Wednesday 24 July 2019

Shinwari Chicken Karahi



Shinwari Chicken Karahi is a popular dish belonging to the Shinwari Pashtun tribe residing in some parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan.  It’s a very easy dish cooked with very less spices, yet it’s very delicious in taste.  This dish is served with naan and salad and also can be eaten with roti, chapati or paratha. 




Ingredients
500 grams Chicken cut in to pieces
1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1/2 tbsp Garlic paste
2 big Tomatoes cut into small cubes 
3 Green Chillies cut into halves lengthwise 
Salt to taste 
1/2 tsp Pepper powder 
Few Coriander Leaves chopped
Few Ginger Juliennes
1 Green Chilli cut lengthwise into thin strips
1/4 cup Oil

Method
Heat oil in a kadai. Add the chicken and stir fry for  5 to 7 minutes. Now add tomatoes, 3 green chillies, ginger paste, garlic paste, salt and pepper. Stir and cover the karahi and cook on low flame stirring it occasionally. Cook the chicken for 10 minutes or until it’s done and the oil separates from the chicken.
Garnish with coriander leaves, green chilli and ginger. Serve with hot Naans / Roti / Paratha.

Thursday 11 July 2019

Kalo Jam Makha (Jamun / Black Plum Mashed)


This recipe takes me back to my childhood days. Every year as a little kid, religiously every summer my mother and myself would visit my Uncle’s place (Mamar Bari) in Kolkata. Across my Uncle’s house there was a big Kalo Jam tree that use to be loaded with Kalo Jam which belonged to a family staying there. Every afternoon after our lunch affair was over, I use to visit their house to play with their 3 girls and eat Kalo Jam Makha. It was fun collecting the Kalo Jams. It’s a rustic dish but so delicious and mouthwatering. We also make this similar dish with raw mangoes. Peel the raw mango, cut it into cubes, add all the same ingredients give below, also add red chilli powder, sugar and Kashundi. Crush the mango in a mortar. I really feel sad that these simple rustic recipes are getting extinct with our new generation. I am sure all of us will have some stories to share of such dishes. 

Ingredients 
15 to 20 Kalo Jam / Jambun / Black plums
2 or more Green Chillies chopped 
Salt to taste or black salt and salt mix
1/2  tsp Mustard oil



Method 
Take all the above ingredients and mash it well. You can mash it with a help of a spoon, but best to use your fingers. 
It’s simply divine. 
Mustard oil is optional, but I love it with mustard oil as it enhances the taste. 





Sunday 7 July 2019

Review - YOUnion

   

Youth Has No Age’.  This quote by Pablo Picasso caught my sight as I entered the restaurant. I absolutely believe this should be the mantra of life. 
 YOUnion is a newly launched restaurant in town by none other than Zorawar Kalra at Kamla Mills Mumbai. 
After I entered the new generation neon restaurant, there was this attractive table, which was been set. There were all  kinds of colourful drinks which were served in weird attractive drinkware. With smile on their face the people at the restaurant claimed that there are around 200 types of drinks that they serve at the restaurant. Skulls, helmets, disco balls, briefcase, Cinderella glass slippers were some of the props that were converted into drinkware. 





 


Further getting into the space, and greeting our TNF team members, our first drink was served. Though I don’t drink, that day I was all prepared. One after the other different types of drinks were served along with tasty  tit-bits. 



Chef Momin 

Along with the flow of drinks and food, the tempo of laughter and enjoyment also took a level higher. To add on to the enjoyment and to make the ambience more cheerful and lively there were people dressed up as avengers. We all were in high spirits. 





I had couple of drinks and loved each and every drink that was served. My favourite were Litchi sake, Strawberry daiquiri, Quick blow job, Southern spice.... there are some more but lost track of the names... 😅 you can imagine after couple of shots. The concept of Community Drink was mind blowing. It was a great experience to see the drinks served in briefcase, helmet and disco balls. 








Disco Ball used a prop for the Community Drink 


Darth Vader  Helmet used as a prop to serve the Community drink 



Community Drinking from a Briefcase 
















Delicious beautifully plated food too started to fill the table one after the other along with the drinks. Some of my favourite starters were Chana Koliwada, Crispy Panko coated Mussels, Hara Bhara Candy Kabab, Vegetarian Momo, Tandoori Chicken Momo, Veg and Non Veg Dim Sum, Garlic and Cheese Pizza, Ghee Roast and a dish with broccoli. At the end not to miss out on the delicious desserts.

Chana Koliwada 


Panko coated Mussels 


Hara Bhara Candy Kabab



Veg Momo 


Tandoori Chicken Momo 



Stirred Fried Broccoli and Water Chestnut  


Kandi Gosht 


Butter Chicken Pizza 


Cheese Chilli Pizza 


Shiitake and Prawn Dim Sum


Texas French Fries  


Mutton Ghee Roast


Misal Pav 


Cheese Cake 


Tiramisu 


I was very lucky to have won a contest held by The Nomad Foodie and was invited by them. I am very thankful to Suprio - The Nomad Foodie. 

Photo Credit - The Nomad Foodie 




YOUnion has indeed very well incorporated the mantra of life ‘Youth Has No Age’.