There is a tonne of places/ things I have wanted to write about since the last time I open the editor for this blog. But everything that I held important over the last one year of jobless salary earning, suddenly seems to have taken a back seat. For the record, I am not one to give in so easily. So here we go, even if my opinion on all things important in life, comes in the form of a monthly report this time!
Daddy's Deli, the parsi restaurant, Off 100 feet road, Indiranagar - If the ordering in was good, eating at Daddy'd Deli is even better. Unbelievably quick service and steaming hot parsi fare make for a very interesting, gluttonous outing. And the prawns here were the freshest I have had in Bangalore. Absolutely brilliant!
Daddy's Deli, the cafe - quaint, and very aptly in one of the quietest lanes of Indiranagar, the Daddy's Deli cafe is absolutely mindblowing. Brilliant sandwiches, refreshingly "different" peas patties, fresh, awesome salads, and a Corner House to balance all the healthy eating. You can give the coffee a miss, or strictly order black. Like most other places, getting the right coffee is pretty difficult here. But having said that, I totally recommend this place and I am now waiting for the English breakfast trip to Daddy's Deli. It will happen the first Sunday I manage to wake up in time for breakfast.
New Punjabi Hotel, HAL 2nd Stage - It is really difficult to decide what the USP of this place is - price, taste, or the refreshingly "dilli waali feeling", complete with a Sardar ji asking you if the food is good and Biharis making you feel at home, serving you like you really are a guest and not a customer, and lassi! The food is absolutely brilliant, kaali daal is to die for, tandoori chicken is surprisingly succulent, and the naans and rotis are the best I have had in Bangalore. All this for less than Rs 200 for two people who generally overeat. The biryanis can be given a miss here, the lassi and naan, absolutely not! If you thought Kund (Indiranagar) was good, try New Punjabi Hotel. This is the closest you can get to the real dhaba experience, so far away from where the real dhabas are. +10.
Daily Bread, Wind Tunnel Road - Stupid coffee, dry-ish sandwiches, brilliant salads. For those who actually go to Daily Bread for anything else except cakes and pastries. I would say stick with what they are good at. The rest of the menu is plain incidental.
Starke's Chicken and Burgers, Indiranagar - It is a pity I will never go here again because the ambience is actually interesting, complete with verandah seating and fence and all. But you pay a huge price with the painfully slow service and the terrible bouts of indigestion that follow. I never really bothered about the "I puked after I ate there" reviews because, for the record, I have a stomach of steel. But hello, I am not invincible. Stupid service, stupider staff. But what takes the cake is the stupid feeling you get when you puke in the middle of the night. Best avoided.
Purple Haze - What can I say that has not been said before. It plays music I know, it has people who don't stare at women who smoke and scream songs tunelessly, and the staff is an amazingly happy bunch. One word - cult. In the last year and a half, my Purple Haze plans always went awry. Either replaced or completely dumped. But I was there for hours at a stretch last night, came home feeling very very happy, and I am glad today after I realized that youth is not completely lost on me. It's the kind of place where you have everything you need to destress. LOUD, good music. The real classic rock. And chilled beer (which is surprisingly rare these days!). And the prices and the music make sure all your other senses are numbed. Abso-freaking-brilliant. It is a pity I went to Purple Haze only now. It is the original cult pub. It is the Toons in Bangalore, which explains why I have been feeling so young! The HRC and Jimi's and Cirrus' of the world can go take a walk because I can say with absolute certainty that last night was the first of many, many visits to Purple Haze.
I have also been thinking that all the pretentious places around should take some customer service gyaan from smaller, even inexpensive places like Purple Haze and New Punjabi Hotel. The service is not fake respectful or annoyingly intruding. People look happy to serve you and that's all that matters!
More on the other side of the break, more to come on books and movies. Happy eating. In, out, wherever!
Showing posts with label The foodie diaries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The foodie diaries. Show all posts
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
What to do on a Dussehra weekend in Bangalore - 2
Anelaborate 4 course meal at Kolkata. To let the festivity sink in without screaming "Iliiiiiish" at the top of our voices. The place is festive through the year, that is what makes it more special during a festival. It is all about striking a balance.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
The friendly homemade chicken kebab. Probably tandoori
I have a new found confidence in myself. The one that screams out loud that now there is nothing I can't do. Why you ask? Because last night I made kebab from scratch and it turned out absolutely brilliant! No rookie mistakes, no burnt parts, no burnt hearts. They say you should not go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. Well. I did. And I got home a lot of extra Real Good. So I also picked up some extra masala thinking one day I will make kebabs and biryani to perfection. And I should not run out of masalas when I decide to do it. So a small carton of pav bhaaji masala here, some tandoori kebab masala there. And even as I was unpacking the grocery, I knew the day was here :P
It is the simplest kebab you can possibly make. Here is how -
Marinate the chicken for a couple of hours in a cup of curd, salt, ginger garlic paste, lots of Everest tandoori and garam masala, a dash of turmeric and some chilli powder. If you are feeling adventurous, add some coriander paste to the marinade.
Place the marinated pieces of chicken on a grilling tray, let the extra marinade drop off, brush some oil on the chicken, and microwave it on chicken cooking combination for about 5 minutes. Then turn over the pieces, brush some oil again, and grill for the next 30-45 minutes, checking once in a while on the colour to make sure the whole thing doesn't get thrown away like the last time. Turn over the pieces and brush some oil every 15 minutes or so. Once done, brush some lemon juice and hog it all with onion rings. Absolute bliss!
The grocery store did not have boneless chicken yesterday. Just so you know.
It is the simplest kebab you can possibly make. Here is how -
Marinate the chicken for a couple of hours in a cup of curd, salt, ginger garlic paste, lots of Everest tandoori and garam masala, a dash of turmeric and some chilli powder. If you are feeling adventurous, add some coriander paste to the marinade.
Place the marinated pieces of chicken on a grilling tray, let the extra marinade drop off, brush some oil on the chicken, and microwave it on chicken cooking combination for about 5 minutes. Then turn over the pieces, brush some oil again, and grill for the next 30-45 minutes, checking once in a while on the colour to make sure the whole thing doesn't get thrown away like the last time. Turn over the pieces and brush some oil every 15 minutes or so. Once done, brush some lemon juice and hog it all with onion rings. Absolute bliss!
 |
| The friendly homemade chicken kebab. Probably tandoori. |
The grocery store did not have boneless chicken yesterday. Just so you know.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Of books. Movies. Easy Chicken curry. And other such banalities
Anyway I did start watching Heroes after wondering what the fuss was about. In fact I finished a whole season. And no, I still don't know what the fuss was about. Just like I don't know why people love Harry Potter and Twilight so much. Heroes is way beyond imagination. And not in a good way. Too many superheroes, too much fantasy. The men are cute though. And no, I am not going to watch another season. Excuse me while I return to the 5th season of Frasier. It's real. I have always suffered the underdog syndrome, I like Frasier Crane more than any superhero. Krrrish included :P
I am back from a tragic-comic movie outing - I Hate Love Stories (I refuse to spell it incorrectly.) What on earth was it? I liked the movie, I haven't seen a love story I didn't like. But IHLS was extremely amusing, and not always intentionally. What can I say that hasn't been said before. Except don't believe all the reviews you read. The movie was actually fun. Shallow, almost stupid, but fun. But someone tell Sonam Kapoor she is not half as pretty as she thinks. So she can really, really drop the pretty damsel act and start being a little more.. I don't know.. Human? Imran Khan is the show stopper. Someday I want a son like him. Bah! I am getting old!
