tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-205335752012-01-26T22:44:39.842-08:00A Perfect Bite......somewhere to table all things Gastronomical...Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03410410539474649922noreply@blogger.comBlogger2131100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-80087724979940332802011-12-05T01:46:00.001-08:002011-12-05T03:30:00.495-08:00Slow down to celebrate Terra Madre Day in India and win a prize from us! .
These days, when I am on a Masala trails through Grant rd. Market or
even if I am just passing through, I make it a point to walk past this one
vendor. He is a makaiwalla - corn seller and only one of two in the market that
sells indigenous Indian white corn. And whenever he has white corn, I buy up
all his stock. White corn has become the symbol of a changing food system for
me and Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-54840835249067669472011-11-28T06:36:00.001-08:002011-11-28T07:44:06.212-08:00Undhiyu - Everything you ever wanted to know about it with a little help from my Mother Heena Munshaw
Somehow the Moroccon Couscous plate made the ideal platter to serve the undhiyu!
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Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-29344184285788601192011-11-21T05:52:00.001-08:002011-11-21T06:13:35.147-08:00Flavouring Vodka
Naga Chilli Vodka
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Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-50105119987861397562011-11-07T08:42:00.000-08:002011-11-07T21:13:16.558-08:00Of Communal tables and the Bloggers Dinner at Le Pain Quotidien
When I began planning the Bloggers Dinner at LPQ (Le Pain Quotidien), I was VERY excited to hear about their Communal Tables. Some of my best memories of food are ones in which I have been a part of a communal Table. Not only do they take me back the large table we congregated around in my joint family growing up. And then there were the looong tables in the mess at Mayo, where we would Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-39686741273997204232011-10-25T08:47:00.000-07:002011-10-25T08:48:00.886-07:00A Lasting Legacy - A tribute to my Grandmother and Mother this Diwali
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Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-11442181856227182182011-10-07T09:02:00.000-07:002011-10-07T09:02:51.161-07:00Of Oranges, Anise and Barberries AKA Zaresht Berries... (step by step recipe) .
This post brings together two of my
favourite ingredients Citrus Zest which I wrote about in my HT column last month and Zaresht Berries, which featured in this months column.Its not a traditional recipe, it is my own creation, but when you cook and eat it you will agree that the two flavours complement each other sensationally!
We drink Orange and use a lot of citrus juice, especiallyRushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-60800281043889623932011-10-04T07:11:00.000-07:002011-10-04T07:11:44.682-07:00"LEAVE THE DAMN THING ALONE!" or how to teach men to cook!
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Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-84801405108156518262011-09-28T04:16:00.000-07:002011-09-28T20:31:28.916-07:00Spice Blends from around the world and a Giveaway!
I am a great one for themes, my articles here are usually
the result of a theme I find in the current happenings in my life. And amidst
all the excitement of last two weeks, with the Tadka workshops, Men’s cooking
classes (on that note our new class schedule for October and November is up) and the many events that have excited my palate (Cointreau and Coffee
tastings) and finally filing Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-89858207234295158372011-08-29T07:14:00.000-07:002011-08-29T07:14:02.381-07:00Men can cook and SHOULD...! And a contest... share a story to win!<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-IN X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-20285474756710697962011-08-29T01:59:00.000-07:002011-08-29T01:59:20.708-07:00The lingering aroma... of Cinnamon Stays a B&B in Gurgaon
True Cinnamon
What comes to your mind when I say Cinnamon?
Sweetly pungent, the aroma of cinnamon is unmistakable, a culinary legerdemain that draws out the sweetness of not just apples but all sorts of fruit and vegetables, converting them to ambrosia. Spicing everything from Mexican moles to Moroccan tagines and Indian curries it tempers the richness of nuts and seeds and Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-89598286052213226062011-08-22T00:16:00.000-07:002011-08-22T02:09:34.313-07:00Dakshin at the ITC Maratha, Mumbai adds an extensive Seafood selection to its Menu
A Traditional Urli at the door.
Golu Dolls
I finally got around to visiting Dakshin restaurant at the ITC Grand Maratha. Considering that Dakshin is in my neighbourhood, it is ironic that I have not been able to go dine there so far! But with the amount of things I have to juggle, often the choice of restaurants is decided by stories to file or places that allow children. That said I Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-15616536835890713672011-08-16T21:31:00.000-07:002011-08-16T22:25:29.140-07:00Dinner with Vikas Khanna to celebrate the launch of his new book
And to think I almost didn't go meet Vikas Khanna!
Back in the January of 2010 I got a call out of nowhere, from an America based Indian Chef, asking me to come meet him right away as he had a project he wanted to work on. Me being the super planned me and hating last minute changes in my schedule, I almost declined! It was too much effort to organise baby sitting and make the trek all the Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-8453661215903895732011-08-14T00:14:00.000-07:002011-08-14T00:15:43.695-07:00The Matt Preston Masterchef Starworld India press conference in Mumbai (11th July) Those who follow this blog, probably are aware of my regard for it. I’ve never been so hooked to a TV show as I have been to Master Chef Australia. When the last season ended I din’t know what to do with myself at 9 pm on weekdays. I’d set my routine around it!
But I am happy to share that I am back to that ever since season 3 has FINALLY begun! I rushing my evening along so at 8.45, the kidsRushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-47454689111594841662011-07-31T13:01:00.000-07:002011-08-01T03:42:41.675-07:00Mumbai Food Bloggers Potluck! Chefs gone wild!
The Wasabi Canapes!
