WILLIAMSBURG — Anita Jogi started her food trailer Masala Magic by Anita about a month ago, with the official opening on May 26 at Townline Ciderworks.
Jogi said she and her husband came to the United States from India so he could go to school to become a pharmacist. The couple lives in Elk Rapids, and Jogi will serve Indian food in Williamsburg this summer.
"We don't have any authentic Indian food around here," Jogi said. "I try to include all the popular dishes from all over India."
Perhaps the most popular is the butter chicken. Jogi said she makes a lot of that, even though it is time consuming. The tomato cashew sauce can take up to four hours to cook, she said. This sauce is also used for the Paneer, an Indian cottage cheese dish.
Though the butter chicken is a staple, Jogi said the rest of her menu may change. She will always offer a vegetarian and vegan option like dahl (a lentil dish) as well as naan.
"It changes a little bit so everybody can enjoy," she said of her menu.
She also makes tomato chutney and mango chutney sauces to go with the flatbread and samosas, an appetizer that is filled with potatoes and fried.
"Everything I make is from scratch," she said. "I like cooking. Feeding people is my love language."
The beverage option is either mango lassi or chai. The tea is made with a family spice mix recipe, Jogi said.
"India loves mangoes," she said. "It's a yogurty mango drink."
Townline Ciderworks co-owner and tasting room manager Kristie Altonen said they usually host a food truck during the summer, as it is "not easy to come by" in that area. She said Jogi reached out and they were excited to have her on site.
"The ciders will pair well with Indian food because it's not necessarily spicy unless you request it," Altonen said. "Our crisp ciders balance with heavily-seasoned food. We have a lot of dry ciders that also pair well."
She added that they are hosting music on Friday nights this summer.
Masala Magic by Anita is open Thursday to Sunday. Expanded hours are expected in mid-June, after schools are done for this year. For the current menu and other details, visit masalamagicbyanita.com.
[Originally published online and in print June 1, 2024]
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