I thought it would be Hyderabad. Or Lucknow. Or Chennai. Or Bangalore even. Two years back, I went to Delhi with two friends and got the idea of going to other cities in India in search of the best food they had to offer. The plan never took off, though I did keep going back to Delhi for some reason or the other and managed to eat well every time.
Jaipur was never on the list. Not because I thought it did not have good food to offer. It just got hidden behind the more famous/hyped Lucknow and Hyderabad. But as fate would have it, Jaipur found me before I could find Jaipur.
A friend had moved into an awesome house there with his parents and called me over for a weekend. This was April and it would be scorching hot, but I had nothing better to do with my weekend, so I decided to go anyway.
I always make a mental list of things to eat whenever I go to a new place and this time was no different. Spicy meat dishes and the famous Jaipur sweets were on the top of my list.
So I landed on a scorching hot Friday afternoon and headed straight to my friend's awesome house. I couldn’t escape the family dinner (vegetarian) as that would be impolite, so the 'hunting' would have to start the next day.
Laal Maas is probably the most famous Rajashthani meat dish. And Spice Court is the place to try it in Jaipur. It serves good Rajasthani non-vegetarian fare and there's a good feel to the place with lawns, the option of outdoor seating and the famous Rajasthani hospitality.
There were other options on the menu but I knew what I had come for. So Laal Maas it was. My friend pointed to Kheema Bati, which is like a non-vegetarian version of Daal Bati with minced meat in it. It sounded very interesting and was apparently the most sought after item on the menu at Spice Court. So we decided to come back for it later. The Laal Maas was very good and very spicy indeed. Thank god for the chilled beer.
In the evening, my friend insisted on taking me to this omlette place he kept talking about. I wondered what the big deal was, but decided to go along anyway.
Sanjay Omlette is a small shop located in a square in Jaipur that somewhat resembles Delhi's Khan Market. Apparently, it’s been doing business for a few decades and has quite a reputation. We ordered cheese omlettes and they came with not only bread but also, green chutney, red chutney, ketchup and onion salad. Good omlettes and great value for money considering the variety of accompaniments.
The next morning, as planned, we returned to Spice Court to try the Kheema Bati. But my luck had run out and apparently they did not have any. So there was little choice but to go for the other Rajasthani meat dish on the menu - the Jungli Maas. Only one problem...it's the hotter spicier version of Laal Maas...:) Even the waiter called it 'super duper spicy' and told me it was against house rules to make it any less spicy!!
With the other choice being a repeat of the Laal Mas, I decided to brave it and called for a nice chilled beer to take the edge off the deadly Jungli Maas. When the damn thing arrived on the table with the Rotis, I said a short prayer and tucked in. The waiter was right. It was the hottest, spiciest thing I had ever put in my mouth, barring the odd accidental green chilly. But it was also very delicious. Dilemma?? Catch 22?? I don’t know what to call it, but one the one hand I liked it very much and wanted to have the next morsel, but the bloody thing was scorching my palate and I was damn sure it would scorch my digestive tract later. In the end, I managed to fight the heat and almost finished the plate of feared Jungli Maas. I conquered the Jungli Maas!! Or did the Jungli Maas conquer me?? I'm not really sure.
The last items on my list were the snacks and sweets. So, on my last day in Jaipur, we headed to Rawat Mishtan Bhandar. This place is known for its Onion Kachori and Mirchi Vada and both were really good and very filling. The Mirchi Vada is just like the Batata Vada but with a large milder green chili inside the batter. It was time for the sweets next and there's no better place in Jaipur for that than Laxmi Mishtan Bhandar. And when in Jaipur, one must try the Ghewar. There are several types and it comes in many sizes, but most 'exotic' varieties are available only in winter, except for the standard Paneer Ghewar. And LMB as it’s called is the best place for it. So I ended my Jaipur sojourn by savoring the famous Ghewar and packing boxes of it to take back home.
Spicy meat dishes, Omlette stalls, snacks and sweets made a good Jaipur trip. I'm sure there's much more to Rajasthani food than just that and I'm looking forward to coming back in winter to Rajasthan to eat much more in much better weather. As far as the idea to go to other cities is concerned, it's time to get cracking...wish me luck!!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Merci Beau Coup, El Dayaa!!
I write with a lag. Always. I don't sit at a restaurant taking notes in the middle of a meal. And I don’t rush back from dinner or a trip and write about the blogworthy experience immediately. It’s all stored as a memory in the head and I typically take one or two months to finally get down to writing about it.
But 3 1/2 years is a huge lag. One that owes an apology followed by a good post. So here goes...
During my 3 months in Europe, I was based in Toulouse, France, a great place to eat no doubt. Its home to French classic Cassoulet, has a Sausage named after it, and is also the birthplace of the Entrecote steak. But being on a tight budget, I had to restrict my culinary adventures to times when I was travelling to different parts of Europe. When in Toulouse, my batchmates and I mostly cooked at home. Which is why all my posts from Europe were about the stuff I ate in Italy or Spain or Portugal. Maybe that’s how this one was missed out.
El Daaya is a Lebanese Cafe on Boulevard Lascrosses in Toulouse, right opposite ESC Toulouse, where I studied for a 3 month term, five minutes from where I lived. But this was not just any Lebanese restaurant. It was run by Lebanese immigrants and was frequented by Toulouse's sizable North African/Middle-Eastern community. The owners/cooks were a cheerful lot, knew a lot of their patrons by name and were always eager to entertain. We used to drop in for a mid-day snack and whenever we were too bored to cook.
