Thursday, October 25, 2012

Good food triumphs

Rahul Verma

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The Hindu Divine food. Photos: Shanker Chakravarty
Delhi's pandals have a lot to offer.

There’s more to pandal hopping than dhunuchi nritya and dhaks

When I was growing up in a village in Muzaffarnagar, I don’t really think the Pujas touched me in any way. But in recent years, I have really taken to Durga puja. And there’s mainly one reason—before the start of the Pujas, many localities in the city spring up all kinds of food. This is called Ananda Mela, and I must say it gives me a lot of ananda (joy).

The neighbourhood’s mashimas and boudis— and some dadas, too— prepare all kinds of delicious food and sell it for a nominal amount at the mela. For the last three or four years, I have been diligently going to one of the Ananda Melas in I.P. Extension. I take a lot of empty boxes— and come back with all kinds of goodies such as mutton chops, biryani, ghugni (chickpeas, sometimes cooked with coconut, and sometimes with minced meat), payesh, pithey (a family of sweets) and so on.

This time, my job was a bit more onerous — I had to not just eat, but judge the food too. I was asked by the Aram Bagh Puja Samiti to judge their Ananda Mela. So I went there, resplendent in my new red kurta, accompanied by two able assistants. I sat demurely at a table while a bevy of women lined up with their home-cooked delicacies. I tried out some 15 kinds of dishes (thankfully some 5 or 10 contestants had by then packed up and gone home). I took a bite out of each dish— and was again struck by the variety of snacks that we have.

Let me tell you about some of them. The most popular is the ghugni. This time, I ate some ghugni with bits of paneer (cottage cheese) in it and another with keema (minced meat). Two of the dishes consisted of chicken biryani. There were two kinds of payesh – one regular (with rice) and the other a delightful concoction of nuts and thickened milk. I had some nice momos dribbled with chilli sauce and, dimer devil— a kind of chop with a boiled egg in it. Then there were two kinds of fried chicken, one served with home-cooked chilli and green chutney. I had some spicy chatpata aloo and also ate a special paneer cutlet— which was made memorable by the presence of grated coconut in the filling. Then I had malpua. Somebody else had cooked chicken noodles— and I was most impressed to see that the noodles had been prepared fresh at home with kneaded flour.

I know some of you are grinding your teeth because this year’s Ananda Mela is already over. But do not fret. One, the delicious food that I have listed out will prompt you to keep this important date in mind next year (in most places, it’s held on the fifth day of the navratras— that is one day before the Pujas begin). And two, the food fest is not yet over. In almost every big Puja pandal, you’ll find one or two— if not more— stalls selling food. Chittaranjan Park’s Mughlai paratha— a deep fried paratha with keema and egg — is a huge draw, as are the chops and the cutlets. People queue up for the biryani in Kashmiri Gate. And Kali Bari has a line of people selling everything from jhal muri and lal chhola to gola (flavoured ice popsicles).

So this Puja, as good conquers evil, let good food prevail too.

Flavours of a new food world

Anusha Parthasarathy

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THE HINDU Ice cream displayed at Bellaria at Chamiers Road in Chennai. Photo: R. Ravindran
The Hindu Bellaria ice cream palour on Chamiers Road Photo: R. Ravindran
TerraEarth cake made with organic brown rice
TerraEarth vegan mixture
Bread from wholemeal flour
Meghana of Fresh Baked Goodness
Fresh Baked Goodness Cupcakes
Theobroma, a multi-layered eggless chocolate cake
Meera Maran

Banana walnut cakes made out of wholemeal flour; cheese straws made out of vegetarian Cheddar cheese and unbleached white flour; ice creams made from soy milk or coconut milk; vegetarian cakes made with bananas and apple sauce, instead of eggs; vegan ladoos and mixture… there are organic, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free substitutes for everything. ANUSHA PARTHASARATHY meets the people behind a few start-ups who have taken the preparation of such foods to an all-new level.

Terra Earthfood:

Brown rice murukku, gluten-free cakes, buckwheat pancake mix, thinai ribbon pakoda and vegan cinnamon cookies are just the beginning of a wide range of confectioneries and Indian snacks that Meera Maran makes.

“The fundamental principle is to take things from the earth as it gives them to you,” she says, “unprocessed, unrefined, unpolished.” An architect by profession, Meera began experimenting with gluten-free products after she discovered that her daughter had an allergy.

