Posted on April 19, 2014 April 26, 2015

Desiya Cafe

April 19, 2014

Gappe Gol Hain

By Aisha Bhattacharya

What do you do when you get a Gol Gappa craving these days? You, hunt for a safe place to eat it which invariably leads you to Haldiram’s or Bikanervala where you get this sanitized-sealed packet of gol gappas and an unappetizing bowl of vaguely sweet & sour water. The joy is missing. Like we Dilliwalahs say, “Feel nahi aati!” (It doesn’t feel the same). The more adventurous types eat off the roadside, always a little sceptical and asking, “Bhaiyya, Bisleri ka paani hai na?” (It’s Bisleri water right?)

Doesn’t feel quite right… does it? Fear no more, the soon-to-be-officially launched Desiya Cafe has just the thing for you. Located in the heart of the Bohemian hub in south Delhi – Hauz Khas

Village aka HKV (shorter version for Social Media Convenience) Desiya Cafe is the first building when you exit the fort or the last one before you enter the fort. Located on the ground floor is Desiya Express which serves Indian street food in a hygienic way while still maintaining the roadside ‘feel’ of it. As of now, they only have the ground floor open which seats about 12 – 15 people at best. There is a long running table along the wall where you can stand or sit. An open kitchen is behind it so you can see your food being prepared in front of you. The chairs are rather comfortable and don’t make you want to get up. The first floor is still being done and will have the Desiya Express menu plus an add-on Dining menu. This restaurant is owned by Jackpot Ventures who have the already well known Turkish and Lebanese restaurant ‘Faarsi’, also in HKV.

I was lucky enough to be invited by the Corporate General Manager, Ankush Myint for a preview of the place and I have to say I was rather impressed by the spread he arranged for me.

Having previously worked in HKV, I know exactly what the Gol Gappa craving is like. I would run to Evergreen 9in Green park Market) and eat insipid ones just to feel better. It never quite worked out well. So imagine my excitement when the first thing to arrive was ‘Gol Gappas’!! I was given 3 atta and 3 sooji ones (which I replaced with atta), a sweet tamarind flavour water, a tamarind chutney, the typical stuffing of cubed boiled potatoes and boiled kabuli chana and my favourite sour water (which I find always tastes like jaljeera). The Gol gappas were huge and that is intentional said Ankush. Apparently till the water doesn’t drip down the side of your mouth it doesn’t feel like the ‘real thing’. This is a tried and tested theory! The entire ensemble is well presented and tasted like it should. A spicy, sour, sweet and crunchy mouthful of heaven.

Next, was the Mumbai staple – Vada Pav. Admittedly I have never been a huge fan but, this one hits the right spot! Butttery bun with a Vada that melts in your mouth, add a dash of the garlic and jeera chutney and you’re good to go! I didn’t just taste, I ate the whole thing. To wash this down I was presented with two beverages – a Kala Khatta Sharbat and a Masala Shikanjvi. The Kala khatta sharbat was a tad bit too sweet for me and when I suggested they add more chaat masala to it, Ankush said that customers had complained that by the time they reach the parking lot, “Pet mein gur gur hoti hai” (stomach starts to rumble) So the executive decision taken was to leave it a little sweet. The Masala Shikanjvi on the other hand, had the right mix of flavours. Nice and fizzy with the right balance of chatpata flavours that reminds one of the masala shikanjvi in Modi Nagar. Yes, ‘That’ one! I found if you sip these two drinks together, you get this wonderful kick of a sweet, salty, tangy, spicy, fizzy liquid.

I was then served a kebab platter with Ajwaini Fish Tikka, Kalmi Kebab and Bhatti Tangri. All three were good standard kebab fare available in Delhi. The fish was exceptionally good, so you must try that if you enjoy fish.

