What are Sizzlers?
Do you love the sound of sizzling? Sizzlers are a delicious treat, with the aroma of spices teasing your senses from a hot metal plate served with the taste of succulent meat and veggies. Let’s dig into some history, the variety and the 5 best sizzlers in Chennai.
It doesn’t matter if you are a fan of Indian style or Japanese Teppanyaki; you will find yourself craving it here. Grab a fork and a knife, and get ready to feast on some delicious sizzlers.
Why Are Sizzlers Popular?
More than just a dish, sizzlers are a sensory experience that will tantalise your taste buds and make you drool. But the question here is, how did they come to be? Keeping your hands clean while eating sizzlers is our priority, so we did dirty research about their history and variety.
Inspired by an American version of Japanese Teppanyaki, a style of Japanese cuisine that uses an iron griddle to cook, Firoz Erani invented the mouth-watering sizzlers in Mumbai in 1963. The name came from his restaurant near Excelsior cinema, ‘Sizzler’. He started serving his creations of meat, veggies, and sauces on a hot metal plate with a wooden holder. The smoky aroma, sizzling sound and juicy flavours soon made Sizzler a hit.
Since then, sizzlers have evolved and adapted to different cuisines and tastes. There are Indian, Chinese, Continental, and Mexican dishes, as well as Japanese Teppanyaki-style sizzlers. Some of the common ingredients are chicken, mutton, beef, paneer, corn, rice, noodles and cheese. The sauces range from spicy to tangy to creamy to cheesy. Isn’t history itself mouth-watering? Well, if you’re still hungry, you can always take a bite out of history!
The 5 Best Sizzlers in Chennai
If you are in Chennai, here are the 5 best sizzlers you must try. No worries, if you are not in Chennai, you can try recreating our recipes and making them yourself.
5. Paneer Sizzler
Soft and juicy paneer cubes with crunchy and colourful veggies all coated in spicy and tangy sauce served on a hot iron plate that makes the sizzling sound filling the air with a tempting aroma – Paneer Sizzler, a versatile dish that can be customised to any preference. So if you’re looking for an exceptional culinary experience, the Paneer Sizzler is the way to go. After all, who doesn’t love a dish that literally makes noise?
It starts hours before you order. Paneer cubes and vegetables are marinated in a sauce for at least an hour. Then they are grilled on a skewer until they are charred and cooked. Rice or noodles are then prepared for serving. A heated cast iron plate with cabbage on top is used to assemble the plate. Rice and the grilled paneer and vegetables take their places on the pan. Finally, some hot sauce is poured over it to create the sizzling sound you crave. Don’t forget you can always customise your vegetables and seasonings with onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, chilli, vinegar, soy and lots more.
4. Chicken Sizzler
Imagine this: A loud sizzling sound as a hot iron plate arrives at your table with tender and succulent chicken pieces and crispy and fresh veggies, all smothered in a rich and creamy cheese sauce. Oh, this is a chicken sizzler with steamed rice or crispy fries to complement the dish.
For chicken sizzlers, chicken pieces are cut into two and flattened with a mallet or a knife. They are then marinated in lemon juice, salt, black pepper, red chilli powder, ginger paste, garlic paste and vinegar for at least 30 minutes. Rice is washed and soaked in water for about 15 minutes. Vegetables are cut into bite-sized pieces. The marinated chicken pieces are grilled on a skewer until golden and cooked through. The soaked rice is cooked with water and salt until fluffy. The vegetables are sauteed in some oil with salt and pepper until crisp-tender. A cast iron plate is heated over high heat until very hot. Cabbage leaves are placed on it to prevent sticking. Finally, rice, chicken and vegetables are arranged, hot sauce is poured, and the sizzling comes.
3. Fish Sizzler
Now let us alter the scene: You heard the same sizzling sound, but now it’s juicy fish pieces, crunchy veggies, and tangy sauce drizzled on top. This is a fish sizzler which you can customize with a variety of seafood and sauces, such as prawns, squids, garlic, chilli and more.
Fish pieces are marinated in a mixture of yoghurt, garlic paste, cumin seeds, paprika powder, red chilli paste, sesame seeds, vinegar, onion paste, papaya paste, clarified butter and salt for at least an hour. Vegetables are cut into bite-sized pieces. The marinated fish pieces are grilled on a skewer. Then the vegetables are sautéed in oil with salt and pepper until crisp-tender. Done and dusted, here goes our sizzling process with the heated cast iron, cabbage leave and hot sauce.
2. Beef Tenderloin Sizzler
It’s been tempting still now. Let us keep the temptation up with the next best sizzler, the beef tenderloin sizzler with beef slices topped with pepper brandy, creamy mushroom sauce or red wine sauce.
Beef tenderloin slices are sprinkled with baking soda to make them more tender for 30 minutes. They are then dried with a paper towel and seasoned with salt and pepper. Buns are cut and toasted lightly. Vegetables are cut into bite-sized pieces. The beef slices are browned on both sides in a skillet over high heat until done to your liking. The vegetables are then sautéed in some oil with salt and pepper until crisp-tender—lastly, the sizzling touch with the heated iron plate, cabbage and hot sauce.
1. Mixed Sizzler
The name suggests a mixed ingredient, but what exactly is mixed? Beef and chicken come together with the mixed sizzler.
This dish combines meats, kinds of seafood, and vegetables on a hot iron plate, for instance, beef and chicken. The preparation starts with marinating the ingredients in different sauces and spices. Then they are grilled or fried until they are cooked and crispy. A layer of cabbage is placed on a heated cast iron plate to prevent the food from burning. The rice or noodles are then arranged on the plate, followed by the meat, seafood and vegetables. The final touch is pouring some hot sauce over the dish, creating a sizzling sound that makes your mouth water.
Enjoy Sizzlers With Jonah’s
A platter of succulent meat, crispy seafood, tender vegetables and aromatic rice sizzling on a hot iron plate. That’s what you get when you order a sizzler at Jonah’s Bistro, one of the best fine-dining restaurants in Chennai. You can choose from various options like mashed potatoes, rice, brandy, wine, fries and more. Each bite is a burst of flavour and texture, enhanced by the sauces and spices that accompany the dish. Don’t miss this chance to treat yourself to a delicious and satisfying meal at Jonah’s Bistro.’
Takeaway
Overall, sizzlers are a sensory experience that tantalises your taste buds. Originating from the American version of Japanese Teppanyaki, sizzlers have since evolved and adapted to different cuisines and taste preferences. We have listed the five best sizzlers one must try. If you are in Chennai, try these sizzlers at Jonah’s Bistro. So, next time you hear the sizzling sound, you know what to do – order a sizzler and indulge in its mouth-watering flavours at Jonah’s.
FAQs
1. What sizzler means?
Sizzler is a word that describes the hissing sound that food makes when it is frying or cooking. Sizzler dishes are named after this sound because they sizzle when they are served.
2. How do you get smoke in sizzler?
As the cooked food is placed on the heated iron plate, it will sizzle, and smoke will come out as it comes in contact with the hot plate.
3. Why are sizzlers hot?
Sizzler is sizzling hot because it is served on a heated iron cast with hot sauce.
4. Is sizzler a continental dish?
Sizzler originally originated in India but has found its way into every cuisine, including continental.
5. Is eating sizzlersYeah. healthy?
Sizzlers aren’t just delicious, but they’re also packed with vitamins and minerals. The meal is well-balanced, with sufficient protein, carbohydrates, fibre, and minerals.
