2 Singaporeans Sample Local Indian Cuisine

It was risky, inviting two Singaporeans to sample one of their own cuisines halfway around the world. The place I chose was Nizam, an Indian restaurant in West Los Angeles. And their comments about the meal were as peppery as expected.

Singaporeans know and love Indian food. It is one of their basic tastes, thanks to a sizable Indian population that demands a variety of food--northern and southern dishes, vegetarian and Muslim fare. Avid eaters, they are always intensely opinionated about what they consume.

My friends ordered, choosing dishes they thought would indicate the expertise of the kitchen. Our first course, tandoori chicken, was the crucial test. If dried out, the chicken would reflect sloppy standards that could mar the rest of our dinner. Luckily, that was not the case. The chicken was moist and tender, albeit painted the unnatural cerise that some restaurants favor.

To be honest, this was not my first test of the Nizam tandoor. I had eaten barra kabab (tandoor-roasted lamb)there previously, and it was superlative, more interesting to my taste than the chicken.

Our next course was gosht vindaloo (lamb in a spicy vinegar sauce). The vindaloo was not sufficiently sharp in flavor and the chunks of meat were too large, the Singaporeans said. Aloo bhaji (potato cubes sauteed with spices)was bland, although not bad. And shrimp jalfrazie was almost lost beneath a load of potatoes and broccoli that didn’t belong in the dish, they complained. Furthermore, they said, the waiter should have warned us when we ordered that we were getting potatoes in two dishes.

With dessert--the syrupy dumplings called gulab jamun-- the criticism switched to hearty praise. Made of dry milk, heavy cream and a touch of flour, the gulab jamun were served hot in syrup scented with rosewater and cardamom. And they sparkled with flakes of tissue-thin edible silver, an unexpected luxury.

I wish my friends had accompanied me to some previous dinners at Nizam. On the barra kebab night, I ordered another dish that they might have liked-- malai kofta. The menu described the kofta as minced vegetable croquettes cooked in a mild cream sauce. The ponderous croquettes looked as heavy and dull as that description. But they were wonderful--an almost airy-light blend of Indian cheese ( paneer )and potato accented with green peas, carrots, almonds, cashews and raisins. The shrimp masala I had that night was strongly spicy, devoid of vegetable distractions and more generous with shellfish than the jalfrazie.

The other meal I think they would have appreciated started with dal papri, an appetizer as exotic as tandoori chicken is becoming ordinary. The focal point of this dish was a fried wafer made of white and lentil flours. The crunchy wafer was broken into chips, combined with potatoes, onion and cilantro and covered with cool yogurt. Streams of tangy, brown tamarind sauce swirled over the yogurt gave tantalizing hints of sweet and sour.

In contrast to spicy curries, fish badami was a subtle presentation of tender white fish in a delicate cream sauce flavored with cashew and almond paste, whole black cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper and bay leaves.

That dinner ended with the rice pudding, kheer , which Nizam does very well, adding nuts, raisins and cardamom to give it definition.

Mahesh Talim and his wife Uma run this restaurant. Uma, who was trained in home science in New Delhi, manages the kitchen, and dishes such as dal papri , fish badami and a hot appetizer called crabs Goa are her creations. She also adds her own touch to other dishes such as the gulab jamun. This Indian dessert is widely served, but Uma’s is the best, her husband says proudly. And it would be hard to quarrel with that.

Nizam Indian Restaurant, 10871 W . Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. For reservations, call (213)470-1441. Lunch served Monday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Dinner daily, 5:30-11 p.m. Prices are reasonable. Visa, MasterCard and American Express accepted. Park on street or in lot behind the restaurant.