Ladies Who Lunch

Gniocci mish mash

2011-12-16T11:36:00.001+05:30

In my effort to minimise wastage and use up any leftovers I possibly can in my kitchen, the other day I cooked something which I can only call "gniocci mish mash". If I had served this to Gordon Ramsey on MasterChef USA, he would have probably clobbered me. But boy I enjoyed it with all its stickiness, mushiness and messiness, and so did the kids!

So I just mixed boiled gniocci, with the following sauce:
- leftover cream of potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower soup (cauliflower is a natural thickening agent and there was already milk and butter in the soup)
- 1 finely chopped tomato
- some additional fried garlic
- dry parmesan

On top, I sprinkled some burnt garlic and onion flakes, left from a previous khawswe order.

Yummmm!!!

Organic Shopping

2011-12-16T11:10:00.001+05:30

There has been a shop in Doctor House, Pedder Road, for ages. The Helath Shop. It was a pioneer in health / organic retail and I remember travelling there every week to get my supplies of healthy snacks. It was a bit run down at that time, the packaging was quite sad and a lot of the products, of doubtful origin. I walked in, probably after an entire year, last week. And wow, what a transformation!

The variety of products is now incredible. They have added more shelves and more brands, including their own, displaying baked, oil free snacks and nibbles (I picked up some onion whole wheat sticks, baked tacos, amla candy and flaxseeds).

They also had a dizzying variety of health drinks and squashes, organic honeys, dry fruits, the entire range of Conscious Foods, organic beauty products, a small selection of health books, supplements, oils etc...

Spotted and noteworthy:

* chemicals free Stevia sugar substitute
* sugar free dark cooking chocolate
* baby organic food

Bean Casserole

2011-12-16T10:57:00.000+05:30

A few days ago I bought a beautiful organic bean mix from Conscious Foods (www.consciousfood.com, they do home delivery!!!). There were 6-7 varieties of beans inside - kidney beans, lobia, chickpeas, soya beans etc etc - the colours were beautiful and vibrant, like semi precious stones mixed up in a bag.

I love beans - it's one of the best comfort foods. My mother and grandfather used to make a beautiful beans soup (with butter beans). My grandfather grew beans on his farmhouse near Sofia and I remembering using beans as toys, going through the different shapes and colours (we even had some white coloured ones with red spots all over). Another dish my mother used to make was a bean casserole with smoked pork spareribs. She would cook the meat to perfection, so it actually slid off the bone and fell apart. The whole casserole would permeate the smokiness of the ribs - just too delicious for words!

So I decided to make my own version of a bean casserole.

First I soaked the beans for half a day, and cooked them in the pressure cooker until soft:

I threw away the water and rinsed them.
Then, in a saucepan, I fried chopped up onions and garlic till transparent, and added strips of ham. Fried some more, then added finely chopped carrot, green capsicum and tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, and loads of dried basil. When it all started becoming a soft, fragrant mess, I added the beans, some extra water, and some leftover Amul tomato puree, and boiled everything on very slow fire for 10-15 minutes.

Served with garlic toast and some dried parmesan sprinkled on top... Bon appetit!

Next time I would love to do an improved version, possibly an original French cassoulet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassoulet) with bigger chunks of meat!

Also, I found some fascinating information on the origin of beans on Wikipedia:

Beans are one of the longest-cultivated plants. Broad beans, in their wild state are the size of a small fingernail, the seeds were gathered in Afghanistan and the Himalayan foothills. In a form improved from naturally occurring types, they were grown in Thailand already since the early seventh millennium (BC), predating ceramics. They were deposited with the dead in ancient Egypt. Not until the second millennium BC did cultivated, large-seeded broad beans appear in the Aegean, Iberia and transalpine Europe. In the Iliad (late-8th century) is a passing mention of beans and chickpeas cast on the threshing floor.
The oldest-known domesticated beans in the Americas were found in Guitarrero Cave, an archaeological site in Peru, and dated to around the second millennium BCE.
Beans were an important source of protein throughout Old and New World history, and still are today. There are over 4,000 cultivars of bean on record in the United States alone.
Most of the kinds commonly eaten fresh come from the Americas, being first seen by a European when Christopher Columbus, during his exploration, of what may have been the Bahamas, found them growing in fields. Five kinds of Phaseolus beans were domesticated[6] by pre-Columbian peoples: common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) grown from Chile to the northern part of what is now the United States, and lima and sieva beans (Phaseolus lunatus), as well as the less widely distributed teparies (Phaseolus acutifolius), scarlet runner beans (Phaseolus coccineus) and polyanthus beans (Phaseolus polyanthus)[7] One especially famous use of beans by pre-Columbian people as far north as the Atlantic seaboard is the "Three Sisters" method of companion plant cultivation:
On the east coast of what would come to be called the United States, some tribes would grow maize (corn), beans, and squash intermingled together, a system which had originated in Mexico. The corn would not be planted in rows as it is today, but in a checkerboard/hex fashion across a field, in separate patches of one to four stalks each.
Beans would be planted around the base of the developing stalks, and would vine their way up as the stalks grew. All American beans at that time were vine plants, "bush beans" having been bred only more recently. The cornstalks would work as a trellis for the beans, and the beans would provide much-needed nitrogen for the corn.
Squash would then be planted in the spaces between the patches of corn in the field. They would be provided slight shelter from the sun by the corn, and would deter many animals from attacking the corn and beans because their coarse, hairy vines and broad, stiff leaves are difficult or uncomfortable for animals such as deer and raccoons to walk through, crows to land on, etc.
Dry beans come from both Old World varieties of broad beans (fava beans) and New World varieties (kidney, black, cranberry, pinto, navy/haricot).

Lunch With my Darling T

2011-12-08T12:57:00.000+05:30

There are some friends that come into your life and stay... No matter how often you communicate, no matter how often you don't manage to pick up the phone... They are just sent by a higher power to be your guardian angels and make your life better, more fun and more bearable. T is one such friend.

I had not seen her for ages and was so happy when we could finally coordinate lunch on a Friday afternoon. Of course, as it often happens, I got caught up in kids' stuff but this time it was serious - it was regarding my daughter's visa and I had to return to the FRRO office after a certain amount of time to collect it, and this was exactly the time we had planned our lunch!

I was on the verge of canceling when I decided that enough is enough and that I would move heaven and earth to make this lunch happen. That I don't need to be the perfect mother today and be home for the kids' lunch. And that if T could pre-pone our meeting, it would work.

And yes, we managed to meet an hour and a half earlier, have an amazing lunch, catch up (even her mom joined us for a few moments) and T even came with me to the FRRO to keep me company while waiting for the visa to be stamped into my baby's passport.... T, do I tell you enough that I love you??

So, back to our lunch... There is a chain of restaurants in Bombay called Spaghetti Kitchen with I love!! The menu is really extensive and loads of choices of salads, soups, side dishes, pastas, pizzas and mains. I have rarely been disappointed by the food. Their salads are generous, fresh and taste amazing. Their thin crust pizzas are some of the best I have tasted anywhere in the world (proscuitto and rucola, HIGHLY recommended!). I still remember a lunch that my mom and I shared there - grilled fish, salad, pizza, chilled beer, tiramisu and espresso - one of the best I have ever had!!).

So T and I landed at Spaghetti Kitchen at Nariman Point... She first ordered a starter of freshly baked ciabatta bread with white bean paste.

What a discovery!!! I had never tried it before and I just couldn't help digging in! The white bean paste was amazingly light and perfectly seasoned and drizzled with olive oil. The bread was fresh and warm and just what comfort food should be all about. I would go back to just have this dish and a nice little soup... Bliss!

T ordered a Caesar salad for herself, and I ordered a tomato soup and tabbouleh salad with added grilled chicken:

It looked sumptuous and appetising but it ended up being a bit too dry, so I ended up having some more bread and bean paste :-)

The best news was that T, a Cordon Bleu trained chef, who has taken a break from her career in advertising, has decided to try her hand at catering healthy desserts (yes I know it sounds almost absurd, these two words put together) and I can't wait for that to happen! I am sure she will do well. So watch this space...

A Moment of Bliss

2011-12-08T12:38:00.000+05:30

Coffe Bean, Inox, Nariman Point, Mumbai... A sinful caramel shake with a huge dollop of "fat free" cream on top, and reading ELLE on my iPad... What more can a mother of two ask for??

Seen on TV...

2011-11-26T16:40:00.000+05:30

Gosh... When the flu strikes, it strikes! My son went down first, then he gave it to my 1 1/2 years old daughter (there is nothing more excruciating than listening to a baby's hoarse cry and moaning with discomfort through the night). Now it's my turn to moan and sip some heavenly chicken soup (forever grateful to my mom who taught it to my cook):

The saving grace of my miserable day was watching an episode of Rachel Allen: Bake!
I am not a big fan of Rachel Allen, but I had programmed my satellite box to record the episodes anyway. And wow what a good idea that was. I loved this particular episode.

She first taught a class of beginner cooks how to make basic cookie dough. Then gave them an array of really exciting toppings to chose from. Some really tempting combinations they came up:

- white chocolate, dried cranberries and orange zest
- chocolate and ginger
- poppy seeds and orange zest (!!)

So next on my list: making my own cookies!!

Next, she baked the most amazing Walnut Cake With American Frosting. I could literally taste it with my eyes - the base looked incredibly moist and rich and the frosting, oh my, made the cake to look like a cloud straight from heaven. I managed to find the video and recipe here:

http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/607557

Enjoy!!!

Achoooo!...

A little trick...

2011-11-22T16:29:00.000+05:30

It's very hard to find good, ripe, red, plump tomatoes in Bombay! So every time I make pasta with tomato sauce, I never manage to get the lively, vibrant, deep red I want. If I end up putting commercial puree, I can always sense the slight preservative taste... And I don't like it.

So when I was making spaghetti with tomato sauce last weekend, I added a red bell pepper to the fresh tomatoes I was pureeing and voila...

Beautiful, fresh, vibrant red and a subtle sweetness that made the sauce awesome!!!

Instant Chocolate Mousse

2011-11-22T11:18:00.000+05:30

Nigella, oh, Nigella!!! Only YOU can come up with an absolutely delicious, gourmet chocolate mousse which requires no raw eggs, no setting and no fuss whatsoever.

G loves chocolate and I have always wanted to master at least one chocolate recipe to spoil him with. And what I found awesome about this one, is that it did not contain raw eggs. So I could also give it to the kids, should their fussy highnesses decided to have a lick!

It took me exactly 15 minutes by the clock, from the time I took out and laid out the ingredients, utensils and dishes, till the time I chucked it into the freezer!

Here is the recipe, from the culprit's page itself (for all those who want to buy "Nigella Express", most of the recipes are now available on her website, so don't waste energy and money!!):

INSTANT CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
When you haven't got time for overnight setting in the fridge or you don't want to use raw eggs, this mousse is perfect. In fact, at all times, constraints or not, it is chocaliciously gorgeous.

150g mini marshmallows (bought them from Nature's Basket)
50g soft butter (Parsi Dairy non salted butter is my current favourite)
250g good dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), chopped into small pieces (used the cooking chocolate from Maker Arcade which is far from dark and far from packed with cocoa solids! So to compensate, I added a heaped table spoon of Hershey's cocoa powder while whisking the cream)
60ml hot water from a recently boiled kettle
1 x 284ml tub double cream (I used a packet of Parsi Dairy fresh cream)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Put the marshmallows, butter, chocolate and water in a heavy-based saucepan.
Put the saucepan on the hob, over heat, though keep it fairly gentle, to melt the contents, stirring every now and again. Remove from the heat.
Meanwhile, whip the cream with the vanilla extract until thick, and then fold into the cooling chocolate mixture (I had my Masterchef moment and poured the chocolate mixture into a bowl, which I popped into another bowl full of ice cubes, to cool it faster) until you have a smooth, cohesive mixture.
Pour or scrape into 4 glasses or ramekins, about 175ml each in capacity, or 6 smaller (125ml) ones, and chill until you want to eat. The sooner the better!

I felt my mousse was a bit too liquid, so I put it in the freezer until it got a creamy, sticky, slightly toffee-like consistency, with beautiful tiny little bubbles on top.

And oh, letting you into a little secret here: The small, shot glass sized plastic containers were left behind by Moshe's when they catered at home for Bella's birthday. They were used to set jelly for the kids and tiramisu for the adults. I found the size and shape perfect for small desserts, and safe for little kiddie hands. So I conveniently "forgot" to return them.

Dinner For Two

2011-11-15T15:37:00.005+05:30

I am trying, really hard, after my girls lunch exploit, to at least try and cook avery other day, something light, simple (my motto - KEEP IT SIMPLE!!) and nutritious for the family, instead of our cook's tedious and boring Indian concoctions. I have realised that if I plan it properly (from the previous day or in the morning, while the kids are at playschool), I am relaxed while cooking and the results are better. I also try to cook as frugally as possible, using whatever I have at home, and incorporating any leftovers I can.

So this is what we had for dinner yesterday:

BRUSCHETTA

I hand picked tomatoes at Nature's Basket. I wanted them really ripe and as perfect as possible and whoever has shopped for tomatoes in Bombay can vouch this is not an easy task. I peeled and de-seeded two tomatoes (the seeds part was used in a tomato pasta cooking in the meanwhile for the kids). I chopped the flesh in symmetrical cubes and tossed them in crushed garlic, extra virgin olive oil, chopped basil leaves and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

I used a pastry brush to spread some olive oil on bread slices (I used Anjali Mukherjee's diet bread) and put them under the oven grill for 5-7 minutes. Topped the bread with the tomatoes and voila...

CHICKEN, BACON AND AVOCADO SALAD

I defrosted a packet of chicken legs and cut out the meat (I used the remaining bones and bits of

meat to make a stock, now in the freezer, ready to be used to cook pasta). I marinated the meat in lemon, garlic, olive oil and garlic chili dip from Fabindia. In a pan, I made crispy bacon (cook without adding any oil, on slow fire, for 15-20 mins). I removed the bacon and in the same pan, I stir fried the chicken pieces and set aside. In a salad bowl, I chopped up some onions and a piece of avocado just about to get spoilt. Added some mixed salad leaves and seasoned with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Tossed it all up and layered the chicken and bacon on top.

