Who put the savoury in my dessert?

From kidney beans and goat’s cheese to olive oil as dessert ingredients—and a whole lot more in between—restaurants around the city are pushing the envelope as far as their new summer desserts are concerned, with many that seemed to have merrily skipped off the savoury menu onto the desserts’ one!

By Raul Dias

Pink Peppercorn Mousse with Passion Fruit Curd
Now, usually desserts end on a sweet note. But in this case, the idea behind it was to create a combination of a sweet taste with a strong sharpness to the palate. Bordering on spicy, but yet, clearly a sweet, summery dessert, this one is the quirky sum of its rather incongruous (yet supremely complementary) parts! A visually vibrant dessert is an infusion of 70% dark cocoa that has a bitter sweet taste mixed with pink peppercorns. It is further enhanced by the sweet and sour passion fruit curd and edible chocolate soil that completes it.
Chef Speak: “The inspiration behind this dessert was the pink peppercorn as an ingredient. It is versatile in nature and is vastly used in European and Mediterranean cuisine. But in this case, we wanted to experiment with it in a dessert course. The blending of ingredients that leads to a combination of sharpness and sweetness lends that ‘X Factor’ to the dessert.”
- Chef Anil J, executive chef, Razzberry Rhinoceros
Price: Rs 375
Available at: Razzberry Rhinoceros, Juhu

Wasabi Ice Cream Sandwich with Fried Nori Strips
Think of a typical K Rustom ice cream sandwich. Now, imagine it going to Japan and retuning back! Voila, you’ve decoded this sinus-busting dessert that is composed of a thick slab of piquant wasabi ice cream ensconced by two malt shortbreads and served up with crisp, fried nori seaweed sheets. Dripping (quite literally!) with nostalgia, this bordering-on-savoury dessert has done so well with diners since the restaurant opened two months ago, that the team is planning to add two more rather outré flavours; pan pasand and gulkand.
Chef Speak: “We wanted to make a modern dessert drawing inspiration from our childhood’s nostalgic elements. K Rustom ice cream sandwich has been part of our lives for the longest time. Hence, we came up with the idea of an ice cream sandwich. I have a background of oriental food and the (restaurant’s) owner Aditya and I thought of making a wasabi ice cream sandwich with nori strips.”
-Chef Sandeep Moktan, executive chef, Gymkhana 91
Price: Rs 235
Available at: Gymkhana 91, Lower Parel

Manila Halo Halo Sundae
This red kidney bean-redolent iteration of Halo Halo is an ode to the popular cold-savoury-sweet dessert that is served across The Philippines, from roadside stands to ritzy hotels. Dished out in a champagne coupe, the dessert combines shaved ice with condensed milk and generous piles of sweetened kidney beans, jellies, and rice crisps. The Halo Halo is a representation of a broader spectrum of other Southeast Asian desserts—like Cendol from Indonesia, Ais Kacang from Malaysia—where savoury element like cream corn, kidney beans, chestnuts are combined with shaved ice to which a sweet component that comes from either syrupy sweet condensed milk or rose syrup are added.
Chef Speak: “According to me, the best dessert that The Philippines has to offer is the Halo Halo. It’s a complete dessert snack with the perfect balance of sweet and savoury that’ll satisfy you till the very last bite. It’s an explosion of different flavours and texture, and is the perfect summer coolant for a hot summer day.”
-Chef Paul Kinny, culinary director, Shizusan Shophouse & Bar
Price: Rs 295
Available at: Shizusan Shophouse & Bar, Lower Parel

White Chocolate Parfait with Goat’s Cheese Ice Cream and Beetroot Sponge
This one’s the perfect example of one of those bizarre pairings that make you go, “What, really!?”, much like dark chocolate and chilly—another knockout combo, if there ever was one. But in this case, it is the smoothness of the white chocolate and the tartness of a goat’s cheese ice cream that work their magic together in this dessert. All this, ably supported by ‘supporting acts’ like microwave beetroot sponge and raspberry colie along with some dehydrated raspberries that finish off this culinary chimera.
Chef Speak: “Cheese and ice cream isn’t the most common combination, but the flavour harmony they create is unmatched. I like how it compliments certain dishes, like this one, when used in the right proportions—never too much, just a splash for subtle floral notes.”
- Chef Yogendra Adep, chef de cuisine, Luna Gusta at The St. Regis Mumbai
Price: Rs 650
Available at: Luna Gusta at The St. Regis Mumbai, Lower Parel

