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Baked Pesto Chicken

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It’s already March and I still haven’t put up a pesto recipe! That’s Pesto Blasphemy in my books. You all know my heart skips a beat when I talk about Pesto. Every time I see good basil leaves in the market, I’m rushing home to make pesto. Because of my obsession with it, my friend even ribs me and asks me when I’m making pesto ice cream?! The flak I receive for my addiction, has led me restrain myself from spamming the blog with all things Pesto! BUT this recipe from Kalyn’s Kitchen is so easy and so brilliant and tastes so Ah-maze-ing that I had to share.
This recipe requires no prepping or marinating and it’s ready in under 40 minutes. It’s also way healthier than a sauté/ pan fried option. The olive oil in the pesto is all you need to moisten and bake this baby. I must have made this innumerable times just because it looks so impressive when you plate up. I’ve bookmarked this one, to churn out something fabulous when guests arrive unannounced. Yes, we all want to be Domestic Goddesses with a sexy British twang ‘a la Nigella’ at the end of the day!
 Baked Pesto Chicken
(Recipe adapted from Kalyn’s Kitchen)
Prep time: 5 mins
Baking time: 30 + 5 mins
Serves 4
What you need:
4 Chicken breasts, (skinless, boneless and flattened)
4 Tbsp Pesto (I use the home made version)
½ cup Grated Mozzarella
Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper for seasoning
To Serve:
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Grilled Vegetables (Mushrooms, broccoli, peppers, Onions)

 

What to do:
Preheat you oven to 190°C. Clean the chicken breast and trim all the fat away. (Seriously, there is enough fat in the pesto – we don’t need anymore).
Step 1: Flatten the breast (I use a rolling pin) and cut it into 2 strips. This ensures that we get more pesto coated sides! Now spray a 9×9 Baking dish with some non-stick spray.
Step 2: Massage the pesto into the chicken breast strips and ensure it is fully covered. Now lay them flat onto the baking dish.
Step 3: IMPORTANT – Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. This ensure that’s the chicken gets cooked fast and is still nice and moist.
Step 4: Toss into the oven and bake for 25 mins. (I’ve checked the time and it works perfectly – Do NOT overcook).
Step 5: Take out the dish from the oven and remove the foil. Cover with the grated mozzarella.
Step 6: Now put it back into the oven WITHOUT the foil and broil under a grill for 3-4 mins till the cheese has melted and browned slightly. (There will be some pan juices which you will use to dress up your plate later).
Step 7: Serve hot.
I like to serve this with some creamy mashed potatoes and Grilled vegetables. Voila!
For the Creamy Mashed Potatoes recipe click here.
For the Grilled Veggies – cut up the veggies into similar sized pieces. Coat with some olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and grill in the oven for 25 mins. Turning over/ shuffling them once inbetween.
To plate – Spread some mashed potatoes onto the center on the plate. Place the baked pesto chicken breasts on top. Surround the chicken with grilled vegetables. Spoon over some pan juices on top of the chicken and around the vegetables.  

Peshawari Tandoor by Turquoise (Now Closed :( )

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I have eaten at Turquoise and Peshawari Tandoor a couple of times and have always enjoyed their food. The restaurant plates their food beautifully and after seeing some pictures of the Sunday brunch captured by my fellow foodie Harsha (of the FB group Bakasura) I had to go and get click crazy! The reason I haven’t written about it for so long (almost a year!) has been two fold (a) My forgetfulness – which includes leaving the camera at home and (b) the low ‘mood’ lighting in their Indian restaurant. (It’s done up with multi-hued ceiling to floor chandeliers!). Mood lighting encourages romance but does NOT a good picture make!
So I happily trumped in on Sunday with my camera and my friend Shwe in tow – expecting to go photo crazy on their buffet table. Unfortunately, they informed me that the Sunday brunch has now been stopped L (Lesson learned for being a procrastinator!). Luckily they had a Signature Tasting Menu of all their best dishes and we were more than happy to sample the same. And the best part – they were going to serve each dish at the table, so I could relax and let the party come to me!
I made two small requests – firstly, can we be seated at their sunlight restaurant on the 2nd floor? and secondly, I wanted a seat next to the large window. Since I mostly eat out at night, I was not going to pass up the opportunity of clicking pictures in daylight! Now that we got the basics of a good lunch in place (I’m a food blogger… what do you expect?), we settled down to be entertained.
 
