Home Chefs Of Mumbai – Part14- Shilpa Seth Bhambri

Our parents and grandparent hardly ever went on diet, they ate everything, Ghee, Mithai, Malai, Samosas, Bhajiyas, Briyanis, Badam Puris, Kulfis. Kheer and celebrated every festival with a rich variety of food. No fuss, no guilt nor shame in choice of food, no restrictive food rules. And yet they were quite healthy, their skin glowing with happiness of life lived well.

Now these diet fad! So what is the difference?

It’s the sedentary lifestyle we live today. We have 24 hours live-in helper at home. All the bills are paid online, we get home deliveries at the dwindling of the thumb, and we always use lift to go upstairs. We tire easily because we have lay-back attitude, we are always on phone, checking endless messages and forwarding the silly ones, crouched on couch like a potato, ordering junk-food, watching endless TV serials AND we give big head ache to our parents, with continuous jargon of words like ‘can’t eat this’ ‘don’t want that’ ‘I am watching my diet’, ‘this is too fattening.’ and the endless ramble of the latest trends.

Poor parents, they love us too much, so they tolerate all our NaatakBaazi

But luckily, we have home-chefs, who care for our health and create healthy cakes/Ice-creams that everybody can eat guilt free. Bindass!

Shilpa Seth Bhambri is the home chef who understands it all.

Shilpa Seth Bhambri is baker and trained chef practicing her expertise over 28 years. She has mastered the craft of baking and cake decorating by learning from some of the best International and local culinary artists. She is founder of  ‘The Cakeline,’ a customised cakerie with extension to all things sweet. The recipes have been curated and developed with lot of research by her. She has added a healthy range of confections and desserts that are endorsed by her own philosophy of nutritionally enhanced eating. She also works as a culinary advisor to ‘Baskin Robbins India’ and has created a line of products in their range. (Remember the Icecream cake at Baskinrobbins?..Her creation!) She also works as a food photographer, stylist and recipe developer.

She specialises in cakes and desserts with a focus on egg-free, low calorie products. During lockdown2020, she is personally baking a limited range to offer all a safe and risk free menu, taking utmost care to prepare  clean and hygienic bakes.

She is always fascinated by her Mom’s style of cooking ‘Andaaz Sey’-the Indian way of weighing by sight method of cooking. Her Mom is a pure vegetarian, cleans meat/seafood with tongs but cooks wonderful dishes for the family. Her Mom’s hearty wholesome cooking forms the base and her large part of her food memories that include Doodhwalla Mutton, Pishori Cholle with Aloo Puri, being her classic favourites till now.

The best eureka food memories are from the corridors and kitchens of the Taj Mahal hotel, Mumbai.

“When I trained in its banquets and kitchens, I tasted some of the best culinary creations made by its senior chefs. From Pate de Fois, to Caviar on Blinis, hand churned Ice creams, Devils on Horseback, Baklava to the finest chocolate creations, Duck l'orange, Peking Duck with pancakes. Always encouraged by my mentor to taste what was cooked and served. My fine sensory palate was formulated in these initial years of my culinary school training.”

She is happy to share the recipe of Ragi Banana Cake 

(This is one of her oldest signature recipes which is “Maida free, Sugar free, Egg free”. She has replaced refined sugar with Jaggery and made this delicious ‘anytime healthy tea-cake’.

1. Sift both flours (100gms Ragi/Nachni flour) and (100gms whole wheat flour) with ½ tsp baking powder, 1 ½ tsp baking soda and pinch of salt. 

2. In the warm/melted 100gms butter, add 150gms Jaggery powder. 

3. Mix well with a spatula. This will help the jaggery to dissolve. 

4. Add 150gms whisked yoghurt and 120gms banana pulp(about 2 ½ bananas). 

5. Mix well. 

6. Mix the sifted flours into the butter mixture (of step 2).

7. Add 1tsp Cinnamon powder and 1tsp Vanilla extract. 

8. Do not over mix. 

9. Pour batter into a greased and lined 7x7inch tin. 

10. Bake at 170 degrees Celsius for about 35-45 minutes. 

11. Cool cake completely before cutting into slices to serve.

Shilpa Seth Bhambri was awarded Home Chef and Baker's award 2020 for the contribution to India's Home chef & Baking Industry in the category of 10 years+

Other than that she is also an avid food photographer and food stylist. Her new venture curates an expression of all her learning in the food world that is passionately expressed in the series of food tales in the form of mini video stories featuring home chefs, foodies and passionate cooks. You can view them all on her U-tube Channel at foodtaleswithShilpa.

