Cafe Zouk

I never fail to marvel at a cuisine that, whilst it does not have all that many different cooking processes, manages to produce so many diverse culinary sensations. Much of the answer, of course, is in the use of spices, but even so the extensive menus of places like Café Zouk nearly always offer a riot of anticipation, not to say titillation. Here the emphasis is on the Mughal dynasty, one of whose Kings built the Taj Mahal. Mughali dishes may contain anything up to twelve different spices, and have a pronounced Persian direction. From among the starters the chana chaat and the chapli kebab feature strongly. The murg Hyderabadi translates into chicken cooked in coconut milk with a selection of herbs and spices sprinkled with sesame seeds and fresh coriander. A great favourite of the Kashmiri aristocrats comes in the form of keema mattar, prime minced lamb and peas delicately spiced and cooked in coconut sauce. I always feel that Indian puddings reflect the sweet and colourful nature of that great sub-continent, and others who share that view can always get by on the wonderful range of savoury dishes.