Imperial Culinary Club Goes Thai With Chef Veena Arora

It was a sight to behold when Delhi's culinary enthusiasts descended at Daniel's Tavern for the Thai recipes session at The Imperial Culinary Club, as the celebrity Chef Veena Arora donned her gloves and apron to be in full form. The action packed afternoon conducted by Chef Veena saw an aclectic presence of foodies, budding amateur-chefs and media, enthused to master the art of making healthy, flavourful and authentic Thai cuisine from the award-winning chef of The Spice Route restaurant, at The Imperial.

Yum Mamuang

A live cooking demonstration always holds a special place and when a masterchef is spearheading the battle of the ladle, knife and wok, audience from all walks of life and cutting across age groups are obviously left mesmerized. 

While Chef Veena’s all time famous Yum Mamuang- Spicy and tangy Thai raw Mango Salad was a refreshing vegetarian start to the feast in store with the simple flavours enhanced by the mild, limy tang of mango, Laab kai- Thai minced chicken salad with roasted glutinous rice, left the meat lovers asking for more. 

Phad Thai Chae

Kai Kraphao

Phad Phed Kai- Wok fried chicken and green beans with red curry paste, was yet another hearty delight for the non-vegetarian epicureans and Phad Thai Chae- Stir fried Thai rice noodles with chives and leeks flavoured with tamarind juice, palm sugar and crushed peanuts, was tangy, delicious and truly irresistible. The audience looked overwhelmed with the aroma and the presentation of Kai Kraphao-Wok fried minced chicken with basil and red chillies, flavoured with oyster sauce.

 

Phad Phed Kai

Chef Veena suggested at the session “When one is passionate about food the live cooking lessons are an experience to cherish. I believe, in Thai cuisine, easy techniques, right and traditional ingredients with fine innovative culinary skills can create the whole process of exploring its finer nuances, fun-loving for any culinary enthusiast.”

Each dish had distinctive preparation and flavors but the flawless approach of a perfectionist like Chef Veena made the session a rendezvous to remember, with women asking questions in a lively interaction. It concluded with a lavish buffet featuring all the recipes demonstrated earlier, making the taste buds of the audience, dance with each bite. Exciting vouchers with bumper surprises, made the soiree extremely enchanting.

About The Imperial Culinary Club

The Imperial Culinary Club is an initiative by The Imperial to share the finer nuances of cuisine filled with rich and mysterious secrets of what makes ‘The Imperial’ cuisine so sought after! A unique and interactive platform to capture the culinary interest of cooking enthusiasts, it is a culinary class executed with the presentation of epicurean treasures in a live cookery show. Each session is full of exciting cuisines made either by the in-house chefs and The Imperial Senior Executive VP & GM- Vijay Wanchoo, who started his career as a chef and even highly skilled guest chefs on special occasions. The Club has arrested the interests of discerning women guests with almost 35 sessions till date and with cuisines like Konkani with Tara Deshpande, Southern selection with Chandra Padmanabhan and other interesting sessions with Imperial chefs like Thai, Lebanese, Chocolate temptations, European, Kashmiri, Italian, Summer delights, Goan cuisine, Continental Brunch, Healthy Mediterranean cuisine, Pastries & Tarts etc.

PS: Recipes coming soon in next post!

JustPure, JustPrecious, JustPressed Juices!

Let’s face it. No matter how careful and particular we are with our diet, we still do end up eating a lot of junk. There are the inevitable 2-3 eating out/takeaway food instances per week. There are the unnecessary and unhealthy snacks we pack in between our meals through the day. Go to a movie and we are invariably popping some chips or nachos and aerated drinks. Parties undoubtedly mean gorging on delicious but oily and fried snacks that we further down with oversweetened softdrinks and juices or alcoholic beverages.

In the hurly burly of life we barely manage to have one fruit through the day. Food, even if home cooked is invariably kept in the refrigerator and reheated. The cooking methods we use in the typical Indian style of cooking makes for laborous shallow frying for long durations with the vegetables ending up in an almost unrecognisable colour, thus depleting all the nutrients.

In such a scenario everyone needs a shot of fresh, clean, basic eating(or drinking!) once in a while. We may not be able to have freshly cut and minimally processed foods every day but it makes good sense to detox at least once a week and set the record straight.

One brilliant way of trying this detox is to have the JustPressed Cleanse-

JustPressed's sophisticated range of 6 juices that are FSSAI approved and are offered as individual juices as well as ‘Cleanse Packages’. The signature blends are fresh and special and are produced to help people everywhere transform their lives through conscious nutrition.

