Enter a majestic Indian setting with decorative gold finishings, intricate tiled floors, wooden ceilings and dazzling chandeliers. Amala’s authentic North Indian cuisine is elegantly prepared and graciously served.
My meal began with a multitude of delicately prepared starters. These included Chokhi Tikki made from crumb fried potatoes, green peas and black cumin; Kanagoora, a dish of pan fried scallops with cumin seeds, coriander and curry leaves; and Kathi Kebab featuring Roomali roti; chicken, mushroom, onion with pickled mango chutney- a perfect balance between sweet and salty flavorings. A selection of freshly prepared garlic, cheese and plain Naan bread and Navrattan Pulao rice accompanied our meal.
Already delightfully enraptured with our first tastes, my guest and I feasted our eyes on the selection of curries and tandoor which arrived for our main courses prepared and recommended by the chef himself. Curries included Goan Jingha with prawns, curry leaves, onion, coconut milk and spices; Malabar machi masala (a personal favorite) prepared with hamour, kokum, onion, mustard seeds, tomato and fresh coconut; Rogan Josh, a lamb dish delectably prepared with yogurt and a combination of Kashmiri spices, red onion, tomato, mustard seeds and nutmeg and which my guest proclaimed was perhaps the best lamb she had ever tasted; Nali ka Gosht made with lamb shank, onion, tomato, black cumin and nutmeg; a deliciously creamy Butter Chicken prepared with Tandoori chicken, tomato, cashew nut, cream and fresh coriander and Dal Amala, a vegetable dish made with black lentils, tomato and fenugreek leaves.
Dishes from the Tandoor included Murgh malai Kebab featuring chicken leg, cashew nut paste, amul cheese and cardamom; Till Jingha with Tiger prawns, sesame paste, yogurt and aromatic leaves; and Kayree Lamb Chaap made with Lamb chops, green mango paste and black cumin.
Pleasantly satisfied from the rich servings we were then treated to a selection of North Indian desserts Gajjar ka halwa with spiced carrot pudding; Tandoori pineapple (another favorite) with Saffron glazed tandoori pineapple and vanilla ice cream and Rasmalai a smooth and silky traditional milk dumpling.
Amazed and wonderfully pleased by the exquisite meal and refined service, my guest and I left Amala with a new experience of Indian cuisine. The dreamy and rich atmosphere coupled with superbly prepared cuisine merits many more returns.
Amala, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray
04 453 0444
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