Sunday, March 26, 2006
Deeba - Pakistani Food in Munich
Should I bitch or should I shut up? Hmm... oh well, I guess blogs are not designed to shut up in (whether they are meant for bitching is open to debate), so here I go. I was going to keep you all posted on my culinary adventures in my former hometown of Munich, Germany, but my computer, Eircom and Deutsche Telekom threw a big spanner in the works. They just plain out refused to let me go online, no matter what I tried. Several phone calls to Telekom's support hotline only resulted in me teaching their incompetent technicians a thing or two about Windows - which says a lot about their knowledge (or lack thereof). The web remained as unreachable to me as the top shelf in my kitchen at home. I eventually gave up and resigned myself to having to pre-write my posts in word and then upload them in bulk from Dublin, which is not exactly what blogging should be all about. The solution came in the shape of a lovely certified computer technician who eventually pointed out that Eircom required special DNS settings, which might prevent my PC from finding the German server. Under his careful supervision, I messed about in the network options a bit and - lo! - there was the net. Thank you Lofty, your knowledge was impressive and your help much appreciated.So now I'm back online and desperately trying to catch up with my older posts. Tonight I'll be cooking a restaurant-style dinner for my mum's birthday and I really wanted to be up to date before then, so I can post my recipes right away. I doubt that I'll reach that goal, because Munich is, in a way, a food lover's paradise. But I will simply start at the beginning, follow the yellow brick road and see where it leads me.
The beginning was spectacular in every way. For my first evening in Munich, my mum had booked a table at Deeba a Pakistani restaurant in Barer Strasse. We had been there several times and had never been disappointed, so I was more than happy to hear the news. Wednesday
night was no different either. The atmosphere was formal yet relaxed, the staff were warm and welcoming without being intrusive or self-depreciating, and the food was simply wonderful. While we had a look at the menu, a refreshingly friendly waiter brought some complimentary Popadoms with pickles and chutneys and a side salad (the latter I felt was slightly out of context and very much out of season, but never mind). This was a great way to get into the mood of it all and to quell our initial hunger that would have otherwise led to us ordering about twice as much food as we needed. That threat was more real than it now seems to me from afar. The food on neighbouring tables looked and smelled so good, the dishes all sounded incredibly interesting and the menu was very well assembled - a small, but comprehensive selection of everything from Tandoori lamb to seafood Biryani. It was, I admit, nigh on impossible to make a decision and I see real potential for a set meal, a thali, a mixed plate or some such thing. But even without it, we eventually managed to make up our minds, and immediately learned of one more of Deeba's many advantages over other South Asian restaurants in Munich.While I'm thinking of it, let me say a few words about said restaurants in general. Munich has a number of so-called "Indian" restaurants of all shapes and price categories. Some are good (a few - including Swagat at Prinzregentenplatz - are even what I would consider excellent), some are not what I would call value for money (such as Noor Jahan in Schwabing's Kaiserstrasse), but most are just average (such as India Town in Barerstrasse). Something many of them have in common is that they are not in fact Indian. They are either owned or run by Pakistanis or have a chef from Pakistan. Unfortunately, as one owner/manager once told me, the people of Munich harbour less than positive feelings towards Pakistan and are suspicious of the country's cuisine, if they acknowledge its existence at all. In their minds Pakistan is a source of nuclear bombs and Islamist terrorists, not food and drink. India on the other hand is associated with herbs and spices and a wealth of scents and flavours and is (rightly) considered to have a century-old culinary tradition. Accordingly, Indian restaurants, while seen as exotic, spicy or expensive by the general population, are normally viewed positively. Pakistani restaurants on the other hand have a hard time being accepted, despite the similarities between the two countries' cuisines (or rather between Pakistani and Northern Indian food, which are in fact closer than the cooking of Punjab and West Bengal). And because Pakistani restaurant owners are smarter than their potential customers, they simply relabelled their establishments "Indian" and indeed found the acceptance they could not otherwise get. While I fully understand this, I am glad to see that Deeba managed to resist this trend of self-denial and still be successful. I suppose the food speaks for itself.
Our meal started with mixed vegetable Pakoras, sliced on
ions, zucchini, aubergines and potatoes coated in a lightly spiced chickpea batter, deep fried and served with mint yoghurt sauce. The pakoras were lovely, tender, but not overcooked, crispy and not too greasy. Just the way I like them. The sauce was not bad either, but in my opinion it could have done with a bit more mint. I don't know if it's the more authentic way or a sauce adapted to German taste buds, but I am used to something more flavoursome from the Anglo-Saxon world. But if you do not like a strong minty taste with savoury foods (and many Germans don't, which is why they often ridicule the English for serving lamb with mint sauce, but still refuse to try it), the dip was perfect.Which leads me back to the advantage I started talking about above and never mentioned while at the same time going forward to the main
course. At Deeba, unlike at many other South Asian restaurants, you choose a dish by its flavours, not by the degree of spiciness. You can order a hot Korma if you feel like it (although the waiter will advise you that the chilli might kill the subtle flavour of the creamy sauce) or ask them to tone down one of their many spicy dishes. My mum opted for the latter option ordering sizzling chicken and vegetables with a mild sauce on the side. Please excuse this strange way of putting it, I must admit I simply forgot to ask her what the dish was called. What I do remember is that it was excellent. Tender chicken bits (some, much to my delight, dyed bright green) grilled to perfection, then mixed with crispy cabbage, onions and cucumber. A great combination of flavours and textures. This was complemented by a rich, creamy sauce - tomato based and heavily spiced, but by no means spicy - served on the side so you could get just the amount you want.I went for something spicier: deliciously tender chunks of white fish in a fiery red
sauce (see image above and to the right). It was heavily laden with spices, especially ginger and chilli, just right to make the tongue tingle and warm you up inside. My mum thought it was too much, but I disagree. Like many Europeans she cannot handle even mildly spicy food. I, on the other hand, do like my curries quite hot. Not like some of those young Britons who'll order a Phal just to impress their mates and pay for it from the moment they take the first bite to the moment the ring of fire has finally eased. To me, curry is about flavours, not about heat. If you can't taste it anymore, it was too spicy. But I do like it hot enough that when I'm done, I know I've had it. And by this - very subjective - measure, this dish was perfect. The flavours were strong enough to withstand the chilli assault, and to combine with the fish and the garlic Naan that I had on the side to make the perfect curry for my taste. Honestly, every bite was an experience. In fact, the whole evening was an experience. Unfortunately, after two courses I was much too full for a portion of Gulab Jamun and a cup of chai. But I have had both before and can highly recommend them. So, if you're ever in Munich and need a change from whatever food fad the local restaurants are going through at the time, give Deeba a go. You will not be disappointed.Christine at 12:59 pm
