India, Pakistan Culinary Delights on a Kolkata Platter

A food festival with delicacies from India and Pakistan is set to tickle one's taste buds, starting Aug 16.Ten mouth-watering dishes (vegetarian and non-vegetarian options included), five each from India and Pakistan, will tempt gourmands in the "Zaika Do Mulkon Ka" India-Pakistan food fest."There is competition between the two countries in sports but when it comes to food, there is a lot of similarity between north Indian and Pakistani cuisine (as the two regions were once one)," executive chef Rupam Banik of "Daawat-e-Shiraz" restaurant at the Tulip Inn here told IANS.From Pakistan, Doner rolls (meat rolls) make it to the starters whereas "sonari khasta" (vegetable stuffed roomali bread with a dash of cider vinegar) is the appetiser from India.A variety of "shish", "shami", "pahari" and "kakori" kebabs are a treat for die-hard meat eaters while Kashmiri "goshtaba" and "murg ka mukul" are for aficionados who experiment with flavours.While the heady aroma of "kebab-e-dayg" (kebab in curry) will aptly gel with rice and roti, sweet dishes like "zarda pulao" (sweet rice) and "zuak-e-shahi" (gulab jamun in thickened milk) are up for grabs.The festival will run till mid-September.