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Detox Water for a fresh start in 2013!

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Featured in Tastespotting.com on 9th Jan 2013
Let’s get to the basics first…The mayans were wrong, we all lived to see another day and stuff our faces silly… so HAPPY NEW YEAR! Unfortunately, that also means we live to see the ‘consequences’ of stuffing our faces silly. I would love a world where good food and drink don’t add to the waistline but …. That’s not true! So yes, I was looking for shortcuts – because everyone will try one before actually lifting a limb to exercise! I found this concoction for Detox water on a food group in Facebook. Some lovely lady went to a five star hotel and they served her this drink. Then she came back home and googled the recipe and realized it was called Detox water. She loved it so much that she posted it online. And then… I saw it and jumped at the idea because a. it looked so freaking pretty, b. it looked insanely easy to make and finally, c. it was called ‘Skinny’ Water!
I don’t know if it’s made me lose weight or detoxed my system in the last couple of days but it sits pretty on my dining table and every single guest who’s come home has ‘oohed and aaahed’ at the lovely drink I’ve served them. So there’s reason enough for you to try it no? If nothing else, I intend to use the cucumbers as a cooling eye patch over the weekend 😛  
So in summary, all I wanted to say was ….Happy New year darlings… and I can’t wait to explore new ways to satisfy my food monster in 2013! Hope that agenda works for you as well…XOXO.

Detox Water or Skinny Water
(Recipe adapted from: Lovely lady on facebook)
Prep time: 10 mins
Makes: 2 litres
What you need:
2 litres of Mineral water
1 Cucumber, sliced
1 Lemon, sliced
4 stalks of Mint or 15 Mint leaves
A pretty Jug/ bottle to store
What to do:
Wash and slice the lemon and cucumber. Fill the jug/ bottle with 3/4th water. Toss the cucumber slices, lemon and mint in. Give it a good stir. Pop into the refrigerator overnight. Drink in the morning.
I drank it throughout the day. You can keep refilling the bottle/ jug with water the whole day. (The flavor remains intact). The next day eat/ throw out the cucumbers, lemon and mint and just make a fresh batch.
Detox water makes for a great alternative to plain old water and a fun way to welcome your guests. And…. It looks awesome sitting on the dining table. J

Chocolate Torte in Twenty (Flourless Chocolate Cake)

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I know I’m a day late, but Merry Christmas nevertheless! I had planned to put up a Christmassy recipe, but after seeing the blogosphere jam packed with everything plum pudding-y and fruit cake-y and mince meat pie-y, I decided otherwise. I’m no expert in this area anyway, so why bother trying?! With my friend coming down to town, my mom’s birthday and finally Christmas – the past week had so many things happening all at once, that I’ve had an overdose of going out and partying (No, Seriously!).
All I wanted to do today was withdraw into my cocoon (curl up into a ball under my quilt) and read a book. A nice chocolate something for company, would be a bonus. I had two bars of glorious dark chocolate with cocoa nibs stashed away for just such an occasion. Of course slaving over the stove (or oven in this case) and curling up under the quilt seem like two diametrically opposite goals. But the Chocolate Torte is hardly a culinary taskmaster! So twenty minutes later, I’m curled up on the couch with a book in one hand, the fantastic torte in the other and my two cat babies (Muesli and Blanco) nestled against me. They look up sleepily and I hear a contended purr…oh wait, that was me!
 

Chocolate Torte
(Recipe adapted from: Herbs & Spice for FoodLovers Bangalore, Volume I)
Prep time: 10 mins
Baking time: 20 mins
Serves: 8
What you need:
300 gms good quality dark/ bittersweet Chocolate (I used the 75% cocoa with cocoa nibs)
150 gms unsalted Butter
50 gms Castor Sugar
6 Eggs, separated

What to do:
Melt the chocolate pieces and the butter over a double boiler. (I used the microwave in bursts of 30 secs each for 2 mins, stirring in between). Cool to room temperature.
Separate the eggs and best the yolks with the castor sugar till pale and fluffy.
Beat the egg whites separately till soft peaks form.
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Add the melted chocolate to the sugar and yolk mixture and whisk well.
Fold the egg whites into the above mixture gently till it is well incorporated.
Pour the batter into a 9 inch tin lined with butter paper/ greased well. Bake for exactly 20 mins.
Once out of the oven, cover with a damp cloth and let it cool.
Decorate with powdered sugar and chocolate shavings.

