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  • Rajasthani Food Festival at Hornby’s Pavilion, ITC Grand Central

    Last year during my visit to Rajasthan on the occasion of a friend’s wedding, I had an elaborate interaction with Rajasthani Cuisine. I respect the cuisine for its design under constraints, something which is evident by limited usage of fresh produce (rarely available in earlier times); its ghee-laden richness which resonates with its royal heritage and tradition; and Rajasthani people’s ability to eat hard and work harder to digest a rich cuisine.

    So when last week I got an invite for a Rajasthani Food Festival at Hornby’s Pavilion, ITC Grand Central, I just couldn’t say no, I had to go.

    Before I start and get lost in the food, I would like to mention the presence of Chef Kailash Chand Meena who is the in-house expert on Rajasthani Cuisine for the ITC Group of Hotels and was the brain behind the event. He gathered his expertise serving in the kitchens of Jaipur and Udaipur royalty and is someone who loves narrating his experiences. I had a great discussion with him on the innovative use of ingredients in Rajasthani meals, the royal traditions of designing elaborate menus, and the flavors of laal maans vis-à-vis safed maans. After all this he promised to make chakke ki sabzi and gulabjaamun ki sabzi for me on my next visit. You can catch up with him at ITC Soner Bangla (Kolkata), or at such Rajasthani themed events ITC organizes.

    There were two starters on the Rajasthani menu, the simple chicken one and the Tilwaale Paneer. Tilwaale (Sesame) Paneer is something I first tasted a couple of years back in a Jain wedding and taste has stuck since then. Paneer is coated with Besan and sesame and then sort of stir-fired to make it crispy. One of my favorite dish. The chicken dish was normal.

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    Paneer Tilwaale

    Daal-Baati Churma is a core constituent of any Rajasthani meal and people tend to be very particular about it. I have had the rough of ones of roadside dhabas in Gujarat and the really rich royal ones served in weddings.  I asked Chef Kailash to make it for me the way he likes it, so he crushed the Baatis, added the Daal (which even independently was quite tasty), a dash of Ghee and sprinkled some Jaggery over it. I have never had Daal Baati with Jaggery on top and I liked the sweet flavor which went well with the Ghee-moistened baati.

    Rajasthani cuisine generally doesn’t disappoint the vegetarians, and as expected there were the traditional Badi, Besan domianted sabzis. I lovedPithori ki Sabzi (Besan batter, steamed and cut in cubes with Tomato Gravy) and Mangodi ki Subzi (Moong Daal  Badis in Gravy). One unique dish which I tried out was the Moongfalli ki Subzi (Raw Peanuts in a rich creamy gravy). I love peanuts in all forms and this is something I will surely try cooking at home too.

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    Mangodi ki Sabzi

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    Pithori ki Sabzi

    In the non-vegetarian fare there were a couple of dishes, Chicken Kadhiwaala and Laal Maans. Chicken Kadhi was ok, and not that exciting for me. Laal Maans was spicy (as it is supposed to be) and the mutton was perfectly cooked. Although I could have taken another step on the Scoville Scale, guess this was good for patrons flocking ITC currently. Loved Laal Maans.

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    Chicken Kadhiwaala

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    Laal Maans

    Accompaniments included the chapatis, the bajra bhakris, and sev-pulaav. Although another interesting dish were the green-tinged Papads. The saltiness (and the green tinge) in the Papad was a result of using the foam of Sambhar Lake as a key ingredient. These Chefs do go the distance when it goes to sourcing stuff.

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    Special “Sambhar Lake” Papads

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    Sev Pulaav

    The dessert included the Ghevar (which I am not a big fan of and so won’t comment anything on it) and the Lapsi Halwa which has been a childhood favorite for me. Simple and nice.

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    Lapsi Halwa

    All in all a good, controlled experience. Sometimes the Thali Restaurants tend to get on my nerve and overwhelm with so much food, having it in such a setting was a neat experience. Looking forward to meeting Chef Kailash again sometime soon.

    Disclosure: ITC’s Public Relations team covered all the expenses associated with the food tastings mentioned above. For more details refer my disclosure page.

  • Episode I: What to eat in Varanasi?

    Episode I: What to eat in Varanasi?

    Anything. Simply, anything.

    Amidst all the chaos and confusion of Varanasi, food is one thing which instills some sense of order, with its simple yet mouthwatering flavors dominating a lot of other experiences one has in the city. Varanasi’s food is defined by its place in Hindu culture and tradition, its regional influences (Eastern Uttar Pradesh and proximity to Bihar), the influx of foreign visitors and their will to explore its cultural nuances, and above all its relationship with the river Ganga.

