Sunday, December 16, 2012

Because the world might end...

I'm living as though the world might end this Friday -- shopping, restaurant hopping, bingeing and happily meeting all and sundry, never turning down a single invitation, for WHO KNOWS!? Though I do know, it shall not, and had BETTER NOT, for I have many, many plans for 2013, and if this world ends, dear Mayans, I will kick your a*** up there!

So in order to live like we are dying (yes Lenka, yes! Full credits for that line...) and because Kailash Colony conceded with stocking yummy piggy products (finally!) thanks to the Green Chick Shop, I decided upon a lavish breakfast for my pretty self 'cause if that silly prediction is true, this is the last weekend that any of us can savor -- EVER!!!

Okay, this post is turning rather depressive and slightly sinister, and so let's quickly bring the focus back to FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD!

And while more bacon sizzles into a crispy crunch in my kitchenette, let me share with you how I put together a breakfast fit for a king, or in my case, for a QUEEN...

I call it the Beyond Dinner Breakfast (you will know why!)...

#1 Deviled Eggs with Bacon

Ingredients:

Eggs - 1
Mayonnaise - 1 tbsp
Mustard -  A dash
Bacon - 1 strip, nicely crisped

Method:

  • Hard boil the egg and once cool, cut open the egg into a neat half
  • Scoop out the yolk and combine with the mustard and mayonnaise, until its a smooth, silky paste
  • Scoop back the paste above into the egg whites
  • Top with the crispy bacon

Deviled Eggs with Bacon


#2 Hash Brown Potato

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 2 medium or 3 small potatoes, peeled and grated
Salt & Pepper - To taste
Olive Oil - For frying the hash browns

Method:
  • In order to ensure the hash brown potatoes are crispy as should be, be careful to drain them well with a kitchen towel before placing in the skillet for shallow frying
  • Make thin, flat scoops of the grated, well-seasoned potatoes between two serving spoons, if you are an amateur home cook like I am, and place in the skillet
  • Allow to cook for approximately 3-5 minutes on low to medium heat on each side, or until golden brown



#3 Open Salami Sandwich

Ingredients:

Brown Bread - 1 slice
Cheese Slice - 1
Mayonnaise - A spoonful
Lettuce (iceberg, preferably) - 2 medium sized leaves
Black Pepper Chicken Salami - 5 slices

Method:

  • Spread mayonnaise on the slice of brown bread, and place a cheese slice on top
  • Grill in the oven for about 5 minutes
  • Place the leaves of lettuce and then top with the chicken salami slices


Now that we have the major portion of the Beyond Dinner Breakfast ready, quickly crisp some bacon and prepare a side portion of chill-garlic mushrooms (Champiñónes al Ajillo) along with a chilled beer mug of home-made coffee.


The Beyond Dinner Breakfast

Although the combination of food is far from any typical "Classic Breakfast", it did work and how! From the crunchy lettuce combining with the toasted, cheesy slices of bread and salami to the creamy, beautifully pungent deviled eggs that were set off perfectly by the crispy bacon, and of course the chilli garlic mushrooms that WOKE me up more than my coffee -- it was a good Sunday Meal!! And of course, K3G on air, a long pending, happy phone-call from my namesake, the Pagginess as well as my warm, delicious blanket have made this Sunday my happy, happy Sunday!

Now you all go try your hand at some or all of the above and indulge in this seriously heavy, clean flavored breakfast selection, that is, if we all have another weekend :p

GO DIG IN!!!!!



Tuesday, September 25, 2012

The Rokeby Melt


And as I lie in bed, trying to battle the obnoxious fever, feeding on healthy lauki ki subzi, I miss home and the comforts that come attached with the word home, and reminisce -- the foothills of the Himalayas sitting in all their glory, basking in the sun. The trees stretching in the crisp morning air, waking the birds and the animals. Gun Hill, Barlowganj, Jharipani, Landour -- ah! In this hot state of fever how I crave the touch of the cool mountain breeze of Mussoorie.

