“Food is not rational. Food is culture, habit, craving and identity.” Jonathan Safran Foer
Nolen Gur Rice Kheer meant yet another trip down memory lane! Our trip to Kolkata some time ago was delicious. For a non fish lover, I was a little iffy. I needn’t have been. There is so much, and so much more Bong food has to offer, that Kolkata grows on you. There is good food everywhere. Since it’s relatively inexpensive, it’s quite easy to over eat as well! From Ballygunge Place to Bengali sweets galore, to the best streetfood {puchkas forever}, to nostalgic ancient Jewish bakeries {Nahoum & Sons}, and then to good old Flurry’s, the city has it all and more!
Bengalis and food go hand in hand. They are a passionate community. Tight knit, artistic, energetic…and food obsessed. You just need to begin talking about Bengali delicacies in Kolkata on any social media channel, and the response is absolutely amazing! Bongs from across the globe will come and join with gusto, large heartedly share ever little Bong food detail, discuss recipes, the origins, how they make it at home … and if you are lucky, even invite you over for a meal!
Just recently the husband was in Kolkata and I mentioned Nolen Gur to him. The ‘foodie habit of asking for ingredients are specific‘ now runs quite deep, and I can take the credit for some good training. Each time Mr PAB goes anywhere I just have to mutter a few edibles that would be nice to have. Literally a million phone calls later, I know he’s coming back with his bags full of things to cook!
Winter is THE season for Nolen Gur as it is available for a very short window through the cold weather. A number of Bengali Sweets in Kolkata during this season find Nolen Gur featured within – nolengurer shandesh, korapaaker sandesh, kanchagollas, gurer rosogolla, nolen gurer payesh. So I was really excited to receive my stash of Patali Gur {the solidified version of Nolen Gur}. I had my research done before hand, and the simple yet flavourful Nolen Gur Rice Kheer was being stirred the next morning. The flavours were subtle, teasing the palette very gently yet so characteristic of this jaggery! They shined through!
Authentic Bengali cuisine in Kolkata is easy to find, and posts a formidable list! This list is infinite, both sweet and savoury. I asked a very sweet Bong friend to list her favourites. Here we go in no particular order … Chingri malaikari {prawn curry with coconut}, Ilish bhapa {hilsa fish}, Shukto {mixed veg}, Doi maach {fish curry in yogurt}, Mishti doi {sweet curd}, Nolengurer shandesh {sandesh made with jaggery}, Aloo posto {potato with poppy seed}, Paatishapta.
So you know what to order next time you visit Kolkata. Do make sure you drive around the city too. Iconic yellow ambassadors, Victoria Memorial, the flower market which begins at dawn. The colonial architecture is jaw dropping. Roads and roads of ancient classic European style buildings, roads well planned … yet sadly all but forgotten. It’s almost like you are in Europe until you wake up to the traffic and cacophony around you. If only the buildings were well maintained, if only!
[print_this]Recipe: Nolen Gur Rice Kheer
Summary: A simple yet characteristic version of the Indian rice pudding, Nolen Gur Rice Kheer, has lilting, endearing flavour. Characteristic of a special Bengali delicacy, it is sweetened by a jaggery which is available for a short time during winter. In this vegetarian pudding, the patali gur is not cooked. It is simply stirred through the thickened pudding in the end to sweeten the cooked rice.
Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes Ingredients:
1/2 cup rice, washed, dried, ground
1 litre full fat milk
200g cream {optional}
1/2- 3/4 cup nolen gur shavings
Method:
Place rice, milk and cream in a heavy bottom pan, stir well and simmer uncovered for about an hour until the rice is cooked, and the milk reduced to make the kheer nice and creamy. Stir every once in a while to make sure it doesn’t catch the bottom of the pan.
Once quite thick {batter consistency}, take off heat and leave to cool for about 30 minutes.
Stir the gur shavings through until dissolved. Taste and add more gur shavings if desired.
