Mad Over Food - MOF

Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and tossed Veggies baked in White Sauce

2012-10-08T12:20:00.001+05:30

Let's first divide the individual components and prepare them before we head to assembling the dish.

1. Chicken

You'll need around 2/3rd Chicken breast. Marinate it with a mixture of

a. 1 tsp Soya Sauce

b. Italian herbs

c. Salt and pepper to taste

d. 1/2 grated ginger

e. 1 tsp Olive Oil

6. Little Sweet Chilli sauce

Leave it aside for around 30-40 minutes. Fry it in Olive oil in a pan till golden brown.

2. Mashed Potatoes

You'll need 1 medium sized potato. Boil it in salt water. After it cools, mash it or grate it and then mash it. Add salt to taste. Add Olive Oil - 1 tsp and cream for consistency (around 3-4 tsp min). Mix Italian herbs and 1 cube of grated cheese. Add black pepper powder.

3. Mushrooms and Broccoli

Boil them in salt water and keep aside.

4. Bell peppers

Take 1/2 red and yellow bell pepper each. Cut them into julienne strips. Heat Olive Oil in a pan and toss the bell peppers in it. Add a dash of sweet chilli sauce and saute till light golden colour appears. Keep aside.

5. Cherry Tomatoes

You'll need around 8-10 cherry tomatoes. Simply wash them and keep them aside.

6. White Sauce

This is not your regular white sauce so it might have been made differently.

Bring milk to boil in a pan (around 250 ml) . Add 3 cheese cubes grated. Add cream (around 3-4 tbsps). Add cornflour paste (around 2 tsps cornflour mixed in cold water). Add salt and black pepper powder for taste. Black pepper is the main ingredient and hence add in proper quantity as per taste. Let it simmer and thicken. Keep aside.

To assemble

1. Line each portion in a vertical way in a oven-safe dish. First the mashed potatoes, then the mushrooms, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, chicken, bell peppers and then mushrooms again.

2. Pour the white sauce mixture and cover teh entire surface.

3. Grate 1-2 cheese cubes.

4. Bake at around 160-180'C for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

CupCakes :)

2012-05-27T00:13:00.000+05:30

Cupcakes Cupcakes Cupcakes!!! YummYumm Yumm !!!

Those yummy little cupcakes, brightly coloured look so delicious that you can't but grab a few. I decided that it was about time I tried my hands at them. Alas, I had not a beater/whisker so had to whip the cream with my hands :P It didn't turn out badly but better use a hand mixer !

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup (113 gms) Amul butter (room temperature)

2. 2/3 cup (130 gms) powdered sugar

3. 3 eggs (room temperature)

4. 1 tsp vanilla essence

5. Zest of 1 lemon (outer yellow skin)

6. 1 1/2 cups (195 gms) maida (flour)

7. 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

8. 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk

Procedure:

1. Take a big bowl and pour in the butter and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. I used a whisker and beat it manually. I suggest that you try this rather than using the blender. Beat slowly till the mixture is a smooth and fluffy paste.

2. Add the eggs one by one. Beat after every egg added. Once all eggs are added, beat for some more time to achieve a thick, yellowish, light and fluffy mixture.

3. Add the lemon rind (scrape the lemon) and the vanilla essence. Mix well.

4. In a separate bowl, sieve the flour and the baking powder together.

5. Add the flour to the egg mixture slowly, mixing well alternately. Add the milk and mix some more.

6. You need to use the paper cupcake moulds. Place the paper moulds in the metal cupcake moulds. One in each cavity. Then add the cake mixture in each mould till 3/4th of each mould is full.

7. Bake at 180* Celsius for 16-18 minutes. Check with a toothpick to see if its done. Repeat till the entire mixture is over.

For the Frosting:

1. 2 cups (230 gms) powdered sugar

2. 1/2 cup (113 gms) margarine (room temperature)

3. 1 tsp essence (Mango / Strawberry / etc)

4. Food colours ( Yellow if you add mango flavour / Red if you put strawberry flavour )

5. Beat the above well till the mixture is light and fluffy. The mixture will rise to almost double the size.

6. Put it in a icing bag with the nozzle that you want.

7. After the cakes cool down to room temperature, apply the icing on the cakes.

Thai Ban

2012-05-19T19:53:00.000+05:30

It rarely happens that I praise restaurants more than 50 times in the span of an hour! And I couldn't stop but thanking Tanay for taking us to this small Thai outlet, near Pali hill. Thai Ban is a 6-7 table restaurant which serves mainly Thai food alongwith some Chinese varieties. Serves both Veg and Non-Veg.

Date: May 17, 2012
Time: 10 PM - 11.15 PM
Occasion: My birthday!
Place: Thai Ban
Location: Pali Hill, Bandra (W)
Ratings: ****1/2
Courses Tried: Thai
Decently priced.
Pricing: Around 150-300 per dish.
Quantity: 1 dish = 2 people
Address: Shop No 8/9, Gaspar Enclave, Junction of St. Johns & Pali Road, Pali Naka,
Bandra West, Mumbai
Telly: 022- 26459775
Closest Station: Bandra

Thai food closely resembles our coastal Konkani food with coconut used very generously in most preparations. Thai Ban comes across as a tiny restaurant, cramped for space (which it sadly is). But the food it has to offer more than makes up for that. And when you go to a Thai place, order Thai. Don't even think of meddling with Chinese. We were in a hurry as we had reached quite late and our tummies were making noises ( :P ) so we skipped the drinks and starters and directly jumped onto the main course. We ordered a plain Ginger Mushroom Rice. Its a basic rice with invisible mushrooms and ginger (or maybe I was too busy eating). You can't have it without a gravy so we ordered a veg. Phad Phak. It comes with zuccini and tofu of which we got the tofu replaced with paneer. And we ordered veg. Phad Khi Mao which essentially are flat noodles. In non veg. we ordered a chicken Gaeng Phed or the famous red curry. The flat noodles were very spicy and I had to resort to the honey-based sauce which lay on the table to temper the spiciness. The red curry was par excellence. Superlatively brilliant. I strongly recommend it.

