It's been a while since my hubby and I have had a first together, but we did yesterday, it's something that we have talked about for a while, but just haven't gotten to try until last night! We were advised by a friend of his that whether we like it or not, we will never forget it. We finally tried Indian food for the first time, why? What were you thinking? Anyway! His friend was correct, the smells, flavors, and taste were certainly distinct and unforgettable, the aroma captivated me the moment that we walked in the door of Maple Indian Cuisine in downtown Goshen (the same building that was Noodle Heads and Il Forno, before that). Our meal started with a complimentary basket of papadum, a thin cracker made of rice flour and other seasonings, served with a green chili and tamarind chili for dipping. Both dipping sauces were delicious, but I loved the slight sweetness of the tamarind.
Neither of us were terribly hungry so we decided to share a few things, to get a good taste of what they had. The first thing that came out was the tandoori prawn, and it was sizzling hot as it is made in a traditional coal oven. Think Indian fajitas as the shrimp were paired with onions and peppers on a hot skillet. I can't even begin to describe the flavors to you as they were that unique, but this shrimp was very tasty, probably a little overpriced, but they were kind enough to give us free basmati rice when we asked for it.
Halfway through our tandoori prawn the chicken pakora appetizer came out, truthfully I didn't care what order they came to the table in because the food came out so quickly. The chicken pakora was seasoned and breaded with gram flour then fried, it looks like fried chicken, but has such a unique, delicious flavor and was incredibly moist. This dish was also paired with the green and tamarind chilis, and was especially delicious with the sweetness of the tamarind chili. Excuse the half eaten plate, it was so delicious I almost forgot the picture!
The last baskets to hit the table were filled with roti and garlic naan. I was expecting roti like they serve at Flat Top Grill, but this did not have that chewy texture, it was more similar to a pita with a pretty plain flavor, but I imagine would be delicious with a saucy dish to sop up all the extra sauce. The garlic naan, was a delicious bread covered in fresh pressed garlic, which is one of my favorite things in the world.
This is also a great place to try if you are vegetarian as they have an extensive list of meat free dishes and appetizers. So if you are looking for something different, like we were, love Indian food, or just want to expand your palate head to downtown Goshen for a very distinct dining experience at Maple Indian Cuisine.
