Colour Me Bad

I know people who’ve never tasted a donut in their entire lives. Are you one of them, dear reader?

Christmas special treat

Are you tempted yet?

Raspberry Ripple

By sheer chance, I happened to be at their latest outlet at Korum Mall, Thane within an hour of opening and was greeted enthusiastically by their attendants. The entire vibe of the place and service was warm, friendly and easy-going. And the donuts? Nothing short of fantastic. Cinnamon, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, peppermint, Oreo cookies, you name it, they have the flavour.

My personal favourites are the filled ones. You’re halfway through the donut when gooey, hot melted chocolate comes rushing forth; or a bright sauce that provides a burst of raspberry or blueberry or strawberry. I also love the quirky pizza and spicy chilly flavoured donuts.

The price range starts from Rs 40 and doesn’t go very high after that, remaining affordable. Perfect for a on-the-go snack that won’t put a hole in your pocket.

The M.O.D website lists 10 delicious ways to devour your M.O.D donuts:

1. Give your jaws a s-t-r-e-t-c-h, take as BIG a bite as possible
2. Dunk fresh original glazed donuts into hot coffee
   …pure indulgence!
3. Loop it round your finger and take mini bites
4. Double the pleasure, stack two donuts together and sink in!
5. Make it topless!
   Lick off the toppings before taking the donut… Mmmm
6. Look through the hole-y centre and have a snapshot taken
7. Give it a savoury twist, add some cheese!
8. Put a skewer through and eat it like a lollipop
9. Hang it like a mistletoe and kiss, kiss, kiss!
10. Add a dollop of ice-cream over the centre for a hot/cold mix

How do you like your donuts? Is there any donut shop in your city I should know about? Let me know in the comments section below!

*Hog alert*

Details: Mad Over Donuts, Level 3, Korum Mall, Off Eastern Express Highway, Thane (W). Home delivery on minimum order of six donuts.

It requires all of three ingredients - lemon, tea leaves and sugar – and all you need to do is add it to warm water.

Lemon Tea is perfect for when you’re too lazy to step into the kitchen, too broke to order in, too cold and need a warm beverage, too bored and hence want to eat/drink, too busy with work to bother with food, or _____. Make up your own excuse for needing a lemon tea or be unapologetic about it and down it unabashedly.

Lemon Tea

Here we go: 

Makes one cup of Lemon Tea (but feel free to make more )

Heat a cup of water.

Add one teaspoon of tea leaves. The water should turn black now. If not, abandon mission.

Take it off the stove and strain it into a pretty cup.

Squeeze a little less than half a medium-sized lemon. Stir.

Add 3 teaspoons of sugar. Stir again.

Note: That is how I like my Lemon Tea. You might want too add or lessen quantities of lemon and sugar depending on, well, umm, your taste/mood/weather/PMS. If you’re adventurous, experiment with honey and/or mint leaves.

If you happen to make this Lemon Tea, click a good photograph (of you and the tea, or only your tea if you’re shy) and send it to me. I’ll feature it here.

Lemon Tea

Recipe tip off: My best buddy – Sumedh.

Drink away, my friends.

Cheers,

Chef Manali

Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup

This soup forms one of the cornerstones of Italian cuisine, though in India, it is still not as popular as pasta or pizza. This is a very seasonal soup and hence, use of veggies that are in season is encouraged. Chicken stock is often used, but even then, this is one dish that places its focus on vegetables. Generally, different types of beans, tomatoes, onions and carrots go into cooking this ‘big soup’, as Italians popularly refer to it. It’s fairly easy to rustle up and one can make use of absolutely any vegetables desired.

Lasagna

Lasagna

Pronounced las-aa-nia, this Italian dish is sinfully loaded with cheese, and is guaranteed to have you lusting for more. It is an exquisite baked dish that has layers of sheets of pasta, cheese and a filling between them. Ricotta, parmesan or mozzarella, or a combination of all three cheeses can be used. Again, the filling, which usually consists of meat, can differ a little. But since we have vegetarian options for all dishes inIndia(even sushi!), fillings of spinach, bell peppers, and mixed vegetable aren’t rare. If you’re an enthusiastic home cook, try making lasagna with all the vegetables lying in your fridge, leftovers included!

Risotto

Risotto

Risotto is to Italians what curd-rice is to south Indians. The choice of rice makes all the difference here and sets apart Risotto from other rice dishes. Arborio or Carnaroli rice is to be used, not Basmati. Risotto follows a mostly mixed recipe with a few variations. Onions, butter, white or red wine, meat or vegetables, stock, and a variety of cheeses are used. It is not a dish that can be mastered easily. Indians will like Risotto because of our familiarity to rice dishes. Though not typically a main dish, it can suffice if had with a salad on the side.

