Pav Bhaji Bread Bowl and Pav Bhaji tikkis

Pav Bhaji being everyone's favorite I thought of giving it a new make over :) So I thought why not make a bread bowl. My kids loved the idea!
I received some samples of vegit's Pav Bhaji mix which is a ready made Pav Bhaji mix. Awesome isn't it! Why go through an elaborate time consuming process of making bhaji when we can do it in minutes.

  

 

Preparation 

Heat 50grams butter in frying pan on a low flame. Add 100grams chopped tomatoes and fry on medium heat for 3-5 minutes.

To this add 100grams of pav bhaji mix and mix well on a low flame. Add 500ml water and stir on a low flame for 15 minutes till water is absorbed.

Mash the pav bhai and garnish with fresh coriander leaves and half tsp. butter.

To make the bread bowl, the buns should be firm. Gently scoop out the upper part of the bun with knife and spoon. Place some bhaji inside it, top it with butter and serve warm with lemon wedges and chopped onions!

Pav Bhaji Tikkis

 

Follow the exact procedure given above to make the Bhaji. Make the bhaji a little dry leaving very little moisture so that tikkis can be made.
Make the patties/tikkis and coat them with bread crumbs. In a pan/tava add 1tsp oil and place the tikkis. Fry them till golden. Serve with ketchup!

About Vegit
Vegit, an agro division of Merino group and a leading brand in ready to cook segment, announced expansion of its product portfolio in Bangalore market with the launch of ever famous Vegit Pav Bhaji for the Retail HORECA (Hotel, Restaurant & Catering) segment. Priced at Rs. 60 for Retail, Vegit will now be available with a range of 9 new snacks mixes along with its flagship product ‘Aloo Mash’ (Potato Flakes), thereby strengthening its presence in Indian market. 

Keeping in line with the tradition of offering tasty, nutritive food that offers immense convenience, Vegit Pav Bhaji mix offers 100% classic Indian flavor and its preparation involves only 10% of time and effort on cooking, without missing the taste of traditional pav bhaji. Vegit Pav Bhaji mix comes in an innovative refreshed, clutter free packaging, which brings convenience into your kitchen.

Vegit products are healthy and contain the much essential vitamins and nutrients. The USP of these products “Hamara Mix, Aapka Twist” being that they can be prepared as it is or with a “Twist” as the consumer is free to experiment and modify the dish as per their taste buds.

Vegit has a wide array of products starting from the flagship products Aloo Mash (Potato Flakes) to 9 mouthwatering instant Indian snacks viz Pav Bhaji, Burger Patty, Aloo Tikki, Aloo Bonda, Soya Rolls, Cheese Balls, Hara Bhara Kebabs, Shammi Kebabas and  Veg cutlets.

Vegit is the agro division of Merino Group, spread equally between making of Potato Flakes and sumptuous Snacks Mixes and is committed to providing an international standard products that has been domestically produced. The integration of complete agri operations from tissue culture to food processing has assured the consistent supply of best quality products and has established a sustainable market for itself both with the domestic and international buyers.
Vegit offers a range of snacks mixes which are all simple, fast, neat and ready to make and also exports the products and reaches out to the retail sector and also the industrial catering units, restaurants and hotels. For more information visit Vegit at www.vegit-merino.com and www.merinoindia.com

High Ultra Lounge - Bangalore's New High- a Review

I was invited to this lovely pre-launch party of "High Ultra Lounge" which has been recently launched by the Brigade hospitality group. This ultra modern Asian bar and restaurant venue sits atop the 31st floor of World Trade Center, Bangalore. This beautiful place spread lavishly across 10,000 square feet is a destination based on the theme of “timelessness – things that never go out of vogue.” There is a lift designed especially from ground floor to 31st floor which has no other stops ! Traveling up this building in that lift, with a glass view of the Garden city was quite breathtaking! We reached a height of about 421 feet on the rooftop floor. Warmly greeted by the Brigade delegates, I shook hands with  the beautiful lady Nirupa Shankar, Director of Brigade hospitality. Nirupa Shankar being the brain behind the whole project and many other ventures is a very modest and friendly person to talk to. We had a little chat about food blogging and stuff while viewing the sunset and breathtaking views of the city. Soon the place was filled with many other bloggers !

