Tag: Indian food bloggers

Where there is travel, there HAS to be food. Sabah, Malaysia that won our heart!

Where there is travel & Travel.earth, there HAS to be food! This trip to Sabah turned out to be one of the most fun trips ever. One that left us with lifetime memories, so much laughter that we split our sides, new experiences, new friends too.

I won an #Earthys2019 in Sabah, Malaysia for the best food photograph which made things even more worthwhile! Malaysia, Truly Asia, you overwhelmed us!

Have you heard of Sabah? I hadn’t, and I’m grateful that Travel.earth decided to take me along. This was my first trip to Malaysia, and fortunately it was to the almost unheard & very scenic Kota Kinabalu.

Barely had I flown in from Switzerland {previous posts}, that it was time to leave again for another influencer convention just a day later.

This time to relatively unknown, and dare I say, quite unexplored Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia. From a slightly cooler Europe to warm tropical east Asia, you can’t but help wonder at how much beauty the earth has on offer!

The name Kota Kinabalu, quite a tongue twister, is a spot on the globe that is fascinating in every way. Natural landscapes can’t get prettier than this very offbeat destination, one that we headed for last week.

The things we did…

The reason special, to participate in the Earthy’s 2019, the first edition of the Digital Influencers Convention co hosted by Travel.earth & Malaysia Tourism in Sabah, Malaysia. It brought together content creators, industry stalwarts, and renowned speakers under one roof to gather at Kota Kinabalu.

Sabah Tourism opened their beautiful country to 53 influencers from India, primarily from the travel genre, and with Travel.earth, flew us down to Kota Kinabalu, a 2 hour flight from Kuala Lumpur.

While there are no direct flights to Kota Kinabalu, a quick transit through Kl gets you there pretty easily. We flew Malaysia Airlines which was quite seamless & comfortable.

There’s so much you can do in Sabah, and we barely touched the tip of the iceberg. Spent the first 2 days exploring the rich cultural heritage and breathtaking scenic beauty of this amazing region.

Image courtesy @WanderWithSky
Image courtesy @the.ramukaka
Image courtesy @the.ramukaka

It has something to offer for everyone from beaches, sea walks, snorkeling, mountains, rainforests, homestays, dairy farming, fish spas, loads of local cuisine, adventure sports, sunrises to knock your breath away & sunsets to make you want to stay there forever!

The warmth, large heartedness & hospitality of our Malay guide Chris from SeaMaui Borneo made our entire stay feel like home. What a great, charming, fun guy!

He was patient, friendly, always smiling, gentle & soon became part of our group.

That we were at the Shangrila Ras Ria Resort, an extensive property with private beaches, peaceful & away from the city, loads of open spaces made it even better.

Image courtesy @WanderWithSky

The bunch of us spent nights on the beach staring at the crystal clear milky way with waves lapping up, just the sound of the sea {& our nonsensical endless banter of course}! We spent the day chasing waves, droning, just walking along the edge, soaking up everything nature has to offer. It was so peaceful & powerful!

The next 2 days saw interactions with industry stalwarts that included Bobby Joshii, Dinesh Krishnan, Jessie Paul, and other content creators, youtubers etc. Also interactions with our hosts from Sabah Tourism , SeaMaui Borneo , Malaysia Tourism, Malaysia Airlines at the luxurious Shangrila Ras Ria Resort .

The event culminated in an awards ceremony, the first of its kind based on objective criteria & performance-driven metrics. It was a really well put together cultural event that showcased some of the best of what Malaysia has to offer. It was engaging, colourful, gripping at times, and very very enjoyable.

Love how beautiful the trophy is, how well the event went off, and how crazily we bonded with each other! Thank you Travel.earth for this fabulous experience!

https://passionateaboutbaking.com/foodpicturesPAB/2019/07/DJI_0573.mov

Words aren’t enough to describe the experience. Hopefully the pictures will tell the story, and this brilliant drone video by @WanderWithSky should complete it!