The Himalayan mountains sitting in all their glory

Mussoorie trees stretching in the crisp morning air
And how I miss that delicious sandwich I had had for breakfast at Rokeby, in Landour, on my last trip there. The fresh lettuce, the juicy, sweet onions and the melange of all things gorgeous! No wonder this last Sunday I replicated the same and treated myself to simple joys that were a combined wonder of wonders. But before anyone blames me of plagiarism, let me make two clarifications:

a) This is an original recipe solely inspired by what I tasted, and
b) I ordered a dish for dinner at Rokeby the night before this breakfast and that mustard chicken tasted EXACTLY like what I had created and put on this blog a few months ago. (Read "Cut the Mustard")

Well, I call this one, The Rokeby Melt. Recipe below:

Ingredients:

Hot Dog Buns - 2
Eggless Mayonnaise - Enough to spread dollops of the same on the buns
Cheese Slice - 2
Mushrooms - 200 gms, thinly sliced
Red Onions - 2 medium ones, thinly sliced
Olive Oil - 6 tbsps
Garlic - 1 clove, thinly sliced
Lettuce - 2 medium leaves
Pepper - To taste
Salt - To Taste
Sugar - 1 tsp
Balsamic Vinegar - 2 drops

Method:

       •    Take a wok and heat 4 tbsps of olive oil on medium heat. Add the sliced onions to this wok and cook till they turn a deep brown. Add a dash of salt to the onions, and in order to hasten the caramelizing process, also add a teaspoon of sugar. Ensure that you keep stirring the onions every now and then to prevent burning. Further, add some more oil in case you feel the onions are drying out. Once the onions are deep brown in color and taste sweetly divine, they are caramelized and ready to be used for the sandwich. (NOTE: Caramelized onions keep for over 2 weeks if stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, so you could easily caramelize onions earlier and use as necessary).

       •   Now take another wok and heat the other 2 table spoons of olive oil. Add the thinly sliced garlic to the heated oil and cook for about a minute before adding mushrooms to the same. 

       •   Allow the mushrooms to cook for a while before adding a dash of balsamic vinegar to the wok, in order to enhance the flavor of the mushrooms. Once the mushrooms have sweat and turned golden brown, remove from heat.

       •   Meanwhile, halve the hot dog buns horizontally and toast mildly.

       •   Now smear mayonnaise (I prefer the eggless variety as I strongly dislike the eggy after-taste).

       •   Tear some lettuce and prepare a comfortable bed on the lower half of the bun for the remaining sandwich to rest on.

       •   Now gently spoon out and spread on the lettuce bed a layer of the caramelized onions and then a layer of mushrooms. Sprinkle some pepper and salt to taste.

       •   Add cheese slices on the upper half of the bun and gently rest it as the crowning glory.

       • Nuke it in the micro for about 30 seconds to ensure the cheese is nicely melting and   binding all of the sandwich together.

       •   Voila! It is ready to eat!!!! Serve with Mustard & Tomato Ketchup.

            

So you see, peeps, I may vacation by the sea and live in the plains, but I am a pure mountain girl, and when I miss my pretty Himalayas, the big time breakfast person (read Anka) will do anything to savor the taste of the hills... 

Now, GO DIG IN with a mug of freshly churned cold coffee!!!! :D



Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Looking East, for a change!

It seems as though I have become completely Oriental all of a sudden. Gone are the days of French language classes and Italian cooking, Spanish vacations and Swiss sojourns, for here are the days that Anka enjoys a ton of sushi anywhere and everywhere, elegantly picks up chopsticks AND uses them, enrolls herself for Kickboxing *feels uber cool B-)* and even attends Thai cooking classes! Oh, and the brother gets packed off to Singapore, so that adds to some more Oriental effect on the family...

Image Courtesy: www.jupiterimages.com

Oriental but M.I.A, I have been kept on my toes thanks to work, for obvious, delightful reasons (yes people, the Roberto Cavalli store at Emporio is finally open, so DO VISIT if you haven't already!!!), which is why aeons have elapsed since my last post. But I'm back on the planet, and this post has come together, to FINALLY celebrate, belatedly, the one year birth anniversary of my loooove - Orange Zest :D

And what better way to celebrate than of course to cook for the beloved -- Mommy and Daddy!?! A three course East Asian meal at that...

