AUTHENTIC INDIAN IMPORTS

The Beatles made Americans aware of India in the 1960s, but even then little was known about Indian food. Considered a mystic place--a land of yogis, astrologers and gurus--India seemed too remote, too exotic. When I arrived here in 1973, there were very few Indians in Los Angeles, and very little authentic food.

Since then a lot has changed. And as the number of Indian restaurants increases, there has been a growing awareness of India’s rich and exciting cuisine. Still, most people miss some of the best Indian eating--the chaat (snack food) and sweets that are becoming increasingly available in fast-food stands and Indian groceries. Here is a guide to some of the most exciting new food in town.

SMALL SNACKS

One of India’s most popular snacks has only recently appeared in the stores of Los Angeles. It is called pani-puri in Gujarat (Western Central India), golguppers in the Punjab (Northern India) and puchkas in Bengal (Eastern India). Made from semolina and other ingredients, these crispy puris look like Ping-Pong balls. They should be paper thin and crisp--easy to crack so they can be stuffed, but resilient enough not to crumble when dipped into the spicy tamarind water. The spicy potato and lentil stuffing is topped with a sweet/sour tamarind or imli chutney.

Pani-puri is fun to eat. The puris and stuffing should be served separately, so that the puris don’t get soggy. You crack a hole in the puri , then stuff it with spicy potato mix. Now dip it into the sweet/sour tamarind chutney and quickly pop the whole puri into your mouth. It’s heavenly. Because these crispy puris are tedious to prepare, not many places make them. Of those that do, India Sweets and Spices near Culver City in Los Angeles and Standard Sweets in Artesia make the best.

Dahi-vada , a popular Punjabi snack made with lentil flour and spices, looks much like a cookie. Served with yogurt, chutney and topped with spices, it’s available at most Indian snack places. The South Indian version, mendu vada , offered by India Foodmart in the Fairfax District, comes with sambar , a spicy lentil soup, instead of yogurt.

Those familiar with Indian snacks are fond of aloo tikki and aloo bondas , spicy potato pancakes that can be spiced with various chutneys for additional punch. Pakoras , a sort of fritter, are also popular. Most are made with a vegetable stuffing, but some places like Rajindera’s in Northridge also specialize in fish and chicken pakoras , while Chutneys Fast Foods in West Los Angeles also offers Indian cheese pakoras .

Gujarati food has a unique sweet and sour taste; their snacks are called farsan . A typical Gujarati snack (found at Surati Farsan Mart and at India Foodmart) is fafra , a thick spicy biscuit eaten with fried chili peppers. Absolutely sensational, this is definitely meant for fire-eaters. Other typical Gujarati snacks are khaman , a spicy lentil-yogurt cake served with chutney; hakar-vadi , a hot, spicy, crisp, tortilla-like roll, and dhentra , a sweet, or spicy kind of biscuit usually eaten with tea.

BREADS

Indian breads are delicious and can be eaten with anything: kababs, curry, bhaji (vegetables sauteed with spices), chole (a kind of garbanzo-bean curry), chutneys or pickles. Most Americans are familiar with naan bread and perhaps parathas , but these are just a few of India’s many breads.

Because the Punjabis prefer wheat to rice, no other state boasts a larger variety of breads. Here in Los Angeles you find the tortilla-like soft puri ; bhatura, similar but slightly thicker; khasta kachori and dhal puri , both made from lentil beans; parathas , which can be stuffed with potato ( aloo paratha ) or minced meat ( keema paratha ).

Chutneys Fast Foods makes a delicious chicken naan (if you like it hot, you can order it with chili peppers), and Rajindera’s makes a curry pizza on special order only.

CREPES

Masala dosai is a South Indian crepe that is served like a burrito, wrapped around a potato filling. The crepe is super thin, light, and crisp and you find excellent versions at both Standard Sweets and Rajindera’s. A Gujarati version of masala dosai is available at Surati Farsan Mart. This crepe is a lot thicker and softer than the South Indian one, but the trimmings-- sambar and coconut chutney--are similar.

KEBABS

Kebabs are to Indians what hot dogs and hamburgers are to Americans. It’s surprising nobody here has marketed them as they do in India. Kati (meat) kababs are charbroiled on skewers with various spices, rolled in parathas and eaten burrito style. Extremely popular in India, you get them with paper wrapped around the paratha , which you tear away as you eat the roll. Tikka, a fast-food operation in Van Nuys, serves charbroiled kababs of both beef and chicken and, a personal favorite, halibut.

