Little India Healthy Cuisine: Vegetarian becomes Vege-tastic!

I learned a few new things today about Indian food from Little India Healthy Cuisine. We already know that the food Indians put in their body is deeply rooted in their culture and spiritual beliefs but did you know that originally, Indian food was primarily vegetarian? The chicken and fish just came later on.

Why? Because they believe in maintaining clarity of mind and having complete control of their senses and urges. Meats, garlics, onions, (to name a few) are stimulants and promote aggression but the Sattvik diet (vegetarianism minus garlic and onions) promotes a more passive state of mind.

So aside from the obvious physically benefits, a vegetarian diet also keeps you healthy mentally and emotionally.

Little India Healthy Cuisine is a purely vegetarian restaurant (VEGETARIANS REJOICE!). But I'm not trying to make you convert into vegetarianism. (I'm not even vegetarian.) Because vegetarian or not, once you taste the delicious exotic food of Little India, you'll forget there was a difference!

The newest Indian place in the city!

Cozy, no-frills interior. But this is still the soft opening.

Little India just opened last Aug. 8 but their menu is tried and tested. Because Little India is actually Ashoka, a local favorite in UP Los Banos. Ashoka's been open for 2 years now, and since then it's been #1 in the area. Mr. Raj, Little India's owner and cook, is looking to make to same kind of splash in Manila! And even now, Ashoka loyalists have already been dropping by for their favorites!

We first ordered their starter mix platter (P150). It consists of their Samosa, Aloo Chop and Pakoda. It's a must buy if it's your first time there. I especially loved the Pakoda! There's vegetable, cheese (paneer), spinach (palak) and (my favorite) mushroom pakoda!

And make sure to put some of their signature tamarind sauce! The sweet and tangy taste of the sauce  is perfect for the salty fried fritters. You definitely can't have one without the other!

Gravy-heavy!

For our main course, we tried the Aloo Kofta Curry (P165). It's really soft deep fried potato balls in some milky, creamy, curry sauce. I think this would've been amazing with rice! You could partner the rice with the curry sauce alone! But for the sake of trying new things, we partnered it with bread, which was its own kind of treat.

Buttered Naan VS. Roti

We got one Buttered Tawa Naan (P35) and Roti (also known as Chapati, P15). Naan is made from local wheat flour and has a chewy rubbery texture. While Roti is made from real wheat flour, imported from India giving it a more crispy feel (and is also healthier from its fiber content). They're both good, but I personally prefer the buttered Naan even though it's slightly less healthy.

Our drinks were Mango and Strawberry Lassi. This is their version of yogurt shakes and they were refreshing! After dinner we were offered a cup of Indian Masala tea (P75), the traditional drink offered to visitors. You can taste the indian spices while you drink, but be warned, it's a little bitter, which is why it's usually offered with sugar.

And finally, for dessert, Mr. Raj offered us some Soan Papadi. It will totally confuse your senses! I don't even know how to describe it! It looks like ice cream, but it isn't? It feels flaky/fiber-y and tastes really sweet and faintly milky. It's not cold, it's actually stored in room temperature and can go ONE YEAR in storage! It's made from gramflour which is made from chickpea, meaning even the desserts are healthy! You have to try it! It's one of the weirdest but yummiest desserts I've ever tasted.

Before we left, Mr. Raj gave us a small bowl of Mukhwas. It's nuts! Literally! It's a combination of nuts and seeds traditionally offered to diners to clean their palette, freshen the breath, and help with digestion. It's mints ver. 2.0!

My sister and I with owners Mr. Raj and Mrs. Monna. Thank you for the great meal!

The term "vegetarian" usually has negative connotations - that it's boring and tasteless. But Little India Healthy Cuisine has proven the stereotype totally wrong. With authentic Indian food that's both healthy AND tasty (and freshly cooked, btw) "vegetarian" has never tasted so vege-tastic!

Little India is open from 11am - 10pm from Tuesdays to Sundays.
They're located at 24-F Malingap St. Teachers Village, Quezon City
For more info on them, you can check out their Facebook page.