They serve a complimentary glass of red/ white wine with the tasting menu. I ordered a Grovers Chenic Blanc and Shwe decided to be content with a Lemon-Soda. The Lime-Soda was apparently perfect. (She really forced me to write this!).
Our first starter was a Dahi Ke kebab which came shaped in the form of a heart! Since Shwe and me are Chaddi buddies, this ‘romantic starter’ had us giggling like schoolgirls. (Inside jokes :P) I liked the subtle flavor punctuated by a hit of fresh green chilli and cardamom. However Shwe (who’s not a fan of elaichi) wished that there wasn’t any!  
Next the Murg Gilafi Kebab and the Peshawari Paneer Tikka arrived. The Gilafi Kebab was fascinating to look at – red and green peeking out of the chicken sheek. I don’t think I’ve seen peppers being used in a sheek before, but this one made a pretty picture. The Peshawari Paneer was coated with a light spice paste and grilled. The owner informed us that they make the Paneer in-house with Buffalo milk. No wonder it was nice and soft! 

The Kumbh Khazana which is mushroom stuffed with creamed spinach and grilled was something the vegetarians will be happy about. Or maybe I’m biased because I love mushrooms in any form. The Galawati Kebab was fantastic. Super silky spiced mince served over a special paratha soaked in ghee. Decandent? Well obviously!  

This was my favorite starter of the day – the Barra Kebab. Lamb Chops in a spicy marinade chargrilled to perfection. We started to attack it with our fancy forks and knives when the owner stopped us midway. ‘The only way to fully enjoy this is with your hands’, he said. Who are we to argue – we dug in with abandon! I could have eaten many more of this but I knew we had something special coming along for main course.
Nalli Ka Salan! The sheer beauty of seeing slow cooked lamb shanks standing proud in a thick, creamy, fatty, gravy is enough to give me the shivers! And this one din’t disappoint. It was served with a Khameeri Roti. Shwe commented that it was like a version of Pita bread – you could definitely smell the yeast. Both made good lunch companions J.
Peshawri  (or North-West frontier cuisine) is famous for it’s Dal Bhukhara. Now ITC has almost single handedly raised this dish to iconic status. Dal Bukhara is a medley of lentils cooked overnight to achieve an almost homogenous effect, finished with tomato paste and dollops of butter and cream. (Though I think the last two ingredients are recent additions in the restaurant business). Shwe who’s not really a black dal fan, actually enjoyed this one. I on the other hand have always been a fan of this one and couldn’t stop loading my plate.  

Of course the meal cannot be complete without a Dum Biryani and Salan. We got ours served hot at the table where they slowly cut into the dough to reveal the glistening strands of saffron and white rice. The aroma hits you in the face and then all you can do is grind your teeth to avoid yanking the dish from the waiter and start stuffing your face. The meat was cooked beautifully but what rocked the biryani into the stratosphere was the Burani Raita. It was sweet and spicy and creamy and yummy! We begged the owner for the recipe. (We are now proud owners of the same – though I have a nagging doubt that he didn’t fully reveal the ‘secret’ of how the raita gets a faint caramelized taste!) 
I was already stuffed. When the starters arrived I was actually disappointed that it was just one piece each. (Ok, Ok, the idea of a tasting menu is lost on me most of the time!). But I’m glad they restricted it, because there is a big risk of getting stuck on the starters and not even getting to the main course – which for me is a must try.
A trio of desserts arrived. The most awaited but the least impressive was the Qubani ka Meetha. I may be judging harshly but I would have much preferred it with a simple dollop of malai rather than the elaborate Rabdi they served it with. Too much sweet can actually be difficult to stomach. The Baklava on the other hand was just right – flaky pastry brushed with clarified butter encasing yummy crushed pistachios. (The owners wife makes these herself). The best of the three was the Badshahi Malai Kulfi. OMG yum! Best kulfi I’ve had in a long time. Period.
Koramamgala is a place that’s teeming with new players in the food space everyday. There is no dearth for novelty here – from Persian to Naga cuisine. And people love new and shiny things – fact. It’s sad to see, that a restaurant with such good food like Peshawari Tandoor, still needs to fight to retain its place in the spotlight. Will novelty or good taste win? – Let’s hope sense prevails and it’s the latter!
PESHAWARI TANDOOR
2nd and 3rd Floor,
#9, 1st A Main Road,
(Near Sukh Sagar)
5th Block, Koramangala,
Bengaluru
Ph: +91 97399 42912/ 080 65776588
Cost: Rs.1150/- plus taxes for the signature tasting menu. Rs. 1400/- excld taxes, for a meal for two (without alcohol)
Parking: Valet Available