At this point I couldn’t eat another morsel but Ankush insisted I had to try one last thing – Night watchman ka Chicken in a Bun. The name sounded odd but greed and curiosity got the better of me and I succumbed to this onslaught of delicious food. The dish is essentially a buttery hot dog bun slit on top and filled with a wetish spicy chicken keema and topped with some mint chutney. So good. So so good. The story behind this dish is about a Night Watchman who would make this during his shift and a lot of people in 24 hour work environments would come to his thela for a midnight snack. He reported made quite a packet selling this invention. The chicken keema is done Rahra style, well cooked and flavoursome.

In a nutshell Desiya has a big menu with quick service, food that tastes as good as it looks and quirky interiors that make you smile. It recreates the charm of Chandni chowk on your palette while keeping you safely ensconced in a bubble in South Delhi. I would think they will offer stiff competition to Dhaba by Claridges. So, the next time you’re wandering around in Hauz Khas village craving street food, be sure to pop in for a visit and you shall not leave disappointed.

Price for 2: 800 (without alcohol)

To speak to them call: +91-8130200444

To visit them go to: Desiya Cafe, 50-E, Ground Floor, Hauz Khas Village

Anubhav Sapra

Anubhav Sapra is an avid foodie! He is a Founder but proudly calls himself a Foodie-in-chief at Delhi Food Walks. He is also a street-food and Indian regional cuisine connoisseur and loves to write about street-food.

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on April 19, 2014 April 26, 2015

Play With your Drinks

April 19^th, 2014

Play With your Drinks

By Aisha Bhattacharya

Hello Boozy Birds,

I love impromptu invitations to tastings of new drinks menus (alcoholic). I mean, who doesn’t? I was fortunate enough to have received a fun invite to Mamgoto in Khan Market last evening. Now, when someone tells me to play with my drink, I’m not quite sure what to make of it? Because we were told as children not to play with our food, so this concept unsettled me.

I reached at 7 pm and was sent to a table reserved for a Bloggers meet at the terrace. I was the first person to be seated and had to wait for all the other fashionably late Delhiites to arrive. The event started at about 8 pm. One of the Co-founders Rahul Khanna introduced himself and the concept of ‘Play With Your Drinks’. Mamagoto will let you be your own bartender for the night, bringing out the hidden mixologist in you. This interactive bar allows the consumer to choose from a massive spread of alcohol, mixers, glassware and garnishes to help you make your own unique Cocktail. The best part is you even get to name your cocktail. Hence, the Play part of the theme for the evening.

We were divided into teams of two and each team had to make a cocktail. Rahul was watching every step of what alcohol base we used, whether a fresh fruit was being used or just Monin’s syrup, if we used herbs in correct combinations and how the drink was served. He then tasted each drink and scored each team. A winner was announced at the end of the event and the two boys who won got a Goodie bag each of Mamagoto merchandise.

Rahul Khanna is a Mixologist and spent the better part of the evening helping the rest of us get acquainted with what goes into making combinations while mixing drinks. For e.g. Don’t use crushed ice in a shaker as it dilutes the drink, when you muddle ingredients don’t transfer them to another glass but make the drink in that one itself and other such important tips. I noticed everyone listening eagerly while eating huge portions of their dinner that followed. Anything I say about their food, doesn’t do it enough justice. I just know that when in doubt, a bowl of Chicken broth for the Hungry Soul can do wonders or some Rock Shrimp Tempura with a couple of chilled beers on a warm sultry evening will hit all the right spots.

An exciting concept for those who don’t want to drink a cosmopolitan or an LIIT every time they go out, ‘Play with your Drink’ gives you the opportunity to think out of the box and have whatever combination comes to mind, provided they have the ingredients. The only downside being that if the drink tastes terrible, you only have yourself to blame. So, be wise while playing with your drink and have a good evening for just 315++ per drink! If you’re not feeling too adventurous and want to play it safe ask the in-house mixologist to create something for you or order a Cinnamon Whiskey Story pitcher and watch others make newbie mistakes. So bring a couple of friends and come ‘Play With Your Drinks’ at Mamagoto.