But before I hop on to the recipes, I must thank my sous-chef, the Mother, who supervised as well as ensured all the fresh ingredients were prepped as per my instructions, in time for the meal that was to be...Oh! And also a special mention to -- no, no not Star Bazaar, although it still remains my favorite, but to INA Market, where I spent hours as a glassy eyed child looking at and purchasing all my fancy ingredients!!! WHAT A MARKET! And a final acknowledgement to the nu.Delhi Q'ba at Chanakyapuri, where I not just attended the Thai cooking class but pigged out on all of that delish food too... *love struck smiley*

Watching. Learning.

Recipes below:

#1 Som Tam Salad

Ingredients:

Raw/ Green Papaya - about half, julienned
Carrots - 2 to 3 medium ones, julienned
Tomato - 1 to 2 finely cubed
Peanuts - a fistful, roasted

For the Dressing:

Sugar Syrup - 4 tbsp
Palm sugar - 1 tbsp
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Thai Soy Sauce - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp

Method:
  • Mix all the ingredients for the dressing
  • Toss the salad ingredients with the dressing in a bowl
  • Garnish with peanuts
  • DIG INNNN!!!

How simple is that! And imagine, a papaya hater such as I, fell in LOVE! Quick, easy to make and healthy -- this salad is the perfect mid-week evening snack!


#2 Corn Cakes

Ingredients:

Tempura Flour - 1/2 cup
Corn Flour - 1/4 cup or about 2 heaped tbsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Salt & Pepper - To taste
Water - To mix
Sweet Corn - 1/2 a can
Oil - To deep fry
Sweet Chilli Sauce - To serve

Method:

  • Mix the tempura flour (preferably Gogi Brand) and Corn Flour in the ratio of 2:1 with water and make a batter that has lotion-like consistency
  • Add sugar, salt and pepper to this batter
  • Now add the sweet corn kernels to this
  • Heat oil in a wok and use a spoon to scoop the sweet corn batter
  • Fry until golden brown and then drain on paper towel
  • Serve the crisps piping hot with the Sweet Chilli Sauce... :D





Well, it really cannot get any simpler or quicker than this!? Or wait, can it?

Read on, to find out:

#3 Khao Suey/ Khao Soi

I have loved the Khao Suey ever since I first had it at The Kitchen in Khan Market 6 years ago. It was love at first taste and I took it as my personal mission to make anyone I knew who had never had the dish to get to try it. Although considered a traditional Burmese dish, this fantastic meal in a bowl/ soup is consumed in various parts of South-East Asia, including Thailand, with its various permutations and combinations. Below is my attempt to get as close to "The Kitchen" khao suey as I possibly can...

Ingredients:

Noodles - Half a packet of the regular kind, boiled
Crispy noodles - A handful, uncooked and deep fried

Sauce:

Red Curry Paste - 2 tsp
Yellow Curry Paste - 1 tsp
Coconut Cream - 100 mls
Coconut Milk - 100 mls
Fish Sauce - 1 tsp
Salt - To taste
Sugar - 1 tsp
Chicken Broth Powder (optional for vegetarians) - 1 tsp
Vegetable Oil - 2 tbsp

Toppings:

Spring Onion - 1, finely sliced
Onions - About half, caramelised
Garlic - Few flakes, roasted
Coriander
Peanuts - roasted
Bean Sprouts
Mushrooms - Lightly cooked
Chicken - Boiled and shredded
Lemon Slices

Method:

  • Prepare the sauce by combining the red and yellow curry paste (Note: purchase Namjai brand, available at most supermarkets as well as at INA, of course!) with the vegetable oil
  • Cook for about 2 minutes, and add the coconut milk and cream. If you do not find coconut milk tins, which are quite easily available actually, you can purchase the Maggi Coconut Powder and follow instructions to make a perfectly natural portion of Coconut Milk :)
  • Now add the salt, sugar, chicken broth powder and fish sauce, or if you are vegetarian, substitute the fish sauce with Thai Soy Sauce.
  • Voila! The Sauce is ready!!!
To serve the khao suey, combine the boiled and crispy noodles in a bowl and top it up with the sauce and other toppings according to your taste and preferences.

I suggest add a little bit of everything and generously squeeze some lime juice, as well as add the roasted peanuts -- the zing and the crunch make the dish literally next level gourmet!



So come on peeps, time to become a little Thai-fi :p and give these fancy sounding, delicious yet simple dishes a try!

