The Shirazine

Return of the Dhaba

2013-04-26T23:22:00.002-07:00

We had a Baisakhi lunch at the Dhaba in Claridges, Surajkund last week, it had been a while since we had Indian food so this was one afternoon I was really looking forward to. The Dhaba turned out to be this adorable concept destination, dressed like a Dhaba yet ambient like a 5 star Hotel. Complete with a truck face sticking out of the wall, a 'doodh wala' cycle, retro movie posters and a very freaky looking weighing machine, I loved the interiors of the newly revamped restaurant. The Dhaba also has a spectacular view of the Aravali rock face, it is bright with a sparse layout, so there is plenty of room to move around and enjoy a certain level of privacy between tables.

Our menu for the day read like this:

Appetizer:

Aloo methi corn tikki: this was nice and very home-y

Tawe di chappe: I liked them for what they were but felt the 'tawa' stamp was missing, no charring on the meat, it felt like the masala was applied on a broiled 'chaamp'. Chef explained that people preferred this variant and that charring was perceived as 'burnt food' ...sad!

Main course:

Paneer Cholia: this is one dish that took me back to my mother's kitchen. I love chholia and this was a nice heartwarming dish to enjoy in a Hotel. I sometimes wish Hotels would go back into what we ate 25 years ago and avoid new age ingredients for the time being.

Chicken hara masala: though this dish was a quintessential 'saag chicken' I was expecting something else. I envisioned a 'hari chutney' chicken considering this was a summer menu. I enjoyed the dish but still hoped it was a tart, 'tez' chutney masala version!

Dal lashkar: the 'dal' was outstanding! I could taste the ghee, a few drops of lemon and this was 'dal' heaven! I had one whole extra roti just to have more dal!

Amritsari kulcha: these are never really bad, not even on the streets and yes they were good here too!

Dessert:

Atta pinni: I missed the 'atta' crunch in this, could have been roasted longer, but then again every kitchen does their own version, considering I am not much of a 'mithai' person, I ought to not comment this much!

Gur ki Kulfi: I was really looking forward to this, it tasted a bit 'Bong' and was a tad too pasty for me.

All in all I am glad the Dhaba is back, a la carte has plenty of promise so that's what I will be going back for. I loved the lounge feel and the service was excellent, which ultimately gives guests a superior meal experience, for which I thank The Claridges and the team at the Dhaba kitchen. A special mention for the welcome drink, it was exquisite, stuff I could drink all summer and spike every evening!

Love Italy, Love Italians!

2013-04-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

I got Chef David Rocco's cookbook, 'Made In Italy' as a gift from a dear friend about a month ago, it made my day. I ran home and stewed a batch of mutton with tomatoes and red wine, it was exquisite, not because I made the dish, because David developed the recipe! That's how much faith I have in chef's I love (Jaime, you know you're on my mind right now, wink wink!). Here's the sad part, I took the book with me to the hospital for a bunch of tests I needed, stayed overnight and subsequently left it there. Not because I am a bubble head (which I am!) but because someone else packed for me when I was about to leave. A couple of days later, I looked for the book to see what I can do with 2 gorgeous avocado's I had and that's when it hit me, it hit me like a steam roller! I called the hospital, I even went there, but there was no sign of it. I was convinced that a Malayalee nurse was busy making rustic Italian food somewhere! A week later I got a call from ITC Maurya asking me whether I was available to meet David, that was my manna from heaven, redemption for taking the sacred to godawful places like a hospital and reprieve for that mistake. Of course I was available!!

We met at West View at ITC Maurya on a gorgeous summer afternoon, at a table filled with my lovely blogger friends and at the head of the table sat none other than David Rocco himself. He was lovelier in person. That afternoon I saw a man who is passionate about all the important things in life, his family, his progeny, his craft and subtler things like cooking fresh, cooking frugal and cooking with love. These are hugely meaningful words for me because not only do I believe in them, I practice them too. There was nothing starry about him (except for the fact that he looks like one), he discussed his process with us, he shared his principles, he told stories we could all relate to. How his mother could feed a brood in a couple of dollars, how simple foods need love more than expensive ingredients. He talked about how a hearty tomato sauce can feed so many and I knew he was speaking my language. I make a basic tomato sauce and use it for pastas, pizzas and even as a sandwich spread for a hot pepperoni sandwich, much like a quick bread-y calzone! David came across as one of those honest, whole hearted 'cooks' who cook because they 'feel' like it. His family is truly lucky to have him for a papa, I can compare that 'feeling' to the papa in our home, Andre is the kind of man who can whip up a mean batch of curried crabs and then eat 8 of them over an hour. I think that's what really hit home for me, how 'real' David was with us that day.

His 'Menu del Giorno', read like a dream, despite having chicken featured on it.

Primo
Rigatoni con Pomodori e Melanzane: Neapolitan style pasta with eggplant and mozzarella sauce
Paired with Fratelli Sauvignon Blanc

"Anything with aubergine is cool with me. David even mentioned an aubergine and chocolate dessert, but then again anything with chocolate is cool with me! I love Pomodori pasta, rich, robust and full of tomato-y goodness, goes with any pasta and preferably with fresh cheese. I make one with baby bocconcini torn up on the top, now its going to have aubergine in it as well. This dish was served with a Fratelli Sauvignon Blanc, though my all time 'white' favourite from Fratelli was the Chardonnay, then it was the Chenin Blanc, then this and then... then I realized, they make great white wine!"

Secondi
Saltimbocca di Pollo: Chicken with prosciutto & sage cooked in marsala wine

"I have had Saltimbocca before but with a layer of spinach and bacon, I guess that was a short cut because this one with proscuitto was just perfect, despite being nestled in chicken. David talked about 'real' saltimbocca made with veal and in my heart I so wished we were having this meal in a country where it would have been veal!"

Contorni
Beet Risotto
Olive Oil doused broccoli in onion & red chilli flakes
Baby carrots with Cilantro
Paired with Fratelli Sangiovese

"Contorni or Side dishes in Italian can be very interesting. From broiled to braised to grilled, Italians seem to pay as much attention to the side dishes as they do to the main dish of a meal, how satisfying! I couldn't get enough of the Beet Risotto, the only dish I like that has a bite to it (I'm not much for al dente pasta, due apologies!). David spoke of the real beet risotto, made entirely of beet juice, how potent, how deep, how I wished it were on my plate! A special mention for the Fratelli Sangiovese, it was glorious. I am a lover of red wines and this one was so special, so good and it makes me proud that it is a wine made in India, try it because you won't believe it. I have subsequently bought two more bottles, one for David's lamb and red wine recipe and the other to drink with it. Kudos Fratelli, keep bringing us bottles of the good life while David's recipes keep us so happily full."

Dolce

Torta Caprese: Flourless Chocolate Cake
Zabaglione con Frutti di Bosco: Mixed fruits with espresso sabayon (zabaglione)

"I had another glass of the Fratelli Sangiovese with the espresso sabayon, good coffee flavours are very complimentary to red wine and if you add fruit to it, it could well be a meal. Coming back to the dessert, the cake we had was by far one of the best flourless Chocolate Cake's I have had in a long time, the combination of hazelnuts and walnuts made me feel all warm and loved, the way good desserts should make one feel... a fuzzy kind of good!"

Thank you Chef David Rocco, Chef Manisha Bhasin (a mentor who has no idea how much she means to me!) and my Alma Mater ITC for always inspiring, for raising the bar and keeping so many people, so very happy. You guys are doing a splendid job, keep doing it!

*Guys go pick up a copy of David Rocco's 'Made in Italy' right here. I need a copy too, since it's my b'day next week, I will just hope my friends read this post (hint hint!!), check out West View at ITC Maurya for a spectacular view and a hearty meal and add Fratelli wines to your grocery list for next month, as Alessio Secci of Fratelli rightly says, "how can you cook good meats in bad wine?"

This wonderful afternoon was spent with:

The superbly spirited Charis

The deeply knowledgeable Sangeeta

The wonderfully talented Deeba

The greatly gregarious Ruchira

*Click on their names to see how well they do what they do!

Fantastic Fro-Yo

2013-03-30T00:09:00.001-07:00

I'd like to believe fro-yo (frozen yoghurt) has fewer calories than ice cream, so let's keep it that way because I have fro-yo at least 5 times a week. Always strawberry and always the same toppings - butterscotch, granola and walnuts. If I am feeling naughty, then I'll switch the granola for snickers, yum!! And among preferred brands (till PinkBerry lands up here!) it has to be Cocoberry hands down. Even though they peeve me with issues like limited flavours, out of stock flavours, out of stock granola, I find comfort in the fact that it's an Indian product. the yoghurt is freshly made and not a pre-mix from the brand's native country.

Chef at Large did a consumer survey between the three prominent fro-yo brands in India - Cocoberry, Red Mango and Yogurberry and the findings were pretty interesting!

Cocoberry voted the most preferred frozen yogurt brand: 2013 Indian Frozen Yogurt Market survey (India, New Delhi, March 26th 2013)

Chef at Large, one of the most popular online food networks, today announced the results of the 2013 Indian Frozen Yogurt Market survey, conducted by them to reveal interesting results such as taste wins over health and Cocoberry tops all other brands, as the most preferred frozen yogurt brand in India.

The 2013 Indian Frozen Yogurt Market survey was conducted with the objective of understanding the consumers’ mindset to this product category. The category has been present in India for over 3years now, with presence from both domestic and international companies, trying to win the customer’s loyalty.

Sid Khullar, Editor at Chef at Large, commented saying, “The 2013 Indian Frozen Yogurt Market survey was an initiative from us to showcase, at the onset of summers, what consumer’s think about this product category and how brands can better engage with them.”

Mentioned below are some key results from the survey:

- Cocoberry is the most favored frozen yogurt brand, followed by Red Mango and then Yogurberry
- Taste, followed by variety of toppings offered and then location, are the top factors
people consider while eating frozen yogurt
- While majority of people like to have toppings over their cup of frozen yogurt, they’re
currently only experimenting with toppings

For more details on the 2013 Indian Frozen Yogurt Market survey, please visit: http://chefatlarge.in/surveys/yogurt

About Chef At Large
Chef At Large is one of India’s largest online food networks. The network provides industry
commentary on the Indian F&B industry. It manages separate communities dedicated towards
food loving consumers and some of India’s top food bloggers. It also has an extremely popular
blog and does the following: Restaurant, alcohol, book, wine, book and appliance reviews |
recipes | columns and opinions | event listings. Apart from this, the network has experts on
food photography, food styling and menu development that assist individuals and brands with
such services.

Media contacts:
Parul Shirazi, parul.shirazi@chefatlarge.in, +919811408127

Three Cheers for Chipotle!