Highly recommended - a chilled glass of beer!!!

A Lunch by Nigella

2011-11-15T14:00:00.008+05:30

A few days ago, I invited over a few girlfriends for a relaxed lunch. LE, sadly, is leaving Bombay for good, and although we have gotten drunk together a record number of times (for my standards) in the last 2-3 months (I am also counting the Sri Lanka girls trip!!), I was keen to have her and a few others over when we can actually have a relaxed, coherent conversation, over some light, healthy food.

Well I am the queen of order-ins and catering!!! My favourite for continental food is Pronto's (www.asklaila.com/listing/Mumbai/Tardeo+Road/Pronto/CV9dz60t/) My guests always rave about it, especially the lasagna and the burnt garlic mashed potatoes are incredible!! And their signature dessert, chocolate devastation, lives up to its name!

Another caterer I was considering was Lotus Blossoms (http://www.lotusblossom.in/), owned by Radhika, a friend from Indus International. It's Thai delicacies have earned quite a reputation in Bombay and recently, at a friend's dinner party, I thouroughly enjoyed their raw papaya salad, citrus fruits salad, tom yum soup and coconut and water chestnut dessert, all served in stylish shot glasses (there were also some delicious satay chicken and tofu skewers).

However, consider who was coming for lunch:

ML, who makes EVERYTHING from scratch, including her own panacotta and recently, an almonds and zucchini dish that I am not ready to forget

LE and VK, domestic godesses par excellence ("swimming pool" cake anyone? Ms LE can maybe share the recipe!!!)

RB, another incredible amateur chef

Gosh, that was seriously intimidating!! I could go wrong both ways - by ordering commercially prepared food, or by attempting to cook everything myself and failing miserably at the task.

I decided to be brave and cook every single dish myself. And, boy, I enjoyed it!!!

I scored a few books looking for inspiration and the absolute winner was Nigella Lawson's "Nigella Express: 130 Recipes for Good Food, Fast". All the recipes were simple, quick and interesting. And seemed easy enough to lower my risk of failure... The book had been on my shelf for at least 3 years now, but besides flipping through it once in a while, I had never attempted any of the recipes.

I planned the menu a week in advance, along with a detailed shopping list and the crockery and cutlery I would need. I wrote down all the stages of prep and actual cooking, with approximate timings, and in what order to cook what. It really helped me to stay in control and not run around the kitchen like a headless chicken on the day of the lunch.

The menu was:

STARTER:

Vegetable sticks and dip - the only dish made by my cook, but under my instructions - it's a regular in our household. It's fresh, it's light and it does not fill you up so much that you can't enjoy the main course.

MAINS:

Warm potato salad (Nigella)

Slow roast tomatoes, goat cheese and arugula salad (Nigella)

Maple syrup chicken (Nigella)

Salmon and couscous (my own invention)

DESSERT: Bailey's Tiramisu (Nigella)

The tiramisu and dip were prepared the previous day, and the chicken was marinating through the night, just to be popped into the hot oven the next day, to roast for a couple of hours. The rest of the dishes involved minimum cooking / frying or standing over a hot pan. Just assembling some beautiful ingredients, cooking lightly some of them and then last minute assembling everything together. With proper planning, this meal could be a WINNER for any ladies who love to lunch at home!!!

VEGETABLE STICKS AND DIP

An extremely simple starter, always a winner! People always ask for the dip recipe. Here it is:

Full fat yoghurt

Crushed garlic (about a tsp)

Extra virgin olive oil (a drizzle)

Crushed walnuts

Finely chopped dill

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything in a bowl and refrigerate before serving.

Can be served with carrots, white radish (mouli), baby corn, bell peppers, plain chips, bread sticks, cucumbers, etc...

WARM POTATO SALAD

About a kg of baby potatoes

4 scallions (I used fresh onion), finely sliced

1 tbsp garlic infused oil (I used crushed garlic and plain olive oil)

8 slices of bacon

1-2 tsp white wine vinegar

1 tbsp whole-grain mustard

1) Bring a pan of salted water to a boil and tip in the potatoes. Cook for 20 min or until tender, then drain and cut in half. Nigella leaves the skins on, but I peeled mine, leaving just a few skins on for a rustic look.

2) Put the potatoes into a large bowl and add the scallions (fresh onion).

3) Heat the oil in the warm potato pan and cook the bacon until really crispy. Remove onto a paper napkin.

4) Take off the heat and add the vinegar and mustard. Give a little stir, then tip in the potatoes and scalions and toss everything together before transferring to a serving bowl. You can leave it like this for an hour or so.

5) Crumble the bacon and sprinkle on top.

SLOW-ROAST TOMATOES, GOAT CHEESE, AVOCADO AND MINT SALAD

(the avocado was my own addition and it complimented the cheese and tomatoes amazingly well)

1/2 lb rocket or spinach salad

7 ounces of soft goat’s cheese

1 batch of moonblush tomatoes*

1 tablespoon of lemon juice (I used balsamic)

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons of chopped fresh mint

1 ripe avocado, sliced

1) Arrange salad leaves in a large dish.

2) Make a second layer of the the cooked-down, intensely red moonblush tomato halves (recipe below). Reserve the juices from the tomatoes roasting pan!!

3) Scatter slices of avocado, then scoop out spoonfuls of the soft goat’s cheese and dollop it here and there.

4) In the same dish the tomatoes have been cooking in, whisk together the lemon juice and oil and pour over the salad. Scatter with the chopped mint.

Moonblush Tomatoes

1 lb (about 24) of cherry or other baby tomatoes (I used normal tomatoes which I sliced into long boat shapes)

2 teaspoons table salt

1/4 teaspoon of sugar

1 teaspoon of dried thyme

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the tomatoes in half and sit them out cut side up in an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with the salt, sugar, thyme and olive oil. Put them in the oven, and immediately turn it off. Leave the tomatoes in the oven overnight or for a day without opening the door. (I did not have the time to do this, so I popped the tomatoes in the oven, on the oven baking rack, along with the maple syrup chicken. So they were inside for about 2 hours, on slow fire. That did the trick).

SALMON AND COUSCOUS SALAD

This was my own recipe.

A few slices of salmon fillets, frozen

Couscous

Sliced red and yellow bell peppers, zucchini

Pine nuts

Lemon juice

Olive Oil

Chilly garlic dipping sauce from Fabindia's organic collection

Parsley

1) Marinate the salmon cut in strips for an hour or so in a mix of the dipping sauce, lemon and olive oil. Heat a heavy bottom grilling pan and grill / saute the salmon on both sides. Set aside.

2) In the same pan, stir fry the veggies and pine nuts, using the leftover salmon and marinade juices.

3) Cook the couscous according to the instructions on the packet.

4) Toss everything together.

MAPLE CHIKEN AND RIBS (I used ONLY chicken drumsticks)

12 chicken drumsticks

1 cup apple juice, as sharp as possible

4 tablespoons/1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 star anise

1 cinnamon stick, halved

6 unpeeled garlic cloves

1) Put the chicken pieces in a couple of large freezer bags or into a dish. Add all the remaining ingredients, squelching or everything together well before sealing the bag or covering the dish.

Leave to marinade in the refrigerator overnight or up to 2 days.

2) Preheat the oven to 200C/400 degrees F. Pour the contents of the freezer bag into 1 or 2 large roasting trays and cook for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, by which time everything should be sticky and glossed brown.

AND you can find the recipe for IRISH CREAM TIRAMISU on Nigella's site, here: http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/irish-cream-tiramisu-5. It was AMAZING and it took me not more than 45 minutes in total to make it (the previous evening), despite a screaming 15-months old strapped into a high chair next to me, throwing wooden spoons and measuring cups on my head and trying to have a lick of Bailey's!

Lovely Leftovers

2011-11-15T13:48:00.002+05:30

My mom has visited a lot in the last 3 years to help me take care of the kids. Although we fight a lot during her visits, I love it when she is around... I know, it sounds illogical. But when she is here, I eat better, dress better, take better care of myself and the house. She pushes me to make this extra effort in life.

One of the things she has helped me a lot is to manage the kitchen. I never realised the terrible amount of wastage my kitchen was producing. But my mom brought along her generation's unique blend of frugality and taste for fine, yet simple food. She can toss an ordinary tomato salad, bake some cheese on toast and pour herself half glass of sparkly, bubbly beer - I can't think of a more satisfying and light meal!

Anyway, I was thinking about all this on my way back from my son's school and decided I will make myself of a meal of only leftovers. This is what I found at home:

- leftover kids' tomato and carrots pasta

- some fresh tomatoes

- arugula, fresh onion and parsley just on the verge of wilting

- chicken stock, ready to put in the freezer, with the bones still inside, and some tiny, juicy bits of chicken

So I this is what I had:

- salad made of arugula, parsley, fresh onion, boiled chicken bits, and a dressing of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar

- the pasta, with a drizzle of tobasco

- salted lassi (yogurt with water and a sprinkle of salt)

Yum!

Our anniversary dinner...

2011-11-14T22:09:00.003+05:30

... was ordered in hamburgers from Pronto's, with chips and Coca Cola...

BUT we had candle light on the terrace and two delightful babies sitting on the steps, chattering in the background and begging for chips like little puppies...

Sorry for the terrible photograph!

Moongra

2011-11-14T21:52:00.002+05:30

I saw this interesting-looking long and thin veggie, sold in neat bunches, at a vegetable vendor in Chandigarh, and bought some to try it out. Turned out this was moongra, or radish pods.

My mother-in-law cooked them like a normal indian-style vegetable, with some onions and turmeric and potatoes, and... I did not like them. Could not even finish a spoonful of them. However, it remains a fascinating little vegetable for me, and I surfed the net to find out more...

* Moongra is not such a well known vegetable and aloo moongra is not a common sabzi. Some call it singri while in English it is known as rat tailed radish. The taste of moongra is similar to radish (mooli). Moongra goes well with potatoes as they balance its sharp taste.

Courtesy www.fastindianrecipes.com

* They come in varying length - while the long ones have obviously been bred for easy handling. There are brown-to-black oval-spherical seeds borne in tapering bean-like seedpods called mogri seeds. You can eat radish pods raw or cooked. The raw flesh has a crisp texture and a pungent, peppery flavor, caused by glucosinolates. The seeds of radishes grow in pods, following flowering that happens when left to grow past their normal harvesting period. The seeds are edible, and are sometimes used as a crunchy, spicy addition to salads.

· The sharp flavours of radish pods make them a popular ingredient for different chutneys by pounding these with some green chillies, and mixing in salt and yoghurt.

· Radish pods are also great in salads and stir fries.

· You can cook radish pods with the everyday zeera (cumin) -hing-haldi-mirch tadka or may add potatoes to make aloo mongre ki subzi.

· The radish pods can also be added in kadhi or a typical mixed vegetable preparation.

· In Europe, the pods were often pickled and served with meat. The spicy seeds are sometimes served raw as an accompaniment to beer in Germany.

· Radish pods are rich in ascorbic acid, folic acid, and potassium. They are a good source of vitamin B6, riboflavin, magnesium, copper, and calcium.

· One cup of sliced red radish bulbs provides approximately 20 calories, largely from carbohydrates

· Radishes are suggested as an alternative treatment for a variety of ailments including whooping cough, cancer, coughs, gastric discomfort, liver problems, constipation, dyspepsia, gallbladder problems, arthritis, gallstones and intestinal disorders.

Courtesy www.tarladalal.com

* I found an amazing recipe for "Tingling Moongra" on mammameeyas.blogspot.com/2011/05/tingling-moongra.html - maybe THIS is how I should eat it next time!!!???

Something Round, Something Delicious

2011-11-14T21:21:00.004+05:30

It's funny that my last post before my long blogging sabbatical, and my first post after my rebound, are both about Chandigarh... Well. I do eat there. A lot. And every time I come back, my clothes are a bit tighter. Even my post pregnancy jeans, which I wear from playschool to a night out with friends... Sigh... But that's another topic altogether.

This Diwali holiday in Chandigarh was all about... parathas. For breakfast, lunch and dinner. Plain, stuffed, in every possible delicious form... That's all the kids wanted for each of their meals, and that's all I wanted to indulge in. How could something so simple taste so heavenly warm, crumbly, soft and comforting??

First of all, the wheat flour (atta) which is not your ordinary packaged variety. My mother-in-law buys it freshly ground from the chakki (mill). And believe me, the difference is huge, to say the least. Absolutely nothing to do with the commercial variety I get at the local supermarket. Well, I had, for a second, nightmarish visions of what the chakki would be like - like, infested with mice for example... But I quickly dismissed all negative thoughts and... ate.

We had plain parathas, with a brush of butter.

We had spinach stuffed parathas (which reminded me of spinach bjorek, a Bulgarian layered pastry delicacy that my grandmother used to make).

We had paneer stuffed parathas - OH... MY... GOD... with tomato and onion salad and yogurt.

We had paneer and broccoli stuffed parathas with loads of butter - but hey, there WAS broccoli inside for a healthy touch, right??

My feeble attempts to recreate these parathas here have been a complete flop in terms of flavour. Luckilly, I can still fool the kids with the local variety and they still love it...

Other things that we indulged in in Chandigarh:

* Chinese takeout - chicken & lemongrass soup!

* Chicken biryani made by Babli Massi, Gurtaj's delightful aunt

* Chocolate slice from Nik Baker's (the local IN bakery) with loads of vanilla ice cream

* Mutton curry maison

* Fresh & tender lettuce leaves

* KFC takeout!!

It's the end of 2011...

2011-10-18T11:48:00.002+05:30

... and my last post is from 2009! Gosh... so much has happened and my life has changed dramatically. Two pregnancies, which brought on plenty of food aversions (could not even look at non-vegetarian, coffee, chocolate, mushrooms, most Indian food...), then two kids in tow (and a miraculously recovered appetite & a newly acquired sweet tooth!!!)... But of course all this is not an excuse that I have not even looked at my blogs for 2 years. Recently, at a moms' meeting, someone told me they checked out and loved my blogs (this one and "The Firang Diaries")... I felt both elated, and like a complete fraud!! Did people actually READ my ramblings?? Then, I went on a girls trip and we were all checking out a common friends' blog on food and I thought, hey I can do BETTER!!! Then, I logged on today and found out I had 4 followers!!! 4 precious, totally neglected followers... I know it's a tiny number, but the fact that these people took the effort to follow my thoughts really touches me and I THANK them!

