And just when I thought Coimbatore is not yet there. I was surprised to visit this quaint french restaurant.

The place has its own elegance and is done up very tastefully. The food talks about the chef’s taste and education. We could not stop appreciating the food and ambience.

We started our evening with chicken Roulade. The presentation was elegant and the taste was full of awesomeness.

The Tomato and Basil Bruschetta was perfect with fresh basil aroma around our table.

The main course was the lamb bolognese. The spaghetti was cooked to perfection and not mashed up. The ragu was perfect and not overloaded by tomatoes. This is how I like my bolognese.

The Broccoli and chicken au gratin was yummy and cheesy. One of the perfect au gratin I have had in ages.

French Riviera was the mocktail made with tender coconut and lychee. What I like about the drink was it was not overloaded with sugar.

I loved the place and surely going there again. For people in Bangalore keep watching they are opening soon in your city!

Exotic Kala Jeera Biryani cooked in my kitchen.

Kalaa Jeera, the Prince of Rice, is an ancient, long-grain white rice on a miniature scale – like baby Basmati. It cooks in only ten minutes, producing a delicate aroma, taste, and texture. Grown in Bangladesh, Kala Jeera (also spelled Kalijira) is usually reserved for special holidays and religious festivals. Today, you can enjoy this exotic rice every day or as an alternative to Basmati, especially in making pilaf. We regard it as one of the best tiny, aromatic rices in the world.

Recipe for this aromatic Biryani.

Ingredients:

1) 1cup Kala jeera rice washed (only once) and soaked in 3 cups of water.

2) mixed vegetables diced ( carrot, capsicum and peas)

3) 1tbsp ghee

4) 1tsp ginger garlic paste

5) paste or powder of 5- 6 cashew nuts or almonds

6) 1 or 2 green chillies chopped

7) 1/4 TSP garam masala

8) salt to taste

9) juice of 1/2 lemon

10) mint and corriander leaves to garnish.

Method:

1) cook the rice in the same water as soaked will a pinch of salt.

2) Take a pan, add the ghee and sautee the ginger garlic paste for a few seconds, add the vegetables, green chillies and sautee for a few minutes.

3) Add salt and garam and sautee for a few seconds. Add cashew or almond paste or powder, add water of required and sautee for a 1-2minutes till you get the perfect aroma.

4) when you are about to mix the cooked rice into the vegetable mix, add the lemon juice, corriander and mint leaves. Add the rice, mix the rice and vegetables together gently. Put the lid of the pan tight and cook on sim for a few minutes. Alternatively you can also cook on dum.

The most flavourful rice I have had in recent times.

To know where to buy the rice place check http://www.spiritoftheearth.in. spirit of earth is a NGO and works with the farmers directly.

Special mention to my husband Harsha Raj Subrahmanian who uses his best photography skills to make my dish look the best! Thank you Harsha!

“Forbidden” not any more. I only use to look at this dish and think when I am going to cook it.

Thanks to Mr. NSK for introducing me to this forbidden ingredient. I loved it when I had it at Prems Graama Bhojanam.

Thank you to Sumita for looking at my blog and suggesting that I could buy this rice from Spirit of Earth.

I bought three varieties of rice and used two of them. Will share the black rice pudding recipe here:

Ingredients:

1) I cup black rice, soaked overnight

2) 3 cups of water, including the water that was used to soak the rice.

3) 3 cups coconut milk

4) plan sugar/ Jaggery/ white sugar as per taste.

5) fresh mango and almond slivers (optional) to garnish.

Method:

1) Cook the black rice in cooker for 8-10 Whistles.

2) when the pressure is released open the cooker and check if the rice is cooked well.

3) If cooked well, mash it a little and add sugar/ Jaggery/ palm sugar and keep on low flame and keep stirring.

4) Add 2 cups of coconut milk and keep stirring till the rice and coconut milk blend well.

5) Remove from fire, leave to cool. Garnish with mango ( since I did not have mango I used gauva) pour some more coconut milk while serving.

This dish can be a breakfast or a dessert.

Prems Graama Bhojanam. If you are looking to eat some super food that is Millet based, this is the only place in Chennai that serves it with authenticity and warmth.

I have visited this place couple of times and would want to do it more often, but the Chennai traffic does not permit me to do so. For people who do not mind takeaway, you could order through swiggy or any other such service providers.