Basil Ice Cream with Olive Oil and Pine Nuts
The very idea of sitting down to a dessert of basil ice cream with olive oil and pine nuts may seem a bit nuts (do pardon the pun!) to most. But trust us when we say, that this pesto-esque ice cream is perhaps, the best rendition of olive oil used innovatively that we’ve seen in a very long time! Interestingly, the genesis of this rather outré dessert is a result of a spin-off of The Sassy Spoon’s very popular basil fondant with its gooey, herbaceous green core that has its own legion of sweet-toothed fans.
Chef Speak: “I used olive oil was because I was actually thinking along the lines of pesto and the ingredients that go into making a good pesto. Apart from the parmesan and garlic in a savoury pesto, I felt these flavours worked well together and the olive oil also gives a nice, smooth texture, with the pine nuts adding a lovely bite to the ice cream.”
-Chef Rachel Goenka, CEO/owner and chef, The Sassy Spoon
Price: Rs 100 per scoop
Available at: The Sassy Spoon at Nariman Point and Bandra

(A shorter, edited version of this article appeared in the 22nd April 2017 issue of the Mid-Day newspaper, India http://www.mid-day.com/articles/food-news-mumbai-restaurants-summer-desserts/18187189)

The Hills Are Alive…

While Kerala may be more well-known for its stunning coastline and placid backwaters, its hill stations like the sublime Thekkady in the heart of the state’s spice country show us a different side. Raul Dias recently checked in at the Niraamaya Retreats Cardamom Club, Thekkady for a weekend of pure, unadulterated hill bliss!

Pics courtesy: Niraamaya Retreats Cardamom Club, Thekkady

Did you know that nutmeg and mace are actually part of the same spice fruit, wherein the former is a seed wrapped by the latter in a fragrant reddish pink membrane web? Or that, what we, in India call ‘cinnamon’, is in reality cassia bark—a species of tree similar, yet very different to the actual cinnamon tree? Well, I for one, didn’t. Nuggets of information like this—pertaining mainly to the world of spice—peppered (pun intended!) my journey as I was being driven by Tommy my very well-informed driver from Madurai airport to the lush, fecund hill station of Thekkady that’s located slap bang in the middle of Kerala’s spice country, very close to the Tamil Nadu border in Kumily.

Plush Digs!

My destination was the newly refurbished resort, the Niraamaya Retreats Cardamom Club, Thekkady that gets its name from the multitude of cardamom trees that surround this very well-appointed 12-cottage haven. Complementing the existing plantation-style cottages, the newly added wooden cabin-like rooms are built on stilts to maximise the majestic mountain views. The rooms have cleverly positioned floor-to-ceiling windows, so guests like I could wake up to stunning views of nature. The interiors, a play of muted tones with pops of colour feature minimal decoration and vibrant art. All rooms have air-conditioning, a feature exclusive to only few properties in the region as I was soon to learn from the very affable Sreejith, the resort’s manager; and amenities such as a minibar, Wi-Fi, and luxurious bath amenities.

Set amidst verdant forest canopy, the resort’s new 15-meter infinity pool overlooks the valley and the misty mountains beyond. The terraced decks from the all-day dining restaurant, Café Samsara leading to the pool offer the perfect perch for an early morning yoga session or for guests to enjoy the expansive views of the forest. In the evening, the deck elegantly transforms into an outdoor space that draws pre- and post-dinner guests to savour the pure mountain air.

Relaxation Guaranteed
The new Niraamaya Spa, built on stilts and made from Bangkirai wood from sustainable plantations in Indonesia is the perfect combination of functionality and elegance. The design is simple and minimalistic, pavilion-style with a sense of openness to highlight the stunning tropical landscape. Spread across 1,200 sq. ft., the spa features a lobby and fully-equipped Ayurveda and international therapy rooms with private outdoor sit-outs. The interiors follow a warm palette complementing the green backdrop.

But what my body needed most of all that evening after a three-hour’s long drive as a spot of pampering. And that was taken care of by Matthew, the spa’s Ayurvedic massage therapist with a superb hour-long traditional abhyanga massage which put me in a deep sleep.
Awake, but still in relaxation mode, and suddenly ravenous, a comforting plate of Kerala-style lamb stew made with coconut milk and accompanied by fluffy, bowl-shaped appams with crispy edges was what I wolfed down at the very elegantly appointed Café Samsara. A traditional coconut and jaggery payasam for afters and I was done. Ready to hit the soft pillows and ready to take on what the next day had in store for me.

