6 Miri Mary Signature Dishes and the Stories Behind Them

Published: August 17, 2026  |  Estimated reading time: 5 minutes  |  Written by the Miri Mary team

What should you order at Miri Mary? There is no single dish that explains the whole menu. The restaurant draws inspiration from different regions of India, then brings those flavours together through sharing plates, familiar favourites and modern interpretations.

These six Miri Mary signature dishes are a useful introduction. They move from Kerala-inspired prawns and Andhra-spiced chicken to Chennai-style dosai, slow-cooked dal and vegetable-led plates designed for the centre of the table.

1. Prawn Canapés: Kerala Flavours in One Crisp Bite

Prawn Canapés pair Kerala-style prawns with curry leaves and red chilli, served on crisp cassava chips. The format is small and modern, but the flavour direction points towards the coastal cooking of Kerala.

This dish introduces several ideas that return across the Miri Mary menu: regional inspiration, contrast in texture and food designed to be passed around. The prawns are rich and spiced, while the cassava chip keeps the bite light and crisp.

It works well near the beginning of dinner, especially if the table wants a seafood plate that can be shared without committing to a large main course.

2. Farm to Fire: A Vegetable Dish with Tandoor Character

Farm to Fire uses minced garden vegetables seasoned with garlic and garam masala. The mixture is formed around skewers, charred over fire and served with apple, onion and fennel slaw plus house mint chutney.

The dish shows why vegetarian Indian food does not need to sit quietly beside the rest of the menu. Fire, spice, chutney and fresh slaw give it enough structure to stand alongside meat or seafood dishes.

For a mixed table, Farm to Fire is a practical choice because it contributes more than an alternative for vegetarian guests. It adds char, freshness and a different texture for everyone to share. For more plant-forward ideas, see the guide to vegan and vegetarian Indian food in Amsterdam.

3. Miri’s Spiced Chicken: Inspired by Andhra Heat

Miri’s Spiced Chicken begins with tender chicken grilled in the tandoor, then adds a black pepper and tomato sauce inspired by Andhra cuisine. It is one of the more assertive dishes on the dinner menu.

The important detail is not heat alone. Tandoor grilling brings char and depth before the sauce adds pepper, tomato and spice. That layering helps the dish feel more complete than something that is simply made hot.

Order it when the table wants a stronger flavour in the middle of the meal. Milder lentil, paneer or rice dishes can provide contrast around it.

4. Mary’s Crêpe: A Chennai-Style Dosai

Mary’s Crêpe is Miri Mary’s presentation of a Chennai-style dosai. Its crisp shell is made from rice and lentil batter fermented overnight, then served with sambar and fresh coconut chutney.

Calling it a crêpe makes the form immediately understandable, but the dish remains connected to a South Indian combination: fermented batter, lentil and vegetable stew, and coconut chutney.

It also changes the rhythm of the table. Instead of another sauce-based plate, guests get something crisp that can be broken, dipped and shared. This is a good example of modern presentation being used to make a regional dish approachable without removing the elements that give it identity.

5. Smoked Black Lentils: Time as an Ingredient

Smoked Black Lentils are Miri Mary’s dal makhani, slow-cooked for 12 hours. The result is creamy, buttery and smoky, with a depth that comes from patience rather than a long list of competing elements.

Dal can look simple beside more visually dramatic dishes, but it often becomes the plate that holds the meal together. It works with rice, naan, vegetables and tandoor-grilled dishes, softening sharper flavours without disappearing beside them.

This is one of the best dishes to order when the table wants something comforting and shareable. It also reflects an important part of the menu’s approach: technique and time can carry as much meaning as elaborate presentation.

6. Saag Paneer: A Familiar Dish with Miri Mary’s Point of View

Saag Paneer combines cottage cheese with a creamy gravy made from spinach and endive. The dish is familiar to many Indian restaurant guests, but the use of endive gives the greens a slightly different character.

Including a recognisable dish matters. A menu built only around surprise can become difficult to navigate, especially for a group visiting for the first time. Saag Paneer gives the table a comforting reference point while still reflecting Miri Mary’s own way of building flavour.

Pair it with rice or bread, then add a crisp or charred sharing plate for contrast. Check the current Miri Mary menu for the latest dishes, allergen labels and availability.

How to Order These Signature Dishes Together

You do not need to order all six dishes in one visit. A better approach is to choose different roles for the table:

• One crisp opening plate, such as Prawn Canapés
• One vegetable-led dish, such as Farm to Fire
• One stronger tandoor dish, such as Miri’s Spiced Chicken
• One comforting dish, such as Smoked Black Lentils or Saag Paneer
• Rice or bread to bring the meal together

If Mary’s Crêpe is part of the order, let it provide the crisp, fermented contrast instead of adding too many similar starters. The team can suggest quantities based on group size and appetite.

For a wider view of the evening format, read about dinner at Miri Mary in De Pijp.

What Makes a Dish a Miri Mary Signature?

A signature dish is not necessarily the most famous Indian dish or the most complicated plate. On this menu, the strongest signatures show a clear point of view: a regional reference, a distinctive preparation, a thoughtful contrast or a format that encourages sharing.

That is why these six dishes belong together even though they are very different. They show coastal and southern influences, tandoor cooking, slow-cooked comfort, vegetarian depth and the balance between recognisable flavours and modern presentation.

To understand the wider thinking behind this approach, read Miri Mary’s perspective on what makes an Indian restaurant authentic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which three signature dishes give a first-time guest the widest range?

Prawn Canapés, Miri’s Spiced Chicken and Smoked Black Lentils provide a useful contrast between crisp coastal flavours, tandoor-grilled spice and slow-cooked comfort. Add rice or bread, and ask the team whether a vegetable plate would suit the size of your table.

Which Miri Mary signature dishes work well for a vegetarian table?

Farm to Fire, Smoked Black Lentils and Saag Paneer create a varied vegetarian base with char, slow-cooked richness and creamy greens. Mary’s Crêpe can add a crisp South Indian element. Confirm current dietary and allergen information before ordering.

Why is Mary’s Crêpe described as both modern and traditional?

The “crêpe” name makes the crisp form easy to recognise, while the dish itself uses the defining elements of Chennai-style dosai: fermented rice and lentil batter, sambar and coconut chutney. The presentation feels accessible without removing the dish’s regional reference.

Discover More of Miri Mary

• Indian Food Culture: Stories Shared at the Table — how region, memory and gathering shape the dining experience
• What Makes an Indian Restaurant Authentic? — Miri Mary’s view on regional roots, change and modern presentation
• Indian Dinner in Amsterdam — what to expect from an evening of sharing plates in De Pijp