And although my kitchen exploits have been extremely rare lately, this blog is about much more than making food. It's about discovering it, appreciating it, reading about it, tasting it etc... Which gives me plenty of opportunity to write.

So here I am, and please don't give up on me!!!

Chandigarh bites

2009-10-28T13:10:00.006+05:30

Another trip to Chandigarh, another few kilos to battle...

Internet Gourmet... absolutely delicious images found while browsing

2008-05-07T16:54:00.000+05:30

Chandigarh means parties and food

2008-04-03T14:34:00.000+05:30

My husband's parents stay in Chandigarh, a city in North India (capital of Punjab and Haryana), famous for being planned and designed by French architect Le Corbusier. It is a city of gentle living, with very few highrises, and mostly houses with beautiful gardens. Just a short drive away from the hills, it is also comparatively unpolluted. My in-laws are both originary from there, so the entire extended family lives close by. And each time we visit, it is hard to even take a breath between parties and dinners. The local food is rich and delicious, and saying "no" to it is simply not an option, hence, we spend half our time in a semi-comatose state of overeating.

It starts in the morning, with frothy cold coffee made the old way (the ice crushed by hand, and with full fat milk, of course) helping us brighten up from our slumber. My mother-in-law, Livleen, then tempts us with eggs sunny side up (served with her signature sauteed tomatoes, onions and mushrooms mix, which I sometimes eat separately on toast), porridge and loads of fruit. Everyone then sips hot tea and coffee (Nescafe is the best you can get here, but I would rather have that than live through the rest of the day without my caffeine kick).

Lunch parties in the garden are big with our family, with most of the food prepared at home (despite my father-in-law insisting that we order). And when my mom-in-law is in the kitchen, you better not cross her! Well, I would be way worst if I had to cook for 20 people! One of her signature dishes is a very simple bake that I LOVE! She mashes up some potatoes, and mixes them with parboiled spinach and grated cheese (optionally mushrooms), and hop, the dish goes in the oven, only to result into delicious comfort food! She also frequently makes a mutton curry with a simple tomato-based gravy, much lighter and less spicy than the commercial variety. I like the fact that you can taste the freshness and naturalness of the ingredients, and there are always leftovers for the dogs. Fish and chicken are also always on the menu; lentils and 2-3 more vegetarian dishes are a must. A very typical Punjabi concoction is paneer (or potato) and green peas curry.

I never eat this much tomato as when I am in Chandigarh. And the simplest way is the tastiest - big chunks of it tossed with red onions (which are very 'sweet' and mild in this part of India), olive oil, lemon and salt. Yum!!! And my other absolute favourite is kulcha - flat buns of bread with coriander kneaded into the dough. My mom-in-law heats them up on a tawa and serves them with a dash of butter. Sinful!!!

Gurtaj's aunt makes amazing chaats and last time we visited we relished her homemade dumplings in yoghurt, and paani puri (tamarind water and chopped up vegetables, stuffed in a crispy shell). She also surprised us with an amazing carrot halwa and prashad (a halwa made of sugar and wholewheat flour which is normally given at Sikh temples) which Gurtaj could simply die for! And don't even think of leaving a Punjabi table without having dessert! My father-in-law revels in kulfi (Indian ice cream) and barfi (another milk-based delicacy) and vanilla ice cream is always available in the freezer!

The whole ceremony is rounded off by drinking copious amounts of tea, often prepared with cardamom and ginger for an extra kick. Actually, in a Punjabi household, you can ask for tea at any time of the day.

BEST OF EATING OUT IN CHANDIGARH:

You can't beat Hot Millions for their kathi rolls (chicken or paneer kababs rolled in egg-coated flat bread), Indian-style pizzas and sizzlers, and of course their hot chocolate fudge sundae which makes my otherwise very unselfish mom into a predator protecting its pray.

The tandoori chicken here is simply divine, provided you get a good batch of it. There are many shops where you can order and wait in your car for your share to be finished in the clay oven. You will recognise them by the big queues outside. Two of them, Singh's Chicken and... Singh's Chicken, are right next to each other, and we really can't make out the difference. However, they both have their staunch regulars.

There's no better place for Indian sweets, with hundreds of shops offering eldless supplies of the boiled milk variety. My favourite is the coconut barfi.

Salak Bali

2008-03-05T14:35:00.000+05:30

In Bali, my finger nails got all red because of constantly peeling and eating Salak, or 'snake fruit'. One look at it and you understand why it is called so - it is covered by a reddish-brown, scaly dry skin, like a round little reptile. It crackles when you peel it off and reveals three dryish, huge 'cloves' of fruit with an apple-like taste and crumbly, starchy consistency. Delicious and addictive!

A bit more on this fruit, courtesy Wikipedia:
Salak (Salacca zalacca) is a species of palm tree (family Arecaceae) native to Indonesia and Malaysia. The fruit grow in clusters at the base of the palm. They are about the size and shape of a ripe fig, with a distinct tip. The fruit can be peeled by pinching the tip which should cause the skin to slough off so it can be pulled away. Salak Bali is commonly sold all over the island of Bali, and is a popular fruit with both locals and tourists. It is also a favourite of the monkeys found in the famous "Monkey Forests", with the animals often stealing fruit from visitors, especially children whom they see as an easier target.

Freshly squeezed

2008-03-05T13:57:00.000+05:30

Inspired by another lavish buffet breakfast at a 5-star hotel, I decided to get up a bit earlier every morning, take out my rusting away juicer, and squeeze out something refreshing and colourful to start the day on a sweet and healthy note! I managed to do it yesterday and today, and both me and hubby enjoyed it thouroughly! First of all, it made me wake up early (and I am NOT a morning person). Second, slicing and manipulating the fruit, and the ensuing fresh aroma, was positively meditative. Third, it gave us more time to chat in the morning, sipping juice at the terrace of our beautiful flat overlooking the Arabian Sea which we will have to leave next month due to the lease expiring. Sigh! So imagine that: shimmering waters, great conversation, the morning newspaper, and a glass of brighly coloured, fruity, citrusy, vitamin goodness. Actually juice is such an intrinsic part of the Indian diet, but as usual I am being a "late bloomer".

Yesterday I made pomelo, orange and lime juice. It was awesome and invigorating, except that later on it gave me a bout of acidity!

This morning, I made watermelon juice. I bought a medium sized watermelon at the neighbourhood supermarket, and left it in the fridge overnight. Funnily enough, slicing it brought long-forgotten childhood memories to me - you know, one of these things that come back to you in a flash and you have the feeling of vaguely recollecting a past life... In Sofia, the beginning of summer was marked by the arrival of gypsy families from all over the country, setting tent at the roadside, and spreading mountains of dark green or light green with stripes watermelons. So throughout this season, watermelons became a staple dessert in most Bulgarian households. My mom and I used to get off the bus (number 306) one stop earlier, as "the best guy" had set up business there, and then lug a couple of watermelons all the way home, taking a shortcut through the neighbourhood school yard. I remembered my parents teaching me how to choose a good watermelon: first, weigh it in your palm; then, start tapping it like a drum, to see if it has this nice hollow sound which means it is ripe and sweet; to confirm the ripeness, look at the little stub on top - if it is already brown, it means it has laid around for enough time to ripen nicely. Some sellers, to show off how nice their watermelons are, would cut out neat tiny triangular pyramids into the fruit and take them out like a cork, to show the colour of the flesh. We would reach home, wash the watermelon thouroughly, then proceed to cut it in boat shapes (something I would do so deflty as a kid made me almost slice off a finger this morning!). For a really good watermelon, just sticking the knife in was enough for it to crack open with an awesome crunchy sound. And my mother would call us to the kitchen: "Look at this beauty! It cracked open by itself!" I remember my dad eating watermelon with cheese which I found yucky! Yep, all these memories came back rushing to me this morning (thank you, watermelon!) while I squeezed out the most refreshing and sweet, ruby red juice. I relished it, although it made me run to the loo every 10 minutes all the way till noon!

Tomorrow I am planning sweet lime (a cross between an orange and lime), lemon and apple mix.

Other juices on my list:
- carrot and apple
- pineapple
- grape
- cucumber and apple

Malaysian breakfast

2008-03-05T13:12:00.001+05:30

Recently on a Malaysia Air flight, I was offered Nasi Kandar, a traditional Malaysian breakfast. I jumped on the opportunity to try something new. It came hot, looking more like a lunch - rice, boiled egg, fish in masala, the whole thing sprinkled with peanuts and tiny dried fish flakes. It was absolutely delicious and comforting. Fish and rice in any case is one of my favourite combinations, and I relished it, with the added crunch of the fish flakes. The only thing was the lingering smell and taste of fish, something we Europeans are not used to early in the morning.
But it seems Malaysians don't kid around with their breakfast. It is a major meal of the day and not just a meagre snack gulped down on the way to office. Apart from Nasi Kandar, they also indulge in Nasi Dagang (glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk, served with fish curry, coconut sambal, and cucumber pickle), chicken and vegetable Congee (something like our oats, but made of rice), and Roti Telur (something like crepes).
I guess having a heavy breakfast is common in Asian, predominantly agrarian countries. In India too, a typical villager's breakfast would be Aloo Parathas (flat bread stuffed with potatoes), idli sambar (steamed rice cakes with thin curry), Sabudana Kichdi (sago pearls fried with spices and curry leaves)... Yummy! But then, these guys then go out and work hard in the fields, quickly burning all those extra calories! While we sit staring at computer screens all day long!!! Food for thought...

A moment of bliss...

2008-03-04T09:06:00.000+05:30

WHITE ONIONS

2008-02-25T17:06:00.000+05:30

Recently, while driving to a beautiful seaside area called Kashid (just 3-4 hours away from Bombay, pristine white beaches!), I noticed many stalls selling white onions. We had a local in our car, so I asked him why is so much of this variety sold here. He said a lot of farms around grow it and sell it, as it is used in Ayrvedic medecine (it seems it helps kids with severe coughs). Which prodded me to look a bit further and here is what I found:

--> White onion is a type of dry onion that has a pure white skin and a mild white flesh.

--> Because white onions have a slightly higher water content, they are somewhat sweeter then yellow onions.

--> Usage: In Mexican food; raw on burgers and in potato, pasta and lettuce salads; barbecued on shish kebabs; sautéed in casseroles, stews, soups and roasted beef, pork and poultry dishes

--> Contain vitamin A & C, calcium and iron

--> Are fat- and cholesterol-free, and very low in sodium

--> Are more prone to molding than yellow onions because of their higher water content. So must be stored in a well ventilated place

--> Onions contain anti inflammatory, anticholesterol, anticancer, and antioxidant components and are considered effective against Respiratory Disease, Tooth Disorders, Anemia, Skin Disorders, Ear Disorders, Cholera, Urinary System Disorders, Bleeding Piles, common cold, heart disease

--> Ayrveda prescribes the mix of betel leaf juice and white onion juice to fight asthma

Roadside fruit wholesale

2008-02-19T19:57:00.000+05:30

While driving from Chandigarh to Manali last year, we could not help but stop at this roadside market for wholesale plums, pears and raw almonds (had never seen that before!). We grabbed a couple of boxes which we ate through our journey to Leh.

Our current dining table, with kitchen (and cook :-) in the background

2008-02-19T19:55:00.001+05:30

My favourite comfort snack

2008-02-19T19:02:00.000+05:30

I love corn, or as it is called in India, butta. All over the country, coal roasted corn rubbed with salt and spices (chaat masala) is a typical monsoon treat, and you see many stalls around, with vendors furiously fanning the fire in small iron burners. It is very safe to eat, as I would guess no bacteria survives the high temperature. But I still prefer to have it home made, in two different ways:

1) Just boiled and salted.

2) Roasted directly on the gas burner, then coated with a mix of butter, salt, black pepper and lime juice. It is YUMMY!!!

When we go for a movie, my favourite intermission snack is boiled corn kernels, mixed with butter, lemon juice, black pepper and masala.

Gurtaj's loves his childhood snack of corn and cheese baked on toast. I do a variation of it, adding a bit of chopped onion and fresh coriander.

I put boiled corn kernels, greeen peas and sauteed onion when I want to give some crunch and colour to steamed rice.

Sauteed capsicum, corn and mushrooms is one of my favourite combos.

And I think corn is a must in any vegetable bake (with or without pasta).

At dinner in Kandahar restaurant (Hilton Towers, erstwhile Oberoi), we had an amazing starter of tandoor roasted corn coated with spicy masalas, served on an elegant vintage skewer (looking very much like what a woman would put in her hair to keep her bun together).

Cream of corn soup, of course!!!

At Noodle Bar in Bombay, they serve an amazing starter or fried corn cream cubes, delicious with soy sauce!

And recently, on my friend Lulu's blog, Lulu Loves Mumbai, I read about a tantalizing way to cook corn on the cob in a Goan curry!

Some time ago I got scared off corn, being told that that's what pigs have so that they get nice and fat. But believe me, it was not for long! I believe that any vegetable (including the villified potatoes), if eaten in moderation and as part of a healthy diet, is good for you. And on prodding further, I discovered that corn has plenty of health benefits:

--> Cooking sweet corn, whether you cream it, steam it or keep it on the cob, unleashes beneficial nutrients that can substantially reduce the chance of heart disease and cancer, according to Cornell food scientists.

--> It is a low-fat (!!) complex carbohydrate.

--> Its insoluble fiber is tops at tackling common digestive ailments (like constipation and hemorrhoids) by absorbing water, which speeds intestinal movement.

--> It is a surprising source of several vitamins, including folic acid, niacin, and vitamin C. The folic acid in corn is known to be an important factor in preventing neural-tube birth defects. It's just as important in preventing heart disease, according to studies that show folic acid can prevent a buildup of homocysteine, an amino acid, in the body. Long-term elevation of homocysteine has been linked to higher rates of heart disease; folic acid helps break it down.

--> Is a great source of thiamin, which supports your memory and fights Alzheimer's disease.