On the 30th by about 2 in the afternoon, some 19 odd people, Mumbai Food bloggers all, scattered over different parts of Mumbai were busy cooking up fantastic food with the united goal of sitting down to dinner with each other over those same dishes that night. It was the 5th Mumbai Food Bloggers meet, and the first ever Mumbai Food bloggers Pot luck! There is pleasureRushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-72764087552766910082011-07-15T00:55:00.000-07:002011-07-15T00:56:32.853-07:00The wonderful world of food in FictionI read every scrap of food writing I can lay my hands on. I spend a small fortune on books and periodicals on cooking monthly. And food books and food blogs are part of my daily diet. But I have just discovered a newenre of books that will probably be the biggest drain on my wallet ever … edible fiction or Food Fiction books!
If you’d asked me what food fiction meant to me a few years ago I Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-9792853195516641792011-07-05T06:25:00.000-07:002011-07-05T06:25:38.693-07:00A Fishing trip ! To Mahims City Lights Fish Market in Mumbai! (Vegetarians and animal lovers might not like some pics)After my fabulous experiences at the Seafood festivals I visited I thought it was time to visit a fish market. So I planned a market day with my friend food writer Vikram Doctor. Vikram is nuts about seafood, as I discovered on a press trip to Turkey with him a while ago, so there could not have been a better guide for this trip. But we also had the company of another seafood loving friend of hisRushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-65749274167963140072011-07-03T04:55:00.000-07:002011-07-03T04:55:02.414-07:00Red Zen review and the Thai Bhel it inspired <!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-IN X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-88421722519450349312011-06-29T09:09:00.000-07:002011-06-29T09:09:25.324-07:00An Ode to cooking meat - a Kitchen poem ...
I know! 2 posts in one day! But this one I had to put up! I am not a natural when it comes to cooking meat, having learnt only lately. So I derive great satisfaction when a meat dish turns out well. I was experimenting with a Mexican Lamb dish for an upcoming food festival today and as I cooked, I could see things were going well. It inspired me. My newfound discovery of twitter means I am Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-36397284528550921602011-06-29T00:54:00.000-07:002011-06-29T00:54:49.383-07:00Matunga - Mumbai's mini Madras Matunga - Mini Madras in Mumbai! On a rainy day last week when I was looking for something quick and spicy to cook I came across a Pepper Rassam paste I picked up from Matunga a few months ago on a trip I took exploring Mumbai’s markets with my friend and food columnist Vikram Doctor. Vikram is very much a market enthusiast and an advocate of food foraging but in a uniquely Mumbai way; that is Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-6308804209552260862011-06-16T07:55:00.000-07:002011-06-16T08:05:36.229-07:00Cafe Bean Garu review, Powai, Mumbai<!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-IN X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-43349898632692667002011-06-02T07:19:00.000-07:002011-06-02T07:20:12.381-07:00Comic Cuisine - an article on the foodie foibles of favourite Comic Characters....
Guess who's coming soon? Illustration by Chandra Shekhar Ghildiyal
Having been a comic illustrator and animator in my misspent youth, I know from experience that it is hard to depict food in comics, the graphic styles, minimal colours and small spaces allow very little freedom. So introducing food into a comic strip as a regular feature is a daunting task. But some comic artists have managed Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-44609272049387388532011-05-29T22:11:00.000-07:002011-05-29T22:24:23.491-07:00Around Mumbai with APB - Golas Galore!Summer is here and our gola cravings are increasing with the temperature. For weeks, everywhere we've been going we have been looking for golas. We were very entertained to hear about carts peddling "Mumbai ka lajawaab, Jaana Maana Gola all over Dehra Dun" from Rushina after her return as she rushed off to get a Gola fix as soon as she landed! WHo can blame her, this summer delight that brings Arinanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-60357397376170908352011-05-18T11:42:00.000-07:002011-05-18T11:49:21.504-07:00A virtual gastronomic tour of Dehra Dun to celebrate the start of my second book !
Breakfasts of parathas still warm from the griddle - delicious even without the accompanying freshly churned butter and homemade strawberry jam…. Fruit - sweet juicy and still warm freshly picked from one’s own garden… Steaming hot REAL basmati rice, doused in danedar desi ghee, and aromatic dal tempered with pharan, accompanied by rye greens from the kitchen gardens… Floury, buttery, bakery Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-74805153940059622152011-05-15T05:49:00.000-07:002011-05-15T21:50:10.979-07:00Summers of Sour and Heeng Ka Achar....
I have moved to the North until May to work on my second book on Uttaranchali cuisine. It was beautifully pleasant when I first got here but it’s getting hotter by the day. Afternoons are hottest, oppressive almost and often when the rest of the house is taking its afternoon siesta, I will be driven to the kitchen in search of something sour and spicy to eat. Sourness is cooling in hot weather Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-670414579170693352011-05-10T06:11:00.000-07:002011-05-10T06:11:02.653-07:00What is my first book all about? A little introduction...
So my book is done. Has been for a while now. Writing a book is solitary work. But finishing it at 4 in the morning is even more solitary. There really is no one you can shout out to. But what it worse than all of that is the feeling of emptiness aftetwards. I remember tweeting that writing a book was like having a baby. Well finishing it is like when your baby decides to go off on its own.Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-89874376460882623422011-05-01T02:25:00.000-07:002011-05-01T02:33:47.652-07:00Malvani Mahotsav for Maharashtra day - A Photo featureA stall servingI was cleaning up my computer this week and came accross some pictures I had taken at a Malvani Mahotsave a few years ago. I thought I would share them here since it is Maharashtra Day today. Called Kokan mahotasav or mAlavaNI jatrA (Jatrautsav) these festival are held at areas like Dadar, Kurla, Bhandup and Mulund, where the community has a presence between October and May and last for 2-3 daysRushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-52396009181198969242011-04-17T08:25:00.000-07:002011-04-17T08:25:57.483-07:004th bloggers dinner at RedZen aith a recipe for the sexiest Pepper Prawns ever!
