A Pâté of Punjabiat

It is said the most important journeys bring us home. The euphoric live dhol beats that welcome guests to Kikli in Connaught Place celebrate precisely that a diasporic spirit's reunion with their cultural and culinary soul.

- Bandeep Singh

Celebrated chef Amninder Sandhu, raised in a north eastern Sikh family with strong Punjabi roots, has long been celebrated as a champion of slow, organic fire cooking.

At Kikli, she embarks on an almost emotional quest: To retell the story of true Punjabi food, far beyond the ubiquitous global stereotypes. Her journey took her deep into Punjab's homes, royal kitchens, and village hearths, seeking not just heirloom recipes but their spirit—acquiring traditional vessels, cooking fuels, and of course, ancestral knowledge.

Kikli generously shares the abundance of this culinary pilgrimage. Its audacity lies in its omissions; Dal Makhani, Shahi Paneer and Butter Chicken are conspicuously absent, making this lively courtyard a place of discovery.