A Slice Of Calm - Project Otenga, Ahmedabad

Project Otenga Cafe

On the journey towards becoming my best friend, spending time alone has become a necessary ritual and my favourite pastime. It is therapeutic, cleansing my mind and allowing me to reset and rejuvenate. I ensure this ritual is practised in spaces that bring me peace, calm, and quiet, spaces with a minimalist aesthetic to suit lone wolves and writers like myself. 

Fortunately, in the bustling and fast-developing city of Ahmedabad, like every other major Indian city, there is a burgeoning ecosystem of experiential spaces serving local fare, and who remain committed to create and sustain authentic spaces for people to meet and indulge in all things slow. 

It was refreshing to come across a niche space like Project Otenga. I would be doing great injustice by calling it a restaurant or a cafe when it is truly a haven for quiet time, self-reflection, intellectual and sensorial stimulation - a rare find.

Project Otenga is a student-open-and- run cafe within the premises of the prestigious and avant-garde Ahmedabad University. Amusingly, it serves up traditional Assamese food! What are the odds of finding Assamese food in the heart of Gujarat, right? But we Amdavadis are lucky. Of late, there has been an influx of interesting concepts, ideas, and people - we are seeing a boom in experiential spaces such as Project Otenga, exhibition spaces, art galleries, meeting spaces for conversation starters, and more. This continuously transforming and evolving landscape of Ahmedabad suits me just fine.

As I entered Project Otenga, it almost felt like stepping into a Zen space. The interior and ambience were nothing close to a commercial cafe. It was too quiet as if maintaining silence was a rule! It boasts of whitewashed walls, wooden furniture, no loud colours, and a tree going through the roof, a bookshelf with a brilliant selection of fiction and non-fiction, all blended to create a calming and wholesome experience for the senses. 

I believe places like these have a purpose and it is far from making a quick buck from fast food. I think it is more about building and sustaining relationships with customers and between customers, creating memories, and giving the creative community a wonderful opportunity to be inspired, get its creative juices flowing, encourage conversations for ideas, and collaborations, create art, and literature, contribute to the fine arts, conceive startups, and more.

After making myself comfortable, I glanced at the menu which looked promising with its long list of Assamese fare and a couple of Manipuri dishes. Although every dish looked promising, the thought of a steaming hot Assamese fish curry tantalised me. I would prefer a good old rustic fish curry any day.  Thanks to my Marathi genes I have a curry and rice bias even after living in Gujarat for over a decade where the 'rotla' dominates kitchens.

It was a long wait but I know it would be worth it. After all, good things take time! Also, I appreciate it when food takes long to prepare. It means that it has been prepared and served with care and love. After a quick apology, my most awaited dish (my stomach was rumbling by now) was placed before me. 

At first sight, it did not resemble the Indian coastal fish curries. It did, however, resemble a homestyle meat curry. Unlike our Konkan/Goan curries, this fare was watery yet tasteful. The fish was bony but had its unique flavour. The preparation seemed simple, unlike my favourite homestyle Goan seafood curry full of different ingredients - grated coconut, garlic, tamarind, coriander seeds, etc.

I must say I missed them but the thrill of trying something new sent my adrenaline pumping. Being a foodie and a blogger means I must be open to new experiences no matter how skeptical I may be at times!

The meal ended with an interesting black rice pudding - a traditional dessert I absolutely loved. It cooled my tastebuds and provided just the right amount of understated sweetness that was much needed after that hot and spicy meal. My essential cappuccino finished this unique and first-time meal for me.

After browsing some good books and admiring the wonderful garden within which Otenga is nestled, I bid adieu to this tranquil space and vowed to come back although it is at quite a distance (older Ahmedabad) from my suburban home. However, such experiences make it all worthwhile. Recently, a little chat with the owners revealed that Project Otenga is moving to a new place and will reopen soon! How nice yet so tragic! I cannot wait to visit.

I really hope you enjoyed reading this blog, or maybe not. In any case, please leave a comment below!

Until I write again :) 

The East Indian Bazaar: Experiencing Mumbai’s East Indian Food Heritage

East Indian exhibit owners engaged in conversation

While scrolling through my social media feed, hoping to find something interesting to do during my rare visit to Mumbai, an Instagram post by the Mobai Gaothan Panchayat caught my eye. The vividly coloured graphic screamed EAST INDIAN BAZAAR and voila! I knew I had to make a trip. 

Pickles made from meat and seafood are a staple in the East Indian diet

The East Indians are the original inhabitants of the island of ‘Bombay’ who were converted to Christianity by missionaries during colonial times. Over the centuries, their community has evolved, changed, adapted to the changing times and yet maintained their authenticity and distinct identity by conserving their culture and heritage - a blend of native, Hindu and Christian traditions. Their food exudes the textures, colours and aromas of this diverse blend that I was particularly excited to explore at the bazaar.

 

On a pleasant November evening, in the buzzing bylanes of Bandra West,  a steady stream of people looking their Sunday best made their way to the campus of the popular ‘Andrews’ college. In a humble enclosure, a dozen odd tables were lined up and vibrantly coloured with crochet handicrafts, shiny trinkets, colourful toys, books East Indian cooking and Christmas recipes, and pickles; others served hot food takeaway favourites like beef curry, tongue roast, pork vindaloo, mutton ‘paya’, potato chops, chicken hot dog rolls, fish balls; a counter or two was stacked with fugiyas (lightly sweetened flour balls fried and served warm), mawa cupcakes, and chocolate donuts, to coax parents and grandparents to take home for the kids. 

From Regina’s beef curry, pork sorpotel, and tongue roast, Susan auntie’s chicken and potato chops and pickles, to auntie Maria’s sweetmeats, visitors were spoilt for choice. As I browsed the setup, I was greeted by gregarious East Indian home cooks, entrepreneurs, uncles and aunties, mummies and grannies who beamed proudly at their displays, inviting the visitors to take a look. I made a dive for Susan’s potato chops generously filled with lightly - spiced and juicy minced chicken and mashed potato, and a few packets of fresh fugiyas. 

Potato chops: A favourite East Indian starter filled with minced chicken & potato

Regina aunty persuaded us to try her sun-dried fish and shrimp, a staple in coastal communities. My friend obliged and grabbed a packet of sun dried ‘bombil’ fish (Bombay duck) sticks, a box of mutton curry, and soft white sannas (dumplings made from rice - a common feature of coastal food that accompany savoury curries). The wide range of pickles was a sweet surprise displaying an eclectic mix of fruits, vegetables, meat and seafood. I could only imagine the number of delicious flavours that resulted from these well-balanced permutations and combinations. We were also introduced to the ‘letri’ - a sweet and colourful concoction of rice, coconut, and vermicelli which is made for special occasions. 

Books on East Indian cooking and delicacies by Abigail Rebello

The 'letri' - a traditional sweet dish

As we made it to our final table selling traditional and brightly-coloured East Indian 'lugda’ or saree, I concluded that East Indian food mainly consists of decadent dishes, and comfort food, rich in meat, grease, and fat, making it flavourful and wholesome. But, above all, it is the East Indian people themselves that made this whole experience wonderful thanks to their endearing personalities, cheerful vibes, and a great love for food!