Curry, culture and cushions

Delicacies that may be traditionally eaten at Indian festivals are served at Jerusalem's Open House for Indian Culture.

By RACHEL WANETIK
curry 88 (photo credit: Courtesy)
curry 88
(photo credit: Courtesy)
In Katamon Vav, there is an enchanting garden with tables, chairs and a tree decorated with lights. In the kitchen you will find Chanchal, mixing, frying and preparing Indian delicacies - treats (such as delicious beet/carrot croquettes) that may be traditionally eaten at Indian festivals or at one's home. The dishes are prepared with fresh seasonal vegetables and grains from the market. The spices for the masalas (spice blends) and curries (sauces) are generally imported. Chanchal informs me, "I found that the best tasting chai (a spiced tea) is from India." The Open House for Indian Culture is a Brigadoon of sorts; only, one doesn't have to wait 100 years for it to reappear. On Thursdays, the OHIC avails itself to lovers of Indian fare and culture. Each diner gets a set three-course meal and a yogurt lassi - banana, mango, sweet or salty. For appetizers, our party of eight, gobbled up bhajis, battered and lightly fried vegetables, served with a tamarind dipping sauce. Our main course was a thali, meaning plate, of rice, naan bread, dal (pulse dish), and two main vegetarian dishes, one with cauliflower and the other zucchini. If dairy is not your thing, you can forgo the raita accompaniment (a cucumber yogurt sauce) and also request an herbal chai in lieu of the milk-based chai that signals the near end of the delicious meal. A small dish of something sweet completes the experience. It too may be comprised of something milky so be sure to ask ahead if that is a concern. A chef extraordinaire, Chanchal hails from Jamshedpur in northeast India. He learned his way about the kitchen from his parents, but his calling is art. After completing his studies in India, he heard about an opportunity to come to Israel as a kibbutz volunteer. Later, through receiving a Foreign Ministry scholarship, he was afforded a chance to continue his printmaking studies at Bezalel. His works are gaining fame in Israel and abroad and can be viewed at his home and gallery as well as at the Wilfrid Israel Museum on Kibbutz Hazorea through the end of the year. Sigal, Chanchal's wife, works as an Israeli tour guide but her academic focus was (and is) on Indian art and history. She also customizes tours for those traveling to India. Thursday evenings, Sigal, draped in Indian flowing fabrics, explains the fare and serves it to the guests in the garden. On occasion, the weekly event features a guest musician or a lecturer. Not only proficient regarding India and art, the Banga family is also extremely eco-minded. In winter, the meals are served in the enclosed porch that features a recycled wood slat boydem put together by Chanchal. Decorative ceiling hangings include metal bells, angular cloth bulb covers and some macramé. The found pillows lining the long bench in the rustic room have embroidered designs and mirrors in true Indian style. Every piece of furniture, linen, lamp and structural addition to their home was once someone's trash and is now their treasure. Available for sale are eco-baby items, jewelry from India and papier-mâché handmade earrings (by Chanchal) - all at reasonable prices. For another on-site art treasure, visit the bathroom. Soon the artistic master of the kitchen (and easel) will be abroad promoting his visual art and the OHIC will be closed until his return. So be sure to take advantage of every Thursday evening until then. Open House for Indian Culture is open on Thursday evenings from 7-11:30 p.m. 3 Hanotrim St., Katamon Vav (near Tzomet Pat). NIS 50-60 per guest. BYOB. Reservations a must. (077) 337-7988; kosher without certification.