c m y k c m y k Thursday 12 September 2013 25 palate pleasures Bengaluru Chronicle ODE TO HEALTH NIBBLES SOUTH SPECIALS GOD’S OWN CUISINE SUMPTUOUS SADYA elebrate Onam Sadya, egin your Onam ring in Kerala’s famous xperience the fervour Cwith mouth-watering celebrations with Bharvest festival with an Eof Kerala with decorat- vegetarian delicacies Bstarters like Pazham authentic festive menu cre- ed Onapookkalam, men and spread on a banana leaf. It , Kerala banana frit- ated by Chef Naren women dressed in the tradi- includes pradhaman, four ters and parippu or Thimmaiah and savour a tional attire, the aroma of A GRAIN OF kinds of fried chips, four lentil patties. Choose from vegetarian banana leaf Sandalwood and delicacies unique pickles, , signature dishes like Olan meal with Olan, Kalan, like , Puli Inji, Mango olan, thoran, errusery, and Avial with Puzhukal Eruserri, Avial, , Pachady, Erissery, Kalan, avial, sambhar, , Arri Choru-traditional Kootu , pal Thoran and Pal Payasam wholesome truth etc. Red rice from Kerala. payasam, etc. to satiate your apetite. WHERE: Ente Keralam WHERE: South Indies WHEN: September 16 Where: 20 Char, WHEN: Till WHEN: From WHERE: Karavalli, Sterlings Mac Hotel The thinking chef, aloe vera have been used in creating this September 17 September 13 to The Gateway When: September anti-oxidant menu. September Hotel 16 Innovating the Kold Kaapi.Explain? 16 Pratish Nair delves into It is time to find the healthiest variation and this made me experiment with various the fountain of youth ingredients and flavours. Kold Kaapi has been created for guests who love the Cold DC CORRESPONDENT Coffee, but want it light. This version is from Quinoa natural soy milk, a special recipe of filter Off Your most memorable stints? coffee decoction from Coorg. the FORKFORK A high protein grain popular in South Having worked with ITC for the past Anti oxidants in food, which are the ones American. Quinoa is a “complete nine years, my most memorable stints were that we can imbibe in our kitchen? protein” which means it contains all at Mughal and Grand Chola. At Grand Antioxidants are substances that can neu- BEAUTY OF THE BENTO seven essential amino acids. In addition Chola, I had the opportunity to work with tralise free radicals, which are unstable mol- it is low in saturated fat and carbohydrates the finest chefs including Chef Ajit Bangera, ecules produced by the process of cellular than other grains. More and more people are slowly taking my mentor. At Mughal, Agra I was the chef oxidation. One could easily incorporate to quinoa as a diet grain and health experts have also responsible for giving a taste of Agra to elite green tea leaves, rucola, blueberry, prunes, This Japanese ‘dabba’ is slowly becoming guests, along with a Champagne breakfast at beans and pokchoy in the cooking. touted it to be beneficial. the Taj Khema overlooking the Taj. The Advice for home makers? a winner among the city’s foodies memories of wedding banquets and the Good food has to be complimented with an walk through the bustling streets of equally stable state of mind. In this fast Whitefield a good option for a quick poultry and `3,500 for seafood. LIL BLACK BOOK Belanganj, Lohe Ki Mandi and Sethgali to paced life, eating is feeding rather than pro- and wholesome lunch. That’s how A twist on the bento, some restau- pick up local spices remain. Starting my viding the body with fuel it needs. At home, they came up with the bento box.” rants have improvised including dish- career as the chef at Dakshin, Kakatiya in stick to basics. A bowl of sprouts and a nice Taking a cue from its quirky name, es from other cuisines. Take for exam- Hyderabad and then moving to Agra, the morning walk. In fact, I have started drink- LikeThatOnly calls it the ‘Bento Out- ple Vivanta by Taj Whitefield (080 FOR A SWEET hours spent with Chef Abdul Qureshi dis- ing warm water before and after meals to Of-The-Box’ lunch which is offered on 66933333) where bento meals are avail- cussing Lucknowi cuisine. help the stomach release digestive enzymes. weekdays at `499 for vegetarian or able at Tease and the in-room dining Your tryst with the magical multigrain... Your