TGIFs- Thank god its Friday

TGIFs- Thank God Its Friday - The Hugely Popluar Mexican Restaurant which created quite a stir in the Fine dining market with its great success.... Known for its exquisite range of Mexican & Italian Cusines, Firecrackers of Drinks...Cock Tails, MockTails, Long Island Ice tea, amazing Mexican Snacks ...It was quite the place to be to let your Hair dowm after a Gruelling week at work .... TGIF, acquired an almost Iconic status & soon was the symbol of Cool for Working Gen-x who didint mind spending that extra for the perfect Experience......Just last week, I had an Opportunity to visit the place after a Log Long time .... I have been mainly into Tandoori, Mughlai, Chineses Menus & not tried much of Mexican .... Came to Know about their Lunch  Offers, which they are runnimg for quite some time & decided to visit the Place after a really long time.. The Ambience as always quite striking & vibrating - with their excellent color combos of Bright red creating the perfect mood...

The Vibrant Colors add to the ambience

The Lunch Menu is hugely Popular & has become quite a big draw at the Restaurant ... A 2 Course Lunch Menu @199/ .. A 3 Course Lunch enu @299/ seems to be quite reasonably priced for the perfect lunch setting ... One can Plan your 3 Course lunch from the Soup, Appetiser,Starters, Entrees, Desserts ... Lemonade along with the meal is Complimentary......



The Menu is a Huge Hit....Perfect for a Nice Lunch

We Order 1 Chicken Soup, 1 Honey Chicken Strips for Appetiser, & Potato Wedges for the 2nd Lunch Appetiser..There are maximum 4-5 Varieties to Chose from the Appetisers & Entrees.. The Honey Chicken was Over Fried for my Liking & was too crisp.. The Dip served along didnt help either....The Potato wedges were just nice & spicy..The dip served was quite nice

Appetisers

The Main Course or Entrees were Herb Grilled Chicken in Non Veg & Veg Pizza  7" .. The Herb Chicken was served with a Tangy, very spicy, sour curd like dip...& some beans & rice - Looked like a Typical Mexican Fare with Rice, Beans, some Chicken & a Fiery, Tangy Dip .. The Veg Pizza was crisp, with quite a fill of Chese...Retained some basic flavors & was a nice bite



Herb Grilled Chicken & Veg Pizza

Tundey Kababi is now Captains Kababs- DaryaGanj

My Earlier Post which talked about a great meal at the Famous Tundey Kababi Restaurant,(http://gourmetaffairs.blogspot.com/2011/07/tundey-kababi-daryaganj-delhi.html), was quite a mouth watering read as suggested by friends who read .. One thing however which i felt missing in the last post was the lack of some good photographs of the Place to share with the Foodies ... There is another reason why I wanted to write about this eatery is because of a big change i saw, on my visit yesterday .. The Famous Restaurant at Daryaganj whihc was thronged by thousands of people everyday for a bite of the legendary Tundey Kababi flavor of Lucknow, well the name has been Changed .... It is now Captains Kabab.... Lets keep the Commercials out of the way, but thats what seems to have happened .. So the Tundey Kababi at Daryaganj is now Captain Kababs .. Everything else remained the same, except the name.... for the Taste, well we will find out soon

The Famous Corner shop..stones throw from Jama Masjid

Even the Interiors, seating arrangements were the same,,, seems just the board had changed...



The Entrance ...thats where the smell just mystifies you

 And Now is the Time to taste the Food, whether some apparent fall out has affected the taste ... They call it Galauti Kabab though instead of the Tundey Galuati Kabab.... But they taste just the same & the excellent Paratha just goes perfectly ... Spicy, oily & crisp kababs, with the slight crispy on outside, soft on inside Parathas




Kabab & Parathas.....Stuff legends are made out of.......

We ordered the Usual Mutton Biryani, which was as great as ever..Mutton extremely soft, succullent & just melts in your mouth .. Rice richly dipped in all wonderful aromas, spices & lots of ghee....




The Mutton Biryani...

 We also try the Tandoori Chicken - Not the Original Choice though, but for lack of Mutton Curry Dishes, had to order it...But absolutely worth it .. The Tandoori chicken ideally is  dieters choice for a Low fat Chicken Snack, But noit this One .... This Tandoori is loaded with Butter .. The Butter which melts on the Hot Tandoori Chicken, melts and floats on the plate... The wonderful Tandoori Spices, miced with the Melted butter, is just good to corrupt & rid you of your diet plans, if any.... Succulent, Soft. Rightly spiced. Bones also had the details of the Marinate......Have a Look



Tandoori Chicken...with Butter....Yummmmmyyyy !!!!

