I joked with our friend Kris Lincoln about the irony of introducing an Indian to Indian cuisine. I’m going to pin that paradox on Christopher Columbus. Legend has it that Columbus used the term “Indian” to refer to the original inhabitants of the American continent. It’s widely believed (though more romanticized than accurate) that he used the term “Indian” because he was convinced he had landed in “The Indies” (Asia) where he hoped to discover a new source of wealth, Whether attributable to confusion or an education system that often perpetuates mistaken beliefs, the label “Indian” has stuck.
That misnomer is widely used across the fruited plain–even by many indigenous peoples of the western hemisphere. In the 1960s, the term “Native American” was coined to replace “Indian” with a “more appropriate name.” This new term is also fraught with inaccuracy, not to mention political incorrectness. As we know, “America” is derived from Amerigo Vespucci, a 16th century Italian navigator who was once said to be the “discoverer” of the continent. How can the name of people who were already here be named for him?
Kris is a proud Dine‘, literally meaning “The People.” Dine’ is what Navajos call themselves. It is, in fact, more appropriate than Navajo, a term which comes from a Tewa-Puebloan word “nava hu” meaning “place of large planted fields.” We’ve known Kris for the four years in which we’ve been renting a wonderful home in Tempe. Kris has deep roots in New Mexico so he’s intimately acquainted with New Mexican food, culture and politics. He’s an affable, good-humored guy and a great neighbor. So, when I joked about him being an “Indian” who’s never had “Indian” food, he knew of what I spoke.
There’s no shortage of Indian restaurants in the Phoenix area. Unlike in Albuquerque where the generic terms “Southern Indian” and “Northern Indian” are used to refer to the cuisine they proffer, in Tempe you can actually find a Punjabi restaurant. According to the Collins Dictionary, Punjabi means “belonging or relating to the Punjab region of India or Pakistan, its people, or its language.” In essence, calling a Punjabi restaurant “Indian” is as much a faux pas as calling a Dine‘ “Indian.” It was actually the realization that The Dhaba was a Punjabi restaurant that drew me to it.
Eater, a daily online culinary news publication named The Dhaba “one of the 12 best Indian restaurants around Phoenix.” Here’s Eater’s synopsis of The Dhaba: “The Dhaba features dishes from the Punjab region and is known for mixing its own blend of cumin, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, chili powder, cardamom, and nutmeg. There is no shortage of tandoor naan or halal meats on the menu and there’s also plenty of street foods like pani-puri, bhel puri, and samosa chaat. The restaurant offers options for online ordering.”
Not only is The Dhaba in close proximity to our Tempe rental and Kris’s home, it was open on New Year’s Day 2024. There’s no more fitting and wonderful way to bring in a new year than by introducing a friend to one of the world’s best cuisines. No sooner had we been seated than we asked our gracious server what “The Dhaba” means. She explained that in India and Pakistan, “Dhabas” are essentially restaurants-slash-truck stops serving local cuisine and street food. If this is truck stop cuisine, I may have to move to the Punjabi region of India or Pakistan.
As I was explaining the richness and deliciousness of Indian food to Kris, our server ferried to our table a plate of papadum and three chutneys. I struggled to describe the texture of papadum. It’s neither cracker-like nor similar to chips. It’s the supermodel of starters and best of all, at The Dhaba, it’s complementary. MasterClass describes papadum as…”a very thin, North Indian flatbread with a satisfying shatter that’s fully dried before getting a quick dunk in hot oil until blistered and golden. It is served as side dish or a standalone snack; Indian restaurants will often bring them out as an appetizer with an array of chutneys for dipping. Chutneys are essentially dipping sauces or relishes with diverse flavor profiles.