Turn into earthenware pots or pudding bowls to set. Chill for a couple of hours until set
Writing about my trip into Old Delhi not so long ago evoked considerable interest. India has such a diverse and vibrant map, that it’s fun to talk about what the country has to offer. Sometimes getting off a recipe allows me to pursue something I enjoy otherwise, travel through India. I’ve done a fair bit of travel across the length and breath of this beautiful land. It’s a wonderful feeling to share a few bytes!We spent precious days in Srinagar in March last year, probably our most memorable trip in a while as we flew into the beautiful valley. Srinagar was truly ‘Paradise on Earth’. Soon after, bitten by the travel bug yet again, we headed for Leh, another absolute gem but so different from anything you can think of. We couldn’t get enough of it, and will hopefully go back there someday!
India is as diverse as diverse can be. Every nook and corner has something special to offer. Living in the NCR makes travel to cities like Agra, Jaipur and Amritsar quite easy to visit. Just a road trip away, it’s time to dive into one of my favourite cities to explore – Jaipur. With good expressways that lead to a city ready for international tourists, if you drive to Jaipur, make sure you take a breakfast or tea break at one of the dhabas en route!Winter is generally high season and even though there are a number of budget hotels in Jaipur, getting a reservation is quite difficult. Book in advance if possible, especially if you plan to be there during the festival season. We visited Jaipur a couple of months ago as guests of the JW Marriott. While this might cater to slightly high budget guests, there are a number of affordable hotels in Jaipur as well.
With festivals like the Jaipur Literature Festival held annually since 2006, there are a plethora of hotel options available. If on a shoestring budget like friends of mine who visited in November last year, the best option would be bed and breakfast hotels in Jaipur. Once comfortably settled in, the city is yours to enjoy.
We had a really nice tour guide and taxi that the hotel provided. What ensured was two days of fun, fun and more fun. Jaipur is a beautiful city with the awe inspiring architecture, so well looked after too. Heritage around every corner, it is really well planned. The Pink City as Jaipur is also called, is truly ready for the global tourist, and is a photographers delight!
Spots not to be missed … to begin with , the City Palace. It can knock your breath away. Beautifully maintained, clean, embellished doors in the central courtyard for every season, puppet shows, some souvenir shops too. Interesting bric a brac, old buggeys, family trees all delight the visitor.
Just outside the city palace is Hawa Mahal, an architectural marvel. Dated in history, it’s a beautiful facade that has hundreds of small balconies and windows that allowed women in purdah to sit within and watch processions in the days of yore. The Hawa Mahal has a fascinating facade, while interesting shops dot the street around. Clothes, quilts, leather, silver, accessories, souvenirs … but don’t forget to bargain as you can get easily fleeced!Your next stop should be Amer Fort sitting atop a hill. Just the drive up to the fort will amaze you. Precision of architecture, huge bolstered walls made of heavy rocks, beautiful landscape. One is filled with wonder at how something so gigantic and perfect could have been constructed so many hundred years ago. Yet another well maintained historical building, and it is heartening to see so many local tourists visiting the fort over weekends.
How can you visit a city and not eat? If you are looking for fine dining, head straight for the JW Marriot. With four classy restaurants, there is something for everyone there. The 24 hour coffee shop will leave you wishing your stomach was an endless pit. The choice blows you away, with the freshest best food. If it’s Indian you crave, the Saffron is highly recommended. Make sure you try a signature smoked butter chicken, silky smooth saffron paneer, finger licking good maa ki dal and garlic naan. Also make time to stop by the Jaipur Baking Company at the hotel as it churns out the best freshly baked goodies money can buy!
If you are out in the city, and would like a quick meal stop then the Spice Court will not disappoint. We had the best famous Lal Maas at the beautiful Spice Court. The restaurant has a colonial feel to it, and offers a nice laid back atmosphere. No one seems to be in a hurry. For the sweet tooth, just alongside is a patisserie which offers the great desserts. Enter it and for a moment you get transported to a Parisian cafe.
We hit the best local food joints too, and we couldn’t get enough of them. Must tries include pani poories, local word famous ghewar and of course the kachoris. Go with an appetite because the kachoris in Jaipur cannot be found elsewhere. Rawat ki Kachori has the best {read BEST} kachoris in town. Eat a couple, pack a few …you will not regret carrying back ‘the taste of Jaipur’. It one of the only ways to keep the holiday alive after you leave the Pink City!