It is not often that everything comes together beautifully in one evening, great wine, good food, excellent wine and fabulous chemistry. It did on the 8th of Arpil in one corner of Mumbai.
The 4th Food bloggers dinner took place at the Red Zen restaurant at the 1 year old Courtyard by Marriott (not to be confused with the JW Marriott). And if you have not been there yet, I suggest Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-73668765276895672922011-03-25T18:25:00.000-07:002011-03-25T18:26:26.880-07:00Cooking for the Bajajses! Citrussy Sichuan pork, garlic and green peppercorn lamb chops, charrred portabellas, sweetcorn with finger lime chilli butter and figs with pepper chesse and caramel
The fabulous meal!
Mohit, Neha’s adorable husband and my darling brother in law planned to take us to dinner at one of his favourite steak restaurants that night but after my shopping trip on Chapel street, I just had to get in the kitchen and cook. So I wheedled him out of going out to dinner and eating in instead. It worked! And we made our way home via a trip to Coles, the local Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-32775066178629467532011-03-23T05:23:00.000-07:002011-03-23T05:28:53.165-07:00Food shopping on Melbourne's Chapel street with Neha
There is a sense of unreality to having your baby sister grow up and get married. But that sense of unreality of it is more so when she makes a life for herself with her new husband on the other side of the world. My plan for my trip to Australia was that I would spend the first 2-3 days with my sister Neha and then move to my other sister Himanshi’s to prepare for the SBS food journey culinary Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-63878905458445675062011-03-21T01:37:00.000-07:002011-03-28T00:50:00.254-07:00Irani Mumbai and Navroze Mubarak....
Berry Pulao
Before I start my Melbourne posts, I wanted to take a day out to post on Irani food and Culture, seeing as today is Navroze. And Navroze for me means a time to gorge on Iranian Baklava and stock up on Iranian exotica at the Iranian Sweets Palace. Everyone has heard of the Irani cafes of Mumbai, those iconic establishments that were so intrinsic to the growth of Mumbai, that Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-20139500336115211432011-03-17T06:06:00.000-07:002011-03-17T06:06:02.414-07:00Sister love with lots of food and fun in Melbourne!!Sister love!
I have always loved Melbourne, so this visit was like coming home. And the part I was really looking forward to meeting my sisters. I am truly happy that they have both settled happily into being married, but I wish it didn’t have to be so BLOODY far away! I miss them on a daily basis! Every time I go to moms and hang out with my brother, Kunal and his wife, Sheetal. Together, the Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-83535545106517500812011-03-12T23:04:00.000-08:002011-03-12T23:04:25.594-08:00An Award, a wonderful Woman's Day and meeting Matt Preston!I have weighed several times since Monday the pros and cons of putting this post up. I don’t like to talk about myself and definitely not too much. But Awards, accolades and honours are very motivating and many readers of this blog and many people in my life have been so intrinsic to my journey that I felt it was important to share this award with them as well. At the beginning of 2011 CNNgo put Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-71433231011116612572011-03-06T05:14:00.000-08:002011-03-06T05:14:18.538-08:00Very Veggie Valentine!Apologies for falling back on my blogging, It has been a hectic few weeks. I finished the Food writing workshops at Kala Ghoda and then jumped into preparing for Melbourne and doing the final edit of my Mumbai Cookbook (Fingers crossed that should be out by August!
Usually after I do a demo or something, I kind of deflate a bit, its like the adrenalin rush abates and takes my normal energy Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-40986570228861867292011-02-10T04:46:00.000-08:002011-02-10T04:46:21.754-08:00Memories of Mayo - a little non food writingMy class of 94 is having a reunion at Mayo Girls this weekend. One that I tried very hard to get to but gave up on when several factors worked against my favour. I had made my commitment to Kala Ghoda ages before this reunion came up and between it and having to travel to Melbourne to promote Masala Trails in the first half of March, niether budgets, nor time allowed another three days away Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-62257504375587015372011-02-08T00:41:00.000-08:002011-02-08T22:51:37.902-08:00Food writing workshop at Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2011.On the 6th of Feb, I stared at the graceful arches of the empty seminar room at Elphinstone college stretching into the distance, a little stumped at what to do next. I felt like I had run a marathon (and personaly WON) but what now? The students had gone home, the camera man too. It was just me and these reagal stone walls that had witnessed so many revolutions in writing.
When the literature Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-57096697208694693522011-01-30T02:37:00.000-08:002011-01-30T03:06:44.707-08:00The bread earner in our family - baking at home
This morning Natasha woke up to muffins baking and we were treated to a litany of ‘muffins, muffins, muffins ...” as she settled in front of the oven as if chanting and staring hypnotically at the oven would make them bake faster!
Stop, please wipe out any ‘Domestic goddess..’ thoughts your are having, I did not wake up at the break of dawn to mix up a batch of apple muffins in time for the Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-33879544117919308582011-01-26T02:01:00.000-08:002011-01-26T02:01:28.392-08:00Bragging about Indian Breads!
Sheermals fesh out of a underground oven in Old Delhi!
Apologies as over the top as the title sounds, I just could not resist it!
At the beginning of this month one of my favourite food writers, Micheal Ruhlman, announced bread baking month on his blog (Ruhlman.com). So many elements of Indian cuisine are celebrated; spices, curries, kebabs and yet, the most we overlook quintessential food Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-29457133625426329232011-01-22T08:41:00.000-08:002011-01-22T08:41:30.104-08:00January in shades of GREEN!
