In 2021, Michelin called on Fullerton and bestowed the coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand Award to Khan Saab Desi Craft Kitchen. (Take that, Newport Beach!)
The Register’s food critic Brad Johnson named the restaurant No. 35 in his annual list of Orange County’s best restaurants as well.
Chef Imran Ali Mookhi, the innovator behind this 100% halal eatery, combines the flavors and cooking techniques of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“Desi meaning it comes from the subcontinent, the people from Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh,” Chef Ali explained about the restaurant’s name, “and Craft because we make everything in-house.
“Pakistani cuisine and Indian, the techniques and spices are the same. Before 1947 they used to be one country, so the roots are the same,” he said. “Indian is more toward vegetarian. Pakistan is heavily driven by meat and proteins.
“Our concept is to upgrade Indian food, the plating, presentation, with a farm-to-table concept,” he added. “There are Pakistani restaurants, but they’re not fine dining.”
He said they decided on Fullerton and opened the restaurant, then 15 days later, the coronvirus pandemic forced them closed.
“Our concept is casual fine dining, so we had to work things around. We closed for two months, then opened just for takeout,” he said. “Then we went to outdoor dining, which we still have. I don’t know how we did it, but we did it.”
Chef Ali came to the U.S. in 2000 at the age of 17. His dream was to go to school and study computers.
“I got a job washing dishes at a restaurant. It was the first time I was working. In my family everything was provided,” he said. “Later I became a prep guy and then salad, line cook, then working the line as a sous chef. I started a mom-and-pop restaurant in Pasadena called Delhi Palace. From there I went to one of the finest Indian Michelin-starred restaurants, Gaylord in Beverly Hills.”
His other credits include Tantra on Sunset, Tamarind in Newport Beach, Dosa in San Francisco, and Tumbi in Santa Monica, which got Michelin recognition as well.
“Our most popular dishes are the street food,” he said. “In the subcontinent there are stalls on every corner.
“Our Pani Puri is a puff pastry made with semolina stuffed with garbanzo, potatoes and onions, and comes with a tamarind and mint water. You take the water and puff pastry in one bite, and then you get this explosion of flavor in your mouth. Then our Sloppy Khan is very popular. It’s like a Sloppy Joe, but our version is with wagyu beef. Of course, our kabobs are popular too.”
A significant portion of the menu is devoted to curries. Alas, the word “curry” suffers from misconceptions.
“People think curry means a spice, that it’s too hot,” he said. “It’s not a spice; it’s a sauce.”
An interesting dish on the menu is Nihiri Breakfast Curry, which Chef Ali explained was created some 800 years ago for the Moghal king.
“It was very heavy and rich and meant to be a breakfast curry for royalty, not your everyday dish,” he said. “Generations later it began being served at weddings. It takes eight to 10 hours to make. It’s a slow process.”
Khan Saab is 100% alcohol free and is known for its mocktails.
“Muslims don’t drink,” Chef Ali explained. “I don’t drink myself. I would go to a restaurant, and if you have to wait, you’re forced to sit at the bar. If you can’t drink, you’re missing the whole experience, so we wanted to create something we can be proud of, not just juice in a glass with ice.
“We hired a mixologist,” he said, “and, sure enough, our first article mentioned this non-alcoholic bar in Fullerton. We were the first one in California and fourth in the entire nation.”
Fullerton’s Judy Bart Kancigor is the author of “Cooking Jewish” and “The Perfect Passover Cookbook.” Her website is cookingjewish.com.
KHAN SAAB CHICKEN CURRY
Ingredients:
5 cups chopped onions (5 medium)
1 can (28 ounces) chopped tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
1 cup canola oil
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 bay leaf
6 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste (recipe follows)
3 tablespoons cumin powder
3 tablespoons coriander powder
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Chili powder, to taste
Kosher or sea salt, to taste
1 chicken, cut into 12 pieces
Method:
1. In large pot bring 10 cups water to boil; add onions and tomatoes. Boil until mixture is reduced to about 7 cups. Purée in food processor.
2. In large, heavy pan, add oil, cinnamon sticks, cumin seeds, and bay leaf. When spices are cracking, add ginger-garlic paste (for the paste, place 2 ounces chopped fresh ginger, 12 garlic cloves and 1/4 cup water in food processor and blend until smooth) and cook, stirring, until brown. Add remaining spices; mix well. Add onion-tomato purée, and cook until thickened. Add chicken and cook until juices run clear. Garnish with ginger, cilantro and fresh lemon juice.