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Artjuna- A Prefect Combination of Food & Lifestyle Place!

Posted on August 12, 2018 by Aditi Malhotra

Normally, we don’t think of a lifestyle shop and food together, for most of us they are two different things and we have to go separately for eating and shopping, but If I tell you about Artjuna, it offers more than just food, its a perfect place to shop apparels, fashion accessories and even furniture, yes you read that right, Artjuna has all this and a lot more to offers its visitors.

Right from the entrance, the warm vibes engulf you, the place has such a colorful and vibrant feel to it that one can simply spend hours chilling there. I am sure once you step in, you make up your mind right then, that you don’t want to leave soon. It’s a place that holds your attention and keeps it intact until you leave and even after that. For me, Artjuna has been a wholesome experience. The Bohemian fashion apparel, accessories, and furniture is something that Moshes and his wife Anastasia, two passionate people who own the place, have collected over the years. Their love for art and classy things is evident in their collection. If you really take a closer look at the items on display, they give you a feel of a very personalized collection, it’s not that they have just picked up anything and everything to fill up the place, but its a very selective and tastefully placed collection.

An old Portuguese house that has been converted into this lifestyle shop and restaurant also houses a decent sized library for book lovers and also a place for yoga and recreation.

Coming to food, Artjuna takes great pride in not just saying but maintaining high-quality standards in all their food items. They strictly use fresh farm produce, seasonal vegetables, extra virgin olive oil, imported tahini and wild honey to prepare healthy meals. They serve Meditteranean, Israeli and Lebanese cuisines. This garden ambiance adds to the overall appeal of fresh serves and healthy food. Every juice that you order at Artjuna, is prepared right after you order, nothing is pre-prepared and kept and hence the freshness is always guaranteed.

I began my culinary experience by ordering a Watermelon Salad with Feta, as it has been one of my all-time favorite dishes and Artjuna totally lived up to my expectations. The best part was the Feta, it was perfectly balanced and not over salty as most of the places serve. To go along, I settled for the Energiser, a combination of beetroot, carrot, orange, ginger and some cinnamon which gave the kick to this fresh juice.

Followed this up with a Mazzet Plate, served with Pita Bread, this platter had a perfect selection of Meditteranean flavors, with a smooth tahini, greek kalamata olives, olive pate, feta cheese and mixed vegetable pickle. It makes for a really delightful dish and is surely a must try.

Baba Ganoush was another dish that I tried, flame roasted eggplants, creamed into a thick paste with tahini, and seasoned with lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil, this makes for a flavourful dip to enjoy with pita and I loved it. The creaminess was almost mouth melting.

A chocolate fondant cake with vanilla ice cream and a chocolate eclair is what made for the amazing desserts. The cake was so soft and fresh, that the quality of the products used was once again brought to notice.

The place has its own charm and I insist on a visit at least once, the second time you would not require any conviction from my end :). The food, the ambiance, the warm people, the lifestyle shop, the books and a couple of dogs and cats will give you more than you need to enjoy a day out. Trust me on this one, not that you shouldn’t trust me on others ;), but do give it a try, it will be worth your while.

As far as I am concerned, I enjoyed myself thoroughly and look forward to visit the place soon again. Let me know what you think about it, have you visited it yet, or is it on your list now?

Bo-Tai, Not Just Food, But An Experience!

Posted on July 19, 2018 by Aditi Malhotra

Some places offer great food, while some offer experience, very rarely we come across places that offer food which not just food, but a wholesome experience. Coincidently, I have felt this at two places and its no surprise that both these places come from the same group. Masala Library by Jiggs Kalara was my first such experience where in I felt that its not just about food, but everything put together, and now my second experience came when I recently visited Bo-Tai. Conceptualised by Zorawar Kalra, this restaurant offers all the ingredients be ranked amongst the top. The ambience is perfect, very classy and refined, the hospitality is top notch, from the moment you enter, you are entire experience is personalised. The staff attends to you with utmost care, attention and knowledge of food and drinks.

The presentation of food is commendable and the most important thing, the taste is unmatched. Bo-Tai is a Thai speciality restaurant and it truly serves the best Thai food in the city.

Here are some of the highly recommended dishes

Scallop Carpaccio- A mouth melting experience, the scallops were just so delicious.

Crispy Caramelised Raw Mango Prawns- These are definitely a must try, super scrumptious prawns and that tangy taste of raw mango was just perfect.

Chicken Florets- True to their name, these blue coloured chicken dimsums in chilly oil were delectable.