You already know what to do on Facebook so take photos of your drink and tag them. Also on Instagram – @MamagotoFunAsian or Twitter – @MamagotoFun. You could also use their hashtag #mamadrinkup

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on April 18, 2014 April 26, 2015

Kebab And Curry Festival @ Courtyard by Marriott

April 18th, 2014

Kebab And Curry Festival @ Courtyard by Marriott

By Anubhav Sapra

Event Details:
Date: 11th April to 20th April 2014
Time: 7pm – 11:30pm
Price: INR 1450 + taxes per person
Venue: MoMo Café, Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon
For reservations, call: +91 124 488 8444 / Ext 8245

Recently, I was invited by Courtyard by Marriott,Gurgaonto review their Kebab and Curry festival crafted by an imperial guest chef along with Executive Chef Ashis Rout. The evening started with an engrossing discussion with the Chef himself, whose expert understanding of the Hyderabadi, Awadhi and Kashmiri cuisines was astounding. He has spent substantial years in Kolkata, exploring its lanes for its food and spices.

RAJMA KI SHAMMI

My gastronomical journey started with Rajmake kebab which was followed by a slew of mouth-watering dishes like the Subz Sheekhampuri, Chapli Kebabs, tikka masala, Shikampuri kebab served with ulte tawe ka paratha, and Hyderabadi Mahi Rezaal.With Lucknowi spices running deep into the kebabs, the tandoor-cooked Murgh Nishapuri was among the evening’s favourites.

The green chutney that was served with the Kebabs added dollops of flavor to the already juicy and succulent Kebabs.The Chapli kebab, which is a traditional dish from the Pakistani cuisine, was exceptionally spicy and melt-in-mouth delicious. It had a nice lemony tinge to it. The only downside is that it is difficult to find good Chapli Kebabs in Delhi.

Among the curries served, I liked the Roganjosh – a perfect blend of spices and soft and succulent pieces of meat. The color of the curry was blood red, which comes from the Kashmiri dry red chillies used to prepare it. As told by the Chef Ashis, the signature spices for this dish are hing/asafoetida, fennel seeds and the dried ginger powder, along with a variation of a combination of cinnamon, cardamom, and clove. Yogurt is added to givea slight tanginess and texture to the sauce. There are no tomatoes added to the traditional dish, not even to enhance color.

The biggest disappointment for me was the Chicken Nahari. Nahari is usually made of Beef or lamb meat cooked overnight with spices at low flame, after which the meat becomes so soft that it simply melts in the mouth. Unfortunately, the chicken nahari served at the festival had big pieces which were not soft enough to melt and hence took the essence of the dish away.

For desserts, I had Kulfi and Makhane ki Kheer. The kheer was simply delicious and the crispy crunchiness of the Makhana felt great in the mouth.

The Kebab & Curry Festival is on till April 20, from 7:00 pm to 11:30 pm. Don’t miss it!

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on April 12, 2014 April 26, 2015

Diggin

April 12th, 2014

Diggin

By Somya Kukreti, Foodie Correspondent

Diggin is a new, multi-cuisine restaurant in Anand Lok, right across the road from Gargi College. Opened in February this year, the restaurant has already made quite a name for itself. The residents of AnandLok and Green Park form a huge chunk of their customer base. Add to this the crowd from Gargi College which cannot get enough of the restaurant’s unique ambience.It is a double-storey restaurant with outdoor seating and patio on the ground as well as on the first floor.

Seeing the influx of college students, Diggin has realized that not all of them can afford its luxuriously priced menu. And so tosatisfy everyone, Diggin has introduced their DU Special Menu from 12 noon to 4 pm, with half the menu, half the prices, and sadly, half the portion. But this isn’t necessarily bad. There are two meal options within the price of Rs.200. You can either get an appetizer, a main and a soft drink, or a main course, a drink and gelato. I ordered a Margherita pizza, garlic bread with cheese and coke. The pizza lacked flavourto the extent that even oregano and chilli flakes couldn’t make it worthwhile. The cheese garlic bread too did not leave an impression on me. What did impress me though were the shakes. Available only on the regular menu, the flavour-filled shakes are surely a treat to the taste buds. Priced at Rs.150, the Ferrero Rocher shake and the Belgian Chocolate shake are a ‘must try’, especially in this weather.

