Masala Dosa and Kingfisher Party

A former MBA classmate and fellow food-loving friend hosted a really fun evening with Bollywood, Kingfisher beer and delicious vegetarian Indian food.  The host and a few Indian friends were cranking out dosas in the kitchen like a factory.  Dosa is a crepe or pancake made from rice batter and black lentils, and a staple dish of the South-Indian states. 

My friend picked up a container of dosa batter from the Indian supermarket near him in the Reston, VA area.

Dosas are made by pouring a ladle of dosa batter onto a hot griddle greased with oil or ghee.  The batter is spread out evenly to form a pancake, and cooked on both sides.

Platter of finished dosas.

Masala is spiced potatoes and onions with a mixture of tumeric, mustard seed, yellow split pea and green chili.  The masala is wrapped in the dosa and absolutely delicious.

Our Chinese classmate said it was one of the first meals without meat that he's eaten in ages, and now he's addicted to masala dosa.  It's wonderful to share cultures through food adventures with friends.

Bombay Bistro in Oakton, VA

http://www.bombaybistro.com/ We headed out to Vienna to visit with some friends.  Afterwards, we tried this Indian restaurant out.  It's a pretty decent hike from where we live, but I liked it and the price point was reasonable.   

 Vegetable Samosa with spicy chana and two sauces. ($1.95)

 Chicken Tandoori with salad and rice. ($10.95)  Very flavorful and juicy.

 Saag Ghost. ($12.95) Lamb cooked in mildly spiced spinach.

 Lamb Vindaloo. ($11.95) Lamb cooked in a spicy sauce with potatoes.

Special Vegetarian Thali ($15.95).  Lentils, raita, a puri (puffed bread), mattar paneer (peas and cheese in a tomato curry), palak paneer (spinach and cheese), baingan bharta (roasted eggplant with tomato, onion and spices), and mango with papaya chunks. 

***

The thali was very good, exceptionally filling, and satisfied my urge to try a bit of everything.  Reasonable prices, fairly prompt service, and worth a look if you're out that way on Chain Bridge Road.

Delhi Club in Clarendon

On a cold October night, my friend and I went to warm up with some Indian after work.

 Papodums.  Roasted lentil crackers are so crispy with a black peppercorn heat. ($1)

 Love the sauce duo, spicy green chili and mint and a sweet-spicy tamarind.

 Trying something new, the Samosa Chat ($5) 

Samosa and chickpeas topped with tamarind, green chili, cilantro, onions and tamarind-mint chutney.

 Aloo Gobhi ($9.50)

Cauliflower, potatoes, garlic and ginger

Saag Paneer ($9.50)

Creamy spinach with paneer cheese.

Naan ($1.95) and Onion Kulcha ($2.75)

***

I wish Delhi Club would offer a vegetarian thali, or combination of two or three of their Vegetarian menu items.  A little chana masala, saag paneer and dal or bhuna bhartha would be fantastic for those times I'm craving a little bit of everything.

Delhi Club in Clarendon

Directly across from the Clarendon metro station, this tiny Indian restaurant has been a favorite for years. http://www.delhiclub.com/ I used to love the savory keema naan (filled with ground lamb), and the chicken vindaloo extra spicy. These days I stick with the meatless options. I wish they would offer a thali or assortment of vegetarian dishes like Heritage India does.

Their lunch buffet is fairly popular and a bargain at $9.95.

Chat Papri ($4)

Chickpeas, flour crisps and diced potatoes covered in yogurt and tamarind chutney. Interesting mix of flavors with the tamarind and yogurt, the potatoes were the weak element of the dish.

Samosas filled with potatoes and peas ($4)
Chana Masala ($9.50). Nice level of spice.

Bhuna Bhartha ($9.50). Smoked eggplant with tomatoes, onion, fresh herbs and spices.

Naan ($1.95)