The Curzon Room
The Oberoi Maidens Hotel
Delhi, India

Walking into the Curzon Room is like walking into a scrapbook of the Raj. Columned walls, white linen and old silver set the officers’ club élan and a wall of old photographs fit out the substance.

Lord Curzon, who served as the Viceroy of India at the turn of the last century, owned the land that Mr. Maidens bought to build his hotel. Curzon features prominently among the pictures: Curzon at Eton, Curzon hunting tigers and Curzon at the 1903 Delhi Durbar—a tremendous reception the Indian princes gave the visiting British royal family. When the Brits finally gave India back to the Indians in 1947, the British royal family gave their substantial collection of India photos to the Indian royalty. The restaurant’s pictures, part of that collection, render a pictorial history of the British Raj.

The Curzon Room’s culinary offerings presenting both Indian and Continental cuisine also reflect the Raj. Although, after I discovered their Aubergine Masala, a curry of spice and eggplant, I was hard put to try any of the Continental dishes.

Aubergine Masala starts with tiny, sweet eggplants so tender there is no need to peel them. The masala, which means spice mixture, starts with ghee (a nutty clarified butter) and onions, but no garlic—many Indians won’t eat garlic. Next, whole spices are ground and roasted. There are two cardamoms, the familiar green one and then a black one—a bigger, darker and spicier variety. Cinnamon bark, nutmegs, allspice berries, several different pepper corns and dried hot pepper go into the mix. Finally, tomatoes, fresh green chilis and coriander are added along with the eggplant. They stew together into a dish where the bite of the fiery spices sets off the tenderness of the eggplant and its sweetness is highlighted by the savory spices. The masala is served with still warm naan, a raised Indian bread, spicy-salty pickle and sweet mango chutney. I could live on it.

The Curzon Room, however, has more to offer. In the evenings a buffet—the Raj buffet as I think of it for both its Indian and Anglo dishes—is served in addition to the restaurant’s à la carte offerings. India is represented on the buffet by dishes like Roghan josh—lamb curry, Mattar Pannir—spicy cheese and pea mixture, pollau—rice with mint and coriander along with various breads, chutneys and pickles. Representing the Brits is vegetable soup albeit with ginger and coriander, a buttered chicken, sautéed broccoli with bright red carrots and for that home-away-from home comfort, macaroni and cheese. Desserts include rice pudding with pistachios, a honey-coffee mousse, cream caramel and fruitcake.

Late one evening, when only a French couple and I were left in the restaurant, Curzon’s very personable Captain of 23 years tutored us in Indian cooking. While explaining masalas, he disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a big handful of whole spices for each of us to examine, learn their names and flavors and take home.

Somehow, my own Aubergine Masala does not live up to my pungent memories of The Curzon Room.

 By Kate Crawford  November 2004

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