What's for dinner tonight? The Easy Chicken Curry. I don't think this recipe exists anywhere. It is some random things done to the very normal chicken curry recipe you read in most places, to make sure the cooking time doesn't exceed 15 minutes. And it is.. Err.. Healthier? Not a Bihari recipe by the way. Although it can pass off as Dehati Chicken. What? There actually is a chicken recipe that is called that. I found out only a couple of weeks ago. Coming back to my recipe, here you go..
Curd - 1 cup
Beans - 100 grams
Catch chicken masala
Ginger garlic paste
Chilli powder
Haldi
Onion
Coriander powder
Garam masala
Cumin powder
Dhaniya (to garnish.. Heh!)
And chicken of course. 500 grams. Serves two adults who like to overeat, this dish.
Whenever you have a few minutes during the day, marinate clean pieces of chicken in curd, ginger garlic paste, haldi, and chilli powder. Refrigerate the marinade. This recipe is pressure cooked, so make sure the pressure cooker is free and clean.
20 minutes before you sit down for the meal, saute jeera and small pieces of onion in mustard oil, add the beans and fry for a few minutes. Then add a little haldi, a teaspoon of chicken masala, some coriander powder, garam masala, and cumin powder. Pretend to fry the masala a little, just in case someone told you you weren't doing it right :P
Add the marinade, mix well. Cook the mixture for 4 seetis - the first one on high flame, the rest on low flame. Do NOT add water if watery chicken curry is not your idea of home cooked food and you liked it only during desperate hostel days. Of course I am speaking from experience!
Garnish the chicken curry with coriander (not the powder, the leaves) because trust me it will not look even half as nice as it will taste. Serve with steamed rice. This is Good food. Also because it hardly involves any effort. I might put a picture here later. Or maybe not!
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Cafe Masala - once is not enough!
My mum and sister are in town, and last night we frantically looked for a good buffet lunch option in town. My sister, for someone whose second visit to Bangalore is happening only now (the first one was when she was 2 and remembers only caramel popcorn at Kids Kemp - yes, our collective memory consists mainly of food and yes, it runs in the family!), knows enough about Bangalore to scare me a little. She mumbled Cafe Masala and we all agreed because I had read about it some time back and the name had stuck with me.
The 4 of us reached Cafe Masala 20 minutes later than the time we had made our reservations for, but we promptly got a table of four after we gave a few dirty looks to the slightly rude manager who almost rebuked us for being late (defence mechanism I guess, because he assumed that there were no free tables) and hence paid more attention to a customer (or someone else, for all I know) on the phone than he did to us. Unfortunately the tables in the sit out area were all taken and we had to make do with one in the airconditioned part of the restaurant. What followed was sheer pleasure, to put it mildly!
As a family, some of our biggest kicks come from good food and today was no different. We decided to go for the huge Sunday lunch buffet spread, but of course, and our starters were served on our table. I must mention here that I have had terrible luck with seafood, especially prawns, here in Bangalore. But the golden fried prawns served as one of the starters at Cafe Masala was mindblowing. Succulent, well cooked, and delicious. The chicken too was absolutely brilliant. The wide variety of salads and main course was to die for. I generally don't get anything above mediocre biryani at most North Indian buffet spreads and I was not expecting much from the mutton dum biryani here too. But I was wrong. Let me just put it this way - the food was really, really good.
The desserts were to die for. Chocolate was actually chocolatey and not just loaded with sugar, the pastries were very well made. I can't name a lot of the desserts I ate at Cafe Masala today, but for someone for whom dessert is the real main course, I can tell you I was "extremely satisfied". The jalebi could have been better, but I am not complaining. There was gajar halwa too, but sometimes, just sometimes, I get too full to not want to look at food too. Unfortunately, this happens only at buffet outings :-)
At Rs 375, the lunch outing today was worth every penny. Let me warn you that they charge both service tax and VAT, so please don't come running after me if you find the place a tad bit too expensive when the bill finally arrives. Happens. The feel good factor in this place was enough to leave me very happy with my Sunday! Perfect 10 for me!
By the way, has it ever happened to you that you spend years reminiscing about a certain sinful chocolatey delight but when you finally get to eat it, it leaves you wondering why you liked it so much in the first place? It happened to me yesterday. After 4 years of fantasizing about Mocha's Chocolate Avalanche, when I ate it again yesterday, I found it just plain brown, gooey sugar, no chocolate! Either Mocha at Koramangala didn't know how to make those brownies or I have grown up beyond Mocha's target group. I hated the place - tacky, dirty, and extremely pretensious. It left me very, very queasy!
The 4 of us reached Cafe Masala 20 minutes later than the time we had made our reservations for, but we promptly got a table of four after we gave a few dirty looks to the slightly rude manager who almost rebuked us for being late (defence mechanism I guess, because he assumed that there were no free tables) and hence paid more attention to a customer (or someone else, for all I know) on the phone than he did to us. Unfortunately the tables in the sit out area were all taken and we had to make do with one in the airconditioned part of the restaurant. What followed was sheer pleasure, to put it mildly!
As a family, some of our biggest kicks come from good food and today was no different. We decided to go for the huge Sunday lunch buffet spread, but of course, and our starters were served on our table. I must mention here that I have had terrible luck with seafood, especially prawns, here in Bangalore. But the golden fried prawns served as one of the starters at Cafe Masala was mindblowing. Succulent, well cooked, and delicious. The chicken too was absolutely brilliant. The wide variety of salads and main course was to die for. I generally don't get anything above mediocre biryani at most North Indian buffet spreads and I was not expecting much from the mutton dum biryani here too. But I was wrong. Let me just put it this way - the food was really, really good.
The desserts were to die for. Chocolate was actually chocolatey and not just loaded with sugar, the pastries were very well made. I can't name a lot of the desserts I ate at Cafe Masala today, but for someone for whom dessert is the real main course, I can tell you I was "extremely satisfied". The jalebi could have been better, but I am not complaining. There was gajar halwa too, but sometimes, just sometimes, I get too full to not want to look at food too. Unfortunately, this happens only at buffet outings :-)
At Rs 375, the lunch outing today was worth every penny. Let me warn you that they charge both service tax and VAT, so please don't come running after me if you find the place a tad bit too expensive when the bill finally arrives. Happens. The feel good factor in this place was enough to leave me very happy with my Sunday! Perfect 10 for me!
By the way, has it ever happened to you that you spend years reminiscing about a certain sinful chocolatey delight but when you finally get to eat it, it leaves you wondering why you liked it so much in the first place? It happened to me yesterday. After 4 years of fantasizing about Mocha's Chocolate Avalanche, when I ate it again yesterday, I found it just plain brown, gooey sugar, no chocolate! Either Mocha at Koramangala didn't know how to make those brownies or I have grown up beyond Mocha's target group. I hated the place - tacky, dirty, and extremely pretensious. It left me very, very queasy!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Of good food and the cliché called "click of a button"
You know how everyone has a friendly neighborhood home delivery restaurant for emergency meals at the end of a very hectic day at work, a friend coming over at meal time, or a lazy Sunday night with not much cash at home? Wang Chu (Indian Chinese cuisine, of course :-)) on Airport Road is one such place for us. I am sure not too many places in Bangalore make the kind of Bihari-Indian mish-mash Chinese food, that that us small town folks grew up on (a la Banjara Van, Maurya Lok, Patna), but if you live in Airport Road, get nostalgic about that Chinese food, and are tired of restaurants more often than not refusing to deliver, and are hungry for huge portions of food, call Wang Chu on 080 2523 8800, 99860 07588, 93431 11889. They never say no. And their food is really that Chinese.