Prices as on the abovementioned date -
Ginger Mushroom Rice - Rs. 165

Veg. Phad Khi Mao - Rs. 230

Veg. Phad Phak - Rs. 295

Chicken Gaeng Phed - Rs. 345

It's worth a visit or a few more if you really like Thai food. Lot of varieties and very nice preparations.

Disclaimer: The publisher, writer, blogger, or otherwise of this blog accepts no responsibility of whatsoever is written hereinabove. No claims or suits in any court of law will be entertained. Any similarity with living or non-living beings and/or things is purely co-incidental.

Blueberry New York CheeseCake !!!

2011-12-01T20:49:00.004+05:30

Yay! After ages of being sunk in chocolate till I actually go breathless, I decided to try out a cheesecake. The Occasion? - my best friend's birthday! Let me warn you though - it's easy on you but not on your pocket! So the next time you see the cheesecake being doubly as costly as the other pastries, you will be fully fit to empathize with them!

Let's start with where to buy the ingredients from.

You need Cream Cheese and Sour Cream - you get this at FoodHall, Godrej Nature's Basket, etc.

Blueberry Preserve - The same places

Ingredients - (Total Cost - Rs. 800 odd)

Cream Cheese - 450 gms

Sour Cream - 100 gms

Eggs - 2

Flour (Maida) - 4-5 heaped tsps

Vanilla Essence - Around 1 tsp

Powder Sugar - 1 1/3 cups full (approx. 300-350 ml) - Please taste before adding the entire quantity as per the quantity of sweetness on your taste buds!

Cookies (or Marie Biscuits) - 1 packet

Amul Butter - Almost 1 packet (100 gms)

Sugar (for the base) - as per taste

Procedure -

1. Crush the biscuits in a mixer. Take a vessel and add the butter and the sugar for the base in it. After it melts, add the crushed biscuits. Toss till golden brown!

2. Take a big bowl and add the cream cheese. Put the hand mixer / blender on low speed and start beating it lightly. Slowly add, one by one, the powdered sugar, the flour, the eggs, the essence and the sour cream.

3. Mix well and keep aside in the fridge.

4. Take a open base mould (if it has a removable base , the better! ). Cover the base with aluminium foil all the way till the top as an added protection.

5. Preheat the oven for 5 minutes at 160 degree Celsius.

6. In the meanwhile, layer the base of the mould with the biscuit mixture. Spread it evenly and press it gently to make a think base.

7. Pour the cheese mixture in it and level.

8. Bake for around 50-60 minutes at 160 degree Celsius.

9. Remove it and let it cool in the fridge. Remove it on a separate dish and apply the blueberry preserve on it.

10. Last but not the least, see the happiness on your friend's face and ENJOY the Cake! Bon Appetit!

Chocolate Torte Cake !!!

2010-11-30T20:36:00.003+05:30

Trust me, this is the best ever cake I have ever made!!! The occasion is my best friend's birthday and to be very honest was not in the mood to make a cake. But suddenly in the evening, I decided to go for it. I have been making brownies for a long time and had left making cakes, so it had to be a self-made recipe. I looked for a good recipe online but to no avail. So I had to make a 1 egg cake as I did not want to take risks.

Here goes the recipe

1 cold egg

1/6 cup margarine

45-50 gms chocolate

1/6 cup powdered sugar

1/3 tsp vanilla essence

1 flat tsp baking powder

3 1.2 heaped teaspoons of maida

The procedure is as follows

1. Separate the egg yolk and white and leave them to come to room temperature.

2. Beat the egg yolk with the sugar for around 3-5 minutes on medium speed till it thickens and becomes around 2-3 times of the original amount.

3. Beat the egg white separately till it thickens and becomes white in colour.

4. Melt the chocolate in double boiler or microwave.

5. Add the vanilla and molten chocolate in the egg yolk mixture.

6. Sieve the maida with the baking powder and add to the egg yolk mixture.

7. Mix the egg white to this mixture. Beat a little.

8. Grease the baking dish. Bake for 160' C for 20 minutes and 180' C for 10 minutes in a convection oven.

For the frosting

1. Take Amul or any other fresh cream around 3 teaspoons. Beat it well for around 7-8 minutes with 2 tsp of powdered sugar.

2. Melt around 40 gms of chocolate. Let it cool but not till it hardens. Add to the cream.

3. Add around 2 tsp of cocoa powder.

4. Beat a little. Add extra sugar/cocoa if needed.

Let the cake cool down. Remove it on a plate. And the apply the frosting.

I cooked all this !!!

2010-09-07T19:16:00.003+05:30

Chocolate Donuts !!!

