Cornershop

Pakistani dépanneur Caravane doles out cheap homecooked meals

by SARAH MUSGRAVE

No one could guess at the greatness that awaits behind Caravane's unremarkable Ste-Catherine street storefront. There are a couple of tables in the window and a few hand-lettered signs, but the fresh food factor isn't really obvious among all the shelves of non-perishable imported items. I was lucky enough to be introduced to this hidden Indian resto/market by a friend who's a regular, but otherwise I probably would have missed it.

We headed straight to the wooden counter at the back, where the owner, Jak, looked at us and simply said, "Sit down, I will make you something good to eat." The only question he asked was did we want our parathas stuffed? I had no idea what a paratha was so I said yes.

The main course was a chicken biryani, which cost a mere $5.99 for a plate laden with a generous piece of meat and some of the most fragrant rice I've ever tasted, each grain perfectly cooked and filled with flavour. This was a real deal, especially considering biryanis are often among the more expensive restaurant menu items because they require such elaborate preparation.

The paratha turned out to be a type of Northern Indian bread, non-leavened just like nan, but made of wheat flour dough that's pan-fried into a thin, soft disc. In this case it was stuffed with shredded carrot, peas and other yummy veggies, a bit like a savoury pancake. For a few dollars more there are lots of other little extras to try, so look out for cold Indian potato salad, yogurt raita or kebabs: beef patties deliciously spiced to such a deep red colour that they look raw even if they taste cooked.

The best way I can describe this simple but caringly crafted cuisine is to say that it is clean--not manufactured or sauced up to suit Western tastes. It's milder than southern Indian cooking, although there are just as many spices working together in the pot. Don't look for restaurant standards like butter chicken here, dishes that don't exist in India. "Do you want to know what that is really made of?" Jak asked. I didn't. Originally from Pakistan, he experiments with new recipes from time to time, but won't serve anything he doesn't like himself, and the menu changes from day to day.

Business has been quieter at the store since the recent events in the States, so there wasn't a lot to choose from on my second visit. We still had a satisfying meal of chicken masala ($5.99) accompanied by an incredible black lentil side dish--apparently dried mango powder gives it that exquisite flavour. The tender chicken was served in a simple but tasty curry, along with white rice dotted with yellow and green beans and carrots. It came with plain paratha to scoop up the sauce and chutney on the plate.

In addition to many varieties of bottled fruit juices, Caravane also has six kinds of lassi, that robust yogurt-like drink that's so filling it will ruin your meal. Flavours include mango, vanilla and "heatwave," which I suspect is not in high demand these days. For a quick snack there are also "thin 'n' crispy samosas"--meat or veggie--and for around three bucks you can get a bowl of chaat, a rich and filling chickpea curry.

You don't have to leave empty-handed, as the shop's shelves are brimming with exotic specialties to try out at home. We bought some dried apricot paste similar to a healthy fruit roll-up, a bag of crispy snack food called bundi and some spicy, smoky and incredibly addictive cashews that Jak had roasted himself. :

Caravane

Address: 1850 Ste-Catherine W.

Telephone: 935-6656

Hours: 10am-9pm; Sat & Sun noon-9pm

Best features: inexpensive and homemade food

Vegetarian friendly: yes

Credit cards: Yes

Wheelchair access: yes

Alcohol: no

Price: $8/person before drinks, taxes & tip

Rating: HHH out of HHHH