Pasta

Different shapes of pasta

Confused between macaroni, penne and fusilli? They are just different shaped pasta made from the same ingredient – refined wheat flour (maida). Then there is spaghetti, that looks like noodles but is actually a pasta. There can be innumerable combinations and pairings when it comes to pasta, since they lend themselves well to varied sauces and vegetables. Tomato sauce and white sauce are the ones most commonly used inIndia. Go for the white if you like cheese and cream, and tomato if you like tangy flavours. The pasta is a pretty versatile food, which leads to chefs experimenting with different shapes and sizes. Do not shy away from trying pasta with uncommon ingredients such as zucchini, pine nuts, or bell peppers.

Spaghetti

Tiramisu

Tiramisu

Undoubtedly, Tiramisu is the most famous Italian desert. And not without good reason! This heavenly cake has layers of coffee-soaked sponge cakes called Ladyfinger (Thankfully nowhere close to the vegetable), cream of whipped eggs, mascarpone (a very thick Italian cheese) and a topping of chocolate. Tiramisu with some form of liquor in them are not uncommon. Though eggs are an integral part of the traditional way of making Tiramisu, eggless Tiramisu cakes are also possible. Variations for this dessert are endless, find the combination you love! Tiramisu in Italian literally means ‘pick me up’. Do you need any more invitation?

By the way, this is an article I wrote for Scribido Magazine – an e-mag for th youth, by the youth.

Paneer Kaliya by Sanjeev Kapoor

AND ENDS UP LOOKING LIKE THIS

… YOU REALISE YOU HAVE JUST CREATED AN ACCIDENTAL DISH! 

Last night, I was keen to try Sanjeev Kapoor’s own creation, Paneer Kaliya (Funny name, I know!!). I appointed Mum as my sous chef and proceeded with much excitement and a little trepidation. Mum, being Mum, suggested a few shortcuts to the original recipe. She said I could blow off steps 1 to 5 altogether if I followed what she had in mind. Who am I to challenge a lady with over 25 years of cooking experience? “Okay”, I said. “We’ll do it your way, Ma.”

Many improvisations and panic attacks and squeals of “OMG-this-is-not-working”  (from my end) later, was born Paneer Hariya. Why ‘hariya’ you might ask? Well, the dish turned out green (instead of the intended white) and well, it rhymes with kaliya. BTW, I have an aunt with the last name Haria and she’s going to be reading this. So Beena Fui, I’m sorry it had to be named Hariya but it was so apt. And anyhow, it was Sonali who came up with the name, so chide her!

In the end, I was happy with how Paneer Hariya tasted. It is unlike any other paneer dish I have had (and I’ve had loads). Though I must warn you, it is a very rich dish that leaves you feeling full for a LOT of hours.

Recipe for Paneer Hariya

Serves 2 – 3 persons

Igredients: Fresh Paneer cubes – 200 gm

Garam Masala – 1 tbsp OR make your own garam masala which is a paste of 4 cardamom pods, 4 cloves, 10 peppercorns, 1 inch cinnamon stick, and 1 inch sliced ginger

Cornflour – 1 tsp

Curd – 2 tbsp

Cream – 2 tbsp

Almonds – 1/2 cup – blanched, peeled and ground

Sugar – 1 – 2 tsp – depending on your taste

Ghee – 2 tbsp

Turmeric – 1/2 tsp

Salt –  1 tsp

Water – 1 cup

Method:

1) Mix the ground almonds with water and keep aside. This forms the base of the gravy.

2) Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add the garam masala. Stir well till the ghee begins to separate. This should talk a minute or two.

3) Add the almond paste from step 1. Sauté the mixture for a minute.

4) Add the curd and cream and sauté it for another minute.

5) Mix the cornflour in 2 tsp water and add it to the gravy.

6) Add the sugar, turmeric and salt.

) Lastly, add the paneer cubes.

7) Let it cook for a couple of minutes.

Serve hot with rotis or parathas. If you have even the slightest of doubt about this, let me know. I’ll be happy to help you out with even dumb-sounding queries

If you happen to make this dish, let me know and I’ll put up a picture of your cooking on this blog.

Sending this to Kavi’s Healthy Cooking Challenge, which is Smita’s brainchild.

Once I made a small batch of almond cookies for a dear friend from school. And while he appreciated it, relished it and thanked me, it din’t make me want to start cooking for all my friends and family. I din’t get that big feeling of (as other cooks claim) “joy and satisfaction” from watching him eat what I’d made.

So I remained a selfish cook, cooking only for myself. Fast forward a few months and it’s the same friend’s birthday. He’s a big-time foodie and a close friend. What the hell, I thought. To make him happy, if not for the “joy and satisfaction”.

Here goes: Chocolate Custard with raisins and almonds.

Chocolate Custard

This is my friend Shivanand with his birthday special.

Birthday boy

Shivanand is an amateur photographer. Check his clicks on his Facebook page.

Recipe from Kavi’s popular blog, Edible Entertainment. Thank you, my babe, for answering my calls every time I have a dumb query about your recipes.

If you liked this post, you might also like:

My Love Affair with Gelato

Greek Salad

Product Review: McCain’s Frozen French Fries

Thank you!

