This year, India will celebrate its 74th Independence Day (on August 15) amidst the pandemic. The pomp and splendour may be missing this time, but the feeling of patriotism in each one of us will soar high with our favourite songs, movies and delectable cuisine that highlights the flavours and diversity of the country.
Here are a few special Independence Day meal selections that you can enjoy at home:
Accor’s hotels including Sofitel Mumbai BKC and Novotel Bengaluru Outer Ring Road are offering private brunch and specially curated Indian feast respectively. Sofitel Mumbai BKC has a combined Independence Day and Parsi New Year menu — create your own weekend brunch with delicacies such as highway chicken tikka; patrani macchi (Parsi fish preparation) and subz panchmela (selection of vegetables with Rajasthani spices). To place an order, call +91 91673 91131.
From the Novotel Bengaluru Outer Ring Road Hotel’s kitchen, we have dishes such as kewda lasooni biryani (kewda essence, seasonal vegetables, tomato cashew gravy, basmati rice, garlic hung curd), gulkand rasmalai (cottage cheese dumpling, sweetened milk with rose petal preserve) and junglee lal maas (a 100-year-old recipe comprising spring lamb, fennel, mustard oil) for the ultimate Indian meal delight. To place an order, call +91 95388 12348.
Conrad Bengaluru has also announced a special Independence Day menu at Caraway Kitchen.
One more Bengaluru property that is on our radar for a scrumptious Independence Day meal is Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru where you can indulge in a selection of pan-Indian flavours. They have bento box menu for takeaway as well as a dine-in option. On the menu is khandvi (savoury snack) from Gujarat, Mangalore prawn gassi and kosha mangsho (mutton curry) to name a few. End your meal with regional delights such as honeycombed malai ghevar from Rajasthan, chhanar payesh (Bengali sweet pudding) and ada pradhaman (Kerala-based sweet pudding). To place an order, call +91 76191 46004.
Image: Indian delicacies at Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru
From Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai’s extensive delivery menu, San:Qi you have offerings such as highway chicken tikka, til wala jhinga (prawn dish), meen moilee (kerala fish curry) and dal khaas (lentil preparation) among others. To order, call on +91 77100 33143 or +91 22 2481 8000.
From the south of India, we also have ITC Grand Chola celebrating the spirit of Independence with authentic culinary delights. Their signature biryani in the vegetarian and non-vegetarian variant is recommended. From their ‘Flavours’ menu, you can also try banana flower fritters, curry leaf chicken and vendagi korma (button mushrooms, green peas and fresh fenugreek cooked in coconut milk). To place your order, call+91 9677050598.
Image: Biryani at ITC Grand Chola
Through its ‘Marriott On Wheels’ initiative, Marriott International is going all out to pamper its patrons with signature creations at home.
JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar has the ‘Brunch in a Box’ showcasing Indian preparations such as butter chicken, lassoni saag (garlic-based gravy) from Delhi, junka bhakri (chickpea flour-based dish) from Maharashtra, chicken ghee roast from south and beetroot chop from Kolkata. To order, call 022-68828656.
Image: Butter chicken at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar
The special menu at JW Marriott Hotel Pune features Kolkata vegetable kathi roll, Tripuri chicken salad, chicken Chettinad from south, Malvani fish curry from Maharashtra and Berry pulao for the Parsi food lovers. To order, Whatsapp on +91 91686 24939.
Renaissance Mumbai’s menu is an effortless combination of food from Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Pahadi tikka (chicken or paneer), ankurit bhalle ki chaat (lentil dumplings and sprouts in a tangy sauce with tamarind coulis and spices), Rajapuri lagan (sliced fish or bottle gourd dumplings in star anise, clove and western Maharastra valley chilly gravy) and suran surti masala (yam in a thick gravy of Surat style of spices) are few of the many offerings under this Independence Day special collection. The dishes are thoughtfully curated to suit the palate of every Indian cuisine enthusiast who wishes to explore the taste of the region’s indigenous culinary setting. To place an order, call +91 75060 77166.
The ‘Ode to Independence’ menu by Le Méridien Gurgaon is available for both dine-in and delivery. The menu comprises cuisines from the British Raj period to post Independence era that marked the emergence of regional cuisines all the way from northeast India to Punjab, Purvanchal and Awadh. To place an order, call +91 88606 09368.
Image: Indian delicacies at Le Méridien Gurgaon
Shangri-La Hotel, Bengaluru has Independence weekend brunch that takes you on a nostalgic journey through the army officer’s mess and Indian railway cuisine. Fauji mutton curry with cumin pulao, Major’s signature roast chicken and langar waali daal (lentil dish) are some dishes offered. To place an order, call (91 80) 45126100.
