Distinctly Montana Magazine

w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m 55 W HEN IT COMES TO FLAVORFUL AND AROMATIC FOOD, IT'S TOUGH TO BEAT (EAST) INDIAN CUISINE. anks to the more ad- venturous tastes of Montanans in recent years, Indian food is starting to find its place in the restaurant scene. ere's a common misconcep- tion that Indian food is spicy, which is why some are hesitant to try it. However, it's important to note when it comes to Indian food, spicy and hot are not mutually exclusive. Indian food uses spices, but this does not necessarily make it hot. Rather it is full of aroma and bold flavors. While the Indian restaurants in Montana are few and far between, the ones we have offer authentic flavors and dishes. BOZEMAN CURRY EXPRESS in Belgrade and PAKEEZAH in Bozeman are two Indian restaurants in the Gallatin Valley under the same ownership. Curry Express opened in 2013 when there were no Indian restau- rants in the area. Owners Raj and Priyanka Singh moved to Montana from Alabama and although Indian food is one of the most popular worldwide, they were unsure how it would be received here. Rather than initially opening a fine dining restau- rant they decided to open a quick service restaurant, Curry Express. As expected, it was a struggle at first but the owners went to the farmers' markets and other local events. Slowly, people began trying their food and Curry Express became a staple in Belgrade. eir menu features around 200 items such as chicken curry, lamb masala, aloo gobi (a vegetarian dish generally made with potatoes, cauliflower and spices), daal (often lentils or peas hulled and split, then prepared into hearty stews) and chicken tikka masala. After the success of Curry Express, Raj and Priyanka decided to open a fine dining restaurant in downtown Bozeman, Pakeezah. Pakeezah offers a buffet during the lunch hours and a full-service dinner with Indian beer, wine, and cocktails. ey plan to expand beyond the Gallatin Valley and are currently looking in the West Yellowstone area as well as Helena, Missoula, Big Sky, and Great Falls. ey desire to continue to make deli- cious Indian cuisine available throughout Montana. MISSOULA MASALA, Missoula's only Indian restaurant, started out as a food cart. Chef and owner, eo Smith, who was born in Indonesia, first showed up on the Missoula restaurant scene in 2009 when he opened the popular pan-Asian restaurant, Iza. A few years later he sold his portion of Iza to start a new business in order to introduce the spicy flavor profiles of Indian food to Montana. e food cart had been a way to gauge the public's interest in Indian food while also allowing him to close during the winter months to travel to India. During those winters Chef eo was able to explore many regions, cooking styles, flavors, and ingredients to bring the most authen- tic approach to Indian cooking. As the food cart became increasingly popular in Missoula, it seemed natural to expand into a restaurant. Masala is fast and casual, much like the food cart while also having a dining room that is open year-round. e butter chicken, a curry dish of chicken simmered in tomato, butter, cream, garam masala and other spices is the most popular dish at Masala, along with delicious naan bread. ese are cooked in a Tandoor oven to create charred edges with a soft texture, brushed with melted butter and a sprinkle of salt. ese dishes are mild with familiar and local ingredients, while still being complex. Many of the dishes at Masala, like most Indian dishes, are vegetarian and gluten free. Round Up of Asian Indian Restaurants in Montana by ANGELA JAMISON CONTINUED

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