Eat Good Food Resolution 2020 With Gourmet Passport : Faridah Lakhani

She is graceful, soft spoken and charming. She has an inherent gravitas with a great sartorial style. A Learning Support Specialist at Aga Khan Academy, Faridah Lakhani maintains a steady balance between socialising, eating out and fitness. Seen at some of the swankiest restaurants in Hyderabad, Faridah is the quintessential, well travelled, cosmopolitan Hyderabadi. As we celebrate Eat Good Food with Gourmet Passport, Resolution 2020, we had to get her to spill the beans on her fitness secrets:

1. What does a healthy lifestyle mean to you?  

A healthy lifestyle is a way to not only help myself but the Earth. To be truly healthy I believe you must have a healthy mind and a healthy body. 

2. Can one continue to eat out when trying to be fit?

I personally tend to eat out quite a bit. I think that eating a limited amount of food is what matters. Eating everything you like is okay as long as you eat the appropriate portion. 

3. What are some of your favourite 'healthy' gourmet dining destinations in the city? 

I tend to go to restaurants in order to eat some good food. If I were specifically going to eat something healthy I would go for Mekong or Taj Krishna, sushi is a great healthy food.

4. How can one make fitness a part of their daily life? What's the best way to start?

Going to the gym at least 4 times a week or 30 minutes of yoga or pilates on a busy day are wonderful ways to start. I find carrying a water bottle helps me remember to drink water as I usually forget. 

5. What's your favourite form of workout? How did you begin?

I like to do Pilates and work on cardio in order to burn off all the dessert I eat.

Oil's Well That Ends Well - Palm Oil Gourmet Delights

PALM OIL: GOURMET DELIGHTS

Oil has always been a pivotal ingredient in world cuisines. Oil can change the flavor, colour, taste, shelf life and nutrition value of a dish. While people like to use a variety of oils for various reasons, a recent introduction to Malaysian Palm Oil by MPOC at Smoky Pitara Hyderabad was a day of learning, fun and camaraderie. As a food blogger, one gets to attend myriad range of events. Often they turn out monotonous and repetitive. However this event by Malaysian Palm Oil Council was unique, vibrant, well planned and well executed. They literally had us eating out of their palms! There was an engagement with the audience at multiple levels and it was almost like business mixed with pleasure.

The day started with a very informative and exhaustive presentation by Ms. Bhavna Shah, who is the Country Head for MPOC, India and Sri Lanka.The presentation exploded many myths about palm oil. Palm oil is derived from the flesh of the fruit of the oil palm species E. Guineensis. In its virgin form, the oil is bright orange-red due to the high content of carotene. Palmoil is Nature’s Gift to Malaysia, and Malaysia’s to the World.

Palm oil is semi-solid at room temperature; a characteristic brought about by its approx. 50 percent saturation level. Palm oil (and its products) has good resistance to oxidation and heat at prolonged elevated temperatures; hence, making palm oil an ideal ingredient in frying oil blends. Manufacturers and end-users around the world incorporate high percentages of palm oil in their frying oil blends for both performance and economic reasons.The palm oil is rich in natural chemical compounds important for health and nutrition. Among others, it is a natural source of Carotenoids & Vitamin E as well as supplying fatty acids and other important fat-soluble micronutrients. Ms. Shah replied to all our queries patiently.

Armed with all that information, we were all ready for some fun activities. We were divided into teams of 3. Swati, Sadaf and I were a team and taking it easy pitted against a younger energetic bunch (although Sadaf helped us lower average team age quite a bit!).Then ensued an adventure where we went for a treasure hunt of our own, across 5 restaurants in Road No 36, Jubilee Hills whipping up a storm along the way. The first activity was in 10 Asia restaurant where our team had to make a delicious ice-cream Sunday with provided ingredients, that included crunchy chocolate treats in which palm oil is used. Adding these to a plain vanilla ice-cream too, made it taste exotic. We had to then gobble it down in seconds.

Next in Urban Asia restaurant we had to rustle up a salad using palm oil in the dressing. We managed to get a quick and healthy salad ready in minutes with broccoli, carrots, lettuce, olives, onions and a delicious dressing with a base of palm oil. The good part is palm oil does not have a strong taste of its own, so it blends very well with other flavours and ingredients.

Next we went to Tiki Shack Restaurant where we had to fill up an interesting quiz sheet on palm oil. Now the learning from previous presentation came in handy. We may not have been the swiftest team, but we were pretty en point when it came to IQ!

Last stop was Eat India Company where we predictably had to eat! However this was blindfolded eating and guessing the ingredients that went into the dish. The mild and Indian curry was made in palm oil and one could feel the creaminess. Needless to say palm oil is a good medium for cooking Indian food.