Chicken Chops Masala – Like Mumma makes

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My horoscope this weekend prophesied that I would take a long drive and even have a picnic. Boy was I skeptical! I hardly get my a** out of bed earlier than noon on a Sunday, so I was pitting my practiced laziness against the schemes of the universe. We went out for a party on Saturday night and like with all parties came home in a more than happy daze and flopped into bed. I challenged the universe to beat the combo of my hangover + laziness!
I got a call at 9:00 AM in the morning… groan. I rolled over and half blinking looked at the screen. It was my sister. I picked up the call, knowing that leaving it unanswered would just lead to a barrage of calls until I wished the phone would self destruct. Would I please drop her to her exam center? – she had to take an MBA admission test. Since I was the one who goaded her to apply, I had to give in. I didn’t even have time to get breakfast in. Drove like a maniac and picked her and my mom up. Then we started the long drive to Electronic city. Wait…Did I just say long drive? Aaargh… part one of horoscope rebelling – fail!
Reached the spot and quickly wished her luck, while she ran in to write her exam. Mom and I decided to wait for her to finish, so we were loitering around and checking out the campus. My stomach was literally grumbling now. Mom smiled and said she had a surprise for me. She had packed some lunch because she knew I wouldn’t have time to eat at home! She unpacked a basket to reveal my favorite Chicken Curry, steamed rice, fruit and a plate, forks and water! I literally had a picnic in the park. The universe had won!
P.S. This recipe below is mom’s brilliant Karnataka Style Chicken Chops Masala which is best eaten with Ragi Balls or Mudde. I however love it with my white rice or Ghee Rice!

Chicken Chops Masala
Cooking time: 45 mins
Serves: 4
What you need:
½ kg Chicken, with bones
1 big Onion (1/2 sliced and ½ chopped)
4-6 Green Chillies
1 Tbsp Coriander/ Dhaniya Powder
1 ½ tsp Pepper powder
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
15 pods Garlic
¼ inch fresh root Ginger
1 small Tomato, quartered
1/3 cup Grated Coconut/ 2×2 inch fresh Coconut
1 bunch Coriander leaves
2 Tbsp Oil
1 Tbsp Ghee
Salt to taste
Garinsh:
1 boiled Egg
What to do:
1.    In a hot pan, add ½ Tbsp Oil. Fry the ½ chopped Onion with Chillies. Remove and grind with ginger and garlic to make a paste. Keep aside.
2.    Grind the coconut finely with ½ glass of water. Keep aside.
3.    Grind the coriander coarsely and set aside.
In a heavy bottomed pressure cooker pan, heat the remaining oil with the ghee. Add the sliced onion and sauté till light brown. Add the paste in step 1 and sauté well. Add in turmeric, Dhaniya and pepper powders – fry for 3-4 mins but do not brown. Now add in the chicken pieces and fry well for 5 mins.
Now add the tomato pieces and sauté well, scraping the sides of the pan to release the masala. Now add in the coriander and coconut pastes and mix well. Fry for 2 more mins. Now add 1 ½ glass water and let it come to a boil.
Close the lid and wait for the pressure to build. Now, pressure cook the chicken for 15 mins on medium flame. Turn off the stove. Wait for the steam to settle down for 10 mins and then garnish with a hardboiled egg. Serve with Ragi Mudde or hot steamed rice. Bliss.

