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Karnataka Cuisine: What a feast it is!

October 17, 2007 By 8 Comments

Food blogs are fascinating ways to learn about different cuisines, new dishes, new ways to prepare old dishes, and importantly, gives ides of what to cook up for the simple daily dinner, or even the special feast coming up.

Have to confess, M looks through a few food blogs every day to figure out what new dishes to conjure up every evening to tame her impatient, ravenous husband. Yes, I am well fed! :-P

As I have elaborated before, food blogs have an important advantage, they are not written by celebrity chefs mixing ingredients in designer kitchens for TV fans. These are written by your average householders, who are always time-challenged to cook something delicious yet simple and healthy for their loved ones – their own spouses and kids. Yes and in their cooking you find the most precious spice of ‘love’.

But how do you track the seemingly millions of food blogs out there? Over the last several months I have tracked several Foodies and listed them in my Food to Live For blogroll on ArunShanbhag.com

A useful trend amongst foodies is to organize a ‘Round-up’ based on an ingredient or festival. Contributors post recipes on the theme and an organizer rounds-up and links the recipes in a large post.

Asha of FoodiesHope, recently organized a Round-up of “Regional Cuisines of India: Karnataka.” Foodies from around the globe recreated traditional dishes in modern kitchens and also conjured up new recipes with locally available ingredients.

Asha, received 368 contributions and has painstakingly sorted and summarized it in four posts. If you even remotely like Karnataka Cuisine, this is verily food nirvana:

  1. Appetizers and Snacks
  2. Breakfast and Brunch. (Includes a dazzling variety of dosas!)
  3. Dishes for the Main Course
  4. Spicy Powders, Desserts and Else.

So take a few minutes to visit her posts, identify the recipes you like, click through for the complete recipes. Since some of the contributors were already on my Food to Live For blogroll, we have tried several of these dishes at home. Yumm! No doubt I have not had a chance to post – coz we were busy eating :-) )

Filed Under: Food, Karnataka, Recipes Tagged With: ,
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Gokulashtami Food Spread

September 13, 2007 By 8 Comments

Over the last several weeks I have found scores of excellent Indian Food Blogs. These are not written by celebrity chefs, but by regular, albeit very talented women cooking everyday meals at home for their families. And many are based in the US and use locally available ingredients. The collection is truly spectacular and makes me drool.

Even M has taken to following their recipes and trying them at home!

Many of these home chefs also organize ‘Round-ups’ with a theme such as ingredients (Rice, Banana, etc) or festivals; and have others submit their related posts. Latha from the Yum Blog recently compiled a virtual gathering of Janmashtami foods. She had more than 30 submissions and they are all posted in this Janmashtami Round-up.

Browse, link through and revel in these beautiful culinary creations. A lot of easy to make desserts!!! Of course, I was thrilled she highlighted my Gokulashtami post. :-)

Filed Under: Festivals, Food Tagged With: , , , , ,
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Dill Idlis: A Konkani Delicacy

August 5, 2007 By 31 Comments

During this summer, we had parents, siblings and their families visiting. In addition to catching up on gossip, we were constantly eating various dishes that the women conjured up.

And they made one of my favorites, Dill Idlis (Dill is called Shaepi in Konkani). These idlis represent the marriage of the South Indian staple idli with the aromatic Dill, popular in coastal Maharashtra. Dill Idlis are primarily made along the northern coastal Karnataka (Konkan).

In making these idlis, the key is to retain the subtle taste and gentle aroma of dill, which is later complemented by warm tuup and honey while eating. So here is the brief recipe and a few pics.

Fresh Dill
Pics of Making Dill Idlis - steamed rice cakes by Arun Shanbhag
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Food, Konkani, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
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Arun’s Cafe: Serving Shrimp Quesadillas

November 19, 2006 By 2 Comments

Arun’s Cafe: Serving Shrimp Quesadillas! After a long hiatus this afternoon, Arun's Cafe opened briefly. Shrimp Quesadillas were on the menu!

Mantra for the weekend brunch: Quick and Tasty! These quesadillas were both, and as a bonus, not much cleanup!

Tomato and basil tortillas (Wilson Farms) were warmed on a pan, turned, and on one half, I spread a blend of shredded mozzarella and asiago cheese, diced plum tomatoes and shrimp, separately sauteed in malvani masala! Then fold over, cut wedges, and eat, … slowly, completely chewing the food!
shrimp quesadillas

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: , ,
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Vienna: Those pastries tempt

October 29, 2006 By 8 Comments

Gerstner Bakery, Vienna, Austria

This has been a relaxing week, … after a looooong time! The year has been crazy: traveled seven countries and ran two of the top five marathons in the world!!! This week, I tended sore legs. In the gym, I simply stretched aching muscles and tendons, worked on the upper-body (M thinks I have the attractive physique of a starving ethiopian refuge!) and caught up on gossip. For the rest of the year, I steadfastly refuse to venture far from home! A self-imposed grounding!