My this visit to prems Graama Bhojanam was special as along with the mini tiffin that consisted of Millet dosa, paniyaram and palak infused idly, I also got to taste that millet biryani that was outstanding (mind you cooking millet is a trick, since it sticks or gets mushy very soon) this was cooked to perfection with flavour and texture.

The stuffed paneer Ragi dosa was excellent in taste and texture.

The best part of my entire dinner was the tasting of black rice and beans salsa with grilled vegetables. This sure was a show stopper. Black rice has antioxidants and is very good for health. The beans had a very western flavour and the grilled veggies complimented it very well. Looking forward for this dish to be added to the menu soon.

A must visit place for good healthy food. In terms of decor and ambience a very humble place with not much hype, the food does all the talking.

J. Hind at GRT, Chennai took us through the gastronomical journey with their degustation menu.

The menu is planned to perfection with the finest of details that have been taken care off.

To start with the ambience is colourful and bright, just the way I like it. I am not a big fan of dim light.

The service is par excellence and polite.

Gear up- Amuse Bouche.The welcome drink with two sides were cool and funky. The Kumkum shot and honey yoghurt Batra with brids eyes chilli caviar.

Two varieties of soup, sipped a little of veg soup from my friend.

The non-veg soup, 21 spice attukal jelly soup was presented well and the taste was mildly pungent.

The trunk road kaddu dhania soup ( pumpkin and corriander soup) had the original sweet flavour of the yellow pumpkin.

The millet chat needs a mention, it was made on a live movable cart with liquid nitrogen. We loved the making of it and ofcourse it tasted good.

The beetroot nacho with hummus topping was a creation by itself.

The non-veg starters were super cool.

• Charminar murg tawa kebab.
• Hyderbadi Haleem fodue was an experience.
• Pan seared smoked chicken dimsum was juicy and light.
• Sardari Jhinga was huge and succulent and cooked to perfection.
• Tandoori Sarson Machi (fish) the fish was fresh and I really appreciate the fact that it was not the basa fish. Spiced and cooked to perfection.
• Meen pollichathu was tangy, spicy and yummy. Cooked in banana leaf the flavour were bursting.

The main course was a mixed platter of chicken, meat and biryani.

• The kurumbadu Biryani was made with samba jeera rice and serve in jars. The taste was ok, but presentation was good.
• The Mohan Maans was succulent lamb legs served in a bed of  milk and spices, the presentation was neat.
• Mysore chilli chicken had a very different and special masala. I personally loved it.
• The Rotis need a special mention specially the nuts roti.

And finally it was time to say Tata bye bye with the best desserts.

• The live ice cream counter was an instant hit with all of us. It’s an experience not to be missed.
• The Jigarthanda shot was mild and just slipped down our mouth.
• Chocolate rasgulla pop was yummy and funky.

Overall an excellent food trail with fun, wow moments and a journey everyone should enjoy.

Don’t miss it for anything.

Falafel, a middle eastern dish of spiced mashed chickpeas formed into balls or fritters and deep fried. 

Another dish that was in my must try list and are we happy? We are elated.

Recipe

Ingredients:

1) 250gms dry chickpeas

2) 6 cloves garlic

3) 1/2 medium size onion

4) 2 tbsp chopped corriander leaves

5) 2 tbsp chopped parsley

6) salt to taste

7) 1tsp jeera/ Cummin

8) 1tsp baking powder

9) 5-6 tbsp plain flour

10) 1tsp chilli powder

Method:

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight/ 6 hours, then drain.
2. Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in a food processor, add the parsley, corriander, salt, chilli powder, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.
3. Add the baking powder and  the flour, and pulse. You may add more flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for atleast 1hour.
4. Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of small lemon.
5. In a pan take oil and deep fry. If it falls apart, add a little flour.  Fry on medium flame, till it’s golden brown. Drain on paper towels. 
6. I served it with hung curd mixed with thahini and cummin powder, chilli powder and salt.

Bharathi Mess, triplicane, Chennai. Thanks to a bunch of youngsters who introduced us to this awesome, healthy eatery.

We reached the place at 4.15pm and had to wait for 15mins for the evening session to start. They close after lunch for cleaning and cooking for the evening.

