The second most populated country in the world is located in South Asia and belongs to India at approximately 1.25 billion people. There are 28 states and 7 union territories within India and like most countries the cuisine and spices vary throughout the regions. Unlike other countries however religion also plays a key factor in the cuisine as Hindus avoid eating beef, Muslims avoid pork and many Buddhists and Jains are vegetarian.
India actually contains more vegetarians than the rest of the world combined—roughly half a billion people. With so many vegetarians living in one country, and a culture that has embraced vegetarianism for centuries, India has the most sophisticated and ancient vegetarian cuisine of any country. Perfected over many generations, Indian cooking has become famous for its use of spices to exploit the flavor of vegetables and grains.
Although I do enjoy a good dose of veggies I knew I didn’t want to limit myself tonight. My go to spot for Indian has always been Tamarind which offers elevated indian dishes, good drinks, and a cool vibe. In an effort to try something new and to be slightly more authentic I decided to do some research. Essentially I had three options – head to Journal Square in Jersey City aka “Little India”, Jackson Heights in Queens, or Manhattan’s version of “Little India” in Murray Hill aka “Curry Hill” around Lexington and 28th. Based on convenience and a few recommendations we decide to head to Pippali in Curry Hill.
Pippali which is named after the Indian long pepper opened in September 2013 under Peter Beck, former executive chef of the Michelin star rated restaurant Tamarind. The menu is wide-ranging featuring authentic cuisine from street food to high-end and from various parts of the country.
I have 3 goals for tonight: (1) Try something vegetarian (2) Try something traditional and (3) try my go to “Indian” dish, Chicken Tikka Masala, which funny enough was created in England.
Wanderlust Chef 