Ahead of its launch, The Indian Project’s cloud kitchen in Powai got us satiating our taste buds

(Clockwise) Smoked makhani dal, red jalapeño tikka, smoked butter paneer, shawarma paneer tikka sub roll, malai rosemary broccoli, smoked butter chicken and (centre) truffle kulcha. Pics/Aishwarya Deodhar

The tandoor is the heart of a north Indian kitchen, and when we walk into The Indian Project's nearly 400-sq feet Powai-based cloud kitchen run by brothers - chef Vansh and Drishya Khanna, its welcoming heat greets us. In this kitchen, the role of the clay oven goes beyond cooking; spices are roasted on the upturned dome lid, tomatoes are dried for sauces and, for our amusement and photographs, chef Vansh throws in handfuls of sugar for the flames to rise. It did, along with our appetite.

Edamame kebab with garlic aioli

The small space is clean, with an open pantry, assembly station and hot zones. "I wanted to do something new with Indian food. I love [our cuisine], as well as Asian and Italian food, and wanted to bring these flavours to our Indian fare to create a new balance, and make it healthy too," chef Vansh reveals. He introduces French cooking techniques and concepts to his Punjabi heirloom recipes. The final product is a North Indian dish that is light on the palate and stomach, and explores a new depth of flavours in fan-favourite classics such as butter chicken and tikkas.

Red jalapeño tikka in an eco-friendly takeaway container

We taste all the appetisers on the menu; tikkas are available in chicken, paneer and broccoli. We start with the red jalapeño chicken tikkas (Rs 375) topped with pickles and a hot sauce made from red jalapeños, which lends it a distinct sweetness and heat that builds up towards the end. The edamame kebabs (Rs 375), the Khanna twist on hara bhara kebabs, are creamy with a hint of heat. Both are our star picks.

Red jalapeño tikka in an eco-friendly takeaway container

All the chicken tikkas are soft; these were marinated with a thick paste for only two to three minutes before being cooked in the tandoor. This is where the chef's secret ingredient kicks in - kefir. It's added to the in-house hung curd and doesn't need time to tenderise the protein. The malai rosemary broccoli tikka (Rs 375) is surprisingly creamy, and does not make you miss chicken. It comes with pumps of a mayo-like saffron crema that doesn't overpower the vegetable and masala. If you're not a mayo fan, you'll miss the subtleness. The pesto basil paneer (Rs 375) is served with tomato chutney made from in-house tandoor-dried tomatoes, and pulls the whole dish together. Next, we try the truffle kulchas (Rs 375). These bite-sized pockets are filled with cheese and do not skimp on the earthy truffle flavours and subtle heat of the chilli oil. In between appetisers, we taste spoons of rosemary oil, tomato chutney, red jalapeño sauce and dulce - all made in-house. If chef Vansh bottled this stuff up, it would sell. The venture aims to curate healthy and light meal boxes comprising a starter, a main dish and rice or naan, or whole wheat bread sub rolls - an Indianised sub sandwich - to Powai's office crowd. We get the shawarma paneer tikka sub with toum, a garlic sauce (Rs 275) that gives us a chaat-like blend of Lebanese flavours with pickled beets and an amaranth garnish. It also comes with green chutney for a spice kick, on a bed of iceberg lettuce that didn't have the anticipated crunch.

For mains, the smoked butter paneer (R400) and its chicken variant (Rs 400) are topped with kasuri methi, offering a balance of smoky, sweet and spicy notes. The chicken is tandoor-charred while sugar is swapped for jaggery. It wins our vote because it isn't dripping with butter. The smoked dal makhani and Punjabi rajma (Rs 400) are tweaked family recipes that are complemented by soft whole wheat naans.

We end with an off-the-menu dessert - kheer with dulce de leche and a hazelnut-cardamom crumble. The dulce is smooth and perfectly sweetened, while the crumble lends the kheer a crunchy texture that adds to the flavours of the dish. "If you like it, I'll add it to the menu," chef Vansh tells us. You can thank us later.

The Indian Project
On All days; 12 pm to 11 pm
At Saki Vihar Road, Powai.
Log on to Swiggy and Zomato
Call 9769932780 (for event catering services or delivery)