Manjit's Kitchen, Leeds (and sometimes elsewhere)

Manjit's Kitchen is a home delivery service based in Leeds. Anyone on Twitter with an interest in all things food and all things Leeds has probably heard of them by now, as they've been getting rave reviews for Manjit's home cooked vegetarian Punjabi food. I'm no vegetarian but if meat abstinence was forced upon me I would almost certainly survive on a diet of Indian food. Rich, creamy dhals; crunchy, fresh thorans; light dosai with zingy chutneys; India is pretty much number one in the world for vegetarian cuisine. I live way outside Manjit's delivery area so when I heard they would be manning a stall at the first ever fiery food market in Dewsbury I was there like a shot.

A quick word on the market first. I was quite impressed, there were a lot of stalls selling some good looking stuff. Of particular note was a truck selling food from the Seychelles, not something I've ever come across before. A free sample of a pork curry was delicious with tender, slow cooked meat in a fiery, coconutty sauce that also had hints of peanut. Back to Manjit's Kitchen. Did it live up to expectations?

The dhal certainly did. I think it was a dhal makhani (black lentils in a rich buttery sauce). The sauce was wonderfully rich and creamy, cut with acidity from the addition of tomatoes. The spicing was just right, complex and slow burning but not too fiery. I could eat this stuff by the bucket load.

Accompaniments weren't all so successful. The rice was fine, plain basmati cooked perfectly. The nan bread was rubbish though, foamy and lifeless. I just don't think nan bread really works pre-cooked and then warmed up, chappattis would be a better bet. Full marks for letting us help ourselves to salad, but a bowl of dressing would have livened things up a bit.

In summary the main event, the dhal was excellent. The meal was good value at £4 for dhal, rice, bread and salad. A chick pea dish and the samosa's were also looking good. If I lived in the delivery area I'd definitely be ordering soon.


7/10

Home delivery within a 4 mile radius of LS8 (which covers Gipton, Harehills, Oakwood, Roundhay)
Also at various other events - check the website for details

http://www.manjitskitchen.com/