Cinnamon Sugar Muffins

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Some things in life are simple. 1+1=2, beach + margarita = holiday and cinnamon + sugar = awesomeness! When I chanced upon this recipe, I was skeptical. The ingredient list was small. The process was easy. And the final product seemed very basic. But the more I kept thinking about the muffin that’s going to be coated with cinnamon sugar, the more I wanted to make it. The story goes back a couple of years – in a mall in Bangkok. (It’s nothing like the Hangover II, so get your mind out of the gutter!). Now BKK is a shopper’s paradise. I landed and checked myself into a hotel which was bang opposite one their biggest malls – yes, I had my priorities in order! The city is hot as hell, so it’s very thoughtful of the government to connect malls to other malls via air-conditioned pathways. The end result being, you feel you are in the biggest mall on the planet!
My daily routine consisted of getting up early, grabbing a quick brekkie at the hotel café and waiting till the mall opened at 10 AM. As soon as the first store opened it’s shutters, I was in shopping mode! Like a ninja on a mission, I went from store to store and floor to floor – looking, comparing, bargaining and buying. The only break I took was a loo break and a lunch break. Ok, so I’m crazy! Luggiing my loot around (I used a big suitcase with wheels :P), I finally saw it. A pretty little bakery done up in pink and dark brown – like candy and chocolate. I was inexplicably drawn towards it – I completely empathize with Hansel and Gretel! There were rows and rows of all the goodies you could imagine – doughnuts, layer cakes, cupcakes, pastries, tarts, truffles and I could go on! I put as many things I could on the tray along with a sugar bun that also made its way there. I sat down to enjoy my sugar coma inducing meal. And you know what the surprise package was?  – The tiny little perfect sugar coated butter bun! I have dreams about it some days (no kidding!).
So the climax is simple. The sugar coated muffin = my substitute for the sugar coated bun. And I’m currently patting my stomach with a Looney smile plastered across my face. Enough said.

Cinnamon Sugar Muffins
(Recipe Adapted from My Kitchen in the Rockies)
Prep time: 15 mins
Baking time: 22 mins
Makes 10 -12
What you need:
1 ¾ cup All purpose Flour
1 ½ tsp Baking powder
½ tsp Salt
¼ tsp Nutmeg, grated
½ tsp Cinnamon
1/3 cup/ 80 gms melted unsalted Butter
¾ cup Sugar, small granules/ coarsely ground
1 large Egg, at room temperature
¾ cup Milk
For the coating:
1/3 cup/ 50 gms unsalted Butter, melted
4 Tbsp Sugar
½ – 1 tsp Cinnamon powder
What to do:
Preheat you oven to 180°C. Line 10-12 muffin cups with liners. (I didn’t have liners, so I just used my silicon muffin tray with good results). Toss in the nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and baking powder into the flour. Sieve to ensure uniform distribution of the dry ingredients.
In another bowl, beat the egg gently, add the milk and sugar. Mix well. Now add in the melted butter. (Ensure it is not hot, otherwise it could scramble the eggs).
Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, until just combined.
Split the batter among the muffin cups (I got just 10). Bake in the hot oven for 18-22 mins. (I baked it for 20 mins).
While the muffins are baking, mix the sugar and cinnamon in a flat plate. Run your fingers thru it and ensure they are well integrated. Keep the melted butter aside.
Once out of the oven, immediately brush the hot muffins with the melted butter and roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture. I like to double dip. Wait till it’s cool to serve. (I popped a hot one in my mouth and it was rocking!)
P.S. The muffins taste best the day they are baked… not that I expect any to be left for the next day!

Zomato Lunch with Rocky and Mayur (HOMP) @ Bak Bak Bar (Koramangala, Bangalore)

