Kohinoor offering a taste of Indian delicacies with culture in Mexico

Punjabis take along their culture and cuisine irrespective of the place they decide to settle down. Be it India, the U.S or Mexico, Punjabis have earned respect for their entrepreneurship around the world.

Amritsar, May 20 : Punjabis take along their culture and cuisine irrespective of the place they decide to settle down. Be it India, the U.S or Mexico, Punjabis have earned respect for their entrepreneurship around the world.

During a recent trip to Mexico with President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, the ANI team met a Sikh restaurateur who was making Mexican and foreign visitors relish authentic Punjabi cuisine. Along with the food patrons enjoyed a pulsating Hat Dance.

It was fascinating for us to notice how Mexican culture reflects the complexity of the country's history through the blending of pre-Hispanic civilizations.

Having a free market mixed economy, Mexico has entrepreneurs from around the world, including Indians.

At the Presidential banquet they stood out.

The ANI team had a chance visit the Indian Sikh-run Kohinoor restaurant in Paseo Santa Fe in New Mexico.

Jasjit Singh, the owner of the restaurant, and his brother Inder, migrated to San Jose in 1984 and then to Mexico.

They decided to settle down in Mexico. They saw that there was a huge Indian community here but there was no Indian restaurant. They decided to establish an Indian restaurant, and named it Kohinoor.

Delicacies like Curry Chicken and Lamb Seekh Kabab to be served with tandoor-baked Nan was something impossible to popularize in Mexico. But Jasjit created his own clientele, including non-Mexicans.

To give an authentic Punjabi taste, blended with Mexican flavour, Jasjit has appointed Indian as well as Mexican chefs.

Interestingly, like the special Punjabi delicacies, Mexican food is also spicy Besides being a popular eating place, the Kohinoor is popular meeting place for Indians.

There are over 1,000 Indians in Mexico who gather in the restaurant to celebrate Indian festivals and events.

"We celebrate Diwali here and invite all members of the Indian community. Along with our customers they enjoy participating in festivals of India. People here are very curious to know about India. They love to participate in Indian festivals like Diwali and Holi. Whenever an artist comes to perform here we invite all our customers," says Singh

Kohinoor that literally means `mountain of light' is truly shining in the Mexico city spreading Indian colours and culture among people living thousands of miles away from the land of diverse cultures. By Ravinder Singh Robin

ANI