The newly opened Anglo- Indian restaurant Thirty Nine, Hauz Khas Village is created as a home of the English explorer who disappeared mysteriously in 1939.

“The Anglo-Indian cuisine is interesting because it presents an interesting variation of the continental and uses typical spices like rosemary, basil, sage and tarragon, that have distinct flavours,” says chef Amit Kundal.
He adds, “The cuisine is influenced by British, French and Portuguese cooking styles. It changes from one region to another, especially when it comes to spices.”
So in the South, Anglo-Indian dishes tend to use pepper, cinnamon, cardamom; in the Goa-Mumbai belt, souring agents such as vinegar and kokum are popular, whereas in the East, the gravies use less spice.
Talking about the flavours and condiments that are distinctive of the Anglo-Indian cuisine, the chef adds, “Anglo-Indian dishes derived from traditional British cuisine, such as roasted beef are modified by the addition of Indian spices, such as cumin and red chillies. Fish and meat are cooked in curry form with Indian vegetables. Anglo-Indian cuisine involves use of coconut, yogurt, and almonds to make it taste richer and better.” The restaurant has stuck to authentic fare with dishes like the lamb shepherd’s pie, beef casseroles, red prawn mango curry and maple-syrup ribs.
He further adds, “Be it mulligatawny soup, mutton chops, vegetable croquettes, caramel custard or bread pudding, this cuisine has retained a distinct entity as it evolved in different parts of the country. Although, the technique of cooking is not tampered with much, but khansamas (cooks) of the Raj most certainly did add local spices and ingredients to escape the blandness of European food.” Thirty Nine has also tried fusing Indian elements into the palate with the crab filo pastry samosa, rosemary chicken tikka and blue cheese and yoghurt kebab. In the vegetarian options, mozzarella and parmesan sausage in beer gravy is a novel.
Sharing the story behind the concept of the restaurant, Mohit Kakkar, owner of the restaurant says, “Fascinated by India’s mystical charms, Alistair Kensington, an English explorer and naturalist, visited India during the British Raj. But in 1939, he vanished mysteriously and surprisingly nothing in his home was touched or stolen. So we thought of re-creating the house by imagining how a foreigner would have lived in that era.” The restaurant is divided into three levels. The parlour area, which is decorated like a living room with a neatly arranged bar in one of the corners, a library with comfy huge sofas, a fireplace and a wooden rack that shelves musty, historical books and the terrace area.
“The menu has been designed carefully to incorporate all the favourite and popular items of the English, like the burgers, sanwiches, authentic soups and the pies. We also have delicious desserts like caramel custard and warm apple and camembert tart on offer,” shares co-owner Dushyant Kakkar. Wooden bats, framed in a glass cases at the parlour area, and the mounted butterflies remind one of the Britishers’ love for cricket and Kensington’s apparent fascination for collecting insects.

Tandoori Bacon Prawns, Wasabi Malai Cream
Ingredients

12 smoked bacon rashers w 8 black tiger prawns with shelled off heads

For marination
15 gms ginger garlic paste
salt to taste
3 gms red chili powder
1 gm garam masala
2 ml lemon juice
1 gm chopped coriander

For wasabi malai
5 gms wasabi paste
25 ml mayonnaise
20 ml fresh cream
2 ml lemon juice
salt to taste
1 gm chaat masala

Method

For wasabi malai
Mix all the ingredients to a smooth consistency. Chill it thoroughly
For bacon prawns
Slit the prawns lengthwise from centre, clean and wash thoroughly. Pat them dry
Mix all the ingredients for the marination and coat evenly. Wrap the prawns with bacon to cover it completely and secure the ends with help of toothpick. Cook the prawns in tandoor or in oven at 200 degree celsius .
When cooked, place in a platter and drizzle wasabi malai.