Cumin

With all the great ethnic cuisines represented in Chicago, for me South Asian always seems to be a bit of an afterthought. It’s not that there aren’t a lot of South Asians living in Chicago. It’s not like there aren’t a variety of restaurants to choose from. The problem is that many of the Indian/Pakistani restaurants in Chicago are clustered on Devon Avenue in West Rogers Park. There is no L line that goes there and the drive is a bit of a pain. Consequently, I don’t get to grab a curry as often as I would like.

There were a few years where Indian was hands-down my favorite cuisine. I love that you really use all your senses to experience it. You smell the fragrant aromas of cumin and turmeric, you see the many shades of yellow and orange in a vegetable korma, you hear the sizzle of fresh tandoori meat brought to your table, and you taste the variety of sweet and savory notes. Traditionally, Indian cuisine is eaten with one’s hands which incorporates one's sense of touch, it just feels good to be so connected with what you’re eating. There is so much variety, from northern Indian meat curries and tandoori breads to southern Indian vegetarian fare cooked with coconut milk.  From dosas to biryanis, there is no shortage of tasty options.

I really started to appreciate Indian food while living in London during my junior year. Being the former capital of the British Empire, there are many South Asians living in and around London. Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis make up a sizable percentage of Greater London’s population. Consequently, there is no shortage of high quality South Asian food. Indian food has become such an integral part of British culture that the national dish of Britain is no longer fish and chips, but Tikka Masala.  After spending a year in London and visiting many times since, I was a bit spoiled.  Chicago has a good variety of places to grab a curry, but not quite on the same level as London.  

I recently met with my old friend Bill at Cumin in Bucktown for dinner.   I’ve been meaning to try this place for a while as it has received Bib Gourmand recognition for the past three years. I figured Bill would be a good person to go with as he has developed an appreciation for South Asian fare as a result of his time in London and India.

Papadum w/ Chutneys

Cumin has two separate menus, one Nepalese and one Indian.  Given that I’ve had Indian a million times in the UK, US, and India, I figured I would try a couple Nepalese dishes.  As soon as we sat down, our waiter brought complimentary Papadum out to the table. Papadum is a thin cracker like snack that is basically India’s answer to chips and salsa. They Papadum came with green chutney made with mint and coriander as well as sweet tamarind chutney. The free Papadum was a very nice touch. I frequently see it in London but find it to be much less common Stateside.

Momo Dumplings

Next we ordered a dish of traditional Nepalese dumplings called momo. This was probably the highlight of my meal. These dumplings were an interesting cross between Indian and Chinese cuisines which makes sense given the geography of Nepal. While the insides were filled with curried lamb, the outsides were all Chinese. We also ordered onion pakora. Pakora is a tradition Indian snack which consists of onions dipped in chickpea flour and deep fried. I was never a big fan of this dish. Cumin’s version was particularly boring and utterly flavorless.

Onion Pakora

For my main course, I had a dish called Namche Bazar Ko Sekuwa. This dish consisted of chunks of boneless goat meat marinated in Nepalese spices and cooked in tandoor oven. The goat was very juicy and quite mild. I also ordered a side of tandoori roti which served as a great utensil to pick up the sizzling chunks of tender goat meat. Overall, the meal was pretty good. It definitely got me excited to try more Nepalese food in the near future.

Nepalese Goat w/ Tandoori Roti

Side note: During my meal I ordered a Chakra, an "Indian" beer. Little did I know that Chakra is not actually brewed in India. This beer is made in New Jersey by an Indian company. This infuriates me. When I order an import, I want it to be imported. This beer tasted like Bud Light. I will have to add this to the list of beers that I will never drink which now includes Becks and Fosters. When I order an Indian beer, I demand the flavor that can only come from being brewed with filthy Ganges water.