Sandesh is a sweet dish from the state of West Bengal, India. I admit, the only reason I made this was because it is an astonishingly simple recipe that can be made in under 15 minutes. True story! Adding the Kiwi twist to Sandesh is a really good idea as the sour flavour contrasts well with the sweet and balances it, which is good because I cannot handle a sugar rush. The cardamom flavour really lends itself well to this dairy combination of paneer (cottage cheese) and cream.

Kiwi Fruit Sandesh

The pictures have come out rather lovely, haven’t they?

Kiwi Fruit Sandesh: A close up

Recipe from this article in Hindustan Times.

If this post interested you, have a look at some more of my kitchen experiments:

Almond Cookies

Spaghetti in cheesy Mushroom Sauce

McCain’s French Fries

I’ve written a guest post for my close friend Achuthan’s personal blog. Please click here to read ‘A page from the diary of a Person Who Fears Being Masochistic’. Your comments would be really appreciated as I do not write fiction often. Also be sure to check out the rest of the blog. My friend writes good poetry.

I’m also participating in Healthy Cooking Challenge, an online food event hosted by foodie blogger Kavi, who maintains a wonderful blog called Edible Entertainment. I have to cook a healthy lunch and send a photo across to her. I plan to make a vegetable dish of Paneer Kaliya. Any suggestions, anyone?

Love,

Manali

Handsome, clever and rich is how the central character of Emma Woodhouse is described in the introductory line of the novel. Starring Kate Beckingsale as the protagonist, the TV adaptation does get the handsome and clever part right, but not the rich. Sonam Kapoor as Aisha, however, looks every bit as wealthy and stylish as Emma is said to be. Emma, the TV series, takes us to a bourgeois part of 20^th century Britain. Accordingly, we see proper curtseying and mannerisms, ball room dances, puff-sleeved gowns, and large bonnet hats that are typical to the English. Aisha is set in elitist Delhi society where people raise toasts at weddings and take up gardening as a hobby. Financially secure and without a care in the world,  Emma’s character focuses her abilities on matchmaking while she herself declares her wish to remain unwedded. Beckinsale as Emma does or aspires nothing of importance as she goes about her day, socialising. And in that, Aisha is more believable as a character as she is shown to be a budding artist and having a keen interest in animal welfare, apart from shopping and partying, that is.

Kate Beckinsale as Emma

Sonam Kapoor as Aisha

A major aspect where Aisha scores over Emma is the supporting cast. Aisha has a strong ensemble of characters in the form of Ira Dubey (Pinky), Amrita Puri (Shefali), Abhay Deol (Arjun) and Cyrus Sahukar (Randhir). In Emma, none of the actors fail to make an impact or leave a mark. Puri is especially delightful as the small town girl, while her counterpart Samantha Morton as Harriet hardly matches up to her. Beckinsale does not emote aptly and one often wonders what a particular expression is supposed to convey. Ditto for Kapoor. Mark Strong (Mr Knightley) and Deol are both wasted in the movies with hardly any screen time. Characterisation has been given some thought in Aisha, while in Emma, the story moves on a very superficial level, barely connecting us to the characters and their emotions.

Direction-wise too, Aisha is one ahead of Emma as Emma fails to capture the vast beautiful countryside ofEnglandeffectively. Aisha, on the other hand, takes us enjoyably through the streets ofDelhias well as more picturesque locales when characters go on a camping and rafting trip.

Dialogues are another element that either makes or breaks a movie. Emma wows you with the controlled, archaic language that is delivered brilliantly by the actors in a distinguished British accent. Aisha does have a fine supporting cast but the leading lady Kapoor herself says her lines flatly, in an annoying saccharine voice.

The chemistry between Mark Strong and Beckinsale is cackling, unlike that of Deol and Kapoor. As the plot includes merriment and hobnobbing, there is song and dance in both – at Christmas and in a ball room in Emma, and at clubs and weddings in Aisha.

Abhay Deol and Sonam Kapoor in Aisha

Kate Beckinsale and Mark Strong in Emma

On the whole, Emma, the movie and its character, seems rather dull in comparison to the fun, colourful and bold, Aisha.

P.S.: Had written this back in college as part of an assignment in a Feature and Opinion class. Thank you for reading!

If you think I write well about movies, have a look at some my other movie reviews:

Gridiron Gang (2006)

Cats and Dogs 2 ( 2010)

Cheese Corn Toast

To make:

1) Prepare white sauce, which is the same that is used in pasta. My friend’s recipe includes onion and garlic but I do not recommend it.

2) Add boiled corn to it.

3) Spread on toasted bread.

4) Hog.

If you liked this post, you might want to have a quick look at the other dishes I’ve prepared:

Kadai Matar Paneer

Cheesy French Fries

The Seven Course Meal Project

Love,

Chef Manali

Kadai Matar Paneer by Chef Manali Shah

Sosha and I wiped our plates clean! This is one dish that I’ll be making many more times.

If your visual senses approved of this post, give them a proper feast with more food:

Spaghetti in cheesy Mushroom Sauce

Greek Salad

Bamboo Hot and Sour Soup

Love,

Chef Manali