2010-08-23T18:56:00.003+05:30

donuts, Donuts and more Donuts!!!! Like most other people, I too am Mad over Donuts !!! But due to unavailability of good donuts at frequently affordable prices, I decided to make them myself. To add to the occasion was Gaurav's birthday too ! So one fine evening I set out collecting the ingredients, searching for appropriate recipes, making my own changes to the finalised recipes and coming out with my OWN recipe, arranging the stuff in the kitchen and finally begin the process of making delectable donuts !!!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 Active Dry Yeast (Caution: Smells BAD !! )

60 ml Warm Milk ( 40' C )

Li'l more than 1 tbsp Non-Salted Butter ( I used Margarine )

67 ml Sugar

1 Egg

500 ml Maida (flour)

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp each of Powdered Nutmeg and Cinnamon

Few drops of Vanilla Essence

Procedure:

Place 50 ml of the warm milk in a bowl and add the yeast therein. Set aside for five to ten minutes or so. Make sure you check the temperature of the milk. Hot milk will kill the yeast.
Mix the butter and sugar with the remaining milk. Add this to the yeast mixture.
Stir in the eggs, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and vanilla essence. The mixture will thicken. Mix the dough well.
If the dough gets very sticky, add a li'l dough and if its too dry , then add li'l milk.
Knead the dough well and shape it into a ball. Keep in a buttered bowl for a few hours for the yeast to rise to nearly double the size.
Punch the dough and knead it further. Make flat 1/2 inch flat rounds and cut small circles with a rounded vessel ( a cup or glass would do too ). Let the donuts rise for another hour or so.
Take the rounds and stuff chocolate chunks in them. Cover the round dough around the chocolate pieces and make a ball. Try flattening them and place the donuts into a butter-paper lined baking tray.
Bake for around 8-9 minutes at 190'-200' C. Do not let the donuts get too brown.
Melt chocolate in a separate bowl and dip the baked donuts head first. Sprinkle powdered sugar on the donuts and serve hot!!!

Sardar Pav Bhaji

2010-07-05T11:21:00.005+05:30

Not every good food experience comes planned, does it? Some of the best tastes are so unplanned that they just strike at your belly,right out of the pan and leave a very delightful taste on your taste buds. at the slight mention of Sardar, I eagerly pounced on the opportunity, without actually being invited and ended up travelling all the way to Tardeo in a bus with Gaurav Agrawal ( who is on his way to become a LEGEND ).

Date: July 4, 2010
Time: 8.00 PM to 10.15 PM
Occasion: Aiwehi!!!
Place: Sardar
Location: Tardeo
Ratings: ****
Courses Tried: Indian (on being asked for the Menu, the waiter promptly replied - Pav Bhaji ONLY )
Moolah: Moderately Expensive ( Considering Cannon or any other Pav Bhaji Joint )
Pricing: Around 60-80 per dish
Quantity: 1 dish = 1 person
Address: 66A, Tardeo Road Junction, Tardeo, Mumbai
Telly: 022-23530208
Closest Station: Bombay Central
Buses: 63, 67, 85, 89, 91, 92, 93,124, 125, 132, 133, 166, 305,351, 357, 385 et al

A Sardar deal is always a yummy one. However painstaking the wait is, the eventual reward - the utterly butterly delicious Pav Bhaji more than makes up for it!!! Luckily, this time, I didn't have to stand in the queue for too long, the honours went to Amit and Anuj.

The moment we found place for ourselves, we began shooting orders. 'Menu Card laana', 'Table saaf kardena', 'Empty Glasses laana', etc. Till the waiter actually found time to visit our table, we were already decided as to what to order - 2 Amul Pav Bhajis and two cheese Pav Bhajis ( the cheese ones going to the less healthier ones ). The Pav Bhajis arrived soon as they make it in heaps. The gorgeous sight of the delectable Pav Bhaji, layered with white cheese and laden with a rectangled cube of amul butter. What more can a hungry person ask for? The Pav Bhaji is less spicy and full of butter. The vegetables contain more of potatoes and less of tomatoes which gives it a yellow ocherish colour. The Pav Bhaji is laced with freshly chopped coriander and the Pav is lightly dipped in butter seemingly. The taste comes more from the copious amounts of butter though.

The masala Pav is very expensive with one single peice priced at Rs. 25. But the amount of butter soaked in the Masala Pav is certainly higher. The onions, finely chopped, with chaat masala and nimbu, are a good side dish of sorts. The cheese Pav Bhaji is quite expensive at Rs. 80 when you compare it to the one at Cannon (CST). But all in all, it's certainly a worth visit!

Prices as on the abovementioned date -
Amul Butter Pav Bhaji - Rs. 60

Cheese Pav Bhaji - Rs. 80

Single piece Extra Pav - rs. 7

Single piece Masala Pav - Rs. 25

It surely is highly recommended for the eternal foodie and also for all those who would mind tucking in a few scoops of butter and not bother about its results on their waistline. Makes for a nice food joint to be with friends and family alike. If you can manage the half-an hour or more waiting time, then you will certainly relish the place more.

Chocolate Cappuccino Brownies

2010-06-01T17:17:00.002+05:30

This is my most favourite recipe and I have made these brownies like a zillion times. Everytime I try to make a few changes so that one fine day they will be the best and most perfect brownies!!! This time, the changes I made have helped me cut the 2 minutes in the microwave that I needed to put my brownies after they were baked in the oven, as they used to be still wet in the middle. It seems I have finally hit upon the right notes, only to take it to a higher level herefrom.

