Rasovara- The Royal Kitchen, Bangalore

Few days back I was invited to Rasovara for trying their exclusive 'Aamlicious Thali' (mango special Thali). Rasovara is located in one of the prime location of Bangalore; UB city. The second floor of UB city has many restaurants and cafes with international cuisines and currently Rasovara is the only restaurant which serves Indian cuisine.

Summer is always special for me, as this is the time to savor mangoes and jackfruit. Rasovara's mango thali had some brilliant signature dishes from Rajasthan and North India. They have an 'a la carte' menu as well as Thali. As their name says, Rasovara means the royal kitchen. Thali is an integral part of Indian tradition and it's a symbol of prosperity. Most of the royal kitchen recipes are still a secret and many have been destroyed.

There is nothing like our Indian Thali and Rasovara's thali is the result of so many years of research in the royal kitchens of India. When I reached Rasovara, their staff in traditional attire welcomed me with flowers and a sandal paste tika. I was invited along with few other foodies. Soon after settling down we got the welcome drinks for tasting- Mango lassi, Aam thandai, and Kesar Chandan Cooler. Aam thandai was just okay. Thick and fresh mango lassi and the Kesar Chandan cooler were perfect summer drinks to beat the heat.

Mango special thali had Mango Pani puri and regular pani puri, Pizza Dhokla, Kairi Bhakarwadi with honey chilli sauce, Kairi Bhare pappad roll with hari lasuni chutney, Kairi mutter roll, and Aam gugra chaat as starters. All the starters were so delicious.

For the main course we had Gunda kairi ki sabzi, Rajasthani gulab jamun ki sabzi, aam ki launji, fajeto, tasty spicy mango salad, ghatte ki sabzi, mango khadi, Khobha roti, mango pulao, khichdi and few other dishes from their regular menu.

For desserts, we had Aam Shahi Tukda, badam halwa and mango jilebi with rabdi.
Most of the dishes were outstanding especially the gulab jamun ki sabzi, Khobha roti with desi ghee taste, ghatte ki sabzi, mango khadi, mango pulao,spicy mango salad and mango jilebi with rabdi.

It's a great place for a luxurious Indian meal and their ambience is a mix of traditional and contemporary design. Service is well-informed and very attentive. Thali is priced at Rs.751 (inclusive of taxes). They have a rotational menu with 3-4 mango dishes. So don't forget to try the aamlicious thali before the mango season gets over. I would definitely suggest this place to friends and families, also it would be an ideal place to take your expat friends to show our traditional food culture.

Address:
Level 2, The Collection
UB City, Vittal Mallya Road
Bangalore

For reservations, contact 080 41738968

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Kongu Gourmet Festival at Feast, Sheraton Grand, Bangalore

A bit of Tamil Nadu, a bit of Karnataka and a bit of Kerala; this is what I felt at Kongu Gourmet Festival at Feast, Sheraton Grand Hotel which is happening from 13th May to 22nd May, 2016.

Kongunadu dishes are created by the visiting Chef, Chef Sakthivel from Le Royal Meridien, Coimbatore and that's the highlight of this fest. A very humble person, Chef Sakthivel has got 30+ years of experience as a Chef and has worked with many big groups of Hotels. He was happy to share more details on Kongunadu cuisine.

Kongunadu comes in the western part of Tamil Nadu. It has got an influence of Chera, Chola and Pandya kingdom. Now the main places which come under Kondunadu are Coimbatore, Namakkal, Erode, Tirupur, Dindigul and few more. At Kongu Gourmet Festival, chef curated menu had lot of interesting dishes which actually made me to say 'Wow!'.

Starters- Vazhapoo Vada and Kuzhi Paniyaram (Vegetarian)
               Kuchi Meen Varuval and Kozhi Sukka (Non-vegetarian)
Welcome drinks - Neer More (Sugarcane juice) and Ragi Cool (Finger millet drink)
 Soon after I settled down in a couch, I got my 'Neer more' drink which was so refreshing. They have put a stall for fresh sugarcane juice. Starters were so delectable especially the deep fried fish which was Kuchi Meen Varuval and Kuzhi paniyaram. All the starters were served with a bowl of fresh coconut chutney.

They have live-counters for Appam, Kuzhi paniyaram and Idiyappam (String hoppers). So for the main course, I started with a plate of Appam and Veg stew (Kerala special). The soft and fluffy, Appam is my all-time favorite breakfast dish and when it is combined with a veg stew, it's so foodgasmic. Chef suggested me to try Appam with his special dish, 'Nattukottai Mutton Kuzhambu'. Initially I was a bit hesitant as I am not a mutton lover, but when I tried this dish... Oh boy! it was damn good with mutton cooked in onion and tomato gravy with coconut slices and other spices.