 

 You can order her signature items on preorder; DM or call at 9930987989

Follow her at Instagram at Shilpasethbhambri

Home Chefs Of Mumbai - Part 13 – Shanti Petiwala

Sometimes food can be boring if we have to eat the same thing day-in, day-out. Everybody likes change and being creative in the kitchen is the best adventure one can have. You don’t need any talent to think out of box, you just need imagination and courage to try something new.

Have you tried sea food with pork? Or served mince Karela inside the pasta shell and coat it with sour cream? The idea might repel you. Imaginations can turn wild. Sometimes they just stay in our mind, refuse to emerge, but sometimes, you pick up your courage and try something weird.

The creativity sets in.

You start playing with ingredients, whipping them, curdling them, tossing them and the result is strange tasting sauces and dips. Sometimes experiments fail, but a successful one becomes your signature dish. Only you know the trick. You start using un-usual appliances and utensils for cooking, bake a soup with a loaf of bread in an egg shell, prepare spicy utappam in a waffle maker, or make seafood pies in muffin cones. The ideas are endless, some silly, some weird. But you are excused if you are able to conceptualise at least one original recipe of your own.

Creativity is having fun with intelligence.

And I love food creations of Shanti Petiwala.

Shanti Petiwala wears many hats. She is writer, editor, home cook, culinary blogger. Riot of Flavours is her canvas, and she celebrates food in all its glory. Food is very personal to her, so every dish that she cooks is made as though she would eat it all by herself.

On a regular basis, she shuttles between Mumbai and Dubai, writer and editor for business magazine in Dubai and home chef in Mumbai. The lockdown has kept her rooted inside her home and she is having the best of the time, planning, prepping and delivering meals since past two months.

Shanti specialises in home cooked Bohri food, Chitrapur Saraswat food and many of her own creative dishes.

Tomato Saar and Bhindi Bhaji, are the earliest memories of good food she remembers that was prepared by her mom, and continues to be her favourite.

She talks about many ‘first time’ memories of food

“The first time I had a real Italian pizza was in Verona. It was a mushroom pizza and it ruined all pizzas for me thereafter, after that no other pizza I had ever came close.”

She fondly remembers Surnoli, a sweet Indian pancake, known to be Saraswat Brahmin dish, it has puffy textures with holes and is traditionally eaten for breakfast “I vividly remember where I was and how amazed I was the first time I ate this Konkani sweet Dosa preparation way back in 2000.”

Being creative in kitchen, she loves to experiment with different ingredients. In one of her experiments, she used eggplant and Labneh (a smooth creamy yoghurt with no whey) and baked this amazing dish.

Shanti is happy to share her recipe of Roasted Eggplant with Labneh and Pistachio

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees.

2. Cut the 1 large eggplant into two halves, lengthwise.

3. Score them with a knife and rub some salt into them and keep aside.

4. In the meanwhile, in a pan, put in 1 tbsp oil.

5. Add 2 clove garlic (minced) and 1 onion (minced).

6. Mix it well.

7. Once the eggplant releases some water, wash it and pat it dry.

8. Marinate in a little oil and salt (adjust according to taste).

9. Put it into the oven for 20 minutes or till just done but it holds its shape.

10. Scoop out some of the meat from the middle (take care to not tear the skin at the bottom).

11. Cut up the pulp and mix it with the onion-garlic mixture.

12. Stuff the whole mixture back into the eggplant.

13. Put it back into the warm oven. Grill it.

14. Whip 1cup labneh well. Spoon gently over the grilled eggplant.

15. Sprinkle 2tbsp of slivered pistachios and 3tbsp of extra virgin olive oil.

She announces her menu every week and deliver over the weekends.

You can follow her on @riotofflavours for new menu updates Call on her WhatsApp no 9152292940 

Follow her on her Instagram handle @riotofflavours

 

Home Chefs Of Mumbai - Part12 - Faiziya Soomar

British have really confused everybody by calling every Indian dish ‘Curry’. 