Ingredients:

1 medium-large egg

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 capful vanilla essence

1 tsp coffee

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

60 ml powdered sugar

200 gms dark cooking chocolate

2 capfuls refined oil

80 ml maida

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Procedure:

sieve the maida and baking powder together, atleast thrice
beat the egg and sugar for 3-4 minutes till the mixture becomes fluffy
melt the chocolate either in the microwave or in a double boiler system
add all the flavours like cinnamon, salt, essence and coffee to the egg mixture
fold it in, in figures of 8 the molten chocolate and oil
add the maida mixture and fold in, in figures of 8
grease the baking dish or put butter paper in the dish and preheat for 10 minutes @ 180' C
bake for 35 minutes or till the cake is not wet in the middle @ 180' C

REMOVE AND EAT!!!

Suggestions for Serving:

make chocolate sauce by melting cooking chocolate, adding milk, sugar and little water. crumble the brownie in a glass and pour in the sauce. heat for 20-30 seconds in microwave. RELISH!!!

New Yorkers!

2010-05-21T20:15:00.003+05:30

Date: May 20, 2010
Time: 8.00 PM
Occasion: 1st of my 21st Year Birthday Treats!
Place: New Yorkers
Location: Kings Circle, Matunga
Ratings: ***1/2
Courses Tried: Mocktails, Pastas, Sizzlers
Moolah: Moderately expensive
Pricing: Rs. 180-250 per dish, mocktails 135-155 odd !
Quantity: 1 dish = 2-3 persons
Transport - Closest Station - Matunga East

finally i turned twenty-one and it was time for those beckoning treats. the first one was to be an all-veg affair so we decided upon New Yorker's at Matunga. I reached a little late and since most of the tables had a maximum of six chairs, we had to order an extra chair - free free free !!!

hungry as ever, i entered late, only to find ayushi, nisha and pooja (the first two read as dummies), were already there. the sofas are quite comfortable but the negative point is that it can seat maximum six. so bigger groups will have to split. also people who would want to talk and share their joys with others - beware! you will be non-chalantly chided for talking too loudly! so we first began with mocktails... of varied hues and sizes, filled in differently sized glasses. so we had lemon breezers, blue caracao breezers, strawbeery, peach, etc etc the blue curacao breezer was yummy. fizzling with soda and draped in the sea blue colour, topped with a spring of mint and a slice of lime. and the strawberry was a treat for the eyes. then came along the nachos. with the ever-favourite cheese!!! it was really good. the nachos were more like kahkras though and there was an evident dash of turmeric. but it tasted good with all the capsicums. next on the menu was pasta and sizzlers. we had the two ring pasta - a nice blend of sweeet and spicy, spaghetti and penne, white sauce and red sauce! the sizzlers were not good though. overly priced, less quantity, VEG and not great! the italian one had only pasta , beans and cabbage!!! all for 320??? whereas the shashlik was more like manchurian! a big let down given he starting fare!

Prices as on the abovementioned date -
Lemon Breezer - Rs. 155
Blue Curacao Breezer - Rs. 155
Peach Margarita - Rs. 135
Strawberry Margarita - Rs. 135
Nachos with Cheese - Rs. 200
Two Ring Pasta - Rs. 200
Italian Sizzler - Rs. 325
Veg and Paneer Shashlik Sizzler - Rs. 365

its a good place to go if you are a veggie. they don't tolerate too much noise though and you will be served with regular reminders to keep your volume low. good place to dine with one's family. they have many branches here and there so location is not an issue generally.

Timbuctoo

2010-05-02T16:32:00.002+05:30

Date: May 1, 2010
Time: 9.00 PM
Occasion: Nightout at Akanksha's!
Place: Timbuctoo
Location: Mulund R Mall
Ratings: ***
Courses Tried: Mocktails, Starters and Continental
Moolah: moderately expensive
Pricing: Rs. 125-145 per dish, mocktails 100 odd !
Quantity: 1 dish = 2-3 persons
Transport - Closest Station - Mulund

surprise surprise!!! one more outing after exams, this time at Mulund at Akanksha's amazing Place. and we had to go out for dinner so we zeroed in upon timbuctoo. I was rather indifferent about the place but certain people made it sure that we ended up there. The place is a part of urban tadka and pop tates and is an open air affair! the place is filled with hooka fragrance and there are many tables for the ever-starving tummies.

we were 9 of which 4 were vegetarians ( :( ) so we arranged ourselves that way affording us convenience to eat directly from the plate! We concluded on ordering separate mocktails for each of us rather than share. I particularly didn't want to share those thirst quenchers. So we ordered around 7 mocktails with names like Sunset and Sun rise, Virginia and Zulu something. Virginia was quite nice, with lots of strawberry and a hint of other flavours. The zulu thing was colourful too, with the major drink being Orange juice. I was gettign restless with us having ordered zilch food. So we decided to order starters. a few veg and 2 non-veg. Dunno what the vegetarians ordered but we had Thai BBQ Chicken and Blasted Chicken. Thai BBQ chicken was little spicy, tangy, flat chicken discs fried in oil. The blasted chicken was good. Very tender and superbly herbed, roasted to perfection. It had a dressing of a tangy sauce and served with mashed potato and sour onions. The main course included a Chicken Lasagne and something called as bananani (not sure of the name though). The Lasagne was piled with layers and cheese and flat pasta and was filled with a very tasty mixture of minced meat. The Bananani was a sort of penne and chicken pasta with white sauce. I certainly disliked the fact that they served it an hour after we ordered and only when I threatened them to cancel the order. But it was more than sufficiently cheesy. We ordered an additional barbeque starter called Friday Night Fever or something (sorry but I really dont have an online menu to quote the correct names). That was the most awesome chicken started I had had. The chicken was deliciously soft and tender. And was roasted to perfection.