Travel.earth aims to develop an eco travel system that aims to share experiences and enrich lives, an online travel publication that curates travel content spanning across all spectrum of travel. The travel.earth website features user-generated travel content, personal travel stories, tourism, leisure travel, social travel, travel guides and tips, and more. The written content is curated via a large network of professional bloggers, aspiring travel writers, and in-house writers.

Charming St. Gallen with Switzerland Tourism #inLOVEwithSWITZERLAND {PART 2}

Have you heard of St Gallen? It’s a city in northeastern Switzerland, tucked away south of Lake Constance. It’s quite off the beaten path; one visit to the city and you are absolutely charmed! 

Post Davos, our group of 30 divided into specialist groups, and the food group happily headed to St Gallen, which incidentally is quite close to Zurich, a train ride away literally!

Our first morning in St Gallen saw us heading out explore the legendary the Bratwurst sausage & how it’s made at the butcher’s shop Schmid. The famous St. Gallen’s variety, known as “St. Galler bratwurst,” is most popular across Switzerland & is a must have.

Eat it in a burli roll or plated with a hearty potato rostii, or like Ken who hunts food, have it with curry! However, the rule is, NO MUSTARD!

That done, it was time to wine! We stopped by at The Haus of Wine in the village of Berneck, where 19 wine growers showcase their wine under one roof. St Gallens wine stands up to some of the best wine in the world, but only very limited quantities are produced. It was before noon, and I think we tasted the best of each vintage before noon!

Light headed & happy, Mount Santis, the highest mountain in the northeast of Switzerland, was our next destination! It stands tall at 2502 feet, about an hours scenic drive from St Gallen. The views from the top are absolutely breathtaking and on a clear day  you can see five other countries: Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, France and Italy! It was quite overcast the day we visited, but there were other treats waiting for us!

Yes, the sweet folk had arranged a delicious sit down lunch especially for us, the food bloggers. We started off with Appenzeller Alpenbitter, a local specialty dark liquor brewed using 42 types of herbs. It’s very popular from the region as was the Mac & Cheese with bratwurst. Interestingly, it was served with an applesauce on the side, and the pairing was great. Schlorzifladen Special Cake was served for dessert, was delicious, and gone in no time!

It was a day of extended eating! Back to the hotel, quick showers and we hit the old city for a very inspired dinner at an almost 500 year old city castle, Gaststuben zum Schlossli. Headed passionately by Ambros Wirth, the proud St Gallener, regaled us with his great sense of humour, throwing open the doors of the kitchen to us.

His stories kept us entertained, with wine, cheese and finger food freely flowing. At the restaurant, hospitality, history & culture are seamlessly woven together. Produce from the region in offered on an extensive menu, and interestingly they try and include local produce that have been nearly forgotten like St Gallen blue potatoes, and medlar, an ancient forgotten fruit from the Roman times.

It was the most excellent meal, where conversations flowed as easily as the wines. Happy & well fed, we tumbled back to catch the bus to the hotel. We were quite knackered.

The next morning was mostly ours to explore. The traffic free old city with its cobbled streets and colourfully painted oriel windows was absolutely charming.

We spent one morning by the farmers market, leisurely coffees with local bakes at a traditional Swiss bakery, devouring Luxemburgerli, more coffee, chocolate shops, cake shops, patisseries…

Afternoon saw us hop on the self service funicular, The Mühleggbahn, that runs up the hillside from the old town for a picnic by the pond.

Light eats, local wine, fruits, dips, dried meat & such deliciousness later, we spent another hour just wandering the streets of the old city which are charming beyond belief.

The old city houses St Gallen Cathedral, a gorgeous 18th century baroque cathedral. The Abbey with the oldest library are a designated a World Heritage Site, and have just recently been opened to public. The beauty, art & ambiance is indescribable.