Curry is for adventure because every body has their own own style of cooking with their choice of spices, their selection of vegetables/meat. Its kind of stew, a medley of flavors, rich in taste. 

Curry is for craving. When we are tired of simple meals of Dhal, Chawal, Khichdi, Poha and Bread and we really want to pamper ourself with some rich ingredients like Nuts and Cream, Herbs and Spices, those magical kind of calories does the trick.

Curry is for sharing with our loved one, because it cannot be cooked in small quantities (or rather it should not), it is fun to sit on a large dinning table or even squat on the floor in a circle, and dig out a spoonful for each from the pool.

Curry is for caring, it has feel-good factor, we all know that it is a big part of our diet, it makes us smarter, heathier, happier, sexier.

Prawn curry of Faiziya Soomar is too delicious to miss.

Faiziya Soomar (of Cutchi Memom Table fame) is the pioneer home-chef, first of the kind, when home delivery was not so common. She was born and raised in Bangalore and migrated to Mumbai after marriage. She has been cooking and baking passionately since the last 29 years. She is a very private person, and prefers to let her food do the talking. 

And talking it does, to the food loving Mumbaikars, with its authentic taste and flavours, Meals and Mithais, Mutton Kababs and kheema Samosas, Shahi Tukda and  Sheer Khorma.

She specialises in Cutchi Memom Food.  Her ancestors were from Kutch, Bhuj, Gujarat. As a young girl, she watched her aunt take cooking and baking classes and secretly hoped to teach someday. Her mom is an excellent cook, and fiercely guards her recipes. She was inspired by her mom to cook and got confident in her cooking skills

“So somewhere in between, I started taking orders, on the insistence of neighbours and friends, and there has been no looking back.”

Her greatest memories are of childhood when she spent her weekends at her grandparent’s home, creating chaos with her other cousins. Meal times were always special. Since she was the oldest grandchild, she held a special place in her grandparents hearts, 

“Every time my nani asked me what I want to have on Saturday, I would say "Chicken Biryani". I loved her Chicken Biryani and Mutton Khichda the most. It was delicious to say the least. Over the years I'd forgotten how much I loved these dishes, and it's always what my children and husband want to eat, that holds priority. One day, recently, my dad told me,"Faizi, every time Chicken Biryani is made at home, we miss you.”  It brought tears to my eyes, as I had forgotten, what my preferences were!” she relates, feeling nostalgic 

Mutton khichda is another delicacy, that was finger licking good in her Nanis house. Her Nani would serve it in huge bowls, topped with flavourful oil, removed from the korma, before the dals and wheat, were mixed into the gravy. Then load it with birista, and served with lime.

“It was the best khichda, I've ever eaten.” She continues.

 In mumbai, she is a part of Baker’s Club, where she meets all other bakers once a month. They share their recipes and guide each other with tips and tricks and are always selflessly helping each other.  This has changed her a lot and she has overcome her shyness 

“Its only after I joined The Baker's Club Of India, that I came out of my shell, and interacted with a lot of talented people, which also boosted my confidence in myself.”

Faiziya is happy to share her recipe of Prawns Curry

1. Mix 3 large Tomatoes with 2 tbsp Garlic-Ginger paste, 2 tbsp coarsely ground Kashmiri Chilli Powder, 2 tbsp Coriander Powder, 

2. Grind to a fine paste. 

3. In a vessel, add a tbsp of oil. 

4. Add 4-5 Curry Leaves and 1tbsp of Mustard Seeds, and let it splutter.

5. Add the ground masalas, (prepared in step 2). 

6. Bhuno for at least half an hour, on slow flame. 

7. Add 2 cups of thick coconut milk. 

8. Add 3-4 pieces of kokum. 

9. Let it boil. 

10. Add prawns, cook for a minute. 

11. Take off the flame. 

12. Serve hot with steamed rice or Neer dosas. 

Faiziya Soomar was awarded Home Chef and Baker's award 2020 for the contribution to India's Home chef & Baking Industry in the category of 5-8 years

You can call or message/watsapp her on 9820398922. 

