Showing posts with label workshop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label workshop. Show all posts

Friday, October 9, 2020

Home Chefs Of Mumbai – Part 21 – Nupur M. Verma

If you are a foodie, you might probably have one big bookshelf of cookbooks in you kitchen cabinet. (most of us flip through photographs and drool over it). Every trip you make oversees, you will pick up a copy of an authentic cookbook from that city. (You promise yourself that you will learn from that). If you have a friend’s cookbook launch, you will surely collect their autographed copy. (but how many of those books have you read back-to-back?) You will ask for recipes, whenever you taste food at friends house (even though you know the recipe). You will enjoy food related TV reality shows or go to U-tube to understand the procedure in detail. (but how many of those dishes have you tried on your own?)

Nobody became a chef by doing just that. 

Cooking is all about pride and passion. It is about experimenting new dishes and treating each party as a personal challenge. It is about getting your hand dirty, spilling oil, powdering face with flour, slipping on vegetable peels, scrubbing the turmeric stains off your dress. It is the process of actual cooking. To understand the technique, it is important to have a Guru. Some-one who can inspire you, guide you patiently, it could be your granny, or your mom, your dad or even a friend. Or you will need to attend some cooking workshops. Only at the live-demo, can you actually learn the basics methods, it's then you see the food created in front of you,  smell the aroma, feel the texture and can taste it too.

If you have attended Nupur Varma’s cooking workshops, you sure to reach half way there.



Nupur. M. Varma (of TheWoodenSpoonbyNupur fame) is an artist, a baker and a home chef.  She also holds workshops and teaches an array of food and bakes. 

She personalises birthdays/celebrations cakes and also wedding cakes. She is known for desserts like Tiramisu, baked Cheese Cakes and glutton free Chocolate cake.

At the Wooden Spoon, you not only get trained in dishing out the unusual mouth watering delights, but also learn to create the perfect ambience for the evening party by using the right crockery for serving, eating, and making your food visually appetising and so on. It is all about experiences of dining out in your own living room


The wooden spoon is the manifestation of a dream,” she admits, “a dream that there be the world in every kitchen. Food speaks volumes to me, it has always fascinated me. The exploration of the different parts of the world. Their culture, their heritage, their culinary delights.” 

She pursued this throbbing interest at the Merit Swiss Asian school of management in Ooty for 3 years, consequently, during her training at Oberoi hotel in Mumbai, she felt the need to popularise the world’s cuisine and bring it to people’s home, so after extensive research and endless trials, she developed a collection of simple to use recipes of delicacies of exotic places as far flung as Switzerland, Burma, Vietnam and also grandma’s secret recipes from different parts of India. 

I have preserved the authenticity and unique flavours of every preparation while keeping in mind the Indian vegetarian palate, the recipes have been improvised where necessary, to suit the needs of the modern kitchen and the time constrained office goers.” She informs

The wooden spoon is now 15years old. Her two beautiful daughters and her spouse love to eat everything that she makes and are her official tasters and also biggest critics. Her specialities in the kitchen are Khow Suey and Thai Curry.

Her frequent trip to Seattle is always about Thai Cuisine.

So this happened 12 years ago for the first time..... in Seattle we went to a small Thai restaurant and they served us a Thai Peanut Curry with Pumpkin and Potatoes in it and every time I got back to Seattle (which is quite often) I must visit that restaurant.” She adds

Nupur loves travelling and trying the local food,  she loves feeding her family and friends with something always new. Baking and cooking is her prime passion.

She is happy to share her recipe of Amritsari Chole and Amritsari Kulcha 



Amritsari Chole

 1. Soak 1 cup chickpeas overnight. 

2. Make a spice bag of 2” cinnamon stick, 4-5 black cardamom, 2 bay leaves, 2” ginger and tie it up. 

3. Similarly make another bag of 5 tsp tea bag, ot take 3 tea bags.

4. Place the soaked chickpeas in the pressure cooker along with spice bundle and tea bags. 

5. Add 2 tbsp black salt and 3 cups of water. 

6. Pressure cook the chick peas upto 3 whistles. 

7. Strain out the water and reserve it for later use. 

8. Heat 2tbsp oil. 

9. Add 1tsp cumin seeds. 

10. Once it splutters add 1tsp of ginger paste and 1tsp of garlic paste. 

11. Add 4-5 slit green chilies. 

12. Mix and cook for a minute. 

13. Add 2 finely chopped onions and cook till golden brown. 

14. Add 3 finely chopped tomatoes and cook till mushy. 

15. Add 2tsp coriander powder, 2tsp cumin powder, 2tsp pomegranate powder, 2tsp chole masala/ Garam masala. 

16. Add the boiled Chole. 

17. Add reserve water as per how much gravy you wish to have. 

18. Cook the Chole in masala for 15-20 minutes. 

19. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with Amritsari Kulcha.


