Adrak: Michelin Star Indian Cuisine in Yorkville

 

Celebrated for its Michelin-recognized dishes and exquisite flavours, Adrak is a culinary jewel. Sleek and stylish with hand-carved cane and wood furniture, Herringbone wood floors, cozy turmeric-hued booths, and custom fabrics and wallpapers sourced from India, a nod to fine Indian architecture and style. Showcasing refined cuisine inspired from of the regions all across India, the kitchen stands out with a unique hierarchy, featuring specialists with expertise in specific dishes rather than traditional executive or junior chefs of most typical restaurants. The team of culinary experts brings global experience from kitchens across the UAE, India, Thailand, and beyond, that have been trained under a Michelin-star Chef Vineet Bhatia, with some having tenures with other world-renowned chefs, including Gaggan Anand, Hari Nayak and Prashant Chipkar.

Arriving for dinner on a very snowy evening with my brother and sister in law, we were seated in one of the elegant saffron hued booths complete with beautiful pillows, and selected a selection of dishes from Adrak's inviting menu, including their iconic Rani Kachori with vibrant pink yogurt sauce and the impressive and delicious Prawns Tandoori served table side on a long tandoori skewer. Also noteworthy was the Khatte Meethe Baingan with baby aubergine and of course the traditional Dal Makhani, one of my favourite dishes. Attentive, professional and friendly, the service was excellent and the dishes even more so. We shall definitely return, but perhaps on a less snowy evening. 

A copper cup with crisp pappadam-style biscuits arrive as an amuse-bouche

Adriak's most iconic dish Rani Kachori, a large crisp puri filled with onion, potato, tomato, sprouts, chickpeas, and chutney with a vibrant pink yogurt sauce

Portion of the delicious Rani Kachori garnished with a flower

Onion Bhajia unusually fashioned as onion rings

Coriander Mint Chutney for the Onion Bhajia

Server presenting the Prawns Tandoori at the table served with a cheese dip and apple-fennel salad

Prawn Tandoori marinated with sesame and fresh coconut

Apple Slaw with rainbow radish served with the prawns

Aloo Gobi

Traditional Dal Makhani is one of my favourite dishes

Khatte Meethe Baingan with baby aubergine and sweet-sour sauce

Murgh Tikka Masala made with chicken tikka, cashew nuts in a spiced tomato-onion sauce

Basmati Rice served in a mason jar

Garlic Naan

www.adrakyorkville.ca

South Indian Crab Cake and Crab Chutney

Serves 4

Recipe courtesy of chef Vineet Bhatia

Crab Cakes:

4 1/4 oz of white crab meat

1/4 lb of potatoes, unpeeled

1 1/2 tbsp of black mustard seeds

6 curry leaves, coarsely chopped

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 1/2 tsp garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp ginger, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp green chillies, finely chopped

1 tsp chaat masala

2 large eggs, lightly whisked

4 tbsp of breadcrumbs, for coating

vegetable oil

salt

Crab Chutney:

3 1/2 oz of white crab meat

1/2 tomato, deseeded and finely chopped

1 tsp ginger, finely chopped

1/2 lime, juiced and zest grated

4 tbsp of mayonnaise

1 tsp green chillies, chopped

1 tbsp of spring onions, chopped

1 tbsp of black mustard seeds

6 curry leaves, finely chopped

2 tbsp of olive oil

salt

To make the crab chutney, mix the crab meat with the spring onions, tomato, lime zest, ginger and green chilli. Heat the oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves. When the seeds begin to crackle, take the pan off the heat and drizzle this oil on to the crab mixture. Add the mayonnaise, a little salt and lime juice and mix well.

For the crab cakes, boil the unpeeled potato in salted water until tender, then peel and grate. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they begin to splutter, add the curry leaves and chopped onion and sauté until the onion turns translucent. Mix the red chilli powder and turmeric with a little water. Add the chopped garlic, ginger and green chilli to the pan and sauté briefly, then add the red chilli powder and turmeric paste and sauté for a minute longer. Add the crab meat and stir-fry until all the moisture has evaporated, then stir in the grated potato. Season with the chaat masala and some salt, then leave to cool. Put the eggs in a bowl and the breadcrumbs in another. Shape the crab mixture into 4 round patties, dip them in the egg and then coat them in the crumbs. 

Heat the oil to 350°F in a large, deep saucepan (if you don’t have a thermometer, check it is hot enough by adding a cube of bread to the oil. It should start to bubble and fry, but not burn, the moment it has been added). Add the crab cakes and deep-fry for about 2 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper. To plate, serve one crab cake per person with a spoonful of the chutney on top with drizzle of balsamic glaze for presentation.