We were taken on a tour around the place to see the sensuous interiors. The whole space at ‘High’ is divided into four zones:

HIGH VIEW is a lounge space that has open to sky seating, vertical gardens and the best spot for catching the sunset. It was quite serene and peaceful to sit and watch the sunset!

HIGH EDGE is a private dining special place for special occasions, with its standalone central bar, and smaller table seating around. Its an ideal space for private, business, corporate or social events.

HIGH DINE a fine dining experience set against a water body and elements that are a perfect accent for a relaxed and well prepared meal.

 

HIGH MIX a space buzzing with energy and a range of signature cocktails and mocktails that creates a new experience! 

This is the walk through to the High Mix and other places in the lounge!

And finally we were taken to the helipad  which is still far above the lounge for an awesome and mesmerizing view of the city!

Here we all are at the Helipad posing!!

Now the favorite part- Food and Drink

Inception	Armour
Amethyst mist	White wine with ice cream

Griddled Cottage Cheese With Tomato Compote	Cheese Corn

These were some of the drinks we sampled and the bar director Guru Prashant kept us busy with his creations! The beverages make use of contemporary mixology and concoctions are flavoured with natural spices and herbs.
We also met the executive chef Zhang Hao who came out with few dishes for everyone to sample and guess the ingredients from his pan Asian menu. Of these were the cauliflower wasabi and cottage cheese filled tikkis with bites of peanuts. The lounge offers classic and comforting Pan Asian food with a slightly modern twist.
We were also privileged to dined with the Directors Vineet Verma who is the  executive director, Brigade Hospitality and Nirupa Shankar.
The menu was specially crafted for all of us. Few dishes had us asking for more like the fried tofu, cheese corn, strawberry and cheese in sesame cheese roll. Being a vegetarian I had very less option left on my plate but the banoffee pie at the end made my taste buds happy.
High Ultra Lounge looks to redefine the lounge bar experience to make guests feel on top of the world.
Blending the outdoors and indoors with breathtaking views of the city with sensuous interiors, the venue raises the bar and creates high expectations for visitors and party goers in Bangalore.I and my friends felt the need for a definite comeback because of the ambiance and view. We were thinking that valentine's day is around the corner and this place is a perfect place for a candle light dinner!

The High Crew

Nirupa Shankar	Vineeth Verma	Guruprashanth	Zhang Hao
Director - Hospitality	Executive Director - Hospitality	Director Bar	Executive Chef

Champagne breakfasts, tall cocktails, mesmerizing music accompanied by bites of culinary wizardry.
The High Ultra Lounge experience has been designed to be sensorial, shifting moods through the day and the spaces, romancing the sun, the moon and the sky.
Redefining the sky lounge experience to make guests feel on top of the world.

My special thanks to Anamika !

HIGH ULTRA LOUNGE
World Trade Center,
Brigade Gateway Campus,
26/1 Dr. Rajkumar Road,
Malleswaram West,
Bangalore - 560 055
+91 80 4567 4567
www.highultralounge.com

Undhiyo a fabulous Winter food !

I Wish you all a very Happy and Prosperous New year !
Whenever I go to Rajasthani restaurants and eat Undhiyo I wanted to replicate it at home and after much research came up with a successful one!
Followed a little of Tarla Dalal and a little from Sanjeev Kapoor's recipe !