    I got an opportunity to taste some incredible food on my visit to Varanasi in July, and have some insightful conversations on the cuisine, preparations, and its fusion with external influences. Hope some of my experiences help you make a decision on What and Where to eat in Varanasi.

    Given there is a lot to talk about, I will put a follow-up post. In the second part I will share insights about the evolution of Italian food in Varanasi, Cafes, and much more.

    A couple of key points before I start:

    • When it comes to cleanliness, Varanasi is quite sad. Look around for clean surroundings, check if the stuff is being freshly prepared in front of you, and as a rule avoid drinking water at any place. You can’t run away from flies at any place but ensure that stuff you eat was well covered.
    • I am not liable for any stomach upsets 🙂
    Kachoris, chaats and all the fried delicacies you can think of. Kachori-subzi is the city’s stand out breakfast item. Remember you can have three variants of kachoris (fried snack usually filled with a spicy mix of pulses) :
    1. Simple puris served with aloo rassa (potato gravy) usually only served during breakfast;
    2. The regular kachoris stuffed with moong-daal served with aloo rassa or chutney;
    3. The mini-kachoris you will find on the ghaats served with aloo-rassa.

    There is no place in particular which you can choose and pinpoint on for having the best kachori in Varanasi, but MadhurMilan near Dashashwamedh is particularly famous. I ended up having it at a local sweet-vendor and was served 6 puris and subzi for 15 Rs. The small kachoris are mildly spiced and one can gobble up half a dozen easily without much hustle. Although all of them tend to be a bit greasy depending on the amount of oil which has been mixed with the crust. The aloo rassa has a strong presence of Hing (Asafoetida), but it tastes quite like the one at home. And yes do combine it with a plate of sweet-syrupy Jalebis.

    Kachori-subzi is the best consumed in morning after the famous Varanasi sunrise and a Holy Dip in Ganges (if you muster the courage to do it with the filth around).

    When it comes to chaat you will get all the usual variations ranging from Tikkis (potato patty served with chick-pea gravy), paani-puris and dahi-vadas. Again there are a million places to choose from but when it comes to chaats, Kashi Chaat Bhandaar is an institution in itself. Located close to Dashashwamedh, this small shop run by KeshriJi and the family serves all the popular chaat items. I got a chance to taste the Tikki (mildly flavored made in Ghee), Dahi-Puri and Pani Puri here.

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    But the clear winner is the Tamatar Chaat (Tomato Chaat). A cross between Maharashtrian Pav-Bhaji and a Kathiawadi Sev-Tamatar, this seamlessly fuses the spicy with sweet and sour, complete with a helpful dashing of crunchy Boondi Sev.

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    Your body might attain salvation through a dip in Ganga, but your stomach won’t attain the same unless you have the Tamatar Chaat at Kashi Chaat Bhandaar.

    Interacting with Rajesh KeshariJi was quite an interesting experience, his family has served chaats for three generations now, and as he gleefully boasted about famous people visiting the shop he couldn’t stop smiling through his Paan-stained teeth.

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     He claims Tamatar Chaat to be the family’s original (and proudest) invention and he will ensure that you don’t leave without tasting his bomb-sized Gulabjaamuns (Fried Mawa balls soaked in sugar syrup) or the Malaidaar (super creamy) Kulfi-Falooda.

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    Ok and apart from Kachoris and Chaats there are tonnes of things you will find walking on the ghaats, like these awesome pakodis we had near Assi.

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    Litti-Chokha.  A popular dish from the Eastern U.P. / Bihar region, Litti Chokha represents how simple and delightful Indian food can be. Littis are charcoal-baked wheat balls, stuffed with a Bhojpuri staple ingredient Sattu. Sattu is gram flour prepared by roasting gram in hot sand.

    So what is so unique about the Sattu in Varanasi which makes its Littis so flavorful? If one has to believe the locals, the sand comes from the beds of River Ganga, and adds a unique taste to the Sattu. Maybe this was too far fetched a connect for me, but if you ta
    ste the simple Lahi-Chana (Puffed Rice and Grams) cracked in hot sand and sold on the shores of Ganga, you will somewhat agree with theory.

    Chokha is a mix of mashed Roasted Brinjal (Baingan Bhartain India, and similar to Baba Ghanoush minus the Tahini), mashed potatoes, lightly spiced with a dash of freshly chopped tomatoes, onions  and cucumber for crunchiness.

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    You can have this dish at multiple locations in the city, but I recommend the restaurant Baati Chokha (close to the Railway Station at Teliabagh). You can enjoy this delicacy at a neat and clean place and they have fancier variations like the Paneer stuffed Litti, and a variety of other Indian dishes to choose from.