Oh and Papa John's. I am surprised I hadn't tried them until last weekend. When they say fresh dough, they deliver fresh dough. Brilliant toppings. A little more expensive than the Pizza Huts and Domino's of the world, but not making tall claims of 30 minute delivery and still managing to deliver just in time and the sheer freshness is worth it.
Speaking of delivery, if you are just about venturing into ordering food online, please don't start with Hungryzone - they have the potential to put you off ordering online forever. They are extremely unprofessional, not committed, rude, and I can tell you they have cancelled/ screwed up my orders more often than I have patience for. Fortunately I discovered Webdhaba in time. Every order is followed up with a call from a very friendly Ajay. And the delivery is always on time and never incorrect. Try them for parties. I recently did. Webdhaba ne izzat rakh li.
And another recommendation for ordering in - Foodiebay, for the menu of nearly every restaurant in town. I have never been disappointed. They have updated numbers, updated menus, and their database is HUGE.
Ok. I am done :-) Sometimes I think I take my job too seriously :P
Oh and Papa John's. I am surprised I hadn't tried them until last weekend. When they say fresh dough, they deliver fresh dough. Brilliant toppings. A little more expensive than the Pizza Huts and Domino's of the world, but not making tall claims of 30 minute delivery and still managing to deliver just in time and the sheer freshness is worth it.
Speaking of delivery, if you are just about venturing into ordering food online, please don't start with Hungryzone - they have the potential to put you off ordering online forever. They are extremely unprofessional, not committed, rude, and I can tell you they have cancelled/ screwed up my orders more often than I have patience for. Fortunately I discovered Webdhaba in time. Every order is followed up with a call from a very friendly Ajay. And the delivery is always on time and never incorrect. Try them for parties. I recently did. Webdhaba ne izzat rakh li.
And another recommendation for ordering in - Foodiebay, for the menu of nearly every restaurant in town. I have never been disappointed. They have updated numbers, updated menus, and their database is HUGE.
Ok. I am done :-) Sometimes I think I take my job too seriously :P
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Liquid@Ista
Gloat alert - This was one of the featured reviews of the week on Burrp.com. Right here!
We had gone to Ista for my birthday dinner in January, and had taken a quick look at Liquid@Ista from outside and we had decided to go back there for a few drinks some time. But we never got around to doing it. We finally went to Liquid yesterday, and I have come back absolutely in love with the place. I am not sure about others, but I had a picture of the "perfect eat out" in my head, and every place that I have ever gone to, even the ones I have loved, hasn't been as good as that imaginary restaurant/ lounge I had in my head. Liquid is that. And more. No wonder this place recently won the Times City award for the best lounge bar in 2010. (Or was a nominee, I am not sure. I can't seem to find any link on the net that says anything about the award but they had a certificate proudly on display at the entrance at Liquid, but I never really read it completely. I thought I would on my way out, but I had had way too many Iced teas already, which brings me to another recommendation - (*sophitstication anti thesis alert*) I am NOT a cocktails person, I don't get why people would drink Mojitos when they can just have a rum and coke or even beer, it's cheaper too after all. But nothing beats Long Island Iced Tea. 'nuff said.
We had gone to Ista for my birthday dinner in January, and had taken a quick look at Liquid@Ista from outside and we had decided to go back there for a few drinks some time. But we never got around to doing it. We finally went to Liquid yesterday, and I have come back absolutely in love with the place. I am not sure about others, but I had a picture of the "perfect eat out" in my head, and every place that I have ever gone to, even the ones I have loved, hasn't been as good as that imaginary restaurant/ lounge I had in my head. Liquid is that. And more. No wonder this place recently won the Times City award for the best lounge bar in 2010. (Or was a nominee, I am not sure. I can't seem to find any link on the net that says anything about the award but they had a certificate proudly on display at the entrance at Liquid, but I never really read it completely. I thought I would on my way out, but I had had way too many Iced teas already, which brings me to another recommendation - (*sophitstication anti thesis alert*) I am NOT a cocktails person, I don't get why people would drink Mojitos when they can just have a rum and coke or even beer, it's cheaper too after all. But nothing beats Long Island Iced Tea. 'nuff said.
Coming back to Liquid, if you are planning a romantic evening out, planning to celebrate a birthday/ anniversary, or a girls' night out and want to talk nineteen to the dozen and it is one of those nights when drinking is more important than what you eat, look no further. Here's why-
Food - Probably the ONLY not so great thing about Liquid is that they don't serve main course. You will only get a small list of finger food in the name of food menu. That said, the menu is pretty good. Multi cuisine, to say the least. We ordered chicken 65, some French Fries, and Lalbagh Ka Paneer, and they were all brilliant. The pieces of chicken were so succulent and soft that at first we were first afraid they had confused our order with sea food (R being allergic to sea food and all). Lalbagh ka Paneer was equally good. The fries, not so much.
Drinks - Pretty much the regular cocktails and drinks - Long Island Iced Tea, Mojitos etc. There was Belgian beer too, which I think I will try the next time I am there. The wine menu was one of the most elaborate ones that I have ever seen.
Service - fairly quick.
Value for money - Now that's a tricky one. It really depends on your perspective. If you are going out strictly for food, Liquid may not be the best choice. But if you talk about a pleasant evening, a few drinks, great conversation, and the feel good factor, Liquid really and completely takes the cake.
Ambiance - I was saving the best for the last. Liquid is apparently Bangalore's first alfresco. First or not, it was the best that I have seen. Dim lights, extremely comfortable understated seating - both couches and cane chairs, pretty white curtains, glass roof in parts, and the magical Bangalore weather - it was the perfect setting for a romantic evening. Even the smoking area, which was in one of the corners, open on one side like a balcony, was exquisite. If only the view had a little more to offer than a huge tree and the Lido Mall. But who asked me to hang outside the glass wall for the view? If you don't do that, you see clouds, trees, and the late evening lights of Bangalore. The music at the restaurant consisted of an amateur band singing unplugged versions of classic and alternative rock. The band wasn't the best - the guitarist was inconsistent, the singing was far from brilliant. But it somehow added to the rawness of the alfresco evening. I am not trying to justify any weaknesses in Liquid, because for me, last night, it had none. The crowd too was unbelievably good - nothing outlandish in terms of sophistication or the lack of it. Imagine. A glass of long island iced tea, the company of your favourite people/ person in the world, and a chilly monsoon evening in Bangalore - it was all there. It was a beautiful night.
Liquid was a complete 5 on 5 for me, just make sure you go there with the kind of company you really, really enjoy and you don't feel the need to feed your face because of sheer boredom. What? It happens with me all the time! Yesterday was different :)
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Khatti Daal
... And no, this is not about daal gone sour! At 11 am on a lot of days during my summer vacations back in school, Ma used to give me daal in a tea cup (yes, I did get a LOT of nutrition, and it shows :P). On some days this daal used to be khatti, and it was really one of my favourite things to drink while I watched Kuch Kuch Hota Hai/ Bawarchi/ Golmaal on cable TV for the nth time. The "small happinesses" of childhood!