 The Taste is just as great & even after the name change, i dont think the patronage has decrease whatsoever...Only the Prices have increased a bit.... Do Try for the deadly Kababs, Tandoori Chicken, Biryani...The Chicken Changezi, is quite a huge hit & almost a must for every table

Great Food Combos

Many of us, aree so used to some food in our daily life so much that Imagining Life without them will make it a little broing..Forget that, Try & Imagine, these foods in isolation & not in the Combo that they are supposed to be.....

Chai Biscuit
Also Popularised in Parts of North India as Biskuttt....Chai & Biscuit are an almost unbeatbale & unseparable food combo..Can be had as a Snack, Morning breakfasts, use it as a filler if you have missed meals... Ask the Students, who stay away from their families in Hostels...This is one food - you just cant have enough of ...... Cheers to the Chai-Biscuit Combo

Bread Omelette
Try separating the 2 & you will see a split or a rift wide open... Feeding thousands of Hungry souls, so selfishly for so many years ...While the Critics  the Intelligensia continue to debate, on the Chicken Egg Story ..The Humble bread Omelette has been a constant food companion for millions of us ... Eat it at the Roadside Stall, Outside the Bus Stand, Station, Restaurants, Hotels - They will have their huge variiations to the same.....All you need is some oil, salt, onions, green chillies, 2 slices of bread --- So simple yet so endearing......

Mathri-Anchaar
Another Favorite for North India ...... Mathri Anchaar.....The Neutral or very mildly spiced Mathris, along with the fiery, spicy, tangy, Aam ka Anchar, is a sure shot blow your mind away snack....Have it with a strong cup of Ginger tea, add a little bit of extra sugar than you normally would....& phewww.. The light mathri, the spicy, tangy achaar & the sweet Chai, are sure to get your tempo high......Make sure the Mathris are Crisp & Fresh, to get that perfect taste

Chai-Pakore
Can anyone debate on this ?? The Perfect Monsoon snack....How would monsoons look & feel, if not for the Company of the Fantastic, Chai & Pakora Combo ... The Splashing of the Rains, the smell of the soil, would never remain the same, without this Snack.... A Great Family Time Snack for the Evenings, just right for Chit Chats & some catching up with family on a Holiday .....Try the varieties it has to offer,Potato, Onions, Green Chillis, Palak, Paneer, Even Bread Pakora - Taste best if had fresh & crisp & with Hot Cup of Chai...

Paratha-Makkhan-Dahi-Anchar
This is the Biggest , most famous breakfast food of India..Hugely Popular in North India, this food is now making huge waves & popularity in all parts of the Country...One Hindi Movie - "Jalwa", had a famous line - Parathan ke teen yaar - dahi, makhan aur anchaar....Just Imagine a Nice, perfectly round piece of Aloo Paratha on your PLate - Perfectly round, right size, with slight coriander, chilly powder, onions and aloo as a stuffing.....Drop a Dollop of Amul Butter on that extremely Hot Paratha.....& be ready to have a whiff of that delightful & sinful smell of the melting away butter & the Hot Paratha.... Break that bite, dip it in the Bowl of Fresh & Cold Dahi, touch the Anchar & just drop in your mouth ...... Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.......

Dosa-Sambhar
Almost an Iconic & Global Food Item, thanks to the Growing Diaspora of Indians across the World. This Simple snack from South India, has truly acquired a Pan Indian Flavor & is eaten with as much love,affection, as anyother food item. People can be seen having refills of the Sambhar, even after finishing the Dosa ..Such is the Bond, that the dish looks completely lifeless withouth the Sambhar

Ice Cream & Gulab Jamub
Come Winters & People can be seen enjoying Hot Pieces of Mouth watering & melting Gulab Jamuns..... The Innovative Ones, often try a Daredevil Combo -- It requires a Lot of Apettite, & ability to bear a possibel Sinusitis attack, But who cares ???? Take a Scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream & Drop a Hot Melting piece of Gulab Jamun......Try this only in Winters, to add fun to the eating

Shammi Kebab & Parathas
Go To any Nice Muslim Restaurant, & you will find the Biggest draw will be the Kabab & Parathas..Be it Tundey Kababi - who serve lip smacking Tunde Kababs with their Special Maida Parathas.....Or travel to the streets of Lucknow, where the traditional Lucknowi Cusines is still prevalent in some places - Paratha & Kebabs, are an almost legendary food Item here

Delhis Snacks - Why we Love them ????

