Food Trail: Part One- Hong Kong

I belong to a fun loving family. Going for sight seeing, museums, beaches and gardens and parks are done only if there are children to entertain (been there, done that). Other wise its just food or shop. Last month we had family reunion where my family from different parts of the world (Bangkok, Chicago, Dubai, Los Angeles and Pune) met at Hong Kong. We took seven days cruise from Hong Kong to Okinawa, and then also went to Macau and Jakarta for few days. There was big party all the time.

The party started on the first day itself. We hadn’t even finished unpacking that we met for lunch at a huge Paramount Banquet hall. Inspite of having more than 40 dining tables, the restaurant was full…the food was excellent. We had Chinese. 

I specially loved the Tender Fish Heads and Peking Duck (my favourite)

One afternoon we spent at the Repulse Bay (Hong Long side). While the children and their parents swam at the beach or played at the park outside the restaurant, we spent our time at WTF that had great many restaurants. We dined at Amaltifina Artisan Pizza Bar, that served oven fresh pizzas and sandwiches. One dish I particularly liked was the starter that looked like a dessert. The taste was awesome. Loved the presentation of them serving it in the cylindric shape that fell apart as soon as I touched it with a spoon. It was a nice tangy dish of Tomatoes Avocado and Buffalo Cheese With Sweet Sauce

Some evenings were spent at WoolooMooloo, a restaurant bar at 21^st floor with a beautiful view. There was a narrow balcony on one side of the restaurant, where we could sit and enjoy the laser play of lights on skyscrapers. We had pizzas, sandwiches, coffee, drinks  and of course Smoked Salmon

Chao Yang was another restaurant where we could enjoy the view from 27^th floor. There is a beautiful view of the harbour with calm waters and large boats. On a clear day, view is fantastic. Since many members of my family are vegetarian, we enjoy when there is variety of food for all. This restaurant had great selection of vegetarian meal specially Mushrooms and Tofu was enjoyed by all while others ate Chicken and other Chinese dishes.

When in Hong Kong, one visit to Korean restaurant is a must. The fun is at cooking on the tables with a small burner in the centre of the table. Marinated meat with assorted sauces, crispies and chopped spring onions are served. While we roasted the meat, we enjoyed the plateful of Shrimp Tempuras  in the bed of deep-fried noodles at Arirang Korean Restaurant

Golden Bull , a French Vietnamese restaurant has a beautiful décor with large painting on the walls. The shelves have beautiful antique vases and other decorative pieces. we can feast on artistic ambience till the food arrives.  It is pricey but nice. When in Vietnamese restaurant, Spring Rolls with Mint leaves and Soya Chili Vinegar is a must

A nice Tappanyaki  Japanese restaurant atShangrila hotel is Nadaman that serves set meals. we ordered Set Meal that included a starter, a salad, a rice dish and a dessert. The food was great and I loved the soft, melt-in-the-mouth Sea food with horse radish Wasabi that gives an instant kick as its strong tangy flavour escape through nose like burning fumes. 

Cali-Mex Taqueria, a Mexican restaurant is interesting because it had a beer taps at every table. There are high chairs and sofas and one can just help themselves with unlimited amount of beer from the taps. We enjoyed Tacos at Cali-Mex Taqueria

Early morning, my cousins went to Chee Kei for breakfast and came back saying that they have had the best Wanton Mei in Hong Kong. Curiosity got the better of me and so we did go to try after some days.  Loved the wantons noodles at this stop

Macau Restaurant is known for their spicy crabs, it’s a small place but serves good street food. The crabs were not available that day so we ordered Wanton Noodles Soup

Everyday there was a visit to a different restaurant and trying of different cuisine. Everywhere the food is delicious, be it Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Mexican. And no, I did not visit any Indian restaurant in Hong kong, although I was told that Indian club have very good Indian food. But then why would I have Indian unless I am eating at home?

to be continued....

Food trail at Cruise 'Voyagers of the Seas' and in Jakarta coming up soon....

Master Class on Dim Sum

I know Rushina M Ghildiyal for quite some years now. She is gentle, friendly and very inspiring cook. Food is always on her mind. She is always on look out for new recipes and new restaurants and is the main person in bringing all the food bloggers together. I remember some years ago, I had met her at a supermarket and she excitingly told me about the food studio that she was furnishing. There was glitter in her eyes when she talked about her new venture of having a cook studio of her own, where there would be workshops and product launch of food and recipes., where new dishes would be tried out, where new recipes would pop out.

That was long time ago. This month Rushina celebrates five years of her APB Cook Studio. How time flies! But like always, she celebrates with a style while whole food industry watches her moves. There were great many events organised at her cook studio to celebrate her five years of success. Last Sunday I was invited for hands-on Dim sum workshop .

