ORIGIN INDIA CELEBRATES SUMMER WITH A FABULOUS KEBAB FESTIVAL

JUNE 29 – JULY 21

In keeping with its belief of educating the Las Vegas community with fun, unique festivals and traditional Indian cultural events, OriginIndia Restaurant announces their summer Kebab Festival happening June 29 through July 21, 2007.

Executive Chef Vinod Ahuja has teamed-up with British kebab specialist Sunil Sinha to bring a variety of distinctive kebabs to the Las Vegas community. Vegetarian patrons can delight in kebabs of all sorts such as: TOHFA-E-KHUMB, crusted lemony coriander herbed batter mushrooms stuffed with spinach and olives; PANEER KA KHAAS TIKKA, chunks of Indian homemade cheese stuffed with a piquant chutney, marinated and grilled with veggies over charcoal ambers, drizzled with 'chatpata' masala; PANEER SHASLIK, dices of Indian homemade cheese enveloped in marinade, skewered with veggies; or TANDOOR KE PHOOL, stuffed broccoli our Chef's special marinade.

The non-vegetarian customers can savour in gourmet kebabs like: CHAMP TAAZDAAR, succulent lamb chops marinated overnight, pot-roasted and grilled in the Tandoor; SHAHI SEEKH MALMALI, saffron and coriander flavored chicken mince skewered and char-grilled to a golden hue; MACHCHLI SHEHZADI, delicately flavored seabass stuffed with an assortment of spiced seafood; or JHINGA MEHRUNISA, shell-on jumbo prawns matured in creamed yoghurt marinade, aromatized with saffron, caraway seeds and fresh coriander the char-grilled.

Kebab Festival celebrates the Kebab and the Tandoor, both staples in the Indian culture and extremely significant in the preparation of their foods.

The Kebab has a distinguished and evolving history and definition. During the times of Changez Khan, the horse back riders would kill a hunt, cut it into pieces thread over the daggers or swords and cook over open fire. That was the first Kebab, a piece of meat threaded on a dagger and cooked over open fire. In United States, Kebab is mainly referred to as Shish Kebab. In Turkey, Shish kebab means 'skewer with grilled meat'. With time, the Kebab has evolved; the meats now get marinated, and then are wrapped around the skewer. The latest in evolution is Tikka kebab originating in United Kingdom at the Indian restaurants. Kebab are not limited to meats (whole muscle or minced), you can also use dairy products such as yogurt or Paneer. Kebab may be cooked over open fire, charcoal grill, pan-fried, or most commonly - baked in a Tandoor.

The Tandoor, North India's traditional clay oven, is probably the most versatile kitchen equipment in the world used to create delicious kebabs and breads. A tandoor oven is a clay receptacle, with rounded sides, standing about 1.6 meters high, with charcoal in the bottom at the heat source. It relies on the intense heat inside, created by the hot coals, to cook the meat, seafood or chicken pieces very quickly. The kebabs become crispy on the outside while remaining juicy inside. The food is first marinated either in dry spices or a spice or yogurt mixture and is then skewered on metal skewers and lowered into the oven.

For more information on OriginIndia's Kebab Festival, please visit www.originindiarestaurant.com .

OriginIndia is located at 4480 Paradise Road in Las Vegas. For reservations call 702-73-INDIA. Voted BEST OF LAS VEGAS by the Las Vegas Review Journal, OriginIndia is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Sunday 11:30 am to 11:30 pm. The cocktail lounge is open Monday through Sunday 5pm and 11:30 pm. OriginIndia is available for private events and catering.