2013-03-24T05:13:00.000-07:00

I forget what I read the other day, is chipotle the new harissa or is it the other way around? Who cares, both rock! I for one am super excited to have access to chilli pastes like these because quite honestly I have never been much for red chillies, except maybe the Goan rechad masala. Chipotle is essentially smoke dried jalapeno's blended into a cooking paste and has a very Mexican flavour while Harissa is actually North African, it is big in Moroccan, Tunisian and Algerian cuisine and has come into mainstream markets thanks to chefs who have taken their local foods to other countries. In fact Jamie Oliver owns a restaurant called Chipotle and the best Harissa I ever had has been at a Moroccan restaurant. Harissa is made with serrano and piri piri chillies and isn't all that pungent, its just hugely flavoursome. These chilli pastes are very versatile, they can be used as dipping sauces, in curries, in casseroles that need a perk up and even in marinades for sturdy meats like beef, lamb and pork too.

I keep a couple of jars of chipotle at all times. I love making a typical Indian 'chaamp' (lamb chops) curry with it, its on my menu too. I prefer harissa raw but chipotle is definitely better once cooked. We love lamb in our kitchen and since I make my own mince at home, we love anything we can make out of it, curries, cutlets, chops, scotch eggs, moussaka, shepherd's pie, you name it! And over the last year chipotle goes into all of those. The simplest way to weave a new ingredient into your every day food is by way of incorporating it into a regular, every day dish. So I started making Chipotle Keema Matar (lamb mince and peas). It's a heart curry you can have with rice, naan, roti, pao bread or dinner rolls too. Chipotle lends a nice smoky, spicy flavour to meat and this may be a personal feeling, it goes best with red meats!

Ingredients:

1/2 Kg Mince lamb or mutton
2 large red onions, finely chopped
4-6 cloves of garlic, smashed
100 gms shelled peas, use fresh, they're sweeter
3-4 cloves
3-4 green cardamom
1 bayleaf
2" piece of cinnamon
1 black cardamom
1 tsp zeera (cumin)
2 tbsp Chipotle paste, pile it on if you like your curry spicy.
2 tbsp tomato paste or puree, I just chop 1 large tomato into four pieces and throw it in
4 tbsp cooking oil, I used olive oil
1/2 cup warm water
1 large potato cut into four parts
Salt

Dry roast the whole spices - cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon, zeera and bayleaf for a few seconds, do this in the same wok or pan you plan to cook the mince curry in. Pour the cooking oil over it and add the onions and garlic, I feel this traps in all the oils from the whole spices and the roasting process takes the oils out of them. Fry till the onions are about to start browning, add the mince, break it all up nicely with the ladle you are using, if you are not cooking this in a pressure cooker, then add the potato pieces and green peas now, fry it up on high for 4-5 mins, so the mince changes colour uniformly. Add the chipotle paste and cook covered for about 10 minutes, add the tomato paste or puree, the salt and the potatoes and peas (for pressure cooker), mix it up and cook for another 2-3 minutes, add the water depending on the consistency/curry you want, season with salt and cook for another 5 minutes to finish. I usually finish it in the pressure cooker, which cooks the potato and peas through. Just one whistle is sufficient, that also makes the oil separate and add depth to the curry.

Serve with breads, rice, couscous or roti's ...Enjoy!

I am a Tourist

2013-03-09T06:14:00.000-08:00

And if you feel just like a tourist in the city you were born
Then it's time to go
And define your destination
There's so many different places to call home
- You are a Tourist, Death Cab for Cutie

I am in that strange frame of mind. Where I want to bottle all the familiar aromas of my world, from Ally's grubby hands after school to jalebi's frying outside Bikanervala. I am getting vague and nostalgic towards things I used to love, a few books, a couple of collectibles from our 15 year journey in this 'gaon' and the last time I broke a Borosil mixing bowl I didn't even flinch! These are signs, signs of things to come and I feel ready, for once I feel ready.

Despite the sombre introduction to this post, we are going to end up talking about food, as we always do. My emphasis on good food comes from a deeper place, food stays with you, it builds you, it repairs you, body, mind and soul. So though books satisfy and collectibles complete the 'want' in life, it is only the food you eat that actually becomes you. So my food journey continues. Even though I cook everyday, I don't always eat what I cook. I have always preferred food that is cooked for me, even when there is lasagne for the family or for an order, I'll eat the 'sambhar-rice' made by our cook.

This is has been compounded by the fact that I have been going to the nooks and crannies of Delhi for paperwork and stuff and bumping into foods of the past (Karim's Jama Masjid) and culinary urban legends (sweets from Chaina Ram, Chandni Chowk!). Karim's is iconic I know but there are certain nuances you will only find there, the seekh kebabs are stupendous, they taste of real meat and flavours of real spices, amazing balance. The Gosht (Mutton) Biryani is so perfect that you dare not ask for 'raita', just sliced onions and mint/green chilli chutney. The 'naan' has a signature hint of sweetness that comes from the lightly fermented dough, there is probably yogurt there somewhere, they are airy and fabulous. Pick up round, sesame 'rusk' from the guy outside and if you want to walk off the food, hop over to the brass market next door. We had started the day with breakfast at Saravana's, amazing Thali at noon, hits the spot! Followed by 'karha' prasad at Bangla Sahib which was blessed dessert in its truest sense, lovely! And the 'peda's' at Hanuman Mandir led us to all our Gods in a day.

But there are few places that I have never been to even though I was born and brought up here (albeit with a 4 year break, but still!). Majnu Ka Tila in the DU North Campus was one such place. My blogger friends who are MKT veterans were kind enough to take me there, these guys are totally the best, believe me, if you love food, you know and understand 'love' and these guys are brimming with it. Shoutout to Charis, Sid, Sangeeta and Avanti (click on their names to see what makes them famous!). Majnu ka Tila was kickass, even though most of the market was closed for 'prayers', we were there to eat and eat we did! Our journey started at the mouth of an alley, where a lady sat with a little soup vend, it looked like soup but then everything in MKT is in bowls, so?! She was a 'laphing' vendor, arrowroot pancakes (steamed), rolled and sliced, much like fettuccine, topped with faux meat made with flour (you will not believe its not chicken), and then flooded with soy, warm water, chilli oil and vinegar. It is so good, so good! *No words!

Further up, I found the cutest ever single serve cups with lids, at 400 bucks a pop I was going to get just one (am not allowed to collect, for the lack of space or whatever, sore topic!!), while we checked that out, Sid was kind enough to pop into a quaint little Tibetan 'canteen' (for the lack of a better word) and grab us a table. We had chilli pork, pork salad (perfect, thin slices of pork tossed in an Asian dressing with greens), beef with mushrooms, pork with thin noodles, thyngmo's and apple beer. The food was hearty, distinctive and very potent, the meal seemed heavy while eating but once we were done, we were out looking for pancakes.

My discovery and rediscovery of this city is making me feel all sort of things, I am elated to be able to absorb all this, I am stumped by the possibility of missing it all so terribly, I am a tourist, in the city I was born and I think it's time to go!

The Silver Spoon

2013-02-27T21:07:00.001-08:00

I have written about Kingdom of Dreams and 'Culture Gully' at other places before but never here, I had felt the need to chronicle it here as well, for posterity and for all those amazing memories and that's when we were invited for dinner at the Rajasthan Pavilion and a viewing of 'Zangoora' the Bollywood musical. The Rajasthan pavilion is especially close to my heart, their chef, Maharaj is a man with all the charm of a celebrity chef and none of the 'attitude', he is steeped in culture and carries with him a trove of erstwhile and often royal recipes and he keeps his pavilion like the warm (and rather opulent) living room of a gilded 'khandaan'!

Kingdom of Dreams is majestic. It is a startling artifact in the heart of an urban jungle and no matter who I take there, they always come out feeling 'awed' and some of these people are seasoned travelers. I remember my father telling me about the artificial sky in a casino in Vegas about a decade ago, that's what he was reminded of when he visited, my 7 year old feels like it's a fairytale and me, well I have been there about 20 times and am yet to eat everything on my list from their14 pavilions and kitchens. With an awesome team of 100 chefs, Culture Gully is where you will find the best Haleem (Lucknow), Rava Fish Fry (Kerala), Vindaloo (Goa), Hyderabadi Biryani, Raj Kachori (Rajasthan), Chingri Malai Curry (West Bengal) and everything, absolutely everything at the Lucknow pavilion.

Since we were guests of Maharaj, we spent a very vibrant hour with a man who told tales from history like he had been there. He spoke of food like it was a 'healing force and he was a medicine man, it was beatific. He spoke of the troubles and travails of a space age generation with the comic relief of his anecdotes about solemnizing Marwari and Baniya weddings right here in this pavilion, he is not just Maharaj to many, he is 'Panditji' too. Maharaj's kitchen serves pure vegetarian food, sans onions and garlic too. This is the food I grew up with in my father's side of the family. Though most of his generation and the ones after did not abstain per se, my grandparents did. They were lovely people, they never questioned our culinary leanings and never imposed theirs, which is why I remember actually loving 'Jain' food because it was left entirely to us as to how we want to perceive it. Most people discuss Jain food with disdain, like it were a punishment, if only they gave it the time of day, they would realize, how much fresher and more transparent the tastes of food are when potent flavours like onions, garlic and even ginger are kept at bay.

We started with the best Raj Kachori I have ever had and I have had many thanks to my brother who has one at least twice a week albeit at commercial chaat places (sadly!). It's the filling which was perfect, much like Gujarat, Rajasthani's love chiwda's or dry snacks (Farsaan in Gujarat). This is a desert state where produce is hard to come by and so many dishes are made with mock veggies formed out of 'chickpea flour' or 'Besan' like the 'Gatte ki Sabzi'. The Kachori was crisp and fresh and enormous and 'not' filled with annoying bean sprouts but with 'namkeen'! Loved it!

Then came the enormous silver thali, laden with goodies, some of which I hadn't had in years and some I hadn't had at all!It had their signature 'Ker Sangri' which I was secretly very thankful for and the best ever 'matar ki poori' or green peas stuffed poori (sorry Biji!). The menu will stump you mainly because it is very tough to eat all that but some of us actually managed to gormandize the entire platter. The 'Bajre ki Khichdi' was a revelation, I loved the texture and the fact that it was sweet was so soothing for the palate. The Badam ka Sheera reminded me of the 'Panjiri' we grew up on, the kind I made for myself when my daughter was born as my mother looked down upon us...this one took me back to my childhood so much so that I had to hold back the tears. We make the Dal Panchmeli very often, my mother learned it from people my father knew in Jodhpur, we have it with a 'meetha' Parantha, decadent and deadly!