The peach iced tea was a new spin on the traditional iced tea and went well with everything. The white sauce pasta too was delicious, though I would stay clear of the red sauce pasta. Even though the food can be hit-and-misssometimes, the ambience is one to be experienced. Looking at the décor and the efforts they had taken to make their restaurant look appealing, one could only wish they had put as much efforts in making their dishes savoury.One of the unique qualities of the restaurant is that there is a very high chance of running into the owner and striking up a conversation with him. All in all, it is a good place to hang out with your friends, with higher chances of satisfaction if you order something other than the pizza!

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on March 31, 2014 April 26, 2015

Summer Hour MasterClass With Chef Ritu Dalmia

Summer Hour MasterClass With Chef Ritu Dalmia

Bhuvaneshwari Sivakumar,

Food Correspondent

It was a beautiful Friday evening. And what did Delhi have in store for me this time? Rain. And on this day when Delhi decided to be as whimsical as it could, I happened to be at the right place at the right time – in the posh, upmarket area of Defence Colony, waiting for the Diva herself, Chef Ritu Dalmia!

Held in her very own restaurant Diva Kitsch, which is predominantly modern Asian, Chef Ritu’s Summer MasterClass was one fabulous event! While the guests came in expecting to learn some easy-to-cook dishes by watching the Super Chef in action, the Diva had some other plans in mind – “I want to get their hands dirty as well!” Where we thought we could vicariously enjoy the pleasures of cooking, she placed the ladles in our hands, giving us all a good time. With her simple techniques and unique takes on authentic Asian cuisines, the Chef made it clear that food is to be enjoyed along with guests, not alone in the kitchen making sophisticated dishes that took up the whole of your time!

Saying “God bless you all!” she began the evening by cooking select dishes from the restaurant’s menu, the first being cold Vietnamese Rolls. She then proceeded to make the Avocado soup with Crab salad. Simple yet titillating to the taste buds, these dishes were easy and quick to make. Busy relishing the taste of her classy dishes, we forgot to address the compliments directly to her. And what did Ritu Dalmia say? “My ego is fragile. Make some noises you guys! Say ‘mmmm’.” Without the pleasantly optimistic aura that she carried around, the event would have been but another cookery class. The last dish of the session was the Burnt Garlic Soya Prawns. This time around, she invited the guests to make a little something for the rest of us, while she stood aside, watching over like a silent guardian.

The hosts at Diva Kitsch then took us over to the Bar area, treating us to some exceptional cocktails. Among the blends prepared for us were The G & Tea, Kitschy Cooler, Rummy Monsoon and the Bloody Beer. Inviting a host of compliments for the hotness of the drink, the Bloody Beer was the most surprising of them all. Bidding adieu to the guests while we were still at the Bar, the Chef left us all good-humored: “I can see where your priorities lie!”

The session then ended with guests enjoying dishes from the Liquid Hour Menu and cocktails at Diva Kitsch!

With a pleasantly soothing ambience and calm, unpretentious music playing in the background, Diva Kitsch is a great place to go to, provided you are carrying a wad of cash in your wallet. Do try their Peanut tarts with Tomato Salsa and the Chicken dumplings!

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on March 30, 2014

Amira Pure Foods holds Live Kitchen, on the festive occasion of Holi

Amira Pure Foods holds Live Kitchen, on the festive occasion of Holi, at AAHAR International Fair 2014

Holi is not just the festival of colours but also the time to indulge in some gastronomical delights. To savour in on the moment, Amira Pure Foods, one of the top global food companies, organized a live kitchen at AAHAR International Fair 2014. The event was hosted by celebrity chef Ripudaman Handa, the winner of Masterchef India Season 3, who displayed how Amira products can be used to add flavor to Holi delicacies.