Festival special main course had Nattukottai Mutton Kuzhambu, Njandu Milaku Peratal (Crab cooked in thick gravy), Peerkankai Parippu Kootu (Moong Dal curry), Vandakayi Podi Thoval (dry Okra preparation), Muringakai Kathrikai Sambar (Drumstick-lentil curry), Egg masala and Jeera Sambar Kozhi biryani with accompaniments like appalams and pickles. Both veg and non-veg dishes gave a village home cooked food feel with a 5-star restaurant Chef's touch.

Along with Kongu special food, they also serves the regular dishes including Italian, Indian, Chinese and Continental dishes. I skipped the salad counter this time though it was very interesting with 20 varieties of sauces you can use for the salads.

Next comes my favorite part- desserts. This was even more special as the Chef himself brought lot of sweets (Ginger toffee, lemon/orange candy, thein mittai, ellundai, chikki, kappalandi mittai and jaggery sweet) from Coimbatore. All these were childhood favorites and it gave a nostalgic feeling. Kalkanda pongal (Sweet Pongal/Rice pudding) was the festival special dessert of the day.

After a feast at 'Feast', I was not having space in my stomach for trying their regular desserts like fresh fruit tarts, Indian sweets, caramel custard, pastries etc. But when I saw the Teppanyaki ice cream counter, I couldn't resist myself, so I got one bowl of ice cream which was a mix of Strawberry and Black currant ice cream with nuts as topping. They have 6-8 varieties of ice creams in the menu.

I had a quality time at Kongu Gourmet Festival. Every dish which was part of the food festival was phenomenal. Chef Sakthivel's knowledge and experience are very well combined in creating every dish and that makes this festival very unique :)

Lunch is priced ₹1445+ taxes and for the dinner, ₹1595+ taxes. They also have weekend brunch with a different pricing.

Address
Feast- Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel
26/1, Brigade Gateway
Dr.RajKumar Road, Malleshwaram
Bangalore
For reservations, contact 080 42521000

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Summer special eggless, no-churn Turmeric Ice cream

Turmeric is used in Asian cuisine since thousands of years. It has got natural anti-septic and antibacterial properties. Since it has got a good antioxidant value, in India 'turmeric milk' is widely used. Turmeric gives nice flavor and yellow color to any dish. It also helps in curing throat infection or cough related problems. Nowadays turmeric is becoming very popular in Western cuisine as well. In Kerala, we use turmeric in every recipe. It's a part of our daily life. I thought of making something interesting with turmeric and the first thing came to my mind was Ice cream. It's summer time and body needs to cool down a bit, so why not creating a dessert which has got a lot of medicinal values. Many people asked me about the taste of this icecream. This is one of the yummiest icecream I had in recent times. So here is the recipe for an eggless, no-churn turmeric ice cream :)

Serves: 4+ people
Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients

Turmeric powder          - 1 tsp 

Heavy cream                 - 400 ml (I used Amul cream with 25% fat content)

Condensed milk            - 400 gm

Milk                              - 50 ml

Preparation

1. In a sauce pan heat milk with turmeric powder and let it cool down in room temperature.
2. Pour the heavy cream in to a large bowl.
3. Using an electric hand mixer/stand mixer, beat the heavy cream until stiff peak forms.
4. Add the condensed milk to the whipped cream and beat once again for 2-3mins.
5. Add turmeric milk to this and beat once again to mix well.
6. Transfer this mix to a air tight container and store it in freezer for min 4-6 hours before using.
7. You can store this up to one week.
8. While serving add chopped dry fruits or fresh fruits.

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Hungry?? Order from Zzungry - A review about Zzungry

Zzungry has become a popular online food delivery name within a short span of time. What made them so popular? The secret is there in the caption itself- 'Royal Kitchens of India'. Zzungry delivers chef prepared, Royal Kitchens of India inspired food. They have a weekly changing menu which  assures that their customer never get bored of the same old menu like regular restaurants.

Initially their delivery was only in Indiranagar and HSR layout area and they were not having delivery in my area (Yemalur). Every time when I think of ordering food online, Zzungry will be the first name my friends will suggest. Recently Zzungry opened a new kitchen in Marathahalli and I was one of that lucky foodie to try some of their specialties. When I received my order, first thing I noticed was a neatly packed box with a few well arranged containers and a pack of parathas.