    Dairy products- Sweets, Lassi and Thandai.When it comes to high-quality dairy products Mathura leads the popularity charts, but I don’t think Varanasi will be anywhere behind.

    I got addicted to this LassiWaala’s Lassi near Assi Ghaat (well that rhymes!). Lassi is served in Kulhad (small earthen cups), with a heavy helping of cream on top, and a few drops of rose-water on top. I can’t articulate the goodness of Lassi in Varanasi, for me it is better than the one I have had in Amritsar, or in Indore. It is much more creamier in consistency, and I think is blessed by the River Ganga herself.

    Again there is no particular place to have a Lassi or Thandai in the city but you can trust Raju KeshariJi sitting right at the Dashashwamedh Square for an amazingly refreshing Thandai.

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    When Raju Keshariji (not related to Rajesh Keshariji from Kashi Chaat) started talking about the mix of Thandai and the spices which go into the making of it, he was hardly comprehensible through his paan-stuffed mouth. Then he popped in a pouch of Gutkha and still managed to gulp in half of glass of Thandai at the same time!!! (One of the most shocking image I carried back from my trip). When I offered him advice on how eating so much Paan can lead to health issues, he replied:

    BhaiSahab, Saccha Banarasikhaana chodd sakta hai, Paan nahi. (A true Banarasi can leave food, but can’t leave Paan)

    By the way for a Bhang infused Thandai, move to the Government Approved Bhangshops near the temple. You never know what you will end up drinking at other places!

    You will see a lot of shops selling milk-based mithais(sweets) in Varanasi, although please be aware of the fact that given the number of tourists entering the place, and the quantities they are producing it might not always be safe! Milk and milk-based products do tend to have a number of adulterants. Shops like Madhurmilan are bigger and one can assume them to be safe.

    Banarasi Kalakand is the most popular sweet here, although I found it a bit too sweet for my taste.

    To be continued…

     

  • Breakfast, Bagels and more at Grain & Bagel, Malad

    For most of us the definition of the weekend means going southwards in the city to explore the various interesting treats the new cafes in Bandra have to offer. It was in one such place earlier this year that I was introduced to the concept of Bagels. But couple of weeks back, I got an opportunity to head northwards to Malad to learn more about Bagels.

    After I moved from Andheri (W) I have rarely been to Malad. But Malad is developing, with a string of residential and commercial complexes coming up, there is a visible need for interesting cafes and restaurants. Grain & Bagel is an attempt to tap into this market, currently dominated by elaborate food courts and restaurants in malls in the area.

    The first thing which is noticeable is the approach to the cafe, it’s hidden somewhere between concrete towers behind Infiniti Mall. It might give you an impression of an office cafeteria from a distance but once you enter the place, you find an open, warm and welcoming place.

    The location works to its advantage as it offers peace inside a corporate park, as compared to the roadside noise of numerous other cafes elsewhere in Mumbai. The interiors are spacious and open and they do have FREE WIFI! Now about the food.

    Breakfast menu: Maggi, Eggs and Pancakes

    From the time I checked up the menu I was most excited about the Mornay Maggi. The dish is reminiscent of some lovely cheesy Maggi you will end up having in a hill station Maggi-Momo shack. Maggi is prepared in a creamy cheddar cheese sauce and plated with some parsley on top. Be it the excitement of having Maggi after sometime or the simplicity of the preparation, it took us no time to gobble it up.

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    A breakfast place is almost inconceivable without the presence of eggs (neglecting the brilliance of South Indian Veggie joints). We ordered a couple of egg dishes- the Irani Omelette and Scrambled Eggs with Pesto. The Irani omelette was quite “normal”, something which I won’t feel like having in a nice café. But the Eggs with Pesto made my day, the dash of pesto in scrambled eggs just takes them to a lovable level. The eggs were garnished with bits of Feta and some fresh Parsley, but the sad piece of bread and hash-brown served with it could have been avoided, or presented in a better way.

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    We ordered the regular pancakes (with maple syrup) which were soft, fluffy and simply delicious. The best bit is that they have an eggless variant, hopefully equally tasty!

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    Bagels

    I am still getting used to the taste of Bagels and its texture. Caramelwings enlightened me about how the dough is hand shaped, boiled and then baked to achieve a dense and rather chewy consistency of Bagels. Reema added that these Bagels represent the New York style of Bagel making, popularly served with a healthy spreading of Philadelphia cream cheese with some simple toppings. I am lucky to be in this awesome company!

    We first tried the Veggie Bagel with a Rye Bagel with lots of fresh veggies, a garlic cream cheese spread and a schezwan sauce. Simple and I would assume I still need some Bagel education before I can comment on their quality.