--> Contains pantothenic acid, necessary for carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism. Pantothenic acid is an especially valuable B-vitamin when you're under stress since it supports the function of the adrenal glands.

The picture was taken during our drive from Manali to Leh, at Rothang Pass

Tha Calcutta Series: How can a Chinese restaurant be called Waldorf?!

2008-02-18T19:27:00.000+05:30

Sweet like jalebi

2008-02-17T22:26:00.000+05:30

This is a line that you can hear in many an Indian song, and yes, you guessed right, it is praising the sweetness of a girl! And while no self-conscious Indian (or other) girl would include jalebis as part of her (healthy) diet, it is, indeed, one of the most sugary, comforting Indian sweets (but only eaten piping hot, like the one Gurtaj is wolfing down in this photo. His father stood for 20 minutes at a street stall, waiting for the vendor to fry a fresh batch).

While it is eaten all over India, the jalebi is particularly popular in the North. You see jalebis being fried on the roadside, in huge black woks filled to the brim with boiling oil (the only way to get the spiral shape to perfection is to be really quick and deft in the frying - it is really an experience to watch).

I turned to good old Wikipedia for a bit of history of this delicacy and even found a recipe for those willing to try:

Jalebi is a fried sweet commonly prepared in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, thought to have originated in the north of India, probably in the state of Punjab. The Persian word for Jalebi is "Zoolbiah". It is made of deep-fried, syrup-soaked white flour batter and shaped into a large, chaotic pretzel shape, rather like the American funnel cake. Jalebis are bright orange or yellow in colour, but are also available in white. It can be served dripping warm or cold. It has a somewhat chewy texture with a crystallized sugary crunch. The sugars get partly fermented which is thought to add flavour to the dish. It is a derivative of jangiri. Another version of it is "Emarti", a red-orange in colour and sweeter in taste, made in Uttar Pradesh. Jalebis in Orissa are also sometimes made of chhena. Jalebi is one of the most popular sweets in India and is served at celebrations, especially during national holidays like Independence Day and Republic Day, in government offices, defence and other organisations. Jalebi is similar to the sweet referred to as "Zangoola", popular in the middle east.

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups self raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup yoghurt
Vegetable/canola/sunflower cooking oil for deep frying
1 cup sugar
Few strands saffron
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
2 drops orange food colour
2 tbsps rose water
PREPARATION:
· Mix the flour, baking powder and yoghurt into a batter and keep aside for 24 hours to ferment.
· Pour batter into a ketchup dispensing bottle.
· To make sugar syrup: Melt the sugar with the rose water and boil to get a one thread consistency. To check for one thread consistency, carefully dip the tip of your index finger into the syrup, touch your finger and thumb together and genly tease apart. If one thread is formed between your finger and thumb the syrup is done.
· Turn off fire, add the saffron strands and cardamom and stir well.
· Heat the oil in a deep wok-like dish. To test for the right temperature, drop a small amount of batter into the oil. If it sizzles and rises to the top of the oil, the oil is hot enough. Keep the flame on medium at all times to ensure all round cooking of the jalebis.
· Now hold the ketchup dispenser over the hot oil and squeeze the batter into the oil into a wiggly, randomly coiled circle. Squeeze out several at a time.
· Fry till light golden and then remove and put directly into the sugar syrup.
· Allow to soak for 2-3 minutes and then remove.
· Serve warm

Forget about counting calories and enjoy!

Happiness is a scoop of ice cream

2008-02-17T18:15:00.000+05:30

Today, after trying out VibroGym, the supert workout station that every one has been raving about (it increases gravity and doubles the intensity of what a weights session would achieve), I could not bear the thought of all these calories burnt, and decided to compensate with a stopover at our neighbourhood Natural ice cream parlour. Established in 1984, this chain is the Indian version of Baskin Robbins, the difference being that they use real fruit in their ice creams, so a lot of their flavours are seasonal. All ice creams are also 100 per cent vegetarian.
Today I really had a tough time choosing between tender coconut, gooseberry, chikoo, guava, saffron pistachio, date, and cream. But finally settled for a mix of roasted almond and tender coconut which I polished off in the car, before even reaching home. It's really a mystery how the crunchiness of the almond is retained even after soaking in the ice cream for so long. And the tender coconut scoop was just divine: fresh yet creamy, with the coconut flesh providing pleasant chewy bites.

When the season is right, they also offer peach apricot, watermelon, musk melon and mango. And throughout the year they have a few chocolate flavours, of which I am not a great fan.

Website: www.naturalicecreams.in

Something fishy

2008-02-14T22:38:00.000+05:30

Open any Bombay guidebook, or ask anyone to recommend good places to eat here, and invariably TRISHNA will come up! This legendary seafood restaurant in a small lane adjacent to Kala Ghoda art district, is a magnet for tourists and gourmet Bombayites alike. It is far from elegant (I would even call its interiors gaudy) and not even remotely classy. But while there, you will see some of the richest Indians sitting next to hippies and enjoying oil and butter-dripping delicacies. It is always full. And getting a reservation on the same day is nothing short of a miracle, even after they opened a second room. When you finish eating, you are expected to leave immediately and free up a place for those waiting in line at the entrance. So here, you can't linger on and order tea or coffee - it is simply not served.

The menu is huge. You get seafood starters and mains. Indian, continental and Chinese. However, I always end up ordering the same thing: butter pepper garlic giant prawns; tandoori pomfret, and shrimps (or calamari) koliwada (deep fried with a special spicy batter). I absolutely love their yellow lentils, garnished with cumin fried in ghee (clarified butter). And of course, you can't have a meal here without the customary naan or roti.

It is a place to indulge, and 'healthy' is not in their vocabulary. I invariably hate myself after eating here and promise to never come again. But with guests, we always end up here, and enjoy it every time.

What's in a bhel puri

2008-02-14T22:26:00.000+05:30

There are very few snacks that symbolise Indian roadside eating like bhel puri. It is a snack almost as essential here as a sandwich would be in the West. Although it looks like junk food and it looks fattening, it's actually packed with good stuff: puffed rice, sev (fried crispi little sprinkles made of besan flour), tomatoes, onions, green chillies, chopped coriander, date & tamarind chutney, and green chutney. Some varieties include goodies like pomogrenate seeds, grated coconut or chunks of green mango. To be consumed immediately after being mixed together (otherwise it becomes really soggy), part of the fum is waiting at a stall and watching the whole thing being assembled. The ingredients themselves are always meticulously arranged by the vendors, and look like mini art works - mostly the sev, puffed rice and potatoes in the middle, and the bright tomatoes and green chillies used as a frame.

Sunday Lunch

2008-02-14T22:00:00.000+05:30

Bombay winter... The two words almost mutually exclude each other. But when temperatures drop to 10 degrees where they have to be at least 15, something has changed... I guess I should consider it a bad sign about global environment. But I have to admit I am enjoying it to the fullest! I am so much more energetic without the heat bogging me down!

To celebrate the last few days of cool, we invited a few friends over for a relaxed lunch on our terrace, overlooking the Arabian Sea. I wanted to keep the menu simple and fresh, in tune with the 'lightness of being' in this weather. I ordered a lasagna just in case, and made the rest myself:

VEGETABLE STICKS WITH DIP: Baby corn, carrots, white radish, capsicum and cucumber sticks. Dip: yogurt, goat cheese spread, crushed walnuts, salt and pepper.

CHEESY CHICKEN CASSEROLE: I used a Bulgarian earthen dish for slow oven cooking. I layered chicken pieces with mushrooms and pieces of smoked cheese (La Vache Qui Rit). Finally, I poured a big mug of diluted cream spiced up with black pepper on top. It cooked for 30 minutes in moderate heat. The chicken was melting in the mouth, and the mushrooms and melted cheese gave this extremely simple dish a positively gourmet taste!

GERMAN POTATO SALAD: Just boiled potatoes mixed with homemade mayonnaise, mustard, gherkins, salt, pepper, onion (very important to sprinkle it with salt and crush it in your palms before mixing it in the salad, in order to tune down the sharp taste), and lots of parsley and dill. Yum!

AUBERGINE SALAD: Dust aubergine slices with flour, fry them and let them cool down. Season with a dressing of olive oil, crushed garlic, salt, pepper and lots & lots of dill. It got some rave comments!

COCKTAIL OF THE DAY: Green Island Mauritian white rum, half soda half Sprite, lemon juice and a lot of ice. Perfect for a mid-day drink!

Daily Junk

2008-02-14T21:45:00.000+05:30

Canteen temptations:

Dahi batata puri: Boiled chickpeas, moong and potatoes inside a fried 'puri', garnished with green chutney, tamarind, crushed cumin powder, red chilli powder, chopped coriander, beaten curds, fine sev (crispy stuff sprinkled on top), chopped onion.

Bhajias: deadly - vegetables in a batter, deep fried, every Indian's preferred snack for cold weather.

THE INGREDIENTS OF A PERFECT JOB

2008-02-14T15:54:00.000+05:30

Far from the glamour and eccentricity often attributed to them, a chef’s job is a daily exercise of endurance, patience, teamwork and imagination. Three of Mumbai’s star chefs let The Gourmet Explorer take a peek behind the scenes, witness the action, meet the staff…

A friend got a job as a chef in a 5-star hotel restaurant in Mumbai’s northern suburbs. I made fun of her, saying she can forget about dieting and keeping a thin waistline. Surrounded by so much sinful food… She was doomed! To my biggest surprise, I saw her literally melting away week by week. In two months, we had to go shopping for new clothes as she had reduced 2 sizes! Her shifts were crazy – 11 am to 3 pm and 6 pm to midnight, sometimes till 2 am. In her single day off per week, “the biggest excitement is that I can dress like a girl!!! And smell good!” Another difficult thing to take is the heat. That's something that she just "puts up with it." And sometimes sneaks into the walk-in cold storage of the pastry section to cool off.
During the long working hours there is hardly time for a break or even simply sit down. Staff at the kitchen is on their feet for hours at a stretch behind their stations. If they are lucky, they get to rest on the few bunk beds available. Last minute changes of orders, big groups coming in, whims of customers keep them on their toes (literally).

So who are the people who go to work when everyone else goes to play? Who are the ones who comply with our every whim and for whom the only concern is our palate’s delight? Three chefs opened up their kitchens to us for a peek on what is going on behind the scenes.

FIRST STOP: CHEF ANANDA SOLOMON, THAI PAVILION, THE TAJ PRESIDENT, CUFFE PARADE
The kitchen opens at 8, when the pre-preparation (or as they call it in kitchen jargon, “prep”) starts. The staff dressed in white and black put their hearts into carrying out everything that the numerous guests from midday to midnight are supposed to enjoy eating. All the machine work, butchery, cutting, boiling of stocks, washing of ingredients, has to be done before the first shift comes in at 11… Hundreds of carved up, grated, chopped up vegetables arrive from the garde-manger section (the cold preparations department of a 5-star kitchen). They need to be cooked, blanched, fried, grilled and kept ready. Seafood needs to be cleaned and shelled, meat needs to be cut and trimmed by the butcher. Other service staff put all china in place, prep plate wipes… Cooks have already started preparing the basic curries. Chef Solomon overlooks this well-orchestrated, slow ballet, in a quiet but yet firm manner. “Every single hour of our day is planned. Nothing is left to chance. I know exactly what I will do tomorrow.” After the prep work, the kitchen fills up at around 11.30 and the mise-en-place (literally meaning putting everything in its place, or as they shortly call it “misa”) starts. The Executive Chef (Chef de Cuisine), Assistant Chef-de-Cuisine, Sous-chefs and the Chefs de Partie or helpers (as one can see, all the traditional French terms are used even in Indian kitchens) get together to dish out the specialties of the day. There is no fuss, no wasted movements. The staff’s uniforms are perfect. The cooks are blanching the vegetables, half-cooking the basic noodles and broths…not only for the same day, but for the next day as well. There is no single woman around, except for the pretty Thai hostess at the entrance. “Working in a kitchen means long, odd hours, and for Indian women it is tough to make this commitment, especially after marriage,” says chef Solomon. “But this is changing. For example in one of our other restaurants in the hotel – Trattoria, one of our main chefs is a girl.” By 12.30 the restaurant is open and the show begins! The customer places the order. A slip is printed out at the kitchen, with a list of the dishes and all the special requirements (desired level of spiciness for example), stating the number of the table, the number of customers, the time the order was placed, the desired sequence of serving the dishes and the name of the waiter. The “barker” (a person who coordinates the orders) reads it out loud to the cooks and the action is on. Meats are sizzling, curries are poured, salads are artfully arranged. In 10 minutes flat the tray is ready to go to the table.

SECOND STOP: CHEF RAHUL AKERKAR, INDIGO, COLABA
“It is a very tedious job,” says chef Akerkar, “this is why I tell my people that they should either love it or forget about it.” He himself dropped out of a Biochemical Engineering PhD in the US to pursue his passion for food. From working as a washer in a French restaurant, he now owns one of the best restaurants in Mumbai. The kitchen is medium sized and, needless to say, spick and span. There are different stations for sauté, barbecue, sauces, salads. Some of the chefs are wearing bandanas instead of chef’s caps, which gives the space a more relaxed feel. But don’t get misjudged by the appearance. There is a perfect order and discipline in here. The single barker coordinates several orders at a time. Knowing the time and preparation each dish requires, he knows in what sequence to shout out the order. The cooks depend on him completely and would prepare the different ingredients in the order he indicates. Sometimes, a dish half cooked is set aside, until another which takes more time is still simmering or sizzling. But when the barker says “Fire table number…”, the final result has to be delivered on the counter. The waiter, standing behind the barker, can then serve it to the guests. Each dish has a different accompaniment. A particular mashed potato is used in strictly one preparation. “I like to play with food,” says Akerkar, “Creating food is a constant evolution. When you understand the basics, you can afford to experiment with textures, techniques… In many restaurants they call this fusion. But what is fusion cuisine? We have twisted around this concept. Fusion is a historical term. It is about food evolving with the changing cultural influences of a place. Here, fusion is all about availability – you have to adapt to what is available in the market. Today my supplier might come with just one odd fish he has caught and does not know what to do with. Or with some unusual vegetable. I might take it and try to incorporate it into a particular dish. I might use a typical Indian vegetable into a Mediterranean dish.” But does this mean that the cuisine would still be authentic, a term many restaurants are hung up on? “Indian customers have this great need to compare! There is nothing like “authentic” cuisine. You cannot sit in a restaurant in Mumbai and tell the chef – these fries do not taste the same as the ones I ate in New York. You cannot make comparisons as the food is influenced by the environment. The air, the landscape, the climate, the soil – everything influences the way food tastes.”