Of Spices and More…
Located at the foot of the hill, atop which the resort is perched, is the wonderful, arboreal Green Land Spice Garden. Where, for as little as Rs 100 per person, you can partake in an hour-long guided spice lesson. So, that was where I found myself the next afternoon—after a late sleep in and a hearty brunch at Niraamaya—being educated in all things ‘spicy’ by Tigin a very knowledgeable local guy who took me through everything that is grown in the spice garden. From the de rigueur cardamom and clove trees to the more exotic passion fruit and avocado, I was given a crash course in how they are grown, harvested and then packaged. Speaking of which, at the attached spice shop, I tanked up on all my favourites to take back home like mace, cinnamon quills and the fragrant allspice.
Having been booked in for a double performance of Kathakali and Kalaripayattu (both for Rs 200 each, per person) in the early evening, I made my way to the super clean and neat little town of Kumily which is where both the arenas are located in the same compound. The Navarasa Kathakali Centre for a Kathakali performance was first on the list. A mere shed of a place, the center encourages guests to come in a little earlier before the scheduled performance so that they catch the performers apply their very elaborate make-up and dress in their costumes before the show commences and also learn a bit about this ancient art form.
Now, for the uninitiated like myself, Kathakali is a combination of two Malayalam words, “katha” which means story and “kali” which means play and is a derivative of one of the oldest classical dance forms of Kerala known as Ramanattam, which was earlier only conducted in royal palaces. And as I was to see, the performance was a story (taken mainly from Hindu mythology and puranas) acted out with the aid of mime, hand and eye gestures, drama and music by two men, one of whom was dressed as a woman, as women performers are generally not part of the repertoire.
An hour later, it was time to walk a mere 10 feet up to the Kalaripayattu performance staging area of the Kadathanadan Kalari Centre which was a dug-out space much like a swimming pool, with spectator seats on all four sides of the upper floor. Seemingly dance-like in the performers’ movements, Kalaripayattu is one of India’s oldest martial arts at over 3,000-years-old and can be traced back to the sage Parasurama who is believed to be the father of this martial art. Ending in a spectacular fire-hoop-jumping display, the performance had me spell bound.
But then, so had almost everything I had seen, heard, ate, smelled and experienced in this alternate, parallel dimension of God’s Own Country—Kerala!
 

FACT FILE

Getting There
The idyllic hill station of Thekkady where Niraamaya Retreats Cardamom Club, Thekkady is situated in, is a scenic three hours’ drive from Madurai and a five hours’ drive from Kochi which many avoid due to the long winding, nausea-inducing ride up the mountainous roads! Both Madurai and Kochi have daily direct flights to and from Mumbai and most other major Indian cities.

For More Information Contact
Niraamaya Retreats Cardamom Club, Thekkady
66th Mile, V&V Estates, Springvalley,
Thekkady, Kumily, Kerala - 685509
Tel: +91 80 4510 4510
E-mail: reservations@niraamaya.in
www.niraamaya.in
www.periyartourism.org
greenlandspice@gmail.com
kadathanadankalari@gmail.com

(A shorter, edited version of this article appeared in the 22nd April 2017 issue of the Afternoon Despatch & Courier newspaper, India http://www.afternoondc.in/mumbai-mix/the-hills-are-alive/article_193208)

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Stables, Mumbai

(Check this review out at Hindustan Times here http://www.hindustantimes.com/more-lifestyle/the-stables-a-new-place-that-feels-comfy-and-familiar/story-EGpe5CkHB4Av2nkMdJbUAN.html)

Café Coffee Day's new ‘Summer Chillers’!

Beat the heat with CCD’s new summer beverages menu, a range of refreshing thirst-quenching drinks that will satisfy the indulgent explorer in you

Summer is here and so is the raging heat and exhaustion! While all of us are trying to get a grip of the summer heat, Café Coffee Day (CCD) has come out with a range of beverages to chill and sip on and enjoy summer season to the fullest. Stay cool and fresh with CCD’s aptly termed ‘Summer Chillers’. It brings you a whole new range of beverages that is not just refreshing, but also redefines frappes and slushes in unique flavours that will gratify the indulgent explorer in you.

The summer menu consists of six new chillers. It’s got two new frappes, two fruit-based refreshers and for the coffee devotees there are two coffee chillers.