I guess it is a good place to hangout with friends. It is more of a hookah place and is a very good deal for non-vegetarians. It's not too costly and the bill came to around Rs. 300 per head. The quantity is okayish though. You could book a place in advance during peak times.

Not just JAZZ by the bay !!!

2010-04-29T20:19:00.006+05:30

Date: April 28, 2010
Time: 10.00 PM
Occasion: Celebrating end of third year exams !!!
Place: Not just JAZZ by the bay
Location: Churchgate
Ratings: **1/2
Courses Tried: Continental, Mocktails, Desserts
Moolah: Very Expensive
Pricing: Rs. 200-300 per dish, desserts 120-175, mocktails 150 odd !
Quantity: 1 dish = 1-2 persons
Transport - Closest Station - churchgate

aha!! this is what you call - being Green to save electricity!!! I had to actually use the torch of my mobile, which I rarely get to use in Mumbai, to read the Menu... the lights were way too dim temporarily making us feel we were nocturnal creatures :P The only thing that shone was the fluorescent marking that was stamped upon our hands.

Whatever the consequences of our decision to come here, we did end up relishing the food. we were asked to pay Rs. 100 per head as 'entry' fee to hear some tom-dick-harry bands play some music. We were sitting right besides the band so we could hear it quite 'loudly and clearly'. I felt more than once that they should have provided every table with a few pens and a few loose papers, just so that people could atleast communicate as to what they would want to eat. The loud din made it quite impossible for us to have a conversation, and I should not be blaming the restaurant for this. Maybe the ambience is what people come here for and I was a bit away from reality! We began ordering with the drinks, a few hard a few soft. I had something called as Tropical Storm which was quite refreshing and tangy due to the heavy presence of Orange! The others had God knows what. Ankita had sprite whereas the girl on my right had Virgin Mojito which the others wrote off as a 'Tulsi' drink!!! Kaustubh did have a Long Island Ice Tea and I distinctly remember someone ordering a 'Ginlet'... God know what that is... When I do begin drinking alcohol ( which is quite not that easily possible ) , I will offer better reviews of non-alcoholic beverages also. Till then I'll stick to food and patchy mentions of these drinks. :) The bands began playing songs which I had never heard before, but were well appreciated by the more music-educated crowd ! They alternated as there were two bands that night, so that the rest-endowed band could sip their chilled beer. Our conversations were thus restricted to the neighbours ears! I as usual was 'damn' hungry. We began the ordering process and finally decided on cottage Cheese Paprika, Penne & Barbeque Chicken and Jamaican Grilled Chicken. It arrived sooner than I expected. The Cottage Cheese Paprika was served with 2 paneers tikkis with bell peppers and spicy paprika sauce. The paneer was soft and tender, sufficiently marinated in the sauce. The Penne and Mushroom was as usual creamy and the chicken succulent. But I was disappointed with the quantity of chicken therein and the quantity of the dishes per se. When you charge a lot, you are expected to serve sufficient quantities and the waiter had the audacity to tell me that this would be enough for all of us. Bah!!! Thereafter we moved towards desserts and people were already decided on what to order. New York Chocolate Cake and Ebony and Ivory although cliched and passe, we ordered them. I wasn't too amused. I ordered for myself a Mandarin Chocolate Mousse. It turned out to be the piece de resistance! Served in a tall slim glass, cold, liquefied chocolate with a hint of orange and brandy ( which I couldn't fathom till the end). But it was sinfully delicious! A very good end to a not so good beginning.

Prices as on the abovementioned date -

Long Island Ice Tea - Rs. 425
Tropical Storm - Rs. 175
Virgin Mojito - Rs. 175
Cottage Cheese Paprika - Rs. 325
Penne & Barbeque Chicken - Rs. 375
Jamaican Grilled Chicken - Rs. 385
New York Chocolate Cake - Rs. 110
Ebony and Ivory - Rs. 155
Mandarin Chocolate Mousse - Rs. 150

I would say if you are looking for a musical night, without much of talking or sharing the days events and do have a huge purse or have someone who will shell out for you too, then this place is worth a visit. They have different bands playing everyday and you can sit for as long as you want. The food is not bad but excessively priced. The desserts are better than the main course and I would say DO NOT MISS THE MOUSSE!!! Bon Appetit!

Is this the famous Crystal?

2010-03-31T15:58:00.005+05:30

Date: March 31, 2010
Time: 12.30 PM
Occasion: Returning home dejected from ICAI
Place: Crystal
Location: Girgaum Chowpatty
Ratings: ****
Courses Tried: Punjabi, Sweets
Moolah: Cheap
Pricing: Rs. 100
Quantity: 1 dish = 2-3 persons
Transport - Closest Station - Charni Road

We were supposed to go to the Ca Institute and the the CS Institute to get things over 112 sorted out, but before we even went there, we had decided where we were going to have lunch! I was told Crystal was this awesome place at Charni Road famous for Punjabi Food. I thought it would be this fine-dine restaurant which will cost me around 300-400 bucks a head. After getting the expected dejection at ICAI we left for this place.

