INDIAN DELIGHTS:
                                        Masala Dosa and other hard-to-find South Indian delights can be found in Raja's Fast Food Restaurant in the heart of downtown Miami.Owned by Raja Kandaswamy and his wife, Chithrakala, this duo turn out both North and South Indian fare. Raja's brother, Pandian, also helps out and is a vital part of the kitchen team.

          What makes the place special are the South Indian delights that are hard to find elsewhere and sold at bargain prices. Most Indian restaurants the world over serve the same North Indian menu, born in Delhi after the partition of India, when Punjabi refugees flooded into the city.Raja's goes way beyond the standard tandoori meats, naan, chapati and fried puri breads, creamy kor-mas (curried dishes) and biriyani rice, although these, too, are offered.

          Dazzle your taste buds on a budget and take a vicarious passage to India — you can eat like a Maharaja, even if it's on plastic plates for less than six bucks.

          While there is a menu, it is best to peer through the glass of the cafeteria-style table to see what looks good — and plenty will. Also rest assured this is fresh food — everything is made every morning and again in the afternoon.Kandaswamy explained: "I don't have enough fridge or storage space, so I go to the market every day."

          From the minuscule kitchen come forth both spicy hot and mild chicken curries, Punjabi chana masala (chickpeas simmered in a thick, spicy sauce laced with ginger and garlic and flavored with ground pomegranate seeds), aloo gobi (mildly spiced potato and cauliflower) and creamy pale green lentil, mung bean and spinach daL And, says Kandaswamy, "To keep our regular customers from getting bored, we offer new dishes every day."

          This can include bajji fritters (eggplant slices dipped in chickpea flour batter and deep-fried), battered torn, hard-boiled egg curry and pasta with Indian spices. Ail can be ordered in a hurry, including the daily special ($4.69 for rice, one entree, one vegetable and salad). Merely point to your selections.

           Raja's features hard-to-find South Indian specialties, above.which will momentarily be handed to you on a plastic tray or in takeout containers.

          If you have a few minutes more, order one of the South Indian specialties. Sit down and contemplate the Indian art work and photo of Gandhi until your masala dosa, idli, vada or uttoppam arrive.

          All four start with the same fermented, foamy batter made from soaked, ground rice and urad dal (black lentils). For masala dosa, a ladle of batter is plopped onto a hot, oiled griddle, quickly smeared in a circular motion with the back of the ladle and cooked until translucent and set. A scoop of spiced potato mixture is placed in the center of the lacy oval and the paper-thin, crispy crepe rolled around it.

          This and the other South Indian goodies come with coconut chutney and sambhar, a hot-and-sour soup. Idli, resembling small, white flying saucers, are steamed in a special tiered rack with depressions for the batter and are a popular breakfast and afternoon snack.

          Uttoppam are thick pancakes, sprinkled with chopped onions and chilies, flipped and fried until nicely browned and served onion side up. Vada are deep-fried, savory doughnuts with chopped onion, coriander leaves, black pepper and cumin added to the batter. All are good with chai (spiced tea) or strong, filtered Madras coffee.

          Cool off with sweet or salty yogurt drinks called lassi, mango juice or falooda. a creamy blend of milk, rose ice cream and takmaria (jelly-like soaked basil seeds).Kandaswamy seems to be tapping into a craving for fresh, fast South Indian vegetarian foods, as by noon, a steady stream of customers reflecting Miami's diversity begin lining up. One bespectacled office type said: "I'm not a vegetarian, but when vegetables are this flavorful, I'll eat them".Another case of lunchtime nirvana.