“We went gluten-free, sugar-free and milk-free. Once you remove this, you remove all the junk from your body,” she explains. “When my daughter wanted snacks, I began making ‘wholesome junk food’. And after years of making gluten-free cookies and pizzas for her, and studying at a culinary institute in the U.S., we came back and became a one-point source for allergen-free food for our neighbours, family and friends.”

They expanded from cupcakes, cakes and cookies to Indian snacks, making use of organic millets instead of rice. Terra foods uses Himalayan salt, cold-pressed oils, organic ghee, real fruit pulp and extract, and does not compromise on the ingredients. “We make everything as organic as possible. This way, we not only create awareness about healthy food but also make it attractive. We also make idli and dosa batter with millets and have a range of vegan ice creams. Since we use actual fruit in some of our products, we are seasonal as well,” she adds.

Visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TerraEarthFood.

Wholistic Breads

Software professional Vanaja Arvind found that the preservatives used in white bread led to conditions like diabetes. So, she began her tryst with baking and it has been four years since she started Wholistic Breads.

“I wanted others to benefit from what I make. Even the brown bread you get outside is nothing but white bread with caramelised sugar. I experimented quite a bit with bread because quite a lot of preservatives go into it to keep it fresh. Otherwise, the bread gets mouldy within a day or two in our climate,” she says.

Muffins, cupcakes, chocolate brownies, oats and wheat flour soup are part of her product range. “Many people want gluten-free products, and we’re working on it. People who are weight and health conscious also prefer these products. But, it’s an acquired taste; not everyone adapts quickly. However, a couple of slices of oat bread will keep you full for long; its glycemic index is low as well,” says Vanaja.

Vanaja feels the response to these products depends on how open an individual is. “We use only olive oil or rice bran oil, besides ragi, oats and wholemeal in our cooking. People who travel look out for such food. Elderly people like our products because they’re egg-free and diabetics return regularly because we don’t use white sugar. It’s important for people to be aware of what goes into their food.”

Visit them online at www.wholisticbreads.com.

Bellaria:

Ice creams at Avanti Vissa’s Bellaria in Alwarpet are made right in front of your eyes. The good thing about this is you get to choose what goes into your ice cream, not just the flavour.

“I’ve been in the food industry for long and am a food scientist by profession. I chose ice cream to experiment with. We now have about 60 flavours and work on new ones every month. Whatever we make can be customised to suit individual tastes,” says Avanti.

At Bellaria, you can choose the kind of milk (they offer regular, fat-free, soy and coconut), sugar (white, brown or diabetic) and flavour. “People always tell you what to eat and what not to. Here, you have no such restriction. You can eat whatever you want and however you want it. When we started, we were thinking of people who are lactose-intolerant and found that soy milk and coconut milk are vegan options as well,” she adds.

Since the ice creams are made fresh, there’s no concern even with the power situation in the city. “There’s no concern about bacteria as we use packaged milk, which is always in refrigerated. We don’t open the fridge during a power cut. Our ice creams have no overrun, which means that its 100 per cent ice cream (overrun is the percentage of air in the ice cream),” she says.

Bellaria also has a range of cupcakes, tarts, muffins, cheese cakes and mousses, with some vegan options. For details, visit www.bellaria.in.

Fresh Baked Goodness:

Meghana Karthik is an assistant director who studied Yogic Science, but plunged head-long into baking. Eggless, vegan and vegetarian confectioneries and ice creams are her forte. A Facebook page and blog later, Fresh Baked Goodness became a business.

“I’ve been doing this for five months now. I started with weekend baking. I announced online that a particular product would be available over the weekend and could be picked up fresh from the oven. My first few bake-offs were a sell-out,” she says.

Meghana doesn’t stick to eggless recipes but also uses bananas, condensed milk and applesauce as substitutes for egg. “Theobroma, a six-layered chocolate cake, has been the most successful so far. It’s now being sold at Fresca Pizza in Nungambakkam. I sold almost 100 pieces of this cake in an hour at a recent event. Apart from this, I make cakes, cupcakes, loaves, breads, cold desserts and more.”

More people are opting for vegetarian and vegan options, she feels. “The trend is definitely growing. Vegan baking can also be challenging, given that we have to produce the same texture and taste as the usual cakes and bread. But honestly, it's not drastically different. I love baking quick breads and fresh breads. I recently added the 'Baklava Bread' to my menu. Apart from baking eggless, another aspect being, I don't use colours or artificial agents in the food,” says Meghana.