But I can still travel through photographs. Let me introduce you to this beautiful bakery in the center of Vienna! Our host and friend, Mr Eichler gave us the insider's tour of Vienna and brought us to this place – apparently a fixture in Wiener culture. While other bakeries in town served pastries, this one was head and shoulders above. The place had an old-world charm, and their melange simply had to be the best!

I'll stop the words now and let your eyes take in the masterpieces!

Stop drooling on the keyboard!

The front counter!

And the storefront! Its been there since 1847. To put the era in perspective, the Indian sepoy's rose in rebellion in 1857!

and, I think these pastries would go well with that filter coffee, no?

The Complete Travelogue from Austria:

Filed Under: Austria, Food, Travel Tagged With: , , , ,
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Idli Sambar: Its whats for brunch!

July 10, 2006 By 5 Comments

Idli Sambar: Its whats for brunch!

Of late, I was craving idlis. First it was Lakshmi, who tormented us with her pati's excellent idli making skills. Then at the Konkani Sammelan we had idli sambar for breakfast, and I only got one serving! Considering the long lines, I felt guilty and did not go for seconds. *Yes sad!*

But the ever-vigilant M dearest noticed my silent suffering. She soaked the dal for two days, ground it, fermented if for a day and on Saturday morning made delicious idlis. She even made the perfect sambar, just the way I liked it – from scratch and by blending all the spices. And with lots of eggplant, peppers and potatoes. I like the gritty feed. No powders were used in the preparation of this sambar!

And yes! I went for seconds, … and thirds!

Filed Under: Food, Konkani, M & A Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
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Butta – Roasted Maize

May 21, 2006 By 2 Comments

As you noticed I've been posting random pics from my collection! Work is crazy busy – and will be till we leave for mumbai in ten days. A short, one week visit for a family wedding, followed by a week touring the austrian and swiss alps.

I think I'll go on a mango diet in mumbai Anyone want to go mango shopping to crawford market?

pics of charcoal roasted maize corn by Arun Shanbhag
Every summer, after I've had my fill of mangoes, my eyes search for the butta wallah. Maize (or corn) roasted on an open charcoal shekdi (grill); then liberally smeared with a halved lemon, dabbed in salt and red-pepper powder! The butta season peaks as the monsoon starts, causing folks to huddle by the warmth of the shekdi.

One of my favorites here too. Weather permitting, I roast corn on the gas-fired grill. My local friends have never encountered this confluence of zing and zang on their corn, but are quickly converted. And as at the butta wallah, roasted corn is best served on the husk!

Filed Under: Food, Mumbai Tagged With: , , ,
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Bademiya: Colaba's Culinary Firmament

April 24, 2006 By 11 Comments

Its the street food that makes Mumbai special! From the chana-wallahs at Gateway, to ganna-wallahs and paan-wallahs, seemingly at every corner; and the vada-paav baakdas at Fountain. And of course, Bademiya in the seedy gulli behind the Taj Mahal Hotel. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Food, Mumbai Tagged With: , , , ,
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Celebrating Mozart

February 5, 2006 By 8 Comments

Two hundred and fifty years ago in Salzburg, was born Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In a brief 35 year span, he composed enough music to last us all a lifetime – many times over. In my bachelor days I took every opportunity to attend symphonies. A collection of his music was the first CD I ever purchased. But his musical genius could not stand the force of the Indian naari – M. Overnight, Mozart was deposed and replaced by Dandia Mix, Dance Masti and Kantaa Lagaa. My Western classical CD collection is collecting dust (or possibly water logged) in our basement. I now find solace in Sudhir Phadke's Geet Ramayan, or other bhajans with the theme of surrendering to God. What else is left to do in life?

Mozart kugeln chocolates by Arun Shanbhag [Read more...]

Filed Under: Austria, Food, Travel Tagged With: , , , , ,
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Breakfast in Montreal

October 2, 2005 By 10 Comments

Chez Cora Dejeuners Montreal Canada pics by Arun Shanbhag
I get cranky without a good breakfast. Particularly when traveling. I do more research on breakfast places, than on sightseeing. So it was with Montreal. On our first morning, we walked over to Chez Cora Dejeuners (1425 Rue Stanley, off Rue Ste Catherine). I had read a lot about it and was ready to be disappointed. When we came up the street, seeing customers lining outside was a good sign. After about a 30 minute wait, we got a nice table with sunlight streaming in from large windows. We ordered random things from the menu. An omelet wrapped in a crepe for M (see next pic), and a waffle on a bed of fruits for me (see above). This place is known for its generous fruit servings and all their breakfasts are accompanied with lots of fruit. Yes, it was del-i-cious! Fueled us for a long day walking around Montreal. Another of my characteristics – once I find something good, I hang on to it. So for the next couple of days we started our days at Chez Cora. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Canada, Food, Travel Tagged With: , , ,
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