In the mood for some spice? - Zyka

Dinner at Zyka.

My first venture into Indian food came when I visited my aunts in Houston.  They are super foodies and Evan and I took advantage of their knowledge of the city and planned to eat our way through it.  We ate at a restaurant called Khyber, which specialized in Northern Indian and Pakistani food.  By the end of the meal, there were so many dishes on our table that we had no room for our own plates.  Good thing it is acceptable to eat with your hands!  The food was great and we always wanted to go back but being in Mississippi at the time, there were no Indian-food options. 

When we moved to Atlanta, Evan's cousin, Scott, mentioned that he and his co-workers frequent a low-key Indian restaurant called, Zyka.  Being that is was so long since our last Indian meal, we couldn't wait to sample the food again.  From what I remembered, the spices were strong and savory,  they used flat bread as a base for a lot of different dishes, and if there was a picture of a pepper on the menu next to a dish, it was there as a warning.  'Indian' spicy is on a whole different level than 'America' spicy.  Let me rephrase that.  It is simply hot, not spicy.  But we felt up to the challenge.  Our first visit lived up to all of our expectations.  And dumbly we both ordered the two hottest dishes on the menu.  As new-comers, it was rookie move.  But now I can call myself a pro and the little peppers next to the menu description don't scare me anymore.  I see them as a challenge.

Zyka is in a former church that still looks the part.  There is a large dining area on one end and a banquet hall on the opposite side.  When you walk in, you order at the counter off of laminated menus, grab a pitcher full of water along with all the needed plasticware, and sit at one of the available tables until they call your name.  Food is served in/on styrofoam bowls and plates and almost every dish comes with a bowl full of chopped white onions, jalapeños, and a lime wedge.  The presentation is simple.  The flavors are complex and wonderful.  There are a few things that I highly recommend trying: 

Chicken 65

For the new-comer to Indian food, start slow.  Try the Chicken 65 (their signature dish) and a piece of naan. It's boneless chicken marinated in ginger, garlic, and mild spices, and then deep fried with green chilies, cilantro and curry leaves.  It's also comes out an alarmingly bright shade of red, but don't let that scare you.  It is not as spicy as it looks.  The chicken comes with two sauces, one brown and sweet, the other tan and sort or creamy.  I have no idea what they are but they go delicious with the naan/chicken combo. 
Chicken 65 - $6.39
Naan - $1.49

Aachar Gosht

For those that like a little more spice, the aachar gosht (one pepper next to it on the menu) is my personal favorite, of course pair with a piece of naan.  It's a stew-like consistency of mutton simmered with tomatoes, fried onions, cilantro, whole garlic, cloves, fennel seeds, and whole red chilies.  The naan is best used as a scooping device to help you eat the aachar gosht from the bowl, but be warned, it is not for the faint hearted.  There is a bright orange hot oil usually sitting on top to warn you of the heat you should expect from the first bite.  But if you like heat, then the flavors are amazing.
Aachar Gosht - $6.89
Naan - $1.49

Nehari

For the most daring of you, the nehari is the devil's broth (two peppers next to it).  Ok, that may be an overstatement.  It's really damn hot, but equally damn delicious.  It's chunks of beef shank simmered with garlic, ginger, and spices to a stew-like consistency.  You will definitely need a piece of naan and might I suggest following up the meal with a cup of kulfi for dessert.  Trust me, your tongue will thank you.  Kulfi is Indian ice cream that is super thick and very rich but not very milky.  It comes in saffron, mango, and pistachio flavors. 
Nehari - $6.89
Kulfi - $2.99

Vegetable Samosas

And I haven't mentioned this one yet because it fits into the 'appetizer' category but one of my favorite things on the menu are their vegetable samosas.  Most people have tried samosas at one point or another.  But I can promise you they weren't as good as these. These are worth the 25 minute drive from my house alone!
Vegetable Samosas (2) - $3.49




Zyka is strangely furnished and minimally decorated but they are doing something right because there is always a line at the counter for lunch or dinner.  And they do a crazy amount of to-go orders.  They keep the people happy and I most definitely count myself as one of those people. 

Naan

Dining room.

Zyka
1677 Scott Boulevard
Decatur, Georgia 30033
(404) 728-4444
 www.zyka.com

Country Cookin' - Carver's Country Kitchen

Welcome to Carver's.

I was lucky enough to grow up in a home surrounded by phenomenal Southern cooks.  As a child, some of my fondest memories are of waking up to the smell of my great Aunt Eva's waffles, or decorating gingerbread people with my Nana, or helping my Aunt Rebecca in the kitchen make whatever delicious dish she was concocting.  I was always involved in the kitchen from a young age and I think that has shaped my interest in cooking and baking as grew into adulthood.  I have never been able to throw together a meal quite like my Aunt Eva did, but I can make a pretty mean Thanksgiving/Christmas spread when I have time to prep.  My forte has always been baking more so than 'a dash of this' and 'a pinch of that'.

Being over 5 1/2 hours from my closest family member has made me miss some of my favorite 'home-cooked' dishes that I grew up eating regularly.  When I started this blog, I did a little research to find some popular lunch spots that are frequented by the locals and one place stood out in my findings.  Carver's Country Kitchen in Atlanta is a place you really have to know about already to find.  It's not in a location that you might stumble across on your own... you really have to go looking for it.  And the hours of operation make it for the loyal lunch crowd only; weekdays from 11am to 3pm.  That's it.  But trust me, it is well worth the trek and the limit of cash only (no ATM on the premises, which we found out the hard way).