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    Although I loved the Fluffy Scrambled Eggs with Chicken and Cheddar Bagel. It was plated with salad and I somehow feel that softer fillings rather than crunchier ones will suit me better, given the texture of Bagel.

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    The next step: Risotto and Spaghetti Bolognese

    Thankfully I am much more informed when it comes to Risotto, the one we ordered with Mornay Risotto with Asparagus Tips. The dish looks simple yet elegant with Asparagus tips on top. Asparagus adds a crunchy and distinct element to an indeed well-done dish.

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    Spaghetti Bolognese was a bit of a disappointment with the lamb meat tasting rough and not smooth enough as expected. I was expecting meat to be soft, but it was of chewy consistency, something which disturbed the neatly done flavors of the sauce.

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    Desserts

    We were served an assortment of desserts (Ganache, Mousse, Cupcake with amazing frosting) but I will talk about just one. Mandarin Pot De Crème  was my favorite dish on the menu. As I heard the girls discussing its complex recipe with Chintan (one of the owners) I tasted the most amazing mix of Chocolate and Orange, which took me straight from the simple childhood delights of Amul Orange Chocolate to the complex world of orange reductions and cooked chocolates. Who cares, brilliant dessert!!! The best.

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    All in all Grains and Bagel was an interesting journey, I learned a lot about Bagels, scrambled through the remains of the delicious scrambled eggs with pesto, fell in love with the creamy Risotto and ended it all with the zest of Orange in Chocolate.

    Definitely worth a visit, especially if you stay in the neighborhood of Malad.

    I was accompanied by Ashrita, Amrita, and Reema for the review.

    Disclosure: Restaurant’s owners covered all the expenses associated with the food tastings mentioned above. For more details refer my disclosure page.

  • थम सा गया ये देश.

    दिशाहीन, उलझा सा, असमंजस से जूझता हुआ,
    मेरा देश ऐसा तो न था.

    घोटालो से चरमराया विश्वास,
    लोकतंत्र का बना मज़ाक.
    अर्थव्यवस्था की चरमरायी सी हालत,
    जाति-धर्म के अनसुलझे विवाद,
    क्या मेरा देश ऐसा ही था?

    पर इन सब के बीच कम से कम एक आशा थी,
    की कुछ बदलेगा,
    सामाजिक और आर्थिक विकास नहीं,
    तो कम से कम होगा जनता का नैतिक विकास.

    लेकिन किसे पता था थमेगी बढ़ने की चाह,
    और उठेगा लोकतान्त्रिक संस्थानों में विश्वास,
    मेरा देश ऐसा तो न था.

    प्रतिदिन समाचारों से मिली निराशा,
    और देश के नेताओं की मुह से निकली भाषा.
    डर सा लगता है अब मुझे इस देश के बारे में सोच के,
    थक से गए है हम,
    और थम सा गया है यह देश.

    -अभिषेक ‘देसी’ देशपांडे

  • App आये बहार आयी.

    रविवार का था वोह दिन,
    जब रह ना पा रहा था भोजन तकनीक के बिन.
    यह दिन का हसने का, मिलने जुलने का,
    संगणक और इन्टरनेट से बाहर निकल, हर व्यक्ति विशेष से मिलने का.

    Nokia का नाम देख याद आयी मुझे उस प्रसिद्द नागिन की चाल,
    सरलता और सुदृढ़ता के बल पर जिस Nokia ने किया था अपने दुश्मनों का बुरा हाल.
    ३२१०, ११००, २१०० और इ-७२ से जुडी वोह सुनहरी यादें,
    Nokia की धुन की आड़ में पनपता प्रेम और कसमें वादें.

    Nokia से ध्यान हटा तो दिखा एक मंच सुस्सजित एवं बड़ा,
    एक तरफ था भारत का तकनिकी-गुरु, तो दूसरी ओर जूनून का प्रमुख-रसोईया था खड़ा.
    इन दोनों में से किसी एक का पक्ष लेना तो था नामुमकिन,
    एक फूल दो माली वाली थी समस्या एक हसीन.
    एक तरह से अच्छा ही हुआ मुझे मंच पर नहीं बुलाया,
    नहीं तो फूल तो क्या fool बना कर राजीव ने रहता मुझे सताया.

    लाल सोमरस के प्यालो के साथ संध्या धीरे धीरे रही थी बढ़,
    नशे के साथ तकीनीकी एवं पाककला का ज्ञान भी दिमाग पे रहा था चढ़.
    समां भी बंध सा गया था, कुछ चेहरे थे जाने कुछ अनजाने,
    ब्लॉग की दुनिया से निकल कर, आधे तो आये थे ताज के भोजन के बहाने.

