Suvir Saran

Prasad, I wish Hemant or I or both of us could take credit for the name Amma. It is the combined creation of Anju Sharma, her husband and their consultant when they first began Amma over a year ago. It is a cool name. Whilst the food is not what most mothers I know will cook at home, for it certainly does not look like home food, it has its roots in kitchens of moms and grandmas. We also hope, that with time, as we grease the wheels, we can send people home after a meal thinking of a meal that did bring back memories as precious as those one thinks of when associated with memorable meals at home with ones parents. We were cooking for Ms. Greene and yes we did catch a few glimpses of her group eating the meal. Her reactions are not fully known to me.. like you, I have to rely on what she wrote and sum up her experience through assumption. There was a lot of food served. Most all of the menu... and in a limited space, she cleverly tried to give an overview of what Amma seemed to her. I wish I could think as her and share with you what she felt, but alas, I am a mere mortal and I can only share my part of the experience, and that was one of joy, nervousness and confidence. Equal measures of all three. I would feel the same way about serving anyone else with similar credibility and association. And then to that you add the experience with India that she carries, and the task of cooking what could excite this person becomes even more of a challenge. But challenges are exciting and wonderful. Especially when they come with the knowledge that you will present the outcome to one that understands what you are delivering in all its many nuances. This first menu is actually a tricky one.. we have been generic in it and the next one will be more seriously seasonal. What season to dine at Amma? That is your calling, and our to deliver on. I am not sure either one of us has even begun thinking of the next menu just yet. We have some necessary tasks to deal with at the moment. Planning the next menu, is not on top of that list just yet. We shall keep you all posted. Our shared vision can certainly be of three or even more. We never stop sharing and learning.. since we enjoy to live, it is part of the same parcel. Since the menu is new to us as well, there are no immediate favorites and winners just yet. We can share those in time and also recipes. Looking forward to cooking for your party of diners whenever you surprise us with your presence. Thanks for your curiosity and your encouraging words Prasad.

Quite sucessfully and happily I presume. We do alot of the prep work in advance... everything but the tandoor stuff happens in a jiffy. I shall spend time in the dining room to ensure we can translate the subtleties of the food for those interested... and otherwise, the kitchen will be our place of comfort and creation. Maybe we will see you at Amma sometime soon.... let me know... maybe I can prepare some special stuff just for you and yours. Thanks for your wishes Robert.

Thansk again BBhasin! Click HERE, and you can get the menu highlights. I think I thanked you on that thread as well.

Thanks Matthew in Minnesota! Do let us know of your NYC visit. It would be pleasure to see you and cook for you.

Thanks!

I have recently been asked the following: "From your posts on the thread regarding the woman who was thrown out of the vegetarian restaurant, I gather you are vegetarian as part of your beliefs. In that case, how do you feel handling meat and fish products? Or is your partner responsible for those dishes?" I think it makes for an excellent question. To be honest, cooking meats is a passion for me. If I had my way, everytime I entertain, and that is very very very often, I would happily cook mostly meats and fish and poultry. The challenge posed by the idea of cooking what I will not taste, is one I enjoy and relish. I never taste foods I prepare, vegetarian or non-vegetarian. It is one of the few really Indian traditions I have maintained. In the kitchen of the home I grew up in, my grandmas, tasting foods whilst they cooked, or before they were served to the Gods as an offering and then within seconds served to the family was not something encouraged. Perfectly prepared meals had to be served without tasting. Whilst Hemant has great expertise with meat, and thousands of more hours preparing meats, fish and poultry to perfection, I do not shy from doing so either. Handling meat for me is no big deal. My being vegetarian only ensures that vegetarians dining in my non-vegetarian restaurant (with veggie options) can find food that will not compromise their religious or secular vegetarian beliefs or needs. I take vegetarianism seriously, and Hemant and I both ensure our vegetarian food is vegetarian. And we both enjoy cooking both types of dishes and each of them has their own unique and interesting challenges for us. So, whilst I do not taste my own meat, fish or poutltry preparations, I handle them with no cares. In fact I enjoy every opportunity I can get to cook with them.