‘Food is not rational. Food is culture, habit, craving and identity.”
Jonathan Safran Foer
There can be nothing better than an impromptu walk through the streets of Old Delhi on a cold winter morning. Unplanned turned out even better. One day, a couple of weeks ago, I tumbled out of bed feeling restless and tired of work. The cold had been getting to me, work progressing slow and somewhat unsatisfactory! I needed a fix, and for me it was an instant decision.
With Mr PAB away in HKG, it was a free day. I literally tumbled out of bed into a very foggy and cold morning. Then bitten by the familiar addictive ‘old delhi bug‘ once again, within the hour I was on a train into the beautiful old city. The experience is always enriching, and to my delight, I found this impulsive visit an eye opener.For me, Purani Dilli or Old Delhi, or the walled city too as it is sometimes called, is synonymous with two things. Prop shopping is the big bait for the incorrigible prop collector that I am. And obviously, some of the best places to eat in Delhi is the other. It’s the ambiance that charms you, tempts you to go back over and over again – the flavours, the sights and sounds, the cacophony!
No North Indian food is complete without sweets, and the streets of the old city do not disappoint! Having never been to Old Delhi during the peak of winter, I was elated to dive straight into a light, airy and heavenly bowl of the elusive Daulat ki Chaat. Pure love!! It was everything Pamela Timms wrote it to be in her beautifully written book on Old Delhi – Kheer, Korma & Kismet! In the back of my head, the pages of her book turned, one by one. So much connect. Felt like kismet.
A quick chat with the gentle, sweet salesman and a few quick clicks later, I set off towards Jama Masjid. I wandered down the street which is home to some of the best restaurants in Delhi that offer old world rustic charm. Fresh, artisan food, aromatic, as spicy as you like it, flavours hard to find elsewhere. It was early and I wasn’t hungry for a meal, so just took in the flavours wafting through the air while lunch was being prepared. No sense of urgency at all, a languid charm, a nip in the air, lots of tea brewing everywhere..
Like most restaurants in Delhi, there is plenty of choice on offer here, though mainly North Indian cuisine. Since I was alone, I had plenty of time to take it all in. One place that caught my eye was a tiny little eatery offering Wazwan, Kashmiri cuisine. The tables already full with folk enjoying a late breakfast or an early lunch perhaps, the restaurant owner, an old man, was quite happy to chat with me. We talked about Srinagar since I had been there just last year, typical dishes {goshtaba, rajma, haaq, tabaq maaz, rogan josh}, that they cook everything on the first floor, how people come from far and wide to eat their food. I was really tempted but alas, with no appetite, instead opted for a nice cup of Kashmiri Namak Chai {salted tea}. What a revelation. Salty tea … deep, earthy, warming. Almost soup like! The best part was that the old man refused to take money for it. And that stunning samovar… a thing of everlasting beauty!
The samovar reminding me of why I was here, but sadly the shop I went in search for was shut. Quite disheartened, I hailed a rickshaw back to Chawri Bazaar and reluctantly stopped at a random copperware shop. Must have been my lucky day as the owners were more than happy to oblige! I returned giddily happy with stuff I fell in love with, stuff they couldn’t understand why I was so happy to buy. Once cleaned up, it shone. And how!!Spirits revived, it was another rickshaw ride again, this time to Khari Baoli as I had a promise to keep. Since it was past noon, the market is packed. Being Asia’s biggest spice market, trading is at a frenzy. The crowds carry you along, and it’s easy to get lost in all this mayhem. Visit it during winters as in summer the crowds can be pretty overpowering if you know what I mean. Bought some enamelware for a friend, some dry fruits that are always a part of the shopping list, took in the sights, sounds and smells… then very satisfied headed back to the train station. It was time to go back.
With a head full of memories and a bagful of goodies I reached home cold, exhausted but so so happy! I love any trip into the old city. The next trip will be on an empty stomach and with friends. The charm beckons you, the aromas call your name … kormas, rotis, rusks, sewain… it’s a food paradise. A food prop paradise too if you are lucky!
