{"id":230531,"date":"2018-09-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-09-14T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/recipes-from-an-enchanted-land\/"},"modified":"2018-09-14T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2018-09-14T07:00:00","slug":"recipes-from-an-enchanted-land","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/recipes-from-an-enchanted-land\/","title":{"rendered":"Recipes from an enchanted land"},"content":{"rendered":"

By\u00a0Frank Sabatini Jr. | Restaurant Review<\/p>\n

This wasn\u2019t the first time I ate Himalayan food. But it was probably the best.<\/p>\n

As with other restaurants around San Diego operated by Nepalese transplants, the cuisine at Himalayan Curry & Grill is similar to that of neighboring northern India, yet it has its own distinct markers.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur food is lighter and healthier,\u201d said owner Khem Kharel, a native of Nepal. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t have all the butter and cream of Indian food.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though Nepal is a mosaic of different cultures scattered amid some of the highest mountain peaks and most fertile valleys in the world, the cuisine generally shows off a greater concentration of spices compared to Indian dishes. Such is the case here, found unexpectedly in a strip plaza fronted by Black Angus at the east end of Friars Road.<\/p>\n

Those spices typically include cardamom, ginger, cloves, black pepper, paprika and turmeric, which in Nepal, is used also as a first-aid rub for cuts and bruises.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s good for you on the inside too,\u201d said manager Puru Pudasaini as he cited five different types of lentils that go into the restaurant\u2019s turmeric-rich daal soup. I ordered a bowl and was awed by its earthy, floral undertones.<\/p>\n

The stage was set for a flurry of other exotic flavors in a peaceful red-linen dining room defined by checkered ceiling panels of various colors, floral-print carpeting, and lanterns beckoning to the many spiritual celebrations in Nepal\u2019s capital of Kathmandu.<\/p>\n

Chicken chhoila is a common party food in Nepal that\u2019s spicy. The recipe, however, typically calls for goat or buffalo. Here, it\u2019s an appetizer served in a teardrop-shaped bowl brimming with cubed chicken breast, stewed tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and copious spices including powdered chilies. The overall flavor is divinely intense. As for those semi-bitter crunchy bits you\u2019ll encounter along the way, they\u2019re fenugreek seeds.<\/p>\n

\"Recipes<\/a>
An appetizer of chicken chhoila (Foto por Frank Sabatini Jr.)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The vegetable pakora I tried were similar to Indian versions, but less greasy and offering hints of fennel seed and chaat masala, a spice blend containing mango powder. They\u2019re served with excellent mint chutney and tamarind sauce.<\/p>\n

\"Recipes<\/a>
Vegetable pakora with tamarind and mint chutneys\u00a0(Foto por Frank Sabatini Jr.)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Butter chicken is an irresistible Indian dish served here in a brilliant red sauce laced with butter and cream. It\u2019s one of the better recipes I\u2019ve encountered because of the addition of what I suspect are large measures of paprika, garlic and cinnamon in the sauce. Whatever goes into it, the boneless, skinless thigh meat picks up a memorable depth of flavor.<\/p>\n

\"Recipes<\/a>
Butter chicken in a striking red sauce (Foto por Frank Sabatini Jr.)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From the category of Himalayan specialties, vegetable momo are like a hybrid of Chinese and Eastern European dumplings. Their pierogi-like casings contain minced cabbage, spinach, cashew nuts, onions and cilantro. Served eight to an order with a thick, yellow dipping sauce containing turmeric and \u201cup to 20 other spices,\u201d according to Pudasaini, it\u2019s a main course that might be better shared as an appetizer among three or four people.<\/p>\n

\"Recipes<\/a>
Himalayan \u201cmomo\u201d dumplings filled with vegetables\u00a0(Foto por Frank Sabatini Jr.)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The menu is kind to vegetarians. There are more than 20 meat-free options such as mushroom tikka masala, paneer cheese tandoori, and tempting vegetable medleys cooked in flavorful Himalayan sauces.<\/p>\n

\"Recipes<\/a>Lamb lovers are in luck too with options showcasing the meat in different herbs and sauces. You\u2019ll also find a handful of shrimp and fish dishes as well as bone-in goat steeped in curry.<\/p>\n

All meals come with a choice of fluffy basmati rice or house-made naan bread (the garlic version pairs supremely to the butter chicken).<\/p>\n

Kharel also operates Himalayan Cuisine at 7918 El Cajon Blvd<\/em>., in La Mesa. The menus at both locations are the same.<\/p>\n

\u2014Frank Sabatini Jr. is the author of \u201cSecret San Diego\u201d (ECW Press), and began his local writing career more than two decades ago as a staffer for the former San Diego Tribune. Reach him at fsabatini@san.rr.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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