Fire in the Belly

The restaurant is tiny,as eateries in the village are wont to be. It’s decorated entirely in the traditional Naga tribal style — be it walls,furniture or objet d’art. Since this comprises a whole lot of bamboo,the environmental police may be screaming foul,but it makes for a nice effect. The spectacular view of the lake (there’s a counter complete with bar stools facing it),the grinning staff and the soft eclectic music (the playlist has everything from Naga music to songs by French band Air) — all lull you into a pleasant somnolence.

The menu is small but the exotic-sounding fare more than makes up for paucity of choice. There are actually two menus: one with the Naga dishes,and the other offering Thai. Turning our nose up at the latter,we have great fun deciding what to eat.

Skipping the starters,we jump straight into the main course. We order a smoked buff curry and pork in axhoni (pronounced ‘akshoni’) sauce,along with sticky Naga rice. What really makes our day though is ordering a Raja Mirchi Chutney. For the uninitiated,the Raja Mirchi (also known as bhut jolokia or Naga jolokia) is the world’s hottest chilli,with a Scoville rating of over a million units.

The food arrives all at once and we get down to business. The curry looks innocuous enough until you actually taste it. Then your mouth catches fire. In a good way. The curry has a peppery,fiery flavour with a smoky after-taste. It has a very thin but surprisingly flavourful gravy,and the buff is just right. The purplish,glutinous Naga rice is the perfect accompaniment to the stew. The axhoni is more of an acquired taste. If you enjoy pungent flavours,then this fermented soy bean dish is for you. Not as spicy as the curry,with strong accents of bamboo shoot and soy bean,the axhoni also goes well with the rice. Incidentally,portions are small here,so order accordingly.

The main event is surprisingly tame. We expected the chutney to be a fiery explosion in our mouths,but we found that the buff curry’s spicier than the chutney. Not that it’s not spectacular.

While we’re not sure how authentic the food is when compared to dishes cooked in Naga homes,Dzukou is worth a visit. Or several,if you enjoy really hot food. Fire hydrants not included.

Meal for two: Rs. 1,500 (including taxes,excluding alcohol)Address: 13,Hauz Khas Village Contact: 9873306174