Mutton barra tickles palates in the land of vodka

From tandoori chicken to mutton barra, malai kofta to sarso da saag, Indian restaurants in Russia are a huge hit among the locals and travellers.

There are around 10 restaurants in Moscow which serve Indian cuisine ranging from North Indian to South Indian.

Dzhey Hind, Darbars, Khajurao, Devi Cafe, Jagannath are some of the most popular Indian restaurants in the city.

“The Indian cuisine is very popular not only in Moscow but also in other cities of Russia. The spicy Indian food is very popular among all age groups of Russians,” Rameshwar Singh, president of Disha, a Russian-Indian friendship society in Moscow, told PTI.

“We attract people of all nationalities. Although we serve both Indian and Chinese cuisine, Indian food is the most popular. Most of the items in our menu can be served mild or spicy to suit the different taste buds of our multi-national clientele,” said an official of Devi Cafe restaurant.

“People in Russia like Indian cuisine. Around 60-70 per cent of guests, who come to our restaurant are Russians. Only 25-30 per cent are foreigners and Indians,” said a staff member of another Indian restaurant.

According to various restaurant officials, the ambience of the joints too is created in a way to give customers a feel of India.

While some of the eateries have a feel of fine dining, others provide an atmosphere of an Indian-style dhaba with bright and vibrant interiors.

“I have been to Indian restaurants on quite a few occasions. Although the food is a bit spicy, the taste is really good, especially of the fish and tandoori items. I generally visit with my family,” said Dmitri, a Russian who is a regular at Indian restaurants.

The most popular dishes in non-veg items are mutton hyderabadi (boneless pieces of lamb with green chatni cooked in Hyderabadi style), mutton jalfrezi (boneless pieces of lamb cooked in onion-cashew nut gravy with saffron), murg masala (chicken pieces cooked with onion-tomato gravy and served with boiled eggs).

The combo of mutton biryani, chicken curry and raita too remain popular, and so do the tandoori dishes of fish, chicken and mutton as starters, while among the vegetarian dishes, Haryali Shorba, Dal Amritsari, Sarso da saag are the favourites.

Some of the restaurants also have veg and non-veg thali on their menus. The cost of lunch or dinner for two persons ranges from 1,000-1,500 rubles.

“Both my wife and I are great fan of Indian food, especially North Indian cuisines which are more spicy. Twice a month we visit Indian restaurants,” said Reznov, a foodie.

The waiters and the restaurant staff help the foreign guests in choosing from the menu.

“We tell the people how to eat and what to order. Such as we tell them that if you are ordering rice then curry goes with it or something which has gravy,” said an official of another Indian restaurant in central Moscow.