Asian Grill Festival @ Shiro (UB City, Bangalore)

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UB City has become one of my favorite places to hang out. The open air cafés and restaurants, the dancing fountain, the easy relaxed pace in the evening under the stars – I always feel like I’m out of Bangalore. Sunday brunches at Shiro – the pan Asian restaurant, is an indulgence that I often dip into. The Zen like ambience with the giant statues and the serene Buddha never fail to get me into a happy and peaceful mood. So when Shiro invited me to their Asian Grill Festival, I was more than happy to pay them a visit. Bangalore winters have started, so we chose a table inside right next to the Buddha. I was feeling good already!
 
(L-R: Pina Colada and Virgin Orange and Lime Mojito)
We ordered a virgin Orange and Lime Mojito and a Pina Colada to start the evening. My companion and I were deeply engrossed in discussing the superstitions involved in having a Buddha statue at home. She had heard that placing a Buddha statue at home makes the house less peaceful, because the Buddha draws the peace out of his surroundings so that he can appear serene! My jaw dropped. I had just bought a massive painting of the smiling Buddha to hang in my living room and trust me I didn’t want him to suck out the peace. Just then the executive brand chef of Shiro – Rahul Hajarnavis walked in. He was very amused to hear the theory. ‘Complete hogwash’, he proclaimed. ‘How do you feel when you step into Shiro?’ he asked. ‘Serene and chilled out’, I replied. With the biggest statue of the Buddha in Bangalore, if Shiro is peaceful, then my little painting can do no harm, we conceded.
(L-R: Grilled Mushroom Skewers, Pan Seared Tofu with Indonesian Ginger Sauce)

The Grill Festival menu at Shiros crafted by Chef Rahul has sixteen delectable dishes on offer. Divided it into four sections (Vegetarian, Poultry, Seafood and Meats), most of the dishes are meant to be starters to pair with their existing drinks menu, but some could easily be eaten as main courses as well. The chef suggested we try tasting portions from each section to get an overall feel of the offerings.
From the vegetarian section we opted for the Grilled Mushroom skewers, Thai Curry Babycorn skewers and the Pan seared Tofu with Indonesian Ginger Sauce. The mushrooms were divine. Plump, juicy and the marinade just clinging on to them. I generally wouldn’t order veggies, but I might make an exception for this one. (Maybe it’s because mushrooms have maximum Umami – a naturally occurring ajinomoto that enhances taste!) The Babycorn skewers were ok and I really can’t say anymore about them. The Tofu served with crunchy green beans was interesting and could easily be a light main course.
(L-R: Grilled Snapper Brochettes, Grilled Thai Prawns)
Alright then, moving on to the Seafood section! Shiro is popular for their Sushi and I have devoured it with relish whenever I come here, so I knew I would not be disappointed. The Grilled Thai Prawns arrived at the table. Coated with a coriander and scallion marinade and served with Wasabi Mayo, they disappeared faster than they arrived. What arrived next looked like Hariyali Fish tikka’s! I raised a quizzical eyebrow and gently popped a piece in my mouth. It came alive with lovely flavors of a Thai green Curry – Kaffir lime, Basil, Galangal and Chilli. The fish was neither overcooked nor undercooked and the pink of the snapper peaked out now and then. A lemon martini would have been a perfect accompaniment. Unfortunately, I had to drive back home – so alcohol was out of the equation!
(L-R: Grilled Chicken with Citrus Tamarind Glaze, Tsukuni)
The Chicken dishes glided in next. The Tsukuni – a minced chicken skewer, was the surprise favorite. It tasted just like the street food in Bangkok or Malaysia and we gobbled it up without a second thought. The Chef was pleased as punch, because he didn’t expect us to choose this one as the star. We even asked him to move this permanently into the main menu. Fingers crossed! The other two dishes we tried could easily cross over into the main course category. The grilled Chicken with a Citrus Tamarind Glaze was tangy (to say the least) and quite fun on the taste buds. It’s a good thing they served it with charred sweet corn which balances out the tang. The Indonesian Grilled Chicken was marinated with Sambal Olek (red chilli and vinegar paste) and served with an Avacado salsa. This was a let down, because in my mouth the avocado didn’t really gel with the chicken. I finished with the Tsukuni to let the taste of kaffir lime destroy the bland avocado!