“It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important.”
Arthur Conan Doyle
It was a weekend to remember, a road-trip to Jaipur that took us for the most beautiful and memorable time well spent. It was an experience that brought whole new meaning to the phrase “little things that matter”. A visit to Jaipur, the Pink City, will always hold the promise of magic. A visit to the Pink City hosted by the Jaipur Marriott resulted in magic, also doubling the joy and memories.
It was also a ‘WEEKEND of EXCESSES’ … excessive pampering, excessive fun, excessive food and excessive care. ‘Little things that matter’ took whole new meaning at Jaipur Marriott. It was a media fam trip that has left us with withdrawal symptoms and nostalgia. ‘Yeh dil maange mor‘ was the common feeling. The Pink City grows on you. So does the Jaipur Marriott and the brilliant team behind it!
We were a small ‘privileged’ group of 7, a mix of media, travel and food bloggers, and many of us were meeting for the first time. With us too was the very sweet and chirpy Binisha who was the best coordinator ever. Someone who never stopped charming us with those characteristic dimples, exuberant energy, positive attitude helping make the weekend totally worthwhile. There was of course the team from the hotel … exemplary in every way.
It went like clockwork from word go. Picked up from home on the dot as advised, we proceed to the Delhi Baking Company, JW Marriott, New Delhi to meet for breakfast. Couldn’t have been a better beginning! It was a beautiful start with possibly the best croissants we’ve had in town. Ceramic mugs of hot tea, coffee & chocolate, tall glasses of cold coffee and fresh juice did the rounds. Efficient breakfast service, fresh muffins, cupcakes. Then a stunning handmade card from General Manager Rohit Dar, Jaipur Marriott as a pre-welcome with a box of goodies from the DBC… and off we went.
The promises of a languishing sleep, resting along the way from Ruchira were blown in the wind as we drove. It was non stop banter, mad laughter and ‘eyes popping-jaw dropping‘ information exchanged as we bonded. Strangely enough, most of were meeting for the first time and we hit it off splendidly. First stop en route … a local dhaba on the way for addictively good stuffed parathas and piping hot sweet tea! Yes indeed, the promise of fun days to follow! The next stop was the Jaipur Marriott. A different world from the dhaba, but beautiful again. I love how we can change gears from one world to another in seconds … from croissants to parathas … and much more.
Jaipur Marriott Hotel is entrenched with the cultural legacy of the Pink City and sports refined elegance and a contemporary look. The Hotel displays the finest blend of contemporary architecture with subtle ethnic design elements. Plenty of natural light in play with natural elements of water, plants, stone, bamboo offer a peaceful soothing ambiance. With 317 keys and the option of going up to 365, this is perhaps the biggest hotel in Jaipur.
Given the royal treatment on arrival with tilaks, welcome drinks and silk scarves, we were individually escorted to our rooms, checked in within minutes and soon headed for lunch to Okra. I love the name the Jaipur Marriott has coined for this all day dining restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet, supported by an exotic ala carte menu available 24 X 7. Okra offers a wide array of continental and Indian delicacies, the ‘world on a plate’, leaving you spoilt for choice! With bakes from the Jaipur Baking Company adding delicious weight to the menu, go prepared and on an empty stomach.Heading Okra is the affable and talented Executive Chef Sahil Arora, his vast experience and expertise in heading the team shines through. It is easy to see how popular the restaurant is as it is always buzzing with activity, run like clockwork by an efficient and passionate team. The Sunday brunch appears to be extremely popular. Given the range out on offer, and the sumptuous lunch and breakfasts we devoured there, it is easy to see why.
Chef Sahil brings with him the vast experience and multicultural learning through a rich career spanning various countries and diverse cuisines. His areas of expertise include Japanese, Thai and Chinese cuisine. He also possesses strong skills in French and Italian cooking, the influences visible in the extensive laid out menu. It was a long, delightful lunch … after which we retired to our rooms to rest, and then set off for a complimentary spa session at the O2 Spa. Located at the pool side, O2 is a celebration of nature, right from ambiance and décor to the luxury treatments. Rejuvenated and fresh from the spa experience, keeping in line with a pretty paced schedule it was time for Lounge 18.
