Jun 14, 2017


Central Frontenac has always been a great place to live, but those with a taste for international flavours in their food have always had to travel just to procure ingredients, and there are no ethnic restaurants to speak of.

While an Indian Takeaway is still not in the cards, the next best thing has arrived. Amrit Kaillon grew up in Sharbot Lake, went to the University of Toronto and has since lived in far flung corners of the world working as a human rights lawyer and entrepreneur. She returned to Sharbot Lake last year to prepare for the birth of her daughter Arya.  Her husband Sundeep Takhar, who works in investment banking, joined her here before Arya was born and they have been living with her parents, Jass and Suki Kaillon (of Sharbot Lake Home Hardware)

This time spent with their young daughter has been precious to them, and it has also afforded Amrit the opportunity to fulfill one of her dreams, to open an Indian Food business in her home town. She has been encouraged by her friends at Fieldhouse in Perth to start up a business, and five weeks ago, with the opening of the Perth Farmer’s Market for the season, Amrit’s Rasoi (Rasoi refers to Kitchen) started up in the market. A number of snack foods and starters, such as Samosas, are available at the market, and Amrit Rasoi’s main product is prepared full meals, for one or two people to take home and heat up for their dinner. From the start she has asked people to go to her website amritsrasoi.ca to order from the weekly menu. Full dinners (Thali) include a meat and a vegetable dish, rice and an appetizer and dessert. Dinners are $15 for one and $30 for two. There is also a vegetarian meal available. Samosas and desserts can also be ordered online.

More and more Perthites have been ordering online for pickup at the market.

And now Frontenac County residents have the same opportunity. The pickup location in Sharbot Lake is at Seed to Sausage on Friday afternoons from 3-6 or on Saturday from 11-6, and there will be some meals and sides available for those who have not ordered in advance. In the future, Amrit may start preparing frozen meals that will be available whenever the store is open (7 days a week this summer, from 11-6 each day)

For now, however, the best option is to order online for a guaranteed delivery.

This week, for example, the menu is Chicken Tikka Masala. Shahi Paneer, served with rice and samosas. The dessert is Rasmali - Ricotta style dumpling soaked in a cardamom infused milk sauce garnished with pistachios.

Amrit is putting a lot of energy into her business and said she has been helped out immensely by her husband, parents and sister to turn this dream into a reality. It is a dream that has its roots in Amrit’s childhood, when she would watch her grandmother prepare food in the kitchen.

"As a child my Punjabi was limited and the way I connected and communicated with my grandmother, Pritam Guron, was through preparing and cooking food." she said, in an interview last weekend in Sharbot Lake.

She does not have a long range plan for the business because she does not know where life will take her, Sundeep and Arya in the future, but that does not deter her.

"The timing to start Amrit's Rasoi felt right. If I never tried now then I would always wonder whether I should have. I would much rather look back at my life and say I can't believe I did that! Instead of I wish I did that." she said.

It is that attitude that has led her to do a number of things in her life, including writing a book, starting a marketing company and a baking company. She has also found time to pursue her passion for humanitarian and philanthropic causes, organizing charity events as well offering her time to provide legal advice and represent people suffering from human rights abuses.

So far the food businesses has been a lot of work but has been rewarding with success and increases in orders each week. The cuisine is based on recipes from the Punjab region of India, a wealthy agricultural region known for rich, flavourful food that is not as hot as the cuisine from the south of the country. Amrit started off with more well known dishes for the Perth Market, such as butter chicken, which remains her most popular item, but in the short time the business has been running she has been able to expand the cuisine to include a broader range of offerings.

“People are happy to try new things,” she saId, “and it keeps me busy preparing different dishes each week.”

In addition to selling the items listed on her site through Seed to Sausage, Amrit’s Rasoi will be at Canada Day in Sharbot Lake with Samosas and Mango Lhassi.

(PS – the food has been tested in our Frontenac News test dining room and we can attest to the flavour and freshness. We had Goat Curry, Khadhi Pakora, Jeera Rice, Samosas and Besan Barfi for dessert – all highly reccommended)

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