As we kept walking along the opposite side of Girgaum Chowpatty, suddenly Hardik pointed at this shabby Looking, Old-hotels type, small entranced, 'eatery'. And I need to call it an eatery as it was a billion times crash from what I expected Crystal to be like. Just as we entered, the owner, wearing a plain white shirt, much like the quaint Parsis, yelled at us saying it will take 15 minutes more for food and we should be sitting only if we wanted to wait. We couldn't care less, but yes my stomach did as I was immensely hungry. The waiter was more caring though as he climbed up after us and switched on the fans for us and also took our order. So we did order finally - Paneer Kurma, Dal Makhani, Butter Rotis, Aamras and Mineral Water. And not sooner did 5 minutes pass, the food was already in front of us. The Paneer Kurma was more like Paneer Bhurji, faint yellow in colour, less spicy, and full of Paneer. I mean for 40 bucks they had this plate full of only Paneer. All things I later found out hardly had any salt content in them so we had to be very liberal with that. the Dal Makhani was just awesome, with copious amounts of Makkhan, brown in colour and much like the awesome one you get at NH-4! The rotis were hot, little thick, with dollops of ghee but small in size. I had to have 5 1/2 to satiate my hunger. The aamras was okayish as it was more like milk shake with milk added to it and was served chilled. That certainly did not stop me from having two servings. Later, we ordered the Matter Paneer, which had tomato gravy, less spicy again, with average quantity of Paneer. I would rate it as OK. We signed off with a 2 royal servings of Kheer. and what a Kheer it was! More like Phirni, thick, condensed milk, little burnt flavour like basundi, with boiled rice, chilled. It was the best we had till date but couldn't do much justice as out tummies were already full. The bill was a jaw-dropping Rs. 314 with us having ordered 13 butter rotis, 4 aamras, 2 kheers, 1 paneer kurma, dal makhani, mutter paneer and 2 auqafinas!

Prices as on the abovementioned date -
Dal Makhani - Rs. 35
Paneer Kurma - Rs. 40
Mutter Paneer - Rs. 35
Aamras - Rs. 30
Kheer - Rs. 22
Butter Roti (Chapati) - Rs. 4

I seriously recommend it to anyone and everyone - whether a vegetarian or a hardcore non-vegetarian like me. It's the best place for cheap yet superbly delicious food and of course the desserts. DO NOT MISS THE KHEER!!! and the BUTTER ROTIS!!! It's more like a hangout for people working or staying in hostels nearby and as per information there is bound to be a QUEUE. So go early like we did!!!

Disclaimer: The publisher, writer, blogger, or otherwise of this blog accepts no responsibility of whatsoever is written hereinabove. No claims or suits in any court of law will be entertained. Any similarity with living or non-living beings and/or things is purely co-incidental.

Honey Stir Fried Vegetables with Sausages

2010-02-23T22:53:00.003+05:30

It seems i am making too much food nowadays, ever so to satiate my taste buds rather than my stomach! Today I wanted something tasty so I ventured into making Honey stir fried vegetables with Sausages. Trust me I had no idea of what it was. I just casually started listing things I needed to use as ingredients. I had had some idea of how these dishes are made, but then when it comes to actually making it, it's a different ball game!
Firstly I had to study but once a culinary idea enters my mind, I HAVE to make it. I set forth to shop for all the planned ingredients. It did take me some time to get my hands on all.
After coming home I immediately began chopping the red and yellow bell peppers (1 each), 5-6 celery stalks and 5-6 spring onions leaves. I boiled the mushrooms and baby corns ( 1 packet each ) with a little salt. I chopped the sausages into small pieces and fried them in olive oil. I put them aside and put more olive oil on the pan with honey and soya sauce. I added the celery, spring onion, baby corn, cut tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers and onion leaves. I added salt to taste and paprika. even the sausages went in. I allowed all to cook well and let it simmer.

PS - Pic for representational purposes only!!!

Gajar Halwa Microwave Style!!!

2010-02-19T19:07:00.004+05:30

i was eagerly awaiting the yummy gajar halwa my mom was to make today evening and when the time arrived she postponed the plans till tomorrow. i was dejected... and especially my tummy for the yummy!!! so i decided i will make it myself... actually it is my love for food that has made me learn to cook. and today too i was learning. i had made gajar halwa before but never in the microwave. this was going to be an experiment of sorts. i asked mom how much sugar and ghee to add. that is the only thing i asked her apart. and i set forth. i instantly grated 3 long carrots directly in the microwave dish. i added like 2 1/2 tablespoons ghee and sugar, a little less than half the quantity of carrots. having mixed them well, i covered the bowl with a lid and put it inside the microwave for 7 minutes! after the first round of microwaving, the carrots were almost done but not fully and the creamy part was still left. so i added cardomom essence, saffron, cashews, kismis, 1 1/2 - 2 cupfuls of grated mawa, 3-4 teaspoons of condensed milk and a dash of salt and put it right back in the microwave for 4 1/2 minutes.
the moment i opened the lid, my low-leaning face was instantly hit by a warm wave of safron laced steam! wow! it felt hot and nice!
the end result can be seen from the pics!

have a nice day!

tin din ti din!

yummy salad!!!