Rajasthani Thali:
Matha (yogurt based beverage)
Dahi Ka Singhara

Jodhpuri Gatta Curry

Sangri Ka Kofta

Aloo Methi Lipatma

Matar Mangori Ki Subzi

Bhindi Jaipuri

Dal Panchmeli, Bati, Churma

Ghee Bhaat

Bajre Ki Khichdi with Rawri

Bedmi

Bikaneri Paratha

Missi Roti

Ker Sangri

Badam Ka Sheera

After a meal like that, what do you think one needs? A La-Z-boy easy chair, a Bollywood musical with a fair share of dance, drama, climax and six packs and bhelpuri! It's the perfect life, it truly is. Zangoora was yet another revelation, mainly because I am not a Bollywood person but I am all for theatrical performances, my family says that's because my whole life is one (hahahaha!!). The whole performance is spectacular mainly because India has never really seen anything like it. Trapeze artists fly overhead, hyper-energized dancers mingle with the audience and Hussain and Gauhar are quite a treat. This is an elaborate production and one everyone should see at least once for the simple fact that no celluloid movie can ever mimic the heart thumping involvement that theatre induces. I am going back for Zangoora next week, this time with the kid in tow, I would rather she appreciates Film/Arts this way than have a not-so-secret crush on Sallu Bhai! Keep Kingdom of Dreams on your to do list when you hit Gurgaon, its probably one of the best things about this town!

I spent this wonderful evening with my fellow blogger buddies, read more of their perspective right here -

Sangeeta Khanna: Banaras Ka Khana
Charis Bhagianathan: Culinary Storm
Sushmita Sarkar: My Unfinished Life
Himanshu Taneja: The White Ramekins

The SoulFoood Shirazine project!

2013-02-27T11:06:00.001-08:00

I had lost that deep love I had for green chillies, well not entirely, they still make for my favourite pickle but I rarely used them like a few years ago. I fell for the chipotle and the harissa's of the world. I still love green chillies in masala omelets, Arab 'turshi' and salan too, but I like the flavour, not so much the 'bite'. It was only last week that I rediscovered this love and that too while reviewing products from Soul Foood. I came across their Green Chilli Vinaigrette, it smelled divine, the kind of green chilli fumes that make you look around for any bread-y, cracker like thing to dunk in it and eat! I tasted it with the tip of my finger and was happy to find a jalapeno 'tang', and that's when I knew this dressing was going to make for a fantastic marinade.

I loved the chunkiness, it glued onto the chicken and I'm sure it helped in tenderizing the chicken breasts as well. That's the thing about chicken breasts, very few places get them right. TGIF never does...ever! That's my most vivid memory of an unnecessarily expensive chicken dish that tasted like cotton/cloth, cotton and cheese! So when I make chicken, it has got be at least juicy, then done perfectly ...then flavoured right and so on. We eat a lot more of fish and chicken now that A is away, he was the red meat guy, now we have dad who's age inhibits him from diving into a sea of steaks, we have V who is having the most epic battle of the bulge over the years and it breaks my heart because he is a sincere lover of food and devout follower of my kitchen, he avoids red meats as far as possible and we have Ally who prefers fish and seafood over even chocolate sometimes! So you will be seeing quite a few fish and chicken recipes while I am here, once we move to A-land ...I plan to go crazy with lamb, beef and seafood only!!

Green Chili Chicken in a mushroom sauce

Ingredients:
½ kg boneless chicken, with grill cuts
2 tbsp Chilli Vinaigrette
Coat and set aside.
For the Pan:
8-10 button mushrooms sliced
2-3 spring onions sliced
2 tbsp flour
1-2 glasses warm milk
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp Leonardo olive oil
Oregano, salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan to garnish

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a grill pan that fits all the chicken breasts, melt the butter in the warm oil. Sear the chicken with the marinade on, scrape and apply if you need to, don't waste even a smidgen. Cook on high flame, 3-4 minutes on each side, once you get the grill lines, lower the heat and add the spring onions and mushrooms, cover and pan fry for 3-4 minutes or till the pinkness inside the chicken is gone, you can pry open a piece and see. By now the mushrooms and onions would have released moisture and softened. Remove the cooked chicken breasts into a serving dish, cover to keep them moist. Add the flour to the spring onion and mushroom mix in the pan, sauté for few minutes to cook the flour through. Take off the heat and slowly add the milk, use a wooden spoon to break down any lumps, this is much like the process of white sauce except with veggies. Once you get a custard thick consistency, cook on a low flame for few minutes. Season with oregano, salt and pepper, pour over the chicken, garnish with parmesan and serve hot. I served it with an iceberg and olive salad and a side of home made wholewheat pita crisps.

This dish has a lovely Indian green chilli ‘twang’ but is so rich and French! Enjoy!

Shirazine Chicken Peperonata

2013-02-27T10:37:00.001-08:00

I love Italian food, the home stuff, the breads, the wines and the seafood, absolutely in that order. I am not a big fans of pastas except a well done Carbonara, which according to me is a very delicate dish, much like a Zabaglione, it needs a gentle touch and loads of love. Peperonata is nothing but the Italian version of how we Indians eat dry veggies on the side, it's their 'sookhi sabzi' except its not all that dry and its meant for much bigger things than gobhi-alu has ever been, which ends up in a buttery/oily 'toaster' or parantha, while a peperonata is best when it sits atop a juicy chicken cutlet or crumb fried fillet of fish! Its supposed to be a Sicilian dish and I can just imagine a mafiosi family passing a bowl of pasta with peperonata around a table of gorgeous Italian criminals... ok, I have to spring out of this conjecture, don't get me started on the mafiosi ... I love 'em as much as peperonata!

I make a rustic version with stewed red and yellow bell peppers, the tartness of ripe tomatoes and the deeply fragrant flavour of basil not tarragon, but you can use either, depending on which meat you prefer or the meat you choose to serve the peperonata with. I served it with a chicken cutlet, so I used basil, tarragon is great with red meats though, so try it if you do a crumb fried pork steak or a lamb chop.

Peperonata

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 small tomatoes, thinly sliced
4-6 garlic cloves, smashed
4 tbsp Leonardo olive oil
4 tbsp White wine vinegar
2 tbsp Soul Foood Portuguese Peri Peri Sauce
1/2 sugar
Salt and pepper
Few fresh basil leaves to garnish
Few capers (optional)

Lightly heat the olive oil and throw in the garlic, add the peppers and tomatoes before it browns. Saute till soft-ish, add the Soul Food Portuguese Peri Peri sauce, pour in the wine vinegar and season with salt, pepper and the sugar. Cook till the peppers are soft , the wine vinegar has cooked off and the tomatoes have become all mushy and chunky. Check for spiciness and seasoning and adjust with salt and the peri peri sauce.

Chicken Cutlet

2 chicken fillet, flattened with a mallet
1 tsp mixed Italian herbs
1 egg, beaten
Salt and pepper
Breadcrumbs, buy light coloured ones, they aren't made with toasted bread but with air dried bread.

Marinate the fillets in the above ingredients. Coat with seasoned breadcrumbs and shallow fry for 3-4 minutes on each side on a low flame, till light brown and crispy.

Top the cutlets with the Peperonata and serve with a nice pesto crostini and olives. I love this dish mainly because it takes under 40 minutes to do, is super fresh and very very flavoursome for the Indian palate. Great way to eat chicken... if you must ;) ... Enjoy!

Decadent ...not Dirty!!

2013-02-20T03:09:00.001-08:00

That's how the Bloggers night at The Dirty Martini was! Seriously wonderful, crazy, decadent of course and belly happy great, all in one night. I love everything Olive (as a kitchen) does. There are certain things they have 'pat' down and mastered, whether it's Pork Belly or Southside Martini's, they will wow you every time.
I try not to miss a single event of theirs and they raise the bar with each one. We covered the opening of Dirty Martini a couple of months back and apart from rubbing shoulders with the who's who of 'Dilli' we had a splendid time! I love the burlesque-ness of Dirty Martini, it seems so wrong and yet so right, believe me, if you have the right company, an evening here can be hugely inspiring. At least for us creative types, for us, amazing kitchens, dramatic nuances and warm service can mean sitting and drinking for hours, planning businesses we may never have, vacations we may never take but here it kinda all seems possible!

The night was wet and balmy, so typical of a night you would want to do something 'bad'! Walking through the kitchen into the opulent bar is always a high no matter how often I go back and there it all is - beer in brown paper bags, martini's and Victorian teacups, smoked gins and vodka fruit shots, the beautiful singer, her piano and a bar that can be hidden if required ...crazy cool! The menu read like a dream as Olive Bar menu's always do -

Starters:
Big Boss Toast (goat cheese, chilli jam, berries) - everything you ever wanted on toast!!
Dive Bar Crostini (Ratatouille, gruyere) - probably one of the few vegetarian starters I could have a platter of!
Rum Runner (Mushroom Manchego burger)- Manchego makes my heart smile, why don't more people serve it?
Sheeben Sandwich (Harissa artichoke, feta pate, apricot chutney) - Feta and pate and apricots...yes please! I tried these flavours at home and they marry so well!
TDM Chicken (batter fried chicken with chipotle mayo) - say chipotle and I'm eating it even if it's chicken!
Shrimp Jammer (golden fried shrimp with spicy mayo) - God bless shrimp and God bless mayo, I loved these so much!
Blind Pig Belly (with a maple chilli glaze) - You have not lived if you haven't tried this, I swear to you, life will change ever so slightly once you taste the pork belly here!
Gangster Slider (tenderloin patty with grilled onions) - Say speakeasy and can gangsters be far behind? Beautifully done, two bites worth of heaven!

Mains:

Casablanca "The White House" (seven vegetable stew with country style bread) - Served in teacups, I couldn't stop at one, didn't need the bread ...mmmm!
Starving Mafia (slow cooked lamb ghoulash) - Perfectly cooked, beautiful balance of tomatoes, I hate the ones that taste of canned tomatoes, this was just lovely!
The Blind Tiger (Chipotle rubbed tiger prawns) - Bring it on, say chipotle once more buddy and you will have eating some more!
Squeaky Squid (in a dirty pepper sauce) - Nice new flavours for me, minimal and the squid was soooo fresh!
Fishy Flapper (cajun spiked basa) - Always skip the basa, it's a thing with me plus I can always have more pork belly!!

We ended the evening with this teams signature Churros and a 'drug' shake of molten dark chocolate and Bailey's Irish Cream, now this is what makes life worth living. The other awesome dessert was the 'Nutty Aunty', it has a history dating back to the 50's and is made my most favourite nut ever, walnuts!

Slog the whole week and you feel you deserve nights like these, easy, charming, so full of energy and then of course there are the martini's to fill void whatsoever. Loved it guys, thanks AD, Chef Saby, Astha and team, you guys always pull of a fabulous show!

