SpiceKlub – Lower Parel, Mumbai

Hello Peeps!

First of all I’d like to apologize for not posting for a very long time. Pheeww!!! I’ve been busy with my first love – Designing. A lot of new things happening. For all those who are curious to know what I do, here is the link to my page Zatica Studio – https://www.facebook.com/zaticastudio/ . Do leave your comments as to what you feel about my collection.

Today I am planning to review a restaurant I recently visited . Heard a lot about this place, finally we got an opportunity to try it last Sunday. So here it goes.

My first impression of this place is just ‘WOW’. Chilled out place with nice ambiance. What I loved the most, is how creative you can get with plating tasty food along with good ambiance.

Food :
The food was yummy!! We ordered the following :

Spicy Tomato Soup – Indeed it was really spicy. It tasted more like tomato shorba and not soup. But it tasted good. People who love hot and spicy stuff will love it.
3.5 / 5
Papads of India – Here they had a platter of various types of papads with a variety of chutneys.
4 /5

Pani Puri – It was lip smacking! Yummy! Delicious! I can go on and on. I loved the way they presented it. The pani were filled in test tubes 😍😜 Which was super spicy. It’s a must try.
5 /5

Tandoori Bhendi Shaslik – It was real tasty. The quantity was decent enough. But the only issue was they were whole bhendis so you had to literally bite every piece.
3.5 /5

Kokam Margherita with Chilli Caviar – This tasted awesome.. The flavour Kokam was perfect. It was spicy too. But once you taste this one, others seem tasteless. You can’t even understand the taste. Kokam dominates other flavours.
4 / 5

Coconut water – The taste was really mild for starters and top of that I tasted Kokam first. So I was clueless of this tasted. It was fairly bland.
2 / 5

Peru Mousse – Peru / Guava mousse is a treat for all those who have had Peru from roadside vendor. The flavour was just perfect. They added salt and chilli powder to the mousse. Perfecto!!
5 /5

Jamun Punch – It was thick vanilla milkshake with Jamun pulp served in a martini glass. It was good but not great.
3 / 5

Flowerpot – Well presented that it actually looks like a flower pot. The pot layer is mad@ of chocolate and in the middle is Rasmalai with Kesar milk. The combination was too good..
4.5 / 5

Bubbling Kulfi – It’s a must try. It’s mind blowing. It is served deep-freezed to -190 degrees with liquid nitrogen. They serve it with various syrup/ sauce to add flavour to it. It was highlight of the evening. I just love their plating ideas.
5 / 5

Soap cake – Mouth watering Belgian dark chocolate brownie with dark chocolate layer in the form of a soap bar with Kesar milk foam. Ha ha ha it was truly amusing at first but it was utterly chocolicious. Must try !!!
4.5 / 5

Rassgulla Cheesecake – Smooth textured cheesecake with three different types of Rassgulla’s.

Overall, an awesome experience. Can’t wait to come here to taste new stuff.

#MolecularGastronomy

For any queries you can get in touch with me at rtsculinarytreatsonline@gmail.com

You can connect with me on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates.

LOTS OF LOVE, 

RT

 

Confessions of a Foodaholic

Hello lovely readers 😀

How is everyone doing? Today I’m writing a little different post from the usual one. Definitely not a recipe. For now, I’m just sharing some experiences which I’ve been through all these years and still experience. Here we go ‘Confessions of a Foodaholic’. If you are a foodie, then you definitely must have experienced this at some point of time.

1. Everything on the menu seems delicious

It really becomes hard to decide what you want in a restaurant when almost everything (I mean EVERYTHING) looks so YUMMY! (Is it just me?) You are the last one to order as you are still deciding what to order.

2. Food at the opposite table looks more tempting

Once you place your order and while you are waiting for it, there goes the waiter with something more attractive and colourful (at least by the looks of it, it is!). And there you are staring at it and desperately wanting to know the name of the dish. Sometimes, you are even tempted to the extent that you do call the guy and inquire about the dish he served at the table. (Finally! A sense of achievement. At least I know what I might order next 😛 )

3. Click ! Click! Click!

It’s an absolute must to click pics of the dish you just ordered. You want upload the perfect pic on Instagram with all those hashtags (not to mention tagging the restaurant).  You want to share to the world all about the lovely dish you are having ! (Call it showing off, who cares. I’m having awesome food 😛 😛 )

4. Must have while watching your Favorite show

Snacking is part of your everyday routine especially while watching your favourite show on TV or Netflix. It just doesn’t feel complete if you’re not eating something while watching Friends, Game of Thrones,etc.(Nom! Nom! Nom!)