On offer in the Meat section was Asian Barbequed Pork ribs, Grilled Lamb Chops and Tenderloin  Medallions with Soya Shiitake Butter. Oh I wish, I wish I hadn’t overindulged in the earlier sections! We were quite full at this point and would have done injustice to the meat course had we ordered it. I peeked into other diners plates and they looked like they were enjoying it, so let’s just conclude that they were palatable.

(L-R: Chocolate Volcano, Tiramisu)

Now because I was full you would assume I didn’t order dessert. Well, you were wrong! Shiro makes an amazing Chocolate Fondant called ‘Volcano’ and it would have been unfair to my stomach if we din’t eat it. We cut it open and out oozed liquid gold. (That’s what the Mayan’s called Chocolate!). So yes, we polished that off! We also ordered the Tiramisu, but it clearly could not hold a candle to the Volcano.
So what’s my take on the festival? The menu is designed to be a careful accompaniment for your drinks and seeing that Shiro is more popular as a lounge bar, this fulfils the requirement. The dishes on offer might not be authentic Thai, Malay, Chinese or Japanese but the Asian influence is unmistakable. The Chef has definitely tried to cater to the popular palate and there’s nothing wrong with that!  You rather have a happy customer who wants to come back, than offering exotic dishes just for shock value. On the whole, for me it was an evening well spent (though a Martini would have definitely raised it higher!).
The Grill festival is on till the 16th of December and available both for lunch and dinner. So hurry if you want to catch some yummy grub. Hopefully, the most popular dishes make it into the main menu and then I can have Tsukuni, whenever I want!   

SHIRO
2nd Floor, UB City Mall,
Vittal Mallya Road,
Bangalore.
Ph: +91 80 4173 8864
Parking: In the Mall
Price Point: Grill Menu from Rs. 300 onwards. Excluding taxes and Service charge .

Cannellini Bean Dip

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Featured in Tastespotting.com on 5th Dec 2012
Featured in Foodgawker.com on 5th Dec 2012
If you ever get bored of eating hummus (highly unlikely) this dip will easily fill the void. And ‘easily’ is the key word here. It takes all of 5 mins to whip this up and you can flaunt it around in your guest’s faces as some exotic dish. Unless of course, the guest happens to be my Mom. In that case, the story will differ. She will just take a whiff of it and declare with uber confidence that – ‘it’s just a form of Rajma… white in this case’ – chapter closed. All tales of how you bought it from GNB and paid 150 rupees for a 400gm can will vanish from memory because you don’t want to be cut down to size! The next debate will clearly be on why I eat such ‘processed’ food when I can just head down to the market in the morning and pick up some fresh organic stuff. And the final closing argument will be – No wonder this generation lacks energy to do anything and will all die young due to some lifestyle disease. Poof! Ok, leaving all elderly ranting (she will kill me) aside, this dip is easy to make, tastes great and is perfect for some crisps, pita or even vegetable crudités. Case closed.
Cannellini Bean Dip
Prep time: 5 mins
Makes: 1 ¼ Cup
What you need:
400 gms can of Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp Lemon juice
2 cloves Garlic, minced
2 Tbsp flat leaf parsely/ coriander, finely chopped
3 Tbsp extra-virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp warm water
Pinch of Cayenne pepper/ Chilli powder
Salt and Freshly ground Black pepper to taste
What to do:
Drain the cannellini beans and rinse well. You will get a soapy residue, so wash till that disappears. Now place in a food processer and blend coarsely. Add in the lemon juice, garlic and water and blend again. Finally blend the olive oil. Mix in the parsley and season with salt and pepper.
Serve with crispy, crunchy edible things!
Here’s what was featured in Tastespotting.com
and on Foodgawker.com