While I? I shall sit and bask in the glory of how wonderfully well these turned out to be --- ah, with all my oriental-ness complete with a sudden, coco"nutty" change and how!

Go Dig INNNNNN!!!!

Saturday, June 09, 2012

PLOOF!

Ah! Of course, in this scorching, almost infernal heat a title such as this makes one dream of an infinity pool or the heavenly Mediterranean stretching on till eternity... A cliff jump into the holy Ganges or a still, backwater lake on a beach in Goa...



But Ploof! And there I was in Lodhi Colony, basking in the heady aromas of freshly baked breads that blended with the zesty lemon juice being squeezed onto the basa I ordered while enjoying the crunchy asparagus that every American kid would happily eat in this form...

Oh, wait! Let's start from the start!

And let's rewind to last Friday night...

When Delhi was being a dream thanks to Mr. Weather's graciousness -- and given that it was the end of May, I HAD TO COMPULSORILY hit the outdoors, for it is a sin to waste good weather days/ nights in this city, where they are anyway so few and far in between. Now when I get to do the picking, what better selection can I make than my favorite Central Delhi, at the quiet, green Lodhi, that boasts of the best sea-food restaurant in the city.

From the moment I entered, I think I was in love. Although finding the place was a task, given my brilliant sense of direction, it was TOTALLY worth the effort! An almost blink-and-you-miss presence in the Lodhi market, Ploof is a pretty, European style bistro/ restaurant that transports you to the continent in a jiffy. One enters and is ensconced in the delicious aromas of Foccacia and the Ciabatta and the Baguettes! *love struck smiley* and as if this weren't enough, what hits you is the pretty display showcasing an array of delicatessen items - mustards, and pestos, and cold cuts, and preserves and dips, and cheeses and even marinated meats --- SIIIIIIGH! (And yes, I know, that a deli in the city is no more a nouveau concept, but one in such a setting is still worth a million bucks, especially because they home deliver to mine!)


Cut to the terrace, that was nicely covered and air conditioned -- a clever move, for it felt like the outdoors but was a comfortable 20 degrees, and despite the good weather, the ACs were a blessing nonetheless.

So we sat in candlelight, drinking cold, mint flavored water, poring over the menu with such seriousness it almost felt like exam time. And while we sat and carefully examined the delightful selection, a basket full of freshly baked Foccacia, along with some fantastic, lip smacking tomato pesto was quietly placed on our table! Oh Goodness, Oh Gracious! How could anything so simple taste so darn gooooood beats me, and I know I use this phrase a bit too often, but really if ever there was a Heaven on Earth, that night it was right there in that pesto!

When we finally placed the order for our starters and then our main course, what impressed us was the speed of service. We called for a portion of Asparagus and Smoked Cheese Rolls served with a Pineapple Salsa (a Ploof specialty) and home made French Fries (no order of mine is ever complete without a portion of one. I judge a restaurant by its fries.), and for main course we had the Char Grilled Peppered Basa and a Duo of Pan Seared and Oven Grilled Chicken.

My Verdict: The fries were hot, not at all oily, well seasoned and CRISP how they should be, and the portion was perfect. Great fries = Happy Anka! :D

The Asparagus starter was unique, with half the stems encased in the most gorgeous medley of Gouda and Cheddar (60:40) cheese rolls, while the other half was a light, crunchy crunch that went perfectly well with the sweet pineapple salsa and the piquant mustard -- one bite into that cheesy portion and it made me reminisce the Alpine weather from my Swiss sojourn... Ah, life! *gets nostalgic*



By the time the main course arrived, I was so involved with my meal, I couldn't care two hoots about taking pictures. All I did was dig in with all my mighty greed and avarice! A Hedonist and I? Hell yeah!

The Basa was delicate and subtly flavored, just how I like most of my food, especially my fish. A distinct flavor of lemon and fresh pepper transported me to a world where dream food becomes reality, and the side of the lyonnaise potatoes -- oh man, I need to stop! I am gushing a bit too much!

And then that Duo of Chicken -- Basil Pesto vs Sundried Tomatoes, packed with flavor, and also quite healthy, like almost all our food that night. The only drawback in this dish was that one of the two breasts was slightly undercooked, but overall, a mighty dish!