favourite cuisines? chicken and `599 for seafood. From the menu. Guests can get creative and Onam sadya your efforts with it? I find a lot of solace in the cuisine of Agra — Asian-inspired menu, guests can choose from a matrix of five courses As soon as I was transferred from Kakatiya Agra Ka Swad. It is close to my heart and choose from six different elements to and six types of cuisines. One could to Mughal (2009), my focus shifted towards will never cease to fascinate me. The concept create a personalised bento experi- order coriander rice, Phad Thai noo- Actress Parvathi Menon shares her honest healthy cuisine. It was my zeal for of “thanda masala” cooling spices appeals to ence — choice of a curry, rice or noo- dles, koshambir, kahdai paneer, creating a healthy Indian breakfast offering, me. The vignettes of my childhood include dles and dessert accompanied by miso grilled and tiramisu! The favourite recipe of Sharkara Payasam that with trial and error of ingredients, the spread from “Ona Sadya.” The weddings soup, a cold salad and a portion of dim vegetarian bento costs `750 and the for an Onam special this weekend brought about the perfect without any in Kerala are a place I want to dine-in when sum. A few weeks ago, The Park Hotel non-vegetarian `900. added fat. I had taken a different approach in nostalgia hits me. The communal lunches (080 25594666) launched a bento meal Recently launched, Stomp (080 creating the multi-grain recipe. I had to serve an array of vegetarian dishes that option at the 24-hour Monsoon as part 49420000), the all-day watering hole at INGREDIENTS experiment with the ratio of lentil and rice only Keralites could think of. The warmth of the lunch menu. Priced at `1,500 for the Forum Value Mall offers good old ● Rice (uncooked) - 1 cup to arrive at a product which would remain of the payasam served on a banana leaf non-vegetarian and `1,200 for vegetar- rock and roll music coupled with the ● Jaggery, grated - 2 cups crisp even without added fat. When I started against a scenic setting is to die for. The ian, the bento box has delicious miso dabbawala lunch served in stacked tif- ● Water - 4 times the rice mixing 25 different grains, the disappoint- flavours from the North coast of Africa and soup, sake sashimi, wakame salad, fin boxes with a choice of vegetarian ● Ghee - 4 tablespoons ment was that the dosa would never get its simplistic cooking impresses me. The ral tori teriyaki, rice and tempura fried and non-vegetarian Indian or Chinese ● Cardamom powder - ½ tea- crisp. I kept on experimenting and added a el hanout, ma zhar (orange flower water) ice cream. Teppan (080 32569029) in dabbas at `425 Monday to Thursday spoon quantity of flax seed to make it crisp. It is and ma ward (rose water) have always Ulsoor serves bento meals on week- and `475 on Friday and Saturday. Bon ● Dry fruits as per choice with pride that now, you can order this dosa tempted me. Moroccan is a favourite cuisine days at `550 for vegetarian, `625 for Appétit! (cashews and raisins) with the “power of grains” at any of the too. chicken and `650 for beef or fish — The writer is a foodie, ● Dry coconut, thinly sliced for Luxury Collection hotels. The menu for the Five things you’ve learnt from a home served with iced tea or a pint of beer. wine lover and garnishing festival was created after working on it for kitchen that you can share with us? Blue Ginger (080 66605660) at The Taj travel more than a year and I call it “honest food.” Respect for the seasonal produce. West End too offers a bento meal at enthusiast. METHOD The ingredients you’ve used are Kerala Minimalistic use of spices, use only to `2,000 for vegetarian, ● Take a heavy bottom vessel, intrinsic, which are your favourites? enhance flavour. Believe in the freshness of `2,500 for add water and bring it to boil. I have always wanted to combine the bene- flavours, so cook and eat, never store. Eating meat or To it, add rice, stir well and fits of ayurveda and its principles to create a early and show regard for the effort in cook- ASLAM GAFOOR on Residency Road has been around should be a good reason to make your cover, let it cook on low different stream