Devi

I'm in the middle of a move, as I empty out my fridge and come up with the most bizarre food combinations that surprisingly work, (Buckwheat pasta with anchovies, artichokes, walnut oil and goat cheese- believe me.. it was AMAZING!) I am getting tired of figuring out what I can make from canned and frozen food products, so I've been eating out a lot.

Just before lent started I decided to try a restaurant that had been on my list for quite some time, Devi. It is an indian restaurant with an almost royal ambiance. As soon as you walk through the doors you enter a reddish toned room with decorative lamps hanging from the high ceilings.

The restaurant looks very refined, not like a regular Indian buffet style restaurant.

The menu looks very intriguing and I had a hard time not trying the chef's tasting menu. If it wasn't Lent the next day, I would have done it.

To start us out they brought us a little amuse bouche. Some vegetable croquettes in a sweet sauce.  It was a great appetite opener.

Then I had a hard time chosing between the samosa trio (I LOVE Samosas!) and the chicken stuffed with lamb. I picked the chicken just because I can't find that at any regular indian restaurant. It was fantastic. If you like lamb you will enjoy this dish. And the tomato chutney that accompanies it is great to the last drop!

I was really going for unfamiliar territory with my main course, I tried the goat curry and the eggplant curry. Both mildly spicy and delicious! Does anyone make better curries than the Indians? I don't think so! I accompanied it with some garlic naan (tastier than the plain kind!) and loved every bite of it! Totally worth a try! The restaurant is very close to Union Square in Manhattan so next time you are craving indian, go for something different and try this delicious restaurant!

Naan is so incredibly easy to make: If you are a bread baking pro, try this one. My mother used to make panninis for me when I was younger using naan, brie cheese and ham. Not indian but very delicious.

Ingredients for indian naan recipe:

4 cups White Flour (Maida)
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Milk
1 tbsp Sugar
1 Egg
4 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Nigella seeds (Kalunji) If you can find them...

How To Make Naan:

• Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl and make a well in the middle.
• Mix the sugar, milk, eggs 2 tbsp of oil in a bowl.
• Pour this into the center of the flour and knead adding water if necessary to form soft dough.
• Add the remaining oil, knead again, then cover with damp cloth and allow the dough to stand for 15 minutes. Knead the dough again and cover and leave for 2-3 hours. Don't rush this process!
• About half an before the naan are required, turn on the oven to maximum heat.
• Divide the dough into 8 balls and allow rest for 3-4 minutes.
• Sprinkle a baking sheet with nigella seeds and put it in the oven to heat while the dough is resting.
• Shape each ball of dough with the palms to make an oval shape.
• Bake the indian bread naan until puffed up and golden brown. Serve hot.