Home Chefs Of Mumbai – Part 8 – Sonal Saket Soni

Six months now and we are still stuck at home, with no clue as to when this pandemic is likely to perish. Family dinners, lunches and breakfast, are resurgent. Families have come together, closer  knit now, spending quality time, children more secure at home, happily embracing undivided attention. It’s kind of joyful amid all sorrows.

 It’s not that we are not relishing this togetherness, a purpose of sustenance, a purpose of literal communion, yes, we are - but that is not enough. We really miss our friends. Meetings on Zoom or Google-Meet was fun, initially, watching Insta-live has also raise the curve of our culinary skills, learning everything from the comfort of our home is the brownie point. But now, that’s become routine! Bored! We need change. We have begun to fantasize the other side of pandemic, when we can finally host a huge potluck at a private resort, may be out of Mumbai. An ideal post-Coronavirus feast maybe? What would that be? A huge bonfire with roasted meat sizzling away? Crackling, hissing, surrounded by smoke and wrapped in spicy fragrance?

 

I hope this pandemic ends before we forget what enjoyment really meant to us.

 

 

Sonal Saket Soni (of Astradelights fame) recounts about the celebrations in her childhood home at Ujjain. One huge hall was reserved for the cooking where 3/4 Maharajas prepared food stretched over 3 to 4 days and whole four-storied apartment would buzz with guests and relatives. Being a Marwadi by birth and that too in a huge joint family, her interest in cooking was developed watching them(maharajas) cook Gulab Jamun, Jalebis, Kaju Katlis and other Indian delicacies.

 

 

Sonal Saket Soni is passionate about baking. Her specialisation is sugar art and Eggfree/Eggless baking which includes Macarons, customised cakes, Brownies, healthy baked savoury  Cookies, Quiches and also does couverture Chocolates. She conducts hands on workshops teaching sugar flower and also Indian and International cuisines. She plans to launch an online workshops as well.

 

Sonal’s most cherished memory is of first Continental good food she had during her Honeymoon in '99 at  Manali at Hotel Ambassador, then and now Manuallaya, where they had stayed for a week.

 

“It was beautifully done, this Chinese Restaurant. It was my first taste of the most authentic and delicious Chinese food, truly enjoyed it as everything was simply delicious, from the hot and sour soup, to Dimsums, Noodles and Spring rolls. Breads consumption was considered a sin then.

 

Sonal fondly talks about her mother’s cooking skills, specially Matar (peas) Kachories, that was appreciated by whosoever tasted it. Her mom is her mentor and she has learnt to make Marwari and Malwa cuisine from her.

 

She is happy to share Eggless Pancakes Recipe.

 

 

1.     In a bowl, take 1½ cups of refined flour (Maida).

2.     Add ¼ tsp. Baking powder, 1tsp Baking soda, a pinch of Salt, ½ cup Sugar.

3.     Mix together using a whisk to combine all dry ingredients well.

4.     Add 1tsp Vanilla extract, 2tbsp Ghee/Butter, half cup Milk and mix well with the balloon whisk.

5.     Once combined, add another half cup of Milk and mix well.

6.     Then add the remaining ½ cup milk ( you may want to keep 2tbsp aside and add if the consistency is thick) to the batter.

7.     The consistency should not be very fluid.

8.     Pour the batter on the preheated Pancake griddle.

9.     Let it cook from one side on low flame.

10.  Flip after a minute.

11.  Cover and cook for another half a minute.

12.  Remove the lid and let it cook for 20 seconds till golden brown.

13.  Enjoy at teatime, preferably with friends.

 

 

You can place your order for cakes, macaroons and other baked specialities via direct chat on social media

 

Follow her on her Instagram handle at astraldelights

Facebook : Astraldelights 

Twitter : @astraldelights

Dining in missKorea BBQ in NYC

During my one week stay in NewYork city in October 2015, we went to miss Korea BBQ for lunch. My brother and his family are regulars there and they assured me that it was the best restaurant in the town.

I was not disappointed.

How could I be when missKoreaBBQ is named as NewYork City’s ‘Best Korean BBQ Restaurant’ at 2015 Times Square Asian Food Festival

It was freezing outside, and my brother dropped me at the end of the lane, and went to look for a parking place, we walked at a fast pace, stopped to look closely at the attractive food dressing in the window and entered the warm restaurant.

Halloween was just round the corner during that time, so this restaurant too was in Halloween mood

We seated at the far end, cuddled around the fire place that was at the centre of the table. The beauty of Korean cuisine is that the food is cooked at the table itself and you nibble on food straight out of the hot pan.

The romance starts as soon as (banchan) small side dishes start appearing on the table, among which there are lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, green onion salad (called paieori) and sauces.

We started to nibble on side dishes when the waitress arrived, placed a big shiny pan on fire place in the centre of the table. She puts the oil and then the marinated meat and mixed vegetables, stir fried the veggies as we sat munching on delicious kimchi pancake, that was served on our plates. I would highly recommend these pancakes for its texture and flavor.

Soon the pan fried pork belly with vegetables ( Ohsum Bikkeum) were simmering on the center tables and we began to pluck out the pieces of the cooked pork and vegetables straight from the pan. Hot and spicy, they tasted so good.

Kids wanted to eat Yakshu Bulgogi. This is the most popular variety of Korean bbq. Before cooking, the meat is marinated with the mixture of soya sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic and pepper. A perforated dome griddles are place over centre fireplace at the table, and meat is roasted over it, while the soup and juices slide towards the cupped edges. You take the pieces of cooked meat, dip into the sauce and savour it.

Since they ordered beef, I did not eat it, but from the contentments (of oohs and aahs) from the girls, I can assure you that it must have been quite tasty. I was then informed that it’s most famous dish ‘Bulgogi’ had won ‘The Culture Trip’s New York Local Favorite 2015 Award.

Steak was another dish I missed out although it looked juicy and tender. There were roasted vegetables like apples and corn paired with this dish.

A vegetarian dish was made for me on another table, I did not watch her make but the sauces were sacculent and tasty

We were in the restaurant for over two hours, eating at slow pace, enjoying every moment. It was warm inside and the food was hot, spicy and tasty. When we got up to go out, we was greeted with strong gust of icy wind, we then realized, that choosing Korean cuisine was a wise decision on a cold day like this…….