Healthy Cooking With Anaida

SodaBottleOpenerWala Hyderabad has always had something exciting to offer. It is one of those restaurants you can't get tired of, always bustling and fun, great food, chirpy Bollywood music and Irani memorabilia. This month the Persian Pop-Up called Pop Goes the Princess, curated by Anaida has added one more reason to visit the restaurant. 

Salad e Salamat

Esfahan-Beryani

Spicy Vegan Bowl

The special menu has some classic Persian dishes such as Persian Haleem, Esfahan, the no-rice Beryani; Fesenjan, a tangy sweet and sour chicken or Mushroom stew with pomegranates and walnuts. Her Buddha Bowls in the form of Vegetarian Kufte Bowl, Spicy Vegan Bowl, Persian Chicken Bowl and Mutton Bowl are a revelation of sorts. They may not be traditional Persian stuff in terms of presentation but that is the hallmark of a good Chef. That he/she can take tradition and heritage and create something new and appealing with it.

Frankly, when I went for the Pop-Up, the meanie in me went with some pre-conceived notions. Umm, Ok yet another celebrity chef! Maybe she is the face for presenting an exotic cuisine. Maybe she'll have airs. Well, ten minutes into talking to Anaida and you can't help falling in love with her. You realise she is such a sweet, smart and genuine person. She knows her food, she is so passionate about good food, nutrition and wellness. She has hajar anecdotes about each dish, ranging from her childhood to dealing with difficult situations during her sessions as a life coach. Her approach to food is very holistic in nature, with in-depth research into the nutrients present in each ingredient and their effect on the human body. Perhaps because her mother was a naturopath who never let them have medicines as kids and relied on natural treatments for common ailments. Anaida brings that ancient wisdom into her craft and yet gives it a contemporary liveliness and verve. 

I was lucky to meet her again last week in a Healthy Cooking Workshop where she taught us how to make two of her dishes on the menu-Soup e Jadooi and Salad e Salamat. Well, if you want to have the original stuff, head to SodaBottleOpenerWala, Hyderabad before the end of this month. If like me, you like to try new recipes at home, here are two of her brilliant recipes that I tried and that turned out super! They are easy healthy and nutritious to boot.

My version of Anaida's Soup e Jadooi

My version of Anaida's Salad e Salamat