Food Friday | Steaks and the city: On the quest for a good steak in Delhi

As an American citizen growing up in Delhi in the 1980s, the only place my husband could access authentic American food was at the restaurant inside the American Community Support Association’s club, colloquially known as ACSA. Fondly recalling their Chateaubriand, he says, “It was the only place that served my preferred medium-rare steak just right.” Unfortunately, a rather un-diplomatic incident with an Indian diplomat posted to the USA a few years ago, shut the doors of ACSA to Indian residents, and his search for a good steak in Delhi began in earnest. And I readily embarked on this journey with him, sampling one steak together at a time.

Primarily referring to the cut of meat that is sliced across the muscle fibres of the animal, a steak is usually grilled, but can also be pan-fried, cooked in sauce as with steak and kidney pie, or minced into patties and eaten as hamburgers. This dish is easy to make but difficult to perfect. Steaks are traditionally associated with cattle meat but can be made with any kind of animal meat and in India, have vegetarian avatars too.

The origin of the word ‘steak’ is credited to the Scandinavian word steik meaning ‘roast’, but others believe it to have emerged in Florence, Italy in the 16th century, where it was called ‘carbonate’ as the meat was cooked on grills that rested on coals. For a seemingly uncomplicated dish, a steak has many variations depending on the part of meat used and the way it is cooked. The cut of the muscles vary from tenderloin, sirloin, ribeye, porterhouse, hanger, short ribs, flank, rump and numerous others. In recent years, the source of the meat has also become important for connoisseurs, with Japanese Wagyu animals gaining prominence in this regard.

Despite their European inception and worldwide popularity, steaks have long been considered a true-blue American dish. Over the last few decades, many American cultural practices have descended on India, and so has a widespread love for the country’s food. But are steaks as popular as more mainstream American dining options like burgers and chicken wings? Chef Mousim Sidana does not believe so.

As the Creative Director of bespoke food businesses Slow Barbeque and Foodstories, which reimagine international-influenced barbeque recipes in handcrafted grills, he hasn’t given much prominence to steaks on his menu, restricting them to a monthly special. He explains, “Steaks are not the most popular thing on our menu. In fact, very few clients ask for them. There are more takers of pork, classic chicken and lamb.” Discerning Delhiites are also wary of the promise of authenticity, with some candidly calling the idea of a good steak in Delhi, “An oxymoron”.

However, the popularity of certain eateries proves otherwise. Jamsheed Bhote and Hanisha Singh, Chef Patrons of Plats, believe steaks are becoming increasingly popular as people travel more and have the opportunity to eat great steaks around the world. “With travel on a halt in the last couple of years and peoples’ evolved palates, steaks became a go-to indulgence,” they share. The dish has been a part of the menu ever since Plats opened its doors in 2019. They point to the one made with a bone marrow crust as one of their most requested offerings, continuously attracting a set clientele.

Shamsul Wahid, the Group Executive Chef of Smoke House Deli, also credits the restaurant chain’s steak as being one of the most well-loved dishes amongst regular patrons.

He says, “Steaks have become quite popular over the years, with more people travelling to and from India, expats coming in, as well as Indians beginning to enjoy grilled proteins. Also, more restaurants are serving it, which has helped make this style of meat cooking prominent.”

When asked their tips to cook a great steak, each Chef has plenty of advice to offer. Chef Wahid says, “Be sure to source the right kind of meat. It’s best to use the least exercised muscle of the animal for the meat.” Chefs Bhote and Singh of Plats stress on the importance of sourcing good quality meat with a great marbling of fat. For them, the methodology is extremely important to ensure great results – for example, it is essential to cut across the grain of the meat, get a consistent sear, and if you are not used to cooking steak, use a meat probe/thermometer to check for desired readiness. Finally, they highlight an important but often overlooked finishing touch – basting with butter in the end and allowing the meat to rest. Chef Sidana of Slow Barbeque and Foodstories also asserts the importance of technique. He says, “Don’t mistake searing for scotching! Make sure you are basting constantly, and rest the steak before cutting it.”

Many restaurants are waking up to the potential of delicious steaks, even making them the primary offering on their menus. The Pit by H-Man in Delhi’s tony Basant Lok market is a great example. This eatery with an industrial feel offers only evening seating, takes no bookings, and allows no takeaways or deliveries. Yet it boasts waiting lines every night – simply on the strength of its steak, proving that this meat dish is here to stay.

RECIPE:

Pan-seared steak

Recipe of Plats Chefs Jamsheed Bhote and Hanisha Singh

Ingredients:

• 180-200g Steak of choice
• 15 gms butter
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 clove garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Make sure the steak is at room temperature before cooking.
• Dry the surface of the steak with a paper towel, season generously with salt and crushed pepper.
• Heat a pan to moderate high heat.
• Add some oil to the pan and place your steak in the pan.
• Allow to sear untouched for 3 minutes, flip the steak over, add a tablespoon of butter to the pan and allow to foam.
• Add a clove of crushed garlic and some herbs and baste the steak with the foaming butter.
• Turn the steak over and repeat basting with the butter.
• Remove the steak from the pan once you get the desired sear, place on a wire rack and allow to rest for 10 mins before plating it with your favourite accompaniments.

Noor Anand Chawla pens lifestyle articles for various publications and her blog www.nooranandchawla.com .

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