Alternatively you can also place an order on Instagram at TheCutchiMemomTable 

Home Chefs Of Mumbai – Part 11 – Priya Bajaj

Rice. Simplest way we can cook this is to boil it using only water, salt and oil. If we have sedentary life style, eating too much rice may increase the risk of diabetes. But then who doesn’t like rice? Nobody can avoid it all together. But we can be creative and cook it in such a way that it is plain, boring, white no more. Everybody understands that, and they will add colourful vegetables, different meat/seafood, flavoured spices, variety of lentils to make it tastier and healthier. The quantity of rice is reduced and there is more of condiments that you use. Double Mazza.

In Vietnam, they make Rainbow Rice called Xoi Nu Gac , they use natural colours of Panda leaves, Gac fruit, Moong beans, Magenta plant. People around the world have their own creation of rice dishes. There is Paella in Spain, Hokein in China, Tehdig in Iran, Jellof in Africa, Nasi Goreng in Indonesia, Rissotto in Italy. That Champorado rice of Phillipines is chocolate porridge rice, just like you will find Saffron and Cardamom flavoured Tehree in Sindhi Homes. We have Khichdi, we have Pilaf, we have Briyani bursting with flavours. What more? If there is left-over rice in the fridge, it dons a new avatar of fried rice at the  breakfast table.

If you drool over flavourful Prawns Pulao by Priya Bajaj I won’t be surprised.

For the longest time, food has been an intrinsic passion of Priya Bajaj (of HD Food fame). It was something that she was good at and it gave her happiness. Her kitchen was her personal artistic space where she would exalt her creativity, vent out the day’s frustration and was the means of expression of love for her family. But the realisation was not just restricted to the realms of her family.  On the suggession of family, neighbours and friends, who encouraged her to climb on a commercial level, she settled on HD Food (H and D being the initials of her two daughters, Hitasha and Dikshaa, providing the initials for her business nomenclatures.)

“I am most grateful to my daughters and everyone else who thought I can do this, and for believing in me.” She smiles.  

She fondly remembers her Grandma’s house in Kanpur, where she tasted Jalebi Rabdi for the first time.

“The one dish that I will always relish is Jalebi Rabdi. Specially the one I particular ate at my Nani’s house when I visited her. I still remember its’ rich taste, when I devoured it for the first time. My Nana would take me to market every Sunday and feed me. The memory is still fresh in my mind.”

Food is the language of love that surpasses everything else and HD Foods is here to inculcate the language of love into the food that she  prepares.

HD Foods specializss in Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Sindhi Cuisine that includes Biryanis and Pulavs, Starters like Bhee pakoras, Dhal Kababs, Dhal Pakwan, Pav Bhaji, Sai Bhaji with Bhugal chawal, and many more. Do not miss her in-house preservative-free Pickles and Sherbets.  HD Foods cater to daily meals as well as meals for special occasions.  

Priya Bajaj is happy to share her recipe of Sindhi Prawns Pulao  

 

1. Add 2tbsp oil in a warm pan and allow it to heat a little.  

2. Add 1tbsp Cumin seeds,  2 medium sized Onions (finely chopped/sliced), 2tbsp Ginger, 2tbsp Garlic and 2tbsp Chillies. 

3. Saute on high flame, till Onions turn golden (not dark brown). 

4. Add all dry masalas like 1tbsp Garam Masala powder, 1tbsp Turmeric Powder, 3tbsp Coriander Powder. 

5. Add puree of 2 Tomatoes. 

6. Sauté this till the oil separates. 

7. Add 3cups Basmati Rice (washed and drained). 

8. Mix gently, well enough to coat rice with masala’s.  

9. Add water as required. 

10. When the rice comes to boiling point add 1kg Prawns and 2 tbsps Coriander leaves. 

11. Cover and cook till done. 

12. Heat ½ Ghee in a skillet and add 1tbsp Garam Masala. 

13. Use this to give a tadka at the end.  

14. Serve it  with Laccha Pyaaz and grèen Chutney as sides   

You can place your order with HD Foods via the contact numbers 90826 21574 

You can also send Direct Message on the social media handles  

 

Facebook page HD Foods

Follow them on Instagram HD Foods

  