Ripu Daman Handa is a gym instructor from Delhi who won the season 3 of MasterChef India. He won the kitchen battle by defeating Doyel Sarangi, a homemaker from Kolkata and Varanasi-based Navneet Rastogi, who comes from a family of caterers.

“Holi is a festival associated with some of the best food and sweets like gujiya, puran poli, sweet rice, kesar pulao and kheer. And the brand Amira epitomizes authentic basmati rice and other healthy, specialty foods. Therefore we wanted to further enhance the festive spirit and organized this Live Kitchen, to make Holi even more exclusive and scrumptious for people.” said an Amira Foods official.

Masterchef Ripudaman could not agree more. The 24-year-old former trainer, a Punjabi at heart, has come a long way since his win in the top food programme across the world. He has prepared some crackling and delicious Holi dishes at the Amira Live Kitchen. As a formal instructor, he takes special interest in healthy food, and for the Amira Live Kitchen, lined up extraordinary recipes for the audience.

As part of the main course, the Masterchef cooked Amira Vegetable Fried Rice and Amira Peas Pulao and for the dessert he prepared a lip-smacking Amira Kesari Kheer, garnished with saffron.

Amira strives to achieve ‘passion for purity’ by ensuring that the customers get pure, unadulterated and authentic food. Amira provides not just the best basmati rice to customers but also the best Indian snacks, ready-to-eat dishes and a range of organic products including legumes, lentils, spices and herbs.

To showcase the same, the chef cooked Amira Canapé Indiano, a starter made from sautéed Amira Rice fusing with Amira Namkeen and made yummier with a dash of Amira Organic Spices. This was followed by cooking Amira Chatapati Bhel, a unique and light all-time snack made from Amira Namkeens.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on March 22, 2014 April 26, 2015

In Conversation With Chef Saransh Goila

In Conversation With Chef Saransh Goila

By Bhuvaneshwari Sivakumar, Foodie Correspondent

Known in the food circles as the ‘Sadak Chef’, SaranshGoila is a vibrant persona with a love for life. He is twenty-seven, he is fun to be around and most importantly, he can talk. A lot. Thanks to him, we don’t have to worry about filling the gaps. Yet, he is so lively that it is difficult to encapsulate in a few 100 words all that we witnessed.

Addressing a gathering of 20 odd people in the soothing ambience of Zo Café on a late Tuesday evening, Saransh talked about his first love – camera (surprise!), food, travel, cuisines, and recounted his first culinary experience.

He always had a love for theatre, and his passion for it began in school. Pursuing it even further, he went on to do a 6 month course with the famous theatre director Barry John. And after that came the struggle. Quipping about it, he says, “I struggled for 2 years, which apparently people believe cannot be called one, for struggling for 2 years is not really long.”

Adamant on doing food television, and absolutely averse to joining hotels and restaurants, in this pursuit, he met NDTV Good Times, FoodFood(when it was still in its stages of development),Fox and TLC. Although repeatedly told by allof them that it is a great combination – “you can act and you can cook too” nothing really materialized for Saransh. It was only after Food Foodhad called him to audition for a reality show “Food FoodMaha Challenge”that he got his first break. He recounts, “I still very pleasantly remember, when I had won the show, you know they burst crackers and everything, yeah, I didn’t react at all. So much so it was 3 in the night and I didn’t react because I didn’t know what to do. So I had won, fine, but what now? That was what was running in my head already! They had to do those fireworks again and only later they told me that the winner of the show gets to do his own show on TV. Then they got all the reactions out of me.”

According to him, cooking abilities alone won’t pave the way for you if you are on television. When you are on TV, a lot of things work for you. Your personality and character add a great deal to your overall appeal. It depends a lot on what you bring to the screen. Try observing Saransh, both onscreen and off-screen, and you’ll know what he is talking about!