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(Pic Courtesy: Ruth and Sudhakar Prabhu)
I was sick with fever last week…so sick that I couldn’t get out of bed. What bothered me more than being sick, was missing the Zomato Food Guide 2013 launch at the Sheraton! And to add to the misery, Zomato had a special treat lined up for food bloggers over the weekend – a lunch date with NDTV’s Highway on my Plate superstars – Rocky and Mayur!! Saturday morning came and my energy was still zero. I hate to go under medication for a regular fever, but this time I made an exception and popped some pills, tidied my act up and headed to Bak Bak Bar! Oh, come on…don’t roll your eyes…how many times do you get to meet Rocky and Mayur???
I had heard about Bak Bak Bar from a couple of foodie friends, but still hadn’t planned an outing. It’s the old Manchester United Bar – refurbished and redone in a new avatar. The co-resident will be mighty pleased, considering he is a Chelsea fan! The place is bang opposite the rear entrance of Forum Mall in Koramangala. Thank the Lord they have valet, because there is no way you can look for parking on that road. Although you might need to get the valet’s attention when you are 100ft away from the venue so that the people behind you in the road don’t clobber you for stopping! I thought the venue was perfect for this lunch. It’s got a comfortable, casual vibe about it and their name implores you to have conversations  or colloquially –  ‘Bak Bak’!
Entered the place and was pleasantly surprised to see familiar faces – Karthik (hugs for inviting me) and Pallavi of Zomato and my other food blogger friends – Monika, Ruth and Sudhakar. After explaining why I won’t be having a drink for about half hour – I succumbed and ordered a beer. A room temperature beer. According to ancient legend (ya right!) – a warm beer can help bring down the temperature when you have a fever. So if my comrades thought I was more boisterous than normal – I’m blaming it on the alcohol and meds!
The picture above is of a drink called Gabbar Singh – a vodka cocktail with chilli and salt. Ruth got a taste of it and loved it. Sipping our drinks, we caught up on the trials and tribulations of a food blogger (yes, we do have various trials!) when Rocky and Mayur walked in. My feathers aren’t easily ruffled by celebrities…BUT….these were food celebrities… and people I saw weekly on TV… and they are passionate about food… and they are so funny….. and….. you get the picture. So yes, I was kinda gobsmacked when Rocky walked in and seated himself in what I like to call the ‘naughty end of the table’. Rocky is a roller coaster of interesting escapades, food trivia and photography tips. He even sweetly transformed his phone into a soft light using tissue paper so that we could get better pics of the food! His story of being on the road for the show had us in splits. Can you keep a straight face if the Royal Family of XYZ, introduced themselves to you as the ‘insert Hindi bad word with C’ family. (That’s apparently what they are called!) Rocky and Mayur not only kept a straight face but encouraged them to talk about the “C” family some more. Of course that bit was edited out, but the entire unit had tears in their eyes from laughing. Karthik came and literally dragged Rocky away because we were hogging him for our entertainment. Well, atleast we had some time to compose ourselves and concentrate on the food!
The bread basket was standard. Then the Citrus potatoes arrived. It looked like what my mom would make at home, but the more I ate it, the more I loved the tangy spicy play on my tongue. Squeeze some more lemon over it to make it a fine accompaniment to a sweet cocktail. Beef Kheema with Pav was an instant hit. (I have stopped eating beef, but I vouch for it looking at the expressions of everyone else at the table). Chicken Sausage Kali Mirch which was sliced sausages tossed in a pepper sauce and stir fried onions was nice as well. There was also a veggie cigar (spring roll) stuffed with corn and other goodies. If I was a vegetarian, I would have been pleased. The Chicken wings with a Cola glaze were the next to arrive. It’s a welcome change from the BBQ wings that have become a standard at every pub in Bangalore. But if you still want the BBQ version – they have that on the menu as well. Round one was getting to be a heavy round but we had to sample ‘Porkalicious’ – pork cubes in a green chilli, ginger, onion masala. It was reminiscient of home style cooking and was yummy but because of the more gravy like consistency maybe some bread/ pav would have completed the picture.  
(Pic Courtesy: Sudhakar Prabhu)
Now that our bellies were happy, we plotted our way into getting Mayur to sit with us. He happily obliged. Mayur asked the bartender to make a cocktail for him, that could be used to sweet talk the ladies into submission. While the bartender opened and shut his mouth in disbelief, Mayur removed him from his misery by quickly convincing him that he was joking! (Or was he? :P). Ok, let’s address the elephant in the room. (Not him! – he’s fit and fine J) Is Mayur actually Vegetarian? The answer is …..YES. He’s tried to eat non-vegetarian food before but prefers vegetarian, so now that’s what tickles his palate. We ribbed him by saying how exciting can a vegetarian menu be? We got a story on Akhuni. Now Akhuni is a fermented soya bean paste that’s famous in Nagaland. The process involves cleaning and boiling the beans till soft and leaving them in pot in the sun or next to a warm fire to ferment. They are pulled out of the pot after a week or when it just smells right. ‘Try Akhuni for excitement’ he said, ‘just the smell can knock your socks off (and not in a good way!)’.  
We moved on to round two. They got us a lovely looking dish. Jalepeno’s stuffed with yoghurt, encased in a light tempura like batter and deep fried. It is gorgeous to see the red of the jalapeno peeking out through the translucent batter. On first bite, I was sadly disappointed. Monika however urged us to take a nice big bite to experience all three flavours – the crunch of the batter, the heat of the jalapeno and ending with the soothing creaminess of the yoghurt within. Interesting order – atleast just for the poetry of how it looks.  
Wasabi Prawns! Sounded exciting and even looked exciting but unfortunately did not pack a punch. Maybe I expected the wasabi to explode in my mouth and hit the roof of my nose. No such luck! The portions were generous nevertheless and the prawns were cooked well. 
The monk flamed chicken generated a fair buzz of excitement on the table. No, a monk did not arrive to flame our chicken. The monk here refers to Bangalore’s favourite Monk – Old Monk Rum! The waiter arrived with a shot glass of rum, a spoon and a lighter. Everybody loves pyrotechnics – especially if it’s being performed by someone else. (I am a super klutz!). He expertly lit the spoon on fire and spread the flame over the chicken. Oooooo! We wanted more. He performed the routine again. By the end of the third round – the dish was more old monk than chicken! So next time maybe I’ll restrict the fire display to one time!
There are burgers and then there are BURGERS. The Bak Bak version falls under category two. So long have I held the belief that Bacon makes anything better – Bak Bak seemed to have been listening. My burger came loaded (really loaded) with a fat grilled chicken patty, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, grilled onions, Mayo and mustard! Served with a  nice paper cone of fries – it is huge! Loved it! The smoked mayo that accompanies it just elevates it to a whole new level. Monkey Bar burgers – you have some serious competition!
It goes without saying that people concluded the beef burger was better. On some level, I have to agree. The fats in red meat are what maketh the burger juicy. A chicken burger will unfortunately falter here. I wish they put a Lamb Burger on the menu. Then I can have my cake and eat it too! Mayur ordered the veggie burger. The patty which was made of red beans and oats was a pleasant upgrade from the insipid aloo patty – Kudos!  
We got chatting some more with Mayur as we wolfed down the ginormous burger. We were all ears for Highway on my Plate stories. Mayur told us that Rocky was a cleanliness freak – he cleaned a bathroom before having a bath in it! Another one where they pulled a fast one on a couple who asked them if they were gay – and they said yes and so is our crew! Substituting tea with whisky for a tea tasting that ended up with two presenters who were very ‘high’ in a tea estate. Sleeping with sleeping bags on really dirty beds in remote villages, eating the best food along the coast of India (Their new show is titled Coast to Coast), reading 70 pages of researched scripts for a 18 minute segment and always, always looking for the next hole in the wall eatery that’s going to blow their minds! Rocky and Mayur seriously rock – and I’m not generous with my compliments for people!