of cuisine. I have started ing by never wasting. DECCAN CHRONICLE for the longest providing a fix of next stop there. Here, the bento box TEMPURA RECIPE flame. with one ingredient known as Karinjali that Japanese fare to Bengalureans. Apart includes zensai (starter), tempura, ● Keep has remarkable health benefits, with the The breakfast menu at ITC Windsor offers I love bento box meals. They from an elaborate menu, Harima’s yakimono (grill), sashimi, nimono, INGREDIENTS checking in karinjali green tea featured on the menu. the multi-grain options for a make it easy to savour an bento box is available at lunch miso and dessert. The price ● Prawns (cleaned with the tail on) between Then vegetables like red spinach and fresh healthier lifestyle. assortment of delicious through the week at an easy price of ranges from `1,200 to `2,000 ● Mushrooms, carrots, okra, green occasionally Japanese food pre-selected by the chef `400 for vegetarian and non-vegetari- depending on a vegetarian, beans, aubergine and broccoli after few without having to break one’s head an options which includes soup, salad, non-vegetarian and sea-food (diced evenly) minutes till Chef THE KARINJALI GREEN TEA over menu items I am barely able to vegetarian, fish or chicken entrees, variant. Chef Kikuta TEMPURA BATTER the rice is done (add more water if neces- Pratish (Makes 4 cups) ● ● Nair pronounce. They are also a visual chef ’s special dishes, rice and pickles. sources fresh ingredients ½ cup plain flour ½ cup corn flour sary) and the water is absorbed. INGREDIENTS ● ● ● ● ● Karinjali (you can easily get it at any ayurvedic store) delight — colourful platings with Newly appointed Japanese chef from Tsukuji Market in 1 egg 1 tsp baking powder Oil Remember not to overcook the rice, it salad, pickles, sushi, fish, vegeta- Kikuta at EDO (080 22119898), ITC Tokyo and vegetables Salt to taste ● cold water should not get mashed when stirred. 40 gm, 2 diced red apples, 2 nos whole staranise, 1 stick ● cinnamon, 4 nos whole black pepper, 4 bags green tea, bles, tempura and sticky rice Gardenia’s beautiful Japanese from Thailand. He Add jaggery to the rice, cook over low- 5 gm fenugreek seeds (methi), 25 gm celery, 10 gm gin- placed side-by-side aesthetical- restaurant, says that, “The oppor- goes on to add, medium flame till the mixture is thick and ly in compartments of fine tunity to savour a variety of “Bento box is gain- METHOD there is no water left. ger, 650 ml water. ● METHOD lacquered boxes. Just like tasting portions for a com- ing popularity, espe- Add three tbsp ghee and keep stirring ● Mix and sift flour, corn flour and bak- Bring the water to boil and drop in the karinjali. Let it the Indian thali, a bento plete meal makes the bento cially during lunch for another five to seven minutes. ing powder together and keep aside. ● boil till the water becomes reddish in colour. box meal is conve- a favourite amongst meetings.” Add cardamom powder and take off the ● Beat the egg yolk lightly and mix with Add diced apple and let it simmer with staranise, cin- nient for a single diners.’ EDO serves Executive sous fire. cold water. ● namon, black pepper, methi, celery and crushed ginger. person with a mix delectable Japanese chef Prashanth at In a separate pan, saute dry fruits and ● Stir in the dry ingredients. Stir, mixing Simmer for 10 minutes till you can taste the hints of of food items which delicacies such as sushi, the charming sliced coconut till light brown with 1 tbsp lightly, so the flour does not lump. apple and celery. However, the liquid should not be are filling and nutri- sashimi, robatayaki and LikeThatOnly (080 ghee and add to the payasam. ● Dip and coat the shrimp and vegeta- ● overpowered by ginger. tionally wholesome. ASLAM GAFOOR tempura along with fine 65475610), wanted Mix it lightly and serve warm for the best bles with the batter and deep fry until Dip in the tea bags and simmer for a minute. Drink it Harima (080 41325757), the Japanese sake. However, chef to give corporates flavour. golden brown. warm. popular Japanese restaurant Kikuta’s artful bento meals in and around ● Drain excess oil and serve hot. — As told to MAMTA SHARMA