Duck Sausages- The best dish I had, the sausages were simply mind blowing and the duck meat was so soft and juicy. The pumpkin dip and baked mashed potatoes as accompaniments enhance the taste greatly.

Lamb Satay- One of the finest satays that I had in recent times, you cannot afford to miss this dish, and the peanut dip too wasn’t the regular type and was really delicious.

Lamb Chops- Utterly delicious and succulent lamb chops, totally worth a try.

Masamman Curry- So when we talk of Thai curries, this curry usually sets the benchmark and I have to say that this was perfect. Served with Steamed Rice, they completed my meal.

Dessert- You have to try to believe how delicious it was.

Also for dessert you can try the Caramelised Banana Cocktail, it was just too good.

Me and my son had a great time enjoying this scrumptious food and overall experience at Bo-Tai. Highly recommended. Do share your feedback if you happen to visit.

Mushroom and Onion Soup

Posted on July 2, 2018 by Aditi Malhotra

This one is a really simple yet amazing recipe, full of healthy nutrients and taste.

Here are the ingredients-

Mushrooms- 1 packet/250gms

Onion- 1 medium sized

Garlic- 4-5 cloves

Olive Oil- 2 tablespoons

Paprika- 1/4 teaspoon

Basil leaves- 1/4 teaspoon

Oregano- 1/4 teaspoon

Mixed herbs- 1/4 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Cheese- 1 cube grated (optional)

Method:

Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté chopped garlic cloves
Cut onion into rings and add to the garlic and sauté for another 5 minutes
Now add roughly chopped mushrooms and cover the lid of the pan and cook for 5 minutes
Add all the spices and stirring occasionally continue cooking for 4-5 minutes
The mushrooms should be soft by now and completely cooked. Remove from pan and let it cool for sometime
Once the mixture cools down, blend it in a mixer
Pour the mixture back in the pan and add water to adjust it to a thick soup consistency
Bring the soup to a boil and then simmer it for 2-3 minutes
Serve hot, top it with some grated cheese for that added flavour.

Feasting at Laila’s Cafe, Goa

Posted on June 30, 2018 by Aditi Malhotra

A warm and cosy place overlooking vast green patches, a lady who cooks with lots of love and passion and the food that is simple yet amazing is what Laila’s Cafe all about.

Located at the Anjuna-Vagator road, Laila’s Cafe has been around since a few months now. Laila, who belongs to Hyderabad originally, had a dream to take its cuisine to different places and Goa became her new home. She wanted to introduce people to the authentic Hyderabadi cuisine and started curating special menus for home deliveries. Her home deliveries met with a great success and further encouraged her to open up a cafe. Her cafe serves Hyderabadi cuisine primarily and has a daily changing menu. She makes the weekends even more special by preparing some typical Hyderabadi delicacies. She balances a couple of Hyderabadi dishes with 2-3 North Indian dishes as well, in order to give variety and choices to the customer.

This weekend, we dropped by at her cafe as she hosted an EID special lunch. The menu comprised of:

Mutton Haleem- Haleem originated as an Arabic dish with meat and pounded wheat as the chief ingredients. It was introduced to Hyderabad by the Arab diaspora during the rule of the sixth Nizam and later became an integral part of Hyderabadi cuisine. Haleem is a stew composed of meat, lentils and pounded wheat made into a thick paste. It was served with fried onions and lemon to add that zingy flavour. I relished the same with a hot parantha.

Biryani- Biryani is popular across the country and every region has its own way of preparing it. That day we tried biryani which was primarily with Bangalorean flavours. Tasted very well.

Chole- A typical punjabi style of chole, which were savoured with paranthas.

Shahi Paneer- Another North Indian delicacy prepared to perfection.

Pulao- A simple pulao to go along with chole or shahi paneer.

Sheer Khurma- A traditional sweet prepared with vermicelli and milk, it was heavenly. I could have polished off 2 bowls of the same easily, but refrained myself from doing so. Its one indulgence, you will love.

Overall, I had a lot of fun and enjoyed my feast at Laila’s Cafe. Laila is also passionate about fashion collectibles and hence she showcases her collection along side at the cafe. So not only you can indulge in eating good food, but also indulge in some quick shopping. Do drop by and let me know how was your experience.