Hungry again, I grabbed a coffee gelato while @Kenhuntsfood hunted down a curry bratwurst! We then raced to catch the @swisstravelsystem 4:02 back to Zurich where a special private @flyswiss aircraft awaited to take us for our own flight over the Swiss Alps! {See it in Switzerland story highlights}.

This is just so pleasing! Everything in Switzerland works like clockwork, and everything there is ALL heart! Thank you Swiss International Air Lines, Swiss Travel System, Destination Davos Klosters and Switzerland Tourism .

We had the best time ever! 

Switzerland Tourism Influencer Summit, Davos. #inLOVEwithSWITZERLAND … again. {Part 1}

From the mighty Swiss Alps to rolling green meadows, countrysides that echo cow bells, the odd moos, Switzerland has so much to be discovered, it would take a lifetime. Perhaps more. Yes, I was back in this beautiful country after four years and it seems even more beautiful than ever!

Where does one begin talking about this incredible spot on the globe. For me, one word flows through, passion! A nation passionate about its heritage, its natural beauty, its culture, its everyday existence. Where else can you drink clear stream water straight from glaciers carried to taps in every nook & corner.

It’s a matter of pride & they know it! The air you breathe is clean, crisp fresh. Oh to fill your lungs with it and carry it back home! And all this hasn’t just happened. The Swiss are a hard working, passionate community who make sure this legacy lives on!

My second visit to Switzerland with Switzerland Tourism, the first had been a 10 day road trip shot for NDTV Good Times.

On a trip to Switzerland last month, a tiny group of 30 digital influencers from over 21 countries were invited to beautiful Davos, Graubünden.

Two of us joined from India {Aakash @WanderWithSky & me @PassionateAboutBaking}. Our hosts Swiss International Air Lines, Swiss Travel System, Destination Davos Klosters and Switzerland Tourism made sure it was a dream trip. We were divided into specialist groups, & post Davos, the food group happily {and hungrily} headed to St Gallen! {more about that later}

Fly Swiss flew us into Zurich, we met with a fellow influencer from Penang Ken @KenHuntsFood. Getting around Switzerland is the easiest thing ever. Armed with a unique all-in-one 1st class Swiss Travel Pass, we hopped onto the train to head for Davos.

The Swiss Travel Pass allows you unlimited travel by train, bus or boat, basically anything that moves you across the country, covering more than 90 cities & towns! If that’s not big enough, you get free admission to over 500 museums throughout Switzerland, and also includes mountain excursions to Rigi, Schilthorn, Stanserhorn and Stoos!

We were hosted at the very modern and beautiful Hard Rock Hotel, Davos and my first & last impressions about this entire time spent in Switzerland were overwhelmingly good!

… Everything worked like clockwork, very Swiss, and in the nicest possible way. Our stay in Switzerland was all heart as always, warm and fun; never a dull moment. Also possibly an undiscovered Swiss sense of humour kept us in splits throughout.

Our first day saw a trip into Graubunden with the amazing Petra {image above, right bottom ♥} from Destination Davos Klosters . She was all heart, patient, fun, passionate & all smiles always! She made our stay in Davos so worthwhile! Thank you so much Petra. We were so honestly so lucky to have you with us!

We had a day to do the rounds of Davos Klosters with Petra and of course our main areas of interest being around food – food products and producers. Our first stop was to visit a local farmer family Conrad in the scenic valley of Sertig. Rolling meadows, horses, cows mooing, bales of hay, goats, hens, cats … bliss!

It’s heartening to see the food chain in use, how the power of nature is harnessed, how nothing is left to waste. The super talented Monika and Nik are typical hard working Swiss farmer families who opened their home & heart to us. We watched in wonder – every edible flower & seed is put to good use, fruits are preserved, poultry & cattle reared, vegetables and herbs dried, liqueurs effortlessly hand made.

Quite overwhelmed, we headed to a typical Walser village in Monstein.