Tidbits from the Q&A session:

Q. Being from a modern generation of chefs, what is your opinion about molecular and reconstructed food?

A. I have never used any molecular gastronomic techniques. I personally think that it does not work for Indian cuisines. No matter what lengths you are willing to go to, you can make a butter chicken foam, but it does not work for me. It works as a theme for a month or for a week. I don’t think it works as a restaurant which functions all across the industry.

Q. Do you plan to continue with television side by side even when you open your restaurant?

A. Like I said, my first love is television. I am very clear about it, never been pretentious about it. I am first and foremost a TV personality. Camera is my first love and food is like an affair!

Being a successful chef on television does not necessarily mean that I will be a successful restaurateur. They are not linked. It is a tricky place to be in. The only way you can pull it off, which I am struggling with as well is, to train 2 or 3 people who can understand you and then they follow the same vision. Find people with the same wavelength, get it together, and open a restaurant, only then can you market it. I can’t be making it and marketing it too. It is impossible.

Q. Food festivals are common now, but what do you make of Food Films?

A. Awesome question! The dream is to make a food film. If you notice, it has already begun. Lunchbox was a food film. Jodha Akbar had such a huge food sequence – they actually had real halwais who cooked real food. This whole sequence was shot in real time, and they cooked for masses. The food shots in Lunchbox were unbelievable. The time she was making that kofta, oh my god, my mouth started watering, it still is! Food shows are no longer the same. The vision has changed. It is more story-based now. If I am a 27 year old guy, who lives on his own in Bombay, my profile tells me that I should be doing a show on these same lines.

This country has 220 cuisines, I have actually counted. I believe in travelling, I believe in learning from people, I believe in learning any cuisine that comes my way, though I choose to be an Indian specialist, because I can relate to it the most.

People who don’t know, I used to weigh 95kgs, now I am 66! A friend from college once asked “Why don’t you become one of those chefs who are very fit?” Eight years back, I couldn’t think of a chef who was fit. And, he was right. He planted that idea in my head. I ran every day for 2 years, no gym, I hate them, no diets,and I believe that there is a ‘die’ in diet, no diet, never.

Travel changes you as a person and also as a chef. I still remember, on the ninth day of “Roti, Rasta aur India” I had a huge fight with the crew that “You don’t have the right knife for me to chop the vegetables with; you are making me squeeze lemons with my hand.” I had to make some saag, and obviously I chopped as finely as I could with my knife, which was blunt. After 15 days of shooting, my first episode went on air, and among the first messages I ever got in my life, I received one which said “It was so good to see you squeezing lemons with your hand.” It was enlightening! I never thought someone would want to see me use my hands! I realized that at the end of the day we are dealing with common people, and they like things which are basic and are easier to do back in their houses.

We wish Saransh the best of luck for all his future endeavours, and also thank ThnkMkt for organizing this amazing interactive session!

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on March 11, 2014 April 26, 2015

WHY INDIAN FOOD IS MORE THAN CURRY!

WHY INDIAN FOOD IS MORE THAN CURRY!

By Shreya Sofat

Indian cuisine is probably the most diverse cuisine in the world but sadly the perception is that Indian food is just “curry”. The antiquated heritage of Indian cuisine goes back thousands of years and boasts of an assorted menu of cuisines and not just one cuisine. This includes a whopping 300 ways of cooking a potato. While Indian food is synonymous with ‘curry, naan bread and pappadoms’, there is certainly more to it. Today’s era of cultural understanding requires a better awareness of authentic Indian food.

The ‘curry-muncher’ tag for Indians is just too stereotypical. It’s like saying the Japanese are sushi-munchers and Italians are pasta-munchers. It is unfortunate that the image of Indian food has got pigeon-holed into a masala dabba. This perception is so engrained that every time the Indian opens a lunch box, he/she gets asked ‘Is it curry?’

Ask an Indian in India where you can have curry and in all likelihood, he or she would give you a blank look as this strange word ‘curry’ is not found in Indian vocabulary. In fact only NRIs are familiar with this stereotyped word. The closest word is ‘kari’ in Tamil. The general perception of Indian food comes from the takeaway curry in Indian restaurants or food courts. But what is not known is that these popular takeaway foods are generally the ones reserved for special occasions.

