INJA – the fusion you never saw coming! Indian and Japanese are on other sides of the spectrum flavour. When the robust Indian flavours spanning the length and breadth of the country marry the umami, delicate Japanese flavours and techniques, it can be 2 things. A recipe for disaster, or something so unique that had never been done before!
Think crab raj kachauri, rasam lobster chawanmushi and gobi 65 maki. There is no right way of doing spiced cauliflower in a maki roll, but if there is one, Chef Adwait knows how to do it. Restauranteur Panchali Mahendra and Chef Adwait from Dubai’s Mohalla bring to you this absolutely novel concept.
INJA is located in the cozy setting at The Manor, New Delhi. Sleek, slick, greys, and muted neutrals, with very desi elements sprinkled around. The terracotta wall just beside the bar, could very well be from a heartland home.
Cocktails at INJA
Indigenous ingredients from both Japan and India take center stage in the cocktail program at Inja. And there are some hat tips to the founder of Suntory Whisky. You have to try out Mr Torii if you love Whisky. But the Gondhoraj Lychee martini is super refreshing for the summer!
Appetizers and Mains
From Shiso leaf and pomelo tuna chaat to crab raj kachauri – they have taken dishes at the heart of Indian cuisine and with a sense of familiarity to create what can be only simplified as art.
We opted for Chef’s degustation menu and started with their version of the palak patta chaat but with tempura fried shiso leaves and tuna and pomelo chaat. The crunchy, cold, tangy burst of flavours mimicked those of chaat, perfectly! The crab raj kachauri is stuffed with creamy avocado foam, and Alaskan crab meat and topped with arugula leaves and salmon roe or inkura. The papad and achar takes it to another level with fermented achar coating seabass along with a crunchy mushroom papad.
Moving on to gobi 65 maki roll. Vegetarians, you are going to love this! The spice is well-balanced and you would have never seen this combo coming. The chicken teriyaki skewers are moreish, and sprinkled with some smoked Kashmiri red chillies instead of togarashi.
But what steals the show is lobster rasam chawanmushi. A dish that Chef Adwait himself attributed to being the reason that INJA stands! Chawanmushi is a traditional Japanese dish, a creamy silky egg custard. This one is laced with light flavours of rasam and is topped with lobster meat.
Mains and desserts
The udon Khasi has my whole heart. The black sesame Khasi curry and is topped with julienned and crispy fried carrots and zucchini. The mustard curry stone pot topped with salli is just as impressive. Although it was one dish that showed a bit more of India than the beautiful balance in the other dishes. I could imagine that mustard curry with rice perfectly sit on a Bengali lunch table. Finishing this incredible meal with baked yogurt, crunchy jaggery-coated nuts and matcha dust.
INJA,
The Manor, New Friends Colony
INR 8000, for 2 approximately
Must have : Crab rajkachauri, gobhi 65 maki, lobster rasam chawanmushi, Udon Khasi noodles
There have been few experiences as special as this one but if you are looking for an extraordinary Indian meal, check out ROOH or Indian Accent.