Ingredients   

• Potatoes,2 inch cubes 2 medium

• Purple Yam (kand),2 inch cubes 400 grams

• Papdi dana 1 cup

• Surti papdi , split 1 cup

• Brinjals , split with steam  6-8 small

• Raw bananas, 2 inch pieces  1

 For the Masala Paste

• Fresh green garlic, finely chopped  1/2 cup

• Fresh coriander leaves, chopped  1 cup

• Coconut, scraped  1 cup

• Green chilli paste  2 tablespoons

• Sugar  2 tablespoons

• Lemon juice  1 tablespoon

• Ginger paste  1 tablespoon

• Salt  to taste

• Oil  to deep fry

• Carom seeds (ajwain)  1 teaspoon

2 pinch of soda bicarbonate

For Muthiya  

• Whole wheat flour (atta) 1 cup

• Gram flour (besan) 1/4 cup

• Fenugreek leaves (methi),finely chopped 1/2 cup

• Turmeric powder  1/4 teaspoon

• Red chilli powder  1 teaspoon

• Salt  to taste

• Sugar  1 teaspoon


Preparation

To make muthiyas, mix all the ingredients and three tablespoons of oil into a stiff dough. Divide into small portions and shape each into one-inch long half-inch thick rolls. Heat sufficient oil in a kadhai and deep-fry the muthiyas on medium heat till cooked through and light golden. Drain and place on an absorbent paper and set aside.
Surti papdi is a variety of broad beans. Papdi Dana are shelled beans from the same surti papdi.

Mixed together all the vegetables with a little salt and pinch of soda bi carbonate and set aside.  Grind half the grated coconut,  green chilli paste, coriander, for the marination.  Add half the coconut mixture to the Surti papad and papdi dana and mix.  Add the remaining coconut mixture to the other vegetables. 
For the stuffing mix together green garlic, coriander leaves, coconut, green chilli paste, a pinch of sugar, lemon juice, ginger paste and salt in a bowl. Stuff some of this stuffing mixture into the slits of brinjals and raw banana pieces. Heat two tablespoons of the oil left after deep frying. Add carom seeds and saute. Add papdi dana and surti papdi and stir. Add half a cup of water and salt, cover and cook for two to three minutes. Open the lid and sprinkle a little of the stuffing mixture. Place the brinjals in a layer over this. Sprinkle a little of the stuffing mixture over this too. Place the raw banana pieces in a layer and once again sprinkle some of the stuffing mixture. Over this place a layer of the fried potatoes and purple yam and sprinkle the remaining stuffing mixture. Drizzle two to three tablespoons of oil all around and over the top. Toss lightly. Cover and cook on very low heat for ten minutes. Open the lid and place the muthiyas, cover once again and cook on very low heat for about half an hour or till all the vegetables are completely done and soft. Serve hot with puris or rotis !

FoodPanda- Review

My hearty greetings to all viewers. Hope all of you had a wonderful Diwali! After a long break I am back :) not with a recipe but a review!
Life is pretty busy and hectic with two kids as we get to face more challenges while they grow up . Even cooking seems to be a big and difficult task for me.
I came across this website which makes life a easy for many people who don't have the time to cook and it becomes an hassle.  

Foodpanda is a network of smart people who have provided a simple yet smart solution which makes life easy for people while hungry! Through Foodpanda you can order your food online from anywhere. All you have to do is go to this site foodpanda,   Enter your city, area or street, Select the restaurant here from where you want to order your food in your vicinity, you can see the menu and price of the food too.Select pay online or cash on delivery and your food is on its way to your home! Life is so simple isn't it!! This way you can even explore what restaurant you have in your area! You can take all the time in the world, customize your order to your preference and eat till your tummy is happy !!

 

 

Foodpanda has its network worldwide so wherever you travel one need not worry on which restaurant to go and what to eat.  The restaurant index also includes address and delivery hours.

 They also have nice discounts and offers like movie vouchers etc. Whether you’retired eating your own cooked food, can’t stop watching the cricket match ball-to-ball, simply fed up of standing in line for service, dealing with grumpy waiters, Can't get out of office meetings, having a party at home, FoodPanda has a solution for every one of you !!