Visit Fresh Baked Goodness at www.facebook.com/FreshBakedGoodness

Sunday, September 30, 2012

WEIRD FOOD.COM-(FOOD INFORMATION )

CHÍCALAS (ROASTED ANTS) FROM OAXACA;MEXICO. CHÍCALAS ARE LARGE BLACK ANTS THAT HAVE BEEN TOASTED ON A GRILL OR IN A FRYING PAN.

Chinicuiles:- Maguey worms Gusanos de maguey (chinicuiles) are edible caterpillars that live in the maguey and agave plants. They are considered a delicacy and are often eaten raw, toasted or crushed in a spicy red salsa.Escamoles:- Escamoles are ant lavae or eggs that are used to prepare different dishes. Seasonal and hard-to-find escamoles can go for as high as $30 to $50 a pound, and can be thought of as similar to caviar

Chapulines:-A chapulín is a big grasshopper. You can eat a handful as a snack or enjoy then combined with other foods

COOKING LIZARDS IN MEXICO

drinking snake blood in vietnam ,cambodia

making wine from snake:-(china)

snake and scorpion wine vietnam:-

Drinking Cobra Wine in Vietnam and china :-

Cobra heart eaten while still beating (VIETNAM)

Grilled dog on the menu in Nanning China

madhura manohara mononja china( a song sung by Indian communists praising china in 1960)

South Africa's national lottery is claiming an unlikely victim: vultures. Local people -- convinced these birds' superb eyesight gives them the gift to see the future -- are eating vulture meat to acquire the power of clairvoyance." — Robin McKie; Vulture Numbers Are Cut to the Bone; The Observer (London, UK); Jul 16, 2006.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

'Adukkala,' - the Kitchen

Monday, September 17, 2012

plant-based diet

LIFESTYLE

Plants to the rescue

BCJ Hospital & Asha Parekh Research Centre recommends a whole plant-based diet to reverse diabetes and keep lifestyle diseases in check. Say no to animal products and oil and you're off medication too, they claim. Come September, they will start a tiffin service and cooking classes for diabetics

August 19, 2012

Mumbai

Moeena Halim

Since last year, Dr Suketu Shah, CEO, BCJ Hospital & Asha Parekh Research Centre, was desperate to rid himself of diabetes, hypertension and obesity. The three lifestyle diseases were preventing him from visiting Kailash Mansarovar, a high-altitude journey he wanted to make along with Morari Bapu, a popular spiritual leader. He had been on medication since 2007, to keep these diseases in check, but was keen on finding a permanent solution.

Nutritionists at BCJ Hospital & Asha Parekh Research Centre, Dr Rashmi Bhanushali and Dr Mahek Makhija, guide the cooks at the hospital kitchen as they make the special whole plant based diet food. Pics/Sunil Tiwari

“Last year my friend, Dr Nandita Shah, introduced me to Dr Neal Barnard’s book on reversing diabetes. I tried it. The results were amazing. In about four months, I had reversed my diabetes, hypertension and obesity. For the first time in five years my body index, sugar, Hb1Ac, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure levels were in the normal range, without medication. I felt very energetic. I could successfully accomplish my dream of going to Kailash. Even a year later now, my reports are still normal. I have also lost 22 kg,” reveals Dr Shah.

So impressed was he with the results that he decided to introduce it to patients at the hospital’s Lifestyle Medical Centre, which was set up in June 2012. The programme is a combination of a whole plant-based diet and routine exercise (especially walking).

“It was cheap, easy and beneficial, and could either eliminate medication entirely or keep its requirement low, so I decided to introduce people to it at the centre through various ways such as cooking classes, seminars and a tiffin service.” he explains. The centre began recommending the diet to patients in June this year. While the patients admitted at the hospital are offered the diet food, they are not forced, he adds.

Red rice idlis are served for breakfast at BCJ Hospital & Asha Parekh Research Centre

More than vegan
Nutritionists Dr Mahek Makhija and Dr Rashmi Bhanushali, armed with books that Dr Shah passed on to them, had the tough task of Indianising the recipes for the centre and its patients. The diet, similar to the vegan diet, allows no animal products — so no milk, cheese or curd and obviously no meat. “This is because Insulin like Growth Factor (IGF) is found in dairy products which is similar in structure to insulin that takes the place of insulin on the receptors. According to Dr Neal Barnard, fat is the cause of all diseases, which is why all fat is eliminated from the meal. No oil is used while cooking, and no animal fat is consumed,” explains Dr Makhija.