Nothing prepares you for the kind of natural & manmade beauty across Switzerland. Nothing! Every corner you turn takes your breath away!

Everything in perfect sync with the other, nature walks hand in hand with villages that seamlessly blend into the same colour palette, the same landscape. This is a very busy village in winter, yet was relatively quiet at the time we visited!

First quick stop a local brewery, Biervision Monstein AG, located in the former village dairy, a building over 100 years old. VIVA!!!

Founded in October 2000, Biervision began as the highest brewery in Switzerland, and uses water straight from the springs watered by glaciers. Under the Monsteiner brand, they offer specialities like cheese, bread, meat and chocolate product. They also make excellent schnapps!

A few chilled beers down, meats, cheese & chocolates devoured too, we sauntered along the picturesque village, a short walk to lunch to the rustic house that Veltlinerstuebli  hosts.

This place was like home. Run by Georg Flury and his beautiful wife Corina who have maintained, this vintage property has been running for 300 years. Low ceilings, tiled stoves and wooden beams offer an old world charm, while Georg offers an original menu.

We enjoyed fresh baked bread, sweet Swiss butter, dried meats, walnuts, local cheese & wine, then a really nice wild mushroom soup with Alpine flowers, game dishes with rostii. Of course the cherry on the cake, a very special dessert.

Well known beyond the borders is the blueberry cake with lots of fresh Davoser Schlagrahm. This cake is their speciality made from fresh berries from the nearby forest, picked at the right time. Because the berries are ripe & sweet enough, the cake is great. The pastry too was barely there, just enough to hold the pie beautifully.

The chef makes this almost completely without almonds and uses more berries than usual. In addition, they only use fresh ingredients from the farm, and this is possibly the trick to the best pie I’ve ever eaten.

Well from eating a pie, we set off to bake to be taught by the very charming and entertaining chief confectioner Matthias Heller of the traditional bakery & confectionery Schneiders in Davos. Food people are the best, and this was proved yet again. We had to most fun time learning to bake our very own nut cakes, a speciality of Graubunden.

That’s me, slicing up the nut cake that Ken baked, while Aakash/Sky took pictures while patiently waiting for his slice! That pie was amazing. A crisp butter shortcrust pastry filled with a walnut caramel filling. Simple, delicious, indulgent, & sweetly satisfying.

Do make sure you pick a nut cake from Schneiders if you are in the Graubunden region! It’s the best thing ever.

One last thing we did before we called it a long day, one that moved life clockwork. Imagine packing so much into a day! Our last stopover was at the Fleischzentrum Klosters Davos AG , a butchery, that follows the graubunden tradition and maintains a high standing craft.

It was here that I learnt to truly appreciate the real taste of dried meat, and I’m not even a meat person. If you do stop by the region, you MUST try the air dried meats.

The state of the art facility is run by two very passionate butchers & hunters – Samuel Helbling {above left}, and Florian Rudin {Florians sweet son Jason on the right} who bring innovation and spirit to this historic Swiss industry.

That was a wrap on a long day which ended with a rooftop beach party at The Hard Rock Hotel, then a sit down dinner at the ‘Abbey’, and we called it a night! The next day saw workshops with social media industry specialists, interactive sessions with the Swiss Tourism Board, a very engaged talk by Danny Bent, one of the UKs top 100 happy people …

… and then just like that, we grabbed our baked pies which had just been delivered and said goodbye to sweet Petra. Then raced to catch the 16:02 Rhaetian Railways panoramic train, a special Alpine Classic Pullman that had been arranged for us. It left ON THE DOT!!

Lavished with traditional specialities on board, local wine, cheese, dried meats, local breads, & the pies we baked, we were on our way to St Gallen! Do stay tuned for St Gallen!!