CCD patrons have spent many indulgent and enjoyable times at its cafes over its much loved range of frappes. CCD now adds to these fun moments with two more unique and yummy frappe additions, ‘Almond Rabdi Frappe’ and ‘Creamy Toffee Frappe.’  The Almond Rabdi Frappe brings you the classic taste of the popular Indian dessert in a glass. It is a smooth chiller to down, served with a shot of whipped cream and topped off with crunchy almond flakes. CCD brings another new and evolved taste to the youth with the delicious Creamy Toffee Frappe. It’s got rich toffee sauce blended into a chilled frappe, topped with whipped cream and scrumptious butterscotch.

This summer menu also brings you two cooling refreshers made of India’s quintessential summer flavours - reinvented. ‘Cool Jamun Slush’ made of Kala Jamun delivers our beloved fruit into a soothing beverage. It combines the flavour of jamun with a zing of secret seasoning to revitalize your taste buds. ‘Sugarcane Refresher’ brings you the all-time-favourite sugarcane juice, infused with lemon, spicy ginger and soothing khus. This marvel of a drink is served in a sugar-rimmed cup to transport you right into a summer travel dream!

Next up in the Summer Chillers menu is ‘Toffee Cold Coffee.’ This light beverage comes with layers of cold coffee with creamy toffee, served on a bed of ice. This chiller is topped off with foamed milk and a drizzle of cocoa powder and is absolutely hydrating. Last but not least is the ‘Citrus Cold Brew Coffee’ made for discerning customers and available only in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. It’s a signature cold-brew coffee blended with mandarin flavor and served on the rocks in a sugar-rimmed cup. There is no better hangout spot than this!

A-N-A-T-O-M-I-Z-E: Plastic Chakna

By Raul Dias

Embarrassment is writ large upon my face as I attempt, rather unsuccessfully, to prise open the tiny ‘plastic’ packet of nuts that’s daintily sitting on a plate in front of me. It’s only when a server suggests I pop the whole packet into my mouth—covering et al—do I finally realise the naughty little mind game molecular gastronomy is playing on me…    

Taking the two very antipodal concepts of a French amuse bouche and chakna—the de facto Indian drinks’ accompaniment, and fusing them together in a decidedly delicate, transparent Japanese rice paper called obulato is Chef Tejas Sovani. As the very first course in his degustation menu at Amaranta, The Oberoi Gurgaon’s modern Indian fine dining restaurant, Sovani sends off the brilliantly realised and constructed plastic chakna with a flourish.

Named obulato in honour of oblaat, the Dutch word for “wafer”, these shiny sheets made from rice and potato starch are used to create beautiful garnishes, such as tuiles and in this case, edible sachets. Dissolving in the mouth almost instantly, it is this ephemeral quality that’s so very appealing!  

Meant to be eaten in one bite with one’s fingers—with a daub of coriander-mint chutney—the dish is made up of hand-pounded roasted peanuts, crushed piquant wasabi peas and bits of soya crisps flavoured with spices and chaat masala, which are then ensconced in a single, almost plastic-like circular cut obulato sheet. With the help of a special heat sealing machine, the edges of the mini parcel are fused together to form a half moon shaped amuse bouche that’s full of flavour and texture!     

(This column first appeared in the 16th April 2017 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 8 http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/plastic-chakna/article18056489.ece)

Picture Perfect Poland!

With everything from cities made of salt and mysterious Neolithic tunnels carved out of flint, to a relaxing soak in a thermal bath and a cuisine—that’s a comfort food lover’s dream come true—Poland has a lot to offer the adventurous traveller.

By Raul Dias

A truly multi-faceted country like no other, Poland is a dream destination for those who seek a holiday with a difference. With 13 UNESCO sites—some of which are whole city complexes—like the old towns of Warsaw and Kraków, Poland is filled with some truly fabulous experiences and wondrous sights. These take the form of beautiful town squares, castles, and fascinating museums. Due to its turbulent history, each Polish city is different in its culture, style, and history. Poland is also a paradise for nature lovers. It is one of the few countries in Europe that is lucky to have a great variety of landscapes: a long Baltic Sea coastline with beautiful sandy beaches and rolling sand dunes, lake provinces with more than 10,000 lakes, lowlands, hilly regions and diverse mountain ranges, including the magnificent Tatra Mountains.
Here are a few top travel experiences for you to savour on your next trip to this beautiful northern European country:

Marvel at the ‘City of Salt’!
Lying within the Kraków metropolitan area, and a tourist attraction since the 15th century, the Wieliczka Salt Mine is one of Poland’s premiere must-visit places. The historic underground ‘city’ forms an impressive maze composed of 2,391 chambers and 245 km of galleries, excavated on nine levels at the depth of between 64 m and 327 m underground where one can visit unique places, chambers cut out in solid rock, amazing underground lakes, majestic timber constructions, genuine salt figures, and see the marvelous machines and tools once used by ancient miners.