Delhi or Dilli as its fondly called, can be a foodies haven ... Right from the Early Morning Breakfast of Channa Bhaturas, Cholle Puris, Bedmi Puri, Halwa, Sweet Lassi to the Lip smacking lunch options available across the roads, nooks, corners, bylanes, malls, Sweet Shops, High streets of Delhi, -a quick sneek at any o fthese places around lunch time will tell you, how much Delhites love their food -- Especially their Rajma Chawal, Kadhi Chawal, Cholle Chawal, Dal Makhni & Rice, Palak Paneer, Cholle Kulche, Delhis streets are filled with choices & that too pretty reasonable ones .. But its the Evening food & snacks that see the Delhities in their full vigor & party mode .... Thats when the Ladies of the House step out to have their bit of fun...Having done their days duties, manahing all household chores, feeding their children who return back from School & now are out for playing..This is the time for all the Homemakers to take their breather for the day, before they get back to the grind for the nights work & dinners....

The Evening Snacks of Delhi, thus also have a deep rooted connect with the otherwise boring & dull lives of the Homemakers ---- and Imagine what Life would have been 15 years back... when there was No Internet or not even a fraction of the Internet Penetration of today, No Facebook, No Social Networking, No Mobile Phones, No Cable TV or Dish TV.... so the Spicy Snacks of the Local Neighourhood Chaatwalla, were an inspirational source of Spoice, Colors, Taste in their monotonous lives ..... Thats why you would realise, that why Delhi Wallas or North Indians Love their Chaats, Gol Gappas, Dahi Balle.... These Snacks provided an Opportunity to the ladies to meet, Chat, Gossip, Bitch, at their Local Neighorhood Chaat Wala..One lady would share , details of the Expensive Gifts, which his Nannand (Punjabi word for - Husbands Sister), had bought from Kannedaaa(Canada) .. So these Snacks hold a special place in the hearts of Delhities , Young & Old ......

Aloo Tikki - A Patty prepared from Boiled, Mashe Potatoes, Red Chillies, Coriander, Spices , mixed with Corn Flour & Deep Fried  to a Golden Crisp Patty ...... Its absolutely Crunchy...Crisp on Outside, soft, steamy inside .....Served with a Sweet Saunf Chutney / Tamarind and Green Mint & Coriander Chutney..Its garnished with different things - Ginger, shredded Cottage Cheese, Pomegrenade, Mango, Onions etc ....A Really divine Snack...Its best to Consume within 2-3 minutes of preparation, else it turns soggy & loses the wonderful crispiness , that Make Aloo Tikki, So Special

Aloo Tikki-- Just waiting for my Plate & Mouth

Aloo Chat - This is also another Popular snack -A Potato is sliced into many small pieces, which are deep fried on a big tawaa untill they turn golden brown & Crispy...The Deep Fried Potato pieces are then pt in a Big Bowl & a Variety of Fresh Spices added - Red Chilly Salt, Lemon Juice, Chat Masaala, given a good mix & served in samll portions ... Typically no additional Chutney or Condiment is used .... During the Festival of Navratras, The Fried aloos are mixed with a Special Salt - (Black Salt or Sendaa Namak) & is consumed as a food during fasting also

Fried Aloo Chaat....Golden Brown......

Papri Chaat - Delhis & Punjabis Big time favorire snack.... A Punjabi Women can share her Gold Necklace, but not her Papri Chaat ... This wholesome snack is quite reflective of the Punjabi Mood - Colorful, Lively, mix of tastes .... Crisp Puris or Flat very thin Papris, are mixed with Boiled Potatoes, Soaked Channas, Chaat Masala, Chilly Potwder, Amchur, topped with a generous splash of Cold Sour Yoghurt....Dshed with a Layer of Red Tamarind sweet Chutnet, then one layer of Green Chutney, then Finally Topped with a Final Layer of Yoghurt ..It can be garnished with a Variety of things,  Coriander, Ginger, Mango, Onions, Poemgrenade etc - This is absolutely Lip Smacking ........ The Sweet & Sour taste of Tamarind Chutney, The Hot Spicy , Greem Mint & Chilley Chutney , The Cooling effect of Cold Curds....Roller Coaster of Taste ....