Chef Cham of the Emperor’s court restaurant of Renaissance Hotel and Convention centre was to host the fabulous Dim Sum Class.

When I reached her APB Cook Studio, there was lot of activity and preparations. All the vegetables, meat and sea food (that would be used for filling) were being finely chopped. Chopping is lot of work (mind you)

After a short introduction, the class began with making of the dough for 'yeast based Bao'.

300gms of refined flour was sieved into mixing bowl,

30gms sugar, and salt was added to the flour

8.5gms of dry yeast was mixed with warm water and left to activate. Once there was froth, he added to the flour mixture, 120ml of water was added to make a smooth dough, kneading it for more than 10 minutes till it became very soft and smooth. It was covered and kept in the warm place for 45 minutes till it became double the size.

After an hour, the dough was divided into 12 equal balls. They were rolled into thick circles. A spoonful of the filling was placed into circle and by bringing ends together, the filling was sealed inside the dough. They were then kept on a greasy plate and left it for another 30 minutes. Once it had risen, it was transferred into the top half of a steamer with boiling water and cooked for 25 minutes till tender.

Chicken filling for Boa was already prepared. but chef did make vegetarian filling for boa during the session.

In a large pot, water was boiled and chopped carrots and pakchoy was blanched, removed from water with a strainer and kept aside..

20gms of finely chopped garlic was fried till light brown. He added 40gms of Hoisin sauce, 1tsp of chili bean sauce, 1tsp of honey and mixed it well. Then he added the finely chopped vegetables that included Chinese cabbage, Pakchoy, yellow and green Zucchini, carrots and water chestnuts. Seasoning like five spice powder, and vegetable aromatic powder was added, 2tbsp of corn starch was added to bind the mixture. Finely chopped spring onions and few drops of truffle oil was added. This filling was then used for filling the Boa.

I tried making flour based gyoza

It was simple really. 

Just mix 250gms refined flour and salt and knead it with plain water. The trick is to knead the dough well, making it smooth and soft. Cover it with cloth and set aside. Rolling the circle with the normal rolling pin (that tapers on both sides) might not be apt. a pipe or a bamboo roller pin of equal diameter would be better. You have to flatten the ball and roll it with the pipe in such a way that ends become thinner while the centre is thicker for holding the filling. Only thumb and one finger is used for binding the edges to seal the ends. You can be creative and shape it artistically too.

 The toughest was to work with starch based crystal dough.

Remember the transparent dim sums that we get in the restaurants? I think these are the tastiest of all but toughest to make, because the dough is so rubbery that it was shaped not with rolling pin, but pressed under broad blade knife. Even making the dough is tricky.

Set a pot of water on high flame and let it come to a rolling boil. Sieve 160gms of potato starch and 200gms of wheat starch. Add one ladle of cold water to the bowl and stir till starch dissolves. Then add one ladle of hot water to the bowl and stir till it becomes a smooth, medium soft dough. Transfer the dough on a clean flat surface and knead it with little potato starch and oil, till it is very smooth. (knead at least for ten minutes) cover and set it aside.

Enjoyed making the dim sum and eating it of course. 

The dip was delicious too

We can make it by blanching 2 tomatoes in a pot of boiling water till skin begins to peel off. Take it out from water and peel off the skin and place in mixer grinder. Add 2red chilies, 6garlic cloves(peeled) 1/4tsp black peppercorn crushed and salt to taste.

Grind to a smooth paste and enjoy with dim sum

It was a fun afternoon. Came back with food hamper of goodies from Nordic Kandie, Bonne Maman and Kolln.

Celebrating #PulaoBiryaniDay with Family

“So who decides that today is Biryani Day?” asked my family.

 I had cooked two pots of Biryanis (one veg and other non-veg) as a special treat. The morning paper had screamed that there are 87 different varieties of Biryanis. I told them that I had an invite to Trident for biryani trail of 12 biryani’s but couldn’t go because I had committed to making one for the family.

“Why suddenly so much fuss over Biryani?” they asked.

Well , why not? Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal, a food connoisseur and my food blogger friend had send me a message few days ago, asking me and many other food bloggers to observe June25th as #PuloaBiryaniDay. She felt that there were special observance days around the globe dedicated to food like World Macaron Day, World Nutella Day and more, but though India is home to rich culinary tradition, we had none. Her idea was well received in the food blogger’s community. Some more food bloggers from other parts of India also joined her in this plan of observing this day in their city. The word spread wild through social media, and lo behold! Whole of India did celebrate June25th as Puloa Biryani day.