Enjoy Chopin’s living legacy
Undoubtedly the most famous resident of Warsaw, Frédéric François Chopin spent the first 20 years of his life in the city. Here, he studied music, learned the manners of society and gave his first concerts. Walking the streets of Warsaw, you will pass buildings where he stayed or which he visited. There are many places which are a homage paid to his talent and Warsaw even boasts the world’s largest Chopin memorabilia collection. Make sure to visit the Royal Lazienki Museum’s gardens that has as its number one attraction a rather odd-looking statue of Chopin who seems to be being ‘devoured’ by a vulture or something there like! It is only on closer inspection of the monument that you will notice that the ‘vulture’ is actually a gnarly branch of a tree, that is said to be symbolic of lending protection to Chopin.

Pay homage to Poland’s ghastly past
The very well-appointed Schindler’s Factory Museum located in the old Jewish district of Kazimierz in Kraków is a sad reminder of the city’s five-year Nazi occupation during World War II. In fact, the Academy Award-winning movie Schindler’s List was even partially filmed in this original factory building. Today, a multi-level museum packed with remnants of the past, including Oskar Schindler’s original writing desk, this place was once the location of Schindler’s factory of enameled vessels ‘Emalia’. Today, ingenious exhibitions combine period artifacts, photos and documents with multimedia and set-piece arrangements in an attempt to create a full-immersion experience.

Visit the Opatowskie Flint Mine
The underground Neolithic Krzemionki Opatowskie Flint Mine is located eight kilometers north-east of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski in central Poland. The popular Tourist Route that is 465m long, descending 11.5m at the deepest point, takes you through the Neolithic pillar-chamber mining pits, with connecting sections excavated in limestone rock that pass inside the natural striped flint-bearing bank. All this seen through special inspection windows.  

Partake in a Polish feast!
At first, Polish food may seem like a close cousin of Russian cuisine thanks to the ubiquitous blood red beetroot borscht and potato blinis pancakes anointed with lashings of thick sour cream and chives, but to discount the unique dishes of Poland would be sacrilegious. Make sure to tuck into a bowl of the lighter than air chicken vegetable and noodle soup called rosol and a plate of pierogi which are semicircular stuffed dumplings that are boiled and then pan fried, holding within their plump bellies various fillings like cheese and cabbage, meat and cabbage and mushroom and cabbage. The local yummy smoked goat cheese called oscypek is sold in fat cylinder and spindle shapes in markets across the country and should not be missed, particularly in its grilled form, topped with sweet raspberry jam and best had with a warm bagel that was invented in Poland.

Burrow your way down to the Museum Rynek in Kraków
The Museum Rynek is probably the most unusual museum you’ll ever encounter. It lies ‘buried’ 4m below the Main Square and is the actual location of the ancient Kraków city center. The main exhibit called “In the footsteps of Kraków’s European identity”, makes use of holograms constructed by using projectors alongside fog machines and several dozen screens to recreate the atmosphere of Kraków 700 years ago.

Rest and Relax…
Make sure to end your Polish holiday with a rejuvenating dip only a thermal bath can provide. As the largest thermal complex in the region, the Chocholowski Termy thermal bath is located in the town of Podhale, a few hours’ drive from Kraków en route to the scenic Tatra Mountains. Opened in June 2016, the pools in this complex are filled with curative water extracted from the depth of nearly 3,600 meters. Additionally, besides a spa, the Chocholowski Termy also has 30 pools and barrels of different size and specificity, including Poland’s first outside swimming pool filled with thermal water. 

(A shorter, edited version of this piece was first published in the April, 2017 issue of The Week's Smart Life magazine)

The Lure of Lavender

It’s literally raining purple with a range of lavender-infused desserts and goodies at restaurants and patisseries across the country that pay homage to the delicately perfumed flower and its gorgeously vibrant hue!

