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Feast like royalty at Pind Balluchi

Tandoori Chicken
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Masala Prawn Curry
Masala Prawn Curry

Fine dining establishment serves authentic Punjabi cuisine

All the way from India comes Pind Balluchi Bar & Grill sharing Punjabi recipes from the Indian royal ancestry books.

Opened for four months in Clarke Quay, Pind Balluchi makes you feel like a maharajah or maharani feasting on dishes, some of which are meant only for royalty back then. In general, I am not a fan of Indian food as I have trouble digesting most of it.

However, the food at Pind Balluchi was surprisingly light, in comparison to our local Indian eateries.

Dine like a King

Lamb or mutton is normally thought to smell rank and can be quite tough but not the Galouti Kebab ($24), a closely-guarded recipe with 136 spices. These soft lamb patties are minced 32 times by hand! The meat is pounded into a soft mush that melts in the mouth. Simply delectable, and coming from someone who doesn’t like gamey meats, this is a tall order.

I also liked the Bhatti Chicken ($21), a delicacy meant for royal guests in Nabha, Punjab. The tender chicken has a distinct taste of peppercorns and assorted spices as the chicken has been marinated overnight and then grilled in a tandoor.

But my favourite dish was definitely the Tandoori Broccoli ($14).

How can a broccoli be tandoori, you ask? Well, the skewered broccoli is marinated in yoghurt, Kashmiri chilli and royal caraway before being cooked in a tandoor, resulting in a fragrant and smoky vegetable. Even the fussiest vegetable eaters will enjoy it!

Tandoori Chicken
Tandoori Chicken

Sweet Surrender

Apart from the dishes mentioned, Pind Balluchi also has common dishes such as Prawn Masala ($29) and Dal Makhini ($19), black lentils cooked in Punjabi style. The naan and roti are also not to be missed.

The Garlic Naan ($6) is fragrant and fluffy and the Peshawari Naan ($8) is surprisingly good as it is made with saffron, sweetened refined flour and clarified butter and stuffed with nuts. If you are a fan of Indian desserts, you’re in for a treat.

As usual, Indian desserts run on the sweet side so you may want to share. The Gulab Jamun ($12), a golden fried cottage cheese ball steeped in rose-scented syrup is a sinful delight. We recommend either only eating that or sharing it.

The Mango Phirni ($14) is a safer bet should you not want something so saccharine. The fresh Alphonso mango and date puree is cooked with powdered rice and topped with Iranian pistachios – a much lighter and refreshing dessert to end the meal.

Pind Balluchi Bar & Grill, 3B River Valley Road, #01-15 Clarke Quay, Singapore 179021, Tel: 6337 7350

By Cheryl Chia

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