Indian Buffet Deal in Pitt
I absolutely love Aloo Tikki, esp with the Chole. Aloo Tikki reminds me of an Indian-style croquette, full of potatoes, chickpeas, and a kick of various Indian spices! (This is when I wish I were well versed in the Indian spices, so I could better understand the complexity and origin of its flavor.) The Aloo Tikki reminds me of the filling inside a samosa, except in the form of a patty. Very yummy. I went for seconds on this one, hehe!
Veggie Pakora. Usually I’m not super big on the fried stuff, but this was awesome. Not too greasy, oily, just crispy with spinach, onions, and besan dough (type of chickpea flour used in many Indian cooking) Yummy~
Top Left: Mattar Paneer w/ basmati rice, Top Middle: Aloo Gobi, Top Right: Garlic naan, fresh out of the oven, Bottom Left: more Aloo Tikki
GARLIC NAAN!! Need I say more? They are perfect for mopping up delicious Indian curry, the Malai Kofta (orange curry in center).
Aloo Gobi is a type of cauliflower and potato dish, cooked in a garlic-ginger paste.
My first time trying Jalebi and I am hooked. Pretty thin swirls of dough fried and rolled in this sticky sugary goo; I’ve seen these sold on the streets in Jackson Heights, Queens before (pretty much India-town in NYC), but never exactly knew what they were until Pri explained it to me. Traditionally the syrup could be made with rosewater, but this one tasted more citrus-y and refreshing.
Really good jalebi though, ESP IF YOU DIP IT IN THE KHEER!!! Kheer is basically a sweet rice pudding-porridge with a milky base. This is a staple Indian dessert, probably the most well-known to Westerners. I can see why this is the most receptive dessert – the sweet milk is light on tongue, quite reminiscent of rice pudding. But anyways, the marriage of jalebi & kheer is pretty epic!
This was my first time trying Gajar Halwa. Apparently this sweet is made from carrots (yay for Vit A), slow cooked in ghee (milk-based Indian staple). It was quite delicious, but I think ghee might be a little too rich for me. It has a very strong creamy, milky flavor (resembles eating boiled heavy cream) The first few bites were heavenly, but then I couldn’t finish it. Crazy how the veggie taste of the carrots was completely masked though. (Probably a great way for parents to feed picky children!)