Here are my ratings:

Ambience 3.5/5

Food- 4/5

Service- 3.5/5

Value for Money- 4/5

Top Amazing Benefits of Learning How to Cook

Posted on June 8, 2018 by Aditi Malhotra

If you have never learnt how to cook before or if it is something that you are interested in but you just don’t quite know how to take things to that next level then you are not alone. People across the world try and cook every single day, but if you are able to turn that necessity into a passion then you can really help yourself to be healthier and more confident. On top of all that, it is a skill that can come in very useful in your later life.

Social Status

It doesn’t matter whether you are making yourself way more marketable in terms of dating or whether you want to try and better your position at work because having skills is always important and learning how to cook or evenbakeis a great way for you to get started. You can make yourself look way more unique and appealing, not to mention that people will respect you more for it as well. If you are concerned because you know that you have never learnt how to make even the most basic of dishes before then don’t worry because everyone has to start somewhere and it really is all about taking the time to really develop as a person.

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Cooking is great for Two

Cooking doesn’t have to be hard work. Sure, some people slave over the stove but this doesn’t have to be the case. It is very easy for you to cook with your other half and cooking is now an activity that can be shared. A lot of couples love to learn new skills together and it is great if you want to try and strengthen that bond that you have. You may find that your relationship grows as a result and it is also a great way for you to learn from each other. If you are not good at one aspect of cooking then there is a high chance that your partner will be able to fill in the gaps, so do keep that in mind. Any speaker for nutritionwill tell you how great it is to know how to cook.

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Improving your Health

A lot of people choose to eatfoodthat is bad for them, purely because they don’t know how to cook a very healthy meal. They believe that they have to have some magical skill in order to whip together a great meal but this is not the case at all. If you are willing to take some classes then this is a great way for you to take things to that next level and it can also help you to develop your skills much faster as well. If you believe that you are not cut out for classes then don’t worry, you can still learn everything that you need to know at home and this is a great way for you to really fill up those long and boring weekends.

So learning how to cook is a great way for you to expand your skillset, and by taking the time to really work on your skills, you can be sure to get a positive result.

Cancer Fighting Foods

Posted on March 24, 2018 by Aditi Malhotra

If you are on the lookout for the some cancer prevention ways and means then it is likely that you will find the next few lines interesting and informative. There is no denying the fact that cancer is one of the biggest killers and each year millions die from this disease across the world. Our food habits have an important role to play. Hence, we are happy to share below top 12 cancer fighting foods which we are sure will go a long way in helping you to stay healthy and avoid the risk of being impacted by some life threatening forms of cancers.

Experiencing Naga Cuisine at Nagaland’s Kitchen!

Posted on December 23, 2017 by Aditi Malhotra

The native cuisine of the Naga people, Nagaland food comprises primarily of Meat and Fish which is usually either smoked, dried or fermented. The use of chillies is exceptionally high in the cuisine especially the world famous Bhut Jolokia. Replicating such traditional food and retaining authentic taste always comes as a challenge when exploring the cuisine outside the region, but Nagaland’s Kitchen has completely emerged as a winner in this case. They have not just replicated the dishes, but also taken utmost care to retain the authenticity of tastes by sourcing some of their ingredients right from the base region.

I recently went to explore the cuisine, which I had only heard about and I would say that in spite of having a lot of apprehensions, I found myself really enjoying the Nagaland food. Like mentioned above, smoked food is a traditional way of cooking in Nagaland, and they enjoy their meats and veggies with a smoked flavour. This particular style of cooking was brought alive at the Smokey Delight Festival at Nagaland’s Kitchen.

The ambience of the place was warm and comfortable and the festive vibes to it as Christmas is just around the corner. I was welcomed with a Jolokia Vodka Shot, with a word of caution. Yes you read it right, a word of caution here is imperative at Jolokia is one of the spiciest chillies found in the world, and this vodka shot was infused with the same. But I was really up for the challenge and wanted to try it out for sure.

So as it was a shot, and meant to be had in one shot, I gulped it down, I would say it wasn’t as spicy or bad as I was warned about. It surely hits the back of your throat and stomach for a few seconds, but thats about it. The best part was that it did not have any after taste, so i didn’t feel the spicy sensation on my tongue at all.

Coming to food, I started the culinary experience with a very nice Soup, it was available in both Smoked Pork and Smoked Chicken option and I settled for Chicken. It was called the Amrosu Soup and I found it perfect for that chilly winter evening. The taste of the soup was mild and the smoked chicken enhanced its flavour multifolds, I really enjoyed having it. Up next was Smoke Chicken and Dry Bamboo Salad and it too was very well prepared. I loved how the other flavours were kept mild in this too and the smoked chicken did its wonders yet again. Smoke Pork with Dry Bamboo Shoot was another amazing preparation.