Amritsari Kulcha

1. Mix 2cups flour, ½ tsp baking soda, 1tsp salt, 2tsp sugar and 2tbsp sour curd. 

2. Make a soft dough adding the required amount of water. 

3. Once the dough is ready, add 2tsp of butter. 

4. Knead the dough until it is soft and smooth. approx 8-10 minutes.  

5. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes. 

6. Once the dough is rested, spread it out approx 1/2” thickness with the help of your finger tips. 

7. Apply 2 tsp butter and sprinkle some dry flour. 

8. Fold 1/3 of the dough, spread the dough once again to ½” thickness with the help of your fingertips. 

9. Apply 2tsp butter and sprinkle dry flour . 

10. Fold it into half and divide into 6-8 portions.  

11. Roll it in round, shape, flatten it a bit and fill it with stuffing (of yout choice).

12. Gather the sides and mold into round ball.  

13. On the rolling board, dust some flour, place the stuffed round ball and start flattening it with your finger tips, 

14. Apply some water on the surface and sprinkle coriander leaves, mint leaves, kalonji seeds, sesame seeds, etc. 

15. Apply water on the bottom and stick this side on the walls of your pre-heated cooker, 

16. Let it cook on medium heat and once done, place a burning coal in the cooker. 

17. Put few drops of oil for the coal to smoke. 

18. Let the kulcha be in the smoke for couple of minutes and remove. 

19. Apply butter to the hot kulcha and sprinkle some amchoor or chat masala on it. 

20. Crush the kulcha slightly with your hand. 

21. Serve hot with Amritsari Chole, and chutney


Follow her on Instagram  @thewoodenspoonbynupur

Contact her on Watsapp at 9820042978


Friday, September 9, 2016

Cooking Afternoon With 50Young.

50young is the group of people above the age of 50 years. Initiated by Anita Gurnani, Anand Gurnani and Kamal Raheja, the group has grown within one year to more than thousand members, all from different sect of society, all with common goal- to enjoy the life to its fullest as they pass through rocky path of seniority. Many of its members are talented lot, who meet regularly and inspire each other with their success stories. Their focus topics include beauty, fashion, art, culture, money, finance, health, wellness, technology, travel, etc, Workshops and forum are held regularly, you may see them in groups, enjoying a walk down the sea shore, savouring street food by the beach, or encouraging each other in some or the other workshop.

The most popular workshop that they enjoy the most is indoor creative activities like dancing,cooking, gift wrapping, decoupage, pottery, etc. Last week I had the privilege to attend their cooking workshop Dessert in the Jar by  Rashmi Ahuja and low Calorie Buggers by Sheela Sagar.

Sheela Sagar and Rashmi Ahuja are sisters who have passion for cooking. Sheela Sagar is the costume designer by proffession having won the ITA awards 2008 for best costume for Jai Shri Krishna and ITA awards 2007 for best costume for Dharti Ka Veer Yodha Pritviraj Chauvan. I wanted to teach cooking when I was young but life took over and my interest was kept on back burner says Sheela.
Now at the most relaxed age of 50 plus, Sheela and her sister Rashmi have joined hands in pursuing their culinary passion and have started their cooking workshops for 50 young group. Mrs Anita Gurnani is the most gracious hostess, who allows the use of her private home in Bandra to full-house, jam-packed cooking workshops.

Rashmi Ahuja demonstrated the preparation of Eggless Tiramasu in a jar. Eggless blueberry mousse in a jar and Eggless Pineapple cheese cake in a jar
Sharing the recipe of the dessert with kind permission from Rashmi Ahuja
Eggless Pineapple Cheese Cake In a Jar