Souza Lobo (Calangute Beach, North Goa)

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Like every self respecting yuppie Indian, who was exposed to the wonderland that is Goa at a young age, I come to consider it my second home. A Goan may frown upon this notion or ignore it altogether, but for me the feeling of belonging in Goa is so complete that, I in turn frown upon the ‘other’ tourists. So leaving this merry-go-around of who the state belongs to, let me get down to business to talk about one of my favorite places to eat while I’m there.
I generally avoid the Calangute side of the beach like the plague because it is so packed with tourists at any time of the year. Hordes and hordes of buses will dump their beach hungry populace there and to cater to their needs the area has become a densely populated commercial hub. But I must trudge my way through the fat man in a baniyan and the lady with the wailing kid and the beggars who plead with interesting British accents and the Romeo’s basking in their ditty underwear to reach the sand covered steps of solace that is Souza Lobo.
Souza Lobo has been around since 1932. (The restaurant, not the lady – bless her soul). By the number of locals as well as tourists who eat here, they seem to live up to their USP of ‘Traditional recipes live here’. They are open from 11am in the morning and continue dishing out succulent seafood and Goan delicacies till midnight. And if you intend to come during rush hour – be prepared to wait in their patio till your number is called out. No, Seriously. In the ten years that I have been coming here, I have spent considerable time and consumed innumerable drinks in the patio, waiting for my turn to eat. No Regrets! 

I must have easily eaten my way through their menu over the years, but I will focus on what I had on this trip. (i.e. I do not have pictures to tell the earlier stories in a compelling manner!). Let’s start with a beer shall we? (In Goa for us, every meal starts with a beer. We may move on to something that rocks the boat a little more over the day, but beer will be the staple.) Unfortunately on this trip the famous Goan beer ‘Kings’ was nowhere to be found. Apparently the supply has stopped and they doubt it was sell again. (I can almost hear the screams of agony from my Kings-loving-friend Shwe!) The old times are a changing I guess…sob sob.
(Prawns Stuffed Papad)
Thankfully the Prawns stuffed Papad was still the same old glorious accompaniment to the beer. Now this is a starter that I have seen only in Goa. They have little shrimp which are minced/ pounded with some hot and sweet masala, stuffed into the ubiquitous Lijjat Papad which is then formed into a kind of spring roll and deep fried in oil. Heaven in every bite. I can polish off a million plates, but I always show some restraint because there are so many more things I need to eat. Yes, it’s a ‘need’.
(Goan Masala Fried Prawns)
There’s a standard ‘Goan Masala Fried’ header in every menu. Under this you can club all the varieties of seafood and affix the GMF to it. The Goan Christian style of cooking is heavily influenced by the Portuguese. So the main souring ingredient used is Vinegar. The said masala (Reicheiad) is a combination of fiery dried red chillies soaked in vinegar and ground with other spices like coriander, turmeric and  cinnamon with ginger and garlic thrown in. This is a fantastic masala for seafood, as the sweetness in the seafood balances out the tang of the vinegar and the spice of the chilies. You can choose to have it deep fried or tawa fried or rava fried, the key word being fried. It looks like a red flag, but I must admit I’ve never suffered any dire consequences after eating it. So yes, we ordered the GMF Prawns and the GMF Fish. Both were served with the house salad and a wedge of lime and were excellent!
(Goan Masala Fried Fish)
My main course staple in Souza Lobo is always Prawn Curry and Rice. On a special occasion I am partial to the Whole Tandoori Pomfret or Baby Kingfish. It’s a glorious sight to behold – served on a large platter with the fish carved out to look like mini waves! The Kingfish is unique to the West Coast of India. The flesh is meaty and firm and therefore holds very well to being grilled or made into a tikka. The co-resident loves Kingfish Tikka, but today he settled for the Grilled Kingfish served with some veggies and rice.
I happily tucked into my prawn curry rice which is slightly different than the way they serve it further down the coast in Karnataka or further up the coast in Maharashtra. In Goa, the prawn curry has more turmeric, is less spicy and the curry itself is thicker that it’s neighboring coastal states. I’ve formed a stage OCD type of habit where my first and last meal of my holiday in Goa HAS to be Prawn curry and rice. So far the Gods have been kind and let me keep the peace!