An interesting concept this one. The lounge was conceptualised as an experiment of sorts and is a transitional lounge. By day it’s a lounge for the business traveler, well equipped and stylish, or for friends to get together, unwind and sit back. By night it transforms into one of the most successful nightclubs that Jaipur hosts. With a DJ zone, ample room inside with a spill-out next to the pool, it’s a concept that has even party goers from the NCR heading for a weekend break. Playing exclusively house and techno rap, the lounge invites DJs to play there over weekends.
We enjoyed an informal earlyish evening there. Sangria, Pomegranate Cosmo and other cocktails did the rounds along with some well thought up mezze platters. With a great assortment of cheese, fruit, cold cuts and crackers, the cheese platter was addictive and is a great addition to the menu as well. Finger foods galore poured in from both Saffron and Okra…and we were pampered once again! Just when we thought we couldn’t have another bite, along came dinner!! Keeping us great company were GM Rohit Dar, Lovesh Sharma, Director of Sales and Marketing and Sudeep Sharma, Director of Food and Beverages. It was a lovely relaxed evening.
The best end to the day was dessert – the most divine apple crumble with an in house cinnamon ice cream that was to die for! The pictures don’t do justice as the light was dimming quickly, with the bouncers now taking position, queues building up outside and the music beats going up. One peep outside and the lobby was filling up with the young and restless headed to the club! We called it a night as we’d been on the go since early morning.
Up early the next morning, it was a filling breakfast at Okra again, before we headed off into the heart of the Pink City for a day tour. Such a beautiful day, such wonderful company! Looked after like royals once again, accompanied by the ever sweet Ankit from the Jaipur Marriott and a city guide from the hotel, we fell in love with Jaipur. So much heritage, a city steeped in culture, and so well maintained.
It was a day well spent, with most things on our to do list touched on. No shopping as such as Jaipur markets are largely closed on Sunday. We did buy the worlds best ghewar at LMB, some bangles at the City Palace etc.
It was a long tiring day and heading back to the comfort of the hotel was like coming home! Tranquil surroundings, familiar feel and faces, a special gift bag in our rooms to greet us, we couldn’t have asked for more. A little rejuvenating rest later it was off to a much awaited dinner at Saffron, the contemporary specialty Indian restaurant that offers signature dishes from North India and Hyderabad. Saffron is headed by the enthusiastic, creative and talented Chef Paramjit Singh Oberoi.
It was a nice surprise to see the set up outdoors at the poolside. Interestingly, Saffron opens into a deck along the poolside and is ideal for hosting small private parties and get togethers. The hotel has been thoughtfully designed and the flexibility to use additional space alongside restaurants, the banquet halls etc is praiseworthy! Little wonder that ‘Weddings by Marriott’ is a concept that has become really popular here.
Chef Paramjits enthusiasm and creativity soon had us eating or rather overeating out of his hands. Melt in the mouth outstanding mushroom galouti kebabs, chicken tikkas, garlic prawns, crisp crumb fried paneer, mutton kebabs, and plenty more. The poolside ambiance was beautiful yet low lighting meant I abandoned my camera pretty soon. Dinner was set to be served indoors, but given that the party was flowing so well outdoors, an impromptu decision was made to shift the service out poolside. I love the flexibility of decisions, the informal camaraderie and the ease with which the team works.
Dinner was outstanding with possibly the best raan {leg of lamb} we’ve had, to a signature smoked butter chicken, , silky smooth saffron paneer, finger licking good maa ki dal and garlic naan to die for. On the side were a plethora of pickles and preserves that Chef Paramjit has learnt from his mother – garlic pickle, amla murabba, ginger murabba. And yes there was dessert too. Award winning crisp brandy schnappes with gulukand ice cream. Also phirini tartlets and an ingenious tomato halwa. Live ghazals played in the restaurant within, while light piped music filled the air outside. A fitting farewell dinner for a pampered weekend.
