Manjit Chicken Corner Dhaba

Manjit Chicken Corner Dhaba is located in Manu Market, up here in Manali. The pincode is 175131. We are in the Kullu district where it stays pretty cold for most of the year. Our place is not a big restaurant with menus and waiters in suits. It is a dhaba. We focus on the chicken and the fire. We spend most of our day in the kitchen area getting the spices ready and cleaning the meat. The market gets very busy with tourists and locals, especially in the evenings when everyone is looking for something hot to eat. We have a few benches and tables. They are a bit worn out, but they do the job. Sometimes when it snows, we have to clear the front area so people can get inside. It gets smoky in here because of the cooking, but that is how a real dhaba is. We do not have fancy decorations on the walls. It is just some old paint and maybe a religious picture or a calendar. My hands are usually stained with turmeric or coal. We do not use any machines to mix the masalas, we do it the old way. It is hard work and the hours are long, especially during the peak season in Manali. When the day is done, we just wash the big pots and shut the heavy metal shutter. It is a simple way to earn a living in the mountains.