Philips Foodathon - A Marathon of Food Bloggers

On my recent visit to Philips Foodathon, a marathon of food bloggers where members of the ecosystem came together to celebrate their love for food, i had an experience of my lifetime .As we all know passion for food in our country is next to cricket or probably Bollywood. So it made a lot of sense for a lot of partners to come together and organize an event basis their novel concept. Philips was the primary sponsor of the event while the V Sot Cafe+Bar gave the location courtesy. The world renowned food blogger Sid Khullar was the consulting partner (Chef at Large). The event was organized by one of India's leading PR agency - 20:20MSL.

It was a great experience since the very beginning. A 'block-your-date' invite much prior to the event (which was much appreciated), followed by a formal invite 4 days prior to the event along with polite reminder call made me feel good much before i finally went to the event.

There were no logistical issues as 20:20 MSL people took care of it all indeed very professionally. My travel to the venue was also smooth and I loved the location - Gurgaon!The location was also, I must say, a perfect choice for the event. V Spot Cafe+Bar immediately give you good vibes as soon as you enter the place. You immediately start feeling "Happy" :)

The 'rain is falling chama cham cham' colourful wall took a great deal of my attention while i entered the place. The gracious host at the registration desk (Radhika) greeted me with immense politeness and made me feel comfortable.

Image Courtesy : Ragini Vasishtha

Needless to say all the people were were friendly and made everything look easy (not that there was any difficult part, but you might feel uncomfortable when you meet a lot of new people)

The ambience of the place was bang on! Right from the interiors to the tissue papers (very interesting ones!), to the washroom walls , everything spelled 'coolness' and it was all too subtle, nothing 'in-your-face'.A nice bar and terrace seating arrangement had set the tone of the event - it was going to be "Legendary". The agenda was set (it was in the press kits that were distributed) and it all began around 12:55pm. The MC was also a charming host and made sure everyone in the room was smiling.

Image Courtesy : Monica Miglani

After this, the Philips air-fryer was showcased (and trust me, nothing had wooed me to that extent in quite a while now). An amazing product, it fries stuff without oil (YES!!!!). It uses the technique of using hot air and the final dish has almost 80% lesser fat content (compared to the usual oil deep frying.  In Indian households where one is so fond of deep fried stuff, the Philips Air-Fryer is definitely a boon for many households. Four air-fryers were set to 'fry' eatables for some real experience. Chiken-tikka, french fries and aloo tikki were cooked and as a pleasant surprise it actually felt 'awesome'. The french fries were best amongst the lot - not a drop of oil and crisp like a dream. Usually while cooking french fries at home, we deep fry it twice to get that crunch, but the air fryer will just make life simpler (and slimmer ;) )

Image Courtesy : Faizan patel

To my utter astonishment, Philips Foodathon was trending in Delhi, on twitter in the first half an hour of beginning (Kudos to the 20:20 MSL team)

Sid Khullar also addressed the audience for a while and share some interesting thoughts and sparked a discussion with topics like , if advertising was the only way to monetize your blog .Foodathon was not all general fun,it was a place where I learned a lot as well.

A master class was taken by the executive chef of Shangri La, Darren Canole. He taught a lot about plating and also plated a dish in front of the audience and left us spell bound with his amazing skills (and sense of humour ;) )

Ace photographer, Hemant Sud, took a class on food photography and gave some real insights. The chef and the Hemant later were the jury of a plating contest. The participants of the plating contest were selected by a small quiz which was held by Sid Khullar and MC (Akash). The ones who answered the question were selected for the contest.

Image Courtesy : Ragini Vasishtha

Image Courtesy : Faizan Patel

Chef shared two great insights while announcing the winning dish - One, a dish which has some amount of height to it will always attract eyes more as compared to a flat dish. Secondly, while decorating your dish, make sure you use an odd number of the extras (brain does not connect, even number with decoration of dishes).

Then came FOOD - aha! The lovely names spelled in the menu were making me as tempted as possible and finally it came to tasting.

I completely fell in love with the Chermoula Marinated Fish. It was a perfect balance of taste and texture. The fish was cotton soft and the taste was well balanced with right amount of salt, spices and also had a hint of sugar which gave the tongue that complexity of flavours. In desserts i loved the coffee mousse (the Chocolate mud cake, though was not as per my expectation).Rosemary potatoes were the surprise element on the table as they looked quite simple but the combination of rosemary with potatoes was a connoisseur's delight.