(Grilled Fish (not the fancy one) with Veggies and Rice)
Souza’s has many more delights you can order – some fantastic fried Calamari, Crab Xacuti or even Lobster Thermidor. Or you can try their Pork Vindaloo or Goan sausages or Sorpotel. If you are allergic to seafood or your religion doesn’t let you eat Pork, there’s always the boring mutton and chicken dishes. And if you are a Vegetarian….hmm… Souza Lobo has something for you, but I apologize for this post. Clearly I have never tried anything vegetarian on the menu (except steamed rice) to even talk about it! There’s also the standard desserts of Goan Bebinca, Dodol, Caramel Custard, Crepes and some Cheesecakes and Ice cream. But I never have space for those, because I’ve eaten a mountain of seafood before I even glance at the dessert section!

(Prawn Curry Rice)
For entertainment, Souza’s has a live band playing every night. (Maybe they will even serenade your date if you ask them to…I’ve never tried). But most of the entertainment comes from the ocean that the restaurant opens out to. During the day, the crowds will entertain you and you will be thankful for the courtyard that offers you shade and a nice breeze in the blazing heat. If you come in the evening, you can choose to sit on the beach under the stars and hear the wave’s crash on shore as you chomp into a tiger prawn. My kind of heaven!
I don’t really know if this is an objective review. The familiarity of the place might have worked its magic on me over the years or maybe the salt content in the air is so high that it makes me delirious with joy. But Souza’s has never disappointed, and that kind of record in 10 years is something only veterans can wrestle for!
SOUZA LOBO
Calangute Beach,
Near Calangute Circle,
North Goa – 403516
Ph: 0832-2281234
Bar: Available
Parking: At Calangute Circle
Price Point: Soups and Salads from Rs.135-350/-, Starters from Rs. 100-500/-, Mains from Rs. 265/- onwards, Mixed Grills Rs.850/-, Desserts Rs. 160-265/-.
Credit cards are accepted. I don’t remember if they have Service Charge.

Herby Chicken Salad on Multigrain Bread

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I bought a lovely multigrain loaf from Bliss Chocolates. Yes, yes…they now bake loaves, pita, lavash, foccacia and a host of other yeasty delights. And their packaging is quite nice as well and you know I’m a sucker for such things anyway. After I polished off half a loaf with just olive oil and some balsamic vinegar, I was left thinking how wonderfully this bread would lend itself to my chicken salad. I know it’s winter and a Chicken Salad is more of a light summery meal. But in Bangalore, the sun still shines nice and bright and the skies are awash with my favorite shade of blue. It’s not fair is it? 😛
This basic recipe has many tricks up it’s sleeve. a. You can make this ahead and keep it in the fridge, the flavors just get better. b. So needless to say, it’s a great picnic staple! c. Serve it on some cucumber roundels and you have a fancy cocktail snack at a party! d. I ate this for lunch, so yes it’s hearty enough. And finally e. even though it’s a salad, it dosen’t feel like punishment at all because it’s so yummy! If all this is not enough to make you try this right away … look at the pictures!

