Nirvana

We didn't make it to the state fair this weekend. It just didn't seem like a weekend for hanging out with a crowd of strangers. An update on various fried foods and giant pumpkins will have to wait.

However, just after hitting "Publish Post" on my last entry, Matt returned home with a book on street food. This subject is somewhat of an obsession for me, so I immediately started looking through it. I got stuck on the India section, which led to an impromptu night out for some of THE BEST INDIAN FOOD ON THE PLANET. Or at least in the city.

Mad props to India Palace Restaurant at 4213 Lafayette Rd in Indianapolis. You should throw some biz their way if you are a fan of Indian cuisine, or even if you're just curious to try it. SO GOOD. I of course did not bring my camera to the restaurant, but here's a snap of some artfully arranged left-overs:

Clock-wise, from upper left: Punjabi Bhaji (fried veggie fritters with ginger, garlic, and tomato sauce), Basmati Rice (with peas), Paneer Shahi Korma (cubed cheese, cashews, and peas in an herbed, spiced cream sauce), and Garlic Naan.

The Punjabi Bhaji was deeply flavorful and nicely spicy without being overwhelming, the Paneer Shahi Korma had that great mixture of sweet and spicy that makes Indian food... Indian food, with enough textural interest to keep us gobbling it up, and the Garlic Naan was perfectly cooked, so that it was tender and crisp all at once.

It was so good we were laughing as we ate it. That was the only reaction we could think of.

(Of course, I secretly suspect that there is some sort of secret ingredient in Indian food that forces you to be happy. Because we were sort of gloomy and mopey before we ate, and then afterwards we were not. Only possible explanation.)