MEGalomaniac

Italian Inspired Buttered Eggs

2011-02-20T16:45:00.001+10:30

The secret to light, fluffy scrambled eggs is adding a dollop of cream instead of milk to the whisked eggs, using a mixture of olive oil and butter to grease the pan and ensure it is nice and hot before adding the egg mixture.

Ingredients: 5 eggs, 100 ml cream, 50 g shredded cheese of your choice (optional), 2 tbsp Butter, 1 tbsp Olive Oil, 1 tsp Dried Italian Herbs, Salt and Pepper to taste, Handful of fresh basil leaves

Method: In a bowl whisk together the eggs, cream, cheese if using, Italian herbs and seasoning.

If you are using cheese, feel free to experiment with your favourite kind as this can just lift the eggs a little and make them extra special. I love to crumble in some leftover feta to give it extra saltiness and at times will use a pinch of gorgonzola if I have a bit sitting in the fridge from a dinner party – this gives it a pungent undertone.

Get a skillet on high heat and put in the butter with a drizzle of olive oil to make sure the butter doesn’t burn.

Make sure you are armed with a wooden spatula. Turn down the high flame to medium and add in the mixture slowly, making sure it coats the pan evenly like the beginning of making an omelette. Allow the mixture to stick for about 30-40 seconds and then slowly push the wooden spatula back and forward, loosening the mixture that has begun to cook and coagulate to the bottom of the pan. Swirl the mixture around with the spatula, folding the eggs gently. Between each fold, allow the eggs to cook for about 30 seconds and then cut and fold again. Do this repeatedly until the egg mixture has almost completely dried out, except for a few wet-ish globules – these are nuggets of delicious oozing creamy, cheese bites.

Take the eggs off the fire and serve them immediately onto buttered toasted bread or English Muffins. Garnish the eggs with chiffonade of basil or whole leaves if you can’t be bothered. And if you are big on meat like I am, you will probably want some snags and or bacon with that.

Glazed BBQ T-Bone Steaks

2011-02-17T11:46:00.003+10:30

Meat off the bone is always juicer and more flavoursome which is why I love a good T-Bone, but your favourite cut of steak will do the job just fine.

The secret to cooking the perfect steak boils down to two simple yet principle factors.

One choosing a robust marinade that can be made up and dress the steak in it up to a day in advance. Simply store the marinaded steak an airtight container overnight to coax the flavours to permeate the meat through and through.

Two, getting your BBQ fired up to seal in the juices or if you are using a pan – ensure it is pipping hot and the oven is on standby to finish it off according to your doneness. Most chefs prefer using the oven to finish a steak as it ensures the steak is moist and juicy rather than dry and lifeless, like it would be if it is left to cook slowly in a pan.

These steaks are best accompanied with roast herbed spuds, caramelised onions, string beans and glazed carrots, but if you are into fries, why not! Just through in some greenery to balance it out! Happy eating...

Feeds 2

Ingredients: 2 T-Bone Steaks; Good dollop of BBQ Sauce; Dollop of Ketchup; Dash of Balsamic Vinegar; 1 tsp Seeded Mustard; 1 good tbsp Honey; Salt and pepper to season

Method: Simply whack all the marinade ingredients into a bowl large enough to fit the steaks. Combine the lot and dredge the steaks through, coating them evenly with the marinade. This can be done a day ahead and left overnight or up to half an hour before cooking.

When you are ready to cook the steaks, light up the Barbie to high and have it going until it is raring hot, tone it down to medium just before cooking the meat. Rub the bars with oiled paper towels or BBQ brush, chuck the steaks onto the grill bars and cook until desired doneness is achieved.

If using a pan, pre-heat the oven to 220 degrees C. Make sure the pan is almost smoking before adding a little bit of olive oil and then the steak. Seal the steak and get a good golden brown colour on both sides before putting it in the oven.

TIP: When the juices and blood escape from the top of the steak it is cooked to medium doneness. One can then judge the stages by touch.

The Art of Substitution and Manipulation

2011-02-15T20:58:00.003+10:30

A couple posts ago – Summer, Oh Summer... Where Art Thou? I touched on establishing flavour profiles for individual ingredients. This is important to keep in mind because often ingredients can be replaced and substituted with things you have on hand.

Make sure you have a good look in your fridge and pantry before heading out to the store find exact matches for ingredients listed in a recipe.

For example, if you don’t have honey in the cupboard, but have an orange marmalade or an apricot preserve, simply use that instead. The sweet, stickiness of the jam will do the trick just as well as honey, and in fact lend further flavour dimensions with the fruit extract adding zing.

The key is to understand the function of individual ingredients in a recipe. Why has the ingredient been included? Is it purely on the basis of flavour, consistency, texture or the ability to change the other ingredients (like a binding agent, a rising agent, a lightening agent etc)?

The functions of an ingredient may range far beyond the list cited above, and it is important to think about the ingredient as it gives you a better understanding beyond that particular dish, but then on whatever you cook using that ingredient you have an idea of the characteristics of that ingredient and how it behaves and responds.

Honey, like Jam or Marmalade contains sugar – i.e. glucose and fructose. Sugar in any form has a caramelising property when it comes into contact with a heat source. The characteristic flavour of caramel is smoky, sweet goodness. Vegetables like onions and carrots that contain natural sugars caramelise upon cooking, given the right amount of heat and time to do so. In a marinade, caramelising agents are used so that once they coat the meat they will infuse the meat with the flavour that is associated with barbecuing – smoky, sweetness – a taste that the world has come to love!

In other instances, substituting an ingredient with another can be done purposefully to alter or change the recipe to yield a certain flavour, texture, colour or appearance that one may prefer or require for a particular reason. Again, an understanding of both the original ingredient as opposed to the substituted ingredient is vital for the success of the final dish.