Ploof! You were a pleasure! Your ambience, with the soft banter of the other guests that gently mélange-d into the restaurant music --  thumbs up! Your food -- more than thumbs up! And the pricing -- so well maintained in the days of Inflation and Economic crises! But what about dessert? Oh, I really couldn't get myself to indulge beyond what I already had, and so for the FIRST time I skipped!

So in all, the evening was my start of another love affair with the city I was beginning to dislike again. Delhi, you always do this to me, don't you? Weave that magic, just when you sense the previous dose is wearing off! No wonder I continue to stick on, and let your magic do its magic on me! :*





Friday, April 06, 2012

Tea-totally!

Dear All,

I used to be a passionate coffee drinker, never leaving my quarters without a beer-mug full of home churned cold coffee. As the morning would turn to afternoon and then evening, I would rarely shy away from cups of machine-spewed latte or a cafe's hot cappuccino. And any coffee with a hint of Irish Cream -- oh heaven! Big on regular coffee and bigger on the exotic kind (Read: Ethiopian Yergacheffe), I shared a special, warming-the-very-cockles-of-my-heart (literally!) relationship with this dark berry native to the African continent, through Summer, Winter et al. There was a time, two years ago, that I became such a coffee fanatic that I even stored a few beans in my drawer at work!

But then the earth twisted, and since every twist comes with its own set of turns that can be somewhat life changing, I found my turn: My mother FORCED me to try her latest find - the Organics Tulsi Tea. I mocked her, and I made faces. I laughed and I sipped, and by Jove, I took to it like a fish to water, and every night, like a healthy child, I began to partake of a cup just before sleeping. Stress relieving and slimming? Hell yea!

A few months into drinking this potent tulsi leaf concoction, and I already had a few more friends hooked -- I was literally Brand Ambassador, Organics Tea, India! And then this te'a'-amore became more serious and passionate, thanks to my colleague Tanya, who turned out to be a herbal tea zealot and who made me more than a slave to this green and healthy beverage, for we would now begin each morning at work not with the traditional cappuccino, but with a cup of steaming hot lemon tea!


As this relationship progressed beyond a few months, I took THE PLUNGE and got more daring with my new found love, while Coffee ji, oh he, he was as forgotten as can be, for the jasmines, lavenders, the licorice, the chamomile, peppermint and Earl Gray, ginger and masala, put together were too much for even Yerga boy to handle! From great sleep to heightened digestion and even improved skin, these various herbal permutations & combinations were working wonders on my system and how! And what fanfare surrounding the service of any of these great teas -- fancy crockery, fancier strainers and even pretty looking rock sugar sticks!! If this isn't pure luxury, then what is!?


Dear all, you must be wondering -- "What the #$%@$*# hell is the point of writing this post!? Is there nothing more she can cook now!? Is she feeling imperialist with this new British love or is the Tea Board of India paying her for this mini promotion (probably not, considering Orange Zest is almost a forgotten entity these days!)" No point, really, except that GO AHEAD, break out of the rut of things, try something new, savor life and LIVE!!! And you may just discover something that has you tea-totally addicted, whether for a while or for life!

My only clarification -- I do not, nor intend to in the future, ever EVER drink/ fall in love with the great Indian suuurrr surrrr chai...

But then again, never say never!!!

Saturday, January 28, 2012

With a Zing!

I woke up at 4:50 AM with the worst bout of sneezing I had had so far this year and then, just as I managed to doze off an hour later, the crazy pigeon family outside my window began driving me berserk with their maniacal wing flapping and extremely-loud-for-that-hour chirping. This was one bird family taking the "early bird" idiom quite seriously! As I finally dragged myself out of bed for work with an ache ripping my poor head apart, the day only got worse. My gadgets started to give me trouble. The Tata Photon wouldn't work and my phone kept experiencing network drop issues. The tea was bad and the day cold. In short, I wanted to shoot someone!

But then came the evening, and as I walked out of the office, there she stood demurely, waiting to get inside my bag -- a curvaceous bottle of Chilean Chardonnay (thanks a lot, Sir!) -- and BOOM! My energy levels sky rocketed and the evening was suddenly pleasant again. I called up a couple of friends in the neighborhood but none were free for the evening. Oh well, I wasn't going to let that dampen my mood or my Friday evening and so I was on a date with myself - wining, dining and basically making merry for absolutely no reason!