5. Dieting. What?

I seriously don’t understand how some people manage to diet or not eat food when they look so damn gorgeous. No matter how hard you try to maintain and stick to your diet, you do cheat and give in to the yummy treats. Dieting can always wait. Food won’t 😛 Just Kidding!

6. And then comes the Aroma…

It’s only when you try very very hard to control your urge to stop eating all the yummy stuff, you get tempted to have them more. Have you guys felt the same way? Ever felt that when you walk past a bakery or a coffee shop, the aroma is so enticing that you just want to go in there and have a cupcake or cup of coffee? Even if you want to be in total control of yourself the smell of the lovely muffin or freshly made bread/loaf is so appealing that you literally picture yourself having it. And there goes the diet.. Once again…

7. Ready to try new Restaurants 

You are ever ready to try new restaurants and you are always updated about the new restaurants and the fancy ones too. You keep track of the new restaurants opening up and wait for special occasions and get-together to try it out.

Hoping that you all lovely people have had similar thoughts and experiences ! Let me know in the comments, it would definitely make me feel better for starters that I’m not the only one 😛

For any queries you can get in touch with me at rtsculinarytreatsonline@gmail.com

You can connect with me on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates.

Lots of love, 

RT

 

 

 

YUMMY Mango Sorbet

Hello lovely readers 😀

Craving for desserts ???

You don’t need an overpriced ice cream to soothe you this summer. This fresh, easy and refreshing sorbet will add richness to your dessert course in no time.

Weekend means spending time with family. Majorly, we go out/meet up with friends/ go out for lunch or dinners (trying new food and new restaurants) playing with our kid or all of the above. And if we happen to go by Powai, then we must stop by Haagen Dazs 😀 😛 Their Raspberry n Mango sorbet are my favourite ❤ ❤ ❤

I’m very particular about my food and get very specific cravings.It’s getting really hot these days here in Mumbai and for past three weeks, I’ve craving for sorbet and have visited almost all of their outlets. They are out of sorbets due to some supply problem or something. God knows. After three weeks of disappointment, I realized why wait for outlet ones when we can make one at home.

‘Yummy’ is the word that comes to my mind, when I hear the word ‘Mangoes’

The best part of the recipe is that you don’t have to cook or bake or anything. It’s made of fresh fruit, which obviously adds to the flavour ❤ You can try it with other fruits as well like strawberries, cherries, raspberries,etc. I chose Mango, as its the mango season here (full utilization of resources :P) and they look so damn colourful. Don’t they?

INGREDIENTS

3 to 4 ripe mangoes (peeled and diced)

1/4 cup water

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon lime juice ( plus or minus, as per your preference)

1/2 teaspoon salt ( plus or minus, as per your preference)

‘Making sorbet is about the easiest thing. Trust me !!!’

METHOD:

Add diced mangoes in mixer/blender with water and blend them on high speed until very smooth.

Add sugar, lime juice and salt and blend it well.

With ice-cream maker : Chill the puree in refrigerator until very cold like for about 3 to 4 hours. Churn in ice-cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions. Pour it into a tray or baking dish then transfer to a freezer-safe container and keep chilled until firm.

Without ice-cream maker : Pour the fruit puree into a shallow tray or baking dish and place in the freezer. Stir the mixture every 30 minutes for at least 2 to 3 hours, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and keep chilled until firm.

In my case, I’ve not used an ice-cream maker.

For the best results, be sure to choose fruit or berries that are at the peak of ripeness.

Awesome sorbet is ready! Add some scoops in a bowl and have fun with your friends or family 😀 ❤

Feel free to post your feedback and queries and I would love to get back to you on them.

For any queries you can get it touch with me at rtsculinarytreatsonline@gmail.com

You can connect with me on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates.

 

Spicy Pepper Rasam

Hello lovely readers 😀

‘ It’s very soothing and effective when taken during sore throat and cold.’