For example using ready-made short crust pastry sheets instead of home-made pie dough will make no difference in the end result because they are basically one and the same. However, substituting short crust for puff pastry in a recipe must be done carefully as both have different qualities and are thus used uniquely to each other.

Thai Style Restaurant via Menulog

2011-02-14T11:57:00.003+10:30

Menulog allows people all over Australia to order take-out conveniently and easily in minutes and avoid the hassle of phone calls and paper menus. Simply go to the site, select your state, type in your postcode and a list of restaurant/cafe options are produced for you to choose from. Menus for each restaurant is provided and all you have to do is simply select what item you would like and how many portions. Menulog requires your personal details only once as it creates a user id that remembers your information, making the order process extremely efficient for the future. Simply pay by credit card, opt for delivery or pick-up, and decide whether you want it now or later. And if all this isn't good enough, Menulog hooks you up with heaps of offers and discounts that ultimately saves you money.

The Occasion: Lazy Friday night ... felt a tad lazy and was in the mood for a night on the couch, curled up in front of the TV. So, take-out it was. Clicking onto menulog, I decided to go with my craving - Thai.

Our Order: My boyfriend and I shared the Tom Ka Gai - an aromatic chicken soup laced with creamy, coconut milk and flavoured with galangal, lemongrass and chilli - it was bursting with zing and simply fantastic. Next up we enjoyed the Prawn Pad Thai with egg, dried shrimp , roasted peanuts, bamboo shoots and spring onion - delicious! And to finish we sampled the Kao Phad Prig - fried rice with sweet lap chong sausage, mixed mushrooms and chilli along with a Creamy Beef Red Curry - spicy, but to-die-for.

The Verdict: Hit-the-spot meal with vivacious flavours and overall for the meal at just under $40 it was great value too. Next time we have a Thai craving we will be ordering/ going to Thai Style Restaurant, 455 Church Street, Richmond 3121.

All MEGalomaniac readers get $10 off their first order placed with Menulog.

Simply go to www.menulog.com.au and type this code: 55AC23 at the checkout.

Please note: Available for a user's first order only, at participating restaurants only (which display the "accepts vouchers") sign, expires March 31, 2011, min order $20.

Burgers with the Lot

2011-02-09T15:28:00.004+10:30

You are probably asking yourself does one really need a recipe to make a burger? Up until not long ago I didn’t think so either, but the last time I served this up to friends I had a fair few ohhhs and ahhhs and an inquisition into what went into the patty mixture so I said, what the hey, why not add it to the blog recipe portfolio.

When it comes to extras, feel free to add your personal favourites – be it olives, ham, salami, peculiar cheeses, dressings – use your imagination, be creative and experiment!

Ingredients: 6 Wholemeal Rolls with Sesame Seeds; 500g minced beef (could be substituted with lamb/pork/chicken if you’d rather); Couple Lettuce Leaves; One Tomato thinly sliced; 6 slices cheese; 6 rounds of bacon; 6 eggs; Mayonnaise; Mustard Pickles; Caramelised Onion

For patty mixture: 100g breadcrumbs (fresh or dried); 2 tsp Italian Herbs; Salt and Pepper to taste; 2 tsp Paprika; 1 tsp Chilli flakes; 2-3 cloves garlic minced/ 1 tsp crushed garlic from a jar; ½ bunch of Parsley, chopped finely

Method: Add mince and patty mixture ingredients to a dry bowl and knead with fingers until everything is incorporated and mixed evenly. Divide the mince into six equal balls and then flatten into disc of equal proportions on all sides to ensure even cooking. Place them on an oiled plate, cover with cling wrap and into the fridge for 15 mins atleast to allow them to firm up their shape.

Ideally these burger patties are juicy and taste best when cooked on the Barbie, but I understand this is not always possible and if that is the case use a pan to fry them off in a little bit of olive oil. I will not go into the details of how to fry your bacon, eggs and slap on the mayonnaise etc...

Have a play, get your hands in there and enjoy... that’s the joy of cooking and eating burgers!

Summer, Oh Summer... Where Art Thou?

2011-02-06T14:17:00.004+10:30

Seasons and weather dictate the availability of produce in the market and obviously this affects the way we cook, the recipes we turn to and the methods of cooking we employ.

It seems like lately, the city can’t make up her mind about what season she wants to be. Last weekend stood a true blue testament to February in Victoria – 40 degree day – perfect beach weather. By the time mid-week approached, unceremonious gales were blowing hard, rustling up the trees, pulling down the leaves and whistling in the wind. By Friday a swell had developed with thunderstorms and rain plaguing the city relentlessly. Then the weekend rolled in and the newspapers were splashed with headlines declaring flash-flooding across the city!

With the unpredictable state of Melbourne’s summer at the moment it makes judging what’s to be served for dinner, a rather tough ask! I have been juggling dishes in the past weeks, serving up a hearty Beef Goulash with Potato Mash one day, then a light Prawn and Bacon Fettuccine with Lemon and Feta the next, going from Winter to Summer, and back and forth – all in the span of one week!

Winter months see us toiling away, utilising the oven a whole lot – allowing the heat to permeate the kitchen and warm up the house while roasts crisp up, stews and casseroles bubble, and rich, creamy sauces simmer.

Contrastingly, light, tide-me-over meals of summer are designed simply to satisfy and stave away hunger and do-away with endless hours spent in a hot, sticky kitchen! It is usually the time of year people are keen to go-green – embrace vegetarianism, pack away the roasting pans and the Dutch-ovens, replacing them with brand new gas bottles for the barbecue and serve up an array of foods that can be served cold and prepared with minimalistic use of the stove top and oven.

Everyone eagerly awaits the arrival of summer, especially after the long, cold months of dreary winter – so when it heats up most folks transport their ingredients and dinnerware outdoors to bask the sun and enjoy the warmth.