Rocky and Mayur are now the Brand Ambassadors for Zomato. So after prodding us to write more reviews on Zomato (they have a wider reach than a single blog) and encouraging us to keep looking out for food gems they got ready to leave. We pounced on them for photographs (yes, we were totally and completely celeb struck by now). Being the sweet hearts they are they willingly obliged and even got the entire group to act goofy! I had a whale of a time and next time I watch HOMP on NDTV, a new found respect for the amount of work these guys put in to deliver an informative and authentic experience!

Dessert of Rabdi Mishti Doi Cheescake (yes, I got the name right) arrived. I was already stuffed but since Monika (of Sin-a-Mon) helped develop the dessert menu I had to try it. Verdict – Unexpectedly, harmoniously delectable! Take a bow Mon!
I have to say Bak Bak bar were the perfect hosts. Maybe the service and food was up a notch because of celebrity presence, but they served us exactly what was on the menu and the offerings (beverages and food) did impress. If they can manage to impress me even half as much on my next visit it will be a task well done. P.S. I need to go back to sample their cocktails anyway!
BAK BAK BAR,
1, Kira Layout,
Opposite Prestige Acropolis,
Hosur Main Road,
Koramangala,
Bengaluru
Ph: +91 80 30412940
Cost: Rs.1000/- for two (without alcohol)
Parking: Valet Available