Dahi Bhalle - Another Epitome of Classic Punjabi Snack, Dahi Bhalle is an all time, All India Hit Snack....Bhalles are nothing but Pattys made of Urad Dal batter, spices & deep fried.... The Bhallas are kept in Cold Water, & soaked ...The  water is squeezed out of the Bhallas & placed in a Pan...Cold Dahi is then Pourde over them...Tossed with a Thick Red Tamarind Chutne, coriander, Chaat Masala, Green Chutney.. Its served Cold .... The Bhallas are soft & spongy .... The Cold Dahi along with all the wonderful spices, Chutneys , and the smooth texture of the Dahi Bhallas..Just go down as smooth as Scotch..Quite a Nice Appetiser , The Dahi Bhalla is one hell of a Snack....



Dahi Bhalla- Colorful, Soft, Spongy, Succulent...............



Green Wok - Greater Kailash, Delhi

Before writing this Post, I was wondering what is this  "WOK", because i have seen & eaten at a Couple of Eateries, namely the Red Wok & the Green Wok..... "WOK" means a meta Plan to be used for Frying & cooking, especially in Chinese Cusine.... Green Wok, which is located at the Backlane of the Plush & Upscale, M Block Market, GK-1.... Green Wok, is a Stand in, & Take Home Kind of a Small eatery, but has been doing pretty well for the last 7-8 years in GK-1 , Market

This place serves some excellent Thai, Chinese & Italian Cusine... The Pastas are really cool, so is the Garlic Breads, They also serve some excellent Thai Yellow & Green Curries .... The Chicken Pasta, in white Cream Sauce, is absoultely divine & evokes a yummmmmmmmyy response .....A word of Caution - Not for the Calorie Conscious - as theres a whole lot of Chese & Cream that goes into it

Yummmmmmyyyy......

Located at the Backlane of the GK-1, Market, and just few shops ahead of the Famous Brown Sugar, eatery... Do Drop in for a Quick Bite .. They are a Bit Over Priced for a Stand In kind of Restaurant, but thats what One would expect from a Chic, Up market Outlet located in Greater Kailash .. Quite Popular among the Young & Happening Crowd of Delhi... It carries the Stamp of the Upmarket South Delhi Affluence

Taste - 7
Hygiene - 8
Value for Moaney - 7
Ambience - 8

Best Shawarmasin Delhi

In My earlier Blog Posted  http://gourmetaffairs.blogspot.com/2011/07/foodie-delights-shawarmas-albake.html  , Talks about the Aazing Shawarmas & Delectable Non vegetarian Food available at Al Bake, New Friends Colony... One of the Biggest & most Popular Dishes at Al Bake is the Shawarma & as explaiend in my Blog Post, that Al Bake can be credited for Introducing Delhi to a Taste of Lebanese Food, although Indianised to a Great Extent & popularising Delhis Love affair with the Shawarmas

There are some Other Patrons of this Shawarmas in Delhi, which have been around for quite some time & doing pretty well .. Arabian Nites, is another such Popular Lebanese food joint, which has been serving Grilled Chicken, Shawarmas for a Long Long Time ..... One of the First Outlets, was is in Defence Colony... The Roasted Chicken is something to die for  is quite different for the Delhites palette .... The Chicken, which is very mildly spiced & marinated , is hung up on the roaster grill which rotates at a very slow speed... One can see the Juices oozing out & dropping on the Roaster furnace.... This juice gets evaporated due to the furnace heat & somehow mixes & leaves a fantastic aroma on the Chicken.. The Chicken Shawarma at AlBake is quite ok, but steeply priced though.. The Hummus & Falafel, are also good ......

Menu for Arabian Nites

Another Up & Coming Joint that promotes the Lebanese & Arab Cusine is Zaitoon.... One of the Outlets , I happened to Visit, is in Select CityWalk Mall, Saket, South Delhi... This Place is popularising the Arab Cusines & Shawarma ... It has also attempted to make the Shawarma more accessible & economical, so that a wider audience of people can try it as a light snack, by launching the Pocket Shawarma

Zaitoon @ Select City Walk

This is how the Pocket Shawarma Looks....