While Melbourne’s summer this year has far-from-lived up to its expectations, here are some handy-hints to help you along your way, should summer come-a-calling!

Dips, Cheese, Cold Cuts, Deli Meats, Crackers, Flat Bread and Anti-Pasto usually feature heavily as snacky-foods that can instantaneously be turned into wraps, sandwiches or baguettes and easily toasted or served fresh.

Salads and stir-fry’s are another common feature of summer menus as the incorporate the fresh green leafy vegetables that have sprung into season. Choose from a variety of lettuces, aromatic herbs, crunchy carrots, juicy cucumbers, ripe tomatoes, pearly ears of corn and buttery avocadoes.

All you need then is a zesty dressing to bring it all together and whammo, you have a stunning, simple-to-make summer meal. As for dressings, I avoid the bottled stuff available at supermarkets, as they usually negate the positive points of eating salad since they tend to be full of sugar, preservatives and chemicals that do your body absolutely no good. Oh, and of course they don’t live up to their advertised expectations either!

Homemade dressings are as simple as mixing a few of your favourite flavours together and experimenting. Favourite concoctions I like to whip up include Red-Wine Vinaigrette Dressing (Red Wine Vinegar, Olive Oil, Dried Italian Herbs, Salt and Pepper), Creamy Balsamic Dressing (Olive Oil, Balsamic Dressing and Mayonnaise) and Honey-Mustard Dressing (Honey, Seeded Mustard, Olive Oil, White Vinegar and Dried Italian Herbs).

The good thing about these dressings are apart from the Creamy Balsamic, is that all the others can be made in large batches and stored in squeeze-bottles to be used over a period of time since the ingredients are shelf-stable and do not require any refrigeration.

Please note, because the Creamy Balsamic contains mayonnaise and therefore requires can be stored for up to a week, refrigerated.

All this talk of summer and no mention of a barbecue! Seems ludicrous eh? There is no way that living Down Under one can ever possibly forget the all integral barbecue that is essential to any Aussie summer experience!

The Australians are masters of the grill. You name it and they will find a way of chucking it on the barbecue, and infusing the characteristic smoky, charcoal flavour. It doesn’t take much to get you hooked!

In my three years in Australia I have seen everything from eggs being cooked on the Barbie to stuffed eggplants! Possibly the greatest thing about barbecuing is that it requires very little prep-work and barely any cleaning up after. All you need to have a few basic ingredients handy. It is best to keep your pantry stocked for summer with the following, since most of these will last you well through summer and beyond. Ketchup (or Tomato Sauce), BBQ Sauce, Honey, Mustard of your choice, Mixed Dried Herbs, Paprika, Packaged Lemon Juice, Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper.

With these few ingredients, you can create magical marinades that will have you jumping up and down with excitement, along with family and friends. Marinades are easy to make, simply use ingredients keeping in mind their individual flavour profiles. Take French mustard – it tends to typically have a sharp, poignant edge with a creamy texture, so it is best balanced by Honey – a rich, sweet, glossy ingredient that will contrast and thus marry well. To finish the marinade and give it complexity, a herb like Rosemary, that is hardy and buxom (able to stand up to the heady flavours of Mustard and Honey) is perfect.

Summer brings us bountiful, succulent fruits and these are obviously delicious eaten as-is, but also lend themselves to a variety of dishes. Fruit in summer is best used to spice up salads as well as marinades for meats that go straight onto the Barbie without too much fussing.

A couple of winning salads use fruit. Why not try sliced/ chopped apples as you would in a Waldorf Salad, or segmented orange with sliced fennel and rocket doused in olive oil and red-wine vinegar.

Another of my favourite summer salads incorporates watermelon which is just brilliant – cooling you down almost immediately. Almost 90 per cent of a watermelon is comprised of – you guessed it – water! So it is immediately refreshing. Pair cubes of watermelon with chiffonade of mint, a hint of lemon juice and crumbled feta and you are in for a real treat – it’s great on its own as well as with steak.

Stone fruit that is amply available around summertime like Nectarines, Peaches, Plums and Apricots are simply gorgeous when used in salsas, pesto, chimmi-churri and even in chunky salad dressing since it adds a wonderful natural sweetness and a kiss of summer to these accompaniments that are best served with grilled meats.

When cooking/ marinating meat for the barbecue stone fruit can be incorporate too, great for adding moisture and flavour to the meat. Try adding chunks of stone fruit in between skewers or kebabs as a zesty alternative to capsicum/ onion or why not stuff a loin of pork with de-seeded stone fruit along with herbs for a sensational roast.

Prawn and Bacon Fettuccine with Chilli, Lemon and Feta

2011-02-01T21:37:00.005+10:30

Great for Melbourne’s hot summer nights when the last thing you want to be doing is slaving over a hot stove for hours. This dish take less than 10 minutes to cook from start to finish, simply put your kettle on to boil, dunk your pasta in, and by the time you pasta is cooked (approx. 8 minutes) your sauce is ready to go.

This recipe is especially good if you are hankering for a filling feed minus all the drama. But don't trust me... try it yourself!

Ingredients: 200 g Prawns, shelled and deveine; 2-3 rashers bacon, sliced into thin strip; 200 g Fettuccine, boiled as per packet instructions; 1 small onion thinly sliced; 2 tsp chilli flake; 1 ½ heaped tsp dried Italian herbs; 2 tsp minced garlic (I like it strong, tone it done if you so wish; 1 tsp ginger (optional); 2 tbsp lemon juice (bottled is fine, but fresh is great if you can be bothered);White Wine Vinegar; ½ cup pouring cream; 1 tbsp Olive Oil; 100 g Feta, crumbled; Handful of Pimento Olives roughly chopped; Mint and Basil leaves, chiffonade to garnish; Salt and Pepper to taste

Method: Heat the olive oil in a skillet and sauté the onions, garlic and ginger. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. To the same pan add the chilli flakes and dried Italian herbs, the white wine vinegar, lemon juice and cream and stir. Cook on a low heat until it starts to bubble, when it does add the prawns and stir. The prawns only need 3-4 minutes to turn completely pink at which stage they are cooked through. Quickly toss in the boiled fettuccine, season with salt and pepper and add in the sliced olives. Plate up and garnish with mint, basil and feta.

