Festivities are not just about rituals and prayers. For most of us, food is what makes it a celebration. And no Indian festival is ever complete without food, is it?
Navratri is a Hindu festival which is celebrated in India over a period of 9 days. A large section of the population gives up meat and alcohol during this festival. Some also fast and eat once a day. Ingredients like sabudana (sago/tapioca), kuttu (buckwheat), potatoes, paneer (cottage cheese) and (pumpkin) are generally used to prepare the Navratri menu.
We try out the Navratri menu at Sthan Dubai, known for its #foodbeyondborders. The restaurant gets its name from the food it represents which comes from various countries on the Northwest frontier, Hindustan, Pakistan & Afghanistan. Sthan in Sanskrit means ‘a place’, and their USP is to create a vibrant, flavourful environment for food which knows no borders, no boundaries. You’ll find here the smell of baking naan, the aroma of Chai brewing, the clang of pots and pan, the bustle of food being prepared. The map on the wall is reminiscent of the times when there were no borders, no check-posts, no visas. As you moved from Kabul to Karachi to Delhi, the language and the food evolved gradually.
The interiors, are large, airy and the decor reminds you of the tandoors of yore. Imagine an open hearth somewhere in a village with family & friends coming together around the kitchen, bonding over the food. The smell of fresh bread and cooked food made with fresh local ingredients. That’s Sthan.
Known mostly for its non-vegetarian dishes, the restaurant has amazing vegetarian options too! The Navratri menu is proof of the fact that they bring out the best flavours of food, taking you on a Nostalgic trip to those foot tapping Dandiya beats and the colourful food during Navratri.
We try up the Navratri menu by Sthan to review it for its variety and flavor. While fasting gives us a break, indulging mindfully with ingredients that are good for the gut is not bad either. Instead of processed and packaged food, Sthan shows you that there are many ways to prepare food in a tasty and healthy way.
Available from 7th-15th October, the new Navrati special limited period menu features three starters: Kadak Palak chaat, Sabudana Cutlet and Anardana Aloo cutlets, three mains: Kashmiri Kofta, served with Puri and Saffron rice, Aloo tomato kut, served with Puri and subzi pulao, Navratan Korma served with Puri and Jeera Pulao and Sabudana (Sago) Kichadi. You can round off the meal with a choice of Navratri desserts: Jalebi Chaat and Sabudana (Sago) Kheer.
The menu proves that Navratri is not just about potatoes and sabudana!
We are welcomed with some papdi and yoghurt chutney to start with till we pick our choices from the menu.
For starters we pick the Palak chaat and Anardana Aloo cutlets. The Palak chaat was delightful! Made from Palak leaves, it is a North Indian dish prepared using besan/gram flour coated spinach leave fritters served with yogurt, green chutney, tamarind chutney, and garnished with pomegranate.
The anardana aloo tikki had a nice, tangy flavour and seemed to melt in the mouth. And when served with mint chutney, it just amplified the already delish flavor.
Coming to the mains, the Malai kofta is a potato paneer kofta served with a delicious creamy curry to which some malai has been added. t was exquisite in both taste and flavor. Served with fluffy hot puris and delicious saffron rice, they comprise a perfect meal!
The Navratan korma is sweet, spicy, nutty, and creamy. A rich, creamy, and flavorful dish it literally translates to nine-gem curry. Served with puris and jeera rice, the dish is clearly a winner!
The jalebi chaat is a unique combination of jalebi with rabdi, garnished with sev all in a medley of sweet, nd tangy tastes that leave us asking for more!
A Navratri staple, the sabudana kheer is a sweet pudding made with sago, milk and sugar. Flavored with cardamom, and garnished with slivers of almonds, pistachios and pomegranate, it had exceptional taste and was the perfect end to a lovely meal!
We also try the Goli Soda, a roadside drink from India that has been around longer than we remember, but always has had the elements of: fizzy citrusy goodness, chilled and served with black salt, chaat masala and lime juice. The bottle is carbonated and there is a marble inside the neck, iconic and ubiquitous to bus stops, markets and any other points of gathering in the country. It is known as as Goli Soda, referring to the marble that stoppers the bottle. Sthan have their own Goli Soda bottles, and we try the deliciously fizzy fanta with ginger and end our meal with that touch of Nostalgia!
A choice of starter, a main course and a dessert is priced at AED 49 and is available at Sthan Dubai in Karama.
Visit www.sthan.com to get your booking.