After this wonderful event we were bid goodbye with a goodie bag. It had a box of Dunkin Donuts, a V spot Cafe mug and a Foodathon t-shirt. Dunkin Donuts were another surprise element to the event. I call it a 'box of wonder'. It looked fantastic, and tasted even better. The donuts will be launched soon and are positioned as 'Diwali Specials'. I think the company has made sure they bring all the elements one look for in traditional sweets in this box of donuts - the icing of the donuts and varied flavours which will appeal to the Indian palate. I could find hints of mango, chocolate and recotta. These definitely should be a success because it gives people an option apart from the usual sweets and over done dry fruit gift packs.

Diwali Special Dunkin Donuts

Box of Dunkin Donuts

All in all it was a great initiative and i will definitely look forward to many more Foodathons. I highly recommend it should be turned into an annual property.After many lazy weekends, this was indeed a Saturday - WELL-SPENT!

Fasting or Feasting? Places to check out during Navratras

Restaurants in the Capital are serving up global dishes to cater to the faithful during Navratri. In the weeks preceding Navratri, pious homes around Delhi, and indeed the whole of India, start stocking up ingredients that go into special recipes - from kuttu (buckwheat) flour to makhanas (fox nuts) and sabudana (tapioca). For centuries, several such items have made up the staples of Hindu diets during the nine-day festival, which signifies the change of seasons and is marked by worshipping of the Mother Goddess in her nine forms. People avoid going out to eat, and confine themselves to one meal a day, usually after the sunset. To combat this lean period, restaurants usually offer traditional ‘Navratri platters’. Since it’s only Indian and multi-cuisine restaurants which can do this, Continental and Oriental eateries are usually hors de combat and end up waving the white flag until festivities are concluded. However, this year has seen a dramatic paradigm shift, as European and Asian restaurants around the city are determined not to go down without a fight. From pizzas made out of buckwheat to stir-fried vegetables cooked sans onions and garlic, restaurants are showcasing just how sattvic ‘foreign foods’ can be. Sanjay Chaddha, owner of Asia Kitchen, which has outlets in Hauz Khas, Noida and Vasant Vihar, says, “Oriental food has the distinct advantage over Indian food that it’s cooked on the spot, and so, can be fine-tuned exactly according to the guests’ specific requirements. People are usually apprehensive about eating out during Navratri, so we are doing everything we can to ensure they can eat out without having any cause for concern.” Other Asian restaurant serving Navratri-inspired dishes is Yum Yum Tree in New Friends Colony. People with a more European palate can head to Pizzeria Rossa in Hauz Khas or Buzz in Saket. Chef Sudipta Saha at Buzz says, “While onions and garlic are used in a large number of European dishes, it is still possible to tweak them with other flavours, which have the same impact. For example, we’ve twisted the traditional risotto and substituted arborio rice with sabudana, and onions and garlic with olive oil and herbs.” The Metropolitan Hotel and Spa in Connaught Place has introduced a range of Navratri cookies. Executive Chef Sandeep Panwar says, “People are ready to experiment with food, but only up to a certain extent. So, we have introduced variations such as candied pineapple cookies and cookies made out of singhara flour, which are getting a very good response.” Those looking for fancier dining experiences may pick up Navratri platters at ITC Maurya. Senior Executive Chef Manisha Bhasin and her team have come up with three options: while one is a traditional thali, the other two options are an Oriental Bento Box and a Western Plate. “While treats from Gujarat, Rajasthan and other states are usually the norm when it comes to eating during the Navratri, people can get tired of the monotomy. So, this year we decided to tweak the Navratri menu in accordance with the new eating habits of guests,” explains Bhasin. This translates into pizzas and dim sums made using buckwheat flour, among other degustations. Similarly, the Hilton in Mayur Vihar has introduced a special menu during the Navratri, which includes dishes such as Buckwheat Black Pepper Pasta, Navratra Vegetable Stack and sweet potato soup. Chefs and restaurateurs are pleased with the response. Bhasin says people are more than happy to eat out and there has been a pretty even split between the Indian thalis and the other options. Chaddha adds, “Earlier, Navratri was always a very lean period for us. However this year, after we’ve introduced the new menu, business has been surprisingly good, much better than we expected. Now, we’re planning to incorporate a special Navratri menu every year.” Article Courtesy : The Indian Express

Cooking over the weekend...!!