Eating India

2011-01-30T23:23:00.008+10:30

It has been two weeks since I have been back in Melbourne but the taste of India and bustling Bangalore remain sweet in my memory, as I am sure they will be for the rest of the year. All the more reading Chitrita Banerji's, Eating India is adding to it all, enhancing the vibrant image of India.

The trip was a furry of rekindling my food affair with local favourites amidst a chaotic schedule that involved three weddings (One in Delhi and Pune, one in Bangalore and Chennai and one from start to finish in Bangalore), as well as introducing my boyfriend to them for the very first time. And you know what they say, first impressions are everything, so I was eager to take him to the best-of-the-best, institutions that have stood the test of time.

Breakfast is easily the most important meal of the day, especially when you are travelling and have a whole day of discoveries ahead of you to be made.

Konark on Residency Road is the best place in town to score South Indian delights ranging from the humble plain dosa (thin, flat pancake made from fermented rice flour) with coconut chutney and sambar to masala dosa (stuffed with cumin-spiced potatoes), idlis (steamed rice flour like sponge-cakes), vadhas (deep-fried doughnuts made from lentil flour) to puri-palya (deep-fried bread, inflated to look like UFOs, served with spiced potatoes) and channa-bhatura (larger UFOs served with chick-pea curry).

Although 100% vegetarian - this place has my stamp of approval, and you know this means a lot. In years past, Airlines that sits on Lavelle Road and St. Mark's Road cross junction, used to be my preferred spot for a hit of South Indian loving, but the last two visits to Bangalore have made me realise like my family that the standard has really dropped and their is really no point in returning to the old hangout.

Konark impresses not only with the food, but their range of freshly-squeezed fruit juices are phenomenal with flavours to choose from like Sweet Lime, Grape, Watermelon, Orange, Apple to Lime.

In the picture above is a plate of Papdi Chaat, one of many kinds of Indian street fast-foods that are referred to as Chaat principally containing crispy deep-fried papad that comes in a variety of shapes, sizes and brittle textures, a variety of spiced powder including chilli and chaat powder, yoghurt to soothe, and garnished with fresh coriander. One of my favourite haunts is Neetu's on Commercial Street.

There is one and only one place to eat the perfect Gulab Jamun and that is at Bhagat Rams Sweet Shop on Commercial Street. The shop has been around for decades, the only thing that remains changed is the location a couple of blocks down in what used to be called the 'Tunnel of Love'.

Possibly the city's most busy confectioner, they produce a range of North Indian and South Indian sweets at a standard that is far superior to that of any of their competitors.

Bhutta is the local term for char-grilled corn on the cob that is cooked on burning embers from coal fires fanned by vendors on wheelable carts. The smoke emitting from the burning coals gives the corn a characteristic smoky flavour and aids in gently blistering the tight skins covering the individual pearls of corn, yielding a sweet taste as you bite in. After the corn is char-grilled it is wiped with a brush that is dipped in a mixture of lime, salt and chilli. The result is a tangy, cheek sucking oooh-ahh flavour that is absolutely unique and oh-so addictive.

What kind of trip to India could possibly be complete without sampling a variety of kebabs ? Kebabs serve as the appetiser portion of the Indian meal and are a North Indian concept. Kebabs usually refer to morsels of meat off or on the bone that have been marinaded or spiced, cooked and then served with lime and a dipping sauce of some kind. Quite often kebabs are skewered, boneless pieces of chicken, meat or fish that are cooked in a tandoor, a North Indian method of cooking that is attributed to the Afghans, the tradition having travelled down with Alexander.

Rosagulla - probably the most famed food the Bengali community has to offer the world. This sweet was invented by K.C. Das and is till date run by the same family, obviously having been passed down in generations with stores having opened in cities across India. Bangalore was graced with a store in the '80's die to a limit on the usage of milk.

The sweet is made from paneer (Indian version of cottage cheese) that is fried and then placed in a sugar syrup, so as to absorb the sweet juice.

Keerkidham (above) is yet another Bengali sweet, not as famous as the Rosagulla, but tastier in my opinion. The centre is a cotton-candy pink and the texture much softer and supple than that of the chewy Rosagulla, not to mention it is not as sickeningly sweet.

The thali is very much a creation of South India and is characterised by several small bowls containing various sambar, rasaams (curries/ gravies), cooked vegetable, cooked meat and usually accompanied with a range of starches in a certain order. Rice most definitely features at the start usually progressing to chapati or roti and then curd-rice to finish. Sometimes Biryani maybe included if it is a lavish thali.

Below is another picture of a thali (my best friend enjoying her meal), but served straight onto a banana leaf in the traditional style, minus the bowls. Both are typically South Indian styles of eating, the one above simply a more modernised approach to eating.

India – Land of Contradictions

2010-12-15T22:12:00.004+10:30

Often when foreigners talk to me of India they point at urban Bangalore – my hometown with its sprawling malls, filled with pretentious European brands flaunting obscenely priced designerware, the pubs and bars well stocked with exotic liquor and the cafes and restaurants proffering plates of food as varied as Spanish Tapas to Japanese Tepankayi, out to the city’s well-to-do men, women and children that spend money without much thought. Simply put they are used to everything being served to them on a silver platter, while foreigners say “this is not the real India, the real India lives in villages and slums”.

To me, that is not the reality of the situation. In my minds eye there are two India’s one that forms the playground of the rich, and the other is the never ending obstacle course that the poor, lower-middle and middle class struggle to overcome and leapfrog over.

