumber and beet and the
wet thonga was then handed to you when you placed your order. Used to be less than 5 Rs for sure when i used to have them in the mid 90s.
Memories of biting into the sweetish ketchupy crunchy crispy floury goodness of the crust, and then the brown powder (which I
think was meant to represent mutton mince), rushed back and I never wanted to
hop into a flight and head back to Bansdroni as I did at that moment.
think was meant to represent mutton mince), rushed back and I never wanted to
hop into a flight and head back to Bansdroni as I did at that moment.
Darn Kunal, see what you have done!
Lovely memories Kalyan … things we relished as kids should seldom be revisited … the memories are always more resplendent than the actual products 🙂
Agree fully appropos the Merwan Chk Garlic Pattice perhaps the best I have eaten anywhere. Just Baked in Pune used to make a superb Chk Pattice with the Bechamelesque white sauce but they have sadly not mananged to keep up their initial standard.Do try the chk pattice at Theobroma they used to be amazing in the original single Colaba outlet days (haven't had them since) … and thanks to you and Kunal I am craving some deperately 😛
V interesting read. Brought back many memories. Let me now share a secret with u. When I was in college, as a student, at Delhi, quite often, we used to get treats, funded by the college authorities during seminars. We used to be served pastries and patties. U will be surprised to know that we used to call the patties as pastries and pastries were called cakes. All through my student life, I called the patties as pastries. It was only when I went to the U.K., my husband told me that they were patties and not pastries. It took me a long time to come to terms with it.
I remember when son K came to Kolkata, he bought one of those square shaped patties from a roll shop and insisted on my eating it though I was under a restricted diet. They are still sold in the roll shops of Kolkata.
I love patties too 🙂 One big nostalgia. At our school, Loreto Convent in Lucknow, in the 70s and 80s, at break we had a pattyman, a local baker, who'd bring hot patties straight from the oven. 50 paisa each. I am still searching for that taste. The thing is we like our patty flaky but with a spicy samosa-like filling. The 5-star patties are too sophisticated for this palette. That said, the mushroom patty at Wengers is a real treat.
that is very strange. I wonder why. glad you enjoyed reading it and thank for the patties in our birthday parties
so glad you liked it Kurush. What you have said about revisiting memories is true but for the luchi and alur torkari or chholar daal my granny makes
thanks and those sound delicious
I remember the box wallahs patties too. Used to come to St James'. Don't think I had ever tried them though
Gald you liked it nandita. Thrilled to see happy comments again
Lovely read, Kalyan! Enjoyed reading this.
Jolojog was integral part of our childhood i guess…their pattis,chocolate cake were a hit those days..i used to stay near gangulybagan…we had almost three jolojog shops near by my house.they used to have pay phone there also those days.all those growing years we use to call for hours from that booth to..whom u may guess 🙂 while having a ball of a time with pattis,cakes etc…what a treat that was…thanks kalyan for reminding us those sweet little memories once again.at the end of the day it is those memories which makes our life interesting isn't it?
Thanks Deep. The rum balls were special. Doubt if they had any rum in them! As were memories of phone calls made from calling booths 🙂
V interesting read. Brought back many memories. Let me now share a secret with u. When I was in college, as a student, at Delhi, quite often, we used to get treats, funded by the college authorities during seminars. We used to be served pastries and patties. U will be surprised to know that we used to call the patties as pastries and pastries were called cakes. All through my student life, I called the patties as pastries. It was only when I went to the U.K., my husband told me that they were patties and not pastries. It took me a long time to come to terms with it.
I remember when son K came to Kolkata, he bought one of those square shaped patties from a roll shop and insisted on my eating it though I was under a restricted diet. They are still sold in the roll shops of Kolkata.
I could visualise the delicious patties and your writeup took me back to my childhood memories of Iyengar bakery sandwich and keerai vadai!