By Raul Dias

Is it a flower? Is it a herb? While there is enough conjecture about the botanical underpinnings of lavender, one thing is for certain, this season, it has crept into a host of desserts and goodies at restaurant and patisseries across the country. Places that are celebrating the purple-hued flower (we’ll just leave it at that!) in myriad ways. And why not? Being particularly compatible with the dessert-friendly flavours of honey and lemon, lavender is a perfect springtime flower to brighten up—not just a table—but also what’s served atop one!
Here’s a list of a few such preparations that are imbued with that heady dose of the flower’s power:     

Lavender and Blueberry Viennese Shortbread with Rose Petal Panna Cotta at Estella, Mumbai
This rather delicate confection is an intricate construction of two lavender-flavoured shortbread fingers sandwiching whipped cream and blueberry jam, and topped with more cream and jam, with a sprig of lavender and rosemary as the garnish. Accompanying this, is a wobbly panna cotta that does a jig, not just on the platter, but on your palate as well.   

Lavender Panna Cotta at Latest Recipe, Le Meridien Gurgaon, NCR
In this iteration, the actual panna cotta—that simply translates from Italian into English as “baked milk”—is the creation of the hotel’s Executive Pastry Chef Anil Kumar, who was inspired by the refreshing and delicate lavender flavour. The fact that this flavour has to be used just in the right amount for its effect to show up and can only be infused with cream, got him excited to try it in this panna cotta. And what a sublime creation that turned out to be!

Lavender Macarons at Cocoatease, Mumbai
Riding high on the crest of the macaron wave are these crispy, chewy, French macarons filled with a lavender-infused Swiss meringue buttercream. According to Manju Hemrajani, Co-owner, Cocoatease, people in India are slowly and steadily getting accustomed to and have started understanding the subtlety of flavours, because lavender is an acquired taste and needs to be used with caution. If used in excess, it makes the product taste bitter and pretty much inedible. But there’s no fear of that happening in the case of these delectable morsels of heaven! 

Lavender and Bitter Chocolate Bon Bon at The Oberoi Patisserie & Delicatessen, The Oberoi Gurgaon, NCR
Chef Gagan Rahi, Sous Chef (pastry) has used luxurious Valrhona chocolate and lavender flowers to create these chocolate bon bons. The bitter sweetness of the lavender flowers lends a sweet pungent after-taste to the chocolate and pairs beautifully with the intense chocolate-y notes for a well-balanced pairing.

Almond and Lavender Latte with Lavender and Lemon Cookie Crumble at The Korner House, Mumbai
As the only lavender-infused drink on this list, the latte is a creamy, rich, vegan almond and lavender blended latte topped with dairy free cream and lavender oatmeal cookie crumble. According to its creator Chef Vicky Ratnani, the reason behind its genesis is simple: Veganism is growing rapidly and people like to have nut milks. And so, the idea of doing an almond milk and lavender latte was not just au courant, but unique as well. We couldn’t agree more!

Japanese Lavender Cheesecake at Bodega Cantina-Y-Bar, Kolkata
So obsessed is this Park Street, Kolkata restobar with lavender that they’ve come up with a very unique dessert using the flower! The Japanese Lavender Cheesecake is created by ace Mumbai pastry chef Sanjana Patel and is made up of a deconstructed cheesecake that comes with lavender lemon gel and lavender flavoured ice-cream. The ode to lavender is thanks to the restobar’s Chef and Co-founder Urvika Kanoi​’s​ chef ​school address in London which had a beautiful garden on the opposite side which would bloom in summers.

​

Halo Halo Sundae with Lavender Ice-cream at Shizusan, Mumbai
Shizusan—Mumbai’s newest Pan-Asian restaurant too seems to be enamoured by the lure of lavender. In the Halo Halo Sundae, the classic sundae from the Philippines sees the traditional purple ube yam ice-cream scoop being substituted by the floral hit of the lavender ice-cream that goes on to get combined with shaved ice, condensed milk and generous piles of sweet beans, jellies, and rice crisps in a glass. ‘nuff said! ​  

(A shorter, edited version of this piece was first published in the April, 2017 issue of The Week's Smart Life magazine)

Out of Africa!