Calzone Shirazine

2013-02-17T03:55:00.000-08:00

We love calzones, they are so comforting and so versatile, all you need is ready dough and you can fill pretty much anything in it and make a meal out of this treat. We make ham 'n' cheese, beans and chorizo, garlic sauteed spinach, olives and feta, capers and ricotta, plain mozzarella and out all time favourite, mince chilli and cheddar.Calzones are specially awesome in winters because you don't have to spend too much time putting them together and they turn out, wholesome and hearty. They are perfect for a movie at home because all you really need is one hand to hold the calzone and the other to hold a glass of wine. My favourite wine with the spicy and rich mince chilli and cheddar calzone is an Australian Cabernet Shiraz or a Fratelli Merlot because you need a certain fruitiness with a meal like this, alternately you can just make a nice tart salad with citrus fruits, berries and roquette, dress it with EVOO and orange juice!

We as Indian's are good with dough, kneading it and rolling it. I don't make a yeast dough because I don't like the calzone crust to be airy and bread-y, this crust is a bit biscuit-y and fills you up in a not-so-starchy way. Also this dough tends to stay better and longer, up to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight box is good enough.

Chilli Mince filling:

250 gms mutton, lamb or beef mince
1 large onion, cut fine
6-8 pieces of garlic, crushed
concasse of 2 large tomatoes or 6 tbsp tomato paste
2 dried red chillies, snipped into 2-3 pieces
1 bay leaf
6-8 black olives sliced (optional)
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper
2-3 tbsp olive oil

Calzone Dough:

1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp dried oregano
4 tbsp olive oil (use a good quality Italian olive oil with a nice, rich aroma)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chilli flakes (the kind you get with commercial pizza orders, I have that in a bottle and it goes into everything, from breads, soups, bakes to stews and savoury pies)
1 egg
1/2 cup soda

(Grated sharp cheddar to put over the mince filling before closing the calzone)
Make a well in the center of the mound of flour, break the egg in the center, add the seasoning of oregano, salt and chili flakes over it and then drizzle the olive oil all over the flour. Use your hand like dough mixer, in a circular motion and bring all these ingredients together. Use the soda sparingly, literally a spoon at a time to bring the flour mixture together into a dough. The dough has to be kneaded on a floured surface for 3-5 minutes till it is soft and pliable. Cover with a moist muslin cloth or oil the dough ball with olive oil, cover and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a separate pan, fry the onion till transparent, add the red chilli pieces, garlic, the bay leaf and the pepper (you can use whole peppercorns, they are yum when bitten into in a bite!). Saute for a minute or two and add the mince, turn up the heat, use a wooden spoon to break up the mince, as fine as possible, let the mince turn light in colour, fry for 2-3 minutes, lower the flame, throw in the tomato paste or concasse, sugar and salt. Check the seasoning, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes. Remove the cover, cook the moisture off on a high flame, you need the mince to be moist and tomato-y, not wet.

Make 8 even sized golf ball sized bits from the dough. Roll out into a pita or 'chapati'/'roti' size on a floured surface. Put 1-2 tbsp of the cooled mince mix on the lower half of the circle, sprinkle with cheddar, fold over, crimp with a wet fork and seal shut. Brush the top of the calzone with olive oil and bake on 220 C for 7-10 minutes or till the crust is evenly light brown. Serve with salad and a Tzatziki kind of yoghurt/cucumber/garlic dip, we actually love it with hummus too :) ... talk about fusion foods!!

The Delightful Pan Asian

2013-02-11T03:28:00.002-08:00

I have enjoyed Chef Nakamura's food ever since he introduced Sakura in Gurgaon, I have had the fortune of sampling the gorgeous breakfast Bento Box he does, it is pure joy, both visual and gastronomical. The Bento Box was at the The WelcomHotel Sheraton New Delhi and we were back here for an experience of Chef Nakamura's flagship - Pan Asian. I can't say enough about Welcomgroup's hospitality because I belong to the ITC stable and everything I say is magnified by the fact that I truly believe in their philosophy towards guest, gastronomy and guilty pleasures! Pan Asian is an opulent and lavish restaurant with plenty of space for islands of live cooking that the guests seem to love. From how the service staff interact with some of the guests I can tell, they are regulars and very comfortable.

We start with the Teppanyaki grill and watch Chef Nakamura whip up a batch of Tofu Miso Steaks, straight off the grill. The Miso sauce is Chef's secret recipe and you can sense the aroma wafting in the air and you know it's not something simple or ordinary. There is kung fu majesty in his moves and I love how he handles the tools. You can tell he loves the grill dearly, as he washes it with such gentleness after every batch, I know he does it so the second batch doesn't stick but it's very endearing. I skip the grill and head over to the Yakitori station and meet an exuberant Sous Chef taking us animatedly through the process and the result is spectacular, the Negima (Mongolian Grill) is exactly how I like chicken, tender, juicy and lightly seasoned. Once seated, I know for sure that this evening is going to be divine, I have a table full of my blogger friends, terrific wine, Welcomgroup hospitality and a menu handpicked by Chef Nakamura. Here's what it looked like -

Assortment of Sushi ... lovely!

Miso Tofu Steak ... Chef did it himself so all I can say is, superb!

Dimsums: Xiang JiauShui Jing Jia (Pan Fried Vegetable Hakkau), Veg Koteh (Steamed Veg Dumpling), Ji Shao Mai (Steamed Chicken And Coriander Dumpling), Xia Shao Mai (Prawn Hakkau).... out of these I could eat 2 dozen of the prawn ones, I swear!

Yakitori/ Tempura: Negima (Chicken yakitori), Assorted Tempura With Vegetables.... the Tempura was perfection, loved every bit!

Soup: Miso Soup and that signature aroma of Chef's secret recipe! I have had this for breakfast and I have to say, it is so comforting that if I were ever out of coffee, this Miso soup would suffice.

Main Course: Peking Duck (with cucumber, spring onion, pancakes and Chef's special Teriyaki sauce) ... I am a huge Peking Duck fan and I have to say very few places do it as well as this!

KaengPhak (Green Curry Thai Style) ....

Mapo Tofu (Silken Tofu In Black Bean And Sichuan Pepper Sauce) ....

Hu nansucaiganguo (Collage Of Vegetables With Dry And Spicy Unique touch of Hunan) .... loved the Hunan touch, else you know how I feel about veggie interfering with my meal ;)

Crispy Hua (Stir fried Sliced Red Snapper Chili Garlic Sauce) ...... This was phenomenal, thanks to Gujarat Fisheries, we have been freaking out on red snapper at home too! The flambe extravaganza was unforgettable ...another ninja touch to the evening!

Kung Phad Xo (Pan Fried With Thai Style Chili X.O. Sauce) ..... lovely combination with the meal.

Served with Jasmine Fried Rice and Asian Stir Fried Noodles.

Dessert: Fig and Toffee Pudding with Darsaan ... I could eats bowls and bowls and bowls of the darsaan, it's such a lovely texture, sweet, sticky and crunchy, all at once, like a carnival in the mouth!

It was a delicious evening and not a single dish was less than pure joy! I enjoyed the evening with my usual band of blogger buddies.

Deeba: Passionate About Baking

Mukta: Bake-a-Mania

Aishwarya: Aishwarya Eats

Sushmita: My Unfinished Life

Ruchira: The Great Cookaroo

Sangeeta: Benaras Ka Khana

Citrus Burst - The Shirazine Orange Tea Cake

2013-02-10T08:02:00.001-08:00

We ate the best homemade cakes growing up, the apple and walnut was a winter staple and till date the aroma of this baking in my kitchen takes me back to my childhood. The other staple was the lemon pound cake, so perfectly citrusy that we loved it to bits. Thanks to popular myth, we weren't given a lot of sour fruits or beverages in winters despite the fact that they were usually packed with Vitamin C, perfect for avoiding the sniffles. We drink fresh orange and keenu juice throughout winter, I cook pork with oranges (rind and all!), I make lemon, lime and orange desserts and even though I love a good lemon pound cake (even for breakfast!), the orange is so much more ...just so much more in every way. You can substitute the orange rind and juice with lemon to make the lemon version. This is a small cake, about 600 gms, since it'sa fragrant cake I prefer to keep for just about 2-3 days, it does perfectly well outside as long as it's still winters out there, the glaze is optional, I feel since it seeps into the cracks on top, it keeps the cake moist longer. This is a lovely cake for lunchboxes too... Ally loves it!

Ingredients:

130 gms flour
100 gms white sugar
120 gms butter
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp orange zest
60 ml fresh orange juice

For the Glace:

75 gms icing sugar
10 ml fresh orange juice

Use a hand mixer to beat the butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, mix well, scrape down the sides and beat in the vanilla essence. Add the orange juice, whip it all up, the mix may look curdled but that's fine, it's all getting baked nice and good. Sift the baking powder with the flour, add the flour to the buter-sugar-egg mix, make a nice smooth batter. Grease a loaf tin, a 500 gm cake loaf tin will do just fine. Dust with flour, pour in the batter and bake on 220 C for about 18-20 minutes, best way to tell is obviously the toothpick method. Cool while you make the glace. Sift the icing sugar so it loosens up, add the orange juice slowly and use a whisk to beat it into a glue consistency icing. Drizzle over the cooled cake and Enjoy!

Shirazine Lemon Butter Fish

2013-02-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

Lemon Butter Fish was one of our all time favourite dishes when I was a kid but over time I think we forgot about it or maybe it was the godawful versions we made the catastrophic mistake of ordering at restaurants or a combination of both but I felt like making it so badly the other day. I didn't remember mom's exact recipe but I knew how the French would do it or how Julia Child would do it for that matter, few ingredients, simple ones and generously used.

This is a great recipe for those of you starting with fish for the first time. It is a beautiful meat to work with, flavoursome, versatile and of course healthy. Avoid frozen fish as far as possible, more than anything it makes the meat too flaky when cooked and thawing is a royal pain. Use single boned fish as a start, where the fillets are bone/thorn free, here in Delhi you can choose from a variety of firm, white fish like sole, surmai, bekti, singhara and red snapper. I used sole for this dish, its the least fishy in flavour and goes down well when you want to work with rich tastes like salted butter and lemon juice. I feel the lemon juice cuts a lot of the butters fattiness because this does not feel heavy at all. I served it with a ricotta crostini and cherry tomatoes drizzled with EVOO and sea salt. Even a salad of arugula, walnuts and oranges would be great with this. The ricotta on the crostini was seasoned with oregano, fresh pepper, sweet paprika and sea salt. For the bread I used my favourite whole-grain loaf cut into thick slices, more like a bruschetta actually!