Herby Chicken Salad on Multigrain Bread
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Assembly time: 5 mins
Serves: 4
What you need:
500 gms cooked Chicken breast, torn into strips (I like to poach the chicken – see below)
2 cups Cabbage, cut into strips
2 Tbsp thick Yoghurt (I use Nestle set dahi)
3 Tbsp Mayonnaise
1 Lemon, juiced and zested
1 small bunch of Mint and Parsley, shredded
Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
A loaf of multigrain or rye bread to serve

What to do:

Mix the yoghurt, mayo and lemon juice. Toss in the cooked chicken strips, cabbage and herbs. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 20 mins. Serve by itself in Lettuce cup or on top on bread. (Make sure the bread is dense so it holds the salad and doesn’t collapse like white bread)
To Poach Chicken: Place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Add in a few peppercorns and bay leaves and bring to a gentle boil. Poach for 20 mins. Leave it to cool in the liquid. Remove and shred. Note: Poaching in milk instead of water makes the chicken much more succulent. You can use the liquid as a soup base, after skimming off the waste from the top.

DELIZIOSO – Italian Food Festival @ Bene, Sheraton Bangalore

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I was invited by the Sheraton for a preview of their Italian Food Festival – ‘Delizioso’ last Friday. Their signature Italian restaurant Bene, was playing host to celebrity Chef Enrico Fiorentini from 9th -18th Nov. (That’s the duration of the festival by the way!). Last year Bene did a Truffles festival, but this year because of the weather in Italy (No good rains), availability of good quality truffles was a dicey affair. Hence they decided to showcase ‘Lombardy’ cuisine. Now when we say Italian food, the two things that immediately spring to mind are Pasta and Pizza. But that’s not all Italian food, is about. (Same as Indian cuisine is not equal to Garlic Naan and Chicken Tikka Masala!).
Milan is the major city of the Lombard region and is bordered by Switzerland to the north. Lombardy cuisine primarily consists of hearty fare with rice being a foundation. (South Indians rejoice!). Apart from being famous for its fashion, gastronomically the region is associated with Risotto. Now does Risotto ‘Milan’ese, ring a bell?  Dairy products also rule the roost (close to Switzerland darlings) and you can find the best Gorgonzola cheese here as well.
I made a mental note to myself that the acid test of the festival would be whether Chef Enrico could turn out a perfect risotto. If the executive chef from the award winning Sheraton Milan can’t do it, then who could, right?
 