So the other day I had this strange craving for that daal, I hadn't tasted it in 10 years. It's times like these that I am glad I have Ma's number on speed dial :P Putting down the recipe here for posterity, someday my great grandkids might chance upon it and discover the wonders of Bihari cuisine (which by that way is "cuisine" and way better than the pastas and pizzas of the world!). Great grandkids, if you are reading this, this is the easiest thing you will ever make in the kitchen. You will be proud of the legacy of easy-cooking legacy we are leaving behind for you :P
What you need-
Toor daal
Haldi powder
Salt
A drop of ghee
One raw mango (Kairi, tikola.. Whatever you call it.)
Pressure cook everything. One seeti on high flame and 3 on low flame. And it's done. Beat that!
Try this on a Sunday afternoon.. With rice and bhindi. You'll thank me forever!
So the other day I had this strange craving for that daal, I hadn't tasted it in 10 years. It's times like these that I am glad I have Ma's number on speed dial :P Putting down the recipe here for posterity, someday my great grandkids might chance upon it and discover the wonders of Bihari cuisine (which by that way is "cuisine" and way better than the pastas and pizzas of the world!). Great grandkids, if you are reading this, this is the easiest thing you will ever make in the kitchen. You will be proud of the legacy of easy-cooking legacy we are leaving behind for you :P
What you need-
Toor daal
Haldi powder
Salt
A drop of ghee
One raw mango (Kairi, tikola.. Whatever you call it.)
Pressure cook everything. One seeti on high flame and 3 on low flame. And it's done. Beat that!
Try this on a Sunday afternoon.. With rice and bhindi. You'll thank me forever!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Fine dining and me
My job lets me go out for free meals and reimbursed shopping sometimes. Jealous, aren't you? ;) Sometimes I think I may know the number of "forgivable minutes" between starters and main course and the many types of greetings, and what makes a customer happy, on the tip of my fingers, but personally fine dining is not for me. It's not really my idea of a fun day out. Forgive my sophistication anti thesis (again), but if I have a choice, I would pick Lazeez and roadside food and Peco's over a fine dining restaurant any day.
Eating out is essentially about the food and the experience together, isn't it? Or is is it? If the food is out of this world, is the complete absence of service acceptable? Is that why MTR (I personally don't find their food extraordinary) and Tunday's are a category that happens to be my personal favourite? Extremely subjective, isn't it? But if the food is horrible and the service impeccable, can it possibly, even by a long shot, work?
Like all other things in the world, this too is about balance. (And I say this very grudgingly, because everyone who knows me also knows that balance is not really my forte. LOL!)
Eating out is essentially about the food and the experience together, isn't it? Or is is it? If the food is out of this world, is the complete absence of service acceptable? Is that why MTR (I personally don't find their food extraordinary) and Tunday's are a category that happens to be my personal favourite? Extremely subjective, isn't it? But if the food is horrible and the service impeccable, can it possibly, even by a long shot, work?
Like all other things in the world, this too is about balance. (And I say this very grudgingly, because everyone who knows me also knows that balance is not really my forte. LOL!)
Monday, May 3, 2010
Majja ni life..
And no, this is not Munnabhai hangover.
If you once lived in Pune and made a beeline at Zamu's on Navroze and no trip to MG Road was complete without stuffing yourself at Dorabjee's and/or during Bombay days, Mocambo made you jump with joy and you are now suffering Parsi food withdrawal symptoms here in Bangalore and Andhra style is not really your style, try Daddy's Deli in Indiranagar. It won't promise you the stuff that legends like Zamu's are made of, but it promises nice, filling, homely Parsi food. I can't really comment on their service etc because I ordered in. But after a long day on the road, this food was all I was looking for. Succulent pieces of chicken and mutton in their Vindaloo and Dhansak respectively, crisp pieces of potato, to-die-for-gravy, smooth rotlis, and browned rice. The food was absolutely satisfying. Just like I like it after a Sunday spent on the road indulging in retail therapy.
Speaking of home delivery, I had been using Hungryzone on and off for online ordering. But I am switching my loyalty to Webdhaba. They are efficient, accurate, make a follow up call instead of instructing customers to call on their own in case of delay. And when you order from Webdhaba, you will probably only wonder what delay they are talking about. I had placed my order at 7 (yes, I am ALWAYS in a hurry if we are talking food) for a 9:30 pm delivery and I stay quite far from Daddy's Deli. And in Bangalore one must get used to last minute cancellations and delays, but the food was at my door at 9:30. Dot. I know you won't understand why this is a miracle in this city if you are not from here. Try it sometime.
Polished off all the food in the company for R and a certain Mr Clooney. The long overdue Up In The Air. How did I forget that George Clooney looks like that! Man! That smile, those looks, those intense eyes... I can go on! The movie.. Quite nice. Depessing in parts, but really gets you a perspective in terms of work and life, and how they aren't the same thing (and I lose mine ever so often when it comes to this!) And everything it means to have "company" instead of just working for one. A 4/5 for me... I still believe Alex should have ditched everything, thrown the damned backpack, and gone to George Clooney. Just like that. That's why the -1. I prefer happier endings.
And I am back in office now. Hating it. How can I not? SOMEONE TAKE ME HOME!
If you once lived in Pune and made a beeline at Zamu's on Navroze and no trip to MG Road was complete without stuffing yourself at Dorabjee's and/or during Bombay days, Mocambo made you jump with joy and you are now suffering Parsi food withdrawal symptoms here in Bangalore and Andhra style is not really your style, try Daddy's Deli in Indiranagar. It won't promise you the stuff that legends like Zamu's are made of, but it promises nice, filling, homely Parsi food. I can't really comment on their service etc because I ordered in. But after a long day on the road, this food was all I was looking for. Succulent pieces of chicken and mutton in their Vindaloo and Dhansak respectively, crisp pieces of potato, to-die-for-gravy, smooth rotlis, and browned rice. The food was absolutely satisfying. Just like I like it after a Sunday spent on the road indulging in retail therapy.
Speaking of home delivery, I had been using Hungryzone on and off for online ordering. But I am switching my loyalty to Webdhaba. They are efficient, accurate, make a follow up call instead of instructing customers to call on their own in case of delay. And when you order from Webdhaba, you will probably only wonder what delay they are talking about. I had placed my order at 7 (yes, I am ALWAYS in a hurry if we are talking food) for a 9:30 pm delivery and I stay quite far from Daddy's Deli. And in Bangalore one must get used to last minute cancellations and delays, but the food was at my door at 9:30. Dot. I know you won't understand why this is a miracle in this city if you are not from here. Try it sometime.
Polished off all the food in the company for R and a certain Mr Clooney. The long overdue Up In The Air. How did I forget that George Clooney looks like that! Man! That smile, those looks, those intense eyes... I can go on! The movie.. Quite nice. Depessing in parts, but really gets you a perspective in terms of work and life, and how they aren't the same thing (and I lose mine ever so often when it comes to this!) And everything it means to have "company" instead of just working for one. A 4/5 for me... I still believe Alex should have ditched everything, thrown the damned backpack, and gone to George Clooney. Just like that. That's why the -1. I prefer happier endings.