The Mesob Platter at Abyssinian, Chennai

By Raul Dias

There’s no doubting the fact that India has, for the last couple of years, been ensnared in the vice-like grip of a raging culinary vortex that’s spewing out every conceivable cuisine trend that, we the diner, are only too happy to lap up (pun intended!). Never mind how outré or over the top they may be. Today, we may know our Peruvian ceviches from our Hawaiian pokés and our Korean gimbaps from the now de rigueur Japanese gunkan makis.
But recently, there has been a whole new breed of restaurants cropping up around the country. Each representing a few hitherto unknown cuisines of Africa. Each hoping to break the Italian-Chinese-Japanese cuisine ‘hegemony’. And each making it their mission to make sure we acquaint ourselves with exotic eats like fluffy injeras from Ethiopia, jellofs from Nigeria and boerewors from South Africa, among others. 
And while there have been (failed) introductory attempts made in the past with places like Ubuntu in Mumbai serving South African food, the recently shuttered Manny’s Square in Delhi doing its bit for Nigerian cuisine and even a short-lived Afro-Caribbean restaurant called Sue’s Kitchen in Bengaluru, the following are bold new places that are making valiant inroads onto the experimental Indian diner’s tabletop, straight out of Africa…

Abyssinian

ABYSSINIAN
Offering up a mindbogglingly large menu of Ethiopian delicacies from the teff-flour made bread called injera to the national dish of chicken doro wat spiced with the traditional berbere spice mix and a carom seed and olive oil cake called nech azmud, this six-month old Chennai restaurant in Alwarpet, has almost everything—including the low-slung furniture and ingredients—brought in from Ethiopia.

Exotic appeal: The steak tartare-like raw tenderloin kitfo seasoned with the Ethiopian version of ghee called niter, the feta-like crumbly mitmita cheese and cardamom.

GREEN ONION
While prima facie there may nothing remotely Nigerian to the look and feel of this Marine Lines, Mumbai restaurant, a glance at the menu will throw up myriad surprises in the form of the tomato-y jellof rice with a huge hunk of deep-fried chicken, served with fried plantain slices as accompaniments and the funky smelling, dried fish redolent goat onugbo curry, best mopped up with balls fashioned out of the log-shaped semovita fufu that’s flecked with pieces of okra.
Exotic appeal: Chicken egusi soup with bitter leaf, that’s thickened using melon seeds.

FEZ
Straight out of a 1001 Arabian Nights in its décor and like its name alludes, this Moroccan and North African restaurant in New Delhi’s Chanaykapuri area is a repository for all things North African from its lamb tajine jazzed up with preserved lemons to its Tunisian stew served with cous cous.
Exotic appeal: The tajeh al-kamroon harissa-marinated prawns that are charcoal grilled and served with a walnut sauce.

GALITO’S
For the last few years this QSR in Bengaluru’s Whitefield has been giving patrons a taste of South Africa and its neighbour Mozambique with is very popular peri-peri chicken, the kebab-like Afrikaner sosaties and the heart-y mealie pap soup that’s made with corn meal and flavoured with tomato and basil.
Exotic appeal: Chicken boerewors sausages served with the tangy bean-rich chakalaka sauce. 

BLUE NILE
Run by the cultural wing of the Ethiopian Embassy in Chanaykapuri, New Delhi, eating out at this über-authentic Ethiopian restaurant cum café is both educational and palate-pleasing. The staff are on hand to guide you through the nuances of this North-East African cuisine that has its flagbearers the fluffy injera bread made from rice, teff or corn, the black lentil rich defen mesir and the begg tibs which is sliced lamb fried with onion garlic and fresh chilli.   
Exotic appeal: A potent shot of salty, muddy Ethiopian coffee into which a few drops of niter (Ethiopian clarified butter) are added and served alongside popcorn.

(A shorter, differently edited version of this piece was first published in the 17th April, 2017 issue of India Today magazine)

COOKING WITH CAMBAY TIGER: Cambay Tiger’s Ready to Cook Range and More…

Cambay Tiger's fab new range of ready-to-cook products

By Raul Dias

Who doesn’t like the convenience of simply ripping apart a bag and rustling up lip-smacking seafood dishes minus the inconvenience of going through the whole cumbersome process of dealing with scaling, gutting, de-veining, slicing and marinating aforementioned seafood? I sure don't! Which is precisely why this week I bring to you the super-efficient and very tasty range of Cambay Tiger’s ready-to-cook seafood products.
All thought the last week I’ve been testing (and yes tasting!) almost their entire range of products so that I can truly and honestly be able to objectively judge and speak of them. And my verdict? They truly are fabulous and will shave a lot of hours off your cooking time, as they did mine. The delivery schedule was bang on time and all my orders came to me super fresh, as though they’d been caught on that very same day!
While I particularly loved the freshness and unctuous mouthfeel of the Omega-3 fatty acid-rich Atlantic salmon