What was unique about this place was the staff prays that they should serve their customers in the best possible way before they start serving food.

They have a policy of no palm oil, no cooking soda, no msg, no white sugar and no maida.

Their menu consists of all healthy evening snacks at very reasonable price.

We tried the vazhapoo vada ( Banana flowers fritters). They were fresh and just out of the pan.

Kozhakattai ( jaggery and coconut stuffed steamed rice cakes) steaming hot.

Rice and ragi idiyappam ( string hoppers) with vada Curry. Soft and yummy.

Ragi and kambu ladoo just melted in our mouth, this was made with coconut and jaggery.

Sumithi milk, had no clue what it was, but the foodie in me wanted to offcourse experiment. Well, no regrets, I loved it. This was made with mixing pepper, palm sugar, dry ginger in hot milk.

The prices are unbelievable low, it is total value for money. Do not expect sitting place, you can only stand and eat here.

They are open from 7.30am. I guess they close between 3pm to 4.30pm Worth the wait and visit.

I am going again with my family.

Our visit to ‘Restaurant of the week 2017’ had a grand beginning @ Golden Dragon, Taj Coramandel.

I am so glad that I booked well in advance this time, since I missed it last year.

The ambience and service are the best, particularly at one of the best Taj property, there is nothing more anyone can ask for.

The food was par excellence. Each dish that we had was flavoured to perfection and utter most care was taken to ensure our experience was good. Since my husband is allergic to MSG we had an option to drop it from our food. That only meant nothing was precooked and everything we had was fresh and made to order.

The seafood Bean curd soup,was wonderful blended and at the same time we could also experience the flavour of each ingredient in the soup, mild and subtle.

Our appetizer were, ‘Prawn Har Gao’ ( Prawn dimsum) one of their signature dishes at golden dragon and it sure deserves to be number one. It just melts in your mouth, if you close your eyes you could go to paradise.

The ‘Don Bok chicken’ was a deep fried appetizer with fresh flavour.

‘Peking Konjee crispy lamb’ was another of my personal favourites. Stripes of lamb fried and sautéed in flavourful sauce and bell peppers.

The main course was everything non-veg we could think about.

This one stole my heart, the ‘Steamed fish with Peking soya sauce’. The fish was steamed to perfection and rested on a silky bed of Peking soya sauce. Oh my God, it was just yum!

‘Braised pork belly with potato in spicy soya and garlic sauce’. This dish was nicely made and blended well with the fried rice.

‘Stir Fried Tenderloin and mushroom in Oyster sauce’ was polished off by my son even before we could smell it. The one person who hates mushroom polished off all of them. The dish was simply yum according to him.

The staples were nothing special to write home about. ‘Cantonese vegetable fried rice’ and ‘wok tossed chilli garlic noodles’ blended well with the main course.

The desserts were good, but the portions were very small. Taste wise my personal favourite was the ‘crispy date pancake’.

The home made ‘lychee and basil seed ice cream’ missed the flavour.

‘Chocolate terrine’ had a very good subtle flavour and was not too overwhelming.

Over all an excellent Evening! Please do not miss the restaurant of the week that is on till 15th October.

Banana Almond Bread, mostly made when I have over ripe bananas and do not want to throw them away.

Ingredients:

1) 250 gms flour/ maida

2) 150 gms sugar

3) 1tsp baking powder

4) 1/2 tsp baking soda

5) 1/4 tsp salt

6) 1tsp cinnamon powder

7) 2tsp vanilla extract or essence

8) 1/2cup melted cooking butter

9) 2 eggs

10) 3 over ripe bananas

11) 1/4 cup coarsely chopped almonds

Method:

In a bowl combine all the dry ingredients.

Mash the bananas, lightly beat the eggs and mix with the banana, add the melted butter and vanilla extract.

Now combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix with a spatula.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 40mins.

Amelie’s Chennai, has been in my must visit place for a while.

Since we were not very hungry we tried very few dishes and we liked them.

The chicken breast in Parmesan cheese was good, but the cheese flavor was not evident.

The Thai bao was soft and yummy.

The Apple crumble was very well made and we loved the taste and texture.

The Caramel ice-cream Pop was amazing yummy.

Overall a very tastefully done place. With good food and yummy desserts.