This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on October 13, 2017

5 places to savour delicious indian cuisine

The Ganga Café

BE spoilt for choice with the wide array of food varieties available at The Ganga Café. Whether you’re looking for a satisfying thali meal, a light and easy naan, or even Mumbai street food, Ganga is the place to go to quell your Indian food cravings. The variety of their selection extends to the drinks menu as well, where patrons can choose from a seemingly endless list of lassis, mojitos, coffees, teas and juices. The café strives to live up to its tagline “food cooked from heart”, using organic produce from local farmers and keeping their food free of MSG and artificial colourings. The Ganga Café’s operating hours are 9am to 11pm from Mondays to Saturdays, and 10am to 3pm on Sundays. It is located on Lorong Kurau, Taman Bukit Pantai, Kuala Lumpur. Call (03) 2284 2119 for further inquiries.

Flour

ESTABLISHED by husband-and-wife team Yogesh and Natasha, this somewhat contemporary Indian café brings the aromas of North India to life. Inspired by Yogesh’s father’s success in the restaurant industry back in his hometown of Mumbai, the couple aim to make their patrons smile with the harmonious medley of flavours in their claypot biryani. The café also features a selection of Indian breads, such as laccha paratha and phulka served with kaya and butter for a hint of Malaysia. Dinner is an interesting affair, where guests have the opportunity to barbecue their choice of meat on skewers over grills at their tables, after which the meat can be dipped in a wide variety of condiments. Flour is located on Jalan Medan Setia 1, Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur. For bookings or inquiries call 012-960 0053.

Asian Rice Pot

LOCATED near the training grounds of the Malaysian football team, Asian Rice Pot is a modest South Indian restaurant that serves up a storm. Established in 2006, chefs at the restaurant are hired from India in order to replicate the authentic flavours of India, and the restaurant is famous in the vicinity for its aromatic claypot biryani and tender Kashmir mutton. To wash down your meal, have a glass of their light and refreshing mango lassi, a favourite among the frequenters at the eatery. Asian Rice Pot serves their freshly-made, MSG-free food daily from 7am to 9.30pm. Asian Rice Pot is located at Jalan SS 5A/11, Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya. Call (03) 7874 6911 for bookings or inquiries.

Nadodi

THE name of the restaurant is taken from the word “nadodi” in the Malayalam language, meaning “wanderer”. And no wonder, for aiming to indulge patrons in nomadic cuisine, Nadodi features a menu inspired by the diversity of India and beyond. Take your palate on a journey from the fishing villages of Kerala in India, to the crop fields of Jaffna, Sri Lanka, as you bask in the classy ambience in this fine dining restaurant. And as fine dining is not complete without a touch of alcohol, Nadodi offers a selection of cocktails designed by mixologist Akshar Chalwadi. The restaurant is located on the floor above The Mayang Club on Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, Kuala Lumpur. For bookings or more information, call (017) 390 0792 or visit www.nadodikl.com.

Annalakshmi Vegetarian Restaurant

PROVE those vegetarian naysayers wrong with a meal at Annalakshmi Vegetarian Restaurant. At the Temple of Fine Arts in Brickfields, the eatery brings North Indian and South Indian cuisines together under one roof. The restaurant is also offering an array of traditional “sweets and savouries”, including crowd favourites like murukku and banana chips, to celebrate this festive season. What’s most notable about Annalakshmi, though, is that it is a non-profit establishment — patrons pay as they wish, and the staff comprises volunteers. The restaurant is located at Jalan Berhala, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. It is open Tuesdays to Sundays, call (03) 2274 0799 or email [email protected] for more information.

3 places to visit to get into the deepavali spirit

Little India

VISIT the Little India of Klang, situated along Jalan Tengku Kelana. Here, the streets flourish with festive decorations at this time of the year to welcome the Festival of Lights with splendour. Indulge yourself in the wide selection of saris, accessories, textiles, flowers and delicacies available at delightfully wallet-friendly prices. At the same time, visitors will also enjoy the rich cultural atmosphere of the Indian community amidst one of their major celebrations of the year, a real treat for the festival-lover in every Malaysian.

Sri Mahamariamman Temple

FOUNDED in 1873, the Sri Mahamariamman Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur. The temple is known for its impressive five-tier South Indian style gopuram (tower), which features 228 sculptures of the Hindu gods. The chief deity of the temple is Sri Maha Mariamman, who is widely worshipped by the Tamil community as their protector from misfortune. The temple is located on Jalan Tun H S Lee, City Centre, Kuala Lumpur.

Paradigm Mall

Decorate yourself with a complimentary henna drawing at Paradigm Mall this weekend. Henna drawings are beloved for their intricacy and is a popular method of adorning oneself for festivities in the Indian culture. Bring your family and friends along for the kolam workshop too — the fun of arranging coloured rice into attractive patterns is sure to be of interest to the young and the old alike. The henna drawing and kolam workshop will be held over the weekend from 12.30pm to 7.30pm. Paradigm Mall is situated on Jalan SS 7/26A, Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya.

1 reason to give back to the community

Rumah Kebajikan Anbu Illam

HELP bring festive joy to the less fortunate through charitable work. Established and managed by Persatuan Saiva Siddhanta Malaysia, Rumah Kebajikan Anbu Illam is a non-profit foster home for needy, orphaned or abused children. It aims to provide for the health and educational needs of their wards, and are financially reliant on the public to fund their foster care. Contributions of any sort are welcome, including donations of funds, clothing, meals, or even voluntary assistance in the teaching and administration of the home. Rumah Kebajikan Anbu Illam is located on Jalan Permata 22, Taman Permata, Ulu Kelang, in Kuala Lumpur. Call (03) 4107 2809 for more information.

1 noteworthy musical performance

Siddhi

ENJOY cultural melodies with Siddhi, an Indian music extravaganza featuring the voices of a hundred vocal students aged three to 70. Under the guidance of Padma Bhushan Sangita Kalanidhi Dr TV Gopalakrishnan and his daughter-disciple Vidushi Devie Neithiyar, the performance celebrates the beauty that is Indian music alongside colourful visual effects. Siddhi will be held in the Shantanand Auditorium in the Temple of Fine Arts, Jalan Berhala, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. The show starts at 7pm on Sunday. For more information, call (03) 2274 3709 or visit the event’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/siddhifakl.