The line is already outside the door and it's not even noon.

My dining companion this day was my friend, Angela.  Being children of the modern age, we brought debit cards and had to make a mad dash all over town to find an ATM to get our cash required but it was well worth the effort once we finally arrived back to Carver's.  The building is tiny and has no parking so you have to park in the surrounding neighborhood.  Once inside, the smell of all the delicious food immediately makes your stomach growl.  The tables look like the ones you would use during a backyard BBQ and the space inside is so limited that you share a table with whoever you can.  It's like going to a family reunion as a child;  your parents swear to you that you know these people but you swear that you've never seen them in your entire life...

People looking over the lunch menu.

The menu is written on a marker board so it can be easily changed each day because the dishes change daily.  You get to pick a main dish, two sides, a type of bread, and a drink.  The meals range anywhere from $11.95 to $6.95.  You can also add one of their sinfully sweet desserts, like carrot cake or peach cobbler for $2.50, which in my book is totally worth the splurge.  With a college ID you get a dollar off or a free beverage.  Tuesdays they even run a special where you buy one meal at full price, you get the 2nd meal half off.  So bring a friend!

My fried chicken lunch.

Angela and I both decided on the fried chicken (leg and thigh) meal but differed on our sides.  I went with creamed corn, sweet potatoes, and a biscuit because I wanted nothing but carbs.  Angela chose creamed corn, mashed potatoes, and corn bread because she wanted slightly different carbs.  We both settled on sweet tea because we are products of our Southern upbringing and unsweet tea is just unholy.  Let me first warn you that if you go into the establishment looking for a light lunch, you have stepped into the wrong place.  There is nothing light about anything on the menu.  For example, my fried chicken was the size of a small turkey.  I swore they had accidentally given Angela and I a breast instead of a thigh because they were both so large.  There was also a main dish option called the "Dolly Parton Fried Chicken Breast" so I can only imagine how large that would have been!  We both brought home over half our food to enjoy the next day.*   

*And by "enjoy the next day," I really mean, "to be eaten by my fiance."

The "drink station."

The service was extremely friendly, the atmosphere was shabby, but everyone was happy because you felt like you were sharing a meal cooked by someone who cares about you like family.  It felt like you were in the home of a grandparent sharing a meal with loved ones. The food was made with care and served the same way.  I can see why people flock to come back on a regular basis.  It's a taste of home.  And I will be back, too. 



Carver's Country Kitchen
1118 West Marietta Street, NW
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404) 794-4410
http://www.carverscountrykitchen.com

Do It Yourself Night - 'My Dad's Turkey Chili'

'My Dad's Turkey Chili' and grilled cheese

*Let me first start by saying that I am not sharing with the world my own father's chili recipe.  I am not even sure whether or not my dad has a chili recipe to speak of.  The "dad" in question is "Souper Jenny's" dad (see previous post) in which the chili got its namesake.  The recipe has been featured on NBC's Today Show and is also available in her cookbook.*


Instead of featuring an evening of dining out, which I always prefer over dirtying up my own kitchen, I thought it was time to break out the apron and get to chopping myself.  The chili recipe featured at Souper Jenny's is a menu staple and a popular favorite, especially by my fiancé.  I decided to pick up the ingredients while he was at work at surprise him with a giant pot of the good stuff when he got home.  It went very appreciated served along with some grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner that evening and several evenings to follow!


Here is the recipe for those of you cooking along at home:

Chopped veggies.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium red onion, cut into bite-size pieces

1 red pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces

1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces

1 green pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces

3 pounds ground turkey

2 tablespoons (or more) chili powder

2 (28-ounce) cans low-sodium chopped tomatoes

1 (16-ounce) can chili beans

1 (16-ounce) can white beans, rinsed and drained

1 (16-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (16-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions:

Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add onion and peppers and saute until soft, about 10 minutes. Add ground turkey and cook through. Add chili powder and stir. Add tomatoes and simmer another 10 minutes. Add beans, brown sugar and cilantro. Simmer until hot.

The only modifications that I made along the way were to add a bit more chili powder for a little more kick and very little cilantro because a think a little goes a long way.   My results turned out fantastic.  The best thing about this recipe is that there is very little maintenance.  Like any good stew, the longer you let it simmer, the better the flavors come together so leftovers are great.  We had so much left after a couple of days of chili for lunch and dinner, that we froze almost half a pot and still have it stored in freezer bags just waiting to be enjoyed.  It's super healthy as well.  One bowl has around 290 calories and there are not many chilis that can make that claim.  

The cost breakdown is pretty remarkable.  If you wanted to go to Souper Jenny for the $12 lunch, for all the food you get, it is a great deal.  But if you want to make with entire pot of chili at home and feed your family, or do like I did, and freeze the leftovers, you will only around $22.27 for 16 servings!  That comes to $1.39 per bowl.

1 tbsp olive oil                   .12            34 oz bottle for $8

1 med red onion                1.25          --

1 red pepper                      1.75          --

1 yel. pepper                     1.75           --

1 green pepper                  1.50          --

3 lbs. turkey                      5.25           4 lbs for $7

3 tbsp chili powder           .90            2oz for 2.99

56 oz chopped tom.          4.98          2.49 per 28 oz can

1 can white beans             1.19           --

1 can chili beans               1.19           --

1 can black beans             .98            --

1 can kidney beans          1.19            --

½ cup brown sugar        .22              4 ½ cups in 2 lb bag for 1.98           

total spent                     22.27

per serving                   1.39            16 servings