2010-02-04T21:22:00.002+05:30

see i don't know the name of the salad. i just decided on a list of ingredients and went out shopping...wanted to make salad since ages...
first i picked up some lettuce, mushrooms, and red and yellow bell peppers. then went on to get baby tomatoes, pineapples and celery. i love the smell of celery. its divine. sadly i didn't get any chicken. so again had to venture out in the evening to buy chicken sausages and olive oil.

today i just boiled the mushrooms and chicken sausages. didn't want to fry either. mixed everything well and added a dash of olive oil. i had cheese and spicy mayonnaise at home of which i added dollops.
the end result actually can't be put into words as i am still eating it. better take a look at the photos

Chicken Biryani LIVE flown from Hyderabad

2010-01-27T16:58:00.000+05:30

Piping hot ! picked it up from dhawal at 12.30 am in the morning on his way to his hostel from the airport. it was still hot. it smelled impeccably indian. strong! i slept with hyderabadi dreams! i couldn't wait till i feasted onthe biryani. kuku was to join me for lunch but for unavoidable reasons he couldn't so i invited tanay and bela. bela got veg. biryani for her tummy. the biryani we had was rich in spices, little tangy, with succulent chicken pieces well marinated, and a warm aroma. just irresistible.
i have a few recommendations to make -
1. you must have a very sweet friend like dhawal who although is strictly veg. got 2 large packs of chicken biryani from Hyderabad
2. you must never forget to tell your friend whenever they go to Hyderabad to get chicken biryani
3. and never ever miss a chance to eat biryani from Hyderabad House
4. thank God for 1 to 3 above!!!

Bombay Blue

2010-01-11T19:59:00.004+05:30

Well I have been to Bombay Blue once before with Mrugank and Gayatri, but since I hadn't begun blogging then, I am writing the review this time on my visit with Ankita and Kaustubh. (Notice I'm the Kebab mein haddi in both the places. :P) I prefer writing a combined review of both my visits in order to cover a greater variety. So Lunch it was!!!
I have had Humus with Pita and wasn't too pleased with the thing itself and would not blame Bombay Blues therefor. Its cold, tasteless and slimy!!! Not for those who love spicy food ( I don't but still ) and tasty delicacies. I specifically remember having Corn and Cheese Balls. Very succulent, cheesy and crispy! This time we began with Sev Puri which was nice but unlike the Chaat wale Bhaiyya's tasty, lip-smacking ones. We chose to have sizzlers rather than the regular fare. So One Veg Shashlik with noodles which was little bland, the noodles were not too tasty, and not many fries. Whereas the Non-Veg Sizzler of which I do not remember the name was amazing. It had Lamb, Salami, chicken, Sausage, etc and had an appropriate amount of everything and mustard made it sizzlier. Do try the sizzlers.

Date: January 9, 2009 and a few years ago!!!
Time: 1 PM
Occasion: Helping Puneites hang out in Mumbai
Place: Bombay Blue
Location: Phoenix Mills
Ratings: ***
Courses Tried: Snacks, Chaat, Sizzlers
Moolah: Moderately Expensive
Pricing: Rs. 250 approx
Quantity: 1 dish = 2 persons
Transport - Closest Station - Lower Parel
Buses - 70, 80, 91, 167

Prices as on the abovementioned date -
Humus with Pita - Rs. 145
Corn and Cheese Balls - Rs. 135
Sev Puri - Around Rs. 50
Veg Shashlik with noodles sizzler - Around Rs. 275
Non Veg Sizzler - Around Rs. 350

Bombay Blue certainly rocks. you get a variety of continental stuff alongwith a few Mumbaiyaa dishes. A good place to hang out with family due to the serene ambiance.

Disclaimer: The publisher, writer, blogger, or otherwise of this blog accepts no responsibility of whatever is written hereinabove. No claims or suits in any court of law will be entertained. Any similarity with living or non-living beings and/or things is purely co-incidental.

Costa Coffee?

2010-01-11T18:49:00.008+05:30

There was no real reason to visit this place anyways. I was going to eat here for the very first time and since I had heard a lot thereabout and was very keen on trying it for once. Kaustubh seemed to be a regular pro here and he guided us and Ankita (Pune Return) to the one at Phoenix. The first thing Kuku told us to do is sit on the black couches. We literally swamped in as the seat beneath us caved in. We had loads of time to spend so were in no hurry to order. But then how can I not order??? So I ordered one Tropical Temptation described as 'Thick shake with fruit flavours'. I regretted that decision in the next 15 minutes!! I mean it stunk of milk, had no hint of any tropicality, and was certainly not 'thick'. On the other hand, Ankita had a Green Apple Mojito and it was indeed refreshing. Fizzy, minty fresh, and aptly laced with lime. A bit strong andit was enough to make me regret the Tropical thingie further. Kuku had a Peach Ice Tea which was ok.
Round One - Very bad ratings!!!

Surprisingly I went to another outlet of Costa Coffee in the same very premises. This time it was for desserts. I again made a not-so-good choice, weird by my standards - Marble Chocolate Cake or something. It was like the quintessentially homely cake, a bit on the dry side but nice. Sadly, in front of what the other two were having, it was a paltry second. They were gulping down Chocolate Truffle Cake with Vanilla Ice-cream and hot chocolate sauce. yummy! If I give this place good ratings, it is only for this dish.
Round two - Ratings Saved!

Date: January 9, 2009
Time: 11 AM
Occasion: Helping Puneites hang out in Mumbai
Place: Costa Coffee
Location: Phoenix Mills
Ratings: **
Courses Tried: Beverages, Cakes
Moolah: Moderately Expensive
Pricing: Rs. 250 approx
Quantity: 1 dish = 1 person
Transport - Closest Station - Lower Parel
Buses - 70, 80, 91, 167

Prices as on the abovementioned date -
Tropical Temptation - Rs. 80
Green Apple Mojito - Rs. 80
Peach Ice Tea - Around Rs. 80
Marble Chocolate Cake - Around Rs. 70
Chocolate Truffle Cake with Vanilla Ice-cream and hot chocolate sauce - Around Rs. 125

It's a welcome relief from the every evening Cafe Coffee Day though one is advised to not chose one's course based on the supercilious descriptions in the menu. Go for the tried and tested!!! And listen to Kuku!!!

