Roti enews:: NOVEMBER '06

1. SPECIALS FOR NOVEMBER

Appetizer: Murgh Hariyali Kabobs - Following on the success of last months Dhaniwal Murgh Korma, we will bring you another dish in the green hue. The Hindi word 'hariyali' means 'green' and this tandoori chicken dish from Punjab gets its name from the green herbs used in the marinade. Boneless, skinless pieces of free-range chicken are marinated in a mixture of yogurt, cilantro, mint, lemon juice, ginger, garlic and spices. The kabobs are roasted in a tandoor oven at high heat and served on a platter with a few slices of pear and cucumber. As a variation on the traditional tandoori chicken tikka, this is a very light and tasty dish with which to begin your gourmet evening at Roti. $14.

Main Course: Goa Lamb Curry - Some customers have noticed that almost all the curry sauces in Indian dishes are made with a base of onions. The lamb curry from Goa being featured this month has an unusual and very tasty sauce that does not use any onions. Cubes of lamb are simmered in a sauce made with tomatoes, coconut milk, ginger, and spices that include chili peppers, coriander, cumin, turmeric and paprika. The dish is finished by adding malt vinegar. Like most dishes in Goa, it is generally eaten spicy-hot and we recommend that you order it as spicy as your palate will permit, although please remember that the Chef is quite happy to make a mild version of any of our dishes if requested. $16.

Vegetable dish: Lobhia aur Khumbi - This vegan dish from Punjab, and is a great winter dish. It is made with black-eyed peas and shitake mushrooms cooked in a sauce made with garlic, onions, tomatoes and spices that include cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. We know you will enjoy it. $10.

New Additions to our Wine Menu: Ca'na Celebration Rose. 2005 was their first release of Rose, produced from Contra Costa Cabernet Sauvignon for the Tamayo Family Vineyards. They produced a light refreshing wine to be enjoyed by the sophisticated wine drinker as well as the 'special-glass-of-wine-on-a-special-annual-occasion' wine drinker. $38 per bottle

Champom. A beautiful blend of Gosset champagne and pomegranate juice, with a few pomegranate kernels used to accentuate the lightness of this wine blend. $15 per glass

Due to the great reception you gave our October specials, we will continue to offer them through the month of November, in addition to the new November specials. To remind you, the October specials were:

Appetizer:
Tandoori Scallops $11

Main Course Chicken dish:
Dhaniwal Murgh Korma $16

Vegetable dish:
Makai aur Khumb $10

Coffee: Served in French press style right at your table. Decaffeinated coffee is also available. $5

The September specials of the Malai Kofta, Salmon Masala and the vegetarian Aloo Kebab have been discontinued.

2. WINNER The winner of a complimentary dinner for 2 valued at $60 for the month of October '06 is: SUSAN LEE (Layered Corp).

CONGRATULATIONS, and please continue to add your business cards to the collection bowl at the front of the restaurant, and fill out the feedback forms in the guest check envelope after you complete your dining experience. This will insure your chances for future monthly draws of a Roti dinner for 2 valued at $60.

These complimentary dinner prizes need to be used within the month following the draw, so the October '06 winners should call in and reserve their table within the month of November '06. We will notify winners by phone as well as by adding their names to the newsletter.

3. TASTES OF INDIA We had another enjoyable tasting session with more than 25 of our wonderful customers on Saturday October 14 '06. It is great to commune will fellow food lovers and talk about the delicate differences of spices and the overall abounding flavor that you can generate within Indian cuisine. We tasted a new butternut soup recipe that I will introduce as a special next month, and paired it with our sweet and tasty Kabuli naan. We also sampled our October specials of Dhaniwal Murgh Korma and Makai aur Khumb. Giovanni introduced the new rose from Ca'na as well as our pomegranate and Gosset champagne blend. The pictures in the column to the left were taken at the restaurant during the tasting. Our next 'Tastes of India' will be held on Saturday February 17 '07 at 4pm.

4. HOLIDAY SCHEDULE Please note that we will be closed on Thanksgiving, November 23 '06. We wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends and we look forward to seeing you any of the other 7 nights a week that we are open for dinner.

5. RECIPE RELEASE As we head into winter the comfort and warmth we get from a lovely cup of Chai will help us keep in mind the excitement of the summer past and the anticipation of the one to come. The gentle spices will envelop your family and friends in the Indian custom of communal conversation. Click here to download the PDF file of Roti's Chai.

6. INDIAN IMMERSION a. Which Indian author won the prestigious Booker Prize for 2006?
b. What is the name of India's largest commercial enterprise?
c. What does the Hindi word 'Chai' mean?
(see answers below)

Indian cultural activities out and about town... in addition to Roti being the cultural experience of great Indian Cuisine in the West Portal 'Village':

• Roti is sponsoring the Red Tie Gala at Nieman Marcus, in aid of the Little Sisters Of The Poor St Anne's Home on Lake Street. The Gala will be held on Friday November 3rd from 7pm to 11pm. Look for us there and come and enjoy some of our great food.

7. ANNOUNCEMENTS In October we had an evening that once again shows the bright and sunny side of our community by way of the following stories from customers that enjoy dining with us at Roti.

We were thrilled to have Phyllis Miller celebrate her 87th birthday with us, traveling in from Sonoma to spend the occasion with family and friends. She looked amazing, and her warm smile lit up the restaurant. We're looking forward to sharing many more birthdays with you Phyllis.

That same night was the first night out for Lyndon and Natalie Lloyd since the birth of their second child (and it also happened to be their 6th wedding anniversary). They told us that on April 28th, Natalie was 6 days overdue, and after trying spicy Thai and Vietnamese dishes that week, they came into Roti to see if the fabled Indian spices would in fact be the ones to help bring their child into the world. Well, within 30 minutes of leaving the restaurant things started to happen and 6 hours later Anna Christine Lloyd was born. We are sure Anna will also come to enjoy Indian food one day and we look forward to being a part of the family for years to come.

 

To send us your suggestions and comments for future newsletters, please email us at rotinews@yahoo.com . Please do not use that email to unsubscribe from the newsletter. The link at the end of this newsletter will be the most automatic, immediate, and effective way to unsubscribe.

We look forward to seeing you at Roti in the near future. Warm regards, Susan Gujral On behalf of our family, the Executive Chef and the great staff members of Roti Indian Bistro, West Portal.

Answers to Indian Immersion Questions a. Kiran Desai for her book The Inheritance Of Loss (ref: Paktribune.com) b. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) (ref: Wikipedia) c. Tea (ref: Wikipedia)