While a Lot of Local Indigenous players, may also render their version of the Shawarma, but ist always best to try the authentic & the Specialists

Kashmiri Keema - A Labour of Love

While the Kashiri Wazwan is hugely Populr among Food Lovers, especially for its exquisite preparation of the Non Vegetarian Mutton Dishes... The world is crazy over the Kashmiri Rogan Josh, Yakhni, Kabargah, Mutton Kali, which are all the Main Coursei Mutton Dishes..There is another range of Delicacies which make use of the Mince meat, namely the World Famous Goshtaba, Rista & Keema or Mach, as we fondly call it in Kashmiri Cusines

While Goshtaba & Ristaa, are round in shape & use different spices & herbs, Mach is the more commonly made Mince meat dish in Kashmiri families.... All 3are infact a Huge labour of love ... The best way to make the keema is to buy the best meat mince for the dish. The mutton for the Mince, shoudl ideally be from the Lamb Thighs (Raan) or shoulders... The trick is to get the meat from a freshly slaughtered goat....Typically the Head male or patriarch would visit the butchere & pick the goat, this is especially useful when buying large quantities for family functions or festivals..... Then he would ensure the meat is minced in his presence nicely to get the right texture, & quality ...Lot of Butcher Shops still do the mincing in front of the customers

Meat being minced.....Labour of Love

This fine mince is then mixed with Oil, salt, Turmeric, Fennel or Shonth, Sauff powder, Red Chillis, Garam Masala, Eggs for Binding.... Kashmiri Cooking doesnt use any Tomato, Onions,Garlic ..Its just the use of amazing Herbs & Spices

The Mixing of Spices....

Keema ...Koftas

After thorough mixing & skillful binding of the mutton balls, into these beautiful, slightly reddish, slightly pinkish Mutton Keema Koftas..... This beauty is now ready to go into hot, Boiling, spicy curry base which is ready..these are dipped into the Boiling Curry to give it the Final Shape

These are best had with Hot & Steaming Rice... Trust me, this taste is one, yo have to eat it to believe it .. There is extensive use of just simple spices like Garam Masala, Heeng, Cloves, Fennel, Saunf Powder, Small & Big Cardamoms, can produce one of the world class Recipes of a Truly world Class Cusine...No Fancy Spices or herbs, No exquisite processes, Just great labour of love.... One can also have this with Chapatis or Parathas, But it is highly recommende to have it with a Plate of Hot steamed rice

Do Try at Home whenever you have time..... A Truly awesome Culinary Delight

Ande paranthe & other eats@ Moolchand

My Earlier Blog Posted  http://gourmetaffairs.blogspot.com/2011/07/vikram-parantha-wala.html, Talked about the Very Famous, Andaa Paratha Wala, at Andrews Ganj Flyover, located just opposite the Vikram Hotel, & now at the MoolChand Metro Station.. This Place has now become a Little Food lane or Khaau Galli, as they call in Mumbai..... Khau Galli, is a Concept, widely Popular in Mumbai & Parts of Maharashtra, wherein Lots of street food is avaialble, Fresh, Hot, spicy, tangy & reasonably priced, all in a single lane...Thats what this area around the MoolChand Metro Station Promises to become ..

One you have the Hugely Popular, Vikram Andaa Paratha wala, which has been discussed in detail in my earlier blog..... Then there is Relish Fast Food Van, which serves nice quick fix Indianised Chinese Food... The Food may not be absoultely Great Shakes in theTaste, But its , the rightly spiced, & rightly oiled, Indianised Chinese .... This place is fully packed with Customers, wanting to have a quick bite of the Chines Food .... Some Pics attached

The Fried rice, Noodles, & Chicken Manchurian are ok & passable.. The Portions are quite good , reasonably priced & quite a decent fill...

Chicken Fried Rice -- This is Half a Plate...size matters

Then there is the Famous Sanjay Chur Chur Naan....This Small eatery serves, The stuffed Tandoori Nan, stuffed with Aloo, Paneer & Richly loaded & dipped with Ghee.One Thali of Choor Choor Nan, is served with 2 Heavy Stuffed Nanas 1 Dal, 1 Channa or Cholle, along with Onions dipped in Mint Chutney......Priced at Rs 100, This place attracts quite a lot of Lunch Time Visitors ....