Disclaimer: The publisher, writer, blogger, or otherwise of this blog accepts no responsibility of whatever is written hereinabove. No claims or suits in any court of law will be entertained. Any similarity with living or non-living beings and/or things is purely co-incidental.

CAD B

2010-01-06T18:38:00.010+05:30

Whoa!!! Firstly it is January and its the middle of the mid-night!!! What am I doing at this place then? It's already so cold outside and it has also begun to drizzle. Am I still having that CAD B? Well I guess so! Anyways, Gaurav and Kaustubh have already placed the order, all I am doing is modify it from half to full!!! I have been earnestly waiting to lick my lips on this supposedly chocolaty drink, of which I had heard from loads!
I still am not sure how it will be. There is a swarm of collegians thronging the surroundings. We have been given tokens and there is an electronic board with constantly depleting numbers. And finally it comes... Not literally though, Gaurav brings it...
I am holding it in my hands, finally! Its chilled, dark, quite huge, and most importantly in my hands!
I am bringing it closer to my lips. I take a swing. Cold engulfs my throat. Its not too sweet, not too bitter, simply chocolaty.
But it is really hard finishing it. Its too cold and too much, especially on a full stomach. But I don't see anything great in it. Its chocolate with excessive crushed ice and milk, with a hint of sugar. But the best part about CAD B are the chocolate shavings on top. You begin by eating them and they taste chocoliscious!

Date: January 2, 2009
Time: 11.45 PM
Occasion: An extended New Year Celebrations
Place: CAD B
Location: Kothrud, Pune
Ratings: ***
Courses Tried: Beverages
Moolah: Cheap
Pricing: 33 for half amd 43 for full
Quantity: 1 glass - 1 to 2 persons
Transport - Find Awesome Friends in Pune!!!

Go ahead and 'chill' yourself to some cold chocolatey experience. It's quite cheap so it won't even burn a hole in your pockets. Better go on an empty stomach as this is sure to fill it up for you.

Disclaimer: The publisher, writer, blogger, or otherwise of this blog accepts no responsibility of whatever is written hereinabove. No claims or suits in any court of law will be entertained. Any similarity with living or non-living beings and/or things is purely co-incidental.

ChandraGupta!!!

2009-12-27T19:30:00.007+05:30

I know this is my first post and as I had mentioned to a few people I wanted to first write about my Mom's Cooking, which I can only make a feeble attempt to review though. But all said, I need to post something right? So here goes...

Date: December 27, 2009
Time: 1.30 PM to 4.00 PM
Occasion: My Cousin Brother's Party
Place: Chandragupta
Location: Dadar, Shivaji Park, Opp. Sena Bhavan
Ratings: ***1/2
Courses Tried: Indian
Moolah: Moderately Expensive
Pricing: Around 200-300 per dish
Quantity: 1 dish = 3-4 people
Address: Vidya Bhavan Co-op Society, Opposite Sena Bhavan, Dadar (W), Mumbai
Telly: 022-24446405, 022-24440606
Closest Station: Dadar
Buses: 1, 2, 4, 28, 37, 39, 40, 61, 62, 85, 324, 200, 201, 241, 440, 79, 520, 93, 463, 46, 35, etc

The restaurant was pathetic with lousy service as I know it some years back. They tried changing the name and menu by opening a Chinese place there.But that failed too, miserably! Thus, I expected hardly anything good. I was pleasantly surprised by seeing the huge crowd with people actually waiting their turn? That's the first thing to look for in a restaurant - whether it is full or empty. It helps if you go there during Food time to get a better idea. so back to Chandragupta. Till I reached all had already finished their soups. I shared a Crab Meat soup with my cousin Sister. It was mildly spicy, full of meat but not all of it tasted like crabmeat, seasoned with hints of celery. I couldn't but notice and obviously crush few crab shells in my mouth which were still there in the soup. The starters were amazing to say the least. The seekh kebab was not bad but the Chicken Pahadi Kebab was luscious, tender, generously marinated with Mint and Corainder, not too spicy and roasted to perfection.
The main course was all chicken too. Chicken Kothimir, Chicken Vindaloo and Chicken Peshawari. I would vouch for Peshawari and Vindaloo. Soft and tender, boneless, and deliciously spiced. The Butter Garlic naan is worth a mention here whereas the Missi Roti was okayish. to top it off, the desserts!!! I had Honey Flakes with Ice Cream which was yummy. The flakes were crisp and honeyish, adequately sprinkled with sesame seeds. The Kulfi though was not upto the mark.

Prices as on the abovementioned date -
CrabMeat Soup - 145
Rotis - 45
Starters - 250 ish
Main Course - 290 ish per dish
Honey Flakes with Ice Cream - 165
Kulfi - 145

I feel it is worth a try. One is advised to go with parents as it can wipe out your entire month's pocket money. The quantity is nice so one should take more people so many varieties can be tried.

Disclaimer: The publisher, writer, blogger, or otherwise of this blog accepts no responsibility of whatever is written hereinabove. No claims or suits in any court of law will be entertained. Any similarity with living or non-living beings and/or things is purely co-incidental.