FOR DESSERTS: CHEF FARROKH KHAMBATA, JOSS, KALA GHODA, FAR EASTERN CUISINE
Designing the menu is not an easy task and chef Khambata knows this only too well. It took him two months to design a menu for the restaurant. “We tried around 500 recipes and finally narrowed down to 70-80. I was cooking and my catering team tasted the food.” Using different ingredients on the menu is not enough. “Human’s taste buds have a balance. The chef needs to know how to use the senses to create a good combination. Although most methods in the far eastern cuisine are traditional, I tried to give them a twist. I use 8 to 10 different types of preparation like barbecuing, steaming, braising, grilling etc. I create different textures – soft, crisp or fried…” Chef Khambata was into architecture before succumbing to the art of cooking. And for him a chef’s job is not a flashy one. Everything happens behind the scenes and “the biggest pleasure a chef can experience is when a customers calls him to the table to say how good the food was. Even then it is normally the main chef who receives the compliments. Very soon my restaurant will be the only one with cameras and screens inside the kitchen, so that the chefs can see people’s reactions and the result of their labor. We are also the only restaurant, as far as I know, where tips are shared with the cooks.”

So next time you are at a restaurant and you like the food, don’t hesitate to voice it… While there are many common rules, each kitchen has its own character, according to the kind of cuisine it serves. And cooking has a different meaning for all three chefs. For chef Rahul Akerkar, it is a “craft”. For chef Khambatta it is a mixture of science and art. And for chef Solomon it is “pure art. Because if it was science it could be very easily replicated.”
Picture courtesy Getty Images

The Gourmet Explorer is finally happening!

2008-02-13T10:51:00.000+05:30

Dear all,

I am pleased to announce the arrival of The Gourmet Explorer!

It all started with a car, a map of India, endless kilometers of roads and an insatiable appetite for adventure. This led to the discovery of an India far removed from any flight of imagination or any guide book ever written.
Upon arrival, anywhere, at any time, invariably the first question was: “Have you eaten?”, and not ordering even a cup of tea was regarded as really odd. This led to an increased waistline, of course, but also to an increased awareness that here, almost everything happens over food, starts with food, or ends with food. Every social occasion or ritual in India invariably has a component that involves the taste buds. And as kilometers rolled under our car’s wheels, so changed the flavours. Food was becoming not just a pit stop during a long drive, but a very important part of the exploration and the overall sensory experience. Thus was born the idea of sharing the little dots on the map which represent my India – out of the box, unique and delicious!

Our concept: we are against anything canned and processed. Each journey is an organic spread of cultural and olfactory experiences centered around food. Beyond culinary tourism, we are also looking at exploring food as an ecological act, through organising talks, book discussions and demonstrations by experts.
Our audience: expats living in India; foreign guests with a passion for food; Indians and NRIs looking to expand their knowledge of regional Indian cuisine. Small, exclusive groups, allowing people to enjoy the experience to the fullest and take active participation in food demonstrations and hands-on classes.
Our destinations: unusual, out-of-the-box rural or urban locations in India, which offer a mix of cultural and olfactory experiences hard to forget; authentic restaurants in Mumbai city (through our Bombay-centric programme Ladies Who Lunch, exclusively for women); residences with terrific master chefs; food stores; fresh produce markets.
Our exploration ‘subjects’: We may invite guests to watch a prince working his magic over the stove at a fort perched above a river, or welcome them to join us while chopping vegetables sitting around the communal cooking fire at a Rajasthan village… Celebrity chefs, food writers and historians, nutrition experts, food activists… You never know what may come next.
Our USP: The Gourmet Explorer has access to both the expatriate market in Mumbai, as well as to some of the best and most unique heritage properties around India. Each property has been personally ‘tested’ by us and the best service and standards are guaranteed. An in-depth knowledge of the culinary traditions of India, the people who propagate it, and on the other side, the people who are eager to know more about it.

Is your seat belt on?

TV Cooks

2008-02-11T18:39:00.000+05:30

I am getting completely addicted to food-related TV programs, mainly on Discovery Travel & Living. I watch them the way some people watch Prison Break or Heroes, sometimes even with a pen and a writing pad in hand, especially when they are India-specific. And recently, as I lay sick at home, all I did was browsing channels for anything related to food and cooking.

This is when I first watched a Nigela Watson show. I had heard a lot about her, and even read somewhere that men were crazy about her voluptious figure and sexy ways of dishing out exotic yet easy meals. So I was only too excited to see what the fuss is all about. Her figure is voluptious alright. And I wonder how the men who watch the show can concentrate on anything happening below her chest. But really... To me she looked like an oversized aunty, and I didn't like the fact that everything she made consisted of ingredients taken out of cans and bottles exclusively. Her accent drove me mad and I still have nightmares of her saying: "and, at the end, a generous squirrrrt of wasaaaaabhi..." Yucks! So unappetising! Sorry, boys!

If I was not happily hitched, I would have hunted down Anthony Bourdain on one of his adventures, tied him up and forced him into marrying me! The man is so cool, so composed, yet so funny and sharp. He is also an ex-chef, so he can cook me dinner all while telling me about hunting boar in New Zealand and drinking with tribesmen. I would not mind his absences, simply because I would be following him everywhere he goes! I loved watching (again) the episode on India, where he watches Arvind Singh of Udaipur cook while sitting; has extra strong bhang in Jaisalmer only to wake up later, lying face down in the desert, with a lone camel shepherd squatting beside him; rides on the top of a bus; gets completely high on cocktails and a hookah at The Lake palace; gets his horoscope done and, with a straight face, listens at an analysis of his sex life (apparently not that good!) in front of a camera.

But let's finally talk about Kylie Kwong. If you haven't heard about her, you are probably just coming back from an extended vacation on Mars. And if you love food, you better tune in next time her show is on! Of Chinese descent, she lives in Australia, and cooks the most divine Chinese food (yes, I have tasted it time and again with my eyes and I can assure you it's DELICIOUS!). Here's an accent I love! I even love her geeky frames and the way she frowns while focussed on what's happening on the stove. And normally what's happening is pure poetry! From the way she shops for ingredients, through the process of chopping, explaining and actually cooking, Kylie has me hypnotised and drooling, every time she says "beautiful!" (her favourite word). A week ago I watched transfixed as she made crispy peking duck with plum sauce. I love her kitchen, and the way she cuts on a thick wooden slab. I love the little touch in her show where while waiting for something to bake or boil, she sits down and reads cookbooks. I love how every show ends with friends coming over and eating what she has prepared, and the look on her face as they show appreciation. Kylie, you're the best!!!

Padma Lakshmi (Salman Rushdie's model ex-wife) may be a really glamourous gal, but she also knows her Indian cuisine. In her show Planet Food she travels around India, exploring the cusines of different states. She is even gutsy enough to try and make papad with village women. She radiates beauty and intelligence, and is a natural in front of the camera. I love the way she bonds with simple Indian people, and has the gift of breaking the ice with her smile and humour. Despite her stunning looks, she somehow doesn't look out of place, even when she helps a cook in a temple kitchen stir a giant bubbling pot of rasam. Her descriptions of food are very correct, you could almost taste the crispiness of a dosa as she talks about it, and then you can feel the softness of the potato stuffing as Padma "mmmm"s about it. What I learnt from her show:
- papad dough is cut by a thread outstretched between a woman's big toe and her hand
- Chennai has the only in the world pepper stock exchange
- the longest dining table in the world is in Hyderabad's Falaknuma Palace
- MTR - an abbrevation that I have seen on many a spice box, actually means The Mallavi Tiffin Room - an institution in Bangalore, a restaurant buily in the 1920s, famous for its delicious vegetarian food and stringent cleanliness standards

Vir Sangvhi may look like a recovering overweight alcoholic and talk so slow that you just want to shake him up, but the man has his style and his A Matter Of Taste is the only comprehensive program on Indian cuisine and culture. I just wish they gave him more air time. His trips are always too rushed, and just when you are settling comfortably to enjoy the ride, it's over!

There are also a couple of shows whose names I have forgotten. One is really cute, about people who are a complete disaster in the kitchen, but want to learn. They go to a chef who teaches them an entire meal which is very simple, but very visually appealing and interesting in taste. They have to learn it, then cook it for their family. It is great to watch people who are so clumsy with food, slowly gain confidence. One of them was anonymously put into a competition for professional chefs and ... won. Simply because the others tried to make things too elaborate to impress the judges. Awesome!

The Calcutta Series: Flurys

2008-02-10T23:16:00.000+05:30

Sugar & spice and all things nice... Flurys (http://www.flurysindia.com/) was a fairy sugary doll land in the midst of chaotic Calcutta! I personally breathed a sigh of relief when we entered this legendary bakery cum cafe on Kolkata's Park Street, and felt like home amongst the almond slices, black forest pastries, chocolate chip cookies and smell of espresso.

"Founded in 1926 by Mr and Mrs J. Flury. The tearoom was known far and wide for its exotic cakes, creamy pastries, rich puddings and perhaps the best Swiss chocolates outside the European continent, and in no small measure to the relaxed and cheerful atmosphere that it provided." Just reading this on the website makes me want to take the flight right back to Kolkata and sit in one of these chairs with a copy of The Telegraph, sipping a cappucino and eating a vanilla slice! Soft and moist inside, with a crispy, perfectly glazed icing!

To my biggest astonishment, my mom ordered a rum ball (in Bulgaria, she never let me eat this delicacy as she suspected bakeries use leftover pastries to make these) and it was absolutely delicious with a Flurry Viennese Coffee. Gurtaj ordered a chocolate pastry. And Mini struggled with an ice cream soda determined to set free from its tall glass.

Other yummy things spotted: meringues with cream, rich puddings, apple strudel, fudge...

Heavenly sugar rush!

The Calcutta Series: Nizam's

2008-02-10T22:26:00.000+05:30

They say you can't go to Calcutta and not eat a kathi roll (barbecued chicken wrapped in a flat Indian bread coated with egg and spices) at Nizam's. They also say the roll was invented when an enterprising local realised that English people did not want to grease their fingers while eating kababs, so he started selling them inside a bread roll. Thus started this great institution of the city. I am guilty of loving non-vegetarian food, so I could not wait to taste the delicacy I had heard so much about! In Bombay, so many times we would go out for a kathi roll and Gurtaj would say: "Hmmm, you can't compare this to Nizam's." So off we were on a Sunday afternoon, starved in advance and determined to enjoy the national dish of Calcutta to the fullest!

First disappointment: Nizam's has become a "fancy" restaurant (in the garish sort of way) with plastic tables and chairs, and a doorman, believe it or not! Thankfully, we didn't have to actually sit down in this place which looked more drab than my office canteen. Nizam's had a small take away window on the side for hardcore focussed eaters. While ordering, I could peek right into the kitchen, and I could see the small tandoori ovens where skewers were sizzling. It looked positively delicious and I could not wait to sink my teeth in one of those! India oblige, we went to wait in the car while our order was getting ready, and two hot parcels were soon delivered to us. We decided to drive to the river bank and have our rolls in looking down at the water.

Second disappointment: My roll was absolutely stuffed with onions and green chillies. So I fist had to struggle to get them all out. But even then the onion smell and taste were to overwhelming for the poor kababs to stand their ground. The bread was so oily that the initial purpose of the kathi roll - not ditrying your hands - was completely missed. I felt sick immediately after eating the roll and had to ingest many mints to tone down the onion aftertaste. Yuck! While I was happy I ticked this off my list, I can safely say that a kathi roll in Mumbai is far better...

The Calcutta series: New Market

2008-01-30T22:16:00.000+05:30

That's what I thought: Calcutta = Bengoli cuisine = palate in heaven. But what was my disappointment when I was told (several times - yes, I triple checked) that I can taste the quintessential Bengoli cuisine, the delectable fish and vegetable curries I have read so much about, only at someone's house. And that no restaurant on this Earth can do justice to this rare kind of cooking. So I had to content myself, again, with just thinking about it, and browsing the market looking at ingredients. While even that didn't really live up to my expectations, I still made some interesting discoveries:

1) These guys obviously love their meat! Most roadside stalls I saw were selling a mince preparation with a lot of onion, combined with fluffy, freshly fried bread rolls and thick, juicy parathas. As much as my tastebuds were begging for a try, I could not bring myself to stop at one of these not too hygienically looking spots and ordering a plate. So I contented myself to watch and take snaps of the preparations, and of the plates of fresh chillies and onion neatly cut up and ready to be tossed into the mix.

2) We also saw a very strange snack of halved hard boiled eggs filled with a funny mixture of the yolk and mince, I think.

3) As my brother-in-law Raj and I walked into the market, we came directly through the poultry, meat and fish section. It didn't start that bad - we first walked through what I decided to name Bird Flu Lane - full of caged chickens, enough to feed a small country. We then decided to brave the meat market, but barely a couple of steps on the slimy stones, I was ready to run away from the sights and smells I would rather not describe here. Just as I was turning around to walk out, with my peripheral vision I spotted someone coming directly in my way with something on their shoulder, and I quickly wiggled away, barely escaping what turned to be a HUGE pig carcasse this guy was carrying into the market. I have never sworn so loudly, and got quite a few surprised glances. Truly traumatic...

4) Walking around the provision stores, I realsed that Bombay's Crawford Market is light years ahead of this place. None of the exotic imported ingredients and goodies were present here. Just the basics.

