Experience The Flavours Of Winter With Rajdhani’s Swad Kesariya!

Winter is when you get out your shawls and sweaters and jackets. It is when you bundle up in warm blankets and spend entire days reading, gulping down cups of hot cocoa or chai. Winter is also the time to ogle at all those beautiful, beautiful Christmas trees and decorations that seem to be everywhere. Winter is also feasting time – when an abundance of gorgeous vegetables flood the markets, waiting to be converted into delectable, piping hot winter treats. For Bangaloreans, winter is also the time to feast on the delights at Rajdhani’s Swad Kesariya.

Swad Kesariya, the winter-special menu at Rajdhani, is a much anticipated affair in Bangalore every year. This year too, Rajdhani recently launched the winter menu, which I had the pleasure of sampling yesterday.

Read all about my experience sampling the winter-special menu at Rajdhani, just up on my photo blog!

Advertisements

Eggless Steamed Christmas Pudding

It’s almost Christmas! I absolutely have to share this Christmas-sy recipe with you – one for a Eggless Steamed Christmas Pudding!

 

As the name suggests, this is a delicious eggless dessert, a steamed one made in a pressure cooker, just perfect for the holiday season. It contains loads of fruit and nuts, cinnamon and cloves, like a Christmas fruit cake. Texture-wise, this is less dense than a fruit cake, a bit softer. Taste-wise, this is an almost-fruit cake.

 

If you are looking for something different, yet awesome to make for the Christmas season, do try this recipe out. The process is a bit time-consuming, but I wouldn’t call it laborious. The end result is totally, totally worth it, I can assure you of that.

 

Check out the recipe, just in on my blog!

 

 

Panel Discussion: Resurgence Of Millets In My Plate

Last week, I was thrilled to be offered the opportunity to be part of a panel discussion, titled ‘Resurgence Of Millets In My Plate’, by eminent personalities from the state of Karnataka. This discussion, organised by the Government of Karnataka’s Department of Agriculture in co-ordination with the Department of Home Science of the Mount Carmel College, Bangalore, was held at The Capitol on Raj Bhavan Road.

The panel discussion was a lead-up to the next Organics & Millets International Trade Fair, which is scheduled between January 18 and 20, 2019, at the Bengaluru Palace. As always, the discussion opened up to me the immense world of millets, all that one can do with these wonder grains, in one’s own kitchen and at the country level.

Read all about the discussion by the esteemed panel members, in my latest blog post.

Monaco Mango Bites| Cheesy Sweet & Salty Nibbles

Are you looking for a quick nibble to perk up a boring day? Are you looking for an interesting, different-from-the-usual appetiser to serve at a party? Try out these Monaco Mango Bites!

These Monaco Mango Bites are a beautiful medley of sweet and salty and spicy flavours, with an element of surprise to them. They were a big hit at home, when I tried them out recently, and I am sure your guests will love them too. What’s more, this is a super simple snack that you can whip up within minutes, if you have ingredients on hand.

Check out the recipe, just in on my photo blog!

Vazhaipazham Sakkarai Pongal| Banana Sweet Pongal

Vazhaipazham Sakkarai Pongal is a lovely twist to the regular sweet pongal that is commonly prepared in South India on auspicious occasions. Adding bananas elevates the taste of the sweet pongal up by several notches, and is a great way to get the goodness of the fruits in. This little touch makes the regular sakkarai pongal more exotic, makes it just perfect to serve guests on parties and other festive occasions.

This is a simple pressure-cooker recipe that can be put together in a matter of minutes. I’m sure it will be much loved by people of all age groups, including fussy kids. My daughter absolutely adores this!

Let’s now check out the recipe for this Vazhaipazham Sakkarai Pongal aka Banana Sweet Pongal, shall we?

Coconut & Mango Pulav

Coconut and mango is a classic combination that is much loved. The two flavours marry well, which is why they are found together in a variety of foods. The dish that I present to you today – Coconut & Mango Pulav – uses this classic combination, in a very Indian way.

This delicious pulav makes for a lovely change from the usual. It is a pressure-cooker dish that can be put together in mere minutes, making it the perfect candidate for lunch or dinner on busy weekdays and lazy weekends. This is something kids will love too!

Check out the recipe, just in on my photo blog!

Grand Palace & Temple Of The Emerald Buddha, Bangkok

The latest post on my blog is all about our visit to the Grand Palace, the former residence of the royal family, in Bangkok, Thailand. It also talks about our visit to the Wat Phra Kraew or the temple of the Emerald Buddha that the palace premises house.

 

The Emerald Buddha temple was actually one of the reasons the husband and I finally undertook a long-pending trip to Thailand, this October. Check out my blog post to read all about our ‘secret’ connection with the Buddha, and to see some gorgeous pictures from this beautiful, beautiful place!

Cocktail Idli Flowers| Beetroot, Carrot & Spinach Mini Idlis

Toddlerhood – the time when a child is between 1 and 3 years of age – is a precious phase. This is the time when kids are at their most notorious, driving their parents up the wall every so often – yet, this is when they are at their most vulnerable and adorable best. This is also when the time when they are exploring the world around them, food included. They are slowly learning to navigate the world, understand what they like and what they don’t and, as parents, it is our duty to help them do just that. In terms of food, toddlers should be exposed to a variety of finger foods – stuff they can easily hold in their little hands and eat on their own. This has a number of benefits, from improvement in gross and fine motor co-ordination and sensory integration to improved bonding with the parents and a deeper sense of ‘home’.

This week, the theme at Foodie Monday Blog Hop is just that – #ToddlerFingerFoods. For this theme, which is super close to my heart, I decided to prepare one of the bub’s favourite toddler snacks – pretty Cocktail Idli Flowers or naturally coloured mini idlis arranged into flowers.

Check out the recipe, just in on my photo blog!

Mumbai Vada Pav Recipe| How To Make Vada Pav

Vada Pav is one of the lifelines of the Maharashtrian city of Mumbai, ranking right up there with the city’s bus transport and suburban railway systems. It is common man’s food, very pocket-friendly, easily available on the streets at any time of the day (or night). The Mumbaikars are known to grab a vada pav off a street-side stall, and eat it on the go, on the way to work or while travelling for personal errands.

Today, I present to you the recipe for Mumbai-style vada pav, a yummylicious snack much loved by all and sundry.

Check out the recipe, on my photo blog!

Cheese & Curried Babycorn Sandwich| Babycorn Masala Sandwich With Cheese

Here’s presenting a Cheese & Curried Babycorn Sandwich or Babycorn Masala Sandwich With Cheese, something I tried out recently and all of us loved. I have used tender babycorn to make the filling here, curried Indian-style. Paired with some cheese and tomato ketchup, the babycorn filling tastes just amazing!

The recipe is up on my photo blog!