<!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-IN X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-37698173784013055902011-01-20T21:49:00.000-08:002011-01-20T21:49:51.600-08:00First food bloggers dinner of 2011! (Thank you Four Seasons Wine, UB group and Melissa!)
2011 kicked off fabulously for our bloggers meets with the first Mumbai Food bloggers dinner of 2011! (And if this one is anything to go by, we are going to have some fabulous dinners this year.)
I was thrilled to be able to pull together an almost perfect bite of a Mumbai Bloggers Dinner to ring in 2011 for our (growing) tribe of foodies that eat (or drink), shoot and leave! Over a Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-52171709212248626752011-01-14T07:56:00.000-08:002011-01-14T07:56:51.749-08:00Of Sankrant memories old and new
I had a post on celebrating Sesame all ready for today. But then last night as I put Aman, my 9 year old son to bed, I told him that we would be going to Nani’s house to celebrate Kite Flying day. And he floored me by looking up at me and saying “but Kite Flying day Ashu Mama ke bina kitna adhura adhura sa lagega na Mama?” (Kite flying day without Ashu Mama will be so incomplete no mama?). WhenRushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-6830981159316823982011-01-10T22:12:00.000-08:002011-01-10T22:12:57.023-08:00Rushina's Recipes - Parsi Dhansak for James of the Spicery and YOU! If you read my last post on A Perfect Bite my spice tour for James (if you haven't GO READ IT and come back), you might have noticed I made James buy Dhansak Masala and Kolahs Vinegar at Motilals with a promise to send him the recipe. And then I realized that it is the perfect dish to cook up on these horrid cold cold days we are having so I thought I would put it up here for you and James. <!-Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-8260984442644106612011-01-07T23:33:00.000-08:002011-01-07T23:33:10.953-08:00A Spice tour of Mumbai for James Ransome of the Spicery, UKWhat I love most about my Masala Meanders of Mumbai, is the chance to show people around this city that I love while gabbing on endlessly about its colourful culture and fabulous food options. So when James Ransome dropped me a line via the Masala Trails website, asking if there was a tour he could join between 27-31 Dec, I just could not say no, even though we’d switched off for the holidays. I Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-80578452098939152552011-01-04T01:21:00.000-08:002011-01-08T00:23:13.696-08:00Matsyagansha Mahotsav A look at Mumbai seafood.My knowledge and experience of seafood is still just at surface level. A fact that was brought home with my visit to the Matsyagandha Mahotsav that happened at Bandra Kurla Complex from 18-20 Dec. Ironic when one has grown up in a coastal city like Mumbai. But growing up in a Gujarati, home meant seafood was most definitely NOT on the menu. (My ancestors probably still turn in their graves!) And Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-73435176210316409672010-12-31T20:38:00.000-08:002010-12-31T20:38:16.462-08:00#2010 was of memories...and a message for Masterchef Australia!
I have been in a bit of a holiday stupor post Christmas and not feeling like working, but year endings mean retrospection and I really could not let today go past without my own little bit of the-year-that-was and the-year-to-come.
I have been tweeting furiously lately, having finally ‘discovered’ twitter. And yesterday the topic “#2010was” was trending. I tweeted that 2010 was the year of Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-28138285836168558882010-12-19T01:32:00.000-08:002010-12-19T01:56:52.356-08:00Who says Healthy can’t be sexy?
Often food lovers will one will hear stories of how someone saw a fabulous fish, pork or meat at the market and could not resist picking it up. Well the cook in me gets turned on by vegetables. So when I spotted two voluptuous heads of Pak Choy from Trikaya at Nature’s Basket the other day I just had to buy them both!
Pak Choy PACKED with health but for such a healthy vegetable, it is also one Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-56554166557653402582010-12-13T06:18:00.000-08:002011-06-23T11:49:49.366-07:00It was the Anise that did it and the Orange was an accomplice!
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mso-font-pitch:variable;Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-39790555440056986652010-11-27T06:17:00.000-08:002010-11-27T06:17:18.554-08:00Rushina's Recipe - The best Spaghetti and Meatballs EVER!I realised I have been blogging more about stuff I am doing than I have been cooking of late, (although in my defence I will say that things have been busy and I have not been cooking as much as usual) Anyways so here is a recipe today.
I ended up making these a while ago, out whatever I had at home and pure creativity. But they turned out so well, that they are now a regular feature on my Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-35611270234217191612010-11-21T21:01:00.000-08:002010-11-21T21:01:02.227-08:00Winners of the Sanjeev Kapoor Cookbook Contest!Aanamita, Anchal, Kirti Sands and Hema, each of you have WON a copy of Sanjeev Kapoors new cookbook Fun food for Fussy Kids
iving away 5 copies of Sanjeev Kapoor's newly launched Fun Foods for Fussy Kids
personalised with your names and signed by Sanjeev himself! Please email your mailing addresses to us at a.perfect.bite@gmail.com so we can mail you your prizes!
(Check out Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-85157359635188428022010-11-13T05:43:00.000-08:002010-11-18T01:04:08.395-08:00Kids in the kitchen and a contest!Before I start my post, let me tell you about the contest. I am giving away 5 copies of Sanjeev Kapoor's newly launched Fun Foods for Fussy Kids (UPDATE personalised with winners names and signed by Sanjeev!) with some lovely ideas for packaging food attractively for fussy eaters. For a chance to win a copy simply leave a comment of not more than 200 words at the end of this post sharing your Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-5658278866085961702010-11-07T00:27:00.000-07:002010-11-07T00:27:20.293-07:00My Cup Runeth over - Happy Diwali and a Happy Gujarati New year!I am inturrupting my Terra Madre posts with this post because could not let Diwali go by without wishing everyone a Happy Diwali.