Time to bid adieu next morning, and we stopped by briefly at the Jaipur Baking Company. Led by Pastry Chef Anil Dutt, whose parents were incidentally great cooks too, the JBC has a drool-worthy menu on offer. The patisserie counters are magical, the baguettes and sourdough breads freshly baked every morning. There is even a candy counter at this bakery and café which overlooks the pool. If there was one thing I missed, it was a visit to Chef Dutts bakery to see him at work. I would love to stop by and help him in his kitchen some day. I guess that’ll be another story!
“Some of us come on earth seeing. Some of us come on earth seeing color.” Louise Nevelson
Dark Chocolate Fresh Plum Wholewheat Meringue Tray Bake … a bake that ended my bout of lack of inspiration. The heat and humidity is killing. Back from Leh, an exhausting trip that was messed up by the travel agent, didn’t seem to make life better. It was a trip I had waited for forever … then came the mail a few hours before we were due to leave about an error in bookings their end! Try that at 11000ft, tired teens, rarefied oxygen levels …. just didn’t work!
The past few months have seen my nose to the grinding stone, trying to make up for lost time. A project to be completed, the daughter to be packed off to uni, loads of emails in the things to do, a few small things in the pipeline … and then the everyday meals, laundry, grocery, dog etc. Of course hungry teens at home for summer vacation didn’t seem to make life easier.
This was a few days before she left. They were hungry yet again. There is this time in the afternoon between 3 and 4 that some hunger goblins visit our home. I wish I could turn invisible at 3 o clock! Really do. Those goblins have surfaced without fail for the past month. I decided to beat them to it.
I had plums in the fridge… and thoughts of a whole wheat fresh plum cake I had made last year! It was time to work on those lines. A last minute thought made me save some whipped egg whites for the top; wanted to make a visually fun cake. Little did I know that when it would bake, it would endlessly remind me of our trip to Leh. Why? Nothing could have prepared us for what we saw when we landed in Leh. To our mind, we were going into the mountains, at 11000 feet, the majestic Himalayas which would be GREEN and snow topped. 11000ft to me meant more snow that would exceed any we had seen when we visited Srinagar, Kashmir in March. Boy were we gob smacked. I think we didn’t realise that Leh is a cold dessert. I could’ve never imagined those endless mountains of mud, rock and BROWN! Very National Geographic, very awe inspiring, very unlike what we expected. That’s not to say the view wasn’t stunning. It certainly was. Still this cake reminded me so much of the vast rocky terrain. Mountains higher than one can imagine, and all made of mud, rocks, actually HUGE boulders, and in many places not a spot of vegetation…
… until we reached where we were booked to stay. On the way to the beautiful Nimmu House, which we eventually got to after the travel agent messed up our bookings, we even saw something like a Grand Canyon. Nature never fails to astound!
Such a vast terrain, never ending mountains, beautiful wooden gates, doors I could pack and run away with, windows too.Rustic outdoors that left you wanting for more, more than the eyes could capture. Fresh mountain air as clean and crisp as could be. The landscape was unreal at times, took my breath away …. yet left me with ‘brown’ stamped in my mind.
And then the tray bake happened, just on the go. One look at it and it was an uncanny feeling. It reminded me of the Leh landscape in so many ways. Unexpected, rustically beautiful {in my eyes}, with unusual tones the brown sugar meringue picked up with the dark chocolate melting into it.
One bite later and it was pure joy. Moist, deeply chocolaty, delightful plum undertones, what a fun bake this tuned out to be. Must have been the plums that created some berry like magic in there.
There’s still some summer left here in the plains you are enamoured by stone fruit like me. Go grab some plums and begin experimenting. You never know how yummy life might get! Plums, peaches and cherries will soon be gone, and I will sadly miss them. We are looking at a long extended hot season though…sadly, the rains have failed to show up!
Have you ever made a cake inspired by landscape or a vacation? Would love to hear about it!
