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Introduction
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Amaya, recently started by Namita and Camillia Panjabi in London, has won awards and appreciation for its authentic Indian food
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Breaking news. Who would've ever thought that an Indian grill restaurant would zoom to the top of London's restaurant chart, win coveted awards over Michelin starred restaurants and also rewrite the rulebook completely? Amaya, the trendy seven-month-old restaurant (owned by Namita and Camillia Panjabi and Ranjit Mathrani) with its outstanding menu has me cross-eyed with delight. I have never ever eaten a meal like this back home in India. The sigri, tandoor and tawa conjure up brilliantly spiced and unerringly cooked dishes.
Lobster in the shell, king scallops, flash-grilled rock oysters in a delicate coconut sauce, outstandingly crisp salads with Indian seasonings, lamb shanks in masala with a mild chilli kick, outstanding fat chunks of grouper served in fenugreek, fragrant biriyani, lamb curry from Kannauj... and then the outstanding desserts and sorbets. I could go on and on. Kabir Bedi and I lunch non-stop for three hours. They also have a calorie-controlled three-course meal and an express lunch option. Superb vegetarian options — mushroom salad with mixed leaves, mango and pomegranate, spicy and slow-grilled aubergines, spinach cake stuffed with figs... ooh!la!la! We give in to temptation completely and fully.
A perfect setting complements the fine food. The seductively lit restaurant has Agra red sandstone, Kerala rosewood panels and stacked glass. The overall effect is luminous and contemporary chic. No ethnic motifs here, no creamy, heavy curries, and no fusion or far-out weird dishes. Not just a strong grasp over the art and science of Indian cooking, it is brilliantly rendered and presented. Is it any wonder that Amaya recently won two prestigious awards — The Restaurant of the Year and The New Restaurant of the Year (ITV Tio Pepe) within a few months of opening! Just a few days back it was also given the BMW Square Meal Award for Best New Restaurant Spring-2005. As a rule I avoid eating Indian food when I am travelling so that I can sample other cuisines, but this is one restaurant I'll go back to. I bring back for you a recipe from Amaya, Halkin Arcade, Motcomb Street, SW1X 8JT, Tel 0870 780 8174.
Tawa hara machi
Four Pomfret fish fillets (or any other flat fish)
Marinade:
One-and-a-half tbsp pine nuts, 4 cups chopped dhania, half a cup chopped mint, 4 green chillies, 1 tbsp ginger paste, one-and-one-fourth tbsp garlic paste, 1 tsp salt (1 tsp sugar) and two-and-a-half tbsp lemon juice. Make a fine paste adding a little water. Season fish with salt and a little lemon juice then marinade with chutney. Lightly crumb. Place on tawa and check for done-ness.
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RASHMI UDAY SINGH
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