The irony of it all is having grown up and spent most of my life in India, I, like most of India's upper class learnt how to shut out the other India, choosing only to see what was in the India created for us – the fortunate and the secure.

Living in houses of considerable proportions, accustomed to running water – both hot and cold, electricity to power all the innumerable gadgets that the 21^st Century has to , rich Indians go about their daily lives oblivious to the ‘other’ India that exists only footsteps away.

In some sense, the two worlds collide, as domestic staff are employed in and around the house. Maids, cooks, gardeners, watchmen and drivers live and work alongside the rich, serving and attending to their every need, yet indifference reigns supreme.

The strangeness of the situation is further exaccerabted as I have been living in Australia for the last three years. With every yearly visit to India – my home – the disparity of it all seems larger than life, yet within no time I slip back into the general, accepted upper class way of life.

Personally, at the core of India’s problems is our treatment of the poor in terms of opportunities – literacy, food, health and sanitation – it seems like a solution or improvement is decades away. Yet, what plagues me is that inversely, the ‘other’ India is raring to go – on its way to becoming a globally recognised economic powerhouse with extremely innovative technology.

Interestingly we (Indians) lay enormous blame on the corrupt government and politics within our country, and I am not claiming to be any different, but the point to be made is that the private business and technology sector has managed to create a massive platform for itself, so much so it has become globally recognised, yet with regard to issues of our own people we have a long way away to go to bridge the gap between the rich and poor, moreover for the poor to be able to live according to an internationally accepted humane standard of living.

As a chef, food writer and food, wine and travel enthusiast the paradox of the rich eating luxuriously well in India while countless numbers out there starve or barely get by with one meal a day is an extremely daunting and self -loathing. Ironically, this is the premise of how the two India’s live in synchrony, side by side, day in and day out for the world to gasp in wonder.

I am but one human being – yet I am one Indian with a fighting spirit, voice and hope for a brighter future for my country. The truth of the matter is that the children of India need our help. The country is home to nearly 44 % of the world’s malnourished children and many do not have access to a single meal in a day. If food is not available, education is neglected, perpetuating the vicious cycle of poverty. Not only is their right to life under threat, but also their right to development.

Though there is still a tremendous need for increased efforts on the part of Governments, legislatures and societies before the state of the world’s children improves, some progress has already been made. In November of 2001, the Supreme Court of India passed an order mandating that "Cooked mid-day meal is to be provided in all the government and government-aided primary schools in all states of the country." This gave rise to what has been termed the ‘mid-day meal scheme’.

Today, the mid-day meal scheme in India, reaches out to an estimated 120 million children in government and government aided primary schools and is one of the most successful school lunch programs in the world. The success of the scheme can be attributed to public-private partnerships nurtured and developed by State Governments of the country, in which non-profit children’s organizations such as Akshaya Patra act as the implementing arm of the government. This approach has been so effective that NGOs today play a significant role in the scheme. Akshaya Patra alone reaches out to 1.2 million children across the country, an estimated 1% of the total number of nationwide beneficiaries.

YOU can make a difference. All you need to do is click on the link to Akshaya Patra and donate. A contribution of just Rs. 525 equivalent to US $/AUS $ 11.90 will help feed a child for a year.

http://www.akshayapatra.org/

Travelling with Blinders - Hong Kong

2010-12-08T21:14:00.005+10:30

I’m up in the air on a plane again, hovering over Java once more. Oddly enough the last three weekends have been spent commuting to and fro various destinations around the world – Melbourne, Kuala Lumpur, Bangalore, Delhi, Bombay, Pune, Bangalore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and now I am making my way back to Bangalore.

So many cities, varying diverse cultures, customs, traditions, languages and most important to me – unique food-ways, yet one defining commonality remains – the ubiquitous shopping mall phenomenon that has captured the world by storm. Unfortunately for me this has been where I have spent most of my time on every recent trip.

While shopping is something I am passionate about second only to food, be it fashion, home-wares, cookware or gifts, the globalised mall concept irks me beyond belief. The sterile, safe interiors, the concrete confinement and the lack of local vibrancy robs you completely of the ‘authentic’ local travel experience.

Lucky for me – Delhi, Pune, Kuala Lumpur or Hong Kong all have massive street food cultures that makes eating on the go an easy-breezy pleasure, especially when travelling with persistent shoppers with an intensive list of items and stores (i.e. My mum and sister – travel companions during the Indian cities for my cousins wedding and likewise with my best friends Swetha and Sharmishta to Hong Kong on bacholerette celebrations).

Lucky for me, I have managed to fit in stops for chaat in Delhi and Pune and ducked into various dim sum eateries for quick bites amidst their hectic shopping itineraries. The unfortunate part however, is travelling with blinders I missed Lan Tau Island and the cable car ride up to see the Big Bronze Sitting Outdoor Budha, sighting the rare and beautiful famed Pink Dolphins of the Pacific Sea and exploring HK's volcanic past.

My first ever trip to Hong Kong and I was excited about exploring the deep rooted Chinese tea house culture, sampling off the beaten road yum-cha fare, savouring aromatic cups of tea, stopping curiously at food carts on the roadside and I was determined to try abalone, something I had never done until two days ago and a something I personally feel is totally overrated.

In a whirlwind of four days and three nights we managed to fit in every shopping district with their gigantic malls all featuring obscenely priced high end fashion none of could dream of buying anytime soon and endless nights of fabulous partying exploring Hong Kong’s buzzing nightlife scene.

Each area has its own definitive vibe – and each one is well worth checking out. Landing on a Thursday, we hit up Lan Kwai Fong – possibly HK’s most reputable nightspot known for its many numerous bars spread across the bending road. We did a fair bit of pub hopping, since Happy Hour was in full swing (5-9pm) and then moving on to Ladies Night offers of free cosmos etc – possibly our most economic night on the whole.

