A sizzler at Nathu’sPhotograph by Wedig + Laxton You can hear, smell, and feel a sizzler long before it gets to your table. Served on a screaming-hot metal platter, sizzlers consist of a charred main dish and several colorful sides that arrive in a cloud of smoke, crackling and broiling. Nathu’s in northeast Decatur offers several varieties of the dish, all in a classic Indo-Chinese style—a fusion cuisine that combines Indian flavors with Chinese cooking techniques. Sizzlers were first popularized in Mumbai as an upscale restaurant option, then slowly trickled down to nearly every Indo-Chinese joint. The full culinary history of sizzlers is a deeper dive that traces back to hot-griddle cooking (teppanyaki) in Japan, smitten U.S. war veterans (who called it hibachi), and a California steakhouse chain called Sizzler. But that’s a story for another day. Sparks Fly: Thinly sliced, water-soaked cabbage leaves create a barrier between the main dish and the fiery tray. As soon as the wet leaves touch the hot metal, droplets crackle and bounce around, creating the namesake “sizzler” effect. Heating Up: To heat the cast-iron plates, the restaurant uses a special burner. “This sucker can get up to 600 degrees, and it’ll stay hot for another 30 minutes,” says Nathu’s owner, Hemant Bhalla. The plates are set in wooden platters to provide a safe buffer. Main Event: Each sizzler has a star ingredient. It can be paneer cubes or, in this case, gobi Manchurian: fried cauliflower tossed in a sweet, sour, and garlicky sauce. The batter is a mix of cornstarch and rice flour, which creates an airy yet crispy bite. The Supporting Cast: Fried rice tossed with onions, garlic, and peppers in butter accompanies each sizzler, along with a steamed vegetable medley spiced with white pepper. Other side dishes might include french fries or crispy noodles. Unifying Factor: A pungent sauce drizzled around the plate brings cohesion to the sizzler. Bhalla selects a tangy, garlic- and soy-based Manchurian sauce to add a touch of sweetness and umami. Spice It Up: A trio of chili vinegar, green chili sauce, and red chili sauce accompanies each sizzler to turn up the heat—this time on flavor, not temperature. This article appears in our October 2024 issue. The post Nathu’s serves up pyrotechnics on a plate appeared first on Atlanta Magazine.