Blue Terrain @ Novotel, ORR, Bangalore

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My first Bloggers Table. Actually make that the ‘first ever’ edition of the Bangalore Bloggers Table! Was I excited? Yes!! The feisty group of women (we’re still looking for that elusive male to be a member of the group) had all been interacting on facebook for a month now, but chatting over a martini is always more fun! We were hosted by Novotel, Bangalore and were lucky to be invited to the opening of their new poolside bar and barbeque restaurant – Blue Terrain.
Poolside dining and barbeque seems like the perfect fit for us laid back Bangaloreans. Bangalore is one of the few cities that enjoys the luxury of being able to offer under the stars dining for its residents. The weather as we all know is brilliant. Natasha still warned us to carry something warm to wrap ourselves in, as it’s still ‘winter’ here. (Yes, I can see all the non-locals rolling their eyes, considering the temperature is a toasty 20 degrees!)
Novotel Bengaluru Techpark is situated in the new IT hub of town – Outer Ring Road, Sarjapur. The design is contemporary with a focus on luxury and comfort. Considering it caters to the jetsetting business crowds, it offers a multitude of dining options like The Square (global buffet and live cooking), Chez Nous (French café and lounge) and Delice (24 hr gourmet cake shop). With the addition of Blue Terrain, it now offers a place to unwind after a hard days work as well!
The al-fresco restaurant is an oasis of soothing water sounds and calming blue lights. Sitting next to the beautiful waterfall, under a starry sky and enjoying the wonderful smells wafting through the air – I knew that ‘Tonight’s gonna be a good night’!

We started with a toast to the first ever Bangalore Bloggers Table. Nothing like a round of drinks to get into the mood right? I found the beverage menu really fascinating. Some of the more interesting ones being the Lady Saffron (Saffron infused vodka, White chocolate Blanc and Single Cream with saffron strands) and the Mango Konnexxion (Vodka, Mango juice, Salt, Pepper, Worchestershire Sauce, Tabasco and Green Chilli)! I opted for a Coco Bongo – a lemon, coconut and lychee combo. I was the designated driver of my car and being such an outstanding citizen, chose to keep my drink sattvic! (Ok, truth is … I was a recovering from flu and didn’t really want to play Russian roulette with the tablets and alcohol! 😛 )
After a brief chat with the chef, we decided to leave the menu selection for the night in his capable hands. And he in turn decided to just spoil us silly! If you see the amount of food that was brought to the table that night, you could easily think it was a party for 16 instead of just 6! For once, the three veggies in the group Nandita, Chinmayie and Suma got their due. The veggie grills were fun and tasty and everyone was impressed that the ubiquitous potato had not made its appearance! So what did they eat? There was Maple Roasted Pumpkin, Tandoori Broccoli (which I loooved), Honey Glazed Carrots, Chatpata Paneer Tikka, Vegetable and Paneer Brochettes with Pimento marinade and an amazing Moong Dal Sheek- which in my opinion was the best. The Mediterranean grilled vegetables were great as well, though some of them din’t really like the sprinkling of cinnamon on them. The Grilled Eggplant and Onion Pizza was beautifully made and it’s surprised me with it’s simple but effective flavor combination.

The advantage of eating anything and everything is that I get to sample the best of both worlds. So while I happily chewed on a glazed carrot and grilled pumpkin, the chef kept sending kebab after kebab to keep my tastebuds excited. Grilled Barbequed Shrimps, Badami Tangdi Kebeb, Hot Chicken Wings, Haryali Fish Tikka, Peri Peri Prawns, Lamb Sheeks and Jack Daniel Glazed Beef Brochettes! There was a Chicken Tikka Pizza, but I’m not a fan of Indian toppings on my pizzas – give me a simple Margherita with fresh tomatoes and basil anyday! So I gingerly side stepped this one and gave room in my stomach to more of the good stuff – the succulent and perfectly cooked Tangdi kebab and the lovely fish tikka! Nandita, who’s trying to turn pescetarian, snuck a few bites of the the fish tikka and declared it was yummy and unfishy! For a new entrant into the wonders of seafood – That’s a win in my books!

By now the chatter had gotten loud and boisterous and cheeky. Natasha decided to enthrall the group with her dare devilry. No seriously, that’s exactly what drinking a flaming shot out in open air is! The Bangalore breeze took the risk factor of downing the shot from a 5 to a 9. After a good five minutes of us hooting and freaking out in turns, Natasha raised the shot glass to her lips. Just as she was going to drink the shot, there was a huge gust of wind. The flame got so large that it looked like she was breathing fire! Stunned silence. But Natasha (take a bow..clap clap clap) did it like a pro, she recovered and gulped the shot down! Woot woot woot! (Can’t wait to meet this group again!)
The chef arrived and tried to cajole us into getting some main course – burgers and their famous Beer Can Chicken. Unfortunately we were so stuffed that we couldn’t really eat another morsel…a morsel of food that is. Dessert on the other hand – everyone had space for! An exquisite ending to a fabulous night – we got all four desserts on offer!