And I am back in office now. Hating it. How can I not? SOMEONE TAKE ME HOME!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
I Am My Mom.. Revisited
I had promised myself that "Hell's kitchen" will never make its way here again, but I can't resist today. The first ever full Bihari lunch that I made - and it reminded me of the lunches that my grandfather used to have.. And all those childhood Sundays at home and Mousi's professors' quarter and Mami ka ghar... And then many years later, again in Bombay :-) This is the food I've grown up on. And today after all the cooking, my hands smell like Ma's :D
Saturday, March 27, 2010
रोज़मर्रा की बातें
YLG Home Salon is the best thing that has happened to womankind of Bangalore. Super service, chirpy, happy associates, and complete value for money with their million schemes. What else do you say when you get vouchers worth your total bill amount for the entire session? I say waah waah! :P Highly recommended. Give them a buzz on 080 43550000 and get pampered ASAP! Their massages are die for - made the bhag daud of the entire last month completely worth it!
Also, I haven't been cooking of late. In the new work set up, we have 2 options - a cook or meal delivery service. Cook is out because after work, we need some peace and quiet and not another person banging utensils in the kitchen! So meal delivery it was. I had noticed a pamphlet around my house in Wind Tunnel Road advertising their "Bengali home food" and dismissed it as another one of those many home style aunty food advertised in our metropolitans for the benefit of the likes of us who don't get Ma ke haath ka khana. But we decided to give it a try - and all of last week we have been eating super awesome dinner. It's really home made Bengali food, it reminds me of the cook at my aunt's place in Calcutta and our Bengali neighbour in Bombay! It is nothing like the usual oily, tasteless tiffin food. This is ghar ka khana... I am sure with this kind of food and the courteous owner and staff, this one is going the Mom's Kitchen way. People who stay in Airport Road, Bangalore, call them. At Rs 40 per meal, their food is a steal. especially when you are so far away from the real home food! Their number - 9901 550 698.
Hope this helps :-)
P.S. - Yes, I have fallen in love with hindi script and how it looks on both the blogs :-)
Also, I haven't been cooking of late. In the new work set up, we have 2 options - a cook or meal delivery service. Cook is out because after work, we need some peace and quiet and not another person banging utensils in the kitchen! So meal delivery it was. I had noticed a pamphlet around my house in Wind Tunnel Road advertising their "Bengali home food" and dismissed it as another one of those many home style aunty food advertised in our metropolitans for the benefit of the likes of us who don't get Ma ke haath ka khana. But we decided to give it a try - and all of last week we have been eating super awesome dinner. It's really home made Bengali food, it reminds me of the cook at my aunt's place in Calcutta and our Bengali neighbour in Bombay! It is nothing like the usual oily, tasteless tiffin food. This is ghar ka khana... I am sure with this kind of food and the courteous owner and staff, this one is going the Mom's Kitchen way. People who stay in Airport Road, Bangalore, call them. At Rs 40 per meal, their food is a steal. especially when you are so far away from the real home food! Their number - 9901 550 698.
Hope this helps :-)
P.S. - Yes, I have fallen in love with hindi script and how it looks on both the blogs :-)
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Of beer guzzling Saturdays..
Absolutely loved Coco Grove on Church Street. Not the best food, but it's pretty awesome for beer guzzling Saturday afternoons. Some Burton, some Coldplay, some good conversation, and watch the world go by.
The place could do with a few water coolers (AC would spoil the charm) around, considering how hot Bangalore has been of late.
But overall, highly recommended.
The place could do with a few water coolers (AC would spoil the charm) around, considering how hot Bangalore has been of late.
But overall, highly recommended.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Sunday Bloody Sunday
So last Sunday was probably the worst Sunday we have ever spent doing things we love doing - movies and eating. Here's the long and short of our horrible experience at Forum Value Mall.
We finally saw My Name Is Khan. If at all the whole MNS Vs SRK story was a publicity stunt, I am sure SRK had his reasons for it. Because MNIK... Really? I couldn't believe the man I have loved pretty much ALL my life, not because of his acting skills but his sheer intelligence, agreed to do a movie like this. No no, don't get me wrong. I don't think he belongs to the Aamir Khan genre of intelligent cinema (discounting 3 Idiots of course). He is a star... A businessman if you will. He does what sells and what he does, sells. Even his mindless Om Shanti Om has a fragment of intelligence in the many spoofs. But MNIK is a disaster. For one, it was hilarious, an adjective not quite apt for a theme like that. And what's with SRK turning into Superman and saving people and being dumb at the same time? Why wouldn't a man give his wife a shoulder to cry on instead of travelling across America to meet the President to say one line... My Name Is Khan and I am not a terrorist. What melodrama! I don't understand why Karan Johar tried to squeeze so much into ONE movie. First there's Kajol and SRK together again, which for most of us who grew up on the late 90's hindi movies, is a huge thing already. And then there are tales of wooing, an illness, a Hindu-Musling love story, song and dance, shaadi scenes, NRI "bigness", Kajol's eccentricities and a past, superhero sequences, war victims, AND the sensitive issue of being a Muslim in our day and age. The movie, at best, was a spoof on lot of serious issues. And not a very intelligent one at that. My rating 2.5/5 - for the comedy and for my eternal love for SRK. I almost stopped loving him. And then this year's Filmfare awards happened... Sigh! ;-)
After the movie, we went to the new MTR outlet in the mall. I was of course super excited because I had heard so much about how this place is a heritage here in Bangalore and how awesome the food is. And how cheap! Cheap it was. But that too came at a cost. My limited patience. We decided to take a table on the terrace and that was our first bad decision. It was HOT. Then we got a table with leftovers from the previous party. Watery, dirty, dusty, sunny, and yellow spots here and there- the table was quite a sight. And nobody came to clean it either, in spite of asking 2 employees. Finally someone did oblige after a lot of buck passing. We were given water and one of the glasses had chutney marks just where you hold it. You got it right, someone had used the glass with the same hand they ate their chutney... And nobody thought of washing those glasses before dumping them on our table. Running out of patience, we asked for the manager. He apologised profusely and we let it go. The food was going to be worth it probably. We were wrong. We ordered 4 masala dosas, R's parents were accompanying us. We ordered 4 dosas, R's parents were accompanying us. We were served 3 dosas. The 4th one was brought in just when the remaining 3 were almost done with their food. And the food was nothing extraordinary. I probably don't have extremely evolved taste buds, what's so great about MTR food really? It tastes as good as anything else in any other slightly more expensive restaurant. And with that kind of service, I don't mind staying away and not recommending this place to anyone. What's funny is that this was the first day of the mall outlet (I guessed because the water jugs had their steel company stickers on, later I confirmed with one of the employees), and although there were no discounts, even their service and attitude made us believe they weren't too excited about a new outlet and a restaurant full of people. The coffee was good. Strong. And one of the better cups of coffee I have ever had. But my rating would still be 1/ 5, 1 for the coffee.