    फिर जैसे ही app आयी, आयी बहार,
    Chaplin महोदय की चाल चलते विकास हो, या चित्रो में चेहरों का होता संहार.
    मुझे पता है कुछ apps ऐसी हैं जिनमे बसी है मेरी जान,
    क्योकि वोह मेरे दोनों शौक पूरे करे – भोजन और सामान्य ज्ञान.

    फिर गरिष्ट भोजन, तस्वीरों और अच्छी बातो के साथ ख़तम हुई वोह शाम,
    ज्यादा खा-पी लिया, अब सिर्फ आएगा Eno काम.

    -अभिषेक ‘देसी’ देशपांडे

    Nokia AppTasting  और Indiblogger को मेरी तरफ से एक छोटी सी भेंट.

    कृपया ध्यान दे:

    Technology शब्द के लिए मैंने तकनीक का प्रयोग किया, मैं प्रौद्योगिकी और तकनीक के बीच झूल रहा था. भाषा में हुई किसी भी गलती के लिए माफ़ी चाहूँगा. इस बात पे मुझे हृषिदा की चुपके चुपके का एक संवाद याद आ गया:

    भाषा अपने आप में इतनी महान होती हैं की कोई उसका मजाक उड़ा ही नहीं सकता.

    Featured image by Shivani: निखिल, विकास, मैं और विकास में पूरी तरह खोयी हुई कन्यायें.

  • So who wants to join me in Kerala :)

    While I was on travel last month I came across a travel writing contest being organized by Mystikal Holidays, a Kerala based travel firm. I was in Shimla and wrote a small note on it.

    You can read the note here.

    So I have won couple of days at this good looking place at Kovalam (Uday Samudra Beach Resort). So who wants to join me in Kerala :)???

  • A Deepdive into Varanasi: Into Freedom, Food, and Filth.

    The chaos around Varanasi represents the enormous variety of religious traditions which Hinduism stands for, at the same time also reflecting the freedom of belief it stands for. But to call Varanasi a city laced with simply Hindu traditions is not enough, it’s a city which is quite literally bathed in the Ganga, and ready to absorb all the filth around to come up with a refreshing feel day after day, just like the river itself.

    Varanasi offers the kind of freedom- both artistic and religious – which no other Indian city offers. An Indian would feel both puzzled and ashamed after looking at foreigners learning Sanskrit, practicing tabla or picking up Hindustani classical music. Guess a foreigner is equally amazed by the visual appeal of the evening Ganga Aarti and the ceremonious funeral pyres. Be it the freedom of expressing oneself creatively or realizing eventual salvation from the body, the city stands for freedom in its true sense.

    As I crisscrossed the staircases along the ghat, I witnessed the chaotic crowds merging into an eternally silent river, as if it was just there to pacify it. The dominance of Indians at the ghats near the Kashi Vishwanath temple started thinning down as I started moving towards Assi Ghat. I started exchanging smiles with more and more “high” foreigners on my way, some on  a healthy dose of bhang, some on Indian culture, and some on something really high. I saw them clicking pictures, reading Hindu religious texts, meditating, and enjoying few lovely cafes which have sprung up in the vicinity of the ghats. I think one of the reasons why Varanasi holds a special place amongst a lot of foreign traveler’s itinerary is this sense of “high” which the city provides them, with or without being actually high.

    When it comes to food Varanasi offers the variety to shake up even the rested souls. Popular items include Litti-Chokha the flagbearer of Eastern U.P./Bihari cuisine, chaats which are a milder variant of their Western U.P. counterparts, kachori-subzi, and dairy items like hot thickened milk, thandai, lassi and milk-based sweets. The long stay and involvement of foreigners has resulted in few brilliant cafes, bakeries and Italian joints along the ghat area. But a trip to Varanasi is incomplete without having kachoris, a kulhad full of lassi, and to top it all – a benarasi paan.

    And then comes the filth. And the garbage. And the extraordinary excess of it.

    On my second day in Varanasi I decided to take the holy plunge, but I was welcomed with a floating parade of the top consumer brands in the country. An enticing ensemble of beverage brands including mineral water bottles, soft drink PET bottles and juice boxes dominated the bathing section at Assi Ghat. I felt sorry for my friends selling shampoos and detergents, and for a pretty foreigner wrapped in Zeenat Aman-like Sari (from Satyam Shivan Sunderam, but well covered!!) who actually managed to take a dip in the mess.