Each of the desserts were plated to perfection and looked absolutely gorgeous. A Baked Apple Cake with Caramel Parfait, Grilled seasonal fruits with Toasted Almonds and Rum Ice cream, A Baked Cheese Cake with Yoghurt Sorbet and Berry Compote and finally the piece de resistance – Kilimanjaro! Apart from the fact that it was the only chocolate dessert – the Kilimanjaro was plain poetry. A rich chocolate mousse on a wonderful crunchy chocolate pastry base covered with a tuille pastry case and topped with gold leaf. Served with a berry drizzle – It was sublime! We literally attacked this one and didn’t stop till the plate was licked clean!
A fine drink, tasty bbq, fun conversations and brilliant dessert – Blue Terrain definitely didn’t disappoint! With a nice balance of both vegetarian and non-vegetarain offerings, I can see the place getting becoming a regular hangout for the office crowd or even someone who wants a lovely romantic setting. I know I’m definitely going back there when I want to relax and indulge in a mean martini!

I would like to thank Novotel for making this experience worth our while and also a big shout out to Abanti, who being the awesome lady she was, spent her Sunday evening ensuring we all had a fab time! And ofcourse Natasha – thanks for getting us all under one roof (or no roof in this case) – the first ever Bangalore Bloggers table rocked!
Meet my fellow bloggers who rocked the party:
Natasha Ali – Chef At Large
Suma Rowjee – Cakes and More
Chinmayie Bhat – Love Food Eat
Neha Mathur – WhiskAffair
Nandita Iyer – Saffron Trail
BLUE TERRAIN
Novotel Bengaluru Techpark
Opp. RMZ Ecospace Business Park,
Marathahalli – Sarjapur Outer Ring Road,
Bengaluru.
Ph: +91 80 6670 0600
Website: http://www.novotelbengalurutechpark.com/
Parking: Valet Available

Strawberries and Banana Breakfast Smoothie

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My fridge is filled with boxes and boxes of Strawberries. Yes, tis the season to be jolly …again! I’ve raved about my strawberry love many times before so you already know I’m crazy about the little suckers. And I always stock up whenever they come around. Apart from eating them dunked in hot chocolate fudge or enjoying them with the traditional fresh cream I also like to make a mean smoothie out of it. Besides, I just bought a nice Morphy Richards blender this month … so I need to puree and blend! I call this my breakfast smoothie because it gives me the necessary kick to start the day. Yes, I need a kick… I am NOT a morning person. Come to think of it, I’m not a night owl either. I’m a nine-to-fiver! Unfortunately those kinds of jobs are hard to come by and even if they do, it will involve sucking up to someone in a government office! Now that I’m done ranting about the lack of optimal timed employment, I come back to the smoothie. It’s yummy, it’s easy, it’s healthy and it’s in season. It’s a complete breakfast, so you can give your Masala Dosa a break today!

Strawberry and Banana Breakfast Smoothie
Prep time: 10 mins
Serves 2
What you need:
200 gms Strawberries, cleaned
2 small Bananas (I used the Yelakki Bananas)
100 gms / 6 Tbsp thick Yoghurt (chilled)
100 ml Cold Milk/ as required
2 Tbsp Honey
What to do:
Puree the Bananas along with the cleaned strawberries. Add in the honey and blend. Now add in the yoghurt and blend to form a lovely pink puree. Top with milk and blend again to get the required consistency. (Aim for the consistency of really thick Lassi). Pour into glasses and serve chilled.