SALADS

Bhel (rice puffs), sev (vermicelli made from lentil flour) and dahi-puris or aloo chaat papri are similar; they are what Americans would consider a salad. The base for these salads is potato, onion and various spices, but since everybody has a favorite combination, you will find considerable variation. Salad dressings include a tamarind chutney and a fresh coriander chutney, but in the case of dahi-puri , there’s an additional yogurt ( dahi ) dressing and garbanzo beans.

MUNCHIES

Dhal mot is an extremely popular snack, a sort of Indian potato chip. It is so popular in India that it is eaten even for breakfast. Dhal mot is made from different lentil beans mixed with various spices, nuts, raisins, coconuts, potatoes and other ingredients. Chakri , a variation popular in the western state of Gujarat, is another deliciously crunchy, spicy snack, resembling an onion ring.

SWEETS

Even in India, the highest quality Indian sweets are found in specialty shops where halwais (specialized sweetmakers) with years of experience produce them at fairly high cost. Made primarily from milk, the taste of these handmade sweets varies from shop to shop depending on the quality of the ingredients and the preferences of the halwai .

Now Los Angeles finally has some experienced halwais of its own, such as Gobindram, a halwai of 40 years who joined Standard Sweets two years ago. They are so proud of his offerings that they offer a money-back guarantee.

Don’t be embarassed to ask for tastes of any sweets you would like to try; it is quite common for customers to taste before purchasing. And do not be put off by the silver paper that garnishes some sweets. Made from pure silver, it is entirely edible. By old Vedic custom, it is believed that the silver strengthens the heart muscles and has aphrodisiacal qualities as well. Indians love sweets, and there are far too many varieties for a complete listing. But these are some of my favorites: Rosgolla , a white spongy milk ball in syrup flavored with rose water, has a texture that’s wonderfully light and airy. A close cousin, cham cham (made best at Ambala Sweets), is similar in taste and texture but comes in many varieties, each with a slightly different flavor. Rasmalai , made in much the same way, is dipped in cream instead of syrup, so the texture is somewhat softer and smoother.

Gulab jaman , the Indian cheese ball flavored with rose water and served in syrup, is on many Indian restaurant menus, but the similiar kala jaman that you find in sweet shops, with its dark brown crust and soft juicy inside, is tastier. Patisa , a hit with Americans, is a flaky biscuit that tastes something like shortbread cookies. Masoor pak is crumbly, like the Graham cracker crust of a cheese cake.

Burfis come in different colors, depending on the ingredients and food coloring used. All are made from a milk base, but then cashew, pistachio, plain, coconut, lentil and carrot are added. Cashew burfi is hard and tastes a bit like marzipan, while the other burfis have a soft, creamy consistency.

Found in a variety of colors, Bombay or karachi halwa looks like thick jello with nuts but tastes somewhat like sweet gum drops. Carrot halwa looks like the orange colored Bombay, but it is completely different in taste and texture. Hapshi halwa is a delicious caramalized treat with added nuts and spices that’s made best at Standard Sweets.

Another weekend special at Standard Sweets is milk cake, which is usually reserved for birthdays and special occasions. A rich sweet, it’s crumbly, soft and absolutely delicious. Rabri , similar in taste to milk cake, is available at Indian Sweet House. WHERE TO FIND THEM

Ambala Sweets, 18433 Pioneer Blvd., Artesia, (213) 924-9944.

Bharat Bazaar, 11510 W. Washington Blvd., West Los Angeles, (213) 398-6766 and 565 S. Azusa Way, La Puente, (818) 912-2014 and 12550 Centralia St., Lakewood, (213) 865-3818.

Chutneys India Fast Food, 2406 S. Barrington at Pico, West Los Angeles, (213) 477-6263.

India Bazaar, 11415 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, (213) 313-3228.

India Foodmart, 1038 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 930-1613.

India Sweet House, 5893 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 934-5193.

India Sweets & Spices, 9903 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 839-8607 and 565 S. Azusa Way, La Puente, (818) 965-5838.

Malam’s Store, 5207 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, (213) 663-8533.

Rajindera’s Dhaba, 8556 Reseda Blvd., Northridge, (818) 993-4016.

Reena Samosa Center, 18413 Pioneer Blvd., Artesia, (213) 402-3434.

Standard Sweets & Snacks, 18608 Pioneer Blvd., Artesia, (213) 860-6364.

Surati Farsan Mart, 11814 East 186th St., Artesia, (213) 860-2310.

Tikka, 16101 Vanowen St., Van Nuys, (818) 781-5744.