I almost did, which is why this post is so late in going up but then I just couldn't.
I started out on a terrible low. The Munshaw half of my family are in mourning this year, following the death of my brother in July. Technically however, being married, this does Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-40093121767627261992010-11-04T09:45:00.000-07:002010-11-04T09:45:00.810-07:00A special note on Presidia at Salone Del Gusto.As in the past, this year also saw Salone Del Gusto showcasing Slow Food’s most important project in support of small-scale producers: the Presidia. The Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity strengthens communities of small-scale producers, protects traditional foods and promotes geographic areas, creating new economic models and putting them into practice around the world. Its main projects are Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-72143438103237305492010-11-03T07:39:00.000-07:002010-11-03T07:39:00.367-07:00Salone Del Gusto Italian Pavilions - AKA Italian Food Porn!Salone del Gusto is a food lovers dream world and should be on the calender of everyone around the world who cares deeply about food. The Salone del Gusto runs in parallel to Terra Madre, and has now come to be two halves of a complete whole. A strong network of relationships is created here on behalf of food that proves that it is sustainable and yet bring pleasure, perhaps more so by its Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-77232112041823715512010-11-01T10:19:00.000-07:002010-11-01T10:19:04.091-07:00Terra Madre - an awakening!Most of us who were attending Terra Madre for the first time, really had no idea what we were in for.
Safeguarding food biodiversity for the future is one of the fundamental principles of the Slow Food association and the entire Terra Madre network is engaged in defending local food and outstanding products that are perfectly integrated with the geographical, climactic, cultural and traditionalRushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-15910703889265053312010-10-31T09:14:00.000-07:002010-10-31T09:14:06.384-07:00Italian home cooking - Of Laura's Risotto and Giorgio's Picante Pepperoncinos!All delegates attending Terra Madre are hosted by the Slow Food organisers for the entire duration of the event but unlike other conferences, in this case, delegates may be hosted in hotels farmstays, B&Bs and homestays in the surrounding areas. So while we knew we were to be hosted, untill we actually got there we had no idea where we were staying.
We left India on the 21 night, changing planesRushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-85515498905825069792010-10-29T02:17:00.000-07:002010-10-29T02:17:32.888-07:00Glimpses - Terra madre and Salone Del Gusto!I was priviledged to be part of the delegation from India at Terra Madre, this year thanks to Navdanya. More than 5,000 representatives from the worldwide Terra Madre network came together under one roof, in Turin, Italy from October 21-25, for the fourth time since the first Terra Madre meeting in 2004. The five-day meeting brought together food communities, cooks, academics, youth and musiciansRushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-59995259045226138042010-10-20T05:37:00.000-07:002010-10-20T05:59:27.927-07:00Indian Harvest - a review of my new favourite Indian restaurant!If you have had your eye on my doings off late, I have been most excited about my latest venture, Masala Trails, culinary tours of India. I have also been overwhelmed with the response and encouragement of family, friends and my peers in print and online media. Masala Trails was born because I was frustrated at how selectively Indian Cuisine is showcased.
A Keith Floyd chucks every tried and Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-69010341188549324602010-10-16T22:58:00.000-07:002010-10-16T22:58:16.223-07:00Masala Trails, Culinary Tours covered in Hindustan Times!
What a fabulous day for Masala Trails to be covered in it's first story! Dushera, the day for new ventures. Read about us in Hindustan Times HERE. Surely, Annapurna, Goddess of the Kitchen is smiling down on us!
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document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-81413925951349828272010-10-15T03:11:00.000-07:002010-10-15T03:12:12.008-07:00APB exclusive - Interview ofJimmy Seervai, MasterChef Australia 2010! PART 1
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Taste Australia
It is not often that one gets to be witness to the evolution of a cuisine, so I feel lucky to have watched Australian Cuisine evolve over the years. I have been associated with Australia and New Zealand, for more than 20 years.
Once upon a time, there was a little girl. One day a free spirit wandered into her life, and opened up a whole new world for her. That girl was me Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-24248015560746879972010-10-13T04:48:00.000-07:002010-10-13T04:48:08.475-07:00Loved my cooking classes at Le15!
Some of you on my Facebook fanpage must have seen my messages about my red wine spiced chutney in a shameless attempt to entice people to my classes. Well the Sassy fork, was attracted. She came to my class at Le 15 and blogged about it. Read what she had to say. I loved no LOVED conducting these classes and you can all look forward to more in the coming months. For future class schedules keep Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-68852429110925777122010-10-09T04:53:00.000-07:002010-10-13T06:23:38.954-07:00Le Crueset LOVE!!!
It’s been a while since I have jumped up and down in excitement over something, I think, becoming a wife a mother and the MD of your own company does weigh you down from such excesses after a point in life! But today I did! Because I FINALLY received my birthday present from my DH exactly a month after my birthday . Le Crueset is the diamond of the cooking equipment world you see and when theRushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-56754932243439961702010-10-06T23:13:00.000-07:002010-10-06T23:15:50.868-07:00Rotis at the push of a button! You read it here first!
With Pronoti the Roti Diva and Snigdha of APB
"I am proud to be a global citizen born in India and nurtured in Singapore"
The little Rotimatic that 'prints' a roti every 2 minutes!
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Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-30966746316097222542010-10-04T12:14:00.000-07:002010-10-04T22:14:08.749-07:00Announcing the launch of Masala Trails, my new baby!