For the busy life we have in a IT hub like Bangalore where life is busy 24/7, I very much recommend such innovative ideas.  So this weekend is going to be something delicious delivered to my home by this panda :) This Panda loves spreading joy and happiness, leaving smiles on people’s faces and celebrating food. Happy Eating !!

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf - A whole New Experience !

Born and brewed in Southern California since 1963, The Coffee bean and Tea Leaf is the oldest and the largest privately held specialty coffee and tea retailer in the United States.

 

While I was invited to review CBTL as it is called in short, the most interesting part was the decor which impressed me. It has a lovey and chic outdoor seating arrangement.

 

 

 

 

CBTL has a wide range of hot, cold coffees, ice blended drinks, coffee free drinks, fruit teas, iced coffee and espressos and many many more.....

Genmaicha Green tea 

 

Lemon Chamomile

Known for sourcing and providing the finest ingredients and flavours, through a relationship, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® has built a relationship with best private tea estates and coffee farms, selecting only the world’s top 1% Arabica beans and hand-plucked, whole leaf teas. Following the philosophy of “carefully nurtured from seed to cup”, the beverages available through the café are high quality and developed to derive the best flavour profiles from the ingredients.

These are some of their flavours in Tea!

Swedish Berries for flavoured ice tea

These are the spices used in the Masala Chai!

 

This year, the iconic brand celebrates 50 years of heritage and passion of delighting its patrons worldwide.

To add to the celebrations, a new food menu with variety of gourmet and healthy eating options has also been introduced. From all day breakfast, gourmet bites, fresh bakes, main course to desserts, the new Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® menu is a foodie’s delight offering novel options like Chilly Cheese Baguette, Pizza Curl, Banofee Cake, Silky Chocolate Mousse to name a few.

 

Granola Bars 

I loved these Grilled Paneer Sandwiches !

3 cheese pizza!

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® has also unveiled a new logo on the occasion, which bears the words: “passion for coffee and tea”. The logo reiterates the landmark in the brand’s history, paying tribute to its patrons and thanking consumers for their continuous support over the years. In addition, baristas at all outlets will reaffirm to produce the best tea and coffee beverages across the globe.

 

 

My overall experience was really very good and I highly recommend this place which is not at all heavy on your pocket! Its a perfect hangout for a relaxed weekend brunch !



About Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf:

Founded in 1963, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® is the oldest and largest privately-

held chain of specialty coffee and tea stores in the United States. With a reputation

for excellence, the company is a leader in product innovations, having developed

the original Ice Blended® beverage. Providing the highest quality coffees and

teas for 50 years, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® currently has more than 1000

stores. These stores blanket the world in markets such as Germany, California,

Arizona, Nevada, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Brunei, Indonesia, Philippines,

Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, China, Mongolia, UAE, Israel, Lebanon, Bahrain,

Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kurdistan, Turkey and continue

to expand both domestically and internationally. For additional information, visit

www.coffeebean.com

National, March 2013: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® (CBTL), founded in 1963 by
Herbert B. Hyman in Los Angeles, has been a pioneer in bringing gourmet coffees
and teas to the global connoisseur. Over the years, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® has
established itself as the oldest and most trusted brand, preferred by coffee & tea
lovers across the world.
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® is the oldest and largest privately-held specialty coffee
and tea retailer in the United States with more than 1000 stores across 25 countries.
This year, the iconic brand celebrates 50 years of heritage and passion of delighting
its patrons worldwide. Plans are afoot to reward consumers for their loyalty that has
played an enormous role in achieving this milestone. From 50 th anniversary exclusive
merchandise to special anniversary offers, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® will gratify loyal
patrons across the globe for their continued love and support over the years.
Operational in India since 2008, the brand also completes 5 successful years in India,
where again it has played the pioneer’s role in introducing the finest coffees & teas
from around the world to Indian coffee & tea lovers.

DISCLAIMER: This is not a paid review. The opinions and thoughts mentioned in the post are purely mine and done by tasting.