    The sad part is that Ganga is a supremely appalling state. It is so sad that the slogans written on the ghats tend to be rather painfully funny. Along with consumer products and the usual suspects like polythene and human/animal waste, dead bodies appear out of nowhere to give a friendly appearance. And it’s just not about Ganga. I will never forget the incident when an Autowaala asked me to get down in Pandeypur in Varanasi, as half the road was covered with garbage and the other half was a pit full of water.

    But as I ended my gastronomically satisfying and visually chaotic yet colorful time at Varanasi, I also carried a sense of shame, both in the way we have treated Ganga and the way we have disconnected from some aspects of our culture, something which the foreign travelers have picked up on.

    More than anything the visual of burning funeral pyres alongside thousands of people bathing in Ganga in all colors of life made me think about life and death and so many other possibilities.

    Overall experience: Chaotic yet peaceful, colorful yet grim, tiring yet relieving.

    Food experience: Don’t miss the kulhads of lassi and chai, and kachoris and chaats. Be careful of the stuff you eat though, it can quickly turn from a Gastronomical dream into a nightmare.

    Places to stay: Cheap ashrams and guest houses both at Assi and Dashashwamedh ghat, don’t spend more than Rs. 200-250, and in peak season not more than Rs. 400-500.

    Things to do: Boat ride in the evening at the time of Ganga Aarti, Sunrise, Walking through the markets and witnessing chaos and people spitting the city red.

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    Have you been to Varanasi yet? What were your experiences in the city?

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  • Four Seasons Wine Tasting | A Simplified Guide to Wine Tasting

    The more I understand wine the more I start noticing the human side of it. It can narrate stories- of its lineage, of the farms it belongs to, of the winemaker involved; its love of food is unparalleled and it finds a way to be paired with food of all varieties; it’s colorful, sparkling with energy and bubbly at times. But more than anything else desires thoughtful attention and accompanies intelligent conversations.

    Last week I attended a wine tasting featuring wines from Four Seasons, produced in a vineyard based out of Baramati, India. The event was hosted by Shamita Singha at Neel (at Tote on the Turf) at a strikingly chlorophyll green Mahalaxmi Race Course, Mumbai.

    Shamita comes across as an extremely warm and knowledgeable host. Throughout the sessions she chose her words carefully, was open and candid about her experiences related to wine, and avoided lots of glossy terminology associated with this art. As compared to few experts I have come across, Shamita is much less opinionated and focuses on the wine-drinker evolving their own language for enjoying wine. This brings us to the first lesson from the event:

    Wine tasting is a very personal experience, and you need to evolve your own language to understand it.

    Before we started the tasting, Shamita introduced us to the French style of wine-making which Four Seasons follow, also touching upon the production process for different varieties of wine. I was curious and wanted an answer to a series of questions, mostly related to pairing of food with wine, especially Indian food. Literature on this topic tends to highlight the pairing of wines with other cuisines and tends to avoid to provide a meaningful view on spicy Indian food. Shamita along with the Chef at Neel had created a salivating menu for the event. A look at it and I thought for second, maybe I can chuck the drinking and concentrate on just food today. The talk of food and wine bring us the second lesson from the event:

    The pairing of food with wine is ideal when you are able to taste both the wine, as well the food, without any one experience overpowering the other.

    When it comes to tasting the wine the 4S method provides a simple approach:

    • See the wine. Notice its color especially against a well-lit background. Check for a clear liquid without any signs of cloudiness. Also notice the tears which wine deposits on the glass wall.
    • Swirl the wine. This is done so as to release all the flavors and aromas locked in the wine. There are two ways of doing it, one by lifting the glass holding it from its bottom and swirling it, and the second by holding the glass by its stem against the support of the surface. I prefer the second one as I tend to spill the wine using the first technique.
    • Smell the wine. Dig your nose deep into the glass and smell the wine. Try to relate the aromas with fruits and spices. White wines would give a whiff of white tropical fruits, like Litchi or Guava; red wines would give a feel of red berries; and the aged wines tend to release a spicy, woody fragrance. Again create your own language.
    • Sip the wine. Let the first sip stay in your mouth for some time, roll it around, relate to the the flavors you feel and then push it down your system. Just let your mouth do the thinking for some time before you actually gulp it.

    The process of tasting the wine brings us to the third lesson from the event:

    4S method provides an effective approach to taste the wine, try it, the interpretation still remains your own, just that giving the process a structure helps.