Our next night out we learned what real HK prices are like. We went down to Soho for a Greek meal – Mezze platter of dips, pitta, olives and peppers stuffed with marinated feta and a Seafood platter of Sardines, Octopus, Soft Shell Crab and Prawns, rounded off with a pitcher of Sangria. After our suitable feed we decided to ride the famed escalators that are ‘supposed’ to take you up and down according to your whim and fancy – but low and behold the damn things were shut off and instead we had to trek up and down in stilettos to get to the next venue – Dragon i – a hell of a walk away, but nonetheless worth it – hot rocking nightclub for the young and hip. This place was packed with the most incredibly gorgeous men I have ever come across in one space – still stunned from that night!

Having nursed our heavy heads, the next day consisted of more promising shopping along Mon Kok’s street vendors selling various bags, purses, key chains and knick-knacks in downtown Kowloon. Several shopping bags later we ventured to Discovery Bay – a residential island reached only by ferry from the mainland. It is truly a place worth visiting - everyone moves around the island on foot or golf buggy – it reminds me of the Jetsons only golf buggy instead of space hovering crafts! The entire gated community island concept blew me away – something that I think would take a hell of a lot of adjusting to do!

Returning to HK mainland later that evening after enjoying dinner at a friend’s house we took up a local recommendation and hit up The Pawn, Wan Chai for relaxed drinks. I must say it is a perfect spot for a quiet drink and nibbles with city views. The entire building stands as a testimony to the 1800’s when it was built originally as a pawn shop – therefore the name. The place is so much an institution that having come back to Bangalore only two weeks ago, I was watching a travelogue on HK on the discovery channel where The Pawn was featured. So don’t take my word – try it out yourself.

ABC Farms Cheese & Wine Show, Pune – Nov 2010

2010-11-23T23:19:00.004+10:30

Sula and Chateau Indage have become household names when it comes to Indian wine. Together they have been responsible for putting Nashik, Maharashtra on the vino map globally.

On a recent visit to a Cheese and Wine Show at ABC Farms in Pune I chanced upon two newbies, both of whose white collection hold enormous promise.

Fratelli from Solapur making a debut appearance is an Indo-Italian joint venture between Italy’s Secci brothers, Alessio and Andrea, the New Delhi-based Sekhri brothers, Kapil and Gaurav, and Mohite-Patil Ranjitsinh and Arjunsinh from Solapur. Fratelli is available in two white brands Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc — and two red brands — Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah priced between Rs 600 and Rs 1200 for a 750 ml bottle.

Vinsura, derived from Vinchur – 250 acres of sprawling vineyard land in Nasik and Sura – the Sanskrit word for wine, boasts a portfolio of wines ranging from Sparkling Rose, Chenin Blan, Sav-Blanc to Shiraz, Cab-Sav, Zinfandel and Claret. My favourite of the lot was the Coral Pink Zinfandel Blush extracted from Cab-Sav grapes and the Rose, so much so I had to grab a bottle for myself to take home.

Moving on to the cheese component of the afternoon, ABC Farms is said to be one of India’s leading producers of dairy, particularly cheese. With 50 years of operational and business experience in the dairy industry they produce over 60 varieties of cheese using their own cultures. Hybrid cattle and goats are used for the production of milk and then cheeses.

Several cheeses mostly generic Boursin, Cheddar, Edam, Gouda and Colby, infused with various spices, fruits and nuts were laid out with servers and cheese knives at the ready for tasting and purchases. Personal favourites were the Boursin crusted with Black Pepper, Boursin Crusted with Paprika, Sun-Dried Tomato Cheese (pic below) and a sharp Colby, only true in terms of colour but far too robust to be categorised as such.

To my disappointment the Raisin Cheese , Chocolate Cheese and Coffee Cheese left me with a bad taste in my mouth. Some things are better left the traditional way, and where cheese and fruit/ chocolate/ coffee are concerned, that’s my hunch!

Golden Ticket

2010-11-14T23:32:00.003+10:30

“Home”, synonymous with family, nurture, care and love manifests itself in three forms – shelter, security and sustenance. As we progress from toddlers to teenagers there is a paradoxical shift of the same, and necessities over time become comforts and luxuries to be cherished.

While in the West flying the coop by the time one is in their early twenties if not earlier is the norm, Indians similar to Southern Europeans tend to continue to live at home, lapping up home cooked meals and enjoying being cleaned after and cared for.

Eventually however, everyone moves out, at least one hopes and aspires to (I can’t imagine anyone wanting to be the 40 year old virgin). And it is from this day that you embark on being an independent individual that you have automatically earned yourself a shiny, wonderful golden ticket.

I tend to use these golden tickets sparingly and save them for just the right time. For years now it has consistently been between November and December when Christmas is in the air and the festivities are eagerly being ushered in. There is already a jovial, happiness ringing through the air that is almost contagious, giving and caring is only quadrupled when you whip out a golden ticket.

If by now you haven’t figured out what the hell a golden ticket is – it is simply the pampering, oohing and aaahing that parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles shower down on you when you make your way back “home”. The grandeur of the visit of course is exacerbated by the distance from which you live from your family, as well as the frequency of your trips back home.

A boarder at the age of thirteen, the golden ticket is a thing I am very familiar with. Every visit back home since then, be it after my one year gap year in Denmark and my annual visits every year of Masters programme in Australia has meant coming home to a dinner of Fried Fish, Kerala Fry, White Rice, Kachimoore, Avial, Papad and White Curds, followed by my favourite Indian sweet – Gulab Jamun from Bhagatrams. A snooze in my childhood bed, that is periodically updated and it’s a matter of hours before I wake to my favourite breakfast of Appams and Chicken Stew.