Feature | What’s Hip in Food This Summer? #onlinecontest #foodpanda #icecream

‘Ice cream is my comfort food.’
Jessie Ware

This must be the creamiest, most indulgent tub of ice cream I’ve dug into of late. The flavours were natural, the ice cream smooth, creamy and not too sweet, the online ordering process even smoother. After ordering it quite effortlessly on a snappy and easy app, it was home delivered in under an hour  The ice  cream was as good as expected. I’d heard great reviews and it certainly didn’t disappoint! It was the smooth process via foodpanda that actually took me by surprise as I’ve had some terrible other online app shopping experiences of late!As time goes by, foodpanda is constantly evolving, getting better and better. They listen, are eager for feedback, and then work on it. My last experience was slightly bleh because of the pizza we ordered, the pizza company, an MNC, sorely lacking. Not the panda to blame, yet I was curious this time around. And what a pleasant surprise. Things worked like clockwork, the app interface snappy and pleasing. Confirmation messages, a call from the service provider, the happy panda face had me smiling right back! An hour from placing the order, the bell rang and hello, there was ice cream!!

Yesterday was well spent ‘eating’. The day began on a very indulgent note as a bunch of us tripped excitedly across Chandni Chowk,  cameras in hand, for a food photo walk. The place was buzzing with social activity rater than business activity since it was a day of celebration, Eid. We hit the road quite early and there was no end to the indulgence. Returned home and headed to my parents for a sumptuous lunch, and swore I would never eat for the next few days!

Today had to be a rather low key diet day. It began with thoughts of just water all day, then maybe milk, yes a bowl of fruit would be good! Then along came this very fun offer from foodpanda, tied to a contest, and I caved in to temptation! Pick a trend, order, take pictures, blog about it. foodpanda is an up-and-coming website that operates by delivering food from a wide range of restaurants to either homes and/ or offices in 100+ cities in India. A meal wasn’t on the radar, but given the beautiful, rainy weekend, some indulgent low fat ice cream seemed like the next best thing! To make it interesting, I paired the Butterscotch Caramel Cake Ice Cream with a slice of eggless wholegrain chocolate chip pie I baked 2 days ago, and Mango Mania with freshly cut mangoes and sprigs of mint. Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream was good on it’s own. Just too good! So, What’s Hip in Food This Summer?

For me, ice cream is Hip in Food This Summer! Eat anytime, store ahead, get creative with it, or then just DIG IN! It’s a fun contest, a simple one that spoils you too as you get vouchers to order the food you blog about!  More information here, and the rules here. Hurry because the contest is limited to the first 40 participants.

“The best food items everyone should try out this summer”

Join the contest for a chance to win an amazing prize! If you are a blogger and you like to consider yourself a real trendsetter, don’t wait up. Be the one to decide what’s going to be the hottest food trend this summer.

Complete these 3 easy steps and win!


1. Go on foodpanda.in and order your choice of the ‘most hip’ food items
2. Take a couple of stunning pictures
3. Write a blog post and express your choice of this summer’s next top food trends.

See. As simple as that.

Don’t miss a post
Also find me on The Rabid Baker, The Times of India

Feature| Thai Masterstrokes …Masterclass at Neung Roi, Radisson Blu, Delhi … and a Tom Kha Gai

“Thai food ain’t about simplicity. It’s about the juggling of disparate elements to create a harmonious finish. Like a complex musical chord it’s got to have a smooth surface but it doesn’t matter what’s happening underneath. Simplicity isn’t the dictum here, at all.”
David Thompson

Thai Masterstrokes! It was back to the classroom after a LONG time, and it was a half day of fun and delicious learning. There’s good food and there’s learning how to cook it with a master, yet it’s not always possible to have your cake and eat it too. It happened one day where we got the best of both worlds! We attended a brilliant Thai Masterclass at Neung Roi, Radisson Blu, Delhi … followed by a sumptuous Thai lunch.