    Coming to the wines we tasted, here is a summary of what they were, how they were, and what they were served with:

    • Four Seasons Chenin Blanc. Served with Aloo Panch-Foran (Sigdi barbecued Baby Potatoes marinated in Mango Pickle) and Murgh Nawabi Tikka (Tandoor roasted yoghurt marinated Chicken). The wine reminded me of fruity aromas similar to that of fruits like litchi. It is a kind of wine which would go well with lightly spiced food. Both the Aloo and Chicken Tikka dish were mildly flavored and gave good company to the wine.
    • Four Seasons Blush. Served with Bhoona Paneer Kathi Roll and Tulsi Patte Ka Jhinga (Tandoor cooked, Holy Basil flavored prawns). I personally love Rosé and its my favorite variety of wine. The wine is produced from the same grapes, but the skin of the grapes is left in contact with the juice for some time before it separated, inducing the wine with a pinkish tinge. This wine goes well with the hot humid weather of Mumbai, and the mild berry flavors of the wine are refreshing. Again given its mild flavors it pairs well with flavorful seafood. Overall the Basil flavored Jhinga was the dish of the evening for me.
    • Four Seasons Shiraz. Served with Peshawari Paneer Tikka and Bhoona Gosht Kathi Roll. Shiraz reminded me of the flavors of deep red berries (such as mulberries, raspberries, ripe strawberries) and left a Jamun like after taste. The wine leaves the mouth dry and couple of glasses can create a very dry effect in the mouth. It would go well with strongly flavored dishes like garam masala based curries and well-spiced Biryani.
    • 2009 Four Seasons Special Barrique Reserve Shiraz. Served with Kesari Khumb Tikka and Lucknow Seekh Kabab (one of my favorite dishes anyway). The Reserve Shiraz was smoother and carried an oakier and woody feel to it. This is aged for about 9-10 months before its bottled. The color is slightly paler than the Shiraz. More than the berries I could visualize aromatic spices such as cinnamon in it. The aftertaste was similar in dryness but with a stronger flavor. This would be a great company for heavily spiced dishes (not loaded with masalas, but more like the single spice dominated flavor).

    Another lesson from the food-wine pairing:

    Red meat with red wine and white meat with white doesn’t always hold true. Also it is not always about complementary flavors, even similar flavors of wine and food can click, the base rule remains the lesson #2, one should be able to enjoy both the flavors of food and wine without any flavor intruding in others territory.

    The tasting ended with a Rabdi Kulfi which could have been slightly smoother, maybe it wasn’t well churned and was a bit icy. Also as a parting gift Shamita handed us a bottle of blush, which I plan to have with basil flavored baby potatoes cooked by me. Also looking forward to visit the Four Seasons vineyards in Baramati sometime soon.

    Met some really nice people at the event, here are their blogs:

    • Shamita Singha, a superb host and my go to person from now on when it comes to wines. Looking forward to visit her new place, “The Bar” in Bandra. @ShamitaSingha on Twitter
    • Karishma, a simple girl from Doon here in the complicated world of entertainment. Blogs about fashion and lifestyle on Ginger Snaps. @karishmarawat on Twitter
    • Deepak Sir, a really passionate photographer who posts one picture about Mumbai life every day. Blogs on Mumbai Eyed. @magic_eye on Twitter
    • Jaswinder, a travel company marketing manager and a stand up comic. Blogs on Latin Sardar. @LatinSardar on Twitter
    • Karina, Hyderabadi Maadu interested in alcoholic beverages, interesting!!! Blogs on Giggle Water. @Giggle_Water on Twitter
    • Nikhil, a very warm and simple person, a great person to have a conversation with. Blogs on Nonchalant Gourmand. @nikhil_merchant on Twitter
    • And the awesome Ashrita, blogs on Caramelwings. @Caramelwings on Twitter

    Featured image by Mumbai Eyed.

    Disclosure: Restaurant’s Public Relations agency covered all the expenses associated with the food tastings mentioned above. For more details refer my disclosure page.

  • We are what we eat and whom we meet.

    How about listening to locals talking about their life and aspirations while sipping a chai and dipping a Parle-G; or sharing a drink with an unknown traveler listening to their experiences; or cooking meals in someone’s kitchen creating chatpate menus; or weaving sari with a local weaver; or gobbling those lovely cutlets on Indian Railways while chatting with the most known strangers; or just covering the entire length of the country in a month, away from the weekly routine of working and waiting for weekends? Sounds decently interesting? Just a bit of what my India, or desh will be like for the next month.

    For a month, I will be traveling across the country, biting my way through local cuisines and eating the brains out of all the adorable people I meet. It excites me as I get to do what pleases me the most, eating, learning, writing, and above all talking to people.

    Ironically I have a much organized and clear plan for the chaotic Northern India, and a much more random one for the prim and proper Southern India. Half my tickets are booked, none of my stays are planned, and I am still to figure out of use a DSLR which my sister is lending me for a month. But most importantly I have planned what I intend to taste at each location and the kind of people I want to meet.

