Tuesday, January 22, 2008

A panki? What's that?

For foodies, Swati Snacks is a bit of a religious experience. For me, it is an education in Gujarati cooking. This time, I learnt about the panki.
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I'd never seen a panki before, although I've lived in Bombay for more than 20 years. The couple at the table next to me ordered it, and they seemed to know what they were doing. So I recklessly said "I'll have whatever they're having".

Ten minutes later, my plate arrived. It had this yellow, paper thin pancake, steamed in banana leaves. You open the folded leaves, peel off the panki and pop it in your mouth with green chutney. It tastes divine.

The panki is made of ground rice mixed with a paste of yoghurt, green chillies, fenugreek and asafoetida. It is not spicy, and therefore the tangy green chilli in the chutney complements it wonderfully. 

The panki is Swati Snacks' signature dish - if you do go there, you'll find others ordering it. You'll also see some variants of the panki on the menu. Just do what I did - look around, subtly point at someone's plate and say 'I'll have what they're having!".

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here is a link to a video about Swati Snacks and the panki that Deepa described. http://www.geobeats.com/videoclips/india/mumbai/swati-snacks

Deepa said...

Thanks for the link. I've seen that video. I featured in a geobeats video myself, actually.

Anonymous said...

Sounds and looks delicious!

Anonymous said...

Deepa,
I saw your video on Geobeats, I really enjoyed it. I definitely want to contact you next time I come to India for a tour of either Delhi or Mumbai. Do you know if Geobeats if planning on doing videos of Goa? I was there in November and had a really good time. I think people would enjoy Goa videos very much. Keep up the good work!

Anonymous said...

hello deepa,

I'm planning to make a business travel to mumbay and Ahmedabad between March 29
to April 6th. all we'll be arranged by my company (hotel and so on)

After this, I will stay in mumbay for 1 week with my wife (she'll come from
france the 6th of April) to visit. We will fly back on April 13th

So, I'm looking for a place to stay (3 or 4 star hotel)and some places to visit
in mumbay and the places around. I have aready see your other blog.

please, have you any ideas or name of people to contact localy to organize my trip ?

I was in India 15 years ago for one month... it's far away now. In this time, it
was "forbiden" to drive a car for tourist, is it the same today ?

best regards. Waiting for your responses

georges
gcangiano@free.fr

Anonymous said...

It looks like a flattened khandvi!

Deepa said...

i thought so myself, anju, till i tasted it. it's not like a khandvi. when you're in bombay next, i'll take you.

Minal satoskar said...

Exactly wher is rhis restaurant?

Deepa said...

It's in Tardeo, Minal. Tell the taxi driver to take you to Bhatia Hospital. Here is the google maps link: https://goo.gl/maps/J7oSTQGSyv42

Unknown said...

in kerala specially in palakad side you have simillar or improvised version of this called ilai adai...like u said it has its own variations of fillings . but prperation is simillar

Unknown said...

in kerala specifically palakadu cuisine has simillar or improvised version called illai adai..originally it used to be thin.. but improvisation added many fillings in it.. but prperation is very simillar. .grounded rice steam cooked in plantain leaf....

Unknown said...

in kerala specially in palakad side you have simillar or improvised version of this called ilai adai...like u said it has its own variations of fillings . but prperation is simillar