Vegetarian's Delight


Act 1: Reach hotel room; dump baggage; crash on bed; pull blanket; succumb to deep sleep.

Act 2: Dream of an exotic meal at a quaint restaurant; slice succulent pieces of chicken; the aroma awakens senses; twirl the chicken in the gravy; take the first bite; buttery sauce melts away; reach crescendo of taste-gasm.

Act 3: Giggles fill the room; awaken from sleep; bobbing heads; jiggling heads; uncontrollable laughter; wide eyed wonder.

Act 4: Real-time surprise; the food was not entirely a dream; I did taste something that my lovely friends fed me as I slept.

There they were. Deceptive looking, Soya Chaap. For the uninitiated, these are more like tikkas only made from ground and pounded Soya.

Healthy and yummy, they are no less than a plateful of chicken Tandoori Tikka or kebabs.

The popular kiosk in Jammu that served this delectable dish full of exuberant flavours, does not have a name. However, not too far behind is another more savvy take-away in the city that serves Chaap along with some other dishes with a twist. It's the Loren Cafe.

This cafe prides itself in serving nearly a dozen or more varieties of Chaap. You have a flavor or style and they have it. From Achaari to Tikka to Tandoori, their Chaap needs no introduction.

After that near-dream experience, I gorged on Chaap for my lunch and dinner during my 2-day trip. And believe you me, none of the meals was any less. They were freshly prepared in some quirky gravy or sauce, be it tangy, sweet, sour or hot! The comfort of palating food that you know is low on carbs and other sorts of junk, adds to the satiation a happy meal provides the mind.

If you love vegetarian snack and you are in Jammu, do sample Soya Chaap. This is creativity with food, taken to all together a different level.

Interestingly, Chaap in Bangla means Pressure! That's another thought for another blog!

Till then Chaap-tey Raho😀

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