Book Review- Chakh Le India + Blogger's Table@Veda

So this post was due to be posted on 5^thSeptember; it was filed, dated and everything.

All I was waiting was for some time to test out one of the dishes from the Book- The Mango kheer. I even had 2 mangoes in the fridge and promises made to my Mom about the new recipe. Unfortunately though, after the meet, I was NOT Enthused enough to try it. Then, came the wonderful holiday, and of course, by now, it’s too late to try out a mango recipe. Sorry Mr Bal, Better Luck next time- I wish there was something in the book to inspire me to instantly test out a recipe. The original post is as follows.

The Bloggers Table has had a hectic 2 weeks; and along with that my life has been extremely social. With a packed 10 days over 3 events, I’m amazed how I didn’t know this existed till a while back. Although the first time was a bit intimidating- especially meeting people who are so good at what they do, I finally loosened up a bit at the second event. Having met this wonderful group of people, I feel there is a lot to learn, a lot to explore and a lot to discover.

This meet was at Veda, Connaught place, a fine dining Indian restaurant, run by the ever so popular Rohit Bal. The event was organized by West Midland Publishing House that has recently launched the Book Chakh Le India by Aditya Bal (Coincidentally Rohit Bal’s nephew). The event was organized for the Bloggers Table to have a tete-a-tete with Aditya on his new book. As much as we were given the book a week earlier, to be able to make a more informed review, I didn’t manage to try out a recipe before we actually met. However, I did make do by going over it from back to front.

My first thoughts were that the book is simple, intended for easy reading, and Aditya’s casual style of writing makes him really reach out to the reader. Also, the fact that it is based on a TV show, my initial reaction was that it would be a good buy for people who follow the show regularly. The introductory chapters are fun to read, But, on going through it in detail, The photographs were not enticing enough and the recipes- well, without the photographs, I am not sure how many I would end up trying. Hailing from a publishing background, where I do this on a daily basis, I do feel that the real reason why pick up books, especially cookbooks are for their glossiness and the tempting photographs which would entice one to try out the recipe. In this case, there was none. It seems to be just another book off the shelf, which may actually just get lost in a bookshop, unless Mr Bal decides to actively promote it on his show!

The event though, was fun; he is a simple man, a novice at this, who found himself amidst a few people, who really knew what they were talking about. The chat over some wonderful, famous Palak Chaat and Kurkuri Bhindi at Vedaa, went beyond the book itself. I think the evening was a great reality check for all of us- some of the people on the table I assume would be writing books soon! It was good reminder for all of us - to keep that Quality check in control, rather not do it, than do it without your heart. Aditya however was extremely positive about feedback, and I would want to wish him luck. The publishing business is a tough one- and I experience that daily- it’s a pity, but if I was to go ahead, I would just self-publish. But that’s a personal opinion. Wonder though, if out of the many books I plan to write- will a cook book be one?

Sadly though, beyond the above mentioned dishes- the food was not worth talking about. In fact, the Gobhi Manchurian- Well, it tasted of ‘more flour than cauliflower.’ Hats off to Aditya and the Bloggers Table to keep the conversation going- and to create an event that was a lot of fun and learning. Looking forward to a few more. The book is kinda lost on me now; am not so enthused to try a recipe, but maybe will test out one sometime in the future. Good Luck Mr Bal.

p.s Apologies for the shaky photographs- The lighting @veda was extremely dim!

The Communicooking Salad- with love to Feta

One year.

I didn’t realize that my blog has turned one.

I missed a True Anniversary. That ought to have been celebrated.

My first post was on August 22 last year, when after a late night baking session, and many conversations about why I should have a blog, Ak decided to not wait for a yes from me, but instead go ahead and just do it. Yes, he thought of the name (of course, we discussed it), setup the blog, and even clicked the photographs, while I was baking. All I had to do was to write, and of course, cook. Those were the good old days! Sigh.

I have come a long way since then. Today, I cook, and then suddenly remember that I want to click as well. I rush to get my camera, and then realize it’s late.  I am a true believer in ‘process’ and then, I realize that I had to shoot before the last mixing step. Or had to capture a shot of the fancy ingredient before I decided to add it to the bowl. Or that I had to capture it without mixing it with another ingredient etc. And then there are times when I realize after the complete documentation of the process, that I have served the dish without documenting the ‘final product’. Yes, it has been a learning all the way, and yes, I am still discovering.

