Surveying Monterey County’s limited but rich Indian options.

My mom eats everything: cottage cheese with salsa, fried Oreos, concoctions of leftovers that may or may not have been sitting in the fridge too long, squid covered in ink, stinky cheeses, even a seasoned termite while traveling in Belize.

Nothing is off the plate. Except for one thing: curry. For years, if she entered a room where someone was cooking or eating curry, she left that room.

If I smell the spice, I move toward it.

My mom and I are pretty tight, but this divide has generated doubt we are related.

In college in North Carolina, budget stretched, my solution for food was found in a local Indian stop near campus, where I ate chicken tikka masala, saag paneer, and ungodly portions of spiced basmati rice and naan almost every day. This only deepened my affection for curry, and made it more specific. I even tried my own hand at chicken curry one night and got the hard-earned approval of my sarcastic food critic of a brother.

This appreciation prompted me to give Monterey County’s curry-centric spots some love, asking, “What is your best dish?” to showcase options curry lovers – and curry deniers – should prioritize.

Here is what our limited but lush Indian restaurants reported, in order from oldest to newest establishment:

India Gourmet

At the end of Alvarado Street at the Old Monterey Farmers Market on Tuesdays, India G lies in wait with a variety of vegan, vegetarian, chicken or lamb options. After going to markets all over the state of California, owner Raj Dhillon and his family have been running this stand since 1995. Though the menu is short, everything is made at the stand or is ready to go. Options include naan wraps or rice bowls ($9-$10), combo plates ($13-$15), sauces such as masala or curry ($5). The most popular thing to order according to Dhillon is the chicken tikka masala wrap ($9). Using white chicken breast, rice and masala created with spices like turmeric, paprika, ginger, tomato paste and coconut cream, the mixture is all wrapped in a thick piece of naan roasted in tandoor ovens right next to the stand.

Tuesday Farmers Market, at Alvarado Street and Pearl. October through April: 4-7pm; May through September: 4-8pm. IndiaGourmetca@gmail.com.

Ambrosia India Bistro

Located on Abrego Street in Monterey, Ambrosia India Bistro has been around for nearly 10 years. The menu is set up with plenty of options for vegetarians, vegans and nonvegetarians such as mushroom cheese naan ($4) or shahi naan ($4.50), rice choices such as veggie biryani ($11) and prawn biryani ($18), plus numerous tandoori sizzlers. The place has earned its admirable reputation through dishes like the “King of Kebabs” tandoori chicken ($14) or the most popular dish, butter chicken ($14), where the dark meat of the chicken is slow roasted in a tandoor oven and matched with a creamy, tomato-based mild curry sauce.

565 Abrego St., Monterey. 11:30am-2:30pm, 5pm-10pm daily; 641-0610, www. ambrosiaib.com.

Ambrosia India Cafe

Ambrosia’s smaller sibling opened concurrently on Cannery Row with a grab-and-go approach. If you are looking for a place just to grab a bite, then this option gives you the great Ambrosia recipes in a less formal setting. The menu is a smaller version of the previous Ambrosia, but that does not mean it serves anything less than awesome. Here, the top recommended dish is the palak paneer ($9.72), a vegetarian option made of smooth spinach curry and a white, sponge-like paneer cheese. It is meat-free, but rich and toothy enough to satisfy omnivores.

625 Cannery Row # 104, Monterey. 11:30am-8pm daily; 324-4852, www.ambrosiaib.com.

Avatar Indian Grill

Popular dishes include the chicken curry ($11.95), keema naan ($3.95 a la carte) made with white flour and stuffed with a choice of lamb or chicken and spices in a tandoor and the chicken tikka masala ($12.95). Coming in first place, though, was the tandoori chicken ($10.95), made with a tender chicken leg on a skewer, marinated in seasoned yogurt, ginger, garlic, masala and roasted in a clay oven. The flavor is almost barbecue-like, just better.

1568 Constitution Blvd., Salinas. 11am-3pm, 4pm-9pm daily; 443-2156, www.avatarindiangrill.com.

Namaste India Bistro

Open since September of 2015, NIB has a long menu covering a variety of Indian food classics. Options include tandoori, biryani, vegetarian options and chicken, lamb and seafood entrees. Popular dishes include the rack of lamb ($22), a spicy curry dish called lamb vindaloo ($16) or the aloo gobi ($11), a yellow-hued dish made of potatoes, cauliflower and spices like turmeric. The recommendation here was the tandoori sample platter ($18) for an assortment of selections like the salmon, boneless chicken tikka, tandoori chicken leg quarters and seekh kabab (minced meat on skewers served with mint chutney sauce). Delicious.

538 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. 11:30am-2:30pm, 5-9:30pm; 641-0130, www.namasteindiabistro.com.