For 1 portion:

2 thin fillets of about 150 gms each
6 tbsp flour
Salt and pepper
Oil for shallow frying

Lemon Butter Sauce:

50 gms, butter (yep! just do it! ok if it freaks you out too much, do half and half with olive oil but it won't taste the same!)
Juice of 1 large lemon
3-4 garlic pods, smashed
1 tsp dried chives or parsley, both work well, I use Keya and feel chives add a nicer kick
6-8 capers
Salt and fresh ground pepper for seasoning.

Season the flour in a plate, wash and pat dry the fillets and dab in the flour till well coated, dust off the excess flour and fry in hot shallow oil. Use thin fillets in which case, it needs just about 2-3 mins on each side on low flame, this should lightly brown the fillet. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel. In a separate pan, heat the butter, throw in the garlic and let the butter brown lightly (about a minute or two). Take off the fire and add the lemon juice, the sauce will sputter nicely, throw in the capers, season with salt and pepper, pour over the fish, garnish with chives and serve immediately.

Romanced by Italy!

2013-02-10T05:17:00.000-08:00

What better way to be romanced eh?! It said that romance is found is what you love and what you are passionate, there is definite romance in food! We sat down for an Italian dinner at the Claridges with the lovely Irene Vigolo, our sommelier for the evening and the evening couldn't have been better. If you've been to the Claridges at Surajkund, especially in the evening you will surely notice how it sparkles, the glass, metal, light and water bodies come together like a dance, it's beautiful!

The evening was dedicated to Italy and what a wonderful tribute, oscillating between delicate and robust flavours, I enjoyed some very new and very tremendous foods from one of my favourite food regions - Italy! Our meal started with a selection of Italian cold cuts, Parma ham and melon (750) which are always lovely here, fresh, sliced just right and with colours that pop off the plate!

Then came one of the showstoppers (at least for me), the Carpaccio di tonno (750) which was a onion skin thin Carpaccio of yellow fin tuna on arugula bed with kalamata olives, capers in olive and lemon dressing, beautifully done, exuberant portion and quite a Mediterranean take on tuna or even sushi for that matter!I have usually had carpaccio's of beef and salmon and vegetables too, but a first time with a fishy fish like tuna, which actually becomes quite delicate once it's cut and treated this way!

My main course was one of best ‘done’ steaks I have had in a while, I like them well done and this was lightly charred on top and pink, juicy and done just right inside. The lovely Bistecca alla Fiorentina (1850), Grilled premium tenderloin with freshly sautéed spinach and extra virgin olive oil! Then came the Pizza Diavola (625), Pepperoni and chili flakes, good pepperoni is yet another way of God saying he loves us and on thin crust Pizza the way Chef does it, its complete heaven. Our dessert is what left me completely gobsmacked, the Minestrone e frutta esotico (450), Minestrone of exotic fruits with lemon sorbet, off late we have been soooo superbly lucky with sorbets and this one goes on the top five.

A special mention of the wines I fell in love with that night, the Zonin Prosecco Special Cuvee Brut (2200), the Zonin, Soave (2000) and the rich and heavy Zonin Montepulciano d’ Abruzzo (2000). *Prices of bottles

Enjoy this and more at Oasis, The Claridges, Surajkund!

Typhoo Mar-tea-ni's & a Lesson!

2013-01-31T03:00:00.000-08:00

Wine pairing, beer pairing, coffee pairing and now tea ...we are certainly getting adventurous! Not so much actually because my mom used tea bags to colour 'chhole' all the time and I have done a 'matcha' creme brulee in my kitchen too. This tea pairing event however was on a different level. With Chef Vicky Ratnani taking us through the processes and The Park as our hosts, we knew we'd learn something new today! The showcased tea's were by Ty-Phoo an in house brand for the Apeejay Surrendra Enterprise.

"Typhoo Tea Limited is an over 100-year-old iconic British brand with a rich heritage stretching back to 1903 when Birmingham grocer John Sumner developed and sold a blend of tea in his shop.

Over the years, Typhoo has developed from being the first brand to sell ready packaged tea, to being a leading tea business that now offers products in every sector of the tea market. Brands such as London Fruit & Herb - recognised across the world, Heath and Heather - offering a natural fruit and herb product to an audience growing in health awareness and Melrose’s and Glengettie, regional favourites in Scotland and Wales. On 31 October 2005 Apeejay Surrendra Group, one of India’s largest tea producers with 17 plantations across 50,000 acres in Assam, acquired Typhoo and its associated brands."

This was my first interaction with Chef Vicky Ratnani and I found him to be very affable and warm, these seem like prerequisites for celebrity chef's these days, gone are the times when one had no clue who cooked their meal at a hotel or restaurant. It was fun watching him do his new and pretty appetizing sounding 'Chai da Kukkad', however, I wasn't very taken by the flavours when we actually tasted it. There was nothing wrong with the dish as such, it could have been seasoned better and one teabag torn and steeped in some of the broth, strained and brought back into the dish would definitely add more depth to the dish. The other trouble is chicken breasts, is it really that hard to get them done right?

The meal for the day started with a very interesting CousCous and grilled vegetables ensemble served with an Earl Grey, which I loved. The main course with the Masala chai infused chicken which was passable, then came the Flourless chocolate cake with strawberries, which had it's own nuances that I found hard to appreciate but the pairing with a milk free Assam tea was just right! The beverages for the day were fruit infused, mild Mar-tea-ni's which I personally loved and will surely replicate at my next cocktail party. The afternoon was made interesting by Chef Ratnani's exuberant presence and general tea banter, thanks Ty-Phoo and Aqua at The Park!

From the tea samples Ty-Phoo shared with us, I enjoyed the Orange Spicer Fruit infusion, the Earl Grey and the English Breakfast Tea. Here's my recipe with the Cardamom Tea Pannacotta made with Ty-phoo's Cardamom Flavoured tea.

Ingredients: (serves 2)

1 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 cup Milk
4 tbsp Water
1.5 tsp Gelatin
2 Ty-phoo Cardamom Flavoured teabags
2 tbsp Fine sugar
2 Cardamoms

Method:

Warm the water and dissolve the gelatin in a small bowl. Warm the milk, steep the tea bags in it for 5 minutes or so, you can use an extra tea bag if you want a deeper flavour. Bring to a boil, add the sugar and remove from the stove. Cool the mixture a bit, remove tea bags and use a whisk to blend in the dissolved gelatin, then the heavy cream. Check the sweetness, pour into 2 ramekins or 4 champagne flutes and refrigerate. I usually don't de-mould puds and desserts like these because I like to serve em in cutesy dishware. Gently pound open the cardamom pods and garnish the top of the pudding, serve cold!

A Royal Blue

2013-01-24T03:13:00.000-08:00

The weather in my city had turned to a listless grey. It reminded me of gruel, how London would be and black and white pictures. A part of me finds this dreariness quite romantic so I was glad to be heading to an afternoon with my beloved blogger buddies and Vietnamese food. I have tasted Vietnam from Anthony Bourdain's perspective, he is so lyrical about the cuisine of this quaint, struggling, ex-French colony, that it makes you wonder how fish can be sweet from sea water and how herbs mimic the potency of spices, beautiful! With an introduction like that, a few dishes at Pan Asian restaurants and a few experiments at home, I was ready for a full on Vietnam experience at Blue Ginger, Taj Palace Hotel (New Delhi).

The Taj group has marveled Delhi for decades, three of which I have vivid memories of. Taj Palace in particular was quite the hangout when we were young adults. Coming back here always induces a sense of nostalgia and warmth. Blue Ginger is their Vietnamese Restaurant, beautifully done with dramatic waterfall chandelairs and a cozy private dining room, I was happy to be in a place where everything is opulent and well, heavy, the chairs, the silverware....!

The menu was wonderful, mainly because I would love to try some of those things but never really travel far enough (not in the near future!) or conjure them in my kitchen! Having said that, have a look for yourself -

AMUSE BOUCHE

Curried rice cakes with scallion oil & Sriraja panich

STARTERS SAMPLER

Non Vegetarian

Cuu bam xúc sàlách

Stir fried minced lamb with fried onions and scallions served with lettuce

Goi Cuô´n Tôm Gà

Fresh summer rolls with shrimp & chicken

Goi Xòai

Raw mango salad

Vegetarian

Dâu Hu Sóc Muôí

Tofu rock salt

Goi Cuô´n Cha
Fresh summer rolls with vegetables

Goi Xòai

Raw mango salad

SOUP

Súp Gà Mang Tây

Chicken and asparagus soup

Súp Nâm Chay

Shiitake, ceps, homishimeji and enoki mushrooms soup

GRILLS

Tôm Nuong Muôi Biên

Peppered prawns with sea salt

Gà Nuong Ot lá Chanh

Grilled chicken with lime leaf and chilli

Dâu hu Nuong Kiêu HUÊ

Tofu in lemon grass and chilli marinade

Muop, Dâu Bap, Nâm Nuong Kiêu Hà Tiên

Grilled zucchini, okra and mushroom Ha tien

SORBET

Sweet tamarind sorbet

MAIN COURSE

Tôm Hùm Xàò Muôi Tiêu

Stir fried lobster with garlic, salt and pepper

Bap Cuu Nâu Dâu Haò

Lemon grass scented braised lamb shanks in caramel chilli oyster sauce

Gà Xàò Sa Ot

Stir fried chicken supreme with lemongrass garlic chilli sauce

Cu Sen Dôn Rau Chiên Giòn Sôt Me

Crispy lotus root and vegetable delicacy served with tamarind sauce

Dâu xào bach qua

Hue style edamame and broad beans with ginko nuts

Càri Chay

Spicy vegetable red cari

Xôi Chay Trong Thô

Sticky rice with vegetable topping in clay pot

Mi Xào Mêm Chay

Stir fried soft noodles with vegetables

DESSERT

Bánh Flan Dac Biêt

Ginger coconut caramel custard

Socôla Boc Kem Voí Ruou Amaretto

Chocolate bombe with coffee mousse and amaretto chocolate sauce

Kem Huong Sa

Lemongrass Ice cream

How intriguing isn't it? For someone like me just the words are music to my ears so the food has to match up and match up it did! I discovered a whole new array of flavours, some I had imagined and some I had forgotten, Vietnamese is that kind of blended cuisine where you are bound to find something you love. And so many surprises, just like Anthony said. In this menu, the Amuse bouche stood out for its spectacular 'hot' zing, from the starters, the Stir fried minced lamb with fried onions and scallions served with lettuce was so pleasantly good that I plan to try it at home. I have tried many a Mango Salad in Pan Asian restaurants but this one was one of best, raw mango is a flavour from my childhood, if you do it well, you will strike a chord! I am not much of a soup person unless its going to be my meal but give me anything with Shiitake and I will love it. The prawns were unforgettable and surprisingly (coming from me), the same can be said of the Grilled okra, so familiar, yet so new. Unmatchable stars of the Main Course have to be - Bap Cuu Nâu Dâu Haò (Lemon grass scented braised lamb shanks in caramel chilli oyster sauce), this has to be eaten to be believed, I would go back just for this, hats off Chef's! The Cu Sen Dôn Rau Chiên Giòn Sôt Me (Crispy lotus root and vegetable delicacy served with tamarind sauce) is something all vegetarians need to try, it is such a richly flavoured dish that not once did we need to add a condiment or seasoning! And for me the biggest surprise, the Dâu xào bach qua (Hue style edamame and broad beans with ginko nuts), which I tasted separately since I was mainly keen on the meats, but this would be one place I could go veggie, seriously!A super special mention of the palate cleanser, the Tamarin Sorbet, never had anything like it before and I simply loved it ... damn it was like a whole different take on a 'kala khatta gola', if you ever had those!

