Two homegrown kitchens come together
This April, a new homegrown collaboration is in the books, and one you can’t miss. Indian favourite Khadak and the beloved Mexican spot LILA Wood Fired Taqueria are coming together for a two-nights only dining experience, designed to honour the spirit of community and the shared history of flavour between the two cultures.
Spice, fire and fermentation take centre stage in this journey, taking place at LILA Molino in Alserkal Avenue on April 22 and at Khadak in Jumeirah on April 23 and 24, with seatings available at 7pm, 8pm and 9pm. Diners can expect to sample a celebration of the vibrant street food traditions of India and Mexico through a specially curated vegetarian tasting menu created by both the teams.
The Formula
While geographically placed far apart, and boasting unique cultures, India and Mexico share a lot on the cuisine front, from native cooking tools to common ingredients and methods of preparation. Heat, a star in both cuisines, blends with the use of fermentation, to create complex, layered flavour profiles. Foundational foods overlap, such as the prominence of a flatbread – tortillas and roti, as well as the common man’s reliance on rice and beans or lentils for daily nutrition.
The tools and methods are similar as well – both cultures use grinding stones, and slow-cooking is prevalent in both. The biggest similarity lies in the use of hands, both in cooking and consuming, as well the food hospitality, with sharing, hosting and feeding a huge part of the cultures.
The Menu
The menu opens with inventive small bites such as the Jalapeño Tepache Panipuri, where roasted pineapple, spiced chickpeas, and potato cubes are tucked into crisp puri and finished with house-fermented pineapple tepache infused with jalapeño, ginger, and lime.
Next come the shared plates, including the Kulcha Fundido – Khadak’s signature kulcha stuffed with melted Chihuahua cheese, poblano chillies, serrano peppers, and spring onions, then served with burnt garlic butter. Another dish, the Paneer Khurchan Quesadilla, combines cottage cheese, bell peppers, and onions, cooked in a tomato masala and wrapped in house-baked ghee tortillas, finished with Yucatán Xnipec salsa.
Saag – A La Mexicana reinvents the North Indian classic through a Mexican lens, presenting cheesy baked greens topped with queso fresco and served with heirloom corn chips. The dessert is also a cultural fusion – Saffron Flan topped with sesame chikki and toasted chironji, followed by warm churros infused with star anise and cinnamon served alongside brown butter custard and cardamom.
@lilataqueria, @khadakmoments.ae
Image credit: Supplied
Deeply passionate about food, culture and community, Manaal loves telling extraordinary stories of ordinary people. Besides sniffing out a tale to tell, her favourite things to do include binging true crime documentaries, chasing cats on the streets and curating a good outfit.