5) I came across a sign board that set my imagination racing – Fresh Aligarh Butter. It sounded utterly butterly delicious, and my mind started churning out images of endless grazing fields with happy cows, village maidens milking them in buckets and the milk looking superbly frothy. I looked up 'Aligarh' in Wikipedia. It turned out it is a small city in Uttar Pradesh, famous for its Muslim University, and where the main industries are flour milling, the processing of raw cotton, and the manufacture of butter and glass

6) Surprisingly, I still had appetite after what I had seen, so Raj and I walked into a small restaurant filled with a jovial crowd. Too chicken to order fish, we asked for noodles (could we be more boring??) and chilly chicken. It was not a gourmet experience, but at least it stopped my stomach from grumbling, and gave me the opportunity to spy on our neighbour's plates. People had ordered all sorts of different things - fish curry with rice, soups, even sandwiches. But what really amazed me was a strange sort of preparation everyone was eating as a side dish - in a soup plate, they were served a completely spice-devoid, bland, boiled vegetables (potatoes and carrots) and chicken legs, with a bit of soup. It was looking delicious in a cold European evening kind of way, making it seem completely out of place here! Some people ordered seconds of it, and then topped it with the main Indian dish... Mystery!

7) We found Gurtaj's old favourite bakery - Nahoum - from where his mom used to buy sponge cake. Amazinfly well organized, it had a huge variety of dry cakes, birthday cakes (so laden with artificial colour, that they reminded me of the brightly coloured posonous animals I have seen on Animal Planet - the more colourful, the more poisonous). I loved the old-fashioned scales and cash machine!

8) But here's the most amusing thing - while walking through, we saw a tea man serving the tiniest tea cups I have ever seen - literally two sips inside. A shop keeper ordered it and I went to ask him how much it costs - one rupee per cup! He very proudly and ceremoniously posed for me with his tea, and insisted on seeing the photograph. On not liking it, he requested for a second shot. And was finally satisfied!

The French connection & yummy bites of Mauritius

2007-12-13T18:23:00.000+05:30

For those of you who don't know me, in one of my "past lives" I stayed in Paris for almost seven years. This time went fast, and I have to think a bit before bringing back any clear memories. But I still have dreams of getting off the airplane at Charles De Gaulle airport and crying rivers of tears of happiness for being back.

I am not a great fan of French cuisine per say, but what I loved unconditionally were the little things: the cheese, goat being my favourite; fresh creamy butter; a hot crusty baguette, so fluffy you could fold it to put it in your shopping bag; the amazing variety of fruit yoghurt; the wine; crepes; endives; strawberries and plump tomatoes; cold cuts... What a gourmet experience it was just going to the Sunday market, stocking up on these simple things, and then having a full lunch with them. Just some baguette with cheese, salad and wine could send me to heaven! That's what I miss most in Bombay.

Lately, two instances have sent me on short trips to this lost heaven:

1) There is a chain of grocery stores in the city called Nature's Basket. Which has recently been converted into a more upmarket (frightfully expensive) shopping destination. Two weeks ago, I walked into the one at World Trade Centre, and almost cried these same rivers of happy tears (I wonder what the store attendants would have thought!). As I slowly started browsing the stalls and refrigerators, I was discovering one treasure after another: Soignon goat cheese; Elle & Vire butter and yoghurt; liquid cream; compote of apples and pears; endives (!!!); strawberries; French wines; Haagen Das ice cream... Let's not discuss the bill...

2) I went to Mauritius for a week for the opening of a new Club Med resort (La Plantation d'Albion). And there, once again I was in French heaven! The daily breakfast/lunch/dinner buffets were the size of Bulgaria, and contained generous offerings of village breads (pain de campagne); chocolate and raisin rolls; many kinds of cheese; fruit yoghurts; Perrier water (I even had my favourite Perimenthe - Perrier with mint syrup); salads of endives and fish; iles flottantes (a dessert where the egg white beaten to a firm white ball is floating in an egg yolk cream) and all imaginable tarts. OH... MY... GOD!

Carb heaven

2007-11-30T11:07:00.000+05:30

Kheer is by far my favourite Indian dessert. No doubt because it is very similar to Sutliash, the rice pudding my grandmother used to make for me all the time when I was a kid. The only difference is that in Sutliash, the only garnishing is sprinkled cinnamon.

Wikipedia: Kheer (Sanskrit: Payasam, Oriya: Kheeri) is a traditional dish in the Indian subcontinent, a rice pudding typically made by boiling rice with milk and sugar. It is often flavored with cardamoms and pistachios. Payasam stands for Nector and is derived from "Peeyusham" which is also called " Amrutham". Kheer is also from Sanskrit word "Ksheer" which means Milk. It is an essential dish in many Hindu and Muslim feasts and celebrations in South Asia, While the dish is traditionally made with rice, it can also be made with other ingredients such as vermicelli (semiya). The recipe for the popular English rice pudding was, in fact, derived from kheer when Britain had occupied India. The north Indian version of rice kheer most likely originated in the temple city of Puri, in Orissa about two thousand years ago. It is cooked to this day within the Jagannath temple precincts there. Every single day, hundreds of temple cooks work around 752 hearths in what is supposed to be the world's largest kitchen (over 2500 sq. ft) to cook over 100 different dishes, including kheer, enough to feed at least 10,000 people. Traditionally the Oriya version of kheer is sprinkled with fried cashews and raisins and served in most festive occasions, such as weddings, birthdays, and religious festivals. Although white sugar is most commonly used, adding gur (molasses) made of dates as the sweetener is an interesting variation that is also relished in Orissa. In Nepal, on the fourth month of the solar calendar, it is a tradition to eat Kheer. The dish is also consumed at Muslim weddings and prepared on the feasts of Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha. A similar dessert, variously called firni, phirni or phirnee, is eaten in North India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Today, rest South Indian version. The south Indian version, payasam, is an integral part of traditional South Indian culture. In payasam, coconut milk is routinely used instead of milk. The Hyderabadi version is called as Gil e firdaus, and is quite popular. Payasam is served as an offering to the gods in south Indian Hindu temples during rituals and ceremonies. In the southern Indian state of Kerala, people have a particular affinity towards this dish. The payasams served in the temples of Guruvayoor and Ambalappuzha are renowned all over the region. The dish is also a must-have in all wedding feasts. Sometimes, the payasam is mixed with banana, sweet boondi or papadum before eatingaurants offer firni in a wide range of flavours including mango, fig, custard apple, etc.

I was in Chandigarh last month, and at Gurtaj's aunt's place, after a comatose dinner, we were served a huge bowl of kheer - deatht by carbohydrates!!! How could I refuse?! I indulged in it without a trace if guilt. At the end, how much of it do I eat?

It is really difficult to find great kheer - they either make it too watery, or overboil the rice so that it becomes a squishy white mass. It is even more terrible if it becomes too thick.

The best ever kheer I have eaten so far has been made by my friend Madhu. She boils the rice to perfection, and you can see every grain separately. She is generous with the cardamom pods, the dry fruits and the raisins - which I love!

MADHU'S KHEER

Ingredients:

milk- 1 litre

sugar - 4-5 tbsps

condensed milk - half tin

rice - small bowl

green cardamom 4-5 freshly pounded

dry fruits - cashew (broken)

raisins

Preparation:

Wash rice and soak in water. Boil milk and add the rice to it. Wash dry fruits and soak in milk. Let the rice and milk cook on slow flame, half hour or so. When slightly thick and rice is thoroughly cooked (take in spoon and mash with finger), add the condensed milk. Stir well. Cook a while then add sugar..one tablespoon at a time. keep tasting or may become too sweet. stir well then add the dry fruits. Keep for 5 more minutes and switch the gas off. Let it cool. chill in fridge. Will become thicker. If too thick add some milk. In the end add the cardomom before serving. Put a few slivers of dry fruit if you want.

Eating kulfi in the rain

2007-11-05T19:17:00.000+05:30

This was a day when we just drove to Lonavala on a whim, and went to Kailash Prabhat for an orgy of Indian junk food - ragda pattice (a potato cutlet submerged in chickpea curry), fried pancakes in sambhar, pani puri (crispy balls that you fill with a spicy liquid and gulp down). And at the end, a special 'royal' kulfi.

Gourmet Bombay

2007-11-01T15:42:00.000+05:30

Can you imagine that seven years ago, when I moved to Bombay, exotic fruits, vegetables, sauces and other "fancy" ingredients were almost non-existent. Baby corn? Travel an hour by cab to Breach Candy area and pick it up from the street market, if you are lucky! Yellow and red capsicums? Zucchini? Iceberg lettuce? I think for a while I forgot their taste... I had to content myself with lentils, rice, and my husband's favourite okra (which is, till today, prepared in our household on a daily basis!). Gone were the days when I would walk into a Parisian Monoprix and stroll around with a caddy... "Hmmm... why don't I pick this endive up? Smoked salmon? Yum! Strawberries... why not?" Getting my hands on something as exquisite as an avocado was a rare treat. And if I had found an interesting "Western" recipe I wanted to try, I had to take cabs and travel to several stores in order to collect all the necessary ingredients, and invariably at the end I had to improvise, as one or two things were always missing, or "out of stock". My one and only visit to a fish market with my mom in law made sure I gagged every time I saw sea food in the next few days.

It's amazing how much things have changed in just a few years. I thought about it some time ago, when I visited the Gourmet Market organised at Olive restaurant in Bandra. In a very small space, I relished the sights and smells of mushrooms, zucchinis, pesto sauce, chorizo saussages, Peccorino cheese, fresh bread, sun dried tomatoes, hummus...

Of course, like everything else in Bombay, the market had started late, and when I arrived (one hour after the announced starting time), the chefs and assistants were still running around, setting stalls. A furious Italian chef was shouting out orders, and a few early birds like me were wandering around, pretending they can't hear him. Nevertheless, for these few minutes, I really felt like I was in Italy, and of course picked up some cheese and salami. Inspired, I went back home and made bruschettas, Peccorino and chorizo toasts, and a salad drizzled with balsamic vinegar... No okra tonight, honey!!!!!!

Gourmet Bombay - my favourites:

Moshe's in Cuffe Parade - to-die-for cheese cakes; delicious dips; foccacia bread and much more...
Sugar And Spice at the Taj President - a sandwich counter to make you salivate; roast beef; savouries to take away; Gurtaj's favourite cheese straws
Nature's Basket - fruits, veggies, diet products, herbs and spices, Starbuck's coffee, to your heart's content!
Indigo Deli - the gourmet stall at this restaurant offers a great variety of cheeses and cold cuts, marinated artichoke hearts and mushrooms, wines from all over the world, Danish butter... oh god, can't even remember everything. Frightfully expensive but unbeatable choice!
Philips Tea and Coffee - an Indian chain offering the best coffee beans you have ever tasted. I love their old grinding machine. And I have carried packets full of Peaberry and Highlander back to Bulgaria many times.
Pesca Fresh - an online sea food store. They deliver everything spic and span, properly packed and totally clean. Salmon? Mussels? Prawns? They have everything!
The Gourmet Store at The Oberoi shopping arcade - what I like about this store is that they have vacuum packed cold cuts made in India. I am always really happy to buy Indian stuff. And they also sell palmatians, which Gurtaj just adores.

Thanks for stopping by!

2007-10-31T16:36:00.000+05:30

I thought that noone is reading my blog, but I actually got a lot of friends calling in and saying that they loved it! One even chose Maheshwar as her honeymoon destination after reading my write up on Ahilya Fort! THAT'S what makes me feel I am not just wasting time here. But, people, when you read my blog, PLEASE leave comments!!! Make it actually look as if something's going on here!!!!

And for a fresh slice of my firang life in Bombay, you can also log on to http://milakahlonmumbai.blogspot.com/

A naan to remember

2007-10-31T16:09:00.000+05:30

I used to be quite a kitchen goddess and I could whip up a gourmet meal in the matter of minutes. But I have somehow lost this vibe, especially with Indian cuisine. Being a “firang” I am still not used to the long and complicated preparations. My husband had whined and nagged for a very long time for a homemade naan (a delicious, fluffy Indian bread). And when one evening we ordered an Indian meal in, I felt a surge of inspiration and (completely baseless) self-confidence, and headed to the kitchen to make my first naan. However, consider this: we were both really hungry and the food was arriving in half an hour; I had never even read the recipe for naan… What was I thinking? Exactly!!!I opened a book and found the recipe – goodie! I had all the ingredients, down to the yeast! Hmmm. Has to rest for at least 2 hours? Well, let’s just see what happens… I started mixing and kneading energetically. Already during this process I could feel that something was not right, and that the consistency was too sticky. However, not willing to admit defeat, I decided to go further. To put chances on my side, I decided to bake one batch, and roast the other on a tawa. After I finished mixing, I started shaping the separate naans. Yes, the consistency was, indeed, too sticky, and I could not achieve the typical long shape. This was my second chance to admit defeat and call the restaurant to throw in naans into our order. But no! I decided, let’s make “mini naans” instead. Don’t know what this is? Me either!I proceeded to cook the little gooey blobs which, by this time, have acquired a sickly grayish colour. The ones on the tawa obliged a little, but the middle just refused to cook, no matter how furiously I pressed them against the hot surface. The ones in the oven, even after 25 minutes, remained shapeless and too soft, until the bottom finally burnt. By that time, I took out the white flag and decided to break the bad news to my hubby: “No naans tonight, honey!” In a surge of appreciation for my effort, he nevertheless insisted that I bring the naans to the table so that he can “at least try a bite”… Well now you would say – I can’t be THAT foolish! You know about men and love passing through the stomach, etc… But I did bring them to the table. And I have still not forgotten the look on his face. It all finished with a good laugh, but needless to say, he has never asked me to make naans again!
On the picture: THIS is how a perfect naan should look like!

Food for thought

2007-10-31T13:31:00.000+05:30

I chanced upon the transcript of a speech Dr Vandana Shiva delivered at Emory University, Atlanta, USA, and want to share an excerpt with those who read my blog.

Vandana Shiva is an internationally renowned voice for sustainable development and social justice. A physicist by training, Shiva is director of the Research Foundation for Science, Technology, and Ecology in New Delhi, India. Shiva’s book Staying Alive helped redefine perceptions of women in the developing world; she was the recipient of the 1993 Right Livelihood Award, known as the alternative Nobel Prize, “for placing women and ecology at the heart of modern development discourse,” according to the Right Livelihood Award Foundation. Shiva’s latest book, Earth Democracy: Justice, Sustainability, and Peace, describes what a sustainable future for the planet could look like, outlining the bedrock principles for building living economies, living cultures, and living democracies. Both activist and scientist, Shiva leads, with Ralph Nader and Jeremy Rifkin, the International Forum on Globalization, a group of intellectuals seeking alternatives to increasing economic globalization by corporations.