Many thanks Episure! The food uses oil. And some recipes more than others. It is not laced in oil for sure. Crispy Fried Spinach are my take on what was first served to me at the fabulous getaway home of a friend of mine in Bombay, Czaee Shah. The spinach is crispy and light and we use whole leaves. We shall be happy to share the recipe, if you want it, email me. The mung bean salad is prepared as it would be in certain homes of Rajasthan. I have remembered the chaat from a meal I enjoyed with Lekha Poddar. The tastes were so simple, but the dish so healthy and yet so very addictive and amazing. Again, something simple and Indian, has become a dish many at the restaurant are eating and enjoying as a special preparation of the house. Trio of Southern Rices - We sold an order of this today... and it was much appreciated. Both for the array of colors it brings in one platter, and also the diversity and intricate subtleties of tastes one can enjoy in something as basic as rice. Hemant and I first made the Crab Kulchas for Diwan. They are made from lump crab meat and are simple and heavenly. The vegetarian in me, will break from my usual vegetarian instincts and enjoy many a bite of these. We stuff the lamb fillets (pasandas) with a fennel scented apricot chutney. It has a deep slowly revealing flavor profile and the lemon rice makes for a quick and simple tang and spicyness with every bite. A nice pairing for each bite has both an immediate taste and one that comes a few moments later. Amma's Mixed Green Salad was developed after a certain friend, to whom I owe many thanks, lectured me about the importance of greens in ones diet daily. As a vegetarian that does not like too many western style salads, I find this one addictive and have found customers Indian and non, that have been served this, come back for more. If you eat it, you shall see it becomes something quite familiar after the first bite. Somewhere between a Jhaal Muri (Calcutta style Bhel Puri), Phal Kee Chaat (savory fruit salad) and Bhel Puri (Bombay street food made with rice puffs, onions, potatoes and a mix of chutneys). The Kulfi I would make like this at home for the longest of time. I shared this recipe in the tasting menu at Diwan. Both Hemant and I enjoyed the pairing of our rich creamy Kulfi with the bittersweet tang of the citrus soup. The soup is a citrus juice reduction, infused with spices. If you plan a trip to NYC, do give us a chance to share some of our foods with you. Thanks for your encouraging post.

Not sure.. I have not eaten the one at the Clay Pit in Austin. Not sure what it tastes like. Ours is prepared especially for us by Surbhi Sahni, the ex-pastry chef from Tamarind.

Thanks Jinmyo!

Our vegetarian tasting menu has become quite the hit. Those that had it whilst we were doing mock servings of it, have brought friends back to try it again. The tasting menus in fact have been quite popular. The portions are not too big, and reduce the daunting nature of a seven course tasting. Are you vegetarian? If you do want to eat a vegetarian meal, if you give us some advance notice, I would be happy to cook some hard to find vegetables for you. In a small kitchen, these are some of the things we can do and enjoy working on. Thanks for your wishes.

Tommy, I shall share that information with you soon enough. Maybe you can come visit ut... and if you give me ample notice, I may make you some special dishes, only for your table. I am sure Diwan and we can exist together. Certainly our little restaurant does not give too much to other Indian restaurants to worry about. It is small, and hence a place where Hemant and I can touch each dish with our hands.

Thanks! The Idli Upama became a hit even as we were doing random sales of the tasting menu. People that ate it as an amuse, ordered it as an appetiser... some ordered another portion. It is something so easy and yet tasty and addictive.

Balraj, My silence may not have been entirely because of the restaurant. In fact, the restaurant has kept me going. Thanks for your good wishes. If you visit NYC, do come share a meal with us.

Thanks Maggie!

Thanks Richard! The menus are posted above.

