Ethnic Eats: Sublime Vegetarian, On Plastic Trays

The Global Mall has long been a center of Indian culture in Atlanta—so it comes as no surprise that the food court serves quick lunches for its clientele, who are largely vegetarian. (At least 40 percent of the Indian population is vegetarian. Mostly because of the Hindu belief in reincarnation.)

Undulating music and colorful details give the over-lit mall a little warmth and friendliness. Once you come up the escalator—with pictures of gurus smiling down at you from the walls—head to the right for the food court.

Among the small stands of note are Mumbai Masala, Sri Krishna Vilas and a Chinese Dhaba, an interesting Chinese-Indian fusion spot. The first two offer vegetarian food only, while the Chinese spot has a pretty even split.

Sir Krishna serves incredible, fiery South Indian fare. (Rule of thumb: The further south you go in India, the spicier the food gets.) The combos are a nice sampler and introduction.

Try the No. 1 Masala Dosa combo: It comes with a giant, stuffed dosa (a thin crepe made from black lentils and rice), two chutneys (rich side sauces that enhance the flavor of a curry), a sambar (vegetable stew made from tamarind and lentils), a “vada” (chickpea-flour donut) and an idli (spongy round bread made perfect for soaking up flavor).

The key to mastering this masala dosa is to not look at the triangular crepe, falling off the corners of the plate, then think about the size of your stomach. Just take it one beautiful bite at a time.

The chutneys that come with this sampler vary—it’s chef’s choice. The fated afternoon that I ordered my masala dosa, the two varieties were a pickled lime-chili chutney and a coconut-peanut chutney. They served as nice counterpoints to each other, I’m sure not coincidentally, and to the more mild sambar stew.

The main attraction is the dosa itself. A thin pancake is slathered with a spiced potato mixture, spiked with yellow turmeric and sweet onions. The thin crepe is folded in on itself to make a triangle. Pull it apart with your hands and dip it in any combination of the three sauces.

Something that is a ubiquitous association for any traveler to India is a cup of sweet, strong spiced chai tea. I’ve long given up on coffee shop “chai  lattes” but one sip of Sri Krishna’s thick, clove-heavy chai sent me back to crowded, cross-country trips through India. 

When the rickety train would stop, a chai wallah would rush on board with a pot or a thermos of piping tea, the amount of black tea always depending on the relative wealth of the town. Whatever sweaty rattling I had endured, that chai always seemed to make it better. I recommend a cup of that nostalgia at the Global Mall, whether you’ve visited India or not.