Category Archives: Food

Food From The Northern Hills Of India❤️

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Food from the northern hills of India by the beautiful Miss Shimla runner up Chef Sherry Mehta.

I am a big advocate of the fact the new exotic food is the homestyle regional food.

This time it was from the northern hills of India, by  chef Sherry Mehta

What I liked about the food was the richness and simplicity of flavours, each dish had an unique flavours and a story to tell. 

This marriage of Punjabi and kashmiri food for me was purely made in heaven. The  Dham ( festive food of Himachal Pradesh) curated by chef Sherry had very minimal spices I tasted the real flavour of every ingredient/ produce used and that for me is real good food.

Adraki panje(Lamb ribs with fat, milk, whole spices, and ginger)

Chamba Chukh Chicken Tikka (Tangy spicy Himachali chilli marinated chicken tikkas grilled to perfection in Tandoor)

The soft Matara Kulcha with stuffed tikki gave a run for a sour dough bread, I am sure we discovered sour dough much before anyone did!

Siddu, the traditional fermented stuffed steamed bread was another favourite of mine. This is available with lamb stuffing, vegetable stuffing and sweet ( coconut jaggery) stuffing.

A special mention for the most famous Himalayan trout that was absolutely fresh and cooked to perfection. This sure was a treat for us in Chennai!

Some of my favourite main course dishes were the Chaa  Gosht  (One of the most popular dishes from Himachal cooked in buttermilk and roasted gram flour based    gravy)

Channa Paneer Madra (Chickpeas slow cooked in a yoghurt based gravy along with cottage cheese and nuts, a star of any Himachali dhaam)

Gobi Ka Palda(Cauliflower cooked in yoghurt-based gravy thickened with rice flour)

Seb Aur Bhein Ki Sabji(Local vegetable dish made with apples and lotus stem)

Kale  Chane Ki Maahni (Dried raw mangoes from the hills are cooked with black grams to create this unique Himachali dish)

Sepu Wadi(Urad daal fritters cooked in a luscious spinach gravy was once a humble rural dish and now am ambassador of mandiyali dhaam)

The finale is always sweet with the most simple yet rich food and lovely people around! Budane Ka Meetha With  Rabri it was! (Any dhaam is incomplete without this sweet dish which kick starts any dhaam experience)

The New Exotic Food ❤️

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Home food is the new exotic food and we all agree with it! Ghar Ka khana was an initiative that was specially curated by “Soul On A Plate” to bring on the table 8 varities of Indian regional food to the guest at Hyatt Regency Chennai.

For the first time 8 homechefs under one roof over a month, quite a task right, but all the ladies were put to ease with the excellent planning and execution by team Hyatt Regency under the able leadership of the GM Ruban Das. And this could happen only and only because he believed that there sure is so much to offer by homechefs who make home style regional food.

The excitement of the event started with menu curation and photo shoots. Our Homechefs were on the roll, each one encouraging, supporting and motivating each other and that I thought was the happiest part of the event personally for me.

From Malabar to palaghat from Coorg to Bengali from Bihari to gujrati from rajastani to marwari it was India in a plate for people of Chennai. #gharkakhana has definitely made history in Chennai!

This was possible because of many people who worked behind the scenes special mentions to the staff of Hyatt regency.

Homemade Konkan food in Chennai ❤️

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My hands are trembling with joy when I am writing this Blog. This is the food I grew up eating and have been wanting to have it in Chennai. Specially now during lockdown since I couldn’t travel to Mumbai or Goa due to the pandemic.

Fish thali and chicken thali

Deepika and me have been having discussion about konkan food and we started the discussion last year when lockdown was announced. Have been following up with him every other week and he kept telling me soon. Finally the dream is a reality.

Konkan food ( Goan and Konkan) has its own unique flavour of spices, coconut and kokam. The Flavours are very comforting and not too rich. The sol kadhi has its own soul and it’s the best! We ordered the fish thali and the chicken thali.

How the thali arrived.

The fish thali had bangda/ mackerel rava fry, prawn curry with kokam, kismur ( typical goan salad made using dry fish), kosambir ( veg salad), steamed rice and sol kadhi ( spicy kokam juice in coconut milk) it is a digestive. Like south indians have curd rice end of the meal people from the konkan region have a small portion of steamed rice with sol kadhi.

Fish thali

The chicken thali has malvani chicken curry with either rice bakri ( rice chapati/ roti) or vadi ( rice puri) kosambir ( veg salad) and sol kadhi. Packed with Flavours right from the Konkan region.

Chicken thali

A must must try meal it has its own charm and this one will definitely not disappoint you. If you have had Konkan food before go for this, if you haven’t tried Konkan food before you have to experience this Flavours. Very limited uncomplicated menu. Btw they buy their produce fresh everyday. Available for delivery in Chennai , call +91 9930503526 order!

The lovely note 💕
The menu

Coco Jaunt 1728 at Anna Nagar, Chennai.

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Coco Jaunt  1728 is a place that has come as a recommendation from my son for sometime now and I have been just brushing it aside, since I had my own list of places to go.

I was glad that this time I gave in to his recommendation.

The place is young, happening and colorful.The food was very good and total value for money.