Clockwise from top left - Vegetable Pulao, Spinach Surprise, Chocolate Cake, Masala Chicken

Quick Midnight 3-min snack :)

So it is Saturday night and i like staying at home rather than partying out...yes that's kind of being a typical cancerian. My iPad, my kitchen and my blog, kind of sums up a great Saturday evening for me.! But yes...my enemy....HUNGER PANGS...attack! and my nightmare comes true - i open the fridge and realize all the food is over! (damn i should have had proper dinner...someone KILL me now please!)
But nonetheless....experiment time <3 :)

So....scanning the fridge...EUREKA!!!!
Spinach (i wish there were some sweet corns left too...damn i love spinach corn sandwich :(
Cheese (Yayyy...something to look forward to :)
Ginger and Garlic (yes, life would have been incomplete without them, and i MEAN it)
Lemon
and a little dough ball of gram flour

So...think...think...THINK!!!! Hunger-syndrome makes brain work faster...well..kind of..ahem! So i come up with something i call -the 'Spinach wonder'!!!

The Ingredients available

Here is how you can go about cooking it...and believe you me....i loved it more than the spinach corn sandwich :)

1. Take the dough make it a chapatti out of it and put it on a non-stick tawa and roast it (no usage of oil please)
2. Heat some olive oil in a separate pan
3. Add ginger to it, followed by chopped spinach, then garlic and cheese on top (following the order is essential to bring out the perfect taste of each ingredient)
4. Turn off the gas and cover the pan with a lid
5. Once the chapatti is done, brush it with a little olive oil (littleeee is what i mean)
6. After 2 mins, the topping is done (the one being cooked in the pan)
7. Take the chapatti, apply the spinach topping on top of it (use tongs to take the topping out of the pan)
8. Garnish it with kesar and chilly flakes (the red creates a brilliant contrast against the green spinach...food is consumed 60% through eyes, so yeah ;)
9.Add a few drops of lemon on it

And tada!!! ready to eat!!!

Sorry for the 'not-so-round' chapatti..i was sleepy :(

Enjoy this healthy mid-night snack!! Don't worry about the cheese...occasional indulgence is indispensable ;)

Hyderabadi Biryani

Lovely weekend...nice weather...craving for something amazing to eat! It all lead me to recall one of the biryani recipes i saw on Fox Traveller sometime back...and here it is...for all of you to try this delicious creation atleast once :)

This is one of the simplest ways to make Biryani which makes it a must try!

Ingredients :

Olive Oil, as per requirement

Jeera - one teaspoon

Roasted jeera (cumin powder) - one teaspoon

Coriander powder - one teaspoon

Bay Leaves (Tez Patta) 3-4

Green elaichi (cardomom) - 2

Moti elaichi - half

Cloves - 7-8

Black pepper - 10-12

White pepper - 1/4 teaspoon

Cinnamon - 3-4 small pieces

Sliced Onions - 1 cup

Tomato Paste - 1 1/2 cup

Ginger garlic paste - 3 spoons

Yellow butter - 1/2 cup

Chicken pieces - 5-6

Rice (pre cooked, preferably boiled)

Mint leaves

Food colour

Turmeric powder

Red chilly powder

Table Salt

Start by heating some Olive oil in a pan. Add cumin, bay leaves, cardomom, cloves, cinnamon and black pepper to it.

After 10-12 seconds (spices should not become black-red) add sliced onions to it. The onions would provide moisture and help the spices retain the flavour.

Caramalize the onions (reddish brown in colour) on low flame. Keep turning its sides, to avoid burning the onions.

After that add chicken pieces to it. You can also use lamb instead. After 30 seconds Add ginger garlicpaste to it (paste should be made with equal quantity of ginger and garlic)

Add the spices - turmeric powder, red chilly flakes, cumin powder and coriander powder. Wait for 10-15 seconds and add the tomato paste.

Add 1 1/2 cup of warm water. Put the lid and let it cook on low flame for 35-40 minutes (time shall vary if you are using lamb instead of chicken).

Once the chicken cooks, separate the pieces from the gravy and keep aside. In another vessel take yellow butter and add the pre cooked and coloured rice to it. (boil a glass of rice in water. Drain out excess water once the rice is semi cooked and then add food colour mixed in water to it)

Add gravy of the chicken to the rice. And mix well on high flame. Don't do this rigorously to avoid breaking the rice.

Add finely chopped mint and coriander leaves to it with a dash of lemon. Add half teaspoon of garam masala to it, turn of the gas and close the lid. Let it rest for 5-7 minutes. 

Serve it hot with a drink of your choice.

Suggestions : you can use raita instead of the drink (add water to pre hung curd. Mix well and add garlic to it. Garnish with fresh coriander and mint leaves.

Hope every one loves the Birayani you make :)

The Simplest Cake!!

