Visit Kurry Souk In Gurgaon For Mutton Chops & Kebabs Done Right

One of the most endearing facets of Delhi is how you stumble upon the most magical food in a seemingly uninspiring corner of the city. Though our neighbour Gurgaon does not share much with Delhi, it too has the same magic.

Qutab Plaza in a largely residential area, DLF Phase I, doesn’t have much to recommend itself. A few ‘alteration’ tailors occupying corridors and a series of stationery stores. In a blind corner, however, there is Kurry Souk: A tiny outlet with no seating space, it bustles cheerfully with orders coming in from all parts of Gurgaon.

Owned by chef Sheikh Arif, who was the opening Indian chef of Set’z, the kebabs are insanely, freaking fabulous. They are quite possibly the finest in the NCR. Chef Arif is in charge of operations {there are three others in the team} and you cannot have it home-delivered if you want maximum freshness. A friend and I sat in her car in the parking lot of the market and kebabs were brought to the vehicle – a distance of about 10 feet.

While the Khumb Galoutis {INR 215 for four pieces} were tasty with the interesting texture of the mushrooms that had been intentionally kept a bit coarse, the Mutton Shami {INR 295 for four} was one of the best versions I have had: Melt in the mouth with a hint of the natural texture of the mutton, just enough dal to bind the kebab and a light spicing, just the way traditional shamis are meant to be.

However, if you want to sample the greatness of this little hole in the wall, try their Karare Mutton Chops {INR 325} that manages to be succulent, fully cooked and oozing the marinade while being utterly tender. Or the almost-falling-apart-with-tenderness Chicken Mulayam Seekh {INR 215} that oozes flavour and juiciness down to the last bite.

I missed out on Patiala Ghosht and Bombay Mutton Tikka because I wanted to sample the Chicken Nihari {INR 195/375 for half/full} which was just about okay: It lacked the subtle spicing that I was expecting. And the last dish was Tawa Ghosht Biryani {INR 225} which would not, ordinarily, be my choice of biryani, especially when Arif, who hails from Hyderabad, is cooking.

However, Kachche Ghosht ki Biryani has to be ordered a day in advance. The surprise of the day was the delicious Kali Dal {INR 175} that was in another league from the usual suspects around Delhi. The low prices and the unbelievable quality make this place unmissable.

PS: If you want to sit in your car and eat, carry your own plates!

This post was originally published on marryamhreshii.com here.