And just as chefs have scavenged other Asian cultures for inspiration, at last they've turned to India. Floyd Cardoz, chef at the new Indian fusion restaurant Tabla in Manhattan, even has his own spice room, a pantry lined with colorful jars of green cardamom, turmeric, and Lucknowi fennel seeds. Indian food is not so much the spices, Cardoz insists. He's got coriander seeds, cloves, and cumin, too. The kick comes from how much is used and how spices are combined.
Technique plays a role, too.
The spices are tempered with heat to bring out their perfume. The difference is in finesse and presentation. Chef Dean Willis oven-grills chicken breasts and serves them atop apricot and plum sauce heightened with cinnamon, ginger, bay leaves, and cardamom. It's enough to make you run to the nearest burger joint. Many predict that American interest in authentic Indian food will grow as more people turn to vegetarian alternatives.