Picture this - Crisp, chilled Chardonnay, still cold from the cosy afternoon and another glass, a warmer, more inviting glass, of a full bodied and heavy Cabernet Shiraz, while we chat and banter. Completely unaware of how wonderfully complimentary the dessert platter will be and then it comes, complete silence! From the three showstoppers - Bánh Flan Dac Biêt (Ginger coconut caramel custard, oh so French!!), the Socôla Boc Kem Voí Ruou Amaretto (Chocolate bombe with coffee mousse and amaretto chocolate sauce) and the Matcha infused, Kem Huong Sa (Lemongrass Ice cream, my favourite!), I was equally awed by all by I am a sucker for anything with lemongrass, so I came out a very satisfied soul!

I say, slow down, take an afternoon off and do something truly special. Life is all about ebb and flow, flow a little, enjoy the ride and do it with a belly full of Vietnamese at Blue Ginger, The Taj Palace Hotel. Thank you for the experience.

I enjoyed this afternoon with -

Sid - Chef At Large

Deeba - Passionate About Baking

Rekha - My Tasty Curry

Himanshu - The White Ramekins

Ruchira - The Great Cookaroo

Mukta - Bake a Mania

Sangeeta - Banaras Ka Khana

Charis - Culinary Storm

Chocolate Almond Cake Cookies

2013-01-17T08:42:00.001-08:00

One of my favourite ice cream flavours since I was a kid has been anything with dark chocolate and roasted nuts, preferably almonds. My mom used to find it weird and always suggested fruity flavours like strawberry, mango or plain old vanilla but I would gravitate towards more complex ice cream compositions. Back then there was the Moet's ice cream parlour in GK and of course good 'ol Nirula's, they still do a pretty neat job of the Jamoca Almond Fudge and their vanilla is to die for, try it in the Nutty Buddy and you will know what I mean, creamy, buttery vanilla! So even today, though I am a huge fan of Bourbon and even Milano, I love chocolate cookies with nuts and I prefer them soft and gooey not crispy or crunchy. Which is why we love cake cookies, they are just the right combination of a hearty cake and a delicate cookie. We of course make 'em monstrous so that each one is a darned dessert in itself, in fact if you warm one in the oven and top it with ice cream (coffee is my recommendation!), it is a bona fide and decadent dessert! Another favourite snack combo for me is salted almonds and bits of dark chocolate, which has influenced this recipe greatly. I have been making cake cookies ever since Ally was a baby and even today, when she wants 'not dippy' (Parle G are her favourite as dippy biscuits!) cookies, she asks for a cake cookie. I make chocolate chip, vanilla, peanut butter with real salted peanuts, rum 'n' raisin and even apple and walnut!

These particular ones are yum because they stay soft even after 3 days in a box. They are excellent by themselves but even better if you're sipping an unsweetened coffee with 'em! I carry them for a long drive and pick up a cappuccino on the way just to add to the experience.

Ingredients:

80 gms cocoa
200 gms flour
200 gms brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg
150 ml milk
1/2 tsp baking soda
120 gms butter
1/2 cup roasted nuts, I used almonds, you can use walnuts if you like.

Sift the cocoa and flour together along with the baking soda. Use a hand mixer to blend together the butter, egg and milk, add the vanilla essence and then the flour mix in batches. Mix well, the consistency should be of a thick cake batter, sticky even, you will need two spoons to make dollop of this batter on to a baking sheet. Use a spatula to fold in the nuts, I always use lightly salted roasted nuts, love the sweet-salt-bitter from the cocoa balance. For peanuts you can use the Haldiram's salted peanuts. Pre-heat the oven on 220 C, line a baking tray with butter paper, use an ice cream scoop or two spoons to drop even sized dollops the size of say a Ferrero Rocher, about 2" apart and bake at 200 C for 6-8 minutes. These bake fast, it is hard to tell by the colour if they are done since they are dark brown anyway, better way is to see if they are well risen and cracking on top. They will be soft to the touch and till they cool they will be pretty delicate, so don't make them too big. Remove from butter paper while warm not hot.

I topped these with a teaspoonful of chocolate ganache, the kind that sets and dropped a pretty little roasted almond right on top. Enjoy!

Rushed Pot Pies!

2013-01-15T03:28:00.003-08:00

I got a food hamper for Christmas that had instant soup packets in it. We weren't going to drink 'em, tomato maybe if A was here but other than that they were just sitting pretty in the pantry. The mushroom one had been calling out to me for a while, I love mushroom soup, albeit, the fresh one but off late its been way too cold to even plan soups, so we do a standard chicken and veggie one that lasts 4 days and can be morphed with a change of seasoning! I had boneless chicken leftover from an order, mushrooms, but just half a pack, the mushroom soup pack and a puff pastry dough, which obviously spelled, chicken pot pie, in a jiffy, that is!

One of the best Chicken Pot Pie's I have ever had was at the All American Diner at the IHC, way back, wonder if it's any good now?! My mom used to make it from scratch, the chicken filling, the puff pastry (thank you TimeLife) and she didn't put any of that carrot nonsense, it was all mushroom and chicken. I add celery now that it's freely available but I remember a time as close as 6 years ago when Ally was a baby where we had to use Celery salt for Stroganoff or pot pie unless we were going to make a trip to Khan Market and pay through our nose for a piddly stalk!

This makes 4 ramekins or one pie enough for 4, serve it with salad and a Bruschetta and it will be a nice spread.

Filling:

2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized bits. I bake the pie in ramekins so I keep the chicken pieces small, it requires less cooking time and they stay moist, pre cooked chicken can get all overcooked and stringy in a dish like this.

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp Worchestershire Sauce

10-12 mushrooms, cut into bits

2 spring onions thinly sliced, with some of the greens, great for colour and flavour

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced, this adds quite a punch

1 large celery leaf with a bit of talk, cut or torn up.

3 tbsp fresh cream

4-5 cloves of garlic smashed

1 bayleaf

Salt & freshly ground pepper

1/2 pack of mushroom soup, dissolved in 1 glass of water.

Puff pastry for crust.

Toss the chicken bits in the Worchestershire sauce. Buy good quality condiments, the cheaper, locaql varieties have a gross, chemical after taste, so taste the sauces you buy, raw before you use them in your cooking. Heat a pan, heat the oil and butter, I love the flavour of olive oil and butter together, also this makes sure the butter doesn't brown or burn. Add the onions and garlic, then the bayleaf, fry till the onions are soft and transparent but not browning, throw in the mushroom bits and the chicken, with the sauce/juices of the marinade, fry on high till the meat sears all over, about 2 minutes, lower heat and saute for 3-4 minutes. Dilute the mushroom soup mix in a glass of water, make sure there are no lumps, pour into pan and cook on a low flame, till it begins to thicken. Season with salt and fresh pepper, add the torn up celery leaf and fold it all in. Let it thicken till the chicken is coated with a thick sauce. Remove from heat, cool a bit and fold in the fresh cream, make sure its room temperature, you don't want anything splitting the cream. Fill into four ramekins, cool and cover with pastry to make a crust.

Roll out the puff pastry, fold over twice and roll out for an extra flaky finish. I source puff pastry from a local bakery and I am quite happy with it, I would rather be making preserves or baking than prepping puff now that I have a better and not-frozen option. Use a thin rimmed bowl or a large cookie cutter to cut circles almost the size of the ramekin top (bigger), Use your fingertips to tuck in the top crust over the chicken, top with an extra layer of puff cut into a heart or square, whichever cookie cutters you have. Keep the crust rolled out fairly thick. Tuck it in well, the chicken filling will bubble and spill. The excess you can use to make cheese, zeera, oregano, garlic puffs, like I have on the side. Bake on 220 C till the crust bakes through and browns.Like I said the chicken will bubble and sputter so don't place the ramekins directly over the elements. Serve hot and ENJOY!

Lime 'n' Lemony - Cupcakes!

2013-01-15T02:19:00.001-08:00

For those of you in the 'know', you sang that header like the Limca ad, right?! I wrote it like that :) ... citrus is such a weird flavour for nature to introduce in winters. Its light and airy, fresh and beach-y, yet its so perfect for the weather. It's nature's way of making us appreciate the sunshine just a little bit more, enjoy sunny winter afternoons, fresh orange juice, tangerines in a salad, orange reduction salad dressing ... I don't care what they say about winters-sour foods-bad throats, we love oranges, limes and lemons during these months and keep trying to find new ways to enjoy them.

It's back to school time in our home and I am back to baking 'tiffin' stuff, so no fudgy indulgences, we need practical snacks that aren't out of a box or bag! Since lemon curd is something Ally's palate has taken to only now, I decided to make lemon curd filled cupcakes. I usually put a roasted almond, piece of milk chocolate, peanut butter, apple preserve, why not lemon curd?! The result is surprisingly pleasant because the sugar and citrus seep through the cupcake and make it lemony all over with a sticky yumminess!

Batter:

200 gms flour
1 tsp baking powder
200 gms sugar
120 gms butter
2 eggs
150 ml yoghurt, make it the consistency of thick cream, use milk.
1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Sift the flour and baking powder, add the sugar and mix with a spatula, add in the room temperature butter, eggs, vanilla essence and yoghurt. Use a hand mixer to whisk this all together into a nice thick batter.

Lemon Curd:

2 Eggs, 2 yolks and 1 white
50 gms butter
75 ml lemon juice, I actually use 150 ml and reduce it down to half, then use it, this thicker concentrate adds a lot of colour and a gooey thickness to the lemon curd
125 gms sugar
1 tbsp lemon rind, the yellowist part.
A few drops of lemon essence help to take the edge of the eggy-ness, but if you can't find any, you can do without it.