Ever since I began foodwriting, I have used my profession shamelessly. It was the perfect cover to be greedy without appearing like a slob! You salivate, gorge on platefuls of tasty treats, gossip about the best place to find spices, or eat local specialities.... And every time I returned from exploring the gastronomic underbelly of a place, I would dream of creating a food itinerary of IndiaRushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-39359221792068723742010-10-03T20:09:00.000-07:002010-10-03T20:44:16.694-07:00UpperCrust food and wine show, Bangalore 2010 - an insiders look by Shilpa Pai Mizar
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Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-67961685079393742102010-09-30T07:07:00.000-07:002010-09-30T07:07:00.682-07:00My Cook-shelfFor those of you who are not aware, A Perfect Bite has a sub blog called The Cook-shelf that I started a few years ago.
Thanks to my friend food-writer Vikram Doctor I have acquired an addiction to books on food. The first cookbook I ever owned was Cooking at Felicity house by Roahld Dahl. I loved it for the interesting stories accompanying each recipe but I cannot say I have ever cooked from itRushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-33403845550292898222010-09-28T00:19:00.000-07:002010-09-28T00:21:54.846-07:00A Tryst with Thai – Part 1 (plus details on my first Thai cuisine masterclass!)
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margin-top:0cm;Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-31020358689882833962010-09-27T01:57:00.000-07:002011-09-21T07:56:04.581-07:00Review of Ziya at the Oberoi, Mumbai
21 September 2011. After much thought and delibration, I am updating this post because it still continues to see a lot of hits.
I want to share that Ziya is no longer on my list of Mumbai favourites. My most recent dining experience at Ziya was extremely disappointing. I tasted the new Gourmand Menu in its vegetarian and non vegetarian avatars and found it very lack lustre. The non Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-78181051421048980262010-09-25T06:29:00.000-07:002010-09-25T07:38:57.020-07:00Lasagna with Love for Rohan
When I decided to cook a special birthday dinner for my nephew Rohan just before I left for Kerala, I ambitiously but rather worriedly planned Lasagna. I had a full day that day;reviewing a restaurant at lunch, followed by a couple of meetings before I could get home to work. And Lasagna from scratch was an epic recipe, I had not made in years. I made Lasagna entirely out of my head basedRushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-10347884714731863422010-09-23T10:58:00.000-07:002010-09-25T05:43:53.220-07:00Notes to myself - from Kerala's backwaters...
Banana fritters and Kerala coffee on deck.
The full dinner spread...
Fried Karimeen
Breakfast!
Once more I must apologise, for my silence. It has been a long hard month of trying to get my manuscript done. Highs, as I got closer to my goal, lows as friends who I wanted to feature could not come through with their recipes. Stress of things requiring attention (like this blog) and Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03410410539474649922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-35726851586339585462010-09-08T04:22:00.000-07:002010-09-08T04:23:22.179-07:00VIRTUAL BIRTHDAY POTLUCK WEEK. - What will you cook for me on my birthday?
As a child for me (and most people) birthdays meant a big party and lots of presents, a line of thought that continued into adulthood. The 34th year of my life has been one filled with a fair amount of sadness and loss. Of people and an era of the person I used to be. I know I have been very melancholy everywhere, and on this blog as well, as a result. Which is why more than ever, I wanted to Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-58989663217978634602010-08-27T00:15:00.000-07:002010-08-27T00:15:00.503-07:00THe Family that cooks together... Weekend indulgence - Pasta from Scratch
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Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-61820193567734323352010-08-24T08:01:00.000-07:002010-08-24T21:30:00.555-07:00Feasts of friends and food - Ross’s Momos
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Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-57548507270331610652010-08-23T11:38:00.000-07:002010-08-24T03:18:21.609-07:00Of cookies and sepia memoriesAll of last week Aman has been excited about today, Raksha Bandhan, the day when sibling all over India reaffirm their love for one another. I guess S and I have done a good job of raising him because he is excited about his little sister tying him a rakhi. He even got together with S to bake cookies with him for her! As a mother I am touched to see this bond that is strengthening between my Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-85337242729121126632010-08-23T03:26:00.000-07:002010-08-23T03:38:10.476-07:00Modern Shravan recipes with a twist!I created some more recipes with a twist for Shravan for HT Cafe. They appeared on Saturday in the Weekend Fix section.
Thought I would put them up here as well.
California Pistachio and Coconut milk soup (Time 25 mins serves 4)
Singhare ka Atta is flour made from Waterchestnuts. Water chestnuts have been a part of the culinary annals of India for eons. This flour qualifies as a fast ingredientRushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-7901423685459198922010-08-23T00:00:00.000-07:002010-08-23T03:36:47.352-07:00Peanut Butter Cups from the 'inventor of recipes"!I love compliments, its’ something a friend has been ragging me about off late but I continue to be a sucker for them! And the compliments I love best are the ones I get on my cooking. So I was thrilled this week to have several compliments come my way for the cooking I have been doing.
So you can imagine how thrilled I was when Sourish Bhattacharyya, an extremely discerning Delhi based food andRushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-44600577174872157742010-08-22T00:06:00.000-07:002010-08-22T11:01:43.394-07:00Of painting a love story with Plums at the Nature’s basket US F&B Showcase
"PFA a list of SKUs for the US Food and Beverage showcase" they wrote. "We’d like you to create recipes from them."
Now these are the sort of challenges that I love, being given ingredients and told to create a dish. Like a fresh palate of paints and a clean sheet of paper. So I very enthusiastically opened it up only to my enthusiasm diminish with each product name I read as I progressed Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-84909125995998663692010-08-21T21:53:00.000-07:002010-08-22T10:46:35.939-07:00Friends and feasts - Korean BBQ at Da Seoul in DelhiThe perfect gathering at the laden table!
Brajesh, long suffering husband of blogger Kim aka Karishma of Jhovaan who has learned he can't eat till he shoots! Thanks for shotting us B!
Lovely Kimch!
What we ate!