And then realising that we no could no longer take the atrocities of that Sunday, we went to the parking to leave. And the entire length of one side of our car had been scratched. Deliberately. R, being the obsessed lover of everything he owns, lost it and asked the security guy what happened. He seemed to not understand that he was being spoken to. When R asked for his manager, he just grumbled that there was no facility of lodging a complaint and walked off. On our way out, R argued with the outside security that we weren't going to pay for the parking. And we didn't. But those 4 tenners we saved wasn't worth the kind of service we got at Forum Value Mall. I am never setting foot there again, except if I am planning a survey. Because look at the brighter side. It's because of service and experience like this that people like me stay in business.
Sunday bloody Sunday I say!
We finally saw My Name Is Khan. If at all the whole MNS Vs SRK story was a publicity stunt, I am sure SRK had his reasons for it. Because MNIK... Really? I couldn't believe the man I have loved pretty much ALL my life, not because of his acting skills but his sheer intelligence, agreed to do a movie like this. No no, don't get me wrong. I don't think he belongs to the Aamir Khan genre of intelligent cinema (discounting 3 Idiots of course). He is a star... A businessman if you will. He does what sells and what he does, sells. Even his mindless Om Shanti Om has a fragment of intelligence in the many spoofs. But MNIK is a disaster. For one, it was hilarious, an adjective not quite apt for a theme like that. And what's with SRK turning into Superman and saving people and being dumb at the same time? Why wouldn't a man give his wife a shoulder to cry on instead of travelling across America to meet the President to say one line... My Name Is Khan and I am not a terrorist. What melodrama! I don't understand why Karan Johar tried to squeeze so much into ONE movie. First there's Kajol and SRK together again, which for most of us who grew up on the late 90's hindi movies, is a huge thing already. And then there are tales of wooing, an illness, a Hindu-Musling love story, song and dance, shaadi scenes, NRI "bigness", Kajol's eccentricities and a past, superhero sequences, war victims, AND the sensitive issue of being a Muslim in our day and age. The movie, at best, was a spoof on lot of serious issues. And not a very intelligent one at that. My rating 2.5/5 - for the comedy and for my eternal love for SRK. I almost stopped loving him. And then this year's Filmfare awards happened... Sigh! ;-)
After the movie, we went to the new MTR outlet in the mall. I was of course super excited because I had heard so much about how this place is a heritage here in Bangalore and how awesome the food is. And how cheap! Cheap it was. But that too came at a cost. My limited patience. We decided to take a table on the terrace and that was our first bad decision. It was HOT. Then we got a table with leftovers from the previous party. Watery, dirty, dusty, sunny, and yellow spots here and there- the table was quite a sight. And nobody came to clean it either, in spite of asking 2 employees. Finally someone did oblige after a lot of buck passing. We were given water and one of the glasses had chutney marks just where you hold it. You got it right, someone had used the glass with the same hand they ate their chutney... And nobody thought of washing those glasses before dumping them on our table. Running out of patience, we asked for the manager. He apologised profusely and we let it go. The food was going to be worth it probably. We were wrong. We ordered 4 masala dosas, R's parents were accompanying us. We ordered 4 dosas, R's parents were accompanying us. We were served 3 dosas. The 4th one was brought in just when the remaining 3 were almost done with their food. And the food was nothing extraordinary. I probably don't have extremely evolved taste buds, what's so great about MTR food really? It tastes as good as anything else in any other slightly more expensive restaurant. And with that kind of service, I don't mind staying away and not recommending this place to anyone. What's funny is that this was the first day of the mall outlet (I guessed because the water jugs had their steel company stickers on, later I confirmed with one of the employees), and although there were no discounts, even their service and attitude made us believe they weren't too excited about a new outlet and a restaurant full of people. The coffee was good. Strong. And one of the better cups of coffee I have ever had. But my rating would still be 1/ 5, 1 for the coffee.
And then realising that we no could no longer take the atrocities of that Sunday, we went to the parking to leave. And the entire length of one side of our car had been scratched. Deliberately. R, being the obsessed lover of everything he owns, lost it and asked the security guy what happened. He seemed to not understand that he was being spoken to. When R asked for his manager, he just grumbled that there was no facility of lodging a complaint and walked off. On our way out, R argued with the outside security that we weren't going to pay for the parking. And we didn't. But those 4 tenners we saved wasn't worth the kind of service we got at Forum Value Mall. I am never setting foot there again, except if I am planning a survey. Because look at the brighter side. It's because of service and experience like this that people like me stay in business.
Sunday bloody Sunday I say!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji...
Went to Koshy's last Sunday. But I won't review it. Because you can't review what's cult culture. Neither can you go wrong with it. The ambience is nothing extraordinary, and yet it is. The food is decent. The music - awesome! Frank Sinatra and Koshy's filter kaapi on a sunny Sunday afternoon... You will walk out smiling. Take my word for it!
But this post is not about Koshy's (although I have rambled on about in an entire paragraph :P). This is about the recent chartbuster - Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji. I still haven't seen the movie, but I hear it's next big cult thing after Omkara. This song takes my heart away. Yes, this from someone who doesn't say that often. You can read it out like poetry, singing it is tough (even for me, I can sing anything. Really bad, but sing I can!). Rahet Fateh Ali Khan has outdone himself in this one. From whatever Rahet Fateh Ali Khan music I know of, this probably is the breeziest. I don't understand music as a science, but I can tell that the song has no extraordinarily high notes. But there is something about this song that makes it so difficult to sing. And Mr Khan just croons most of it like he's bathroom-singing :) I LOVE the song! Songs like this genre can't be described as "peppy", but that's what it is. Peppy, feel good... Just the kind of song one would listen to on a Saturday afternoon. And the lyrics... What lyrics! The language is plain, but the way it all comes together is beautiful. I especially love the lines
Kisko pataa tha pehlu mein rakha
Dil aisa paaji bhi hoga
Hum to hamesha samajhte the koi
Hum jaisa haaji hi hoga
Hai zor karein, kitna shor karein
Bewaja baatein pe ainwe gaur karein
Dilsa koi kameena nahi
But this post is not about Koshy's (although I have rambled on about in an entire paragraph :P). This is about the recent chartbuster - Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji. I still haven't seen the movie, but I hear it's next big cult thing after Omkara. This song takes my heart away. Yes, this from someone who doesn't say that often. You can read it out like poetry, singing it is tough (even for me, I can sing anything. Really bad, but sing I can!). Rahet Fateh Ali Khan has outdone himself in this one. From whatever Rahet Fateh Ali Khan music I know of, this probably is the breeziest. I don't understand music as a science, but I can tell that the song has no extraordinarily high notes. But there is something about this song that makes it so difficult to sing. And Mr Khan just croons most of it like he's bathroom-singing :) I LOVE the song! Songs like this genre can't be described as "peppy", but that's what it is. Peppy, feel good... Just the kind of song one would listen to on a Saturday afternoon. And the lyrics... What lyrics! The language is plain, but the way it all comes together is beautiful. I especially love the lines
Kisko pataa tha pehlu mein rakha
Dil aisa paaji bhi hoga
Hum to hamesha samajhte the koi
Hum jaisa haaji hi hoga
Hai zor karein, kitna shor karein
Bewaja baatein pe ainwe gaur karein
Dilsa koi kameena nahi
I love the song. I can't seem to get enough of it. Period. My only pet peeve is I will never be able to do a Karaoke on it. Go OD on it I say!