Thanks Prasad for your quick posting of this announcement by Gael Greene. Hemant and I as well as our restaurant Amma, are so very fortunate to have been able to share our food with Gael and her friends. Ms. Greene unlike many outside of India, is no foreigner to the many intricacies that form Indian cuisine. She knows more about Indian culture and food than many who have lived in India for a lifetime. As a curious and fortunate traveler, she has had exposure to India unlike what many Indians could ever imagine. She has done what tourists can enjoy, she has seen what only tourists with an endless budget can enjoy and her acquaintances have given her the added advantage of discovering an India that is home to its very foremost tastemakers and cultural elite. All of this and her own curiosity to always discover what the villagers are enjoying and celebrating, has given her a study of India not easily possible for the most of us even after a lifetime of living and being Indian. It is this no easy task to cook for such a person, and more importantly, to share something that would be both near close to perfect and also somewhat novel. Hence the menu you see, it was planned to be authentic, fresh, seasonal, regional, of the times and with traces of fusion. My own travels across India and those across other nations and cultures, has always left me searching my own heritage for stuff that can be easily translated for my times and yet evoke the aura and meaning these dishes had in times past. Hemant and I are able to share a partnership that has been tested by time. I met him soon after he first came to the US. We became friends and what many would call "mutual admiration society" types very quickly. It took only a few meals, prepared by both of us in our own kitchens and then together, for us to realize we had a shared vision and similar thirst for an India both old and modern, living and breathing and pulsing in harmony. We have spent the better part of the last half a dozen years exploring our own ideas and those we each picked up in our travels, from tastings with other chefs, at their restaurants, and in their homes. Our food today, is a culmination of a yearning to share something we each have created in equal measure and with respect for each other and for our own heritages and our shared vision. Does the menu have glimpses from my upcoming book? Certainly, many actually and will keep coming out. The menu shall change four times a year and each menu will have recipes from the book. The menu is regional, modern, authentic and has elements of fusion, even if only of authentic but surprising partnerships of tastes and textures. Eggplant pickle, pear chutney, laukee ke kofte (zucchini dumplings in a runny tomato sauce), kararee bhindi (Crispy okra salad) and crispy okra raita are just some of the many dishes borrowed from home recipes. Ammas menu may not differ much from the rapidly changing and growing Indian restaurants across the US. It does change in that it is our own version of both new and old dishes. And with some we have had to translate them for a restaurant kitchen, and some restaurant classics have been changed to become what a loving mother would prepare when emulating a restaurant dish. We really did not spend much time trying to make our menu different, we only tried to make a menu of dishes we really each love to eat. My obsession for food comes from the obsessions of many generations in my family. Early in the morning, they begin speaking of lunch, before lunch about dinner, and around dinner time about breakfast. Weekend foods are planned days in advance... Grandmas (both of them), their siblings (all of them and their spouses), their kids and my own parents have each left a lasting culinary impression. My parents traveled a lot both within and outside India, and we kids were always a part of the travel. Food was one if not the most important part of any holiday. And yes it is a great gift to have been born into a family that enjoyed food, and was fortunate to have it in ample supply.. and I wish each day, that someday, I can make enough money to share a lot of it with every child that is starving... Food is essential. And I was lucky to have it both for nourishment and as a thought provoking feast. I know I was in a much better place than millions far less fortunate. I never forget that, and this knowledge, always leaves me thanking life and all that it brought into mine. There will be a website, and I shall give you all a link. Sorry that I cannot give you that tonight. I have posted above menus for you. I am no Steven Shaw, SuzanneF, Jaymes, Aurora, Maggiethecat or Steve Klc, words are not what make me able, my apologies if I have represented myself and more importantly Hemant in verbal inadequacy. If you give us a chance at Amma, I shall ensure you enjoy food as we do. And perhaps, you will enjoy what we enjoy. And that will make us really happy.

A friend called and asked if I could post a menu. Shall add more later. Thanks all for your encouraging words.

7 Course Vegetarian Tasting Menu Bombay Bhel Puri rice puffs, cilantro, red onions, mint and tamarind chutneys, potatoes ____________ Crispy Fried Spinach mung beans, potatoes, onions, tamarind and mint chutneys ____________ Pea Stuffed Samosa & Stuffed Mushroom ginger-cilantro peas in pastry, cheese-chile stuffed mushrooms ____________ Idly Upma rice and bean dumplings, curry leaves and mustard seeds ____________ Manchurian Cauliflower garlic marinated cauliflower, Indo-Chinese style Crispy Okra red onions, tomatoes, chaat masala Laukee Ke Kofte zucchini dumplings, aromatic tomato gravy ____________ Jackfruit (kathal) Biryaani cauliflower,potatoes, whole spices Bhindi Ka Raita crispy okra and yogurt salad ____________ Mango Cheesecake or Kulfi (Indian ice cream) with Citrus Soup ____________ Fifty Dollars Eighty-Five Dollars with Wine Pairing Chefs Hemant Mathur and Suvir Saran

7 Course Tasting Menu Bombay Bhel Puri rice puffs, cilantro, red onions, mint and tamarind chutneys, potatoes ____________ Crispy Fried Spinach mung beans, potatoes, onions, tamarind and mint chutneys ____________ Pea Stuffed Samosa & Stuffed Mushroom Ginger-cilantro peas in pastry, cheese-chile stuffed mushrooms ____________ Tandoori Shrimp Sri Lankan jumbo shrimp, hung yogurt marinade, crispy okra Tandoori Stuffed Chicken chicken breasts, spicy chicken stuffing ____________ Manchurian Cauliflower garlic marinated cauliflower, Indo-Chinese style Malabar Salmon spicy tomato chutney, Southern Indian potatoes or Parsi Halibut “Paatra Ni Machi” mint coconut chutney, lemon rice ____________ Tandoor Grilled Lamb Chops sweet & sour pear chutney, curry leaf potatoes, jackfruit biryaani ____________ Mango Cheesecake or Kulfi (Indian ice cream) with Citrus Soup ____________ Fifty Dollars Eighty-Five Dollars with Wine Pairing Chefs Hemant Mathur and Suvir Saran