The papadum is crisp, delicate, and replete with cumin seeds. It’s light-as-air and works best when dipped. It’s too brittle for scooping the delightful chutneys. Kris quickly proved his mettle for heat tolerance by proclaiming how much he liked the chili garlic chutney which was more piquant than most New Mexican chile. His eyes didn’t water and he didn’t sputter and choke as I feared he might. The second chutney was mint cilantro, nearly as piquant as the chili garlic chutney. It showcases freshness from the herbs and heat from the green chili (typically added when preparing this chutney). My Kim eschewed the two piquant chutneys and even ordered an extra portion of tamarind chutney. This smooth brownish chutney has a sour, tangy taste courtesy of the tamarind and sweetness from jaggery (a type of sugarcane).
For his inaugural Indian entree, our server recommended Kris try the Khara Masala Makhani Murgh (butter chicken). Butter chicken actually originates in the Punjab. Along with chicken tika masala, it’s one of the most popular dishes at Indian restaurants. Kudos to Kris for ordering the butter chicken at a heat level of “4” on a scale of 1-10. At that heat level, he was still able to discern the richness and creaminess of the dish without his taste buds being numbed. He enjoyed the rich tomato-based sauce and its melt-in-your-mouth tender chicken immensely.
Many of my very favorite Indian dishes feature paneer, the Indian “farmer’s” cheese made from curdled milk and some sort of fruit or vegetable acid like lemon juice. Paneer is a soft, unaged cheese that doesn’t melt. Paneer is typically cut into bite-size chunks that remain intact despite the heat of dishes in which it is used. One of the most delicious paneer-based dishes is Kadahi Paneer, a fragrant, warming dish replete with personality courtesy of a unique spice profile melded with bell peppers and paneer. At spice level “7” this dish is absolutely addictive. At level “10” it might have obfuscated the richness of paneer altogether.
If there was a dish with a spice level of “0” or even one at a minus level, my Kim would have ordered it. Our server assured her she would enjoy the Gazab Ka Kadahi Murgh (barbequed boneless chicken marinated in a spicy yogurt, baked in a clay oven and mixed with sliced onions, colorful bell peppers and tomatoes in a thick sauce with exotic spices). Chunks of tender chicken are plentiful within the rich tomato-based sauce. Rich, tangy yogurt punctuates this dish, giving it a subtle sour tang. This dish is smooth, creamy and thoroughly memorable.
I’ve often committed sacrilege by declaring naan better than New Mexico’s sacrosanct tortillas. Kris didn’t quite go that far, but he did notice the similarities between naan and tortillas. He delighted in dipping the garlic naan into the three aforementioned chutneys. India is widely acknowledged as one of the world’s best bread cultures. Naan is just one of the reasons. Another is roti, a very simple bread made from only two ingredients: atta (wheat flour) and water. While naan is exclusively baked in a tandoor oven traditionally fired by charcoal or wood, roti is prepared on a tawa (flat skillet). Roti is thinner than most naan. Both are wonderful!
Kris was a delightful dining companion who loved his inaugural experience with Indian cuisine. It will probably be the first of many visits to The Dhaba, a tremendous Punjabi restaurant. (Kris, make sure to bring along your cute baby sister Dee.)
The Dhaba
1872 E Apache Blvd.
Tempe, Arizona
480.557.8800
Website | Facebook Page
LATEST VISIT: 1 January 2024
# OF VISITS: 1
RATING: N/R
COST: $$$$
BEST BET: Garlic Naan, Roti, Kadahi Paneer, Gazab Ka Kadahi Murgh
REVIEW #1372
I’ve always wondered why no one has come up with a product idea for bagged papadum chips – sort of like corn or potato chips, to be sold at grocery stores as a snack.
Although, they would probably ruin it by adding all the preservatives and the obligatory FD&C Yellow 5. And then, they would have to throw in a ton of sugar or HFCS to satisfy the Gringo taste.
There are a number of papadum in a bag offerings online. All are pictured intact though that seems an impossibility considering how brittle they are. Maybe that’s where preservatives (perhaps formaldahyde and Viagra) come in to keep the papadum stiff.
Knowing your interest in exotic snack foods, I recommend Banh Trang Tron Ruoy Say (crispy tiny shrimp-ready to eat). You’ll love them.
“Do you have any bread?”
“I have naan.” 😂