Lets call them Pork wraps for now!
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Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-41387333710488251942010-08-17T20:49:00.000-07:002010-08-18T03:18:18.628-07:00Mumbai Food bloggers dinner! Virtual Deliciousness on the Menu!Mumbai Food bloggers dinner! Virtual Deliciousness on the Menu!
Food blogging has revolutionized the world of food writing. Today people who would not normally write, are writing and people who would not normally read stuff like this, are reading. And the dinner that A Perfect Bite hosted on Friday the 13th of Augustat the Grand Hyatt's new restaurant Fifty Five East was proof of this. Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03410410539474649922noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-43493572313153788142010-08-10T22:43:00.000-07:002010-08-10T22:46:09.909-07:00Shravan Around town with A Perfect Bite! F(e)asting days are here again!It's time to Feast errr Fast again! The month of Shravan is here and words like Faral and Upvaas are being bandied about amongst Mumbai's gastronomically inclined. Eateries big and small around the city have also introduced fasting foods to their menu. If you are gastronomically inclined do take the trouble to find out what all the fuss is about. With all the things that have been happening, moreRushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-16244570536442027012010-08-09T04:47:00.000-07:002010-08-09T05:22:19.980-07:00Waking up to breakfast...
July was one of the toughest months I have lived through emotionally in a long time!
It began with shifting home, which was a very positive move, both personally and professionally, but I felt I was betraying the first home we ever owned by leaving it for a better model. And then the day of the shift, I returned from Delhi with some sort of horrid viral and proceeded to collapse, Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-77778761284143145222010-07-27T07:50:00.000-07:002010-07-27T07:50:29.680-07:00Of Grief and Hunger...
I apologise for my silence on this blog and all my food spaces, but food has seemed a sacrilege lately. My brother died last Saturday. And I, who love food, who plan my next meal even as I am eating my current one, was not hungry anymore. Thinking of food was a temerity, let alone eating it. And so I had nothing to write and nothing to say.
I stood by him, as my Bhabhi, his wife and my Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03410410539474649922noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-11808330932310685842010-07-26T05:31:00.000-07:002010-07-27T06:15:12.447-07:00Beef RoastDear Rushina,Only you know how much I have missed roasting meat. The lack of a good oven as well as the cruel heat and humidity of Mumbai have kept me from indulging in one of my favourite past times. But then the long awaited monsoon arrived and I have found myself on more than one occasion, shivering from the rain and wind, reaching for my rain coat and even wearing a scarf. On one such rainy theyie knoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-7034632298741969042010-07-15T08:59:00.000-07:002010-10-17T05:34:01.117-07:00Around Town with Arina - Aloo TikkiMy obsession and love of potatoes never seems to die out both as an individual and also because I am a Gujarati. Gujarati’s have a very old undying connection with potatoes. Every meal has to have potatoes in one or more forms, either as a subzi or as a part of another subzi, as a side or snack better known as ‘Farsan’ or both. This week I’ve set out to taste some of the cities best Aloo Tikki asArinanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-25718909098400001972010-07-12T03:34:00.000-07:002010-07-12T04:37:51.890-07:00Tangerine, Avacado and Feta saladDear Rushina,The rains in Mumbai are glorious to watch, especially when they keep you from leaving a fabulous house with an even more fabulous kitchen. I had been making the most of D’s kitchen, roasting, braising, broiling and cooking all manner of meat! But then I started my yoga classes and learnt about sattvic, rajasic and tamasic foods. 10 minutes into my guru’s lecture and I knew I had theyie knoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-80860449601894197442010-07-05T06:44:00.000-07:002010-07-05T08:46:42.848-07:00Monday BandhDear Rushina,I wasn't very sure about how serious the bandh would be today so I woke up early and turned on the tv. And saw enough riots to decide I'd stay home. The wifi wasn't working and my housemates were asleep so I decided to surprise them with some french toast. I opened the fridge to find that we'd run out of brown bread. I already cracked three eggs into a bowl when I realised we were theyie knoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-88973455888162272010-07-01T09:16:00.000-07:002010-10-17T05:34:01.122-07:00Around Town with Arina - In a Soup!The concept of cold weather is somewhat alien to Mumbai but thankfully it does get a little cool during monsoons and winter which is when the focus shifts from cold refreshing drinks and salads to big bowls of hot soup. There’s nothing like a hearty soup to brighten up a gloomy rainy day and one doesn’t necessarily have to be on a diet to have soup. There are a lot of soups that are rich and highArinanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-44682803496902599532010-06-27T23:23:00.000-07:002010-06-27T23:49:58.343-07:00Blouses, Blazers and BMIDear Rushina,When I went home this time,I was bombarded right left and centre by unsolicited comments about my weight. The last time I was home, I was 59 kilos. I knew I had put on weight since then but I never really gave it much thought. Probably because the kind people of Mumbai don't accost you on the street to tell you how fat you've become (no euphemisms here). When enough people had come theyie knoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-46483776493390444252010-06-25T03:08:00.000-07:002010-06-26T04:04:48.220-07:00Bacon Musk Melon SaladMy sister and I have been holed up in my hostel room for more than a month now. Both passionate foodies and cooks, we began suffering from kitchen withdrawal around the second week. Symptoms include loitering longingly at supermarkets, ranting incoherently about stoves, pots and pans and spices and vacant stares punctuated with sighs of utter misery. So imagine how deliriously overjoyed we were theyie knoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-65639516716483301702010-06-24T10:57:00.001-07:002010-10-17T05:34:01.126-07:00Arond Town with Arina - A Corn(y) AffairDuring the monsoons, one craves for different kinds of food: chai, pakodas/bhajiyas, hot soups, and a favourite of most, corn. Corn can be had in many forms; boiled or roasted with different seasonings like salt, pepper, chaat masala, red chilli powder, lemon juice to name a few but each person has their preference so it can be pretty much anything. Corn is used in a lot of cuisines for theyie knoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-72409304704922610622010-06-22T21:37:00.000-07:002010-06-22T23:22:22.589-07:00Rushina's recommentations why don’t you – put together a Pasta!