In starters I tried Smoke Chicken Chilli and Pork Chilli, though I am not too fond of pork, but trust me, one bite into this and I could not stop myself. It was so so delicious.

The main course offered Smoke Chicken, Smoke Dry River Fish, Smoke Pork Anishi and Smoke Eel. I restricted myself to pork and chicken, but those who fancy having a dried fish and eel, should definitely try it here. Served with sticky boiled rice, both the dishes in gravy were tasteful.

For desserts, I had the traditional plum cake, which was prepared keeping the festivities in mind.

I would say, I had an extremely pleasant and wonderful culinary experience at Nagaland’s Kitchen and its one place that surely is worth your time and money.

Christmas Recipes from The Bristol, Gurgaon

Posted on December 20, 2017 by Aditi Malhotra

Christmas Recipes

Red Velvet Pancake

Ingredients Quantity

10 cups all-purpose flour- 1/2 Cup [Chopped]

Sugar- 1-1/4 Cups

Baking Cocoa- 2/3 Cups

Baking Soda- 6 tsp

Baking Powder- 4 tsp

Salt- 5 tsp

Additional Ingredients (for each batch)

Buttermilk – 2 cups

Eggs -2

Red food coloring – 2 tsp

Butter and maple syrup

Method

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking cocoa, baking soda and salt all together.
Place 2 cups in each of five resalable plastic bags or containers.
Store in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months

To prepare pancakes

Pour the mixed ingredients into a large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs and food coloring.
Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
Pour batter by 1/4 cupful’s onto a greased hot griddle; turn when bubbles form on top.
Cook until the second side is golden brown.
Serve with butter and syrup.

Mocha Cashew Butter

Ingredients Quantity

Salted Cashews -3 cups

Softened Butter- 1/2 cup

Semisweet Chocolate Chips- 1/2 cup

Instant Coffee Granules -2 tsp

Water -2 tsp

Salted Cashews (optional)

Method

Place cashews in a food processor.
Cover and process until finely ground.
Add half of the butter; process until smooth.
Transfer to a small bowl.
In a small saucepan, combine the chocolate chips, coffee granules, water along with remaining butter.
Cook and stir over low heat until smooth.
Stir into cashew mixture.
Top with additional cashews if desired.
Store in the refrigerator.

Mother Christmas Cake

Ingredients Quantity

Chopped Peeled Tart Apples (about 2 large) -3 cups

Sugar -2 cups

Apple Juice – 1/2 cup

Eggs -3

Vegetable Oil -3/4 cup

Vanilla Extracts- 1 tsp

All-purpose Flour -3 cups

Apple Pie Spice (Cinnamon)-2 tsp

Salt -1 tsp

Coarsely Chopped Pecans -2 cups

Candied Red Cherries, halved- 1/2 pound

Candied Green Cherries, halved- 1/2 pound

Diced Candied Pineapple – 1/2 pound

Salted Cashews (optional)

Method

Line three 8×4-inch loaf pans with waxed paper
Grease the paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine apples, sugar and apple juice; let stand for 15 minutes.
In a bowl, combine the eggs, oil and vanilla.
Add to apple mixture; mix well.
Combine the flour, apple pie spice, baking soda and salt; add to apple mixture and mix well.
Fold in pecans, cherries and pineapple.
Pour into prepared pans.
Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
Remove waxed paper.
Cool completely.

How are Swiggy Coupons helpful?

Posted on December 2, 2017 by Aditi Malhotra

Swiggy offers online food ordering and delivering to your doorstep. In India, it is headquartered in Bengaluru. Swiggy was founded by Sriharsha Majety, Nandan Reddy, Rahul Jaimini in the year 2014. Bootstrapped till last January, the food tech startup was present in just a few neighbourhoods of Bengaluru, with Koramangala giving a major chunk of the business. Today, Swiggy has raised its business plan to eight cities and more than 9,000 restaurants that allows them to function with ease and deliver their orders in minimum time. Swiggy works as your food providing buddy and understands your cravings for food at odd hours. They do not question your food requirements and get you, your favorite meal within few taps on your smartphone. After all who can say no to a hungry stomach. You need not worry about your food longing when Swiggy is around the corner and of course on your smartphone! There are days when you reach home, tired and stressed and the last thing you wish to do is to cook food for yourself or your family. Such crisis calls for Swiggy! You can sit and relax in your recliner and wait for your order to arrive magically on your doorstep. All thanks to the delivery boys of Swiggy! They are fast and accurate with directions. They are there with your food at just the right time, even before your food gets cold. There are another innumerable benefits attached to this amazing online food company – Swiggy Offers the flexibility to its customers to order as per their requirement without any restrictions of “minimum order” policy. To make it more simple, you can order anything and everything as per your wish and you do not have to add anything extra just for the sake of completing the terms and conditions of “minimum order”.