Molagu Jeera Rasam (Black Pepper) is very popular in South India. It’s a traditional and healthy recipe which we have been making for ages now. It’s  very comforting and effective when taken during sore throat, cold and fever. We call it Paati Vaithiyam (more like grandma’s secret recipe). Usually when a family member is unwell, the first thing they say is, “Should I make molagu rasam today?”

‘ Rasam is helps in digestion because of all the spices like jeera, pepper and cumin seeds.’

 P.S. : ‘Tastes awesome with hot steaming rice  and ghee.’

It tastes excellent with hot steaming rice and ghee. The best part is the variety of flavors. Moreover, it’s the easiest version of rasam and we can have it like soup too 😀 Yum!!! Yum!!!Yum!!!

INGREDIENTS :

1 lemon-sized ball of tamarind
1 generous pinch of hing / asafoetida
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
1 tomato, finely chopped
Salt to taste

To dry roast (roast without oil)
2-4 dry red chillies
2 tbsp of channa dal (kadala paruppu)
1 tbsp of toor dal
2 tbsp of coriander seeds
1 tbsp of black peppercorns (Molagu)
1/2 tbsp of cumin seeds (jeera/jeeragam)
A few curry leaves (karuveppalai)

To temper:
2 tsp of ghee
1/4 tsp of mustard seeds (Kadugu)

P.S. : Go grab a mug and drink it like soup 😀 Delicious!!!

METHOD: 

Soak the tamarind in a cup of warm water, Extract juice and discard pulp.

Add 2 tsp oil and dry roast the ingredients mentioned in the list until the dals turn golden brown. Make sure you cook in low flame and keep mixing at all times for uniform browning.

See to it that you don’t burn them. In case you burn anything, start over again as you would not want to mess with the flavor of the rasam. Cool this mixture, grind to a powder, and set aside.

Place the tamarind extract in a pan and add the salt, hing, turmeric, finely chopped tomato, and some salt. Bring to a boil.

When the mixture has boiled for about 4 mins, add the ground spice powder. You can add half of it to begin with and taste as you go for spice and flavour. The quantity need will change depending on how strong your tamarind is and your personal preference.

Boil this mixture for about 20 mins. until the raw smell leaves the tamarind mixture. Throw in more curry leaves if you feel like it. It gives a lovely flavor.

When the rasam has boiled long enough, remove from stove and heat the ghee in a small tadka pan. Add mustard seeds and 1/4 tsp jeera and when they splutter, dunk the entire thing into the rasam.

Hot spicy rasam is ready for serving!

 

Feel free to post your feedback and queries and I would love to get back to you on them.

For any queries you can get it touch with me at rtsculinarytreatsonline@gmail.com

 You can connect with me on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates.

 

 

Pancakes

Hello Everyone 😀

Greetings!!!

I’ve wanted to try pancakes from a long time but didn’t get an opportunity to. Recently, we were on a trip and one fine morning when we were having our breakfast my hubby suddenly (surprisingly) wanted to try Pancakes (Well, this was the first time he tried them). To my surprise, he was all excited about it and he loved it too (Who doesn’t 🙂 Right? ) From that day he has been craving for pancakes. So I finally took this opportunity to try it 😀

Happiness = PANCAKE BREAKFAST ❤

Pancakes are simple and easy to make. They  are perfect for breakfast or Sunday brunch. The key to make a perfect pancake is to concentrate on the consistency of the mixture.  I like delicate ones so have kept the batter little thin.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups milk

1 egg

3 tsp vanilla essence

2 cups self raising flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

4 tsp sugar

25 gm butter, melted

METHOD

Whisk milk, egg and vanilla essence together in a bowl. Sift flour and baking soda into a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add the mix mixture. Whisk until its well combined without any lumps.

Heat a large non stick pan over medium heat. Brush pan with butter.

Using 1/4 cup mixture per pancake, cook 2 pancakes for 3 to 4 mins. or until bubbles appear on the surface. Turn and cook it for about 3 mins. till they are properly cooked..

Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining mixture. Garnish it with strawberry and chocolate sauce and powdered sugar dusting. You can also add some fresh fruits of your choice.

Enjoy!!!

Feel free to post your feedback and queries and I would love to get back to you on them.

For any queries you can get it touch with me at rtsculinarytreatsonline@gmail.com

 You can connect with me on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates.