It was an invite to ‘Thai Masterstrokes’ … to experience cooking classes featured at the award winning Thai restaurant Neung Roi, to sharpen your culinary skills as you learn the art of cooking Thai delicacies by the culinary goddess, Yenjai Suthiwaja. It was everything it promised to be and more. If this is what school is about, I’m ready to go right back!We were a group of food bloggers invited to attend one of the masterclasses which is being run for cooking enthusiasts in the city. I have to add that we were quite an exuberant bunch, very chatty and comfortable back benchers who were thrilled to be there. Kudos to sweet Chef Yenjai who comfortably accommodated our chatty group, making sure we were part of the class, involving us equally. This is the kind of class to be in!

 The class much to my delight began at the stroke of 11am, the designated time. So refreshing to see the attendees already seated, a smiling chef and her helper at the cooking station, a well organised counter with Thai cooking ingredients displayed aesthetically. The backdrop of the kitchen added to the appeal. These are paid classes that run at the restaurant, and are well attended. The beautiful mustard interiors add to the overall appeal.

The set of recipes chosen for the class that day were well balanced and in hindsight so simple to make. It’s one thing to order and eat, it’s quite another to watch the dishes being cooked under your nose, inhale flavours, watch the dish taking shape … and then eat. The connect is greater and so also the appreciation. The food talks to you and the flavours all come alive. Of course, the magic was created by Chef Yenjai who patiently took questions from her class, painstakingly explained ingredients, what they were called in Thai, substitutes etc. She was sweet to constantly praise her team who have made Neung Roi as popular as it is.

On the menu that day were two non vegetarian mains – Pla Yang Kamin, grilled sea bass, which was given a quick marination in fresh turmeric and herbs like galangal, lemongrass etc. Chefs tip – keep the skin on otherwise the fillet tends to break. Gently grilled to perfection, it was served with a tamarind chili dip which simmered while the sea bass marinated. The second main was Gai Kaprow or a stir fired minced chicken with chili and a Thai hot basil. Both the mains were beautifully plated and presented.

Between the two mains was a very interesting salad, Yam Tuea Plu or a winged beans salad. Making it even more interesting was the fact that these delightful beans are served raw. The complexity of flavours and ingredients made it intriguing, and the roasted coconut & tamarind dressing had us ready to dive right in. We had to wait though…

Then came another huge favourite Tom Kha Gai or chicken and coconut milk soup. Simmered with typical Thai herbs, this was a soup I knew I would love. Heard there was a vegetarian version too, Tom Khai Jay … and I was in love with the very idea!

The last course to be demonstrated, dessert of course, and another love story to follow. Tub Tim Krob or water chestnut in coconut jasmine syrup. We were smitten. Such a pretty, flavourful and simple looking dessert, yet so exotic. Loved how the chef served this up. In a matter of two and a half hours, she demonstrated an entire meal, slowly, patiently, lovingly. Of course we were quite hungry and impatient now…the food beckoned us!

The cooking classes are followed by an exotic Thai meal paired with wines, beer and soft drinks. The private dining room was reserved for us and we couldn’t wait to dig in. Amidst a lot of laughter, tons of requests ‘not to serve‘ the hungry audience until pictures were clicked, we embarked on possibly the most delicious and wholesome meal of late.

Pleasing everyone with varied tastes, and taste-buds is no mean task, that too a heady mix of vegetarian and carnivorous guests. Chef Yenjoi excelled. The grilled sea bass was light, bursting with herby good flavour and drizzled with a tamarind chili sauce that paired beautifully. This praise from a non fish eater…you can imagine how good it was!

We were really fortunate to have the very food experienced Ruchira with us, she asked for favourites to be added to the listed menu. That hit the ball out of the park. Take her with you when you eat out! Seriously the pomello salad was the BEST I have ever eaten. I couldn’t get enough of it. Can you fall in love with a salad? YES! The winged bean salad was also really really good. Crisp, crunchy, divine balance flavours, a great dressing…I love Thai food because no matter how much you tuck in, and overeat, it doesn’t leave you feeling exhausted and full. Loads of fresh raw or barely cooked vegetables, no carbs that I can recall {other than the corn fritters that appeared as a chef special}, gluten free too I think. And dipping sauces galore! Tangy, chili, fresh with undertones of herbs, we carried on with them much after the ‘dipping’ was done.