Facebook, blogs, Instagram, Twitter, all were flooded with biryani pictures and recipes and many people took part and had potluck or feast at home.

I spent the whole morning cooking and enjoyed every moment of it. Actually my cooking drill started a day earlier when I stood in the kitchen to deep fry chopped onions on low flame till they were dark brown and crispy. I had liked the caramalised taste of it. Also I had marinated chicken in curd, garlic, ginger, chilies and spices.

Since I was alone in the kitchen with music  in the background playing latest Bollywood music, I was in good mood and very attentive. I worked deligently, watching each step and was quite pleased with the results. It was raining heavily so I asked my nephew to come and pick me up. I was to take biryani to my sister’s house (where I spend most of my Sundays)

My sister had cooked mutton too (in case there was not enough biryani, but nobody touched it) she had also made raita and had bought potato wafers. I waited as the family sat down to enjoy the meal and was greatly pleased when the family compliments started to pour in. They all loved it and said that it was better than what they order from restaurants. Well, I am glad. But unfortunately, if I am asked to repeat the same taste, I am not sure if I will be able to make the same taste once more. (I am creative, you see)

Cooking for me is an art that cannot be reproduced, so I jot down the recipe to remember what ingredients I used. Both the Biryanis were made side-by-side, so the taste differ  was only because of meat.

Ingredients

2 cups Basmati rice (wash and soak in water for half an hour)

3 large onions chopped lenghtwise (for deep frying)

2 medium onions peeled and burnt on open flame

8-9 Cardamoms

8-9 Cloves

4-5 star shaped Anise

8-9 Bay leaves

4-5 strands of saffron dissolved in 1/2cup warm milk

½ kg chicken randomly chopped

2 medium size potatoes, chopped and deep fried

200gms Cauliflower deep fried

2 medium Carrots chopped and deep fried

2 inch ginger

6cloves of garlic

4 green chilies

1tsp Cumin seeds

1 tsp aniseeds

1 cup Curds

4 medium Tomatoes

50 grams chopped walnuts

50grams chopped almonds

50grams chopped pistachio

50grams chopped dates

1 cup milk

1 tsp lime juice

1 cup chopped corainder leaves

2 tbsp Briyani masala

salt to taste

Method

1.     Marinate chicken with one inch ginger, 3pods of garlic, 1cup of curds, salt, 1tsp turmeric power and keep it over night.

2.     Deep fry onions on low flame till they are dark brown and crispy.

3.     Boil rice till it is half done, strain and spread in a large plate

4.     Add cloves, bay leaves, star anis, cardamons, ghee, and saffron dissolved in hot milk to the cooked rice. Mix and keep it aside.

5.     Start to prepare vegetables for veg briyani..deep fry chopped potatoes, chopped carrots, and cauliflower.

6.     In a separate pan, heat 1tbsp oil. Add cumin seeds, aniseeds, chopped onions. Add mushroom and corn. Add fried potatoes, fried cauliflower and fried carrots. Add the mixture of curd and tomatoes. Add salt and briyani masala. Mix and cook for 2 minutes. Keep the cooked vegetables aside.

7.     In a pressure cooker pan, heat 1tbp oil. Add cunin seed, aniseeds, chopped onions. Add the marinated chicken (as mentioned above in method one). Add mixture of curds and tomatoes. Add salt and briyani masala. Mix and cook till oil floats on the top. Add 1/2cup water and pressure cook for 2 whistles.

8.     Take a deep pan for vegetable briyani. Coat it with ghee. Spread deep fried onions.(as mentioned above in method 2) add 1 cup cooked spice rice (as mentioned in above method 4) add the cooked vegetables (as mentioned in method 6) cover it with ½ cup spiced rice (as mentioned in method4). Garnish with deep fried onions, chopped almonds, pistachio, walnuts, dates. Sprinkle ½ milk over it. Squeeze ½ lemon juice. Add chopped coriander leaves. cover the pot tightly and seal it with wheat dough and steam it on low flame for 45 minutes.

9.     Take a deep pan for chicken briyani. Coat it with ghee. Spread deep fried onions.(as mentioned above in method 2) add 1 cup cooked spice rice (as mentioned in above method 4) add the cooked chicken (as mentioned in method 7) cover it with ½ cup spiced rice (as mentioned in method4). Garnish with deep fried onions, chopped almonds, pistachio, walnuts, dates. Sprinkle ½ milk over it. Squeeze ½ lemon juice. Add chopped coriander leaves. cover the pot tightly and seal it with wheat dough and steam it on low flame for 45 minutes.

10.  Serve with onion raita and potato chips