Here’s my experience with the JustPressed detox:

I was advised not to have anything heavy besides the juices through the day. Ideally should you feel the need to have anything else apart from the juices, make sure it is very light, vegetarian stuff. But spending one day solely on these juices is also not a bad idea.

As the 6 brightly coloured bottles arrive at your doorstep, delivered chilled in a well-insulated pack, they make a radiant picture oozing vitality and freshness. Transfer them straight to a cool refrigerator and get cracking for your cleanse the next morning.

This is how I did it.

8 am: Green tea with one biscuit.

9 am: JustPressed Soak. Green in colour. It has citrus overtones, mildly sweet with a sharp aroma of herbs.The green juices are alkaline and alkalize your body, which is recommended in the morning. A blend of pineapple, cucumber, celery, spinach, collard, kale, ginger and wheatgrass. Gives a very full and wholesome feeling. Gives your day a jumpstart. I had a glass to start with.

9.30 am: Pending Soak juice. The bottles are so reminiscent of the old time milk bottles that finishing one bottle gives you a very warm, fuzzy, nostalgic feeling.

11 am: JustPressed Active- It has juice of celery, cucumber, lettuce, lemon, spinach, collard, kale, parsley, ginger.

This is not sweet at all and a bit bland. But surprisingly it tastes weird the first time. The second time you love it. Ginger flavour is predominant, slightly sour but just so.

12.30 pm: JustPressed Jolt- This lip smacking, eye opening superjuice gets the metabolism running and floods you with essential vitamins and nutrients. Made of Carrot, Apple, Celery, Cucumber, Beet, Lemon and Spirulina, Jolt is great for healthy blood pressure and helps you get out of your mid morning blues by literally jolting you into action.

2.00 pm: JustPressed Pump- I have a glass of this exotic blend which is a sure shot hydrator and is especially beneficial for die hard gym fanatics and workaholics. This will cleanse you inside out, while boosting immunity and fighting toxins and infections. I loved the taste of this the most, a tantalising blend of Coconut Water, Pineapple, Apple, Aloe Vera, Sweet Lime, Mint and Lemongrass.

4.30 pm: I had a cup of green tea with some rice puffs.

6.00 pm: JustPressed Bounce-This light, refreshing blend gives me a shot of good energy as the system goes into some sort of a withdrawal symptom. Essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, loaded with carotene, this juice containing Carrot,  Orange, Apple, Pineapple, Lemon, Turmeric and Chia Seed literally washes out fat and waste and speed up your metabolism. I personally love the turmeric in a juice.

8.00 pm: JustPressed Charge- Good to the last drop! A silky creamy juice immersed in amazing good nutrients, this will give an instant energy kick while beating your hunger blues. Crafted from exotic ingredients, this will help lower bad cholesterol and promote a healthy heart!

This pure white juice contains the goodness of Coconut meat, Almonds, Vanilla Bean, Honey, Cashew, Cinnamon and Chia seeds.

JustPressed is the brainchild of a couple from New Zealand, Anu Alagh and Rahul Monga. According to Anu, “Our mission is to enable a ‘Get Back to Nature’ state of mind by offering uncooked, rich and 100% fresh fruit and vegetables which flaunt their nutrient laden individuality. We want you to experience the euphoric flavour notes, enviable aromas and natural colors in a nutrient laden gift of love.”

At the end of the day I felt light and energetic. My body feels well nourished and the mind is at ease. It’s a day I have treated my system differently. I have pampered it with all the goodness nature has to offer, but which in the hustle and bustle of life, we tend to overlook. The JustPressed Cleanse is a great way to re-establish that vital connect with juices, pure and fresh, nutrition in a delicious liquid form!

Getting onto JustPressed Getting onto JustPressed juices is as simple as a click of a button. Get onto www.justpressed.in, select from the package size and begin with the subscription most suited to you. Register and pay online or cash on delivery and get ready to receive your set of juices. The juices at JustPressed will be delivered anywhere in Delhi NCR and are available in elegantly designed glass bottles of 500 ml and plastic bottles of 300 ml and are also recyclable.

Spread Some Tiranga Cheer

On the occasion of India's Independence Day food expert Ms. Bharti Sanghi shares some of her innovative recipes. 


To keep alive the spirit of patriotism celebrate a day with family and friends over a platter of Tri-color snacks and mithais.