“There are a lot of alternatives and once you get used to this way of eating, you don’t miss these ingredients. For instance, instead of milk we recommend soy milk or peanut milk,” says Dr Makhija, while Dr Bhanushali nods in agreement. Both doctors have introduced their families to this diet too. “Although our children are young and don’t suffer from lifestyle diseases yet, following this diet will prevent them from getting diabetes or hypertension when they’re older,” explains Dr Makhija.

Who said diet food was boring?
The doctors have been working closely with the cooks in the hospital kitchen. Together, they cook up some pretty creative dishes. From red rice idlis for breakfast to idli open sandwiches as a starter at lunch, the diet food seems far from boring. The doctors have also managed to find a replacement for chhaas — peanut milk chaas. “For the recipe, you’ll have to come visit our clinic,” laughs Dr Bhanushali. “We don’t just tell our patients what to eat, we also tell them how they can cook these foods. We give them recipes,” she adds.

The doctors also plan to start cooking classes for diabetics in September. “Ideally, we’d like couples to attend, so the spouse will know how to care for his/ her diabetic partner,” says Dr Makhija. While deciding on a menu, the doctors are careful to create a balanced meal. “The body requires a certain amount of oil and we ensure we provide that amount. For instance, we use whole peanuts or suggest the use of olives instead of olive oil,” informs Dr Makhija. They also suggest eating fruits and veggies whole — without peeling them. “An advantage of the diet is that diabetics don’t have to restrict their intake of fruits. We can eat as much whole carbohydrates as we wish and diabetes will still be reversed,” adds Dr Bhanushali.

Take-away tiffins
For the convenience of patients who are too busy to cook, the centre has also started a tiffin service. The food, which is prepared in the hospital canteen’s kitchen, is doled out in plastic bags for the moment and has to be picked up from the hospital. “We will start a delivery service once we have 100 customers,” says Dr Makhija.

The service isn’t limited to patients of the hospital — anyone can buy the tiffin. However, each patient’s diet has to be tailor-made, the doctors explain. “We need to know a person’s medical history before we start giving them a tiffin. For instance, we wouldn’t give a patient suffering from thyroid soy milk because it is harmful for him,” says Dr Makhija. The doctors offer the tiffin service (which is currently lunch-only) once the relevant tests are conducted, for Rs 150 per meal. Although they recommend it primarily to diabetics, the diet also helps patients with other lifestyle diseases such as high blood pressure and obesity.

Missing milk
For 53 year-old Sapna Sabani, a patient at BCJ Hospital & Asha Parekh Research Centre, sticking to the diet was quite a challenge for the first month. “I was a milk lover and enjoyed drinking chai. I used to miss it a lot, but now I’ve become a green tea drinker,” says Sabani, who has been suffering from diabetes for the past 15 years. “Another challenge has been to cook vegetables without using oil. Veggies like bhindi and cauliflower just don’t taste the same, so I avoid those,” she adds. But it is worth it, she insists, because for the first time in all these years her sugar levels have fallen. “I’m still on medication and take insulin injections, but it has only been three months and I am hoping to get better.”

Good, but challenging
Keen on getting another perspective, we met Dr Hira Mahajan, an independent nutritionist, to ask for her opinion. We took her a tiffin prepared at the centre, comprising palak-corn bhaji, missal, sprouts salad, chapatti, red rice pulao and soya tikkis, and she enjoyed the food. “Not only is it delicious, it is also a very well-balanced meal,” said Dr Mahajan. Although she was impressed by the diet, she understood that most people might find it difficult to turn vegan and not use oil. She sees no harm in milk products and suggests a katori of curd with every meal

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Bun lovers, take note

SUMANTO MONDAL

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The Hindu Crazy choice: Chetty's Corner has 25 different items with a bun base, catering to every taste. Photo: Karan Ananth
The Hindu The biggest crowd-pullers at Sri Ramakrishna Fast Food are the dosas. Photo: Karan Ananth
The Hindu Always abuzz: Gullu's Chaat is a family-run business that originated in the early 1950s as a simple cart. Photo: Karan Ananth

At the end of a hard day’s work, there is nothing better than some food to satisfy the soul rather than the dietician — in keeping with this tradition, the residents of Kumara Park take their evening snack pretty seriously. The fast food culture in the area has progressed steadily over the years, with the rise of eateries such as Gullu’s Chaat and Chetty’s Corner competing to churn out their unique takes on fast food, and people from in and around have been the biggest beneficiaries, says Sumanto Mondal.