Use a glass bowl to mix together the eggs and sugar over a double boiler, make sure its not touching the water vessel, eggs can cook pretty fast and you don't want that to happen. Add the lemon juice and continue to mix till it thickens, use a wooden spoon. Remove from heat, cool slightly and strain, add cubes of butter while the sauce is still warm, fold it in, add the lemon zest and/or lemon essence, whisk well. If its not thick enough, you can return to the double boiler and let it thicken, make sure you keep whisking so that it doesn't get lumpy. Refrigerate when cooled, this will thicken and congeal it further, which is how you need it for the cupcakes.

Pre heat the oven on 220 C. Line a cupcake tray with cupcake liners, add half an ice cream scoop of batter, put a teaspoon of the lemon curd in the centre and cover with another half scoop of batter. Make sure the lemon curd is thick set and cold. Bake on 220 C for 8-10 minutes or till the top is cracked and light brown. Sprinkle with icing or vanilla sugar while warm. These are sticky cupcakes, so the liner can be removed while it's still a bit warm, serve the warm out of the oven with hot chocolate and ... you'll love it especially if you love orange and dark chocolate as a combo. Enjoy!

Shirazine Roast Pork

2013-01-15T01:58:00.001-08:00

God, how we love pork! As a child I ate pork in the processed form, dad and I would buy a half kilo of salami and eat most of it on the way home and we did exactly that when we visited the same store last month, 30 odd years of cold cuts in the car! We didn't really cook pork meat at home, the first vindaloo I ate (at your place, Mora!) was rabbit, so pork came into my kitchen back in Manipal. At college, we cooked with pork and since I married into a part Goan family while still in college, we cooked it at home too! I loved the texture, the bite, the meaty sweetness and over the years we have moved on from Goan influences to Asian pork dishes and its a whole new, wondrous world of good eating! One of friend's cooks used to make this one Coorgi pepper pork curry that I still make, Ooooh, deja vu, I think I've blogged that curry somewhere... yup - http://www.theshirazine.com/2010/09/shirazi-pepper-pork.html

Coming back to Asian spices and pork, what a gorgeous relationship they have?! The pork gets amazingly enhanced and the slow cooking/braising process is ideal to trap in all the juices and keep the meat soft and flavoursome. This recipe is great because it needs minimal handling, just let the meat be, simmering away! There is a huge smack of spices here so I serve it with cold, crispy lettuce sprinkled with sea salt, EVOO and lemon juice and white rice.

Ingredients:

1/2 kg pork chunks, I take it on the bone, but the butcher knows I prefer less bone-y bits, so all in all its a 70/30 of boneless/on the bone. The bone adds a lot of fat and flavour, I say add a bone separately if you are cooking boneless meats.

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 star anise

2 black cardamom

6 green cardamom

6 cloves

2 bayleaf

4 whole red chillies

1 Cinnamon stick

6 cloves of garlic, 8 if they are small bits

2 large red onions thinly sliced

4 tbsp Olive oil or cooking oil

1 tbsp Chinese Five Spice powder

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp black pepper powder

Salt

2 cups warm water

Coat the pork with the white wine vinegar and set aside. Heat oil in a pressure cooker, its the heaviest bottomed pan I have in my kitchen. Add 2 cloves of garlic when the oil is hot and then the meat. Sear the meat on a high flame tills its no longer pink and browning evenly. Remove from the oil and keep covered in a bowl. Throw in the rest of the garlic, onions and the whole spices, fry on high for few minutes, then lower the heat and brown the onions. Depending on how fatty the pork you are using is, you may need to add a little oil to brown the onions well or you can throw in a piece of fat to get the flavour going. Once the onions are soft and transparent, add the meat, the sugar and the salt and pepper. Mix well, cover with a heavy lid and cook on low for 10 minutes, keep an eye on the meat though, you will need to add 1/2 cup of warm water after 10 minutes or sooner if the meat is sticking to the base. Cook for another 20 minutes, then add the Five spice powder and another 1/2 cup of water. The moisture content should always be a thick sauce consistency not runny, gravy. Another 20 minutes after the last 1/2 cup, check the meat for readiness, it should be pretty soft by now. Give it another 10 if not, add little water if you need to, check the salt and the five spice flavour and adjust accordingly. This should taste heaty from the spices and sweet-ish as well. When the meat is done, you can adjust the amount of sauce/gravy you need. The flavours are very strong so you won't need it very thin, goes great with white rice. Enjoy!

Seasonal Salad Special!

2013-01-14T23:47:00.000-08:00

I am a big fan of seasonal produce. I grew up in a home where winter vegetables were not cooked during the summer because like mom said, nature didn't intend it so. We didn't eat cauliflower and apples in summer and lady finger and melons in winter, it still holds true in our kitchen. So then the fun doubles, enjoy apples while you can, do more with them, bring in seasonal greens, this is the only time we'll get baby spinach and crunchy as hell, iceberg. Strawberries only seem to get better. As the crop matures over harvests, it seems like the quality of fruit matures as well, as though it's DNA starts to get accustomed to a new land, new weather, these are after all local strawberries and they are darned good! Watch out for the ones where the crown is green-ish, these are most definitely artificially ripened, what you need to find are consistently deep red fruit with no dark, squidgy spots. And how can we forget oranges, all those fantastic memories of sitting in the sun, relentlessly peeling and devouring oranges like our lives depended on it. It was a serious endeavour, I remember this one time, I was sitting with my mom in our new home about 15 years back and we just sat there for what seemed like a couple of hours and didn't say a word, we just soaked in the sun and ate oranges! It's a lovely and peaceful memory to have of her, which is why till date the fragrance of oranges on my hands reminds me of mamma! She would put an orange, an apple and a trail mix of walnuts, cashews, almonds, pinenuts (in the shell!!!) and raisins in my school bag, that's besides the tiffin box and I had to have all this between 7 am and 2 pm. All my winter memories of the 45 minute school ride are of chatting in the back of the bus with a handful of dry fruit and hating the pine nuts for being in the shell!

All this came back to me in one bite the other day. I asked for the Apple and Feta salad served with walnuts and a dressing of orange reduction and thyme and what I got was a bowlful of memories. I replicated the same at home that very evening and I think this is going to be one of my all time favourite salads ever. I want to call it a 'Bowlful of Memories". You can improvise a lot with this salad, add baby spinach, mix up the lettuce's, add olives or fried capers. When you fry capers, they flower and crispen lightly, just drain them well before you do. I substituted mint for thyme in my dressing, I love mint with fruit, in fact much like star anise, mint is more a dessert flavouring for me. It's tough to enjoy cold salads in the winters but this is a perfect one for a sunny lunch or a robust dinner of red meats, team it up with this salad and you'll love the hot and cold thing going on!

Serves 2

Salad:

200 gms iceberg lettuce, torn up into bite sized bits, I don't like them chopped and I don't like them the size of my palm

8-10 strawberries sliced, thin

1 small apple, sliced, thin pieces, the size of the strawberry pieces

1 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

6-8 walnuts, broken into fours

4-5 tbsp of feta, into small dollops

Dressing:

1 cup of orange juice, I used fresh, it took longer to reduce but was less acidic/citric compared to the one I tried with packed orange juice, which is in fact reconstituted, so!!

2 tbsp EVOO

2-3 mint leaves, just pinch them with your nails to release the flavour, don't tear or chop, use small, young leaves, they are easier to eat in a bite.

Sprinkle of sea salt, the feta I use is generally salty enough for this salad and orange reduction adds a lot of flavour, which doesn't make you miss the general saltiness of a salad

Garnish:

8-10 capers, fried lightly in olive oil or roasted in an oven, 180 C for 5-7 minutes

or

Green olives

Mix up all your fruits and veggies, go easy, don't bruise everything, add small dollops of feta, the walnuts (you can use them if you don't like the rawness of nutty flavours, 180 C in a preheated oven for 5 minutes, moisten the baking dish with olive oil, shake the walnuts around to coat them and roast!). For the dressing, reduce the orange juice down from 1 cup to 6 tbsp or from 250 ml to 50-75 ml. This takes around 10-15 minutes in a heavy bottom pan. Cool and mix with the EVOO, season and add the mint leaves. I like the leaves to be softened not cooked.

Serve the garnish and dressing on the side. Enjoy!

Deep, Dark and Delicious!

2013-01-11T05:06:00.001-08:00

The other night I was craving strawberries and dark chocolate, I had both but I didn't want to do the usual dip and devour, this night was different. This night was a bit like the one from the movie 'Bridesmaids', you know where she spends all this time making the perfect cupcake, only to eat it all by herself, alone in her kitchen. I felt a bit like that, like I deserved to do something special for myself, since I was by myself so often! Sometimes indulgence is the key! So I decided to make a chocolate tart topped with a strawberry and served with strawberries in fresh cream. I can find heavy cream at the dairy nearby but its not really the whipping kind, so I use this bottle/shake technique and get it a bit thicker, sweeten it with icing sugar and then just dunk the strawberries in it (whole), that goes in an ice cream glass and the tart sits on the side, waiting to make happy once more!

Tart:

This is a biscuity, buttery tart, bit like shortbread, I use my hands to settle it into the tart moulds, just be gentle and avoid your nails from making gashes (mine did!) which I patched with a little dough, once you fill the tart it won't show anyway! Be generous when you roll out a circle to drape the tart mould, you can pinch it all off once you have set the dough in.

150 gms flour
50 gms icing sugar
120 gms butter, cold, cut into cubes.
2 tbsp or slightly more, cold water

Mix the flour and icing sugar together, then use your hands to mush in all the cold butter cubes, till the mixture goes from a mess to coarse breadcrumbs. Use a tablespoon at a time of cold water to bring all this together into a tight, buttery dough. Best to not overdo the moisture, its just there to bring the dough together. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1/2 hour. Roll out as per the size of the tart mould you are using, I made lemon tart sized, medium tart shells. Drape over the mould, use your thumbs to settle it in, especially around the sides and on the top where the ridges are. Use a fork to poke 2-3 sets of hold on the base, so the tart doesn't puff up. Bake on 200 C for 8-10 minutes or till light brown. Cool, loosen and remove gently.

Ganache:

4 tsbp butter
120 gms dark chocolate
6 tsbp fresh cream

Melt the butter and chocolate on a double boiler, you can use a micro if you can work it better than me. Use a wooden spoon to stir and melt. Remove from the boiler once only lumps are left, residual heat will melt the rest of it. Cool completely, then fold in the fresh cream. Stir well, or keep it swirly if you like, would look lovely in a tart actually. Fill the tart shell with a spoon, top with a sliced strawberry and ENJOY!

Cake my cookies please!