Penne a La Vodka

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Featured on Foodgawker.com and Tastespotting.com on 24th Jan 2013
Featured on The Berry on 26th Feb 2013
I’m still detoxing after the excesses of December, but this dish needed to get made! I just got assigned an additional role at work and to add to that, we have a new boss. Changes, changes, changes – how I hate them! (Especially, when I’m not the one making them!) Since I’d sworn off alcohol atleast for a month (part of the detox plan), I needed to find an alternative. (And No, I can’t make the ‘special’ brownies). So I gave myself and my frazzled nerves some loving, in the form of Penne a la Vodka. It doesn’t count as cheating because technically, the alcohol content is supposed to burn off when you deglaze the pan with it. (It’s another story that when you’re off alcohol, even a whiff of it can send you into a happy place). Anyway, this is a classic recipe and loved the world over. It’s sophisticated enough to serve at a dinner party and comforting enough to take it to the couch with you. When you have the best of both worlds you don’t really question it…..ever!
P.S. In case anyone (after reading the above para) thinks I’m an alcohol addicted crazy person who’s headed down the path to rehab in a couple of years…rest assured I’m not! Though I might need anger management sooner than later! (Watch your back…)
Penne in a Vodka Sauce
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins
Serves 4
What you need:
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
100 gms Bacon, finely chopped (optional)
1 Med Onion, finely chopped
3-4 Garlic cloves, minced
200ml/ 1 packet Tomato Puree (I used Dabur Hommade)
2 Tbsp Tomato Ketchup (I used Maggi Hot and Sweet sauce)
1/2 tsp Chilli flakes
1 tsp Sugar
1/3 cup/ 80ml Vodka
180 ml Cream (I used Amul)
350 gms dried Penne pasta
Salt to taste
1 tsp Mixed dried Herbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
To Serve:
Chopped Basil
Parmesan Cheese
What to do:
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add Bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 4-5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the onions and cook until softened and golden brown, Add in minced garlic. Saute for about 2 minutes. Toss in Chili flakes and sauté. Stir in the vodka (deglaze the pan) and increase heat back to medium-high. Let it simmer for 2 mins. Add the tomato puree, ketchup, sugar, and salt into the onion mixture.  Briskly simmer for 8 – 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the alcohol flavor has cooked off. Reduce heat to low and whisk in heavy cream. Finally add in the parmesan and stir.
Meanwhile, bring a large stockpot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente or according to package directions. Reserve ¼ cup cooking water before draining.
Gently fold the cooked penne and reserved bacon into the vodka sauce and continue cooking on low heat for another minute. Toss with a bit of pasta water if sauce is too thick.
Season with additional salt and Chili flakes if desired, and serve with fresh Parmesan and chopped Basil.

Fattoush Hummus (Lebanese Bread Salad)

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Featured in Tastespotting.com on 16th Jan 2013
The first time I ate Fattoush, I didn’t pay much attention to it. It was my accompaniment to the more interesting Shawarma. And in the Bangalore of 2000, a Shawarma with all its trimmings was very very exotic. A vertical spit roaster filled with chicken slices rotating ever so slowly, while the chef toasted and filled the strange yeasty bread with Hummus, Tahini, salad and finally the sliced chicken – was a demonstration I thought was fit to bunk classes for. But slowly, ever so slowly, the Fattoush has established a firm place in my heart and I actually forgo the shawarma for just fattoush-hummus these days! So what exactly is the Fattoush? For those of you who have seen ‘Meet the Zohan’ – it’s Zohan’s arch nemisis Phantom’s real name! And for those who have better things to do than indulge in trivial pursuits – it’s a salad. A Lebanese Bread Salad that chefs in the earlier days made as an excuse, to use up stale pita bread. (Ok, no one uses stale bread anymore – just toasted crisps work just fine!)  So why am I acting all Alice in Wonderlandy about an ex-stale bread salad? Because fattoush hummus is my comfort baby. My tummy actually asks for this on a regular basis. Coupled with the hummus and the pita crisps, it’s actually a complete meal – One that will leave you feeling healthy and satiated. (No… KFC doesn’t do that!)
Fattoush Hummus
Prep time: 15 mins
Serves 4
What you need:
2 Pita Breads, halved and toasted until golden brown and cut into pieces
3 Persian/ English Cucumbers, diced
2 Tomatoes, diced
½ small Onion, diced
1 Capsicum/ Green pepper, diced
1 head of Romaine lettuce, cut into strips
½ cup fresh Mint Leaves
For the dressing:
1 tsp ground Sumac
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt
To Serve: 1 cup Hummus (click here for recipe)
What to do:
First, open up the pita pockets, brush the rough side with olive oil and toast under a hot grill/oven until golden brown. Now break it up into bite sized pieces. (I’ve also seen some restaurants deep fry the pita and then break it up into pieces – you’re call).
Make the dressing by combining Olive oil, sumac, salt and lemon juice.
Combine the salad ingredients. (make sure you wash and pat dry the lettuce well before combining – I use a salad spinner J ) Pour in the dressing just before serving. (This is to prevent the lettuce looking all soggy and wilted).
Toss in the pita crisps and serve with a huge dollop of hummus. (I love my fattoush with the hummus mixed in as well and extra Pita crisps!)
Note: Sumac – a tart, citrusy spice is available at Gourmet food stores. I use the Al’Fez brand available at Godrej Natures basket, Auchan and Foodhall. You can even buy ready-made hummus from these places if you are pressed for time.