—that I basted with teriyaki sauce and served with mirin soaked rice and pok choi for a Japanese-Sino fusion lunch—the crunchy-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside ready to fry fish pakodas were a great convenient tea-time snack and a hit with a friend who suddenly dropped in unannounced.
Here’s the range of some of the products up close and personal:

 Fish Pakodas made with basa

Fish Fingers

Chilli Fish Fingers

Fish sheekh kababs

Chilli-basil basa

Lemon pepper basa

Tandoori prawn skewers

 

Garlic butter prawns

I also want to urge you to visit Cambay Tiger’s well-designed and easy to navigate, brand new e-commerce site www.cambaytiger.com that now serves live, raw, ready-to-cook and frozen seafood. Live seafood initially includes tilapia and mud crabs, while raw would include crustaceans, including prawns, exotic fish such as Atlantic salmon that’s flown in all the way from Norway, fresh water fish such as catla, tilapia and hilsa and sea water fish such as Indian salmon, seer (surmai)

, Chinese pomfret and silver pomfret. The ready-to-cook seafood includes marinated tilapia, prawns, pomfret, salmon and surmai. Frozen includes DVT prawns, tilapia, fish fingers (another one of my favourites), basa chunks, fish pakodas, fish seekh kababs and surmai. Customers could also order for items such as marinades, canned fish and regional fish pickles online. And here’s a little something from Cambay Tiger for those who don’t eat fish; www.cambaytiger.com also serves frozen veg snacks of Frish and Kawan brands such as garlic naan, aloo kulcha, pizza pockets, jalapeno cheese pockets, potato alphabites (yes, you read that right!), potato teddy bears, potato masala wedges, tawa paratha, onion paratha and multi-grain paratha. www.cambaytiger.com will also enlighten viewers with tips to select and cook seafood and also offer exotic recipe. There is an opportunity for viewers to submit their recipes. The portal offers dietary experts including nutritionists, dietitians and culinary connoisseurs to be part of an exclusive experts group and be privy to a host of benefits such as tastings, website features and blogs.

Cambay Tiger’s callout line to its customers has been ‘our fish hasn’t been to the fish market so shouldn’t you’. And I couldn’t agree more to that. Amen!

Goan Prawn Curry

(serves four)
Ingredients:
750 gm Cambay Tiger medium sized prawns (without tails)
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp chilli powder
1½ tbsp ground coriander
½ tsp salt
800 ml fresh or canned coconut milk
2 tsp tamarind pulp
4 tsp sugar, or to taste
2 green chillies, sliced lengthways
A few fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Method:
* Pour the oil into a large non-stick pan, about 25 cm in diameter, and set it over a medium heat.
* Put in the onion and brown for about five minutes.
* Add the garlic and fry for a further three minutes, then tip in the cumin, chilli powder, coriander and salt.
* Reduce the heat and mix well for one minute. Pour in the coconut milk and spoon in the tamarind pulp and add the sugar.
* Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Reduce the sauce until it is thick. Mix in the prawns and chillies and cook for 2-3 minutes until the prawns are just opaque and cooked through, then serve garnished with a few coriander leaves and accompanied by steamed or boiled rice.

(Recipe developed for Cambay Tiger by Ann Dias & Raul Dias) 

For more information, please contact Cambay Tiger at:
Website - https://www.cambaytiger.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cambaytiger/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cambaytiger/?hl=en
Pinterest - https://in.pinterest.com/cambaytiger/?eq=cambay%20tiger&etslf=7241
Twitter -    https://twitter.com/Cambay_Tiger
Call - +91-7071707170, 022-67906787 for free home delivery of Cambay Tiger’s range of products

Store addresses and contacts:

Lokhandwala
Shop no. 8, Grenville CHS Ltd., Plot no. 98-A/116, Opp. Samarth Vaibhav, Lokhandwala, Andheri (w), Mumbai 400053

Bandra
Shop No 1, Kenwood Cooperative Housing Society, Ambedkar Road, Near Zig Zag Road, Bandra West, Mumbai 400050

Delhi
B-87, Bhishma Pitamah Marg, Block B, Defence Colony, New Delhi 110024

Pune
S No 199 Pl 95 Shop No 5/6, Gulmohar Regency Viman Nagar, Pune 411032

Cambay Tiger Products Available in Nature's Basket, HyperCity, Star Bazaar, Aditya Birla More, Big Bazaar, Nilgiri's in all metro cities pan India.