Quick Indian sweet recipe – Basundi

Hello Everyone 😀

How are you guys doing? Last time I mentioned that next post will be a dessert and here it is. Well I’m sharing an Indian dessert which is normally made during Indian festivals like Diwali, Bhaubheej (Bhai dooj).

Basundi is a rich creamy dessert made from thickened milk. It is made specially in parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka. It is very similar to the North Indian dessert Rabdi. Being a South Indian, we normally make Pal Payasam for all festivals and special occasions. It’s an absolute must 😛 But for me, its always been Basundi! Well I just go all crazy for it.

‘It’s a rich creamy drink made from thickened milk’

“Dessert is the most important stage of the meal, since it will be the last thing your guests remember before they pass out all over the table.”

Since my college days I’ve loved Basundi and Rasmalai (recipe coming soon). Back then, we had our hangout place ‘GuruKrupa, Mumbai’. They served the most awesome samosa chole and sweet delicacies. It’s my husband’s all time favorite so thought of surprising him by making it for our anniversary. I first tried it 4 years back and from then its a big hit at our place. You can also try it with different flavors like Strawberry Basundi, Mango basundi, etc.

‘Keep scraping the sides of the vessel when cooking, as that will make the basundi thick and impart a real creamy texture.’

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 litres milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cardamom (elaichi) powder

For Garnish
Finely cut almond and pistachios
Few saffron strands (Kesar)
Raisins

METHOD

Heat milk in a non stick PAN and bring it to boil. Add the sugar and cook on a slow flame till the volume is reduced to half.

Keep stirring continuously and scraping the sides of the pan.

Add cardamom powder and cook in slow flame for about 20 mins.

Add 1 teaspoon ghee and roast the almonds, pistachio and raisins in a non-stick pan.

Garnish it with the roasted almonds, pistachios and raisins and saffron strands. Serve warm or chilled.

Have fun!!!

Feel free to post your feedback and queries and I would love to get back to you on them.

For any queries you can get it touch with me atrtsculinarytreatsonline@gmail.com

            You can connect with me on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates. 

Refreshing Watermelon Cooler

Hello Everyone 😀

I’m super excited as this is my first blog post. I’ve wanted to write from a long time, now that I’m writing I’m a tinsy winsy bit nervous. Well I’m a complete foodie and I go gaga for chocolates. Anything related to chocolate is a must have for me. I enjoy cooking for my family and friends. Especially after marriage, my urge to try new recipes has increased. My hubby is my best critic yet my strongest supporter. He encourages me to try new stuff and is open to try all my new experiments: P

Well I assure you that you will have fun trying these recipes as much as I have when I make them. As they say, “A recipe has no soul. You as the cook must bring soul to the recipe.” On that note, let’s get started.

“Easy to make, refreshing, and Yummy!”

It’s summer yet again, which means it’s time for some tasty mangoes and juicy watermelons 🙂 🙂 It’s getting too hot these days and nothing refreshes us more like a fresh watermelon juice. Are you bored of having the same watermelon juice again and again??? Try the ‘Watermelon Cooler’ with tangy twist. So thought of sharing an essential must have drink this summer, which is easy to make and with a handful of ingredients from the kitchen.

“Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate.” —Alan D. Wolfelt

Time Taken : 10 mins

Serves : 2

INGREDIENTS

2 cups of seedless Watermelon

1 tbsp Lime juice

1/4 cup Mint leaves (Pudhina)

Small piece of ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup water / soda (as per your preference)

Watermelon = Refreshing / Lemon – Tangy taste / Mint = Freshness / Ginger = Healthy

METHOD

Blend the watermelons, ginger and a few mint leaves in a mixer/ blender till its pureed. Strain the mixture using a strainer. If you like it with pulp, you can skip this process.

In a glass (in my case have used a mason jar), add lime juice, pinch of salt. Pour in the watermelon juice and add water / soda as per your requirement.

Add a few mint leaves for garnish.

ENJOY!

P.S. : Next post will DEFINITELY be a dessert ❤ ❤ ❤

Feel free to post your feedback and queries and I would love to get back to you on them.

For any queries you can get it touch with me at rtsculinarytreatsonline@gmail.com

            You can connect with me on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates.