Of winter rains...

Just as I had begun to think that the scorching summers are coming back earlier than expected, the rain Gods showered mercy. And with the showers came back the winter delights; they can be savoured for a few more days now. Also came a reminder that Skeeter must cook all the pending winter delicacies that she had thought of while the winter lasts. Writing this post with the hot water bottle on me and a steaming cup of Kashmiri Kahwa by my side is pure pleasure... Nothing could've been better... Cheers to the winters!

Onion Pakodas... Thx to Asha for the excellent recipe

Dinner with Skeeter...

would consist of...

A bowl of mixed sprouts salad

with her favourite winter green: The Glorious Spring Onion

And a bowl of Vegetable Hot n Sour Soup from Dragon Huck

THE Pizzeria

I invite * to join me for luncheon at a Pizzeria where Pizzas are baked in a mango-wood fired oven. Time and Date: will be told personally.

The Pizzeria that I speak of, is located at Vasant Vihar (New Delhi), by the name Sartoria. I know quite a few places in Delhi which bake their Pizzas in ovens, but sadly the ovens used are the electric ones. Sigh!

A clay oven...Can u spot the chimeny on the top?

Another clay oven

Traditionally, Pizzas are made in either a wood or a coal fired 'Brick Oven'. But these days 'Clay Ovens', fired by the same fuels are more popular. If you have ever chanced upon a 'Brick Oven' and have had a Pizza baked in that, I must say you are DAMN lucky!

A wood fired oven

I conclude by saying that Reeta yearns for a Pizza baked at a Pizzeria which has a 'Brick Oven'; and the Pizzeria be situated at one of the lesser known places (approachable only by foot) in the bylanes of Himachal.

And my ideal Pizzeria would look something like this:

P.S.: For those who would like to own the latest electric oven chk out the one being sold by Kalamazoo, while I ready myself to savour one made in an oven fired by mango-wood.

Not Just Paranthas

One can see many 'Dhaba-theme' restaurants coming up all over Delhi these days; NJP is another such place. 'Not Just Paranthas', is a cute little eatery tucked away in a bylane of West Delhi's Rajouri Garden. The food is good; the ambience, cute; the menu card, innovatively designed to take the form of a newspaper.

Food

We ordered Chur Chur paranthas which are their speciality, having an extra dose of butter and crushed with hands giving it a unique touch; aloo pyaz parantha; gobi paranatha; mooli parantha; Dal makhmali (balck lentils); kabul chana masala and Dal sukhi chatpati (Yellow lentils for dad). I just had a small bite from each of the paranthas, all were 'ok' barring mooli which was 'bad'. Personally, I prefer mom-made paranthas anyday, so I had ordered a plain Naan to go with Dal Makhmali. Dal Makhmali which is the dearest to my heart was excellent; Kabuli chanas were nice but the fact that they had bits of paneer in it did not go well down my mind and tastebuds. Dal Sukhi Chatpati was liked by the elders; I did not even touch it so can't say much. The chuski bar (serving Indian style flavoured ice-lollies) is an attraction for the kids.

Fun

Having seen too many 'Dhaba-theme' restaurants, the charm of visiting them is fading away. Still I liked this one. It was nice to see sweet li'l soemthings decorated all over the place. At NJP, all the seats are made of rassi (jute rope) and wood. There are knick knacks like small models of cycle-rickshaws, lanterns hung here and there, old vessels placed all over the restaurant. The loos have 'Shreemaan' and 'Shreemati' written over the doors to differentiate the one for men from that for women. What I liked best was a signboard saying -Kripya bhojan ke liye hathon ka prayong karein' i.e. please use hands to eat your food. And what was even better was the spoons that were laid neatly over all the tables :D...pooooohhh

There is difference between 'being merrily high' and 'being drunk'

And I insist, I am nt drunk... NO!! I am nt.. M just merrily merrily high! Anyway...went to Q'Ba, Connaught Place, E block with P... The ambience was ok, the service was very nice, the food was pathetic... Not worth one penny we spent there.The vegetable seekh kebabs were hopeless, the blue breeze tasted like a long lost cousin of Pina Colada...It was neither Pina Colada nor Blue curacao.. but sumthing else only... sumthing that I could nt figure out... Dal Makhani was good... The bread was cold and funny. I say that if u go there... U must try this... U must try visiting the loos. They r gr8... really!!! They r!!! Plants in each loo. Wow!!! Had they just thought about the food a bit more...Ufffffff!!!!!

Switch to evening... Had thoda sa neat whisky... got merrily high... insisted that Chicken Little takes me to a particualr shop frm where I had banta (Lemon) and desi patte wala Paan (betel leaf)... And CL thinks m drunk.. m nt!! m only merrily high!!!

Nawabi fare

Hyderabadi, Lucknawi, Kashmiri, Pakistani, Karachi-an, Bombay.... These are not the names of different places; these, are the names of special places. Places, from where the Nawabi fare, as I like to call it, has come into being. I am talking about the ever delightful, the delectable, the sumptuous - BIRYANI.

One visit to the India International Trade Fair (IITF 2006) made me buy sixteen, yes, sixteen packets of biryani masalas from the stall of my favourite brand Shan. They are available at IITF-2006, Pragati Maidan, Hall number 12, Pakistan pavillion area. Those who are in Delhi or would be visiting Delhi, anyday till 27th November, must try, Shan Biryani masalas. I bought enough supply to last a year. I am going back tomorrow to buy some more stuff from there...maybe the pickles this time... Coming back from the fair I heard two aunties calling me... beta... beta ... Shan ka stall kahan pe hai... they were desperate to know the exact location... I obliged to tell them the directions till they were happy and satisfied.

Back to the Biryani.... I prefer the one dat is cooked in the traditional cauldron with the atta (wheat-dough) sealed onto its ends... And yes I love onions... loads and loads and loads of them in my Biryani... The Hyderabadi Biryani is the best I have tasted so far and if voted, I think, it will be the national Biryani of India.. Wotsay??
Ah yes, I love only Veg Biryanis!!!

Skeeter's shopping!! Whoa!

Potato feast continues...

Day before yesterday was in no mood to cook anything...but as I went to the kitchen to pick up a glass of water I saw these mashed potatoes...couldn't resist.... thought... y nt indulge and feast... yet again!!!!!

These were followed by a tall glass of Tang.... YUMMY!!!