There is one more Place which serves, Delhis Favorite Breakfast Channa Bhaturaa... I happend to try the Channa Bhatura this Morning & was pleasently surprised  to see the huge gathering of people waiting to grab a quick bite of this Popular Breakfast....

Look at the Breakfast Rush at 10.00 am

The Bhaturas, were quite nice & did not have any strong oil odor, which one normally finds... The Cholles were also pretty nice, seemd to have a different color, pretty red thoough, but not at all spicy ... If you are the one who deosnt like too eat too spicy stuff in the morning, Then this is a good breakfast treat for your palette



Nice Bhaturas, Cholle are just perferct...not too spicy

Do Visit this Area around the Vikram Hotel, You will get everything from Variety of Parathas, Indianised Chinese Food at Relish Foods, Chur Chur Naan & Spicy Subzee for Lunch, Fresh, Hot & Crisp Cholel Bhaturas

The Water Snacks

Suprising Title for the Blog...But theres a whole variety of Snacks which combine spiced water & a fried round & small pastry usually filled with a stuffing. This Snack is almost a legendary street food in most parts  it of India..If you have been a Delhite Like me, You would refer it to as a Gol Gappa....One of the Most Iconic street foods of Delhi....Infact Delhi street food snacks are Incomplete without mentioning a few snacks, and Gol Gappa is absolutely one of them....Chaat Papdi, Aloo Tikki, Dahi Balle & Gol Gappa, are the typical snacks without which the Earlier Delhi Aunty or Bhabhiji or Ms Chadhas , Ms Aggarwals, Ms Malhotras of the world, could not even imagine their Evening Out

Delhi, being quite strongly Influenced by the Punjabi & Baniya Culture, and almost being a Pot Pourri of sorts, a meling pot for various cultural Influences, understandings, with these 2 being pretty dominated, and being quite a Patriarch Society, wherein the Males of the Family, play a pivotal role in all the Decision Making & even sensitive matters, apart from the Being the Bread Winners....So for quite a Few Delhi women, esp. during the late 80s & Early 90s, these snacks were almost a symbol of their little liberation & freedom....The Gol Gappa, has been a word used to lovingly or mockingly, describe a round rotund, & healthy person, especially for the Kids

Gol Gappas are stuffed with a Boiled potato, mashed with diff spices & herbs, stuffed inside a deep fried, very crsip, puri, & dipped in spiced water..The Puris are made up from Atta or Sujee.This water is mainly, Tamarind Base, or Mint Based & is generally served Cold..The water is so tasty, that its almost a tradition for people to ask for 2-3 helpings of the spiced water, after finishing their quota of Gol Gappas

Gol Gappas

In Mumbai, the Gol Gappas, are also known as Pani Puri...and the stuffing is usually made of Channa, Chickpeas, Mutter..and is served Lukewarm & not as Ice Cold as is loved in Delhi..

PaniPuri

The Origin of these Snacks seems to be from Uttar Pradesh, where they are also known as "Paani ke Bataashe"..Bataashe means, something that can easily crack on applying a little pressure....In Lucknow & Parts of U.P Pani is prepared using mint, tamarind, asafoetida (hing), black pepper, red chili powder and salt. At Hazaratganj in Lucknow you can savour Paanch Swaad Ke Pataashe which means the Pataashe are served with five differently tasting Pani....

In West Bengal, Kolkatta, this dish is known as the Puchka...which is the King of Street Food in Kolkatta...The filling is made by lightly mashing boiled potatoes with black salt, salt, some spices, a generous portion of tamarind pulp (made by mashing ripe tamarind in tamarind water), chilli (powder/chopped/boiled & pasted). The tamarind water Tetul Jol is made by mixing tamarind and spices/ salt and making a light and tart liquid with water

Some examples are imli ka pani (tamarind in water), nimbu ka pani (lemon juice in water), pudine ka pani (mint in water) and khajur ka pani (dates mixed in water). In West Bengal, Orissa, Mithilanchal part of Bihar and the southern part of Jharkhand, many people enjoy panipuris containing no sweet but with tamarind juice and spicy mashed

Do try whenever you have time in Evenings...South Extension in Delhi, Khau Gali,Juhu in Mumbai, are where you can devour the best of these amazing snacks