Since the inception of the blog, I have almost always, been sheepish about it. Including the times when someone at work told me of a moment when they discovered me/the blog on Google images- accidently, or each time, when someone much older/experienced appreciates my cooking skills, when I become a part of the Bloggers Table or the fact that I get called to judge a cooking competition at a school. I am still very shy- yes, and each time I wonder, Really? Me? So much so, that I only updated the 'Me' section very recently. 

But with any luck, I will learn.

Parenting, we all know is a tough job, and this blog baby was not planned. Hopefully, I will get better at it, and with all the late nights and the managing with work life balance, I hope to not disappoint you Communicooking in its growing up years. Thank you Ak- for being the Guinea pig to all my experiments, for always encouraging me, for withstanding all my anxiety about this blog and making me take that one extra step- forward. For making me do this.

A celebratory recipe is due.

This recipe was yet another test that Ak was subjected to- with my love for Feta, this is my version of a Twisted Greek Salad, inspired by one of Martha Stewarts' here. I am sure like all mothers, both of ours  would think of him as  a tormented child, being fed something that doesn’t quite suffice as a meal- He as usual was a sport, and his love for salads was hopefully not compromised. I served it with Special Seekh Kebabs and bread. Given the occasion, all that was missing was some wine J

Bloggers Table Review- Italia, New Delhi

Life has a brilliant way to demonstrate some action in one’s life. Sometimes, one fails to see the signals, while, on other occasions, they hit you- bang- in your face. If you read my recent post (about almost giving up on the blog!), this one may come as a shocker; I have decided not to- at least not just yet. Ironically, while I had just finished posting a recent post, I got invited to be a part of the Blogger’s Table, and well, after much resistance from my confused inner self, I decided to go ahead, not give up just yet. And I am quite glad, I didn’t. This is my first post as a part of the Blogger’s Table; thank you all for having me as a part of this.

The event was the launch of a summer menu at Italia, DLF Promenade, New Delhi and they were kind enough to host a table for the big, chatty bunch of us as part of their upcoming Olive Festival. Italia is an extremely warm and cosy, Italian restaurant by the Park Group, amidst the very busy mall. In my daily life, it actually holds a very special place in my heart, with some fond memories. Being close to home, me and Ak actually frequent it quite often. The evenings are usually, simple, with excellent, luscious food and a classic ambience.  Their outdoor terrace is perfect for winter evenings, and the interiors are elegantly done- great to celebrate pleasurable occasions. Hence, to be invited for a special tasting menu, was an opportunity I grabbed.

Crostini with Caramelized Onion, Feta and Rocket

It’s amazing how versatile the onion is. Or rather I should specify- the Red Onion. Yes, the epitome of Stink-The wonderful red onion. I never knew the concept of Red Onion, until my stint in the UK a few years ago. In our part of the world, Onions were always red or green, aren’t they?

Yes, they make you cry, but what the heck- the flavor I have discovered over time, is surely worth it. The tangy flavor, which I sometimes remove (by soaking cut onion in water for about 10 minutes), is in essence quite wonderful, and for those who despise it, there is news- Onions are good cures for colds (Wikipedia) and are quite useful as flavoring agents.

Well, it was only once I started to cook Indian food often enough, I discovered the difference between the varieties of onion, except just red and green. I figured, how some traditional Indian dishes cannot just be made, using anything else except for red onions. The white onion simply isn’t flavorful enough for its usage in traditional Indian cooking. It was tough, (and expensive) to find good red onions in the heart of where I stayed, but soon enough we realized that food such as the traditional dal with tadka or baingan ka bharta just wouldn’t be the same without the beloved red onion. And therefore, we would stash bags of onions at our home and use them all the time, everywhere. Initially, when I started cooking, I would keep the red onion away from international cuisines, but as I started to experiment, I soon realized that I just needed to pair it well. This dish is my favorite form of the Red Onion – in a cuisine other than Indian. An interesting twist is the caramelization, which adds to the colour as well. I had always thought that caramelized onions are tough to do, but as I learnt from Martha Stewart, the trick really is to cook them slowly. The icing on the cake for this dish is its pairing with 2 of my other favorite ingredients- Feta and Rocket. Am not sure if it is unique, but what I do know is that the blend is absolutely harmonious- I usually drool at the thought of either of these 2 ingredients, and paired together, surely results in bliss. Try at your own risk.

p.s. RB, if you are reading this, for the love of Onions-  this post is for you.

p.p.s. Totally directed by a whim of mine, I’m glad my audience@ 261 enjoyed these as much as I did.