(L-R: Prosecco, Warm Bread, Barley Salad with Vegetables and Pan Seared Scallops)
We were promised a tete-a-tete with the chef himself and the evening started off with a glass of Prosecco (Italian Sparkling Wine) and some wonderful antipasti that the chef had laid out. (The Barley salad with garden vegetables and pan seared sea scallops were brilliant!). Its true – the Italian men have a charm that can’t be beaten and Chef Enrico played the role to the hilt J He talked about Lombardy, Italian cuisine, his stint in Korea and coming to Bangalore for the first time. Did you know that though the popular way of finishing risotto is with Butter and Parmesan cheese, in Southern Italy they finish it off with Olive oil?! Or that a dish prepared in India and Italy with the SAME ingredients can taste vastly different, just because the water you use is different?! He expertly wielded questions on Italian produce, cuisine and techniques before finally relenting that he liked ‘Mama’s cooking’ the best. Awww… ! We probably would have sat there the entire night being regaled by his stories, if not for Excutive Chef Bela Rieck gently escorting us inside for dinner. Chef Bela has been key in planning and coordinating the event which took three months to put together and finalize! Phew.. I couldn’t wait to dig in!
Another glass of prosecco arrived and I followed it up by chatting with the Sommelier that’s on board for the festival. He’s French, but don’t let that stop you from letting him pick out beautiful Italian wines to pair with your food. (It’s discounted as well for the festival, so make use of this!). Another way to have a fashionable night is to try their Roberto Cavalli Vodka Martinis…sounds decadent!
(The Lentil Antipasti)
I on the other hand was indulging in my own decadence by stuffing my face with the warm bread they bought out. (Must. Stop. Now.) Thankfully our first course arrived and I was saved the embarrassment of finishing the bread basket! Timballino di lenticchie stufate e zucca, vellutata di mandrole e ciladine di Grano Padano. No, I’m not reciting poetry in Italian…that was the name of our first course. Quite a mouthful I assure you! Now in English – A Timbale of stewed lentils and roasted pumpkin served with almond cream velloute and a Parmesan cheese crisp. There…that’s not so intimidating now is it? And don’t worry, they have the English translation of dishes on the menu! This was a pleasant way to start the meal. Who would have thought lentils would taste so refined? Lentils. (Again, please note the South Indian connection, maybe we are related in some way!)
Now I need to apologize in advance, because I don’t have a picture of what I’m going to be talking about next. The sublime Seafood Ravioli! I was busy chatting away with someone I met after 5 years and have known since I was a kid. So between mouthfuls of the brilliant ravioli and reminiscing about life 15 years ago, my camera lay forgotten. The ravioli was see through and hints of lovely pink glistened from inside. Seafood tastes sweet my friend, not salty, if cooked right. And this was! Served with a dash of pesto I was left longing for more. But maybe it’s a good thing I din’t ask for seconds because what came next was a revelation.
(The Lamb Chops with Pumpkin Risotto)
There are Lamb Chops and then there are LAMB CHOPS. I have never eaten such perfectly cooked Lamb Chops. Period. The picture does not do justice to their perfection. Caramelized on the outside, firm to the touch but when you cut it still moist and glistening pink. Oh joy, joy joy! The sauce served with it complimented it but wait… was that Risotto, that he had gently placed the lamb chops on? Hmm… the acid test begins!
This was a Pumpkin Risotto. The chef had used Carnaroli rice (other types can be Arborio or Vialone Nano) to prepare it. The risotto looked creamy and oozy, not runny. Check. The grains were separate, not lumpy. Check. The grains looked shiny, not dull. Check. When I bit into it, it was al dente. Check. And the pumpkin flavor combo? Double Check. Chef Enrico had passed with flying colours!
(L-R: Poached Pears with double cream, Chocolate and Mascarpone Mousse, Apple Charlotte)
Finally the desserts arrived. Tasting portions of four. (Yipee!). For obvious reasons there was no Tiramisu because the chef had decided to enthrall us with more exotic combinations. Double Chocolate and Mascarpone Cheese Mousse with hazelnut biscuit, Red Wine Poached Pear (got it right again!) with double cream, Apple Charlotte and Vanilla Ice cream. Vanilla Ice Cream?… Ho Hum. I decided not to eat that till I sampled the rest. After polishing off the mousse, I attacked the apple charlotte and realized it need something creamy. Ok, Vanilla Ice cream you get your turn. But..surprise surpirse …this was a Parmesan Cheese Ice Cream. I am telling you it was insane! Insanely Brilliant. The flavor of the cheese is unmistakable and though it seems savoury, it was a wonderful way to end a fabulous Italian meal!
The Italian Food Festival is on till Sunday the 18th. I know its Diwali and all…but if you get an overdose of mithai in the first three days, you know where to go, to balance out your tastebuds. The menu comprises of other signature dishes like Tartare of sautéed cepes Mushrooms with a herbed ricotta quenelle, Sweet water fish three ways, a Turkey Osso Bucco and even a Pasta with Rabbit ragout and Coffee flavoured Oil! I generally don’t fawn over someone’s cooking this much, but Chef Enrico has something up his sleeve 😉
BENE
SHERATON BANGALORE at Brigade Gateway
26/1 Dr.Rajkumar Road,
Malleshwaram-Rajajinagar,
Bangalore – 560055.
Ph: +91 80 4252 1000
Parking: Valet Available
Price Point: Antipasti Rs.295/- onwards,  Soups Rs.395/- onwards, Pasta courses Rs.445/- onwards, Risotto Rs.595/- onwards,  Seafood courses Rs.1125/- onwards, Meat dishes Rs.995/- onwards and Desserts Rs.425/- onwards. Excluding taxes and Service charge .