She also happens to be one of the most interesting, enthralling and charming people I have ever interviewed for a story on powerful women I did for ELLE India

Eating as an ecological act

I mentioned the billion who are hungry because of not having enough to eat. But the same system is giving us two billion who are suffering another kind of malnutrition, the malnutrition of the wrong kind of food—the kind of malnutrition symbolized so dramatically in that film Supersize Me. Obesity has become one of the biggest killers of our time, and it is totally linked to rotten food. I would call it nonfood. We are eating nonfood. We are eating things that are not worthy of being eaten.In fact, there was a big international cultural congress in Spain, and I had to go talk about ecology. And I had a group of Vedic singers with me, brilliant, beautiful women, who did Vedic chants. And I had been asked to serve an organic meal, so they had carried our organic food from India, and we were going to cook an organic meal. So these women came to me and said, “Can you please give us some of that grain?” I said, “Of course. But why do you need it?” They gave me a word which I had no idea exists. They said, “The food here is abaksha.” I said, “What does that mean?” Baksha means worthy of consuming. Abaksha means unworthy of consuming. Our food has been rendered abaksha.And I think the highest level of ethics is the ethics of recognizing that we are violating our own bodies, we are violating the sacred trust of our lives by bombarding ourselves with food unworthy of being called food. That’s why some of us around the world have said we need to move away from the language of being consumers, because, you know, the word “consumption” came out of tuberculosis in the Middle Ages. It was meant to describe that which kills. And our current food systems do kill. They kill the planet, they kill the farmers, they kill our health.

For the entire speech, log on to http://hudson-valley.chronogram.com/issue/2007/4/News+&+Politics/The-Politics-of-Food

When noodles save lives

2007-10-30T17:18:00.000+05:30

If you have ever driven through Ladakh, you know how high altitudes make you feel exhausted and craving something warm, squishy and soft. And Ladakhis have found the perfect comfort food - a noodle soup!!! Whether it is simply noodles added to meat stock and meat pieces, or mixed with veggies, or just humble makeshift Maggie, a bowl of those always does the trick.

Ladakhi soup for the soul

2007-10-30T16:45:00.000+05:30

I had read about Ladakhi tea (a mix of green tea, buffalo milk, butter and salt!) in a magazine, and hoped that I will have thousands of opportunities to taste it during our Manali - Leh road trip. But contrary to all logic, people just scoffed whenever I asked about it at cafes or tea stalls. I could not understand for the life of me why - and I guess the reason is that this potent mix is only drunk in traditional Ladakhi households. It was really a stroke of luck that we got invited into one such home, and I would have driven all the distance from Manali to Leh only to experience this! At Alchi monastery (a couple of hours drive from Leh), we stopped for a bite at a restaurant. My lovely mother-in-law, who had been here before, chatted up the owner and said she was disappointed that the last time she came she did not have the opportunity to see the old house adjacent to the restaurant. “But this is my family’s home,” he answered. Obviously, it was not opened to visitors. But to Gurtaj’s biggest embarrassment, my mom-in-law asked for “just a peek”. The owner thought about it calmly and nodded: “Visit the monastery and come back…” We did, and on the way back we were already thinking of ways to excuse our nosiness and get back on the road. However, as we reached, the owner said: “Please, come, my mother is making tea…” Extremely touched, we followed him into the house, as he showed us into the biggest kitchen I have ever seen. The giant room contained ceiling-high shelves lined with huge brass vessels and utensils; an enormous old style iron stove; a sitting corner with a low divan covered with Ladakhi carpets. Next to a window, a diminutive wrinkled lady, impeccably dressed in her Ladakhi colours, was vigorously beating something in a tall, hand-operated mixer. This is when I knew that I will finally taste Ladakhi tea!!!! And braced myself for the experience. My mother-in-law smartly declined, saying that she can’t have butter. But I was all too happy to be a guinea pig! The lady first steeped the leaves, then poured them in and out of the mixer, until the butter, salt and milk were well-blended. And she poured a steaming cup each. At the first sip, my taste buds were completely confused: was this soup? Or green tea? Or a hot milkshake. The mix of salty and tea flavour was truly unique. I could not even decide if I liked it or not, but the how, strange liquid flowing through my body definitely had an invigorating effect. I nodded in approval at our hosts. And decided to just think of it as soup. I had it to the last sip… The lady was really quiet, and just saw to us without fussing and making a conversation. It was quick, but elating, to be a complete stranger accepted into these people’s home, and being treated to a rare delicacy.

Snails and chocolate

2007-10-30T10:43:00.000+05:30

Yes, it's official - I COULD sell my soul for an escargot (meaning "snail", a French flaky baked roll, also known as pain au raisins), a croissant or a pain au chocolat (no, it's not "a pain" this one, the word means bread in French!!). Here I was, sitting in Pondicherry, in the midst of a leather factory, pouring rain outside, and savouring all the above (with second helpings), brought especially from the Auroville bakery by Dilip Kapur, owner of Hidesign (http://www.hidesignleathers.com/).

There is a particular bakery in Auroville (http://www.auroville.org/), an international "unity in diversity" township close to Pondicherry, where all these delicacies are wiped out by 8.30 am. And I know why!

The Pondicherry on the cake

2007-10-30T09:45:00.001+05:30

Last week I went to Pondicherry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puducherry) for Hidesign's (maybe India's best leather bags brand) annual new collection preview. We stayed right on the promenade, at owner Dilip Kapur's Promenade hotel, but on the first evening we went to have dinner at the very exclusive (and exquisite) Le Dupleix hotel. This is where the former governor of Pondicherry stayed, and the structure still bears some of the original cherry wood pillars from his original residence. But what really got me was the few pieces from Le Sage's personal tapestry collection adorning some of the corners! THAT's history!!!

For dinner, we were a mixed bunch of journalists, the models and performers for the show, Dilip and his German wife Jacqueline. And the 4-course sit down dinner was an attempt to revive Creole-influenced Pondicherry cuisine (for those who don't know, this city was a French colony, and still has a very strong international influence. Auroville, an experimental township close to Pondicherry, is comprised mainly of foreigners, to promote "unity in diversity" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auroville). We were all sitting in the whitewashed courtyard of the hotel, under the motherly branches of a humungous mango tree.

So, all ingredients were purely Indian, but the flavours and combinations - completely and exotically a la Creole.

The vegetarian starter was a Mille Feuille (spelt on the menu Mille Fille - or "a thousand daughters", something never to wish to a staunch Indian, haha!) filled with a veg pancake and delectably baked with some cheese. I loved the interesting bean garnish. As a non-veg starter, a fish coated with unrecognisable spices was staring at us with an olive eye.

I relished the clear soup with delicate whole spinach leaves and barley boiled to perfection. Health food par excellence!!! Could have only eaten that!

As a main dish, I should have ordered veg - a delicious ratatouille served with an Indian roti. The vegetables were well-cooked but crunchy.

And for dessert, finally - a smoothe sago cream with coconut chunks - so perfect and so sinful. Well, I love creamy desserts, so maybe I am biaised...

But by far the best part of the evening was the impromptu performance by Honduras jazz singer Wanny Angerer. Far from a conventional beauty, she had everyone enthralled with her awesome voice and sensual dancing. Men watched her bleary eyed, and women wondered "is it the wine or what?" You can hear her sutry voice sing "perhaps, perhaps, perhaps" ("quisaz, quisaz, quisaz"), on http://www.myspace.com/wannyangerer

Website of Le Dupleix: http://www.nivalink.com/ledupleix/index.html

Website of The Promenade: http://www.nivalink.com/promenade/index.html

Sweet Gujrat!

2007-10-21T15:28:00.000+05:30

I have been craving a Gujrati thali for a very long time, so today we headed for a Sunday lunch at Chetana (http://chetana.com/r.htm), something of an institution in Bombay, and greatly located at Kala Ghoda. It's always packed, but we were lucky to get a table quite fast.

The very first time I came here was maybe 10 years ago, when I was working at The Afternoon Despatch & Courier. My then colleague and now Vogue India editor Priya Tanna took me here for a "safe, typically Indian" thali lunch. She also promised minimum spices, but at that stage, when I was still an Indian food novice, even "moderate" meant sniffling into my napkin throughout the meal. I had not returned ever since. This reminds me, I have to thank Priya for many pleasant moments I had while I was doing The Afternoon internship!

So here I was, ten years later...

I grabbed the menu straight from the door, but luckily my confusion and hungry mind were put to rest with a waiter coolly announcing "only thalis today", which is what we came for on the first place! So here was our choice: the classic Gujarati Thali; Multicuisine Thali; Rajasthani Thali; Health Thali (!) consisting of soup, salad, vegetables cooked with no oil and brown rice and a Classic Thali. I felt my mind deviating and considering the healthy version. I asked the waiter what was in the different thalis, and I think after the sixt dish mentioned I lost count. So Gurtaj reminded me to stick to the purpose - a quintessential Gujarati Thali (while he ordered the Multicuisine Thali, which had several Punjabi preparations in it)

From the moment we ordered, service started like a well-orchestrated ballet. This is not your usual restaurant where the meal comes and is laid out in front of you. Here, there were 4-5 different "guys" responsible for 4-5 different "tasks". One brought the samosas and dhoklas (a spongy mustardy cake), another brought the vegetable dishes (one was an unrecognisable mish mash, another was an awesome combination of spinach paste and chickpeas, third was baby potatoes in coconut-based gravy), third brought the sweet dal (which finally brought this typical sweetish Gujarati taste I so craved) and of course the sweet kadhi (OH the sweeet kadhi!!!!!!!!! A very thin white gravy with mustard seeds and curry leaves floating inside); fourth brought breads and papads (and splashed a generous spoonful of clarified butter on top of them - Gurta's horrified expression spoiled the fun of it!!!); fifth brought phulkas (fried breads) and sixt (phew!!!) came around with chaash (yogurt drink with rock salt and other spices). YES, ladies, I had all this on my platter and no, of course I could not finish it! I polished off the kadhi and dal, and just about picked on the other food, plus a try of Gurtaj's aubergine dish which was amazing. And strangely I really enjoyed the dessert - a srikant (thick, yellow and creamy like custard).

To be very honest it was not a culinary experience, but it was definitely a cultural / social one: first, the way the food was served, with all the waiters constantly circulating around and serving seconds and thirds (to whoever miraculously COULD have seconds and thirds), a guy who was obviously the owner, looking on like a hawk. What made things even better was the pleasant attitude and big smiles on the waiter's lips. It was also cool to watch the great Indian joint family indulging in their favourite weekend sport - eating together. Whole Qualis-loads of Patels, Mishras and Shahs came and went. One family had even brought a barely couple of weeks old baby, fast asleep in her candy pink blanket. Everyone was joyously chatting, enjoying each other's company and the calories!

In all, a really different experience in the middle of Bombay - which I think should be put on the compulsory itinerary of each tourist! A big, tasty bite of real India!

The very very generous thalis were priced from Rs 210 to 370.

More information on Gujarati cuisine can be found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gujarati_cuisine

And here are some curious facts about Gujarat sent to me courtesy Mr Rakshit Gor from VVF. Some of them sound like science fiction, but worth reading:

1. Gujarat is one of the most prosperous states of the country, having a per-capita GDP 3.2 times India's average.

2. If it was a nation it would have been 67th richest nation in the world above many European and Asian economies like China and Ukraine .

3. Gujarat holds many records in India for economic development: · 20% of India's Industrial Output · 9% of India's Mineral Production · 22% of India's exports · 24% of India's textile production · 35% of India's pharmaceutical products · 51% of India's petrochemical production 4. The world's largest ship breaking yard is in Gujarat near Bhavnagar at Alang.

5. Reliance Petroleum Limited, one of the group companies of Reliance Industries Limited founded by Dhirubhai Ambani operates the oil refinery at Jamnagar which is the world's largest grass roots refineries.

6. Gujarat ranks first nationwide in gas-based thermal electricity generation with national market share of over 8% and second nationwide in nuclear electricity generation with national market share of over 1%.

7. Over 20% of the S&P CNX 500 conglomerates have corporate offices in Gujarat. 8. Over 35% of the stock market wealth of India is with Gujarati People.

9. Over 60% of Indian Population in North America is Gujarati. 10. An average income of a Gujarati family in North America is three times more than the average income of an American family.

11. Gujarat is having the longest sea shore compared to any other Indian state

12. Gujarat is having the highest no. of operating airports in India (Total 12).

13. India's 16% of Investment are from Gujarat.

14. Gujarat is having highest no. of vegetarian people compared to any other state in India.

15. The first ALL VEG PIZZA-HUT was opened in Ahmedabad

16. Ahmedabad – the commercial capital of Gujarat is the seventh largest city in India.

17. Surat is the fastest growing city in the world.

18. Gandhinagar is the Greenest Capital City in whole Asia.

19. Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad(IIMA) is Asia's 1 st and world's 45th ranked management college located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

20. Gujarat is the safest state as the Crime rate of it is 8.2 which is the least in India even after considering 2002 communal riots, stated by India Today 2005 report.

21. Gujarat is having least crime against women among all Indian states (excluding Goa) where AP is 1st, Delhi is 2nd , Bihar is 3rd ,Zarakhand is 4th and UP is 5th.

22. Ahmedabad which is the seventh largest city in India is the lowest in crime rate among all Tier-I and Tier-II cities of India as per National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report.

23. Ahmedabad is ranked 2nd in Real Estate - Ahead of Bangalore,Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai & Delhi. 3rd in Policy Initiatives - Ahead of Bangalore, Chennai, Calcutta, Mumbai & Delhi. 4th in Manpower - Ahead of Bangalore,Chennai, Mumbai & Delhi

Still in a food coma...