Tricolor Dhokla 

INGREDIENTS:

·         Suji – 250 gm

·         Curd – 250 gm

·         Eno – 1 packet

·         Salt – ½ tsp

·         Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

·         Spinach Paste – 1 tsp

METHOD:

1.      Mix suji and curd well to get a lump less batter. Consistency should be of idli batter.

2.      Add eno and salt. Keep it aside to rise for 1 hour.

3.      Divide the batter equally into 3 different bowls.

4.      Add turmeric to 1st, spinach to 2nd and keep the 3rd portion plain.

5.      Fill the mold 1/3 with yellow batter, then layer it with white batter till 2/3 and finally fill the mold with green baater.

6.      Steam it for 15-20 minutes.

7.      Remove the lid and proof it using toothpick or knife. If the knife comes out clean and does not have any batter sticking, then its done.

8.      Cut it into your favourite shapes and they are ready to serve.

Badam Pista Tartlets

 

Ingredients:

Almonds- 1 Kg

Sugar- 500gms

Pista and  Boondi- for filling

Silver cover or silver balls – for decoration

Method:

1.  Soak almonds for 5-6 hours, peel and grind it into fine powder.
2. Mix sugar with almond powder.
3. And roast it on medium fire until it leaves the sides of the utensil.
4. When it turns into a kind of Indian marzipan, put into moulds and make into tartlets.
5. Add sweetened ground pista and boondi for the filling.
6. Decorate them with silver warq or silver balls and enjoy.

2 Exclusive Iftar Recipes from Daniell's Tavern, The Imperial

Paya Shorba with kofta- 6 portions

Ingredients:

·         Paya of Goat - 12

·         Onions- 4

·         Oil- 2 tbsp

·         Ginger Garlic paste-4 tsp

·         Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

·         Red Chilli powder- 1 tsp

·         Coriander powder- 1 tsp

·         Green chilly- 2

·         Tomato- 1

·         Ghee (clarified Butter)-2 tsp

·         Cumin seeds- 1 tsp

·         Fenugreek seeds- ½ tsp

·         Whole Wheat Flour- 2 tbsp

·         Garam masala pdr- 11/2 tsp

·         Salt to taste

For kofta

·         Mutton mince-100ml

·         Garam masala-1tsp

·         Chopped coriander-1tsp

·         Salt to taste

·         Egg-1 no

·         Mutton Paya (Goat)

Method :

1) Heat oil in a cooker. Add onions and fry well. Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder and washed paya. Fry well for 15- 20 mins. Add green chilly, tomato , salt and 
2) 4 ½ litre water. After 1 whistle lower the flame and cook for 12 hr. 
3) In a big pan heat ghee(clarified butter). Add Cumin seeds, Fenugreek seeds, ginger garlic paste, 1tsp Red Chilli powder, 1 tsp Coriander powder and Wheat Flour. Fry till you get a good smell. Add paya mix and boil. Add garam masala and boil.

4)Mix all the kofta mixture and make small balls and pouch in water

5)Put the pouched balls in paya and serve hot with coriander as garnish

Gosht Nalli Nihari

Ingredients: • Mutton - 1 kg • Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon • Cinnamon stick - 1 • Bay leaves - 2 • Cardamom - 2 • Cloves - 8 • Garam masala - 2 tablespoons • Ginger garlic paste - 2 tablespoons • Chilli powder- 1 tsp • Coriander powder - 1 tsp • Yogurt - 3 tablespoons • Ghee or cooking oil - 1/2 cup • Nutmeg - Few pinches Spice masala: • Make it as a powder • Fennel seeds - 2 tablespoons • 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorn • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed • Ingredients For Garnishing: • 1 Onion fried to brown • 2 Green chillies chopped • 2 Ginger strips sliced • 3 tablespoons coriander leaves chopped

Method: ·         Clean the mutton and cut into medium pieces. ·         Heat oil in a pan and add bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon stick and ginger garlic paste. Add the mutton and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Now add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, yogurt, garam masala and fry until the oil separates. ·         Add the nutmeg, cardamom, spice masala and 3 cups of water and cook on low heat for 3 to 4 hours. ·         Finally, add the flour and cook for about 10 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves, ginger, onions and green chillies. ·         You can serve mutton nihari with chapatti, naan or rice

Bob Marley Lives on at Raasta, Cyber Hub, Gurgaon

It was not too long ago that I reviewed Raasta, the Carribean Lounge at Hauz Khas village in Delhi. The place had a fantastic vibe, it was cool, it was funky and buzzing with youthful energy and rebellion. 

When the idea of Raasta, Cyber Hub, Gurgaon was proposed I wondered how that laid-back feel could be translated to a space which is virtually the ultimate futuristic food place in the national capital. Standing cheek by jowl with some of India’s biggest corporates, steely skyscrapers steeped in so called capitalism, how would Bob Marley’s dreadlocks and reggae beats fare here?