Home Chefs Of Mumbai- Part 10 – Meeta Kataria

 We have developed a sweet tooth for offshore sweets. We enjoy the tender slices of Italian Tiramisu or sniff out the creamy scent of Hong Kong’s Dan Tats. We love Cendols of Singapore and Tub Tim Krob of Thailand, although they may remind us of taste of Falooda in India (minus Coconut milk and Panda leaves.) We relish Chocolate Chip cookies of USA that taste like Nankatai (without chocolate). We enjoy Baklava of Turkey and Borma from Middle East, although you can find a similar taste in Badam Puri, a typical sweet in Sindhi cuisine

Many have stopped eating Indian sweets, complaining of dripping fat and Desi ghee. Everybody prefers the pastries, cakes and Ice creams instead. In India, the first offering to Gods is always sweets, its never cakes or desserts. Or are they? The sugary treats are always pedas, or Sheera. The sweet fragrance of pure, warm ghee is soothing to the nerves. During all the festivals, we have exchanged Indian sweets and we have a large variety, there are many unique sweet gems that still remain unknown to most.

Sadly, Mithaiwallahs are over shadowed by the Patisserie and Confectionery. But we do have some home chefs who cook excellent Indian sweets in India. 

Meeta Kataria (of Chiselledmealsbymeeta) has a lot of respect for Indian cuisine and firmly believes that one can never get bored of eating a simple meal because there’s variety and diversity of food in India and much to try.  The same spice and vegetables are used in so many different ways across every states of India. 

Meeta worked for a cosmetic dentist ( 2009 ) who was very passionate about travelling , eating and cooking good food. Since she was the only married employee working there at that time, there would be discussions and sharing of food ideas during lunch hours. It was during that time that she learnt about various cuisines and realised there was lot more beyond than the regular food that one cooked at home. She felt that one does not need to always eat at a fancy restaurant, when it can be created at home.

She started the series of experiments in her kitchen to try out different dishes, at least twice a week.

She firmly believes in

1.Healthy food & lifestyle

2.In Yoga as the ultimate form of exercise …

3.Pranayams & Meditation

4.Karma

Meeta remembers going out with her dad to Khao Galli of Zaveri Bazaar and devouring unhygienic but delicious street foods. She also has fond memories of aromas emerging from her Mom’s kitchen. The authentic Sindhi Sweets recipes like ‘Gajaran ji Seero’ and ‘Khaskhas jo Seero have been passed down to her by her mom.

Her first trip to Vaishnodevi temple is still fresh on her mind 

“This happened way back in 1998.  I ate Rajma Chawal from a roadside Dhaba on our climb up to the temple. I was amazed as to how something could taste so good in spite of absence of onion & garlic ?  Those ingredients are not eaten by certain communities due to religious reasons.”

She specialises in Sindhi Cuisine, but she also cooks other foods such as South Indian, Maharashtrian and Gujarati cuisine. She excels in Indian snacks and street food (majorly missed by everyone during this lockdown). As a home chef, she firmly believes in cooking dishes that define Comfort Food , so yes , that is her forte.

 

“Anyone eating my food should experience SATISFACTION !” she says.

She is happy to share her recipe of Rose Kalakand 

1. Reduce 1 litre full fat milk to ½ litre on a slow flame. Stir continuously in a thick-bottomed pan. 

2. Add 300 grams of crumbled Malai Paneer (cottage Cheese) to the milk.

3. Add 180-200 grams of sugar. 

4. Stir continuously. 

5. Continue till all the milk dries up & the mixture has a smooth & soft consistency ( like soft dough ). 

6. Switch off the flame. 

7. Add just 1-2 drops each of rose essence & rose color . 

8. Mix gently. 

9. Transfer it on to a tray greased with ghee. 

10. Let it set at room temperature. 

11. Leave it to cool. 

12. Garnish with finely sliced Almond & Pistachio flakes. 

13. Cut into squares and serve.

Meeta is vegetarian convert since 21 years, nevertheless she does cook non-vegetarian for her family and does take orders for the same

She uploads the fresh menu mainly on Mondays and receives pre-orders for Wednesdays and Saturdays. Dishes that are not listed in the menu can be customised (up to ten persons) with two-days prior notice.