Hats off to the chef for having been able to develop a vegetarian Thai menu  for Neong Roi as it couldn’t have been easy. The mushroom satays {YUM!!} served with a different and very addictive sauce, the stir fried vegetables crisp and flavourful, and the cherry on the cake, the vegetarian version of the Tom Kha Gai! The Tom Kha Jay or the coconut soup was the best soup I have ever had. Beautiful lilting flavours, gentle on the palette, smooth and light. I think I could survive on Thai salads and soup for the rest of my life!More praise was due to be heaped when the dessert appeared! Tub Tim Krob was remarkably light and good! Water chestnut + coconut milk + jasmine = pure heaven! Such delicate flavours, so satisfying. Not too sweet too. It was the perfect end to the perfect masterclass and meal! We also tried a pumpkin dessert Fugtong Chum, which comprised of candied pumpkin and was beautifully presented again. That was quite sweet for me, yet was a hit with some others on the table!

Little wonder that Neong Roi, an award winning Thai restaurant, is so popular with it’s patrons. It’s a true labour of love and passion. The chef and her team are really passionate about what they do, and have got it right all the way! A masterclass @ Rs2000 with such a wonderful set of dishes taught, and then to get to eat them as a meal too is worth every penny, or rather paisa.

The fact that the class was packed and the students were there seated before time is testimony to how popular it is. It’s worth mentioning that seats are limited and that means quality! Thank you Radisson Blu Delhi was hosting us so wholeheartedly! We loved being there!

Dehlvi cuisine @ The Oberoi, Gurgaon … celebrating the flavours of India

“Delhi is the twin of pure paradise, a prototype of the heavenly throne on an earthly scroll”
Amir Khusrau

Happy 68th Independence Day India. I’m reliving it with memories of the soul stirring and nostalgic meal at threesixtyone°, The Oberoi, Gurgaon. That we ate till we literally dropped, was bound to happen. It’s not often you get to taste a well researched authentic finger licking good spread of Dehlvi cuisine. The ever gracious Mallika, Manager Communications, invited a handful of us to experience this rare curated spread from a city that belongs to us.

Dehlvi cuisine {pertaining to the Delhi region} as the name suggests is an evolutionary melange of the cuisine of the Mughals, Rajputs, Punjabis, Marwaris, Kayasthas and Vaishyas blended by the centuries. As the British empire moved it’s capital from Bengal to Delhi, it brought with it a potpourri of folk to run the administration. As Delhi became the  hub of political, social and commercial activity, people from different communities found livelihood here. With them came interesting and unique culinary influences.After all, food is the ultimate comfort and each region and community contributed their little bit. What evolved over the ages was a very interesting platter. Aromas that were unique and rare, flavours that seemed improbable. Where else would you find the tropical guava in a curried savoury version. That was indeed a highlight of the meal, Amrut sabzi. Yes, we had seconds too.

This season, threesixtyone° pays tribute to the flavours inspired by old Delhi. The menu includes delicacies that have been researched from over centuries in a medley celebrated as ‘Delhi 6’, all curated by Chef Dirham Haque, our Indian masterchef. Dehlvi cuisine is flavoured by treasured spices that enhance and distinguish the flavours of one community from another.

Talking to the very sweet Chef Dirham, who obligingly kept us company through the meal, the meal took on nostalgic flavours. He spoke with passion about the origin of every dish, his trips into Old Delhi to get to the root of the origins, his search for rare forgotten ingredients, and the connect he made with the different communities. This brought new light to the meal, a celebration of culinary history.