So now that I have started blogging...I intend to give it a direction.

The most obvious amongst all options was making it a food centric blog...and as I have always maintained cooking is the biggest stress buster for me !!!While wondering which dish to post about...I have finally decided to go ahead with the most basic form of a cake..

(want to start it at a sweet note ;) )

And by mentioning that it is the most basic form of a cake...I mean even its cooking is in the basic form....hence a COOKER CAKE :)

It is a cooker chocolate cake

Ingredients : (I have decided to use the generally used names and not some deadly-sounding English translation of it)

Maida - 1 cup

Milkmaid - 1/2 cup

Sugar -1/4 cup

raisins and cashews as per choice ( I used a cup of them)

Baking soda -1/4 teaspoon 

Baking powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Melted butter - 1/4 cup

Milk - 1/2 cup

So now baking it is the simplest thing one can do...but for the ones who have just begun....you would LOVE it for its simplicity

Start by mixing Maida, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl and then pass it through a sieve (this is done to bring in air and layers to the mixture...so that the cake turns fluffy)

Mix in a separate bowl - sugar, milkmaid, butter and half the quantity of milk. Make a fine paste of it.

Mix the ingredients of both bowls and make a smooth batter while adding rest of the milk.

Take approximately 1 1/2 cup of salt and put it in the pressure cooker and spread it evenly. Remove the whistle and put it on the gas at low flame. Heat it for 2-3 minutes

Take a bowl (preferably aluminium) grease it with oil and sprinkle some flour on it. Pour the batter into this bowl and put it in the cooker (when the salt is warm post 2-3 minutes)

Close the lid (make sure you have removed the whistle) and now chill for 45 minutes before you look at the brilliant achievement!!!!!!!!

Once out of the cooker let it cool for 5 minutes and go pour all your creativity on to it...layer it with liquid chocolate..nuts...gems or whatever you like!!!

Taste it and say YUMMMMM ;)

Was quite simple...I'm sure you would agree....next ill come up with something which needs at least some technique :P

Till then...happy eating :)

Being Sensitive.... #indispensable!

There are a lot of things happening around us. Some affects us, some don't. in either of the cases being aware that there is something happening and being considerate towards the ones affected is essential.
Why kill the human inside you. In today's scenario there are a lot of people who would ignore a situation saying 'it is not my business', good, good that it is not your business and brilliant that you are not the one affected. But, Pause, pause and think, what if you were. What if you were the one affected and someone else said, ' Dude, why the hell should i care? It isn't my business'.

Get over it. get over the fact, rather an illusion that nothing is ever going to affect you, Being optimistic is good, but being over confident is not. You never know what, when, where might go wrong. I am not saying and you shouldn't expect that if you were sensitive towards A's problem , even A should be sensitive towards you, he is not bound to. But, the point here is if each one thinks that way, it makes the situation worse. Do your bit, and forget about it. We are not judges, neither do we have time for analysis, but we do have an inner self. We are answerable, not to the world, but to our own self. When at night you go and sleep, it shouldn't bother you that you were insensitive. If it is in your ability and capacity why not help someone in need, or rather just be sensitive towards him.

A small example from my own life: one day i took a rickshaw to go across the street, to a mall, hardly a kilometer (may be less than that, i am bad at measuring distances), it was extremely hot, and when i say extremely, i mean somewhere around 45-47 degrees, I had it in my heart that whatever amount the person says, i would pay (if i could go to that mall and shop for thousands, why can't i give this poor man 20-30 bucks extra?) the rickshaw guy was genuine, he asked only for what was the usual amount. I  was accompanied by someone, and suddenly i insisted that i pay 20 bucks over and above the amount he asked for, because it was too hot to pull the rickshaw.The person who accompanied me was against the thought that we should pay extra, because this is something he does daily and for 10 hours a day, and me paying him 20 rupees extra won't help. I was shaken, shaken for the fact that actually the extra money would not have helped him as much as the bottle of chilled water i could buy from that money would. I bought water and gave it to him , and the rickshaw guy stared a me for 2 minutes and just din't know what to say. He gulped down the ice cold water and kept the bottle safely in his rickshaw, thanked me and went away.

The point here is not to highlight what i did, but to think why can't we do this as many times as possible during the day. I am sure if we have the resources which enable us to use technology and read this blog right now, we definitely have to capability and ability to go out and help some one. Not only by money, Just be sensitive, sensitive towards the environment, people, family and your inner self.

And trust me, when you go to sleep each day, you would have that satisfaction, that atleast you are doing you bit.