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Bonnie and Clyde
At Carlton Towers, overlooking one of the fountains at the entrance, is this amazingly bright red place called Bonnie and Clyde. That I LOVED! I had been getting Burrp mobile alerts for a while, and couldn't wait to go check out the place myself. I did last Sunday. And it's AWESOME!
A rather small place - red walls (yes, yes, I loved the walls THE MOST!) with pictures of rockstars from yesteryears and outside seating overlooking the fountain... And a place that STILL plays Eagles. There's something very quaint and pleasant about Bonnie and Clyde. The brilliant Bangalore weather adds to the ambiance. And the food is to die for. Brilliant, fresh and healthy sandwiches, super smooth rich pastries, but what I liked the most was their Chicken Caesar Salad - complete with fresh lettuce and olives. And lots of complementary drinks, mainly cola. The place doesn't serve alcohol, and I sort of liked that. It makes Bonnie and Clyde very "fresh", for the lack of a better word (and I know I am overdoing "fresh". LOL!)
But the best thing about B&C is how little you pay for all of it! A heavy meal of sandwich and salad and pastries for two adults that generally overeat on weekends (and on weekdays too :P) cost 375! Great value for money I say, in true Bangalorean style. Because there was something about this place that made me love Bangalore a little more than I do on most days :) What adds to the love is that you can't find a place like this in the middle of a busy road in any other city!
B&C is great for casual outings, even better for some nice, feel good, nostalgic conversation. I give it 4/5, -1 only for its rather dry french fries. Totally recommended.
But the best thing about B&C is how little you pay for all of it! A heavy meal of sandwich and salad and pastries for two adults that generally overeat on weekends (and on weekdays too :P) cost 375! Great value for money I say, in true Bangalorean style. Because there was something about this place that made me love Bangalore a little more than I do on most days :) What adds to the love is that you can't find a place like this in the middle of a busy road in any other city!
B&C is great for casual outings, even better for some nice, feel good, nostalgic conversation. I give it 4/5, -1 only for its rather dry french fries. Totally recommended.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
... Of the good things in life
Hands down the best Biryani I have eaten in Bangalore - Hyderabad House, Koramangla. Totally miss-able because it's not a grand place for evening outs. But the food was worth the risk. Priced slightly more than the chicken biryani at the more popular (I guess?) Hyderabadi Biryani, it was worth more than a few extra bucks we spent on it. Hyderabadi Biryani is all masala and the taste doesn't quite settle. But this one, I can't say it enough - SUPER! Can't give you a complete review on service etc, because we ordered a take out. But for whatever it's worth, this biryani brings your taste buds to life, it's all flavours (as opposed to masala) and it's a complete delight. 5/5. Hands down.
The biryani was the lifesaver of the day, because just before the biryani meal, I watched Evam's Five Point Someone, a theatre adaptation of one of the most mediocre books that people bought and read like crazy. I do NOT appreciate Chetan Bhagat's terrible writing (but I still read it because it's the easiest thing to read on train journeys and loos... Ahem!). But I really thought that the man had a story he didn't know how to tell, and maybe Evam, with all its experience, will not make a mistake with the story. But apart from PF playing in the background, there was NOTHING good or even average about the play. No impact, totally disconnected, bad acting, thick south indian accents - it was a lovely winter evening at Ranga Shankara gone totally sour! Give it a miss unless you know Evam personally I say!
Another lifesaver over the long weekend - Invictus. Adrenaline rush as is the norm with every sports movie, but that's not all there is to the movie. There's Morgan Freeman. And how! He does complete justice to what I remember of Mandela from the TV news. The same composure, similar smile - the man is the God of Feel Good - both Freeman and Mandela. And both achieve different levels of success with what seems like such ease on the surface. Super! I didn't particularly like Matt Damon as the deep, thinking, almost sad sportsperson. He doesn't quite look right in the role. But the movie otherwise was something I haven't said about anything other than The Pursuit of Happyness - totally inspiring. I am going through a time in life that is totally full of uncertainties and has bits and pieces of self doubt thrown in. And Invictus is just the kind of movie I needed to get my head back in action!
I am sooo ready to hit work after a 4 day super break tomorrow. All hail the good things in life! :)
The biryani was the lifesaver of the day, because just before the biryani meal, I watched Evam's Five Point Someone, a theatre adaptation of one of the most mediocre books that people bought and read like crazy. I do NOT appreciate Chetan Bhagat's terrible writing (but I still read it because it's the easiest thing to read on train journeys and loos... Ahem!). But I really thought that the man had a story he didn't know how to tell, and maybe Evam, with all its experience, will not make a mistake with the story. But apart from PF playing in the background, there was NOTHING good or even average about the play. No impact, totally disconnected, bad acting, thick south indian accents - it was a lovely winter evening at Ranga Shankara gone totally sour! Give it a miss unless you know Evam personally I say!
Another lifesaver over the long weekend - Invictus. Adrenaline rush as is the norm with every sports movie, but that's not all there is to the movie. There's Morgan Freeman. And how! He does complete justice to what I remember of Mandela from the TV news. The same composure, similar smile - the man is the God of Feel Good - both Freeman and Mandela. And both achieve different levels of success with what seems like such ease on the surface. Super! I didn't particularly like Matt Damon as the deep, thinking, almost sad sportsperson. He doesn't quite look right in the role. But the movie otherwise was something I haven't said about anything other than The Pursuit of Happyness - totally inspiring. I am going through a time in life that is totally full of uncertainties and has bits and pieces of self doubt thrown in. And Invictus is just the kind of movie I needed to get my head back in action!
I am sooo ready to hit work after a 4 day super break tomorrow. All hail the good things in life! :)
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Of Soo Ra Sang and something between aalu dam and something else
This weekend has been good and bad in terms of food. Last night we went to Soo Ra Sang. I am not qualified to review it because my taste buds aren't evolved enough to really like Korean food. But the place is rather cute. Sit down meals, and korean barbequeue tables, and excellent service. It was the kind of politeness that makes you want to kick yourself for hating their food and not being able to finish it. And the amount of food they serve is a little overwhelming, because most of it comes free. The pic says it all.And I watched Jail. Yes. Now. At home. Badly made, loved Neil Nitin Mukesh. He's really good! Don't have any strong feelings for the movie, so not even sure if I am fit to comment on/ review the movie here.
Coming to the better part about this weekend, I never thought I would say this about myself but here it is - I LOVE COOKING! It's so exciting to take a bunch of things that one wouldn't even think of eating one at a time, and you mix it all in random amounts, and the concoction turns out something you relish. Because it's also something you never thought you could do, something you never thought was as easy as it seems now. Come to think of it, cooking IS a lot like analytics - random data that all adds up into something that makes so much sense! Only it's a lot less challenging than analytics because the control entirely lies with you. YOU decide what you want, and what you need to get where you want, and how you can improve. And it's a little bit more exciting that the kind of analytics we know, because you can experiment just when you want to. Without worrying too much about the consequences. Because it's only food. LOL!
So today I experimented. I don't have a name for what I made, but it tasted heavenly. At least to R and me it did. I had started out wanting to make aalu dam, but it clearly turned out something else, because I did my own thing in the kitchen :P Here's what you need-
Chopped onion
Jeera
Haldi powder
Garlic
Ginger
Green chillies
Curd
Dry red chillies
Clove
Daalchini
Tej patta
Pepper
Powdered garam masala and red chilli powder
Not mentioning the amounts, because I really don't know. Let's just say I added the amount of masala one normally puts in these curries.