Thus after so many exciting activities such as making salads, eating desserts with palm oil as one of the ingredients in the various garnishes, blindfolded tasting and quizzes.  That our team won is a different story. It was good to feel like children engaged in an exhilarating activity with some physical movement rather than just attending a sedentary and static session.

Once we were back at the base, there was an entertaining Bollywood dialogue enactment activity with interesting props. Bollywood is something that connects masses in India, Tollywood being a local extension. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the session, followed by a sumptuous buffet lunch. Everyone greeted fond goodbyes, having made new friends and exchanged numbers, insta handles and pictures. Palm oil was on our mind as we left. Think palm oil for all the right reasons! Thanks MPOC for a fantastic initiation into this wonder oil!

For more details about Palm Oil please visit their website on https://www.mpoc.org.in

Eat Good Food Resolution 2020 with Gourmet Passport: Sunita Totakura

She is a well known face in Hyderabad, seen at some popular restaurants. However one cannot help envy her trim figure while she enjoys her food too. As we celebrate Eat Good Food with Gourmet Passport, Resolution 2020, it was all the more important to let Sunita Totakura reveal her magic fitness mantra.

A Stay-at-home mom, fitness freak, food enthusiast, voracious reader who loves to travel and explore. Here's Sunita spilling the beans on how she manages it all:

1. What does a healthy lifestyle mean to you? 

Healthy lifestyle for me means eating the right food at the right time. Once a while indulgence is perfectly fine, no need to deprive oneself of a dessert or a biryani completely. Portion control is important. And staying moderately active even on days you're not hitting the gym.

2. Can one continue to eat out when trying to be fit?

Yes, one can continue to eat out when trying to be fit. There are numerous restaurants currently that offer healthy food. And one can always do portion control when eating the not so healthy options.

3. What are some of your favourite 'healthy' gourmet dining destinations in the city?

One of my favourite healthy eating joints is Alive Cafe. Their Buddha bowls are not just healthy, they're delicious and filling.

4. How can one make fitness a part of their daily life? What's the best way to start?

One doesn't necessarily have to hit the gym to stay fit. A long, leisurely stroll around your home or park, playing

sports, etc is good enough. The best way to start is to incorporate small things into your daily life......using stairs instead of an elevator, walking around the house while talking on the phone, a short session of yoga, etc. It can slowly be extended once you get used to it.

5. What's your favourite form of workout? How did you begin? 

My favourite form of workout is long distance running. I run half marathons. I practice everyday by running 5-10 kms. I also strength train. To begin, start with short distance and low speed and slowly build distance and speed. Be consistent and disciplined in practice.

Flavours of Turkey at Feast

The popular Feast restaurant at Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel Gachibowli has an ongoing 'Flavours of Turkey' food promotion on until 5th Oct 2019.  In a glittering soiree hosted by Sheraton Hyderabad and the Turkey Consulate in Hyderabad, select guests witnessed the exclusive unveiling and tasting of authentic Turkish delights especially curated by the expert guest chef, Osman Çavuş on Thursday, 26th September 2019.

The evening was inaugurated by Dr.  Adnan Altinors, Consul General of Turkey along with his lovely wife Kubrah Altinors. They welcomed all guests with warmth and spoke at length about Turkish culture. Hailing from Turkey, Chef Osman is all set to craft a myriad of signature dishes like Karnıyarık, Izmir Kofte, Kuru Patlıcan Dolması, Tas Kebab, Kasarh Kofte and much more. Satiate your sweet tooth with heavenly traditional desserts such as, Baklava, Sutlac, Fıstıklı kadayıf and more.

Chef Osman Cavus brings a cornucopia of Turkish delights wrapped in vine leaves, stuffed into preserved peppers and aubergines, tossed into sensational salads, rolled into light meat balls and baked to flaky baklavas! This one is not worth missing at all.

Turkish cuisine uses a lot of fresh produce, cheeses and meats in innovative ways. Homemade food is still preferred by Turkish people. Although the newly introduced way of life pushes the new generation to eat out; Turkish people generally prefer to eat at home. A typical meal starts with soup (especially in wintertime), followed by a dish made of vegetables or legumes boiled in a pot (typically with meat or minced meat), often with or before rice or bulgur accompanied by a salad or cacik(diluted cold yogurt dish with garlic, salt, and cucumber slices). In summertime many people prefer to eat a cold dish of vegetables cooked with olive oil instead of the soup, either before or after the main course, which can also be a chicken, meat or fish. One could sense that homemade quality of food in this festival, even though it is served on the buffet.

I loved the snacks such as Imam Biyaldi, Lamb Chorizo & Cottage Cheese Canapes. The salad counter is particularly attractive with crunchy salads and dips such as Yesil Mevsim Salatasi (Avocado Salad), Cerkez Tavugu ( Chicken & Walnut Dip), Akdeniz Salatasi ( Mediterranean Green Salad) was particularly good.