Anyway, here is a diversity test on Indian food. How many of us know about the ‘Idiappam’ and ‘Puttu’ from South India or the Maharashtrian ‘Bhaakhar vadi’, ‘Ussal Vadaa’ and ‘Pitla’ or the Bengali ‘Macher Jol’ or ‘Bangla Kichudi’. Tried the Gujarati ‘Ponk’ or ‘Jowar Kichu’? How about a Kashmiri ‘Kahwa’ or the Garhwali ‘Fanna’? What about the Kumouni ‘Mandua ki Roti’, the Konkani ‘Garadudde Paayas’, the Odiya ‘Jahni Posta’ or the Himachali ‘Channa Madra’? Because India is such a diverse country, even we Indians might not know some of these recipes. “Tell me what you eat, and I’ll tell you who you are” once said the renowned French gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. Not sure how Brillat-Savarin would have fared in this test.

Indian cuisine is plausibly the most varied food culture in the world that even within a state, there are different cuisines and food combinations.This is so complex that it’s difficult to define Indian cuisine. In fact, Indian cuisine is a misnomer as there is no such thing as one Indian cuisine.

While the popular Chicken tikka masalas and the Nana breads have traveled far and wide into the food courts around the world, the authentic Indian and regional cuisine is still unexplored by the masses. Just take the aloo (potato) recipes from India. Though it is well known that India has some 300 different ways to cook a potato, how many aloo recipes could one think of?

Given this depth and diversity, the menu cards in Indian restaurants hardly reflect the variety in India’s cuisine. Indian restaurant food for some reason gets restricted to North Western Indian food (the Punjabi/Mughlai type) and that too cooked to suit the local taste. Obviously there’s more to Indian cuisine than just Punjabi cooking.

What an overseas Indian family eats at home is rarely the same flavour and taste to what is available in Indian restaurants. The locals’ only exposure to Indian food is through Indian restaurants and most people don’t have enough interaction with Indian families to see what is eaten on a daily basis.

Moreover, when one goes to these Indian food joints, one gets asked a surprising question ‘How would you like it – Mild, Medium or Hot?’ Some even give a fourth option i.e. the ‘Extreme! Bring it on.’ option. Go to a regular dhaaba in Punjab or a restaurant in Chennai and ask for “mild” food, the guy will respond with a ‘whaaat?’ and a strange look reserved specially for a desi NRI.

The art of cookery has been so perfected in the 10,000 year old continuous Indian civilisation that besides the flavour they also have excellent health value. Many recipes that are based on Ayurvedic principles not only satisfy the taste buds but also take care of the physical well-being. The goodness in the masalas used widely in Indian cooking is well-documented and the subject of regular research.

So, Indian food is not just one type of food. Served authentically in the right portion size, it can be the right food for the right climate and for the right body type.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on March 11, 2014 April 26, 2015

Crazy Bruno

Happiness is.. good food at your doorstep

By Shreya Chowdhury

Hungry at night and too busy and lazy to venture out at that hour, a cute ‘crazy’ pup named Bruno has the answer. Crazy Bruno is a food manufacturing unit with an elaborate home delivery network which prepares exotic food and arranges home delivery from 7pm to 4am anywhere in South Delhi. Currently based near New Friends Colony, they are the new DONs of home delivery in town, with zomato rating them 3.5 in just one and a half months of their inception. Owners Abhishek, Hemant, Ashish, Akhil and Omaid have achieved a miniscule part of their dream of developing an elaborate food preparation station and providing an efficient, fast and effective delivery mechanism, mixing their love for food with business.

