Last month a group of us venture out to Artesia (Little India) for some Bollywood movie. Before the movie we stopped by this Indian Vegetarian snack shop to pick up some treats. It was established since 1986.
The moment I stepped in, I was DAZZLED by the variety of amazing looking sweets displayed at the counter.
A lot of pistachio and date flavors.
I could only point at things at random, hoping that they’ll taste as good as they look.
There’s also a big kitchen menu as well. To digest the menu in a short amount of time and ordered things you never try before at the counter is nerve wrecking but also very exciting, because everything sounds GOOD. Though I feel that the English descriptions sounded a little too simplistic (“sweet & spicy sauce”).
Left: Sev Khamani ($3.50) – Soft mashed sweet and spicy snack made from chana flour, topped with crunchy Noodle. It has a complex flavor with mix of savory and sweet. The contrast of the beany chana paste and crunchy noodle is so addictive. Right: Shrikand Puri ($4.99) – Sweet Curd Yogurt topped with cardamon and pistachio, served with large deep fried whole wheat puffy bread. LOVE it! The yogurt is too delicious~
Dahi Sev Puri: Small deep fried whole wheat puffy shells stuffed with beans & potatoes, covered with sweet and spicy sauces, topped with yogurt and crunchy noodles. It’s an amazing mix of savory, sweet, spicy and yogurty flavor with multi-texture going on…just wow~ Petish (I think): Fried balls stuffed with cilantro coconut garlic and crushed green peppers within a potato shell.
My selections of the sweets from the counter (I usually choose based on how few pieces were left).
Even though it’s just snacks, but the varieties, richness and complexities of texture and flavors were overwelming enough. This is definitely an eye/taste bud-opening experience.
Surati Farsan Mart
11814 E 186th St.. Artesia, CA 90701
Tags: Dessert, Indian, small plate
WOW! There were so many beautiful photos! Good work!
Thanks Melissa!
what a great find! why can’t they have something like this in LA?!
Although I’ve had Indian food many times, I have somehow never had Indian sweets! The colors are amazingly bright and gorgeous; I’d love to try some, especially since I like pistachio quite a bit.
I have this bias view that bright-colour = artificial…the ones you picked look pretty “safe”. How did they taste?
btw, I saw a Japanese TV program that showed two Japanese girls who are huge Sex in the City fans and tney went to New York to have a tour of all the scene spots. I can’t remember seeing it but apparently a bakery shop was used for a scene where Carrie and Miranda were chatting while having some PINKISH cupcakes. The cupcakes got very famous because of that. So the two Japanese girls tried them. One girl took a bite, WINCED, and burst out “It is too sweet!” I mean….what do you expect? ^^;;;
Seat, that’s exactly why I picked the more natural looking ones ^^:; They all taste good! Joan told me she’s had some soap tasting ones before so I make sure I pick normal flavor like “dates, caramel”..etc
haha American cupcakes are just…toothache inducing sweet. The pinkish cupcakes…hmm…the red one is usually “Red Velvet Cake” and sometimes the frosting on top is cream cheese…that’d taste more ‘balance”.