You can place your order on her WatsApp contact no at 9892054520

Follow her Instagram handle : @Chiselledmealsbymeeta

Home Chefs Of Mumbai – Part 9 - Roopa Nabar

Let us face it, everybody gets special thrills when they go to a restaurant that are infested with celebrities. Even if the celebrities may know nothing about food, the restaurants boast about them to increase their clientage and some of them may even become high browed in selecting who enters their premises.  

 You don't have to be rich or poor to know and appreciate the taste in food. A street corner Vada Pav guy will be equally popular as high-end Hyatt for that matter. If they have celebrity tag, their business blooms. Or so they believe.

 

So where are they now? Those celebrities? All those food lovers who puffed away the party hues every night??  Now during this lockdown, all of them have learnt to appreciate the real flavours of food, and have finally realised that the real quality of food is anchored on its nutritional value, the spices used and importance of local products cooked most hygienically. The new mantra is..Locals go Vocals

 

And why not? We will always have some authentic home chefs to bank on.

 

Roopa Nabar (of Kitchen Diva fame) belongs to the Gowda Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) community, who live across the Konkan coast of India. That means that they are Brahmins blessed by Gods and are allowed to eat fish, known as fruit of the sea (Samudra phal)

 

Beside being a good cook, she also is a life of a party, with a wonderful sense of humour, very vibrant and cheerful. If you hear a hearty laughter in a crowd, be sure that Roopa is there. Her cordiality reflects in the food that she serves.

 

When asked about her speciality, she says “Throw a fish to me and I can create wonders.”

 

Which I am sure she does.  She uses lots of coconut in her kitchen which are flavoured with very little spices, just chilies, pepper, kokum, ginger, garlic, coriander, she call them kalvan hooman. She uses lots of backyard vegetable like all the gourds and roots in her vegetarian preparation. She is very good at international cuisine too. When she travels, food is on the top of the list on the itinerary, she returns back with all that countries spices and ingredients and tries to replicate the same in her kitchen.

 

Her OMG Eureka moment was when she visited her Son Gaurang in London where he is a practising architect and is a food enthusiast.

 

“Mind you, when it comes to food we keep the religion aside and eat everything, so went to this place called L’Entrecote at Soho, this is a Restaurant run by a family that serves typical French bistro style steak frites, means steak and fries unlimited with a mind blowing butter sauce. It was the best French dish I had.” She said, talking fondly about those memories.

 

“It’s said that the family has their own secret recipe of the sauce and some say it’s made from chicken liver, fresh thyme, thyme flowers, full cream, Dijon mustard and butter ofcourse. It was a melt in mouth meat experience.” She added.

 
 She is a host in a food channel on u-tube called Coastal Kitchen , she does videos for Sanjeev Kapoor’s  Khana Khazana

 

She willingly shares her spicy, tasty recipe on Mutton Chops Rawa Fry.

 

 

 

1.    Roughly chop 1 cup Coriander Leaves

2.     Add in a grinder jar along with roughly chopped 4-5 green chillies, ½ cup fresh Mint Leaves, ½ inch Ginger and 6-7 Garlic.

3.    Grind into a fine chutney using little water.

4.    Take ½ kg Mutton chops in a bowl.

5.    Add ground Chutney (prepared in step 3).

6.    Mix well.

7.    Add salt, 2tbsp Kolhapuri chutney, 1tsp Turmeric powder and 1 1/2tsp Red Chilli powder.

8.    Mix well and set aside to marinate for 5-10 minutes.

9.    Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pressure cooker.

10. Add chops along with marinate and sauté for 1 minute.

11. Add 1 cup water and stir to mix.

12. Cover and pressure cook for 8-10 minutes.

13. Remove from heat and set aside.

14. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai.

15. Break 2 eggs in a bowl and whisk.

16. Spread 1 cup semolina on a plate.

17. Dip chops one by one in eggs and coat well in the semolina. Dust off excess.

18. Deep fry in hot oil till golden and crisp.

19. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve hot.

 Roopa has her fixed clients who regularly place orders if they want to enjoy a good  thikhad Maharashtrian food.

 

She takes corporate orders too but you can always contact her

WatsApp no 98330 67008.

 

She has made several U-tube videos as she loves to teach. You can find her Coastal Kitchen under Indian Food Network.

 

Find her on Facebook page Kitchen Diva

 

Follow her Instagram handle at roopanabar
 

 

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