The most popular items looks to be their mouth-watering chicken manchurian combo and tandoori momos. Their noodles have a very homely taste which is a very pleasant and welcome change from the types one would see in restaurants and food joints. The manchurian, though a little tangy, tastes pretty good. The chilli paneer is definitely a winner! The paneer is soft and tender, with a slightly spicy gravy which is delicious. Imagine getting hot steamy chicken momos with spicy chutney delivered right at your doorsteps! What more could a momo fan ask for? The tandoori momos are indeed, a treat to savour and a delight to the taste buds, with the Tibetan momos given a interesting Punjabi twist. Their Indian menu is quite a killer too. The paneer tikka salad has good flavour, but the butter chicken is simply a bomb! Succulent chicken with thick creamy tomato gravy is, in one word, heaven! However, their star is definitely their burgers! Soft buns with a tasty proportion of patty and a generous helping of cheese and mayonnaise are a fabulous combination. These burgers are prepared with an exciting new recipe.

Crazy Bruno has also started a little experiment called Deal of the Night (DON), where they give special offers, discounts, a variety of items, and a whole lot of other exciting features. They also cater to Birthdays and House Parties. For good quality food without having to burn a hole in the pocket, Crazy Bruno is just a call away. In this tech-savvy world, they even take orders on WhatsApp. With Crazy Bruno in town, happiness is good, exciting, exotic and mouth-watering food delivered at your doorstep!

website:-www.crazybruno.in

phone number:- +91- 9899011399

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on February 15, 2014 April 26, 2015

Spring Food Festival

USHERING SPRING WITH FOOD

By Shreya Chowdhury

Spring, the season of joy, colour, fun and frolic, greenery all around, of sweet fragrance of fresh flowers and chirping of birds, was experienced in its full splendor at Lajpat Bhavan on 9^th February, 2014 on the occasion of the Spring Food Festival, the annual fund-raiser organized by the Sisters of the People’s Society for underprivileged children. It was a colourful affair, full of life, with kids playing in the trampoline and riding the giant wheel, vibrant stalls selling beautiful knick-knacks and a whole lot of exquisite wares. The main attraction, however, was undoubtedly the food which ranged from Thai curry and rice, Lebanese food to Rajasthani thali, South Indian dosas to pakoras, phirni and ice cream. It was, as one would aptly call it, a foodie’s paradise, a gourmet’s delight.

People of all ages and from various walks of life, streamed around the food stalls in their efforts towards tickling their taste buds. Not to be left behind, we also made most of our time there sampling the delicacies and gorging on the lavish display. Our first stop was the stall where two elderly women were selling aloo and gobi pakoras. These were absolutely mouth-watering and appeared straight out of grandma’s kitchen and, indeed, North Indian delicacies at their best! Our next stop was the stall selling exquisite momos. We were lucky to get there in time as they were completely sold out and we were, in fact, the last ones to savour the steamy hot momos, which were simply brilliant. The chicken momos were soft and well-seasoned and completely out of the world! The Shephard’s pie was rather hot but, nevertheless, delicious even though a bit too cheesy. The meat was tender, well-cooked and abounding with the aroma of exquisite spices! The raj kachoris were, on the other hand, a little disappointing. They were damp and the stuffing inside was a wee bit bland.

The dish of the day was, no doubt, the ‘luchi mangsho’ (puri and mutton). The long queue and even longer wait was absolutely worth the penny. Fluffy luchis with tenderly home-made mutton along with chana daal and tomato chutney was absolutely delicious. They appeared to be straight out of the streets of Kolkata. There was also an assortment of desserts. The Zuchini cake was quite a pleasant surprise, but the chocolate truffle cake was definitely the winner and, in one word, awesome!

The afternoon was, indeed, very memorable and a delightful experience for all who attended the festival since there was a brilliant display of exquisite India food at its best, from North to South, East to West, as well as a good sprinkling of Western food in the form of cakes, pastries and ice creams. It was a wonderful afternoon spent well, and the very look of the happy and contented faces of visitors leaving the venue of the Spring Food Festival after a hearty meal gave the impression that spring was, indeed, in the air and had been ushered in a gorgeous manner in the Spring Food Festival with excellent food.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com