By Somrita Ghosh

New Delhi, Oct 7 (IANS): When was the last time you witnessed an array of 12 non-vegetarian dishes on the same platter? Well, Veda is currently offering a specially-curated mouth-watering non-vegetarian thali -- from starters to the dessert -- which will never fail to end your craving for meat.

Located in the heart of the national capital in the outer circle of bustling Rajiv Chowk (or Connaught Place), this fine diner, with huge chandeliers and large mirrors, boasts of a royal touch, what with it being crafted by ace fashion designer Rohit Bal.

Veda, which otherwise is known for its scrumptious menu of Indian culinary specialties, has come up with the Raavana thali for a special purpose.

"During Navratri, non-vegetarians cannot enjoy meat delicacies and we wanted to offer plenty of them on a single plate. It's a customised menu where one gets a taste of authentic Indian flavours," Veda owner Alok Aggarwal told IANS.

As I occupied my seat, a huge bronze plate with 12 small bowls was placed on the table -- the Raavana thali. A single glance left me clueless about where to begin!

As the name of the thali suggests, the menu has been given interesting twists -- inspired by characters from the Hindu epic Ramayana Hindu epic. I picked Mandorari fish fry -- a starter with which I began my journey to explore the cuisine.

However, it was Kuber raan -- shredded leg of lamb marinated overnight and cooked in tandoor -- which stood apart. A perfect melody of spices and flavour, the tangy taste of the dish will make you ask for more.

As I was done relishing the last bite of the crispy fish fry, it was the turn to gobble Kumbakarna chicken -- chicken stuffed with keema roasted on a mild fire in a clay oven. Then came hot keema nan which blended perfectly with a lamb dish -- Narantaka mutton. There is also Atikaya chicken -- boneless chicken mixed in brown onion sauce and green cardamom to dig in with the nan.

There's also Surpanakha biryani -- an authentic dum-cooked mutton biryani full of flavour which goes well with Lanka fish masala prepared with rich spices, coconut and onion.

And to accompany these main course delicacies, there's Sumali papad -- fried small papad topped with keema; Maricha raita -- yoghurt garnished with keema and onion; Thataka salad -- roasted prawn mingled with cucumber and bell pepper with lime dressing.

And, the icing on the cake was the Son Nagri barfi -- a "chicken" barfi dessert. According to Chef Mohd Nazeer, it took more than a month for him to come up with this one. "The dish came into existence after a lot of experimentation and hard work. There is no khoya in it; it is just made out of kaju paste and minced chicken."

Since this thali is for a limited period, hurry up and head to Veda to satisfy your hunger for these non-vegetarian delicacies.

FAQs:

The Ravana Thali is available at Veda till October 15.

Price: Lunch Rs 699 plus tax

Dinner Rs 999 plus tax

Timings: Lunch - 12pm to 4pm

Dinner - 7pm to 11pm