Gullu’s Chaat

A family-run business that originated in the early 1950s as a simple cart, Gullu’s Chaat is one of the few acclaimed chaat shops in the city, having been recognised by many sections of the media. Jeetu, the current proprietor, says, “we are here because of our customers.”

Having been at its present location on Serpentine Street for the past 23 years, this place pioneered the concept of U.P.-style chaats in the area while becoming a haunt for students, residents and celebrities alike.

With more than a couple of dozen types of chaats, the most popular is their trademark pani puri: not claiming to be made with mineral water, it strikes a perfect balance to impress all palates. Their unique boondi-based masala puri is a must-try. Working on all days of the week between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m., this joint is always abuzz, particularly in the evenings, and if you don’t know how to find it…just ask around!

Chetty’s Corner

A first-of-its-kind fast food joint, Chetty’s Corner has been revolutionising the idea of fast food in the area for the past 15 years. For a first-timer, the names of the items here might sound bizarre, but a combination of some the most unlikely items are presented in perfect harmony. Take, for instance, the “Bun Nippat Cheese”, which takes the humble Karnataka snack to new heights, or the “Bun Butter Nut” which uses simple spiced peanuts along with other toppings to create a snack that really packs a crunch.

All the items here are cleverly crafted by its proprietors, brothers Vinod and Anil Chetty, whose mother always gave them free hand to assemble snacks in their own unconventional style.

The place has 25 different items with a bun base, catering to every taste. Another unique dish is the “Sandwich Pizza”, available in about 15 varieties, the most popular being the special veggie. All the items available here are enhanced by the range of “Masala Cold Drinks” — one can choose any soft drink, which will then be spiced up with a secret mix. Another interesting beverage is the Nanari herbal drink, supposedly a blood purifier.

The most important policy of the proprietors here is not to pinch pockets; with every item in the range of Rs. 10 to Rs. 45, Chetty’s Corner is every foodie’s dream.

Sri Ramakrishna Fast Food

A more conventional restaurant, this place has been around for over two decades now. Serving mainly the office-going crowd from in and around, Sri Ramakrishna Fast Food has come to be a regular ‘adda’ for many who come down for a quick bite or a relaxing coffee.

The biggest crowd-pullers here are the dosas that are made on a cooking station placed right at the entrance of this single-shutter joint. One doesn’t have to wait long as the dosas are made in batches of eight, and are served up in no time at all. One can be sure of perfectly-done dosas that can be enjoyed at any time of the day. They come in three varieties — plain dosa, onion dosa and benne (butter) dosa, all of which are worth a try. The place is also frequented for its excellent tea and coffee, and sells ‘shunti coffee’, which claims to be of medicinal value.

Keywords: Chaat corner at Kumara Park, fast food centres at Kumara Park, Bangalore

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Just desserts!

Vasundhara Chauhan

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Batter-fried prawn. Photo: R.M. Rajarathinam

GOURMET FILESIdeal sea food in Delhi? None still….

Back in the day, Dilliwalas had to travel as far as at least Bombay to eat seafood. There were fish and seafood shops, but seafood-specific restaurants were few: Sridharan’s in Gole Market, Babu Moshai etc. in Chitto Park — again freshwater.

Then came Fishermen’s Wharf, which unfortunately downed shutters before it got a chance; Swagath, which serves all manner of food, not necessarily from the sea; and Ploof! whose menu smartly included other food, but that too gave up the brave attempt in a few years and changed to a delicatessen.

In the meanwhile we’d all been to Mumbai’s Apurva, Mahesh Lunch Home, Trishna, Sindhu Durg, Ecellensea, Gajalee and many others, all memorable. And bemoaned our Capital Punishment: The lack of cheap fine dining, fresh seafood and coastal spices. Well, the sea was far away and the cold chain was suspect, so what could you do but hope for a trip to Mumbai soon. Then, recently, there was this buzz about Trishna opening here, in the shadow of the Qutub Minar, just as one enters Mehrauli and the enclave of Indian designer boutiques and fine restaurants like Azimuth and Olive.

