I had been thinking of visiting Sardarji’s meat shop ever since my foodie friend Sonu told me about it. I knew it was in Sadar Bazar, but wasn’t sure where it was. So one cold morning I thought I had to do a recce and find my way there.
I parked at the New Delhi Railway Station, on the Paharganj side, and took an e-rick from there. The e-rick driver was a rebellious man who clearly didn’t believe in such mundane matters as vehicle suspensions. It jumped up and down the road, swerved madly, and made me aware of bones that I never knew I had. It dropped me to Pan Mandi on Qutub Road, and I limped my way to Sardarji’s shop, all 206 bones (and some that doctors are still to discover) making their presence felt, after asking some friendly shopkeepers for directions.
Sardarji ki Mashoor Aur Purani Dukan (Phone number: 9910001944) is on your left on Pan Mandi. You will find a young man called Lucky in front of a cart, laden with utensils carrying mutton curry, chicken, keema kaleji, rajma and rice.
Lucky’s father, Sardar Attar Singh Sachdev, started the business almost 40 years ago. He would come on his cycle, and sell rajma chawal. Then they started selling mutton curry in a predominantly vegetarian area, and decided that wouldn’t work. Thereafter the spot on Pan Mandi was found, and the business flourished. You will find a huge crowd of people standing there, all clamouring for food.
The food is cooked by Lucky at home, and then transported to Pan Mandi. What’s really nice about his curries is that they taste like home-cooked food. It’s neither oily, nor too spicy. And the chicken curry is particularly delicious because the gravy is enriched with minced lamb meat. Neither taste is overpowering; on the contrary the strong taste of the keema curry actually complements the lightness of the chicken.
Lucky cooks the chicken and the gravy with just a few spices — namely turmeric, cumin seeds and garam masala, a mix of cloves and cardamom. But the food is hot, for he does add a large helping of chillies to it. I must say I enjoyed it immensely.
The mutton curry was delicious, too. The meat — again hot — had been cooked with light spices, and was tender, without falling to bits. It had pieces of liver in it. I am particular about the softness of liver in my meat curry. Cooked for too long, the liver gets hard. But this was just right — soft, yet chewy.
A half plate of chicken with rice is for ₹150; a full plate — with the large leg and thigh piece — is for ₹230. A plate of meat curry , with two healthy pieces, and rice is for ₹180. Rajma chawal, topped with palak paneer in it, is for ₹60. He serves his food with chutney and onion rings, and sprinkles some masala over it.
Lucky doesn’t sell meat or chicken on Tuesdays, full moon days and on holidays.
It was a good outing — despite the e-rick journey. I came back home, ate the chicken curry with a hot roti off the tawa, and the mutton curry with a bit of fluffy rice. And then I rubbed some Volini on the creaking body, and called it a day.
But I have to go back to Lucky’s. And this time with a soft cushion.