This time however, it seems as if my golden ticket lost its sheen. I was offered leftover hot dogs instead of my usual welcome that I was looking forward to with baited breath. No special meal and moreover HOT DOGS! In the end we settled on going out for dinner to a new Kerala restaurant that offered the dishes of my childhood – I have nothing against the restaurant but could not fully enjoy it since its simply something best enjoyed at home the way I like it lovingly prepared.

Eat to Live ... or Live to Eat ?

2010-11-08T20:43:00.004+10:30

Most people eat to live. And then there are some that live to eat, I am one of the latter, and am sure this comes of no surprise! To eat without balance, and by this I mean exercising judgment and one’s body is vital for a happy and healthy life. Hey, I’m no doctor, but it’s a simple prescription everyone knows, but not everyone likes to follow. Of late I have noticed the weight piling on, the angst of discontent with my current body shape and more so my fitness levels.

To be honest, I can’t go further without divulging all the information, or things simply will not make sense. Up until April of this year, six days a week, two hours each day, for the last seven years of my life have been spent dedicated to strenuous cardio, weights and abdominal workouts to ensure my body was in tip-top shape. And to this I must add that I was happy with what I saw in the mirror.

Over the last eight months working in kitchens, standing all day and exerting what seemed to be a hell of a lot of energy every day I neglected the gym and all/ any forms of exercise, yet eating the same enormously, extravagant meals I have always consumed. I just thought the kitchen was giving me a workout turns out cardiovascular motion cannot be replaced with working on the spot, damn!

While I have never been one for diets, my motto – eat extra tonight, run an extra mile the next day, I knew my time was ticking and it was only a matter of months before my rump became juicy enough to roast! Awful analogy I know, but I simply could not resist that one!

Anyways, coming back to me, my weight and enormous appetite has obviously got the better of me and with two Indian weddings within the next two months and my return to India – the land of slim, slender, sexy ladies the heat was and is most definitely on! And oops, I forget to mention New Years in Sri Lanka, with the requisite of slipping into a bikini duh!

About two weeks ago I decided it was time to turn things around. And so I took my first jog in months and boy was it a hit to my ego and my body, because not only was I left huffing and puffing like a penguin, but I was aching and sore the next few days. Getting in shape and gaining back that stamina was hard. What was undoubtedly harder however was trying to figure out what to cook for dinner.

While Melbourne was “supposed” to be warming up with spring midway and summer around the corner the weather was most definitely still wintery with chilly, cold nights and rainstorms deserving of Goulash and Mashed Potatoes, Massaman Curry with Fragrant Rice, or any other hearty carb-heavy fare, guaranteed to warm one up instantaneously. As you can see the odds were piling up against me, it was like I was fighting a losing battle.

Finally after much thinking, trials and tribulations I decided that instead of going from dishes like rich risottos cooked in chicken stock, with olive oil, lashings of butter and drowned in Parmesan cheese to bowls of fresh salad with the highlight being vinaigrette dressing, starving an hour later and finally succumbing to a disastrous midnight snack, that it was better to go half the hog and start with modest changes like taking away excessive amounts of dairy and carbohydrate from our diets, making our food delicious, filling and healthy, rather than being overly ambitious.

In all honesty I think this is the key, both me and my partner (who was initially shocked about my sudden change in dinner plans) felt happy and healthier and honestly I have lost inches, my clothes fit better and I have been at the receiving end of a fair few compliments.

If you are wondering what was on the winning healthy menu, here are a few of the meals I prepared the last couple week:

- - - Hokkien Stir Fry Noodles with Red Peppers, Carrots, Scallions and Beef Strips in a Sweet-Soy Asian Style Sauce

-- -- Beef Mince Tacos with heaps of shredded Lettuce, fresh Tomatoes, Salsa and Homemade Guacamole

- - - Grilled Chicken with Salad (and I had half a chicken left over which I used to make Chicken wraps and served with a leafy salad the next day)

- - - Steamed Cous Cous with diced Red Onion, Parsley and Tomatoes tossed in Lemon Juice and Olive Oil served with Lamb Chops

- - - Pan Fried Basa Fillets in a Lemon, White Wine Sauce with Parsley, Steamed Broccoli, on a bed of steamed white rice (used 1 tbp olive oil for 4 fillets)

- Seared Salmon Fillets with Asparagus and Carrots

Home is Where The Heart Is

2010-11-07T01:45:00.005+10:30

I’m back! Am officially on holiday and am aiming to resurrect my food blog with the former enthusiasm, passion and dedication prior to my stint working in Melbourne as a full time chef.

So here goes my attempt to redeem myself with a catch up... Cheers!

Crossing the Java Strait as I fly to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from Melbourne, where I began my journey this morning, my tummy is tight with knots, cramping like it always does when I am anxious. The aches in my stomach are no doubt the result of my recent incessant pondering over the notion of “home”, a matter that has been plaguing me since dinner last night.

On our way to our loved relaxed resto-bar Bimbo’s in Fitzroy, I could not help but want to take in all of Melbourne’s surrounds for the last time in 2010. I am not afraid to admit that whilst I have shared a love-hate relationship with the city of Melbourne over the span of this year, I could not help but feel a pang of sadness for a city that has definitely grown on me.

Days melded effortlessly into weeks and months with my time spent cooped up hours on end in the confines of Italian kitchens cooking up countless pastas and risottos, yet an undeniable connection with the city has triumphed over time. Melbourne despite its weary transport system and at times nonchalant people have snuck under my skin and won me over, especially because of the work-hard, play-hard ethos. And, I would be a fool to pretend for even one second that the city’s teeming restaurants, vibrant food markets that spoil one for choice, along with the continuous spirit of celebration that looms in the air has played no part whatsoever.

The question of who the reference to “our” refers to above may have arisen. Since April of this year I have become accessory to an Australian man of Irish-Maltese parentage, and he has completely and utterly captured my heart. Ok, I can assure you there will be no gushing and mushiness; I am simply bringing matters up to date as it is no secret that I have been MIA for some time now.