Peel and partially slit the potatoes and keep them in a bowl of salt water. Then marinate the potatoes in a cup of curd, salt, and a just pinch of garam masala and red chilli powder. Refrigerate it for about half an hours. Grind ginger, garlic, one green chilli, and a few pieces of onion.
Once the marinade is ready, heat mustard oil in a kadhai. Heat tej patta, dry red chillies, and jeera till the mixture starts to pop. Then heat onion on medium flame till it turns golden brown. Add clove, daalchini, pepper, and the ground masala till the masala starts to separate from the oil. Put the marinade into this mixture and fry for about 5-7 minutes. Pour some boiling water into the kadhai and mix it all well. Let the potatoes cook completely on low flame. Let me warn you, this will take almost forever, and you really need to obsessing over it or checking it every 2 minutes. Just let it be! So in the meantime catch up with people on the phone, argue with husband over whatever comes to mind, check you emails and facebook, put the clothes into the washing machine. All that. Just when the potatoes were well cooked, add some salt to it. At this point R decided to get a little creative and added a pinch of sugar. Garnish it with coriander. Let it cook for another 5 minutes. And it's done!
Goes really well with rice/ pulao and coriander chutney. I just had it... I am in bliss!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Bay Of Bengal, Indiranagar
Last Thursday I was galivanting around alone in Indiranagar with nothing much to do. R was out on some work and home was getting a little boring. The plan was to get some food from 100 Feet road, go home, and have lunch with R. But for once I decided to brave the metro construction on CMH road and check out Bay of Bengal.
I reached there and I was expecting a shabby place on the ground floor, just good enough to order a take away. I was in for a surprise. The restaurant is a slightly overdone place on the first floor and shabby is really the last thing it is. I haven't eaten out alone in 2 years, so much as I was tempted to, I still decided to order a take out.
Their menu is quite elaborate, starting from the Bengali version of Aam Panna - Aamra Shorbot to the rasta food of Calcutta - mutton cutlets, veg chops, and even shingara (samosa, for the uninitiated) and jhal murhi. The maincourse has just as many choices - iliish, prawns, and my favourite - kosha mangsho. And luchi luchi luchi. The place is a foodie's delight!
Not sure if all of it was risking my already depleting account balance considering the place and the crew didn't look AS bengali as 6, Ballygunje, I decided to stick with the safest options - aalu dom, cholar daal, plain rice, and luchi (but of course). Came home, tried the food and turns out it was brrriliant! The daal was as authentic as they get, reminding me of the cook at my aunt's place in Calcutta many years ago, luchis were soft and totally awesome. Not as authentic as daal, but super nevertheless. And the aalu dom was clearly one of the best I have ever had. A little rich, but it's difficult to get ghar ka Bengali khana all the way here in Bangalore. Anyway the owner had told me I couldn't have gone wrong with what I had ordered. And guess what - I hadn't.
I had gone to Bay of Bengal by chance on Thursday, but I think now I will plan more trips here - R needs to eat the mutton cutlets and doi mangsho straight from the burner to really know the brilliance of Bong food, something he didn't toally buy after the 6, Ballygunje buffet at a whopping 550 per person and now I realize, so not worth it. Bay of Bengal for me was worth every penny I spent which was not much, mind you. Rs 300 for what I had ordered was a paltry sum to pay for the food I ate that day. And what's more, they deliver all the way to where I stay. I like very much. Overall 4/5 for me, out of which 2.4 (not sure how I arrived at this figure :P) is for the most awesome cholar daal ever!
I reached there and I was expecting a shabby place on the ground floor, just good enough to order a take away. I was in for a surprise. The restaurant is a slightly overdone place on the first floor and shabby is really the last thing it is. I haven't eaten out alone in 2 years, so much as I was tempted to, I still decided to order a take out.
Their menu is quite elaborate, starting from the Bengali version of Aam Panna - Aamra Shorbot to the rasta food of Calcutta - mutton cutlets, veg chops, and even shingara (samosa, for the uninitiated) and jhal murhi. The maincourse has just as many choices - iliish, prawns, and my favourite - kosha mangsho. And luchi luchi luchi. The place is a foodie's delight!
Not sure if all of it was risking my already depleting account balance considering the place and the crew didn't look AS bengali as 6, Ballygunje, I decided to stick with the safest options - aalu dom, cholar daal, plain rice, and luchi (but of course). Came home, tried the food and turns out it was brrriliant! The daal was as authentic as they get, reminding me of the cook at my aunt's place in Calcutta many years ago, luchis were soft and totally awesome. Not as authentic as daal, but super nevertheless. And the aalu dom was clearly one of the best I have ever had. A little rich, but it's difficult to get ghar ka Bengali khana all the way here in Bangalore. Anyway the owner had told me I couldn't have gone wrong with what I had ordered. And guess what - I hadn't.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Bihari Mutton Curry Recipe... For Posterity
My cousins were coming over for lunch today. Mutton Curry and rice was the only plan I had. I learnt the mutton curry recipe from Ma (it being one of her special, special recipes) over the phone. And even after making it some 4 times, when I got up this morning I totally forgot what to do in the kitchen. I could have called Ma immediately, instead I hunted for an email I had sent to a friend that had the recipe.
I am putting it down here - for the sake of posterity. Here's Ma's quintessential Bihari mutton curry recipe, put down in words my way. Expect it to be random and easy - my mom always comes up with the world's most awesomest food WITHOUT spending too much time or sho-sha over it because there's always been better things to do outside the kitchen. It sort of runs in our blood ;)
Let's say you want to cook half a kg of mutton... Here's what you need-
4 potatoes cut into halves
250 g onions
Garam Masala - 2 tbspoons
Everest Meat Masala (optional)
Crushed ginger and garlic preferably fresh... The readymade ginger garlic paste spoils the taste.
Clove - 4-5 pieces
Pepper - 10-12 pieces
Tej patta
Dry red chilli - 5 pieces
Jeera - 1 teaspoon
Haldi powder
Red chilli powder
Salt
Marinate the mutton in a cup of curd, haldi, red chilli powder, and a bit of salt... For say 30 minutes.
Heat (a lot of) oil in a pressure cooker, add tej patta, ginger, garlic, and jeera. Saute onions a little bit, not so much that it turns golden brown. Add onions, cloves, pepper, red chilli, and some more haldi, some more salt. Bhujo it for about 2 minutes. Add the entire marinate to it, and pressure cook for 5 seetis on high flame and for about 5 mins on medium flame.
In another pan, deep fry the aalu and keep aside. After the mutton is half done, add garam masala and if u want it spicy, some readymade meat masala to the mixture. Add the deep fried aalu to it. Mix well and let the mixture cook on high flame until it starts to stick a little bit to the bottom of the cooker. When that happens, add water according to the amount of gravy you want in the mutton curry. Pressure cook the entire mixture again for about 2 seetis.. One on high flame n one on medium. Dummies' tip.. Open the cooker, check if it's done completely. Both aalu and mutton. If not, pressure cook again for another seeti.
Then taste some, pat yourself on the back, and eat the world's most awesomest bihari mutton curry and chawal with kachumbar salad - onion, tomato, hari mirch, namak and nimbu :D
Disclaimer - Did I tell you I can't write recipes like Tarla Dalal?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)