Ingredients
8-10 digestive biscuits (powdered)
2tsp melted butter
50 grms hung yogurd
50gms condensed milk
50gms cream cheese
50gms whipped cream
few drops of lemon yellow color
few drops of pinapple essence
1cup chopped pinapples (tin)
1packet pinapple jelly
Mint leaves for decorations
Method
Set jelly as instructed
Crush biscuits. Add melted butter, put this mixture at the base of the jar. Press lightly and keep in fridge for 5 minutes
In a bowl, blend together yogurd, condensed milk and cream cheese to a smooth texture. Fold in whipped cream. Keep in fridge for 10 minutes. Remove and put this cream mixture in the piping bag
Assembel the dessert in the jar. On the top of the biscuit mixture, put layer of pinapple pieces. Pipe out the cream mixture. Decorate with jelly and mint leaves.
Sheela Sagar demonstrated the preparation of low calorie Veggie burger and Cole Slaw Salad.
Sharing the recipe of Salad with kind permission from Sheela Sagar.
Cole Slaw Salad

Ingredients
2tbsp hung curd
2tbsp eggles diet mayonaise
1cup grated carrot
1cup shredded cabbage
4-5 finely chopped salad leaves
½ tsp black pepper
pinch of salt
Method
Mix all the above ingredients.
The workshop was a great success. Besides learning a new skill, there is interaction between members over tea and the food.
And then the tasting of the food. For just Rs200, it was quite a feast!!

A perfect afternoon full of smiles..



Thursday, April 5, 2012

Quenching with Summer Drinks



Instant karma are the cocktails? Or so they say...Good Karma or bad karma, taste decides, if you like it then good Karma but if you hate it then bad

But when you chance upon the mixing techniques to enjoy the drink to perfection then its going to be only good Karma, right?

Well this Thursday, I got an invite to attend the workshop on ‘Mocktails and Bartending’ by mixologist Ameya Sharma at Nature’s basket at Bandra.


Beginning of the month, my shopping was overdue at this store and I needed to fill up my larder, this was the perfect timing for attending this workshop as well.

So before my tedious shopping of organic fruits, vegetables, cheese and sauces, and surf the shelves for something new, I could do for some drinks.

Nature's Basket has one small inner room where hard drinks are stocked on regular days, this is the room where workshops are normally held. Until last year, we watched demonstrations as standees, crowding around the table, but over the time it is getting more organized. There were twelve chairs in three rows plus another six plastic stools. A big LCD TV in one corner and four assistants for helping with serving and attending to the comfort of the audience and the host. The table was laden with different kind of juice packets, syrups and fresh fruits, cutlery, mixing jugs, muddler, strainers, cocktail shakers, measuring cups, glasses and many other accessories.

Word spreads fast, because the room was full, with hardly any space to move. The men who had come early to get the best seat, had to sacrifice their comfort for late comers, especially women who expected this service. The recipes of the drinks were handed out to all those present and it listed all the items that would be demonstrated during the evening. The session began with the short introduction of the accessories that are useful during mixing of drinks.


There is the way to shaking the cocktail shakers, “Shake it like so, on the side above your shoulders” he said showing the right direction "so as not to wet yourself during mixing of the drinks".


Volunteers from the audience were invited to replicate the method demonstrated by host, and one by one, the drinks were mixed to make it visually appealing and then poured into tiny glasses for tasting.


Beside the various drinks he also demonstrated different ways the glass of drink could be garnished: a curled lime rind, a fan shaped apple slices hinged on a tooth-pick, the salting of the rim. It made interesting visual impact.


After every demo, we were given a shot to taste


I am not sure how many such shots I took but I came home in a very pleasant mood.

Some of the one which I liked

Orange Julius

Mix and blend........ 
120ml orange juice
60ml milk
3-4 chunks fresh orange chunks
30ml vanilla syrup
30ml fresh cream
10 ice cubes

The taste was sweetest milky flavor

The Pom Pom

Mix and blend........ 
300ml apple juice
½ cup chopped apples
½ cup chopped pineapples
½ cup chopped peaches
30ml blood orange syrup
7-8 ice cubes.

There was a sweetish sour, crunchy taste of fruits from the tiny bits that had escaped during double straining of the juice

Off Shores

Mix and blend........ 
5-6 coriander leaves
8-10 mint leaves
6-8 drops Worcestershire sauce
2-3 drops tobacco
60ml guava juice
Pinch of salt
3 scoops of ice cubes.

This tasted like panipuri, sweet, sour and spicy

Many people asked different recipes for various drinks and Ameya patiently shared his recipes. My cousin had tipped me to ask the recipe of Pinacloda
And he obliged

Mix and blend........
Pineapple juice 120ml
Fresh cream 30ml
Coconut cream 30ml
Vanilla rum 30ml
White rum 60ml

image source

But looking at the ingredients I agree its High-CalAlcoholic Beverage to Avoid




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