[print_this] Recipe: Dark Chocolate Fresh Plum Wholewheat Meringue Tray BakeSummary: Dark Chocolate Fresh Plum Wholewheat Meringue Tray Bake. One bite later and it was pure joy. Moist, deeply chocolaty, delightful plum undertones, what a fun bake this tuned out to be. Must have been the plums that created some berry like magic in there.Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes Ingredients:
100g butter
185g brown sugar {divided 100g+85g}
3 small eggs, separated
100g dark chocolate, room temperature
185g plum puree {about 4 medium pitted plums, with skin}
75g whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
40g cocoa powder
vanilla extract
50g dark chocolate chips for topping
Method:
Preheat oven to 180C. Line an 8″ square baking tin with parchment.
Beat egg whites with pinch of cream of tartar to soft peaks. Add 100g sugar a tbsp at a time and continue to beat to stiff peaks. Reserve.
Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Microwave for a minute until chocolate melts. Whisk well, add the plum puree, whisk. Then add yolks, whisk again. Add vanilla extract and cocoa and whisk until smooth. Reserve.
Beat butter with remaining 85g sugar for 2-3 minutes, until smooth
Mix in the flour and baking soda, followed by the chocolate mix.
Gently fold in the whipped whites, reserving about 1/2-3/4 cup for the topping.
Pour batter into prepared tin. Sprinkle over with chocolate chips.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the tester comes out with a few moist crumbs. Tent the top with a sheet of aluminum foil if over browning.
Place on cooling rack and leave to cool in tin for about 30 minutes.
“If it isn’t on Google, it doesn’t exist.”
Jimmy Wales
I am a HUGE fan of Google, of how dynamic it is; creative and interactive too. In many ways I know I don’t speak for myself alone as Google marches ahead making life online simpler and simpler. Google India hosted a Google Café Day in Delhi showcasing the search experience for Indian users: English Voice Search in the Indian accent, The Knowledge Graph, and Google Now.
The demo driven event reflects Google’s continual effort to improve the search experience that will help Indians users find answers on the web more quickly and efficiently. Sandeep Menon, Head of Marketing Google India, led the demo. From asking Google where you can watch the latest movies to finding out cricket scores at the touch of a button, help is just a click away, or rather just a shout away! I came home and shouted into the Google Search App of my ‘smart phone’ … “SMS Rohan to have a bath now”. Smartly enough, hand in hand with Google, it first went to SMS, then asked me which Rohan from my phone book … and seconds later the message was sent!! Minutes later a curious Rohan emerged to ask about the unusually cryptic message. Once explained, he was pleasantly surprised and actually went to have a shower!! That explains the magic of Googles Voice Search for mere mortals like me.
Google Café Day was informative and interactive, something that Google India has consistently done. From g|india in September 2012, where Google engaged with the Indian community of developers, business leaders, IT professionals and entrepreneurs who are as passionate about technology as they are …
… to World Photography Day the Google+ Way in August 2013 in Mumbai, when professional photographers and photo enthusiasts were invited to step into Googles dynamic world of photo sharing. Google invited photographers to embrace technology with its easy to use features, once again showing how dynamic they are as a company.
The Knowledge Graph is Googles growing model of the hundreds of millions of people, places and things that make up our world. Using ambitious technology and massive google-scale computing, The Knowledge Graph attempts to give you relevant information based on this sophisticated database.
The third innovation introduced that day was Google Now, an anticipatory feature within Google Search that brings you the right information even before you ask!! The days weather, traffic en route, traffic hot spots and even alternative route suggestions, flight status, movie listings … Google Now brings it all to you proactively when you opt for Google Now in the Google Search App.
The event was interactive, engaging and entertaining with a few special guests. Singer and model Shibani Dandekar, Indian footballer Baichung Bhutia, and Chef Kunal Kapoor were part of the demo team out to make each session fun! Appreciation must be given to the team that set up the stage for the event… attention to detail, excellent creatives, and a lovely play of Google colours made #GoogleHouse fun and imaginative!
A down to earth, approachable team, interactive demos and engaging sessions are trademark of Google India. It’s interesting to see how they progress, how much they enjoy sharing their milestones with users across the spectrum, how ethical and focused they are! For a layman like me, I came back inspired as always. Thank you Google India.
