DIWANA--THE GENTLE CUISINE OF WEST INDIA

The west coast state of Gujurat is one of the least visited in India, but it is a fascinating place. Jutting out into the Arabian Sea north of Bombay, it is dotted with Jain temples and Indo-Sarascenic architecture. The Jain influence, coupled with bountiful soil, resulted in the evolution of a gentle vegetarianism; the cuisine is fragrant and sophisticated, more sweet than hot. The variety is phenomenal.

Gandhi was born here, and many years later, he waged India’s battle for independence from an ashram in the Gujurati countryside. He was probably brought up on food much like that served at Diwana in San Gabriel.

Diwana, located in the corner of a strip shopping mall, is the sort of place you hardly notice. The outside reveals nothing. Go inside and you find a dark interior and an ambiance of extreme simplicity.

Seat yourself, because you’re in India now, and don’t expect to be fawned over. You will be greeted with a smile, and that infuriatingly placid nod that Indians use to indicate that they are at one with nature Then, even though the room is tiny, the waiter will vanish. Where he vanishes to is a mystery, but pay no mind. Things move at their own pace in India, and getting used to it is part of its charm.

Besides, almost everything is worth waiting for. Next to the cash register are large plastic tubs filled with exotic appetizers; spiced garbanzo flour pastas, roasted cereals, lentils and peas in garlic chutney, cashews crusted with masala, even Indian potato chips! Order a plate of those or some bhel puri, a tasty snack of crisp noodles, spiced vegetables, and other mysterious ingredients. Wash them down with draughts of cold Taj Mahal beer, poured from a 30 oz. bottle, and you will quickly discover that they are habit forming.

By now your appetite should be quick and restless. Go on to khaman dhokla, a salty steamed chick-pea flour cake topped with coconut, cilantro, and green pepper, and sev ual, a pea curry with crunchy noodles. Both those dishes are purely from the Gujurat and have a beguilingly sweet hotness. Balance them with gujurati daal, the mainstay of the diet. This thin lentil stew is a bit thinner than the daal of the north, perhaps to offset the richness of the dishes. Adding texture to these choices is the vegetable paratha, multi-layered flatbread stuffed with green onions and shredded cabbage: It’s sensational.

A curry is one dish you don’t want cooked to order. The longer curry sits on the stovetop, the more it absorbs the essence of the spices. Diwana has daily specials prepared by chef and owner Madhu Sodha, and they really deserve to be called special. I asked Mrs. Sodha if she used recipes, and she just pointed to her head. Mrs. Sodha’s okra and eggplant curry should be eaten in flowing orange robes . . . it’s almost a religious experience.

But then you are brought back to Earth by some strange dishes. Pao bhaji, a mixed vegetable curry, was interesting, but as we studied the buttered buns that came with it we noticed they had sesame seeds on top. Sound familiar? Then we tried a dish called sev khamani, described as “steamed patties of garbanzo flour topped with crunchy Indian style noodles.” But as we dug around in the metal serving dish, we realized the joke was on us; it was nothing more than a dry dish of crunchy noodles. No one touched it.

We couldn’t keep from eating the desserts, though. Gujurat is reknowned for its sweets and Mrs. Sodha prepares them every day. The display case is brimming with trays of burfi made from milk, garbanzo flour, and nuts; ras malai, pistachio-laden cheese balls soaked in saffron-sweetened milk, and shrikhand, saffron spiced yogurt with cardamon, nuts, and candied fruits. Diwana’s kulfi, a frozen confection made from thickened milk, ground nuts, and aromatic flavors, is the best I’ve tasted in the United States, and is served with faluda, a wheat starch.

If you are displeased, I’ll be surprised, but I’d advise you not to complain to the service staff. If you do, you’re likely to get a well-worn response: a nod of the head, a roll of the eyes, and a smile straight from the soul. You’re not likely to get much else.

Diwana, 1381 E. Las Tunas Drive, San Gabriel. (818) 287-8743. Open Wednesday-Monday 11a.m.-9 p.m. Parking in lot. Dinner for two, food only, $10-$25.