Reference : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panipuri

Samosa - The Humble Snack

 Have you ever given some thought to the most humble food that has been present for such a long time that you have taken its presence for granted...This was the food Item without which your birthday parties would never have been possible..Its one of those food items, without which the monsoons & that splashing rain would not have looked & felt the same.... Many a times, when your early winter morning slumber is disturbed for whatever god forbidden reason this food along with hot & steamy cup of tea would be the savior....Many office meetings & evening snacks  would be incomplete without this snack ......All Offices, Corporates, Govt, PSUs, consider this as a savior snack...It looks so humble & simple, so basic yet so effective ...It can be somebodys favorite guilt food....Long before, Burgers , Pizzas & Many of the Foreign food chains Invaded India, This has been & continues to be Indias best homegrown & home made snack......Even Today Kids find it as enduring as a MacDonalds, or Pizza Hut, & still as appealing....and thanks to the Enterprising & Evergrowing Indian Diaspora, This food is as widely available as the Chicken Tikka, if not as Popular....All Communities Love it & all have their different flavors & versions to it...The Greatness of this Snack is that It lends itself to a lot of Experimentation & varieties albeit with encouraging  Results..You can stuff this with meat, Chicken, Onions, Peas, Chickpea, Mushrooms,Potatoes, Condensed Milk.......

It doesnt limit itself to just a limited offerings & condinments....Stuff it in Bread Slice and you get a Samosa Sandwich, a Pouplar Campus snack in Mumbai.......Pav Samosa, YOu can have it wityh Ketchup, Tamarind Chutney, Green Mint & Chilly Chutney, Coriander Chutney....Have it with a plate of Aloo subzee, or Choley...It taste just as great.....In the Bylanes, Gullies, Main roads, Highways, Dhabas, its still as Popular as ever..Lot of Hotels also have the Samosa as part of their Menu...

The Samosa too Like all of us has a Story & a HIstory.....Having its origins somewhere in Central Asia, Its also known as Sanbusak or Samsa in parts of Central Asia, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Uzbekistan. According to the “The Oxford Companion to Food” the Indian samosa is merely the best known of an entire family of stuffed pastries or dumplings popular from Egypt and Zanzibar to Central Asia and West China

Diff Avatars of the Samosa in Asia,

In the Turkish-speaking nations where it is called samsa (& variants) it is made both in half-moon shapes and triangles. Sedentary Turkish people such as the Uzbeks and in Turkey itself, people usually bake their samsas, but nomads such as the Kazakhs fry them. Occasionally, samsas will be steamed, particularly in Turkmenistan. In Central Asia the versions made with rough puff pastry (waraqi samsa, sambusai varaqi) are filled with meat. Those made with plain dough (leavened or unleavened) maybe filled either with meat or fillings such as diced pumpkin, chickpeas, herbs, wild greens, fried onions, mushrooms or dried tomatoes.

Sanbusak / Sambusa

Extolled in poems recited in the courts of Abassid Caliphs in 16th century Baghdad, these savoury pastries are particularly popular in Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan & Syria. Traditional sanbusak are shaped like half moons and sprinkled with sesame seeds, usually with edges crimped or marked with fingernails. The usual Arab sanbusak is filled with meat, onions, & perhaps nuts or raisins, but Sanbusak bil Loz is tuffed with a mixture of ground almonds, sugar and rose or orange blossom water. In Iraq and Arabia dates are also a common filling. These pastries were still made in Iran as late as the 16th Century, but they have disappeared from most of the country today, surviving only in certain provinces: e.g. the triangular walnut-filled sambusas made in Larestan. However the Iranians of Central Asia, the Tajiks, still make a wide-variety of sambusas including round, rectangular and small almond shaped ones. In Afghanistan, where the name is sambosa, it is made both in half-moon shapes and triangles. The filling is traditionally ground meat with herbs and spices although halva and rasins are often used as well.

 Some People cook it in Oil - Mustard, Refined, Ground Nut, One restaurant also fries the Samosa in Ghee.....


Reference - http://www.samosa-connection.com/origin.htm

Dominoes Pizza

Even Though Dominoes prides itself of its extremely unique positioning plank of extra ordinary service & Logistics management, by building an entire organization on the Positioning of excellence in Customer Service (30 mts delivery, In a County Like India, where neither the traffic nor the Roads can be relied upon, is a great lesson)

But last week, I was pleasantly surprised with the brilliant ambience & décor that was built up in the Restaurant considering that Its supposed to be a Home Delivery Pizza Chain….. Just have a look at some of the pics showing the ambience of the Restaurant

Excellent ambience in Dominoes

We order the Paneer Pizza on a Thin wheat Crust & Garlic Bread ..

