By Rupali Lamba
Redefining the conventional ‘Indian kitchen around the corner’ {you know; the butter chicken, butter naan guys in your hood}, Megha and Shamsher created The Leaping Caravan. Their menu takes you on a rustic albeit scrumptious journey down the notorious GT road.
Both of them spent time working in, consulting with, and analyzing the F & B industry till they found a gap, and devised an Indian menu that takes you from Kolkata to Kabul, in Gurgaon. Six hot-spots along the journey {Kolkata, Awadh, Delhi, Amritsar, Lahore and Kabul} are represented by four to eight well researched, age-old recipes that I was looking forward to exploring.
My first order with The Leaping Caravan included Atari Bhutte Da Kebab from Amritsar and Bhati Gate Ka Mutton Seekh from Lahore, both starters. We requested that the vegetarian food have as little spice as possible, and this request was fully taken into account. For this reason, after a very long time, my grandma savoured food that was ordered in. I am telling you this ‘random fact’ because they listened, unlike all the aforementioned who have pre-made gravies and no amount of ‘mirchi kum’ requests will see reduced the spice in anything. Soft and sweet within, and lightly crispy on the outside, the kebabs were like effort-full ghar ka khaana. The mutton seekh was the complete opposite. It was REALLY spicy, but we couldn’t stop eating it because it was also juicy, and had teeny tiny bits of vibrant veggies that added another layer of texture to the otherwise solely meaty kebab.
For mains, we got Soya Keema Mushroom and Railway Chicken from Delhi. Both dishes were amazing. My vegetarian mum still talks about the Soya Keema to the residents of Gurgaon, and my mami and I continued dipping rotis into the chicken after we had already eaten lunch {it possessed that dipping quality}. Though both things were brown – they tasted nothing like each other.
All the dishes have really interesting stories behind them, and have evolved into their native state because of various influences, such as climate and personalities. The Bulandsehri Kebab from Awadh was made from every {little} bit of meat that the Awadhis could find, given the cold desert climate, and the Railway Chicken is literally something the employees of the Indian Railways cooked and ate back in the day {dipping into it, I am sure}.
The Leaping Caravan gives us access to this rich heritage in the most delicious {and reasonably priced} way possible. Ghee Shakkar Roti for dessert anyone? They serve old-world food with a new spirit, which is evident in every little detail of the Leaping Caravan experience. From the design and packaging, to the freshness of ingredients and the cleanliness and thought behind all the recipes that have made it to the menu. Look out for the most fabulous hand-made tea bags and Sirke-waale baby pyaaz that are snuck into your delivery bags.
Notes in our Little Black Book |
The Leaping Caravan is a very reasonable place to order from when you want to pig out on some age-old Indian recipes, with your family or friends. They only deliver in Gurgaon. I will not recommend what to eat as everything was good, but I would encourage exploring the menu, as great care has been taken in devising it.
Meal for two: INR 700-800
Contact: 0124 421 2666
For more info check out their Facebook page here, or their website here