I got home in no time, via Star Bazaar of course, (yes, Star, yes, you're the SHIT!) and there I stood in the kitchen, blasting music and cooking, aaaalllllllll the way after November, however, it took me shorter than a split second to decide upon what I was cooking - two special somethings using seasonal Vitamin C ingredients, one of which inspires the very name of this blog. Recipes below:

#1 Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:
Chicken breast - 1 (about 200 grams)
Ginger (grated) - 1/2 tbsp
Green chilli - A quarter, chopped
Lemon juice - Half a lemon 
Salt & Pepper - For seasoning
Peppercorns - 3 to 4
Coriander -  A few crushed leaves

Method:
  • Take the chicken breast and wash it thoroughly with water. Pat dry
  • Make deep gashes on both sides of the breast and season with salt and pepper, rubbing in and spreading evenly
  • Next, rub the grated ginger all over the chicken along with the green chillies and the roughly crushed peppercorns
  • Put the chicken into a pressure cooker and squeeze the juice of half a lemon on top and add a few crushed leaves of coriander
  • Now allow the chicken to cook in the pressure cooker in the lemon juice as well as its own juices for about 10 minutes or till you hear at least 3 whistles
  • Remove off the stove, open the cooker and enjoy as the zingy aroma wafts from the kitchen to every single corner of your house -- oh YUM YUM YUMMM!!! *delighted, dancing smiley*
Lemon Chicken
As easy as falling off a log, this simple to make chicken dish is packed with vitamins and proteins - go dig into some if nursing the common cold, go dig into some, even if you aren't... Point is just go DIG IN or, or wait! Cook chicken dish #2


#2 Chicken Breast with Spicy Honey-Orange Glaze
This is a recipe I had found on the internet nearly 6 years ago, but sadly I do not remember which website I found it on. It is a dish that tastes better than it reads and/ or even looks, so go ahead! Give this dish a try, of course with the usual Anka additions/ twists... 

Ingredients:
Chicken Breast - 1 (about 200 gms)
Honey - 1 tbsp
Orange Juice - Of half a kinnow
Orange Zest - 1 tsp, grated or in strips
Garlic - 1/2 tsp, minced
Chilli Flakes - 1/2 tsp, crushed [If you do not have chilli flakes, red chilli powder works just as well]
Salt - For Seasoning
Vegetable Oil - 1/2 tsp
Green Onion - For garnishing

Method:
  • In a small bowl combine the honey with the freshly squeezed orange juice, the orange zest, garlic, salt and red chilli powder
  • Rinse the chicken with cold water and pat dry
  • Make brutal gashes on the breast and then season lightly with salt 
  • In large non-stick skillet, heat the vegetable oil over a medium-high flame
  • Add the chicken breast and cook for about 4 minutes, until seared. Turn chicken and cook for another 4 minutes or until just cooked through
  • Pour the orange - honey mixture over the chicken and cook, turning chicken to coat as sauce begins to thicken in about 5 minutes 
  • VOILA mes chers, miei cari, mis queridos --- the sumptuous dish is pronto! 

And so the date went fantastically by - Me, the dishes, the Chilean and SATC! Siiiigh! What I'd do to have each day just the same! While I wonder, go cook, dear readers, and DIG INNN... for this is what these easy-to-cook dishes are worth --- to be savored, all WITH A ZING! :)

Romantic Friday Night date with self <3

Sunday, January 08, 2012

Padharo mharo des...

And there I was, in a city that claims to be PINK but which is more on the lines of a PEACH gone wrong; in a city of Royalty and Rajputness, in a State that the world associates with leheriya and bandhini; in the very capital of the land of camels, deserts and dunes. Yes, there I was, in good ol' Jaipur, or as I enjoyed calling it all through the trip like an excited firangoo tourist --- JAIPORRRRE!

Cruising along the snake-like highway, I was excited about the weather and the shopping, about the dances and the bursts of color I was going to imbibe, the forts, monuments and villages I was going to visit, the spa I was going to get spoilt at, the camels that I was going to see more than the oxen and about the peacocks that were going to be more rampant and visible than the Great Indian Street Dog! What was the least exciting thing on my agenda? Rajasthani cuisine!