In mains I loved the Turkish style Shawarma which was bland and just right, without the unnecessary masalas they put in Hyderabad. Very nice succulent grilled chicken with salad inside. Pacanga Boregi (Lamb & vegetable pockets) were wholesome. There are plenty of veg choices comprising of flavoured rice inside vine leaves, dried aubergine and peppers.

Desserts are definitely spectacular. The variety of Baklava and Firin Sultan were the perfect end to the meal! This festival is on at Feast till 5th Oct 2019.

Gourmetlicious 2019 Launch Party at Tre Forni, Hyderabad

Goumetlicious 2019 kicked off in Hyderabad with a glittering launch party at the sparkling Tre Forni, Hyderabad's swishest Italian restaurant at Park Hyatt. A fascinating mix of eminent guests from the city right from Corporate honchos to designers to yoga exponents to ace nutritionists to entrepreneurs to professional race car drivers and more attended the event! The food by Chef Yogender Pal's team was spectacular. Chef Marcello, who heads the kitchen at Tre Forni exhibited mastery over his craft.

The ambience couldn’t have been more riveting and the conversations, more intriguing. The two brand hosts, Sankalp Vishnu and Shivani Mohan welcomed guests with warmth and exhileration. Gourmet Passport continues to set benchmarks in the arena of fine dining formats. The event partners & sponsors, Park Hyatt, CRED, Grover Zampa Vineyards, hopculture.be added that extra allure with their support.

Some of the eminent guests who attended the exquisite 5 course dinner culled out by Chef Yogender Pal and Chef Marcello Tortora were Rina Hindocha, yoga specialist; Harini Rao, classical singer;  Amer Beg, professional race car driver; Jagan Mohan, noted restauranteur; Karthik Reddy, architect, Manish Aggarwal, Executive Director, Gati Capital; Dr. Anuradha Reddy, Vice President, Continental Hospital, Vijay Marur, Shalini Badruka amongst others.

Gourmetlicious 2019 features some great set menus for you at Hyderabad’s 9 premium restaurants from 20-28th Sept 2019. The restaurants include Tre Forni and RIKA at Park Hyatt, Prego and Kangan at The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace, Zega at Sheraton Hyderabad, Waikiki at Radission Hitech City, Aish at The Park Hyderabad and Morsel & Tisane. These sumptuous 3-4 course meals for two are priced in the range of Rs 2000-Rs 3500/- for two.

For this special evening, Chef Marcello Tortora created a wonderful amalgamation of unique textures, flavoures and tastes. The amuse bouche was Savory Cannollo with Goat Cheese, Pistachio and Truffle Essence, a tantalising introduction to the treats ahead.

The next course a salad was light and refreshing: Asparagus Tartare with Porcini Crisps, Mascarpone Mousse and Balsamic Caviar.The non veg version of this had cured egg too.

Can’t dine in an Italian restaurant without some pasta. Here for Primi or Entrée, Chef Marcello created the absolutely exquisite Ricotta and Wild Mushroom Capelletti, Parmesan sauce and Truffle Foam. Melt in the mouth, with so many layers of taste, one would be happy if this dish was one’s last meal on Earth. 

Sorbets sometimes end up so de rigeur but here too Tre Forni came up with a stunning Cantaloupe Melon Sorbet covered with a pretty blanket of Basil Jelly with lemon zest. The presentation was sublime.

The main course or Secondi of course had to be the main attraction. The non veg certainly rose up to the occasion. It was tender Lamb Rack, Saffron Barley, Stuffed Baby Onion and Eggplant Quenelle. Lamb was perfectly cooked and juicy. Saffron barley was an interesting dimension and the sides were innovative.

Dolce or Dessert was a rustic Walnut and Poached Peer Cheesecake although served in a fancy way. Creamy and fruity at the same time. Full of crunchy goodness.

All in all, a meal to remember! Explore many such menus across 9 restaurants in Hyderabad with Gourmetlicious 2019!

Gourmet Passport Anniversary Party at Jonathan's Kitchen

Gourmet Passport, the fine dining App recently completed it's first year in Hyderabad. The First Anniversary celebrations happened with Mr. Rocky Mohan, Founder & Mentor, Gourmet Passport visiting Hyderabad and engaging with the different audiences connected with the popular App. The celebratory party to connect with the top food bloggers and writers of Hyderabad and also some consumers of Gourmet Passport, was held at Jonathan's Kitchen, Gachibowli.