We had the falafel wrap, lamb patty wrap and what a bomb burger. Every dish was made to perfection. Special mention to the burger patty, for a change it was not one of the frozen one’s and for the size of the patty the price was very small.

Keep up the good food and looking forward to visit the place to try some more items on the menu.

 Coco Jaunt 1728 Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Meena Tai

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Meena Tai, literally means Meena older sister.

This place has been around for sometime, but did not find an opportunity to visit till I came across their set meal poster floating around.

We are a group of foodies at work, who like to try various cusine. This time it was Maharastrian food. Me, having lived in Mumbai for 12yrs fairly had an idea what to expect, others were new to the taste.

We had  the chicken Thali, mutton Thali, fish Thali and vegetable Thali. Kokum soda and masala butter milk was the welcome drink. Piyush with chiroti and dudhi halwa were our dessert.

The food was good, some of the dishes were authentic, but not all.

Ambience and service  excellent.

Price is on the higher side. Definitely must try if you are looking for something different and interesting.

Meena Tai's Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

 

 

Desi Klub at Harrington road, Chennai.

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Visiting a restaurant on day one of opening is  a like watching a movie first day first show. Excitement was at a different level when we had foodies with us.

The restaurant has funky interiors and had been done up tastefully, valet parking is available too.

Coming to the main part, food. Well since I have tasted most of the food that is served here. I thought the food was just ok, they surely were given interesting names and also the presentation was par excellence, the food for the price did not justify the quantity and taste.

I did not try the desserts, but the other foodie buddies had it. And picture courtesy to them.

Enjoy the photos and you can try the place once! I totally believe that what I like might not be someone elses taste. So this is totally my experience and the voice of taste buds!

Desi Klub Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

 Pesto with a Twist

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Pine nuts are expensive and walnuts have too much strong flavour. Does that mean I stop making pesto? No way. Melon seeds were my answer.

Pine nuts Rs. 2000 per kg, melon seeds Rs. 500 per kg retail price.

Frankly I loved this flavour better than the pine nuts

Churros

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Another dish off my bucket list.

Churros is a fried dough pastry, predominantly made in Spain, Portugal, France and the Philippines. And my son’s favourite pastry.

Having been meaning to make this one for a long time now. Father’s day was an occasion to try something yummy and new.

Ingredients:

1) 1 cup water

2) 2 1/2 tbsp sugar

3) 2 tbsp oil

4) 1/2 tsp salt

5) 1 cup maida/ all purpose flour

For the sugar coating:

1) 2tbsp fine sugar or powdered sugar

2) 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

Oil for deep frying

Method:

1) Boil the water, sugar, salt and oil.

2) Switch off the fire and add the flour.

3) Take a piping bag with a nozzle and pipe the dough.

4) Take oil in a pan and when the oil is hot simmer the flame and fry the churros on low fire. This will help it brown evenly and also cook well from inside out.

Remove from oil leave on kitchen paper or tissue paper for a few seconds.

Dust with sugar and cinnamon powder.

I also tried making the churro ice cream. Try them when the churros are warm as they melt well.

My trial was a success!

Jackfruit kalathappam

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My mom’s favourite evening tea time snack.

Ingredients:

1) jackfruit around 20 flakes

2) 2 cups raw rice

3) 1/4 cup fresh grated coconut

4) 1/2 cup of jaggery ( add more if required)

5) 1/4 TSP salt

6) 2 tbsp ghee

Method:

Soak the rice for 2-3 hours.

Grind the soaked rice, jackfruit, jaggery, coconut and salt together to a dosa/ pancake consistency.

Take a  pan. Pour the ghee and the batter, cover and cook on sim fire till it’s cooked.Toothpick/ knife should come out clean.

Now to get a brown effect on both side turn the kalathappam on another  pan face down, cook on sim till brown and slightly crisp on the other side.

Kalathappam can be had for breakfast or evening tea.

Thank you mummy!

Tissreo/ Tisrya/ clams sukka

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This dish is popular in the costal area of Goa and Karnataka.

One more seafood that is not seen in Chennai and hence had to import from Bangalore. Since they get most of their seafood from Mangalore.

Ingredients:

50 Tissreo/ clams

1/2 coconut scrapped

2 tbsp oil ( I use coconut oil for extra flavour)

2 onions ( 1 small and 1 big)

1tsp ginger finely chopped

6- 8 garlic flakes

1tsp jeera

1/2 TSP turmeric powder

1- 2 TSP chilli powder

2tsp coriander powder

Salt to taste

Corriander leaves for garnishing.

Method:

Wash and steam the clams for 10mins.

Take a little oil in a pan sautee the small onion till transulant, add the scrapped coconut and fry till you get the right aroma and the coconut is a little crisp, just before switching off the fire add the jeera and garlic and leave it to cool.

Take another pan add oil and fry the large chopped onion, when slightly brown add ginger and turmeric and sautee for sometime add Corriander powder chilli powder and sautee for some more time. When all the masala has come together add salt and the steam clams. Cover and cook till the masala and clam have blended well.

Take the roasted coconut and dry grind coarsely. Add to the clams.

Garnish with corriander leaves, open and cook for all the water to evaporate.