Masala Craft Indian Kitchen, Williamsburg. Photo by Corey Miller.
The family operation, open since May 2021, enlists father Avinash Arora as chef and chief herb and chili gardener, many of which end up in his beautifully balanced dishes and in cocktails. Mother Neeta Arora runs the front of the house, greeting guests and making them feel as welcome as she would in her own home.
Daughter Shaveta Arora’s role is to modernize her father’s traditional cooking and enhance it with carefully curated libation offerings—wine, beer and cocktail programs and bourbon flights for sipping—that complement everything on the menu. An array of specialty handcrafted herb and floral teas shipped directly from India provide yet another unique beverage pairing.
Decorated in warm browns and light blues with hand-painted murals, the sleek restaurant seats 60 inside and 25 on the patio. The kitchen is mindful of dietary restrictions and special needs and the vegetarian offerings are extensive. “Anyone who walks in here will find something delicious to eat,” Shaveta says. “We want to make sure there’s something for everyone, from vegans to meat-eaters, salad to desserts and tea drinkers to bourbon flights.”
Chaat means “finger-licking good” and refers to street food that can be modified according to what’s in season. One of India’s more versatile foods, it has sweet, sour, spicy, crunchy and tangy elements. Says Shaveta, “Chaat is more than that, it’s an emotion.”
CHAAT
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup spiced puffed rice
1/2 cup crunchy chickpea flour noodles
1/4 cup masala boondi (puffed chickpea cereal)
1/4 cup salted roasted peanuts
1/4 cup boiled diced potato
3 Tbsp. sliced red onion
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp. tamarind chutney
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. chaat masala (spice blend of Himalayan Salt, mango powder, pomegranate powder, cumin, coriander)
1 Tbsp. pomegranate seeds
Seasonal fruits of your choice: pineapple/strawberry/kiwi/mango/green apple
DIRECTIONS:
Step 1: Add puffed rice, sev, masala boondi, peanuts, boiled potatoes, onions, cilantro and seasonal fruits in a mixing bowl. Then add tamarind chutney, chaat masala and lemon juice.
Step 2: Gently stir all the ingredients and give them a good mix. Garnish with cilantro, pomegranate seeds and seasonal fruits.
Masala Craft Indian Kitchen I 5223 Monticello Avenue, Suite E, Williamsburg I 757-808-7045 I masalacraftva.com