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Grandma’s Recipe Contest | Digging Out Recipes From Family Heirloom
Cooking is like love; it should be entered with abandon or not at all. ∼ Julia Child With abandon – that’s what makes the thought of Grandmas and their cooking so so special. Last afternoon I had the honour of judging the 7th Grandma’s Recipe Contest that was recently held in Mumtaz Mahal at the Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa. A few months back I had been the judge in the Biryani Muqabla organised at the same venue. I have always supported events which inspire me and I am amazed to see how home chefs come out of the comfort zones of their own kitchens and compete in such public…
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Keeping Up With Chef Vikas Khanna | Igniting Sheer Passion!
The Power of Food is really Spiritual. It not only brings the whole family together on the same table, but also brings the whole world together. ∼ Vikas Khanna From receiving acclaim for his good looks as well as his passion for cooking, it is hard to keep up with all the titles that are conferred on Chef Vikas Khanna. A restaurateur, a TV host, an author, a humanitarian and of course the Michelin star association – there are too many overwhelming feathers in the cap that he so humbly wears upon his head. I have had the pleasure of meeting him in Dubai on two occasions – once celebrating…
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Mahec in Le Meridien | When Mango Is The Hero in A Love Story
I know that promotion for Mangoes are everywhere around the city at this hour. I am on a severe meal plan and Mangoes are no where mentioned in the plan. I read Madhu’s post Look Who’s Returned to My Mango Trees (she hasn’t written much about mangoes though) and felt hopelessly romantic with the thought – yes, I truly love Mangoes! Mahec, in Le Meridien Airport Hotel has been celebrating the Mango Festival for the last month and I have been following their tweets, retweeting them once in a while. With 2 more days remaining for the ‘Mango Festival’ to come to an end, I landed up with the Z-Sisters for…
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House of Curry | Keep Calm and Curry On
PLEASE NOTE THAT WHEN I WROTE THIS REVIEW, MY FAMILY AND I HAD A REALLY GOOD EXPERIENCE. RECENTLY, I HAVE BEEN HEARING COMPLAINTS FROM MY FRIENDS AND READERS WHO HAVE VISITED THE HOUSE OF CURRY ON MY RECOMMENDATION. I HAVE WRITTEN TO THE RESTAURANT AND THEY HAVE RESPONDED AND LOOKING AFTER THE ISSUE. Being an Indian I am very skeptical about Indian restaurants. I can never explain to myself what price is a *good price* to pay for food that can be cooked at home. I love going to Ravi’s or a Karachi Darbar (these are Pakistani restaurants but treads on the similar subcontinental North Indian flavour), because I cannot…
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Ananta in Oberoi Dubai | The royal recipe of Galouti Kababs
“Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart.” ― Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore Every one who knows me, knows my love (my family’s love actually) for Galouti Kababs. Galouti Kababs melt me down, always… as the melt-in-the-mouth minced kebabs melt in my mouth! The Galouti always deserved a special post in my blog. With a hands-on experience in a masterclass on how to make real Galoutis and the Dum Pakht style of cooking, I feel that I can finally belt out a melting post full of aroma, while the taste of the kababs still linger on. Chef Dirham, a Galouti expert, took us through this…
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Barbecue Delights | The Afghani Rosh That’s Forced Me To Discuss Indo-Pak Politics!
‘What? You went to Barbecue Delights? But that’s a Pakistani joint’. Yes, sounds incredulous, but many miles across the Indo-Pak border and the LOC (lines of control), we Indians and Pakistanis still let Politics rule our conversations in our Dubai drawing rooms, while pretending to be neutral and oh-so-enlightened-and-educated. When I had started my blog, I had promised myself that I will not be discussing Politics, Religion and other social calamities that might affect the world, not because they didn’t affect me. It’s because I believe that food connects to people, bringing them closer as they dig upon memories and nostalgia – in a way heal the wounds left behind…
A culinary travel blog
