Pomegranate Salad Shots

#PerfectFoodles 2 - Pomegranate Salad Shots

#Twecipe - Layer 1 tbsp pomegranate, 1 tbsp finely chopped onion & 1 tbsp finely chopped cucumber in a shotglass rimmed w salt+pepper. Serve chilled with a wedge of lime. 

Cooling Watermelon Salad

Perfec Foodles - 1 Cooling Watermelon Salad 

My first ever foodle. This salad of cooling watermelon is ideal for the summer. 

Toss 2 cups wmelon chunks +1cup Feta +1/3 cup melon seeds + 1/2 cup Spearmint. Serve chilled!!!  

Perfect Foodles - illustrated recipes by me!

Watermelon Salad Foodle - 1 hour.

Some of you might already have seen this since I've been all over Facebook and Twitter with it so please ignore me if you have.

I have rediscovered the artist in myself with Foodles - illustrated recipes! And I wanted to share the thought behind it with the regular readers of this blog because it is a turning point for A Perfect Bite.

A Perfect Bite turned a year older in december. And I finished one more year as a foodwriter on the 5th of April. While I was excited and felt I should do something, I had also reached a state of enuii with the blog. In part because I am in the fatiguing process of opening A Perfect Bite as a proper business space where I will consolidate all the work I do in various food spheres (I have lots to share on that front and hope to do so in time). But added to this a reader left a comment saying my pictures did not do justice to my content. as well meaning as they were, I was left very dejected. I work hard to put up interesting posts but pictures have always been a drawback for me. They have improved immensely after I invested in my Linux camera but one cannot be good at everything no matter how fabulous the tools. And there are so many brilliant new bloggers today whose images are absolutely fabulous that my pictures often pale in comparison. I was debating working with a friend on pictures but fiercely possesive as I am about my space blog, the idea of sharing it did not sit well with me.

I remember wishing often, over the years, that I could draw images for my blog because drawing was something I was good at. But the way I had learnt to draw as an artist and later an animator - by hand on paper, then ink in and cleanup, scan and transfer - was a very long, involved process. There were newer ways of shortening this but learning them required time I did not have with the schedule I juggled. I began many drawing projects but work and other commitments would invariably interfere and I would let drawing slide. But the food or blogging Gods must have been listening...

Or maybe it was just my husband who was listening.... to my grumbling about how my Nokia did not allow me to do XYZ blah blah blah...

Cut to early one morning last week, the bell rings and Flipkart delivers a package. That reveals a Samsung Galaxy Note with a note "To the love of my life... happy networking..... Yes this man is just adorable! ....SIGH!! But even at that point I had no idea how much of an impact this was to have on me. I used it to FB, Tweet, email, loved how it helped me organise my life, make calls, messages and keep threads of conversation alive.

But one of the main features of the Galaxy Note is that it comes with a stylus and a very cool (now that I have discovered it) Memo app that allows one to make memos to oneself. Finally one day I used it to doodle a little and was charmed at the beautiful lines it delivered. So I drew some flowers, then a breakfast note and then I thought I woudl attempt an illustrated recipe. Something I had wanted to do since I had discovered the blog They Draw and Cook and posted it online. The response encuoraged me to draw more. I was having FUN!

5 illustrations down the line, I was drawing furiously, sketching out new ideas even as I finished the current one. And so #PerfectFoodles - illustrated recipes! were born. Of course there are many differences.  Drawing with a stylus is different from drawing with a pencil - I need to think out every stroke and line. But the strokes come out so beautifully! And the limited tools, page size and color palate of the Memo App force me to pare down recipes and illustratations. Which is in keeping with my cooking philosophy - a handfull of good ingredients, cooked simply to bring out their flavours. Basically that Food and Cooking are simple and FUN! Not impossible tasks to be procatinated over or run away from. I am loving every second of discovering this new medium. Mostly though I am just ecstatic to be drawing! And being able to combine drawing and food - well thats the cherry on top! I really could not have asked for more!

Cooking is fun, exploring food is fun and sharing recipes is fun so these are my little bits of culinary inspiration.....

Thought I would leave you with some ealry Illustrations.

Nimbu chilli Nazarbattu - water colour - 1 week to complete

Chilli plant - water colour - 10 days

Drying Chillies - Watercolour Pencil colours and ink - 12 days

Grinding Mustard - Color Pencil - 2 days

Pickling Season - Water coulour and Pencil - 1 week to complete

Black Mustard

Mangoes

Mustard plant

Yellow Mustard

The Annual #AperfectparTEA

Every year I throw a tea party to celebrate International Women’s Day with the fabulous women I am fortunate to count as friends and colleagues. Women tend to put everyone else’s need before ours. And women in Mumbai, I think are the worst in this respect. We don’t stop being the keepers of the hearth just because we live in Mumbai. But this means that we are less able to give ourselves time. Women in Mumbai perform the same equations – only the backdrop is different. Whether planning meals carefully with the cook, sorting through piles of vegetables for the freshest tomatoes at Grant road on the way home from work, chopping those vegetables on the way home so they can cook them for dinner, they have their families best interests at heart. We have this amazing ability for multitasking, going from career woman to homemaker in the same day. But in all of this the first thing to take a back seat is ourselves, our requirements and our desires.

So a few years ago I decided to create a reason for my women friends to take a few moments out of their lives for themselves with my Tea Party on Women’s day; ever since I have been getting women around me, together. Not just to celebrate each other, but also to introduce them to other amazing women! And I love watching the new friendships that bloom from these parties.

I have always been in awe of the amazing strength of women. Perhaps because I have grown up with stellar examples of strong women from my grandmothers Kapilaben Munshaw and Nirmala Mulraj both of whom were matriarchs of their families, steering them right after losing their husbands early in life. To my mother Heena Munshaw; who juggling home and career successfully alongside bringing up four children and my Mother - in - law Saroj Ghildiyal who runs her family with gracious strength and is the most tireless person I have ever met!

This year my @perfectparTEA saw 50 women from all walks of life; Chefs, Tea sommelier, singers, writers, restaurateurs, business women… And they all came together for an afternoon of fun and celebrating themselves. The ladies walked in to a welcome with beautiful crocheted signature brooches hand crafted by Luminosity, had their pictures clicked for the #AperfectparTEA wall of fame by The Wedding Story and went on to have an afternoon of FUN! Tea Sommelier Snigdha Manchanda Binjola charmed us with a lovely tea tasting session. The lovely Kiran Manral, had us in splits with excerpts from her book, ‘The Reluctant Detective’ as we nibbled on lovely Macaroons from Le 15 Patiserrie, savoured Bonobo's fabulous food and washed it all down with wine from Reveilo. And because no spoiling is fun without gifts we all went home with goodie bags full of yummy things; exquisite Rose Tea, A signature salad sprinkle handcrafted by me, funky luggage Tags by Beacon Holidays, and discount vouchers from Its our studio and Runah Salon. We met, mingled and celebrated being women by taking a little time out for ourselves.

It was an afternoon of sugar and spice and all things nice!

There is also an album on Facebook -

More pics on our Facebook page -

link:https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.344210285620455.75567.100897083285111&type=3&l=9767a40edb

Details on all the people that brought the day together:

Luminosity for stylish, quirky handmade accessories, for everything from your hair to your favouite gadgets! Funky laptop sleeves, ipad cases, bags, pouches and more! Call: Yashna Malhotra, 98190 52355

Tea Trunk For specialty teas handpicked by Tea Sommelier Snigdha Manchanda Binjola, they also conduct Tea Appreciation Workshops, create exquisite signature blends and put togehter Tea Parties. Call 98194-17134 or teatime@teatrunk.com More on: www.teatrunk.com

Runah Salon is a plush unisex salon located in Lower Parel, offering trendy haircuts, professional hair treatments, spa massages and soothing pedicures by a highly skilled team.

Le 15 Patisserie is Mumbai’s premier stand alone Patisserie run by a French trained pastry chef (Le Cordon Bleu). Call 9769286544 or mail le15patisserie@gmail.com

Reveilo Wines For inquiries, call: 26370134

Bonobo (Bar.Love.Food) in bandra Kenilworth, Phase 2, 2nd Floor, Bandra, Mumbai, India 400050. It’s Our Studio trendy quirky products. Contact:  mail@itsourstudio.com Tel : +9122 66608831 / +9122 23543355

A Wedding Story document weddings and capture moments that define one’s life forever. Call: 9320472856 DeTales Marketing and Communications a one stop agency for consumer/experiential marketing, public relations and social media. Contact: communicate@detales.in

Holi recipes with a twist for Sundday Midday (Rajma Puran Poli, Rose/Lavender Thandai, Star Anise, orange and pistachio Gujiyas)

Last week, Sunday Midday asked me to recreate traditional Holi recipes with a twist. Just the sort of thing I love to play with. So I scented Thandai with Lavender and white pepper (use roses if you do not have lavender, stuffed Puran Polis with a sweet rajma filling inspired by the chinese reb bean fillin buns are stuffed with and filled Gujiyas with a Pistachio filling I use for Baklava. I though I would share them here as well. 

 

Lavender / Rose Pepper Vodka Thandai

½ c Vodka

250g Condensed Milk

1.5l Milk

125 g Almond Flakes

1 tsp White peppercorns

1 tsp Lavender/dried roses

2 pods green Cardamoms

3 tsp poppy

Method

Soak the poppy seeds in water the night before. The next morning grind Almond, poppy, lavender cardamom and peppercorns to a fine powder. Heat milk and add the condensed milk and the powdered spices. Simmer for 15 mins. Cool and then chill in refrigerator. Add vodka, stir and serve!

Alternatively you could steep all the crushed spices in the vodka for 3-4 days. Heat the milk, combine with condensed milk together and chill. When ready stir in flavoured Vodka and serve.

Star Anise, Orange and Pistachio Gujiya

Ingredients:
1 kg Maida
1/2 kg mawa
200 g pistachios
5 g Star anise toasted and powdered
200 gm castor sugar
10 g  Orange zest

10g Marmalade
100 g ghee

For the sugar syrup

1 kg sugar

500 ml orange juice

3 Star Anise flowers

10 g orange zest

Method:
In a large bowl combine pistachios, staranise, castor sugar orange zest marmalade and mawa and mix well. Roast lightly in a pan, on low flame till sugar is dissolves and mixture is slightly wet. Reserve. This is the filling for the gujiya. Make a soft dough out of the maida and ghee adding warm water as required. When ready divide dough into balls and roll each ball into a small chappati,
about 4 inches in diameter. Place about 1 tbsp. of the pistachio mixture in the centre of this chappati so the edges are free of filling. Moisten the edges of the chappati and fold one side onto the other. Fry prepared Gujiyas in ghee till it is golden brown in colour. Combine the sugar, orange juice, Anise flowers and orange zest in a deep pan and make a sugar syrup. Pour over the gujiyas. And allow excess syrup to drain away. Cool completely and store in an airtight container. Serve garnished with pistachios.

Rajma Puran polis

For Red bean paste

1 cup small red rajma beans, cooked till soft but firm and water discarded. 

1/2 c packed dark brown sugar/ jaggery

1 ½ teaspoons ghee

Place cooked beans in a food processor and process until smooth, add brown sugar and process until just combined. Place in saucepan, heat the ghee over medium heat until warmg and add the bean paste. Cook, until the mixture is dry and leaving the sides. Remove from heat and store in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to use. (It should keep for 1 week.)

For polis
1 ½ c Maida

Salt to taste

Water as required

Rajma paste

Method:
In another bowl mix flour, salt, oil and add water, to make dough. Cover and set aside for 1hr. To make polis take a ball of dough and spread with hand. Place a ball of dal mixture in and cover with the dough and seal the ends as shown in the picture. Apply oil to a plastic paper, keep the ready ball on it and roll it like chapathi (The plastic and oil prevents it from sticking). Fry like a parantha on hot tava till it gets golden brown color. Serve hot/cold with ghee.

Here is a link to the original article in Sunday Midday.