Commenting on the launch of Raasta @ DLF Cyber Hub, promoters Joy Singh and Rahul Kundan had said, “Raasta is a philosophy and way of life. The huge popularity of the brand made it essential for us to take it to more people and places. DLF Cyber Hub with its cosmopolitan culture and fabulous ambience was an apt choice for Raasta on its journey of expansion.”

Walk into this space, that still remains all about the unmistakable music, an ambience that lets you relax and go with the flow. The essence of the brand stays alive with the décor elements, while evolution has taken place in both the design and food philosophy to bring a newer, fresher version of the brand to old loyalists and new visitors alike.

The décor is quirky, and takes a dig at all things institutional, much like the maverick philosopher who inspired it. Boat shell pushcarts and large truck tyres painted in red, gold and green, back-up as table stands; while caged boxes hold together little references to our industrial and corporate lifestyle.

A unique tribute to Bob Marley

The outdoor seating area of Raasta is like a beach shack

The street style is very much alive with street lamps hung upside down from the ceiling to form a part of the lighting schematics. The movable DJ console and stage form the central focus of the space with the Ms cages with iron chains for a symbolic 3d mural on the main wall of the restaurant where again traditional bongs have been used to add a dose of colour and bring together the connect with the original Raasta. The trademark record cover wall creates a colourful backdrop to this corner.

The tantalising Sex on the Beach

You can either sit inside which is plush and sparkling or the outside bar area which looks like a beach shack with huge fans spraying mist to keep the evening moist and sea-kissed. The staff looks cool and casual in jeans and funky black shirts (oh what a relief not to see stiff, liveried stewards at times!)

We start with some cocktails that look promising. The energetic bartender recommends the notorious ‘Sex on the Beach’ that has my preferred liquor vodka and the even more notorious ‘Electric Iced Tea’ that has every spirit imaginable. Sex on the Beach is truly refreshing and transports me to a palm-fringed beach. Electric Iced Tea is not really my cup of tea but would be a hit with hard drinkers.

You can start off with a cheerful bite of the Plantain Frittos (raw banana chips served with sour cream) or the Tangy Mango Mushroom, and move onto a hearty helping of the all time Caribbean favourite, the Red Snapper Escovitch.

Barbados Platter

Salmon Prawn and Smoked Sole Skewers

For starters we try the Salmon Prawn and Smoked Sole Skewers served with 3 alluring dips and the Non Veg Barbados Platter that comprises of Carribean Chicken Strips, Grilled Chicken Wrapper, Lamb Empanadas and Lamb Chilly served with Cilantro Sour Cream and Spicy Harissa. The cooking is perfect and the tantalising dips provide just the right antidote to the crispy textures and piquant tastes.

Jamaican Jerked Chicken

For the main course there’s Sambuca Cajun Grilled Basa that comes with a side of fajita and Cajun Sauce, Carribean Chicken Curry and Jamaican Jerked Chicken. For vegetarians there is the Wild Mushroom Rizo or a refreshing Soco Peppery Apple Yoghurt Salad amongst others.

While talking about Raasta’s appetizing food menu, Chef Anil Pandey from Raasta elaborates “Staying true to its Caribbean origins, Raasta  serves seamlessly varied cuisine from the cultures of Spain, Africa, East India, China and other palettes into a distinct tradition all its own. Our offering promises to satisfy every craving, as well as makes for a great option for a meal out.”

Herbed Prawns Bowl

Penne Arabiata

Grilled and Spiced Fish Bowl

‘Raasta on the Go’ is a popular menu served from 12 noon to 4 pm catering to corporate busybees who breeze in for a quick bite. Comprising of meals in a bowl such as Pepper Lamb Curry Bowl, Grilled Cajun Chicken Bowl and Herbed Prawns Bowl for the rice lover or basic, nutritious pastas, this is a  popular option for a quick working lunch for corporate denizens of Cyber City.

The menu reflects a fusion of a wide range of cultures and heritages, and many ethnicities that landed on Caribbean shores for the past centuries. This led to an intermingling of different cultures and cuisines, as people survived the islands, and weathered oppressions and challenges for many years. The fascinating stories of this confluence of culture and race are told through the menu of Raasta.

We skip dessert as the sound of reggae resonating into the deep, mysterious evening is all the sweetness one can handle for the moment.

The night is still young and the vibrant crowd is trickling in, fiesty and gregarious, clicking selfies, celebrating birthdays, flirting, buzzing, laughing or simply sharing cosy twosomes.

At Raasta, Cyber Hub the options are manifold. I am sure all of us need a break from our materialistic pursuits!