While we scoffed down $ 4 ultra thin wood-fire oven baked pizzas topped with oh so delicate flavours of smoked-salmon, spinach and mascarpone contrasted by a more robust choice of lamb, feta and rocket leaves, washed down with a local Cab-Shiraz, I think both Danny and I silently gave thanks for the time we have enjoyed together over the last six and a half months despite my work weeks averaging 50 hours! Beyond the belief that we are soul mates, we have become best friends and loyal partners, confidants and gastro-aficionados. We have managed to build a bond that feels airtight, bolstered by the resounding success of our once-upon-a-time spontaneous plan of moving in together and now added to us being us, we have a home to show for it, together.

Having had an abundance of intimate moments – just the two of us, I only assume it must be natural for me to feel slightly frazzled at the prospect of going back “home”. “Home” to the first and only notion previous to Melbourne of being “home” – that is Bangalore, India tomorrow afternoon.

Tonight I break my journey with an overnight stay in Kuala Lumpur, enjoying time with me, myself and I – symbolic of the interim period between my “new” life with Danny in our Melbourne home and that which separates me from my family and childhood rooted sense of home back in Bangalore.

My trip home has four main reasons. Number one and two are big, fat, Indian weddings, one within my extended family and the other my dearest, best friend Swetha – the first of my girls to get hitched. Of course, Christmas celebrations with my family, for which Danny will join me in mid December rates number three. And last, but not least, time for reflection, to figure out what 2011 holds for me career wise? I have been toying with the thought of going back to writing full time, or perhaps delving into events management, menu planning, or some kind of role involving travel and food, but basically putting cooking on the back burner for a bit and using my Gastronomy Masters and my Chef Certification in conjunction, somehow to get back to some of my original goals I had in mind when I first embarked on my journey Down Under.

Apart from spending time in Bangalore the next two months hold exciting travels too, with trips to Hong Kong end of this month and to Sri Lanka to usher in the New Year.

Don Don

2010-05-23T11:38:00.001+09:30

Melbourne’s busy CBD is packed to the rafters with cheap-eat options especially for quick duck-out lunches for the cities work crew. Don Don’s in South Bank offers incredible value along with great tasting food boasting quality ingredients. How can you tell the quality – taste it – the food is handed over to you pretty much as soon as the “change hits your hand” (to quote another reviewer) and comes in cute bento boxes that present oh-so-well and taste way better than a multitude of Japanese restaurant meals I have eaten in the past in Australia – and at that had to wait for over 20 minutes for! As for value: For under $10 you can eat like a king. The terrikaki box featuring thinly sliced beef flavoured with a ginger and spring onion broth, teriyaki glazed chicken cubes, rice, salad and cut fruit is a must try and will not disappoint I assure you. The food is undoubtedly great on all accounts, the hard part –wrangling a spot in the never-ending queue and finding a tiny space to relish your meal!

5 Bank St
South Melbourne, VIC 3205
Ph: 03 9696 6682

Bimbos

2010-05-22T10:50:00.002+09:30

If I had a dollar for every Melbournian in the recent past (1 ½ months) that has bagged Fitzroy for selling out to mainstream commercialism and complained bitterly about the yuppie takeover of the once-upon-a-time eclectic and vibrant precinct I would be fiddling with my brand new i-phone right about now. Yes, I have been told a fair few times about how the area was originally home to an overwhelmingly large ethnic wog (Italio-Greek) community, before the hippies came along adding to the eclectic charm of the area, boheminising it and adding further ‘depth and interest’ – thus the nods of disapproval.

Bimbo’s boasts a lot of goodies for a steal. Where do I begin? The enormous selection of $4 gourmet styled thin crust pizzas – salmon and gorgonzola, calabrese, lamb, rocket and pinenuts (there are heaps more to rack your brains over what to get) as well as delish dessert pizzas – apple crumble and mixed berries and hello – there are house infused signature flavoured vodkas – take your pick from lychee, watermelon, pomegranate, chilli, vanilla and a handful more priced at $7.

So it is apparent that the place leaves you spoilt for choice food and drink wise, and is easy on the pocket – and obviously this brings in a teaming crowd, mostly youngsters, uni students, young professionals looking at knocking off work and enjoying a few drinks while nibbling on something tasty – an interesting ambience always helps. The place is dark – barely illuminated giving it a nightclub feel, the music is funky and the atmosphere chilled out. With a terrace and outdoor seating on the floor above, there is heaps of room, but still you will be hard-pressed to find a place as evening sets.

376 Brunswick St
Fitzroy VIC 3065
Ph: +61 03 9419 8600

El Mirage

2010-05-21T12:07:00.004+09:30

My take on this place is simple. It sports a retro-chic ambience and charm, the wait staff fit in with the surrounds – decked out in fashionably vintage styled ensembles. As soon as you walk in the place exudes a sense of eccentricity. Once you are seated in their light filled long room and scan the menu you understand why. The menu is fresh with exciting brekkie options that will have your mouth watering and it definitely hits the spot upon arrival – I am hanging to go back, and soon. Funnily enough though I always like to take a trawl of internet resto-review sites and my experience seems to align with only a few “lucky” dinners that have likewise expressed positive reviews, most were openly unhappy, dissatisfied with “unfriendly” service and intolerance to kids. The only point I can remark on with regard to the former negative aspect is that we were short-changed twice when we paid our bill and no apology passed the waitress or owners lips!

A sucker for great food and a point of difference – the menu alive with offbeat options – sour cherry toast with mascarpone, Slim Jim poached eggs with ricotta, fig chutney and avocado and the pancakes with lemon curd, mascarpone and maple syrup – fluffy and oh so sweet!

349 Lygon St
Brunswick East VIC 3057
Ph:+ 61 03 9388 0966