Ok this one is a bit messy. Not because of anything other than the fact that I ordered a large Indian meal for 1, to a hotel room with an incredibly small side table for dining. Nothing wrong with either, only thing wrong might be my perception of how much to order. But upon seeing the menu at Indian Kitchen, I knew I wanted it all, and I knew it would be a delicious disaster. Finally, not seafood, Boston Eats 3.
The thing on the menu that caught my immediate attention was the Samosa Chaat. Office lunches of 2019 saw me having these at least once a week. Ensue ordering spree including Gobhi Manchurian, Chicken Jalfrezi, Garlic Naan, Lentil Soup and Raita plus dessert for good measure.
Samosa chaat consists of a base of chana masala (chickpea curry) and samosa (savory fried pastries). This is topped with tomatoes, onions, plenty of spices, and a tamarind yogurt. There are so many sauces and spices that go into a samosa chaat, it’s hard not to fall in love with this explosion of flavors. I ordered mine medium because I did not want heat to overpower all of the other tastes. It is complex as it combines tart, spicy, tangy, and all synonyms into one dish that has fried potatoes, but also creamy yogurts. Best enjoyed freshly made (and not delivered via bicycle over some time), it was still a messy delight. This is one of those appetizers that could serve as your main course and the restaurant was certainly not stingy on portion:
There are so many incredibly dishes in Indian cuisine. From the more famous Tikka Masala and Vindaloo to the ones combining curry, tomatoes, mangoes or coconut like you have not seen before, they’re all worth exploring so long as you have a palate that enjoys them. The Chicken Jalfrezi was new to me- all white chicken gently tempered with fresh tomatoes, peppers, onion, broccoli, mushroom and other herbs and of course a side of rice. Jalfrezi translates to “hot fry,” as in it is a spicy curry and you fry up your chicken and vegetables. The chicken is marinated in a wonderful blend of herbs like cumin, coriander, and turmeric. All very common in Indian cooking but not so much elsewhere, even more spices and herbs are added into the dish when making the vegetables and combining it all together. Typically served with rice, I ordered the Naan bread as a replacement to soak up all of that delicious sauce! Unfortunately, no close up, you’ll have to trust me on the goodness of this one (and maybe zoom in on one of the plastic containers).
Not to leave out the Lentil Soup, Gobhi Manchurian, and Raita, as they are the additions, I know make me gluttonous, but I cannot help order. Delicious soup made with lentils, fresh vegetable, herb and mild spices. Mina has a recipe for lentil soup that I hope she adds one day because it is quick, easy, and super healthy. But in the meantime, ordering from Indian restaurants is an excellent substitute as lentils are a common ingredient used, so they really know what they are doing! Raita is a simpler homemade yogurt with grated cucumber and mint. Similar to tzatziki, and perfect for dipping the garlic-filled naan into or pouring over the excess of rice that comes. Don’t judge by any of the photos in this post, I’ve already claimed it’s not pretty:
Gobhi Manchurian is, simply put, sweet and sour fried cauliflower. Listed on the menu as “Cauliflower cooked with onions, spices and sweet & sour sauce,” I was hoping for something a bit fresher, and less fried, but nonetheless, it continued the sweet and sour taste that was the theme of the meal. Manchurian is a class of Indian Chinese dishes made by roughly chopping and deep-frying ingredients, so I certainly should have set different expectations. It is typically made using onion, bell peppers, soy sauce, chili sauce, minced garlic, ground pepper, or seasonings that provide those sweet notes. Even though it is offered as an appetizer, it is easily a food that can be placed on a bed of rice or noodles for a full vegetarian meal. The vegetables still provide nutrients (let’s ignore the flour and oil they’re pan fried in) and are so flavorful, and crunchy in texture, you won’t notice there is no meat. This really was an unnecessary add on, but I am so glad I did because this is a dish I will be trying to replicate at home (plenty of 5-star recipes online)!
Lastly, I snuck in a piece of the chocolate cake too- the Chocolate Midnight Delight- and exactly that it was. If the idea of a chocolate cake is the thing that made you salivate throughout this post, I would be remiss not to reference this gluten-free “Reforma” cake by Mina. It can’t be beat!
