I am an unapologetic meat lover. It would take a lot for me to make that conscious decision to order vegetables over meat, and it would take even more to mae me actually come for a second or third try. My mom’s lamentations – “You did not touch your vegetables again!” – are proof of my preference for non-veggies.
It didn’t help, too, that my first try at Indian food in a hole-in-the-wall at Little India in Singapore several years ago consisted of bread and about five different sauces that left me a bit traumatized – where is the meat and is this all there is to power me through the day amid the sweltering weather of this Asian city-state?
“Indian food is like an experience. The challenge is to get people to take that first step and try,” said Ranjit Chimni, owner of Mantra Kitchen & Bar.
And an experience he served during that leisurely lunch at Mantra’s latest branch at Ayala Malls Vertis North in Quezon City.
The feast started with pappadum with tamarind sauce and kurkuri bhindi or fried okra, which was a very pleasant surprise for me. The crispy okra strips were so good I took some home for merienda.
Ranjit also prepared papri chaat, a typical Indian street food composed of yogurt taco, potato, chickpeas, tamarind and mint sauce and a bit of red chili powder.
A hearty vegetable platter followed Mantra’s appetizers – there was green pea tikki, grilled broccoli in cheese with a dash of mustard oil, and corn patties with grilled cottage cheese.
“We want to keep our dishes as authentic as possible, so we take no shortcuts when it comes to the aromatics we use. Indian food is spicy but it is not chili hot — it builds up,” Ranjit said.
“It can be comfort food if you give it a try,” he added.
As the typical serving of Mantra’s dishes are typically good for two to three people, Ranjit decided to offer set meals this July at P559 for vegetarian, P659 for non-vegetarian, and P759 for seafood to make their food more accessible, especially for solo diners.
Ranjit also served a meat platter that showcased the rich and aromatic flavors of Indian food, all grilled in Mantra’s tandoor oven – chicken tikka, mahi-mahi, prawns, and mutton kebab.
Next to the crispy okra strips, my absolute favorite was the palak paneer – spinach and cottage cheese – that pairs so well with the cheese and garlic naan.
For dessert, Mantra’s kitchen prepared kulfi, a traditional Indian ice cream with cardamom, carabao milk and cottage cheese, as well as gulab jamun, calcified milk that is deep fried and soaked in sugar syrup.