    There are few people who have inspired me a lot recently, most notably Paul Theroux and his travel stories captured in The Great Railway Bazaar, and few travel writers but most notably a girl named Shivya and her writings at The Shooting Star.

    I will be crossing most of the following cities on my travel, in case you happen to be in any one of them would be glad to catchup. The list includes: Varanasi, Agra, Mathura, Delhi, Shimla, Punjab (Amritsar, Chandigarh, Ludhiana), Bangalore, Pondicherry, Coonur, Kochi, Kannur, Bekal, Mangalore, Goa and Mumbai.

    To follow all the updates from my trip please keep visiting the blog, like the Facebook page, or follow @desh on twitter.

    Featured image by Ankit Varshneya.

  • Fear of Motion Sickness

    The idea of traveling is often accompanied by a variety of emotions and a switching mental state. Love, laughter, disgust, amazement, fear, curiosity are all significant emotions one can relate with travel. But nothing disturbs our mental state more than the fear of motion sickness on travel.

    Motion sickness is a condition in which a disagreement exists between visually perceived movement and the vestibular system’s sense of movement (Wikipedia).

    In simpler terms it involves travelers puking, or feeling uncomfortable in an about-to-puke stage (called nausea) while traveling on different modes of transport. Interestingly throughout my life I have been through all of the above listed emotions when it comes to motion sickness.

    As a kid I was completely occupied by the idea of vomiting on travel. I recall the bus journeys we took to Bilaspur to catch trains, or the long drives from Korba to Jabalpur, or the shared taxi rides from Bhopal to Devas, I had left my mark on an entire state. Avoiding food, gulping soda, keeping a clove in my mouth, drinking less water, popping Avomine pills or keeping the window open- I tried everything, but everything failed. The constant fear in my mind of vomiting on road journeys, the disgust of actually doing it, and the love of my parents when they helped me clean up sort of sums up how I traveled on that dusty, warm, red-soiled, bumpy, teak-wooded M.P. landscape. Just to add  I was traveling on the worst roads in the world.

    And one day it stopped. I went through an entire road journey without throwing up. I was amazed by the sudden stoppage of uneasiness and vomiting. What a relief it was!!!

    But nothing can actually beat the relief one gets immediately after the act of vomiting. The freshness which follows vomiting is in a close competition with the event of a first rain, or that of taking a dip in an icy chilled Ganga at Har ki Paudi, or drinking water having saunf.

    But I started missing it, motion sickness was inseparable component of all my travels as a kid, almost as inseparable as a Digital Camera is to any travel nowadays, and from that day the way I traveled changed forever.

    Although like all things motion sickness came back again and again in all my travels, and non-travel situations, stirring up various emotions and creating memorable instances. Few of them which come to my mind:

    1. I was almost about to land in Mumbai when I saw the acres of slum encroachments visible near the landing strip of Mumbai Airport. All of  a sudden I smelt a strong smell too. I was amazed at the degree of stench and filth of the slums that it was able to reach the interiors of plane flying above it!!! Till I realized that a kid sitting behind me had puked.
    2. We had just had a brilliant Kerala style ayurvedic massage in Munnar and stepped out for a light bite. All of a sudden I see my friend who had undertaken the same treatment running all over the place and vomiting. The situation was extremely funny and evoked a sort of a contagious laughter with all other friends catching on to the situation.
    3. Every morning we used to reach Shimla bus stand early in morning, in between the steaming chai vessels, an army of sweepers cleaning the stand and the buses coming out of yard. One significant feature of Himachal buses are their vomit-stained sides from the previous days. In Himachal I realized that motion sickness is just a way of life. If spitting outside the window and leaving a Guthka mark is common to buses in M.P., vomiting is normal to people in Himachal. So when motion sickness came back to me after so many years on road travel, I felt normal, without any guilt or disgust.

    More than the stories I guess if you are or have been suffering from this sickness I have my own set of cures for the same. Please try them at your own risk:

    1. Never ever brush your teeth by Colgate in morning before you leave for journey, Colgate Gel works but not regular Colgate
    2. Mix three tablets of Hajmola in one glass of cold Limca and drink it, works wonders
    3. Avoid dairy products and high on sugar drinks
    4. Have fruits which leave a kasela swad in your mouth like Jaamun, Amla
    5. If you stop on the way on a temple, and if the prasad is Coconut, keep it in your pocket and eat it after the journey

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    Do you have interesting stories related to motion sickness or some whacky cures for the same which you would like to share?

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    Featured image by Prasoon Gupta