If you have lived in Calcutta for a length of time and eaten at The Peter Cat at some point, you will relate to me. I was never a foodie, but my friends were. So even without being interested in food too much I ended up learning about all the eateries in every nook and cranny of the city. Every mood and occasion calls for a special place.

At that time someone forbade me my regular crumbs and introduced me to the wonders of The Peter Cat. I didn’t think much of either the sizzling ‘house special’ or the ‘Chelo kabab’. But over the years I acquired a taste for it.

Then it was time to venture into a new life in a different city and then a different country. Chelo Kababs lay forgotten over the struggle to digest the new cuisines that were offered to me. Busy with work and life nothing seemed that important anymore.

Just a couple of weeks back I woke up thinking of that fragrant rice sizzling with a blob of butter, an egg poach on top and a choice of succulent kababs. It was such a strong craving that I refused all other food. We checked lots of  restaurants in Bangkok and came up with a bevy of very tasty kababs, but nothing was good enough for me.

Having tried my luck and having irritated a lot of people who couldn’t really understand my sudden fixation towards that particular meal, I decided to try my culinary skills.

After a little bit of research and a bit more of marination and grilling, by lunch I had a similar looking plate of goodies ready. I admit my rice was not Basmati but Jasmine, and my poach decided to land upside down on the rice, and neither did I have a choice of kababs. But I did have chicken kababs, tomatoes, onions and capsicums on stick to go with the rice butter and poach. And guess what? It tasted familiar enough not to miss the mellow lighting and chattering waiters of Peter Cat or that noisy beloved city for once.