Zzungry sent me two starters, three main course, two parathas, a bowl of steamed basmati rice and a dessert. I must say, I just fell in love with their food. Starters were Injithairu Murg Kebab and Birbali Lamb Seekh. The smokey flavors and special masala taste from the tender chicken pieces and the flavorful Lamb Seekh along with a small bowl of green chutney gave me that feeling, 'I am gonna have a wonderful meal' :)

For main course I had Martaban Ka Murg, Kochi Patha, Kastha Murg along with Sattu Paratha and a bowl of steamed basmati rice. I was just blown away by the main course, especially the Kochi patha which was a Bengali style Lamb curry and two chicken main courses were also amazing; rich in taste and best enjoyed with a plate of perfectly cooked basmati rice. Sattu (flour made of gram flour) is not that common in South India. I have tried it couple of times from my friend's house and was familiar with the taste. Sattu Paratha from Zzungry was very tasty especially the filling, but paratha was a bit dry for me. But yes, I don't mind ordering it again.

According to me, a perfect meal should end with a good dessert. Gulab Jamun Panjgiri was the dessert sent to me and with the pieces of jamuns soaked in a thick Saffron Phirni with almond flakes on it, the dessert was so inviting. I couldn't resist myself and immediately indulged in it. It was a delicious royal treat.

Zzungry shows that for a good royal food experience one need not to burn their pocket. With a keypad touch, you can order and get a 5-star restaurant kind of food at your doorstep. They claim that every dish is prepared with the best quality products from trusted sources. When you take the first bite of Zzungry food, you will understand the quality of fresh ingredients used in it. My journey with Zzungry just started and I am sure that I will order from them, again and again.

For more details and to order from Zzungry, checkout https://www.zzungry.com/

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A lazy weekend at Cafe Arabica, Frazer Town, Bangalore

On a fine Sunday, I was in Frazer Town for a Bloggers meet at Cafe Arabica and was amazed by the variety of grub they offer. From Indian to Turkish, Arabian to European; they have delicacies from different parts of the world. Cafe Arabica is a venture of the famous Savoury Restaurant. Currently they are having two outlets in Bangalore (Frazer Town and Banneghatta road).

It is a small cafe with loads and loads of tempting treats like pastries, savouries, snacks, Arabian sweets, baked goodies and beverages. They have international Chefs who prepare the authentic snacks and savouries.

Baklava

Baklava is an Arabian-Turkish sweet which is rich in taste. It's made of dry fruits which are layered in puff pastry sheets along with clarified butter (ghee) or butter. Cafe Arabica serves baklava in different shapes which is a visual treat. Baklava is a must try sweet. They also serve Basbousa, which is another Turkish delight, made of Semolina.

Basbousa and Baklava

Creamy creamy mousse and pastries made of fresh fruits will surely attract you. I had that 'Alice in wonderland' moment :P They use finest ingredients for all their products. Every item we tried was so good. Only an artistic chef can give a magic touche in every dish.

I was invited by Ruhhi Singh who was extremely courteous and a sweet host. It was pleasure meeting a wonderful persona like her. If you are in Cafe Arabica, you are spoilt for choice, for sure. Same happened to us when we saw the display of yummy snacks and desserts.

One can't imagine a Mediterranean food without fig. Tarts with fresh figs, kiwi and orange wedges was colorful as well as tasty. Bangalore has so many Middle Eastern cafes and restaurants. But how many places you will see the traditional and authentic dishes? I was surprised to see Zaatar Bread in their menu. Zaatar bread with a strong cuppa coffee is all you need to have a great time.

They serve both hot and cold beverages. We tried their in-house specialties- Saudicool (Arabian drink), Magic tea, cold coffee and few fruit juices. Many Cafes fail when it comes to presentation of the food. In Cafe Arabica, they make sure that food look as good as it tastes.

We had an Indianised pizza, a regular small size pizza which is available in most of the bakeries. But taste was different from other places. I am in love with their Chicken puffs. The Chicken filling was so delicious. I would definitely go back to this Cafe soon to try more snacks and desserts. It's a value for money place; a meal for two will cost Rs.300/- (approximately). Cafe Arabica is located opposite to Savoury Restaurant in Frazer Town.

Address:
#56, Mosque Road
Frazer Town
Bangalore -560005
Ph no: 080-65350777/40966766
Check out their Facebook page for more details, Cafe Arabica

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