Jonathan's Kitchen is an obvious choice when it comes to restaurants serving global cuisine and eclectic cocktails and appetisers in the Financial District area, where the young corporate crowd likes to hang out after a busy day at work. The very vibe of the place is relaxing and fun, helping you unwind and chill out. Raashid Ali, the CEO & Founder of Jonathan's Kitchen is known for his gracious parties and getting an invite to his food tasting sessions is always a privilege. Chef Vijay Bhasker Reddy, who has worked with the likes of Michel Roux, a three star Michelin Chef in the past and won the Times Best Chef of the Year Award 2018, is hugely talented and committed to his craft. No wonder, Jonathan's Kitchen has been one of the most popular restaurants on Gourmet Passport too.

Jonathan's Kitchen team was excited to host the ultimate gourmet, Rocky Mohan and his specially chosen guests. They came up with a stellar menu, that pretty much sums up the international accent of the restaurant, and maybe going a few steps ahead. The guests included acclaimed food bloggers of the city such as Mamatha Mallipudi (@LaGrandiosa), Sankalp Vishnu, who needs no introduction, Ashis Nayak (@Fooddrifter), Karthik Gandhi (@Gastrohogger), Mohd. Zubair Ali (@Hyderabad Food Diaries), Supriya Bedi Sikka(@PalateTales) Aarti David (@WhatsUpHyderabad), Shagun Seagan (@EatTripClick), Sanchay Gumidelli (@Hyderabad Food Explorer) amongst others. Noted restauranteurs and food pioneers Jagan Mohan and Ravikanth Reddy were also seen at the do. The event was also attended by Aslam Gafoor, Head, Luxury Dining, Dineout India and Chandni Anzar, National Events Curator, Gourmet Passport. The GP Consumers  and contest winners included Disha Khurmi and Rajeev Reddy with their friends and family.

The cocktails began at Komatose, the adjacent watering hole, that pretty much has the names of drinking stalwarts of Hyderabad etched on it's bar counter! The specially curated cocktails included the refreshing Pink Gin Prosecco (Bombay Saphire, lemonade topped with Prosecco) to the risqué Lust( Chili Infused Vodka, strawberry puree and lime cordial). The pass around starters were some of the best one could have: Asparagus Fritta, Hollandaise; Pistachio Crusted baked Brie, Walnut Relish; Beer Battered Calamari Rings, Curry Leaf Herb Crusted Prawns, Tamarind Chilli Reduction to Salmon Gravlax, Sour Cream. With some rocking live music that eased your senses, the evening was all set for fun and socialising.

The dinner table set in the PDR of Jonathan's Kitchen was a sight to behold, with fresh red roses and sparkling glassware. The unusual winding table gives an informal feel. Almost each course had ample choices, starting with Butternut Squash for vegetarians and Ministrone Ala Gamberi. I had the Butternut Squash as in summers I prefer vegetarian and it was velvety and delicious with perfect consistency.  For the salads, there was a choice between Heirloom Tomato Burrata with Arugula, Pinenuts and Basil Pesto or Kale with three types of Melon, Apricot, Grilled Fig, Goat Cheese & lemon Foam.

The mains were actually very difficult to select from, as everything looked so appetising. A Spinach & Cheese Ravioli or Gucchi Risotto for veg. Tough choice indeed. The non veg had more of a dilemma: Chateaubriand, a JK speciality with Wilted Spinach, Marinated Gucchi and Horseradish Béarnaise; Jambalaya with Fried Chorizo; Sous Vide Salmon with Squash Spaghetti and Lemon Brown Butter or Curried Lamb Shanks with Quinoa Peanut Pulao and Garlic Potato Puree. The kind of mains I would like to go and try separately on different occasions but I stuck with Lamb Shanks. Frankly I am very choosy about my lamb and I have it in very reliable and no-fail places. So Jonathan's Kitchen is definitely one place where I like to experiment as Chef Vijay Bhaskar's food has never disappointed me. They were perfect, lamb literally falling off the bones, with a rich aromatic sauce and Quinoa & Peanut giving great contrast of texture, all to be downed with soft potato mash.

There was no space left for dessert and I kinda missed that course as I was whisked away by a friend to sing at the bar next door. It was a night of jubilation for us and I was in the mood to sing! That is the best part about Jonathan's Kitchen. It can be as formal or casual as you want it to be. But I heard good things about the Alphonso Sorbet and Old Monk Infused Gelato (how thoughtfully created! These are the touches that set apart a great restaurant and chef from an ordinary one).

Now with a Jonathan's Kitchen in Indore and more coming up in Hyderabad, one is glad that there are restaurants, restauranteurs and chefs who experiment boldly, research extensively and serve with utter pride in their product and  genuine warmth. The F&B fraternity needs to laud the spirit of enterprise and the ethos of those who go that extra mile, away from humdrum Biryani, Kebab & Chicken 65 menus in Hyderabad. Just the kind of restaurants we are constantly looking out for, to be listed on Gourmet Passport.

Pics credit: Vishal Kumar Sharma