Colorful Pizza, rainbow on my plate

Garlic Breads...all time hit......hmmmm

I read one interesting Catchline on  a Poster in the Outlet, which suggests that Pizzas are best had with Hands…This is very unlike the Fine dining tags which seem to be attached with a Pizza… Almost all decent restaurants are promoting the Pizza as the symbol of  Fine dining experience….good to see Pizzas being promoted in this manner by Dominoes…….

Dominoes also seem never running out of excellent & innovative ideas to promote & take pizzas from the level of Fast food & junk food category, and now almost as an alternate cusine…”The Khushiyon ki Home Delivery”, is a fantastic campaign & we see the Pizza as now an almost accepted form of food, especially for small celebrations .. Pizza has now almost become a Happiness food…. Especially the home delivery food….

Afghani Food in Delhi

If you have been thinking that Afghani Chicken & Afghani Chicken Tikkas, are just another flavor of Mughlai food, or at best, these are probably the best edible things that Afghani Cusine can Offer, then you also are highly mistaken like my me…Last weekend, I had an Opportunity to explore Afghani Food..Actually the planning was on for a long time, but our hectic & uncreative work leaves us with little, time, zest & enthusiasm for doing much things..However, I managed to keep my word with younger bro & his friend, both of whom happen to be foodies, of a different kind though…..

We reached the Afghan Darbar Restaurant, in the bylanes of Lajpat Nagar 4, very close to the Hot, Defence Colony Market… There is quite a Dense Population of Afghan Nationals in this part of Delhi City… From What I could gather these People, come here as Medical Tourists, in search & long drawn medical treatments, may force them to take places on rent & do odd jobs to sustain the sometime longer than expected stay, and also the charms of a Free Democratic country, are not something that can be missed

The Restaurant has a Nice, family restaurant kind of a feel & ambience..Its quite brightly lit & the walls have been done with a sober brick kind of color, and quite a homely feel, I have to admit

We start with the Highly recommended Afghani Momos or Mantus…Now these Momos, I can bet are the most wholesome Momos & are almost meal like in terms of their presentation … The Momos are topped with a well made Channa Dal, Lots of Curd, Capsicum, Tomatoes & Mustard Oil thrown generously… The Momos are stuffed with Mutton, which is not too spicy, but the Curd & Dal, make it an amazing snack…The Plate Looks quite Colorful

Colorful Plate of Mantu.....quite a rainbow on my plate

Then Next on the Menu is the Mutton Chopan --- From what I could Gather, In Afghani Menu, there is very limited variety of what we call as Seekh Kabab in the Mughlai Menu…The kababs in Afghani Menu are basically, the burras, The Tikkas….. The Mutton Chopan, was something like what a Mutton Burra, but a big disappointment…the mutton was pretty hard & chewy….not quite the one for my liking…..The skewers were pretty gigantic & looked like a warring nations tribute to food lovers

Mutton Chopan..almost Burra Like with Huge skewers

Kabuli Pulao & Kabuli Uzbekki – Well these two varieties of Pulao can blow your mind away for sure, but you need to be ready to handle the huge dose of raisins…Like Kashmiri Cusine, There is no concept of bIryani in the Afghani Cusine….The Mutton, is as good as any other which one can have…absolutely succulent, soaked with all the rich flavors of ghee, raisin, saffron, just melts in your mouth…. I couldn’t gather much of a difference between the Kabuli Pulao & Kabuli Uzbeki…The rIce grains were long & distinct…The Pulao had an amazingly rich flavor of raisins, nuts ,ghee..absolutely a treat...The  side accompainiment of Brinjal Dish was quite tangy & spicy....loaded with mustard oil & ghee

Side Dish of a Tangy Tomato Brinjal Gravy with cream

The breads were nothing to write home about, except the Bolnani, the leeth Bolani as they call it..The stuffing is made from mashing the Spring Onions . The bread is deep fried and almost a bhatura like

Chicken Qurma & Kabuli Uzbekki

The meal is polished off with a hot cup of Kehwa tea…Its very similar to the Kehwa in Kashmir, except the dryfruits

Bolani - Deep Fried Bread with Spring Onion Mash

A Good meal, and the best part, that it was quite light on the tummy. Do visit when in Lajpat Nagar