Coasting Along

If you are looking for an idli-dosa fix,you would be disappointed. Gunpowder is not your neighbourhood south Indian joint that will hand out trays of rice concoctions and sambar even before you pick your table. The menu changes daily and is charmingly handwritten in a notebook each day,depending on the fresh vegetables and meats that were picked in the morning. Sambar and chutney have to be ordered separately. There is a mix of dishes from Andhra Pradesh,Karnataka,Tamil Nadu and Kerala inked on the menu,and the day we visited,we were delighted to find Hyderabadi Mutton Stew (Rs 250) among the coastal specialties.

The eatery looks almost like an extended private kitchen and the décor is as sparse as the offerings on the menu. The white-washed walls are covered with a handful of black-and-white images of vegetables and the kitchen is clearly visible through the glass wall.

The Gunpowder for the day was Kandi Podi (Rs 50),an Andhra preparation served with a generous helping of ghee. “We keep changing the gunpowder preparation. There are four varieties,” says owner Satish Warier. So,you can sample Kerala’s Chammanthi Podi,made with fried coconut,or a lip-numbing Tamil version. A bowlful of spicy sambar (Rs 60) and thick,fluffy dosai (Rs 50) with a crispy skin is the starting point. Peppery Chicken (Rs 250) is exceptionally done and arrives with a garnish of fresh curry leaves. In vegetables,Spinach and Yoghurt (Rs 90) suggests freshly whipped yoghurt and comes with a perfect sour twang. The Avial comes for Rs 110. The eatery stocks fish curries as well,but the day we went was fish-less since Warier did not get fresh catch. You better hold on to your luck while you plod the three floors — for this place,refreshingly,is more about little surprises than explosive stuff.

Meal for two: Rs 800

Location: 22 Hauz Khas Village