(image courtesy http://www.italien-pasta.com)As I put together a quick pasta for his tiffin this morning, my husband was busy ticking of some of his favourite pasta meals I make and it struck me, pasta - usually drenched in white sauce and smothered in cheese - is everywhere these days but this incredibly easy to cook but the potential of this versatile ingredient has barely been explored. The Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-2732417811577357952010-06-18T00:15:00.000-07:002010-07-01T20:01:55.816-07:00Spain, Portugal, Italy and PorkMad about Meat, Mad about Football
There are two very good reasons for not cooking today. One, its Friday, it rained like crazy all week and you deserved a break. Two, three football matches! Oh wait, and three more on Saturday and three more on Sunday. (Yes, I too am salivating as I write this and for many reasons as well). So yes, why cook when there’s so much football (and eye candy) on tv? theyie knoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-71526933179323950062010-06-16T23:47:00.000-07:002010-10-17T05:34:01.131-07:00Around Town with Arina - Cheer with BeerThe time is here again when couples and families battle for the possession of the TV remote. Yes! The football world cup a.k.a FIFA is back after a long four year wait. I don’t know too many women that are into football, but the men go crazy during this time, whether they’re watching the match alone or with friends or even strangers at a bar, they cheer, hoot, yell and swear every time their Arinanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-52176436886890494492010-06-15T10:04:00.000-07:002011-06-19T02:58:36.824-07:00Rushina's Recipes - Happy Father's Day, Dad!
I made Spinach soup for the first time in 13 years on the day I wrote my chapter o my father in my book. It was the hardest chapter to write in the book. Just like I had circumvented making the soup, I had been postponing the writing of it, not because I didn’t know what to write, there was a lot, but for once, the words would not come out.
14 years to today, I lost him, suddenly and quickly Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-57372243070312609552010-06-14T00:09:00.000-07:002010-06-14T00:09:00.377-07:00Tuna Olive Salad and Fabio CannavaroDear Rushina,So Italy plays Paraguay today. For those of us who only follow football during the world cup, a great way to get an idea of how well the teams are matched out is to go to the FIFA website and check the ‘Head to Head’ box. You pair the teams playing against each other, and the box gives you the statistics (http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/headtohead/team1=ita/theyie knoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-37294903106771924792010-06-11T00:10:00.000-07:002010-06-11T00:10:00.602-07:00Beer Flavoured Spicy Pork SlicesMad About MeatAs you know I can’t stand beer. But I have more than a few friends who would grow gills and live in a sea of beer given the chance. So whenever I make a meat snack, it is not unusual for them to take a bite and comment that a chilled bottle of beer would be the best accompaniment. Sometimes when I’m cooking for my friends and they’re already drinking beer, I steal some to marinate theyie knoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-69610133764010899872010-06-08T13:07:00.000-07:002010-06-08T13:08:42.812-07:00Chew on this - travelling throught the Rice bowls of the world...
Having grown up in India, rice has been the center of my culinary experience for as long as I can remember. But as I discovered world cuisine, I also came to marvel at the universality and diversity symbolized by this grain!
Universal as it is, rice is simultaneously intensely personal as well. Every rice based cuisine in the world has its own indigenous rice, its own traditional manner of Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-50562190194571113252010-06-08T12:43:00.000-07:002010-06-08T12:47:44.877-07:00Mushroom and Brown Rice bowlThe first monsoon showers are here and I had the last of Mausaji's mushrooms left from Dehra Dun so I cooked up this favorite recipe for dinner yesterday. Its easy, healthy and FULL of flavour, always managing to charm the worst eater! Brown rice is an excellent substitute to your regular white rice. It is rich in fibre and carbohydrates. The bran and rice germ in the grains also help Rushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-11566023289144486232010-06-07T05:00:00.000-07:002010-06-07T05:07:33.606-07:00Shitake Mushroom and Iceberg Lettuce SaladDear Rushina,Do you remember the time I had to throw a birthday party for a friend? You helped out by giving me an insane amount of Shitake Mushrooms. Inspired by the way they taste in your mushroom stuffed rice rolls (the first time, I took notice that a vegetarian dish could taste so good), I decided to follow suit and stir fry them in roasted sesame oil before using them. Suffice to say, the theyie knoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-41809306780748382222010-06-04T01:00:00.000-07:002010-06-04T01:00:00.441-07:00Mad About Meat - PorkDuna’s Pork RibsIf there is someone who is more mad about meat than I am, it has to be my sister Duna. She also happens to be the most fantastic cook I know. Her dishes are never overly elaborate or complicated. Yet she possesses that rare ability to draw out the flavour of the meat and other ingredients. I admire her most for her egg curry. I know that sounds simple, and I have tried more than theyie knoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20533575.post-57819615586486516432010-05-31T08:58:00.000-07:002010-05-31T08:58:14.309-07:00Chew on this - The Bread to my butter and breath to my life (with apologies to Paul Child)
I have been in Dehra Dun these last weeks, so the kids could get their summer holidays with their grandmother. And in between all the summer fun, I have been working on my book, specifically the first two sections that deal with a lot of family memories and are high on emotion. It has been a vulnerable phase, with extreme highs when things go well and horrible lows when you know what you want toRushinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342187642205074411noreply@blogger.com4