With the kind of quality service provided by Swiggy, it has been completing around 2,000 orders a day with an average value of close to Rs. 300 per order. These figures are the true reflection of Swiggy’s reach and customer satisfaction. As their source of income, Swiggy charges around 15-25 percent commission from restaurant and hotel owners. Which means the users are safely kept at bay from extra charges. Although, happy customers somehow find the way to appreciate the service of Swiggy delivery boys by rewarding them with 15-20 rupees as a token of love. This kind of an arrangement has helped the users to get the maximum benefits out of their services and in return, Swiggy gets their feedback in the form of the money they receive from their customers. In addition to this, Swiggy also offers huge discounts to its customers if they order through their mobile application. You can choose your order and use Swiggy Coupons to avail various discounts on various restaurants and hotels. To not miss these amazing deals and discounts, you can get yourself registered on their website and get notified about these discounts and offers. This ensures that Swiggy’s customers make the best use of these benefits and save as much as possible. These offers can be availed either through Swiggy Coupons or by applying Swiggy promo codes which are available on their website as well as their mobile application.

Winter Menu at Chaayos!

Posted on December 2, 2017 by Aditi Malhotra

Chaayos is almost a synonym for a tea cafe, there is no one better when it comes to serving hand crafted and blended teas and that too keeping in mind the Indian taste buds. For most Indians tea is their fuel to keep going, and you just can’t afford to go wrong with it, and Chaayos has really carved its name across the minds of tea lovers.

Not just tea, but Chaayos has always came across as a notch above the rest even when it comes to tea accompaniments. The sweets and savouries are just perfect always. What I personally love about their menu is the seasonal changes that they bring. Be it summers, monsoons or winters, Chaayos always brings in something special in their menu, which makes the visit to their outlet worth while.

With the winters setting in, Chaayos recently added 9 amazing menu items keeping the season in mind. With 2 varieties of tea, 2 desserts and 5 savoury items, the menu is a perfectly balanced one.

Gur Wali Chai and Tulsi Green Tea are the perfect companions for a breezy winter morning, afternoon or evening and you just can’t afford to miss it. Personally I found the Tulsi Green Tea extremely refreshing and comforting to the throat. Relish these teas with Paneer Bhurji Bun, which was an amazing preparation. Paneer bhurji loaded on soft buns makes for a delicious dish, I loved it. The Chicken Cutlet and Mutton Cutlet also need your attention as they both tasted really good, though again going by a personal choice I would any day prefer the Chicken Cutlet over Mutton. The Chicken Cutlets were nice, crispy on the outside, and soft and spicy on the inside.

Butter Chicken Kulhad with Masala Kulcha was another great preparation. Soft and succulent chicken chunks in rich tomato gravy served with masala kulchas made for an interesting combination and must be tried.

The best was the Open Keema Parantha, trust me you cannot have enough of this scrumptious dish. An open lachha parantha loaded with well cooked keema and some cheese is just what you need to comfort your taste buds. Simply done and simply delicious. Though eating it becomes a little messy, because its made and cut like a pizza, but because the parantha is soft, it keeps folding and you end up dropping the keema, but if you actually fold it right at the start and enjoy it as a small roll, you cannot go wrong, and also who minds getting a little messy when the food is so delicious.

The desserts too were simply done and yet very very tasty. A warm chocolate lava cake and banana-walnut cake, both of them were really good. Whereas the chocolate cake oozed out warm chocolate from inside, the banana-walnut cake was extremely soft and comforting.

To try this new menu, we went to the newly opened CP outlet and trust me this is one outlet of Chaayos that you shouldn’t miss visiting. Its by the far the most spacious and creatively done outlet. The vibrancy and energy of the place takes on you completely, and whether you wanna catch up with friends on a cup of tea and snacks, or a quick business meeting, or if you are alone and make tea and laptop your companion, this is the place for you. So for the place that it is and for the teas and food that they serve, Chaayos is a must visit place, so what are you waiting for..??

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