Tandoor oven breads

New Cinnamon Restaurant’s “Flirty Dozen” Must-Tries

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Regional Indian fun and dishes come in fun shapes at the new Cinnamon Restaurant

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Shapes and textures play a big part in authentic, regional Indian cuisine. And they are on full display at new Cinnamon Indian restaurant in the Beverly Boulevard-La Brea area. //cinnamonla.com

The young dedicated owners know what customers like. They collectively boast half a century of experience between them as a team at successful “old school” Indian restaurants, where hospitality was key.

The new Cinnamon Restaurant owner-staff,, Imtiaz Rahman, Abu Roshid and Hasan Rafibul (above) chef Mohammad Islam (bottom).

The whimsical shapes start with regional appetizers, whose names are as much fun as the dishes are to eat. Textures and seasonings usually have universal appeal, evolved over centuries to please popular tastes.

Momo is a type of East and South Asian dumpling seasoned with South Asian spices and herbs, filled, then steamed. This gift package also retains our favored flavor and texture of rice noodles.  Native to Tibet and Nepal, Momo is especially popular in Nepal, where they dominate the food landscape from street vendor to shop and restaurant. We love versions of this Asian treat in Chinese bao and Japanese gyoza.

Cinnamon Restaurant‘s Momos, the Indian version of South Asian dumplings

Malai Tofu Samosas at Cinnamon have the classic quirky triangular-shape. Shells of fried pastry are filled with tofu, lending it a sunny yellow color inside, along with silky texture and taste.  The ancient treat is also perfect for the common contemporary vegetarian diet.

Malai Tofu Samosa at Cinnamon Restaurant with their unusual, creamy filling

Hariyali Kabobs own a Persian heritage, first known in northern India. The trick to preparing these succulent Hariyali chicken tikka kebabs is threading the meat on skewers and tandoori cooking. Heat from the coals and the hot skewer make for really tender and juicy pieces of meat. The intriguing green hue is also tasty with stirred up spinach, garlic and ginger paste.

Hariyali chicken tikka kebabs at Cinnamon Restaurant. “Tikka” means pieces.

Eggplant Bhorta (roasted eggplant) sautéed with onions and spices pairs perfectly with the Hariyali kebabs or any other protein.

Cinnamon Restaurant‘s Lamb Tikka marinated with spices and herbs, cooked in a tandoor
Eggplant Bhorta (roasted eggplant), Fish Bhuna (in a thick curry), and Lamb Mango Masala all pair with Pulau Rice (left lower corner)at new Cinnamon Restaurant

Pulao is a rice dish, even has a whimsical name origin, “dragon” because of its shape. This Asian recipe calls for a broth seasoned with bits of meat and an array of spices with a base coriander seeds, cumin, cardamom and cloves.

The favorite Laccha Paratha type of naan bread, layered and pan-fried to look like a flower and taste almost like pastry
Traditional Round Gulab Jamun, made with milk, wheat flour soaked in flavored syrup, and the popular Benalese Ras Malai, a sweet delicacy made with Indian cottage cheese or chenna (paneer) discs at new Cinnamon Restaurant
The spiffy new red, tufted banquette at the new Cinnamon Restaurant

7233 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036, (323) 936-1000 

Mon – Thurs : 11:00 AM – 3:30 PM, 4:30 PM – 10:30 PM

Breaking Bread Indian Style in 2020

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) Indian foods are becoming so popular many of them have gone mainstream this year.  Indian breads are one of the best examples of the reason why because even the most reluctant bread eater will love them. Here are the most popular with their history and the reason why.

One of the most irresistible  is Paratha.   Paratha is so flakey it is like eating dessert so its tempting to eat an entire stack.  During Ramadan, Muslims from the Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh) actually do this at breakfast to pack in the calories for the day of fasting.   The comparison to pastry is proven out in Myanmar (Burma), where a dessert version called ‘palata’  is covered with white sugar to sweeten it.  It appears to be a relative of the puff pastry, the Palmier.

Paratha originated in the Indian subcontinent because of the availability of wheat.  It is still popular in all areas of India (Kerala,Tamil Nadu in the south particularly) and the adjoining Pakistan, once part of India.  The name translates into “layers (part) of cooked dough (parat).”  It is pan fried in ghee or cooking oil.

The variety of filling, paratha breakfasts include using them as a wrap for paneer (Indian cheese), vegetables, usually boiled potatoes, radish or cauliflower.  Pickles and yoghurt are usually served with them.   Parathas can also be rolled into a cylinder and dipped into tea in the afternoon.  They are popular as an evening street food snack in northern India.

A stack of moist, flakey Paratha

Appams, which are even more like pancakes have their own category on the menu.

Pappadums, the light, airy irregularly shaped crackers, for breaking and dipping into  sauces, are usually on the table for nibbling before a meal.  The highly flavored lentil pappards are imported from India and toasted in the tandoor.  The wheat-free rice pappards pair perfectly for the classic Indian chutneys.DSCN7353

Other tandoor-baked breads that can be dipped into sauce or with a dish, include the Tandoori Roti and Chapati and light, Classic Naan, fluffy, puffy and yet chewy, which can also be ordered with Garlic or onion.

Fried to a golden crisp, samosas have gone mainstream in the past few years, with many commercial companies boxing them for the home cook.  They are most often stuffed with potatoes and peas.  Different dipping sauces can make provide a  crispy and tangy taste at the same time.

Samosa in the foreground and papadum with dipping sauces behind it

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