Queens Eats: Snacks: Maharaja

Queens Eats	Maharaja Sweets
	— 73-10 37th Avenue, near the Roosevelt Ave subway stop Though the competition in Jackson Heights is considerable, I believe Maharaja Sweets is the optimal Indian snack shop. Inside you'll find a panoply of Indian desserts, a whole bar of fixings for top-notch chaat, and an array of salty snacks known as namkin. All are delicious. I have a real soft spot for Indian sweets, which I realize are considered an acquired taste by some. Made with a base of condensed milk, the best sweets are soft, perfumed with cardamom or pistachios, and slightly fluffy. Maharaja's are sublime — always fresh and delicious, and refreshingly chilled for summer eating. Maharaja's snackshop specializes in Delhi sweets, including gulab jamun (round sticky sweet balls flavored with rose water) and spectacular carrot halva ($7/lb), shot through with shreds of sweetened carrot, whole cashews, and fresh ghee. They also have various Bengali and Gujarati goodies, such as a wondrously light ras malai, swimming in cardamom-scented sweet milk, and an excellent dense brown pindi, encrusted with whole almonds. My favorites at Maharaja are the gajrela, appealingly orange and made with carrots; the boat-shaped mawajam; and the juicy rasgullah. (All three are pictured at left.) The sweets are $6-$7 per pound to go, or generally $1 per piece. Another great take-away treat is Maharaja's house-made namkin, which involves crunchy fried bits, nuts, and dried fruits, rolled together in a distinctively South Asian sweet-salty-spicy mix ($5/lb). You can also buy divine "chilli cashews" — whole nuts rolled bright red in spices — they make for divine gnosh at a house party. Both treats are redolent with traces of black salt, beloved by Indians, which tastes slightly of sulfur. Finally, Maharaja offers great chaat, an Indian street food where crispy fried bits are combined with yoghurt, chickpeas and/or potatoes, and sweet and sour chutneys. Their channa masala (spicy-sour chickpeas, $6.49) and chole bhatura (chickpeas with a puffed fried bread) are also excellent. — July 2006
Stores	Snacks	Restaurants

— 73-10 37th Avenue, near the Roosevelt Ave subway stop

Though the competition in Jackson Heights is considerable, I believe Maharaja Sweets is the optimal Indian snack shop. Inside you'll find a panoply of Indian desserts, a whole bar of fixings for top-notch chaat, and an array of salty snacks known as namkin. All are delicious.

I have a real soft spot for Indian sweets, which I realize are considered an acquired taste by some. Made with a base of condensed milk, the best sweets are soft, perfumed with cardamom or pistachios, and slightly fluffy. Maharaja's are sublime — always fresh and delicious, and refreshingly chilled for summer eating.

Maharaja's snackshop specializes in Delhi sweets, including gulab jamun (round sticky sweet balls flavored with rose water) and spectacular carrot halva ($7/lb), shot through with shreds of sweetened carrot, whole cashews, and fresh ghee. They also have various Bengali and Gujarati goodies, such as a wondrously light ras malai, swimming in cardamom-scented sweet milk, and an excellent dense brown pindi, encrusted with whole almonds.

My favorites at Maharaja are the gajrela, appealingly orange and made with carrots; the boat-shaped mawajam; and the juicy rasgullah. (All three are pictured at left.) The sweets are $6-$7 per pound to go, or generally $1 per piece.

Another great take-away treat is Maharaja's house-made namkin, which involves crunchy fried bits, nuts, and dried fruits, rolled together in a distinctively South Asian sweet-salty-spicy mix ($5/lb). You can also buy divine "chilli cashews" — whole nuts rolled bright red in spices — they make for divine gnosh at a house party. Both treats are redolent with traces of black salt, beloved by Indians, which tastes slightly of sulfur.

Finally, Maharaja offers great chaat, an Indian street food where crispy fried bits are combined with yoghurt, chickpeas and/or potatoes, and sweet and sour chutneys. Their channa masala (spicy-sour chickpeas, $6.49) and chole bhatura (chickpeas with a puffed fried bread) are also excellent. — July 2006