2007-10-10T16:58:00.000+05:30

Kandahar restaurant at The Oberoi is something of a legend… And a favourite with generations of Mumbai’s business fraternity. Gurtaj and I re-visited it for a feast of quintessentially Indian flavours, and took the time to savour, have a conversation, and relax, for a change...
The welcome sound of gentle classical strings and tabla waft through the corridor as we approach Kandahar. With its impeccable reputation and many years of pleasing Mumbai’s most discerned palates, we are already expecting only the best. And once again, The Oberoi doesn’t fail to deliver a special experience.
While the restaurant’s decor is not outstanding, the grand view of the sea and Marine Drive, and the smooth, professional service more than make up for it. And of course, passing by the glass-front kitchen works up a Herculean appetite, and the imagination goes wild in anticipation of the flavours to come.

ON THE MENU…
We totally let chef Narayan Rao take over the dinner selection, and it was the best decision possible!

For starters, a selection of succulent kababs, of course (Murgh Malai and Chicken Tikka). But the absolute highlight was a delicious corn on the cob (Bhuna Bhutta), coated with yogurt and spices, and roasted to perfection in the tandoor. Skewed on an elegant brass holder, it tasted irresistible to the last bite! But what got us munching endlessly was the traditional papad, on which we dabbed some green chilli pickle. All pickles here are homemade, and the chef is particularly proud of this one, a mix of mild and hot chillies and panch poron (a mix of five spices). And there’s another temptation in a jar on our table – a crunchy garlic pickle.

Instead of rushing with the main course, the chef gives us a much-needed break to sip on nimbu pani pink with rock salt (or rather Gurtaj sips it as I HATE rock salt), and the most refreshing thin chaas (a yogurt drink) laced with subtle spices and sprinkled generously with dhania leaves.

What follows is a truly ‘homemade’ meal delivered by 5-star staff. India’s favourite dishes and flavours take centre stage at our table:
- starting off with nalli ghosht (lamb on the bone, slow-cooked in meticulously and almost scientifically layered spices, condiments and yogurt. The gravy is then strained – no wonder it’s so smooth. Every tiny glistening drop of oil looks perfect!)
- elegant brass bowls of black daal steam away (a traditional thick, brown Indian lentil stew, for which several "signature" Indian restaurants claim to have the best recipe. Gurtaj's favourite is Bukhaara's, part of the Sheraton group, but I think this one is excellent too. However, the one we agree upon completely is the black daal at 1000 Oaks restaurant in Pune) . The consistency is thick and generous, tasting creamier with every spoonful.
- Miniature achari aloos gleefully roll on our plates, tasting perfectly with ajwain ki roti
- A green touch is provided by the methi cooked to perfection – just right, still fresh, its colour vibrant, as if it has just been plucked. And we go through a historic moment that evening, when Gurtaj actually eats methi (a very bitter grassy vegetable) - in normal circumstances, I would not even dream of him having it!!!

The chef insists on dessert, although there’s hardly place for any! But we are pleasantly surprised by the restaurant’s invention of a mini dessert platter – three sweet dishes of your choice, served in miniature, on stark white crockery. The chef has selected for us a phirnee (disguised as an elegant crème brulee), a rabdi and an absolutely delicious malai kulfi.

Kandahar restaurant, The Oberoi Hotel, Nariman Point, Mumbai 21. For reservations call (022) 66326210

The monk who made me dizzy

2007-10-06T16:06:00.000+05:30

To me, there's no other drink that symbolises partying in Bombay more than Old Monk rum. To quote an alcohol website:

"A velvet smooth dark rum with a hint of vanilla, it has an alcohol content of 42.8%. Honored the world over, Old Monk had been awarded gold medals at Monde World Selections since 1982. Its a classic 7 yr blended dark rum. With the first drop of Old Monk Rum, the sheer aroma of distilled cane sugar grown in lush green fields of India, stirs up the age old legend. Old Monk Rum is a form of the legendary 'Som-ras' of India's centuries old scriptures--The Drink of Gods and Lords of India."

Well, I can tell you I don't feel like a Goddess at all after last night's session with the monk at Bombay Gymkhana. I always drink it large, with Diet Coke and no ice. I always blame Ferzin and Gilles for getting me addicted to this drink when I was still a "good girl" in France. It's been my favourite ever since, although it is not considered "elegant" and "lady-like" to have rum and coke. For Indians, this is mostly a macho drink.
The only difference between drinking it then and now is that now I need not less than 12 hours to recover. And of course, there's the embarassing memories... Well, I know that as much as I promise myself "never again", I will look for the naughty monk's company again next Friday!

A biosphere called coconut

2007-10-04T15:45:00.000+05:30

Whenever in India, if you get thurtsy on the road, if you feel de-hydrated from the scorching sun, the safest, fastest and yummiest fix would be a green coconut!

You will see them being sold all over the place. It will also work if, while running around in the city, you have forgotten to eat. As under its shell, the coconut is a real nutritious bomb (at a recent consultation with a nutritionist, she was speechless when I told her I drink the water of one coconut every morning. It was news to me, but it seems it has plenty of calories!)

Consider this:

- Due to its sterility, pH, mineral, and sugar content, coconut water had been successfully used as liquid in intravenous therapy in emergency situations (Wikipedia)

- It is also marketed as a sports drink, because of its high potassium and mineral content, which helps the body recover from rigorous exercise

- During the Pacific War (1941-45) it was used for emergency plasma transfusions to wounded soldiers (http://www.knowledgebase-script.com/)

- It has the same level of electrolytic balance as our blood

- Ayurveda considers it an aphrodisiac (!!!)

- It is supposed to improve mental concentration

- Indian traditional medecine uses it in the case of jaundice, urinary stones, skin infections, measles, sun burn, diabetes, and even cancer

- It's a tasty, healthy cocktail in a completely biodegradable 'cup'

- The shell keeps the liquid always cool

The first ever time I had a coconut on the roadside was after one of my many exhausting expeditions to the Foreigner's Registration Office (they drove me mad before making me an honest and legal inhabitant of India!!!). I had asked a friend to accompany me to 'scare' them a bit - Somit Sen, the then crime reporter of The Times Of India. I was so unnerved and exhausted by the visit, that he took me to a coconut vendor for a refreshment. At first, I flinched, as I was still in my "nothing from the roadside!" phase. He noticed, and said: "If there is anything you can have anywhere in the world without a doubt in your mind, it is the water of a freshly pierced coconut." Being the perfect gentleman, he pushed some onlookers on the side, asked the vendor to wipe his knife and pierce the coconut in front of us. Then he pulled out a clean straw from a packet lying on the side. I was so thursty that I didn't need much convincing. I gulped down the fresh, cool liquid, and within the next few minutes I felt lighter, literally rejuvenated! Thus started my love affair with coconuts!

When I was working at Leo Burnett (the office was at Kemps Corner at that time), there was a coconutwalla always standing outside. Daily, the first thing I saw when walking towards the door, was his smiling face. In the morning, he was the only outsider allowed freely beyond the electronic door. He used to come inside with his huge basked and quench our morning thirst. He knew the preferences of each and every one of us - who liked the malai (the meaty part inside the coconut - if you wanted it, he would skillfully scrape it for you and add a small plastic spoon to the order), who didn't, who liked a small coconut, who had a very big 'capacity'. Service at your desk! He would later discreetly come and collect the shell. All that for 12 rupees!

Nowadays, our cook brings fresh coconuts home every morning. I drink it plain, Gurtaj, with a squeeze of lemon juice. After the first few sips, I know there's a wonderful day ahead!

Green coconuts, Rs 15, everywhere around Bombay

By The River Narmada I Sat and Relished

2007-10-03T08:58:00.000+05:30

On a recent road trip through Madhya Pradesh (according to me one of the least explored states of India, as rich in history and architectural wonders as Rajasthan, just not so well marketed!) by far the highlight of my journey was a stay at Ahilya Fort in the city of Maheshwar. It's on the Narmada river, one of India's holiest water bodies, but also a topic of controversy for a pending dam project which is supposed to displace thousands.

Maheshwar itself is a very old city, famous for the rule of Ahilya Bhai, one of India's "gutsiest" female rulers! She is responsible for making it a revered cultural and religious centre, as well as the capital of Maheshwari weaving.

For those of you who can, get the October issue of Travel + Leisure South Asia magazine where I have written an article on Maheshwar. But here, what I am going to speak about is, of course, what went on at the table!

I was expecting a lot of pleasant surprises, as Prince Richard Holkar is a well-known gourmet himself. He likes to cook, researches food, and has co-authored a book, The Cooking of the Maharajas (to be reviewed soon!) with his ex-wife. Unfortunately, he was not there when we were visiting, but the very able and energetic Kanta Bhai (who has helped bring up Holkar's children, and is now running the show at Ahilya Fort) more than made up with her can-do attitude. She not only served snacks and wine like a true major d'omo, but also made sure each bite was memorable!

As soon as we arrived, we were served refreshing jasmine-scented cold water. It was a big surprise - I had never tasted anything like this before. The aroma and flavour were very subtle and elegant, and not as "chemical" as I expected. Unfortunately they didn't know how it's made, as they import it from Udaipur.

Then, we were served tea and home-made ginger bread, full of chunks of fresh Indian ginger. I could just go on eating it!!!

Before we left for our boat ride on the Narmada, Kanta Bhai asked what do we want for dinner, and luckilly we left it all to her. She asked if I wanted fish, and don't ask me why I said "no" (I guess the mental block of monsoon vs fish), but later on, while cruising the river, I regretted it, when seeing fishermen with their catch of the day. So as soon as we got back, I asked if it wasn't too late to have fish. In true Kanta Bhai spirit, I was promptly told "yes".

Ahilya Fort has no formal dining room, so a table for three (us and a French architecture scholar visiting on Prince Holkar's request) was laid under a huge tree in the courtyard. Heavy and sturdy thali sets were laid out for us. We were famished!

And there came the food: smooth bean curry, potatoes with fresh coriander stalks, a very light mutton dish, shredded okra (lady fingers), a veg korma (vegetables simmered in an almond-based gravy), and of course my fish, made just like I wanted it - with a touch of olive oil, salt and pepper! Absolutely yummy!!!

After the typically Indian flavours, we were served the most surprising and cutest fusion desert - a whole apple, filled with soft cardamom pods and raisins, baked, and served with cream.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

After this sumptious dinner, we fell asleep peacefully in our beautiful room, listening to the sounds of worship coming from the ghats below.

Do I need to mention we were given home made brown bread for breakfast the next day??

AHILYA FORT, MAHESHWAR. WEBSITE: www.ahilyafort.com

Rs. 5,500 per night per person, which includes all meals, massages, and a boat ride

For reservations, call (011) 41551055

LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE, By Laura Esquivel

2007-10-02T21:02:00.000+05:30

I have to thank my baby cousin Sofie for recommending this one to me! It was an absolutely great read. It is, to quote the author, "a novel in monthly instalments with recipes, romances and home remedies". There are two things I am taking away from this book:

1) The really exquisite parallel between the moods and feelings of Tita, and the food she creates. So, if she is sad, the food turns bitter; if she is crying while cooking, the dessert refuses to set. She is so resentful while cooking for the wedding of her sister and the love of her life, that all guests fall violently sick after consuming the main course. This reminds me of what my mother used to say: "Never eat food while angry, it will turn into poison inside you!"

2) When Tita's sister returns home after several years, she wants to taste her favourite childhood dessert, cream fritters. Living away from home, the following words really touched me: "Gertrudis got onto her horse and rode away. She wasn't riding alone - she carried her childhood beside her, in the cream fritters she had enclosed in a jar in her saddle-bag." Indeed, every time I taste something my mom has made, or something Bulgarian, I feel closer to my family and to the place of my roots.

RECIPE FOR CREAM FRITTERS

1 cup of heavy cream

6 eggs

cinnamon

syrup

"While she greased the pot where Tita would pour the beaten cream, she [Gertrudis] never stopped talking... "

From the vague description that follws, I assume she makes custard with the egg yolks and cream and lets it thicken in a pan over the flame.

"Once the custard is cool, it is cut into small squares, a size that won't crumble so easily. Next the egg whites are beaten, so the squares of custard can be rolled in them and fried in oil. Finally, the fritters are served in syrup and sprinkled with ground cinnamon."

THE HOUR OF THE GODDESS: MEMORIES OF WOMEN, FOOD AND RITUAL IN BENGAL, By Chitrita Banerji

2007-10-02T20:14:00.000+05:30

I devoured this book like an engrossing work of fiction, although it is a biographical, semi-anthropological and historical account of the autror of her childhood in Calcutta, through food rituals. Having gone to study and live in the USA (with a passage through Bangladesh where she finds love!), Chitrita Banerji (now a widely recognised food historian) writes this book, fearing that she may forget the food and customs of her childhood. So she goes on to describe the worship-like relation to food in her family, especially during religious rituals. From the way spices were grinded freshly every morning (the description of the dainty Patoler Ma, the maid, who crushes the spices every morning, but never tastes them, is riveting!), she recalls the taste, smell and texture of food, and throws in extremely interesting commentary.

Some of the mysterious (to me) and mouthwatering Bengoli dishes she mentions:

BATASHAS - "airy, brittle puffs of spun sugar"

NEEMBEGUN - an "addictive starter" of fried crisp neem leaves and eggplant cubes (neem in India is supposed to be an almost miraculous plant, with many medicinal and health properties. Very bitter, its not easy to make it enticing!)

SHUKTO - a dish made of karela, or bittergourd, which they polish off with rice to kill the bitterness

MAACH-HER JHOL - or fish stew that they used to give to kids for breakfast!!

MUITTHA - fried fish and potato balls

SHORSEILISH - fish with mustard

GALDA CHINGRIR MALAIKARI - prawns in coconut gravy

LAU-CHINGRI - Shrimps with squash

DOI-MAACHH - yogurt fish

MAACHHER KALIA - fish in a rich sauce

PUISHAK - leafy greens with small shrimps

I don't have a sweet tooth, but names like sandesh, rosogolla, chhana, paramanno (meaning "ultimate rice"), khoa kheer, made me fantasise of a table full of them, just for me to sample! Just imagine a bowl of fluffy kheer with freshly sliced mangoes - SINFUL!!!

Also, did you know that the typical Bengoli "bandel cheese" was brought in by the Portuguese???

This book not only makes you see food and feel about food in a different, almost reverent way, but makes you want to take the next plane to Calcutta (today so-blandly called Kolkatta) and explore!