The uniqueness of Dehlvi cuisine lies in its fascinating mix of traditions, geography, culture and community influences that have partaken to lend their own intrinsic stamp: The Mughals after their many invasions, the hardy Punjabis after Indian partition and settlement, the Kayasthas and their peppery flavours, the Vaishyas and the Marwaris with their rugged aromas. The myriad blend of spices, aromatic infusions, base ingredients and staples juxtapose with earthy relish in the vast array that’s Dehlvi cuisine.

For the table, which had a mix of us from different communities and food backgrounds, it was non stop banter. Put seven excited ladies on a table with celebrated chefs, good food and culinary history, and you will be assured of a noisy corner! The beautiful threesixtyone° at The Oberoi is well lit, surrounded by a body of water, was somewhat noisy that afternoon!

That it was popular was obvious. There were folk constantly walking in to savour the delicacies, maybe to connect to a cuisine somewhat forgotten. For locals, it’s a nostalgic connect as the flavours of Old Delhi charm you, an environment that is as colourful as it is captivating. As you can see from my photographs, I go to Old Delhi  often.We began with Mufarra, a royal version of the ordinary sherbet, a drink of Delhi’s aristocrats or Farmaishi Khwan of Shajahanbada {Mughals}. It was quite sweet. Then it grew on you. Saffron, rose, mica, sandalwood I think … it had all the trappings of royalty!

The first course offered a window into Saadgi Khwaan or comfort food as well. Dahi ki gujjia with a special chaat masala, sprinkled over with the quintessential pomegranate pearls and chutneys. From here onwards, it was a journey through the streets of Old Delhi which took us from the mansions of the rich to ordinary everyday street food, from Farmaishi Khwaan to Sadgi Khwan. A well curated meal, stellar company and never a dull moment.The starters had a selection of flavours from Delhi’s different communities. Gilawat ke kebab, Silbatte ki shammi, Tandoori tangri, Gosht methi doka, Teekhe matar ke kebab each of them were uniquely spiced. The Gilaawat got my vote, with the Gosht methi doka and Shammi not far behind; something for everyone’s pallet!

Then on began the never ending mains, an exciting medley of flavours. Dehllika mussalum, tender baby chicken filled with forcemeat napped in a golden rich nutty gravy, Thande masale ki machli, Bharwan Karela, Kunni Dal, Dhlvi Nalli Nihari, Amrut Sabzi, Paneer Lavang Latika, Bharwaan Tindora Keema … and so much more. Recipes taken from old homes in Babar Lane, cooks of Mathur households, delicacies of the  Vaishyacommunity, specialties of old Punjabi households… we dived into them all. Deliciously!

My favourites here were the Amrut sabzi {can guava ever be so charming in a curry?}, Nihari {beautifully cooked, served with all the trappings}, Kunni dal and the Bharwan Tindora Keema. Oh and the Bharwaan Karela too {despite not being a fan of the bitter gourd, this was finger licking good!}On the side arrived a selection of parathas inspired by the famous parathas of Pandit Dayachand Shivcharan of Daiba Kalan – mattar , aloo anaardaana, gobhi aur adkrak. Also on the side, a Mirch nimona saada pullao, Sarai ki biryani and interestingly Naan e bakumach. So much goodness that we were thoroughly spoilt.

The cherry on the cake had to be the dessert or Meetha. The cup of nostalgia overflowed. How could each of us not connect to the Royal Fruit Cup! Taking us back to the good old days of tinned fruit, a moussey custard whipped cream, reduced milk or rabdi.

It was magic in a cup, a recipe that Chef Haque said possibly took him the longest to get right. It was well worth the effort and worth every spoonful! Then arrived the show stopper. An old fashioned hand churned ice cream maker, wooden trappings and all. Gently and royally wheeled to our table, we were served the most creamy delicious hand churned mango ice cream, just like we enjoyed as kids.Oh yes, the royal meetha also included a very Bollywood inspired Kulfi khaas madhubala Dehlvi. a great end to a sumptuous meal.

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