2013-01-11T04:36:00.004-08:00

Winters is when we crave soft, fudgy, chewy, hot out the oven snacks. This is serious cold going on and no crunchy, crispies will do, what we need has to be both warm to touch and warm to feel. Our cookies become cake-y, our puddings almost always have dark chocolate and the only fruit we bake with are apples, ah ...eating in winters!! I have been making cake cookies for ages, they are very versatile and you can change flavours very easily. In fact with this batter you can actually make 2-3 different kinds of cookies. We made pink, strawberry flavoured fairy cake cookies, chocolate chip cake cookies and almond flavoured raisin cake cookies. You can experiment with different types of essences, from almond to even peppermint and make a choco-mint cake cookie. Since these are basic drop cookies, you don't even have to bother with refrigeration, rolling or cutting, so if the kids want cookies, all you need is 30 minutes.

Flour 200 gms
Sugar 220gms
Butter 120 gms
Eggs (small) 2
Baking pwd 1 1/2 tsp
Baking soda 1/4 tsp
Yoghurt 60 ml
Milk 100 ml
Vanilla essence (for basic version) 1 1/2 tsp

Preheat the oven on 200 C. Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda and keep aside. Beat the butter and sugar for 3-4 minutes tills the mixture is pale and fluffy, I use a glass mixing bowl and a hand mixer. Add the eggs one at a time and whiz up all nice and airy. Add the milk and the yoghurt and another quick whiz for a minute. Add the vanilla essence then the flour mixture, in batches. The consistency should be slightly thicker than a cake batter, like a stickier, heavier version.

You can separate this batter into different bowls to make different types of cookies.

Chocolate chip - fold in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips with a spatula or wooden spoon when the batter is ready.

Mint-choco chip - add a tsp of peppermint essence/flavouring

Almond/Raisin - half cup of raisins, 1 tsp of almond essence, depending on the brand you may need a bit more, so do have a quick taste of the batter before you bake.

Strawberry - 1 tsp red food colouring for a pink tinge and 1 tsp of strawberry essence or flavouring.

Line a baking tray with butter paper and use an ice cream scoop for even, same sized cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 200 C or till the bottom looks light brown. These turn out puffy and cake-y and go best with coffee or hot chocolate. Enjoy!

Shirazine Tagine Pilaf!

2013-01-11T00:01:00.001-08:00

We ate Moroccan the other day and it blew our minds! I rarely say that for meals outside of my kitchen mainly because after having eaten so much good food over the years, the 'wow' factor is getting harder and harder to find. New cuisine's are the only option of finding 'umami' over and over again. You know how they say, do we all see colours the same way, I feel that about taste too, do we all taste flavours the same way? So for me, 'umami' is not certain foods only but also how your palate perceives them. I don't taste it in truffles, I taste it in Arab dried limes, seriously!! So this lamb 'pulao' I tried wasn't really made in a tagine, it was inspired by all the Moroccan flavours from that night and ingredients and visuals too, how my plate would look if I mixed lamb tagine with fluffy, white rice!

I cook the lamb separately and rice is boiled and the water is discarded, I keep it 'almost' done because it will do time in the oven as well. Preferred cuts for the lamb or mutton are from the shoulder, round, meaty pieces, on the bone. The spices I use are all whole and though I source dried limes from the Gulf, they are available in specialty stores. To substitute I tried a quarter of a large lime (the big yellow ones from the mountains), it wasn't exactly the same but it added a nice citric kick. I also use dried plums in biryani's and pulao's quite often, they are just right when you want to balance spicy-tangy-sweet. You can use plum sauce as well, a tbsp or so but it's very Asian for my palate.

Lamb/Mutton 750 gms
Onions, finely sliced, 2
Garlic Cloves 6-8 small or 3-4 big, smashed
Black Cardamom 2
Green Cardamom 5
Cloves 6
Cinnamon 1whole stick
Bay leaf 2
Dried Lime 1
Garam Masala 1 tbsp
Paprika 1 tsp
Sugar 1 tbsp or 1 dried plum
Hot water 1 cup
Olive Oil 6 tbsp
Salt

Wash and pat dry the lamb/mutton, marinate with salt and paprika, keep in the fridge, it marinates better in the cold. Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a pressure cooker (I don't pressure cook the meat, I just give it one whistle before serving/assembling so meat the opens up, it's already tender from the braising). Throw in the garlic and it brown slightly, add the onions, keep the flame high and get them transparent and on the verge of caramelizing that kind of keeps them sweet-ish. The rest of oil will be used to roast the whole spices which you can do in a small pan or baby wok. So fry the whole spices separately and add the whole thing to the onions and garlic. Add the meat and keep the heat up, let the meat sear, move it around and mix the whole thing up nicely. This should take around 5 minutes, after which you can add the Garam masala, dried lime, sugar or a dried plum and salt. Fold it all in, put in 1/2 cup of hot water, lower the flame and cover with a heavy lid, no need to pressure cook. mix and check in about 20 minutes, add the rest of the hot water, cover and cook for another 20-25 minutes, keep an eye on it, you can add little more hot water only to keep the meat moist not to make a curry. Check the meat, it should be nice and tender, you can give it one whistle but check that there is ample moisture (not a lot). Boil the rice while the meat cooks, drain and layer in a low, flat baking dish. Layer the meat on top once done, you can sprinkle burnt onions, blanches almonds and even roasted raisins on the top. Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes on 200 C.

I served this with our kitchen's all time favourite garlic dip/dressing/topping 'thoum', a combination of fresh garlic paste, yoghurt and mayonnaise. Try serving this fresh orange or 'keenu' wedges, it is just superb! Enjoy!

Nostalgia and a Bloody Mary

2012-12-09T08:12:00.000-08:00

It had been a while since I had one of 'them' leisurely afternoons, the kind when there is no agenda, no need for notes and not a 'damn' is given about the nuances. Last Sunday afternoon was shaping up in that very direction, leisure, old friends and new ones, good food and a Bloody Mary. I met up with a my gourmand friends (I am making a conscious effort to refrain from using 'foodie' and I don't much care for the word 'pals') at The Claridges, at Surajkund on a sunny afternoon, ready to eat! We were going to tuck into the Sparkling Brunch at The Oasis, the bright, spacious and truly sparkling coffee shop at The Claridges. Though the foyer and lobby are peppered with 'nouveau' objet d'art the actual structure is very 'holiday resort in the Maldives. It is a pretty stark contrast and quite a pleasant one. The Oasis floods with light during the day and I love that about coffee shops. The aroma of coffee hit me first and since I was starved it was doubly scintillating. Everyone had settled in with flutes of sparkling wine but for me, winter afternoons are never complete without a kickass Bloody Mary. Yum!

We started with the cold station and I was thrilled to see baby octopus waiting patiently for me (sorry about humanizing them a bit but they were such a nice surprise)! Lovely and fresh, this was one of the high points for me. With the kind of produce available to hotels today, they are your safest bet for exotic foods, they know exactly how to treat foods that may be your favourite but not something you are comfortable cooking.

Moving on to salads, which I rarely fill up on, except when they read something like this - "Roasted corn & pepper with tenderloin' or 'garlic flavoured courgette& mushroom with fresh mint', then you have to dig in, there was a tiny station where Chef would customize a salad for you, so I did a quick iceberg, walnuts, tomatoes and parmesan with a honey dijon flavoured dressing, super! In retrospect, I shouldn't have skipped the live Bruschetta station, not after seeing bacon bits, walnuts, sauteed mushrooms and black olives waiting to be topped on crusty bread... sigh!

The main course offered three cuisines, Indian, Chinese and Continental and as I made my way across islands of food, I bumped into 'sushi', something I rarely say no to. The sushi was light, fresh and nicely done, I absolutely loved the hummus, the fresh little pita's and combining it with the tenderloin salad, I was in Mediterranean heaven. I am not a big fan of Indian food, don't get me wrong, I grew up on it and eat it at home regularly, which is why I don't always feel the need to indulge in it when I eat out. Having said that, I have to echo most of us on this one, the Jungle Maas (mutton) at the Indian 'island' was outstanding. I had seconds and if it hadn't been for the desserts I would have had 'thirds' too! The tenderloin steaks with apple jus were very done too, though quite honestly I love what pro kitchens have started doing with aubergines in continental 'avatars', yum! I skipped the Chinese only because of complete lack of space, owing to the fact that Chef Gurjyote Singh Sethi isn't just a talented Chef but an involved and indulgent one too. He noticed me checking out pizza going into the oven and asked if I'd like a sizzling pepperoni pizza pie, I said I was looking for something more Egyptian/Greek/Med, elaborating further I asked for precisely this - thin crust, blind baked, topped with dollops of the hummus I loved, sprinkled with fresh arugula and that's it. What he served me was all that and more, the whole table loved the pizza and the gesture too, customized to the T! Incidentally, I didn't say anything about the seasoning, yet it was perfect. These are the kind of things that make a lovely afternoon, lovelier!

I completed the meal with just a couple of the dozen or more desserts, I loved the Chocolate Mousse, the White Wine Jelly with Strawberry Cream with delicate and beautifully balanced, I gave the Indian sweets a pass but I do regret not trying the very exotic and rather royal looking vermicelli dessert that afternoon, good, something left to head back for! The Vanilla and Prune Pannacotta was sugar free yet delicious and nice to see sugar free options on the menu. I couldn't obviously resist a scoop of vanilla ice cream, quickly swerved under the chocolate fountain and then topped with walnuts, nirvana!

Thanks for a lovely afternoon - Sid 'The Glue' Khullar, Anatara 'The Bride' Ray, Charis 'The Delightful' Bhagianathan and Mukta 'The Lovely Newbie' Bhatnagar!

From the Hotel:

Oasis-the all day dining restaurant offers the best of world cuisine with its distinctive creativity. The lavish buffet will showcase Indian classic sweets like gulab jamun , ras malai , halwa to kid’s favorite desserts such as raspberry cakes, puddings and ice creams. There will be a chocolate fountain specially placed for the kids. Sunday brunch at Oasis showcases the fine art of culinary skills with its live kitchen counters such as Japanese counter, a separate Tapas counter where you can choose from a variety of salads and also make your own salads, separate Chinese and Indian counters and a contemporary tandoor is also there for the guests. The multicuisine buffet will have a wide range of special and authentic regional dishes to accompany with rose champagne and sparkling wine.
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The following are the rates and inclusions of our Diwali Special Sunday Brunch.
Sparkling Brunch – 2300 + Taxes

· Elaborate buffet (Multicuisine)
· Sparkling Wine
· Mocktails and Cocktails

Champagne Brunch – 3000 + Taxes

· Elaborate buffet (Multicuisine)
· Champagne
· Sparkling Wine
· Mocktails and Cocktails

Moet Rose Brunch- 4500 + Taxes

· Elaborate buffet (Multicuisine)
· Rose Champagne
· Champagne
· Sparkling Wine
· Mocktails and Cocktails

Kids Brunch – 999 + Taxes

· Elaborate buffet (Multicuisine)
· Smiley
· French fries
· Mini pizza
· Mini burger
· cup cakes
· puddings
· fresh juices