Assamese & Bengali Cuisine! - Khorisa, Pune

 Hey from EL The Cook!

Today we wanted to try something that would surprise our tastebuds! Our search took us to a cozy little restaurant in a quiet corner of Seasons Mall, Magarpatta City, Pune.

Khorisa, debuts as the only authentic Assamese cuisine restaurant in Pune. They also serve up some pretty tasty Bengali food!

AMBIANCE:

"Khorisa" or bamboo shoots represents a core aspect of Assamese lifestyle and is also used as an integral part of their dishes.

Owners Nilakashi Handique and Sanjay Mukherjee have taken immense care to source as much of the place from Assam. 

We visited Khorisa for dinner, and definitely thought there must be more light, highlighting their artefacts and souvenirs, collected with such effort.

The copper cutlery adds to the rustic and homely touch of the restaurant.

FOOD:

We did ask Nilakashi to give us a brief about Assamese cuisine, however we weren't clear about the food and how to order. 

At first glance the menu is confusing and offers no guidance to the first time customer. Descriptions of the dishes are vague.

So we decided to play the dice..

We ordered staters which were..

MISA MAAS BHAJA

A recommended dish by Nilakashi, prawns are pan-fried in mustard oil and served up with caramelised onion and chili.

A hot, spicy and crisp dish, the flavour of the mustard oil envelopes the taste buds. Prawns are fresh and cooked perfectly.

  

KHORISA DIYA KUKURA MANGXO

A Chicken dish prepared with mustard oil and bamboo shoots, does catch you off guard with the spicy whiff of bamboo.

The chicken served on the bone, is generously spiced and an evident tang of lime adds to the mystery. The bamboo shoots add an earthy, rough texture to the chicken.

With a pungent aroma and heavy flavouring this chicken dish isn't for the faint of heart!

We then followed it with the main course...

MURGI MANGHO TORKARI

A homely Assamese dish, tender chicken on the bone is served with a rich mustard based gravy. The dish is very similar to a home cooked chicken gravy with subtle hints of that spicy bamboo!

BORA SAUL

A dumpling of sticky rice is a must try here. The sticky,slightly sweet morsel, is a treat with a pork or duck curry. 

However at 200 rupees for a bite size quantity which barely copes up with a spoon or 2 of gravy, it does seem like a rip off.

HILSA IN SARSO KE TEL

Khorisa also serves up Bengali fare, and we tried their Hilsa in mustard oil and a fresh coconut based gravy.

The strong hints of mustard add life to the bony fish. With a dumpling of steamed rice, the balance of flavour is immaculate.

The rich nuances of the gravy is balanced neatly by the freshness of the fish. Best eaten by hand, this dish celebrates Kolkata!

We then graduated to dessert..

MISTI DOI

Famous in Kolkata, misti doi or a sweetened curds preparation is a refreshing dessert after the heavy flavours.

Curds and jaggery are blended perfectly to create a sweet, airy foam like consistency which uplifts the palette.

Khorisa, offers the first taste of North East Indian cuisine to Pune. The novelty feeling about the food is quite amazing!

However, small portions and the lack of certain items on the menu are things to be touched on. 

Also awareness about this style of cuisine is something that really needs clarification.

Our recommendation is to try Khorisa for lunch as the food and flavours are a tad bit heavy.

Khorisa, certainly does give a sense of truly different cuisine and is definitely worth a try, to take you to India's North East!