Twice friends made plans to eat there and I resisted, successfully — without having been there, I was apprehensive. But last night I had to bow to democracy, confess to not having a real reason, and go, As Bunty said on the phone this morning when I reported on last night’s dinner, I coulda-toldya; sitting here in Nizamuddin, I coulda-toldya.

First, it was, after the trashy approach, very swish: Japanese pebble garden, frangipani tree, gazebos, “air-conditioning” and white table linen. Not like the original Mumbai branch, with its laminated table-tops and paper napkins, but even there they all have “family” sections with the same pretensions.

Starters

It was over 40°, so at first I thought the air-conditioner was having a difficult time, but I asked the maître de and he said that someone had switched off the unit inadvertently and he quickly fixed it. It was Saturday night, we were six, and only one other table was occupied. Later two more women came in. We ordered fried Koliwada prawns to start with, and Kim, the vegetarian among us, asked for a vegetable hot and sour soup. That immediately vindicated the vast menu. I had been telling myself to not be an inverted snob, to stop looking for simple, integrated menus, and here was proof of why Trishna had stretched itself to Chinese and Tandoori Paneer: After all, what is a vegetarian going to eat as a starter? Someone asked Kim how her soup was and she smiled inscrutably. I, not so well-bred, asked pointedly: “Hot water and vinegar?” She said, “Umm… with some sliced mushrooms.”

The prawns had been shrink-fried and were small, brown and crisp. The masala was standard, unremarkable. I had decided on my way there to eat fish we don’t get easily in Delhi. Crabs and lobsters are available for a price, pomfret is good but ho-hum, but rawas, bombil (Bombay duck) and ladyfish there is none. But even in Trishna, bombil and ladyfish there was none. I asked for my rawas to be shallow fried with a casing of rawa — to avoid confusion, I said “sooji”, “semolina”. No, they said, they didn’t do rawa-fried rawas or rawa-fried anything. But they recommended the Hyderabadi Rawas tikka enthusiastically. It came and was okay, like fish tikka made with any fresh fish, it could just as well have been sole. Coastal… I’m not so sure if they use tandoors in Malwadi or Koliwadi cooking.

I asked if they had any vegetables, so the waiter suggested matar-methi-malai. Yes, it was N.I (north Indian), and yes, they did have coastal vegetables, namely vegetable ghassi. Ghassi is a curry with specific flavours, but which were the vegetables they’d used in it? While the waiter pondered, I ventured cauliflower-potato-carrot and he nodded gratefully. There was no choice, so we had it. Thick brown gravy, which I suspect they cook by the cauldronful in the morning and feed to unsuspecting Northies all day. Not that our stomachs suffered, despite the fact that we also had the rawas ghassi. Same gravy, shredded fish. They had appams, but most of us had neer dosai, which were soft but a little bit too stretchy.

And we ordered dal “kolhapuri”, which could be identified as arhar, tuvar. To my mind, names like Kolhapuri mean nothing — it’s as illuminating as saying chicken “Punjabi” or roti “Uttar Pradeshi”. But the nomenclature would have been irrelevant had the food been good.

People who’ve been to the Mumbai Trishna rave about the Crab Butter Garlic, and religiously order it here. My own exposure to expensive seafood is limited, but I still have a view. Meat as sweet and delicate as crab should be left alone to speak for itself, without suffocating it in the thick, viscous purée of garlic and butter that has become so popular. Just boiled, with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lime is perfect; anything else is crass. But it sells — at many thousand rupees — so why shouldn’t they cook it ad nauseum? Yet the poor show-out made me wonder whether Trishna, in its attempt to cater to the Northie, has fallen between two stools. Because the food is neither good coastal nor would a card-carrying Dilliwala go there to eat butter chicken or chow mien. So who is it for?

YETTI GHASSI

Karnataka Prawn Curry

Serves 4

To be ground to a paste:

1 tbsp tamarind pulp

1/2 coconut grated

1 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

8 cloves garlic

8 red chillies, roasted

2 tbsp coriander seeds, roasted

1 tbsp peppercorn, roasted

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds, roasted

1/2 onion, chopped.

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 onion, finely chopped

Salt

500 g shelled, headless, deveined prawns

Dilute spice paste to pouring consistency by adding 500 ml water. Pour coconut oil in a kadhai (wok) and sauté the chopped onion until brown. Add the spice paste and salt. When the mixture comes to a boil, lower heat and simmer for five minutes.

Add the prawns and cook on low heat till done, about five minutes.

combo munch

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Good food triumphs

Flavours of a new food world