I have to add before I continue that this latest trip to Rajasthan or rather the city of Jaipur busted many myths and deflated several expectations but at the same time surprised me pleasantly on many accounts as well. After all, it was an entire decade ago that I had last set foot in this state.

I am, for no specific reason, dividing this post and my experiences into: The Great, The Good, The Bad and The Sad. So here goes:

THE GREAT

Anyone and everyone I spoke to about my weekend trip to Jaipur, categorically told me only one thing: "Go to Rawat's! And have the Pyaaz ki kachori there!" Luckily for me, many more in our travel posse had been advised the same and so the historic, rather exasperating search for Rawat's was not my sole responsibility. [How it was less than 5 minutes from the hotel we were staying at is another story!]

Anyways, what I expected Rawat's to be was some shady road-side eatery but what it turned out to be instead was a massive building, that was neat and hygienic:


What I ate here:

1. Pyaaz ki kachori, as that is what it is famous for, and boy, deservingly so! For those of you who do not know, a Pyaaz ki Kachori is a Puff pastry of sorts that is stuffed with spicy, caramelized onions, served with an even spicier potato curry. I was almost skeptical before digging into this Jaipur speciality but OH MY GOD, this stuff was ACTUALLY great!


2. Dal-baati-chorma is a traditional Rajasthani thaali or food platter that literally translates as a lentil, which is savory, baati or wheat balls that are cooked in ghee (clarified butter) and may be stuffed, sweet or spicy, and finally the chorma or churma, which is a sweet wheat flour halwa.


When I first saw this thaali before me, I nearly fainted looking at the oodles of ghee, especially because I am in the health conscious phase. I had to muster courage before partaking of this meal, but once I did, it was hard to not savor these alien flavors that blended so well it led to just that taste-bud bungee jump I had hoped for in my last post.

Baati
Broken Baati stuffed with cashews, heeng, etc

I am not very big on desi food but must admit that thus far Rajasthani food had surprised me, and more than just pleasantly! I had once said in a post that there is no better way to connect with a city than to walk in it. The next best way is to sample the local food. Jaipur and I, oh we were connecting well, and how! :)

THE GOOD


1. Laal Maans or Lamb Curry was one of these famous spicy meat curries I had heard of and was ecstatic to taste when I found it in our dinner buffet at the hotel. Full of red chillies that impart not just taste but color to the dish, very tender and extremely succulent, this curry is a worthy try, except for a consequential runny nose and watery eyes thanks to the heat factor!

2. Gatte ki Subzi is not really a vegetable (subzi) so to speak as it is made of small cylinders of chickpea flour (besan), but subzi or not, this veggie dish with all that spice shook me hard and woke my senses up! Another must try, which makes it to my "The Good" and not "The Great" list solely because I am not the greatest fan of spicy food.

3. The Camels, some of which had been so well decorated, it made the firangoo in me jump with glee!

Cannot see the artwork too well but the shaded camel has his fur cut out in that design. Very innovative, I say!



THE BAD

1. Pataashi is the Rajasthani term for Gol Gappas/ Puchkas/ Paani Puris that I tried from a road side vendor and oh dear God, they were not just bad, but throat achingly unpleasant! Perhaps, the vendor was not a good enough one, but then again they serve only aata pataashi and not the suji ones that I prefer! Can be given a miss, if your preferences are the same as mine.

2. Bajre ki Khichdi - At the cost of sounding downright obnoxious, this was pure village food that even villagers mustn't be consuming in Rajasthan any more! Grey and rather depressing to look at, it was even more depressing to taste! Did not risk clicking a picture lest the camera lens might take offense and crack ;)

Thankfully this list ends just at 2!

THE SAD

I came to Jaipur expecting to see peacocks scuttling on the road sides and hoping to buy enough leheriya sarees to last me a lifetime, neither of which I had the good fortune to obtain, and that for me is just sad!

That aside, Jaipur and Rajasthan left me content and satisfied with the experiences and I must give it to the Rajasthani food that gave me that punch I was searching for!

And so to end on a pink note, check out the picture below:

Tee heeee :D

Padharo tharo dessss, I say!