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From gas-free cooking to bringing regional food into the spotlight, Chef Amninder Sandhu is a name synonymous with Punjabi food. You cannot talk about the authentic taste of local dishes without her name popping into your head. If you thought that Punjabi food is all about luscious butter chicken, butter-floating dal makhani, and spiced chhole bhature, think again. While a few regional dishes became immensely popular over decades, the real food, prepared in households, remains the source of comfort, nutrition, and taste for the locals.
If you have been following Chef Amninder Sandhu, you must have tasted her food at Arth (Mumbai), Ikk Punjab (Delhi, Chandigarh, and more), Bawri (Goa), and Kikli, her newest address and venture in New Delhi’s Connaught Place. A black door opens into a long, narrow corridor with large glass barnis (containers) stacked on the merchandise shelves on the left side. Some have local cookies and biscuits, others are stuffed with vadis and more regional edible items. This narrow pathway leads you into an open dining space with a makeshift roof, which further leads you inside the indoor seating area.
As popular Punjabi and Hindi-Punjabi songs play in the backdrop, you get comfortable in the dimly lit space that feels cosy, much like your living room. You are served fizzy apple cider vinegar as a complimentary beverage - a sip and you are swept away with this in-house creation that does not burn your stomach or have that repelling scent you get in the store-bought drink.
It’s an understatement to say that Chef Amninder Sandhu and Chef Dhurv Chawla, Co-Founder of Kikli, have outdone themselves. The moment you are inside the restaurant, you are instantly transported into a capsule where time slows down (not quite literally), but it makes you aware of your surroundings and the whiff of food being cooked and served makes you hungrier.
‘Punjabi Cuisine Is Most Used And Abused,’ Says Amninder Sandhu
People visiting Kikli are already seeing this as more than just a restaurant for North Indian staples, but they are looking forward to diving deeper into Punjabi cuisine. Speaking to Slurrp about this, Chef Amninder Sandhu said that it was the frustration with which people dealt with Punjabi cuisine that inspired her to bring Kikli to life. “I just felt a sense of responsibility to put the right life on Punjabi cuisine because it's very ironic that it's the most used and abused, yet not done well, and there's so much that is not known,” she added.
For those who don’t know, Kikli is a traditional folk dance performed by two girls who hold their hands, spin around in circular motions, while balancing themselves. “It’s not for the hearted,” said the chef, adding that it is one of the reasons why she named the restaurant after it. It is feminine and strong, which is what the brand stands for. They want to do big things, fun things, but without being preachy or too serious.
“The dining experience here leaves you nostalgic, it teaches people about the Punjabi dishes that they didn’t know existed, and I feel the name is so much more than just a dance form,” added Chef Sandhu.
Chef Amninder Sandhu Being Vocal For Local
Chef Amninder Sandhu has always been vocal for local and promoted regional cuisines, traditional cooking methods, and local ingredients. At Kikli, she sources ingredients from Smiling-Earth, a group of organic farmers sourcing quality ingredients not just from across Punjab but also Himachal Pradesh, Solan, and Delhi.
She shared that papad, anardana, aloo bukhara vadiya, matthi, shakar pare, and atta biscuits, among other ingredients served at the restaurant or stacked on the merchandise shelves, come from Amritsar. Therefore, Chef Amninder hopes that when anyone dines at Kikli, they will come with an open mind to absorb, observe, and savour the food, without inhibitions or preconceived notions.
What To Order At Kikli?
When you visit Kikli, don’t forget to order the Satpura Chaat. You can ask for everything else on the menu, but if you haven’t tried this flavour bomb, you are missing out. “It’s a seven-layer chaat, like a samosa, and often referred to as Japanese samosa,” said the chef while explaining the dish - a big patty with seven layers.
When she first made it, the taste was similar to samosa chaat. She thought of doing something better, and that’s when she made seven layers of butterfly-shaped crackers and arranged them around the chaat, boasting a perfect balance among sweet, tangy, and spicy notes.
Other highlights on the menu include Punjabi Rann Pulav, Chole Patti Kulchey, Murg Mirch Creamwala, Kadahi Chicken, Lakshmi Chowk Kadahi, Bun Choley, Duggani Meat Pulao, Chicken Kibti, Prawns, and Mewadar Keema. As mentioned before, Kikli is not just a restaurant; Chef Amninder Sandhu has bigger plans, including collaborating with Punjabi artists to celebrate the spirit and culture of the state.
