16 | July | 2009 | A Whiff of Lemongrass

Jerry Maguire: We live in a cynical world, a cynical, cynical world, and we work in a business of tough competitors. I love you. You…..complete me.

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It was like my senses were awakened by the taste of ghee. At first, the twitch of the nose at the buttery aroma. Then the tongue, as I placed a spoonful of basmati rice caressed by masala and ghee. Utter bliss. It is gratifying to know that one of the commonest articles of Indian cuisine can also be one of the most satisfying.

Chicken or mutton cubes are marinated in a yoghurt base and cooked in biryani rice. Cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves and nuts spice the rice further and choppped coriander leaves complete the dish. The biryani at Jassal Tandoori Restaurant is probably the best biryani I’ve ever tasted. The rice is fluffy and full of flavour, and the ghee makes the dish highly palatable on its own.

The tandoori platter containing a selection of tandoori chicken, fish tikka and kebab is highly addictive. I reckon it’s due to the spices used and the fact that it is cooked in a special tandoori oven resulting in flavours that blend well into the meats.

The mutton vindaloo has a tangy masala base and is not as spicy as I expected. I’m not sure of its authenticity as a Punjabi dish (doesn’t it have its roots in Goan/Portuguese cuisine?), but it does make a lovely complement to the biryani. The mango lassi is rich and the sweet scent of mango is apparent, but it tasted a little powdery. All my hopes were placed on the gulab jamun (only my most favourite indian dessert ever!), a milky confection soaked in sugary syrup, but I found the texture rather hard, possibly because it was kept in the fridge before serving. Nevertheless, the flavour was lovely and I shall have to try it again when I am hit by a gulab jamun craving. Those who don’t have an affinity for gulab can also check out the other sweet, milky offerings.

Love at first taste. That’s what Jassal is to me.

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Dorothy: Shut up. Just shut up…..You had me at hello. You had me at hello.

Tandoori platter – RM17