First Courses and Sides Appetizers Bombay Bhel Puri - 6 Spinach Chaat (sprouted mung bean salad) - 6 Goan Shrimp (hot tangy tomato sauce) - 10 Stuffed Chicken Breasts (spicy chicken filling) - 10 Achaari Chicken (tandoor-grilled, pickling spices) - 8 Idly Upma (rice and bean cakes, curry leaves and mustard seeds) - 7 Trio of Samosas (peas, chicken and potatoes) - 9 Trio of Stuffed Vegetables (mushrooms, potatoes, sweet peppers) - 9 Rice Trio of Southern rices (mint, lemon and tomato) - 8 Jackfruit (kathal) Biryaani (cauliflower, potatoes, whole spices) - 16 Chicken Biryaani (pickling spices) / Lamb Biryaani (oranges and garam masala) - 17 Bread Naan (plain or garlic) / Roti - 4 Crab Kulcha - 10 Onion Kulcha / Spinach, Peas and Fenugreek Paratha / Potato Paratha - 6 Sides Daal Makhani (creamy black beans) - 9 Bhindi Ka Raita (crispy okra and yogurt salad) - 5 Basmati Rice (spiced with whole garam masala) - 4 Cumin Scented Potatoes - 6 Amma’s Mixed Green Salad (toasted cumin and balsamic vinaigrette, naan croutons) - 7 Main Courses Vegetarian Paneer Kundan Kaaliya (Indian cheese patties, aromatic tomato sauce) - 14 Saag (spinach with paneer or chickpeas) - 12 Bagharey Baingan (stuffed baby eggplant, spicy peanut-curry leaf sauce) - 12 Kararee Bhindi (crispy tangy okra, tomatoes and red onions) - 12 Laukee Ke Kofte (zucchini dumplings, aromatic tomato gravy) - 14 Manchurian Cauliflower (garlic marinated cauliflower, Indo-Chinese style) - 14 Dum Aloo (braised baby potatoes, onion-tomato sauce) - 14 Seafood Parsi Halibut “Paatra Ni Machi” (mint coconut chutney, lemon rice)- 23 Malabar Salmon (spicy tomato chutney, Southern Indian potatoes) - 25 Whole Tandoor Grilled Pomfret (pompano, eggplant pickle) - 26 Tandoori Prawns (jumbo Sri Lankan shrimp, mint rice) - 26 Chicken Farm Raised Madras Chicken (Malabar pepper sauce)- 20 Butter Chicken (chicken tikka masala) - 18 Tandoor Grilled, Farm Raised Basil Chicken (tomato chutney, lemon rice) - 22 Tandoor Stuffed Chicken Legs (zarda pilaf, eggplant pickle) - 21 Lamb Tandoor Grilled Lamb Chops (sweet & sour pear chutney, curry leaf potatoes) - 28 Apricot Stuffed Lamb Fillets (fennel- apricot stuffing, aromatic sauce, lemon rice) - 24 Paalak Kaa Keema (minced lamb, spinach and mint)- 19 Gilafi Seekh Kabab (tandoor grilled lamb sausages, cased in sweet peppers)- 20 Chefs Hemant Mathur and Suvir Saran

My sister did that with some old oversized Indian copper and brass cookware. Looks amazing actually.

I am sure you have plenty of stuff in your kitchen. Something tells me you must have an amazing array of cookware and in many different varieties. I have used the jam pot and enjoyed it immensely. It is huge...and was so wonderful to prepare jam in.. and I have been wondering about how I can store it so as to also use it as a decorative piece. All my cookware is out in the kitchen as art already.... majority is hanging on pot racks.. and a lot on top of the cabinets.... and some on walls... but this one piece is really amazing to look at. What else does one use a jam pot for??? Would 40lbs. of Bar Keeper's Friend not be very difficult to store? How long would it last? I have the Falk Culinair pieces and a much larger collection of the Cop R Chef from All Clad, and a couple of Mauviel pieces. But I wonder if 40lbs is still an overkill. What say you?

Thanks Caroline and Skchai! Amazing posts from both of you... how much one learns on eGullet. Thanks!

I grew up in Delhi and so Ghaziabad is nothing if not familiar. Thanks for this amazing post. And as BBhasin requests, I too must respectfully add to the request for some recipes. How lucky we all will be. I had a friend in Bombay that was Konkani.... and the dishes he made were most amazing and yes I loved the addition of the extra garlic. I came from a home where garlic was sparingly,if at all used and so this was a wonderful exciting change for my palate. Selfishly, it is my hope that you would share recipes and more posts with us. Thanks for finding eGullet.

I recieved my order from Falk Culinair. It is most impressive and the brushed copper finish will be fantastic I feel. Will certainly need much less care to maintain than the polished copper. Thanks slkinsey for your encouraging words on this company and their product. I now have their 8" frying pan, the 11" saute pan, 3 Qt Sauciere, 19 Qt Jam Pan (most amazing to look at and to work with), oval au gratin, 3.4 Qt saucepan, 8.5 Qt casserole and the 2 Qt chefs pan. I also have the butter warmer and the contraption that it goes with. I could not resist the temptation of getting it. It just looked so pretty. It actually is just as attractive and special in reality. I shall use it this winter. Maybe even with some dals... I can prepare a Tadka (seasoned ghee) for the dal on the table. Would be great fun and so very practical.