The spread at El Dayaa was pretty huge. From the standard Shawarma to Keftaa and Kibbeh to the ubiquitous Hummus and Falafel and a never-ending list of salads, dressings and other accompaniments including the ever present Baba Ghanoush. But a favorite with the crowd were their sandwiches. These were wrapped in Durum Bread which resembled a large but thin Roti, like in between a Chapati and a Roomali Roti. And the fillings were....onions, Lettuce, tomato, Sauce Blanche (White Sauce), a spicy red Lebanese sauce called Harissa and your choice from the following: Shwarma/Keftaa/Kibbeh/Chicken Kebab/Falafel. And that’s not all. The sandwich always came with fries and you could choose to either have them put inside the sandwich or served by the side. An El Dayaa sandwich filled with fries could set you up for a day's hard work. What's more it was really, really good.
Shawarma/Doner Kebab places are everywhere in Europe and are probably the most common street food joints on the continent. So, it’s no surprise that I ate a lot of these sandwiches on my travels. Especially after I'd spent a bit too much on the last meal. I can remember Paris, Amsterdam, Munich, Barcelona and Rome, but I'm sure there were more. But none were as good or as elaborate as the ones at El Dayaa. During my last few days in Toulouse, I was bored of cooking and ate almost every meal there. No wonder, an ode was long overdue.
So, Merci Beau Coup El Dayaa, et je suis très désolé pour le retard!!
But 3 1/2 years is a huge lag. One that owes an apology followed by a good post. So here goes...
During my 3 months in Europe, I was based in Toulouse, France, a great place to eat no doubt. Its home to French classic Cassoulet, has a Sausage named after it, and is also the birthplace of the Entrecote steak. But being on a tight budget, I had to restrict my culinary adventures to times when I was travelling to different parts of Europe. When in Toulouse, my batchmates and I mostly cooked at home. Which is why all my posts from Europe were about the stuff I ate in Italy or Spain or Portugal. Maybe that’s how this one was missed out.
El Daaya is a Lebanese Cafe on Boulevard Lascrosses in Toulouse, right opposite ESC Toulouse, where I studied for a 3 month term, five minutes from where I lived. But this was not just any Lebanese restaurant. It was run by Lebanese immigrants and was frequented by Toulouse's sizable North African/Middle-Eastern community. The owners/cooks were a cheerful lot, knew a lot of their patrons by name and were always eager to entertain. We used to drop in for a mid-day snack and whenever we were too bored to cook.
The spread at El Dayaa was pretty huge. From the standard Shawarma to Keftaa and Kibbeh to the ubiquitous Hummus and Falafel and a never-ending list of salads, dressings and other accompaniments including the ever present Baba Ghanoush. But a favorite with the crowd were their sandwiches. These were wrapped in Durum Bread which resembled a large but thin Roti, like in between a Chapati and a Roomali Roti. And the fillings were....onions, Lettuce, tomato, Sauce Blanche (White Sauce), a spicy red Lebanese sauce called Harissa and your choice from the following: Shwarma/Keftaa/Kibbeh/Chicken Kebab/Falafel. And that’s not all. The sandwich always came with fries and you could choose to either have them put inside the sandwich or served by the side. An El Dayaa sandwich filled with fries could set you up for a day's hard work. What's more it was really, really good.
Shawarma/Doner Kebab places are everywhere in Europe and are probably the most common street food joints on the continent. So, it’s no surprise that I ate a lot of these sandwiches on my travels. Especially after I'd spent a bit too much on the last meal. I can remember Paris, Amsterdam, Munich, Barcelona and Rome, but I'm sure there were more. But none were as good or as elaborate as the ones at El Dayaa. During my last few days in Toulouse, I was bored of cooking and ate almost every meal there. No wonder, an ode was long overdue.
So, Merci Beau Coup El Dayaa, et je suis très désolé pour le retard!!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Delhi: Redux
When I went to Delhi last time, I had thought of following it up with trips to other Indian cities like Hyderabad, Lucknow and the likes, checking out the food scene in each one of those, and then chronicling those trips here. Sounded easy enough, but my work life had other plans. So while I've not been able to make plans for any of these, I've been to Delhi again. Mostly to chill out with some friends, but also to take care of unfinished business.
Five days in Delhi sounded like enough time to cover all the food-joints I had missed when I went to Delhi last time. That was what I thought, till my friends who have been living there for a while now, started bombarding me with one restaurant after another, each one with a different cuisine and a different specialty. Kashmiri Wazwan, the best Kebabs, Israeli and Greek food, places to drink....the list grew many fold, and what had looked like a piece of cake, suddenly looked like it would take some doing. Couldn't do it all, so here's what I did.
State Bhavans are an awesome place to eat in Delhi and after gorging on the spicy delicacies at Andhra Bhavan last time, it was time to choose another state. Assam Bhavan was recommended to us, so we decided to go there. This one has a regular restaurant as opposed to a canteen, which is the case with most other Bhavans/Sadans. Jakoi has a cozy feel to it and the outdoor seating is highly recommended when weather permits. The menu was big with a lot that piqued my interest, but the Parampara Thali sounded like a good deal. It sounded like a huge spread, which it was and had a few choices within it. It was time to try exotic meats and I went for the pigeon curry while a friend went for the duck. Everything on the Thali was good, from the dal and chutney to the freshwater fish (which is not usually a favorite of mine) and the fish steamed in bamboo. The pigeon meat was gamey as expected and the curry was well made, but the duck was certainly better. We ended the meal with a peculiar dessert with puffed rice, milk and molten jaggery. Jakoi doesn’t beat Andhra Bhavan but I would still recommend it, especially if you're a carnivore. That’s 2 hits out of 2 for State Bhavans and I still have some 33 to go...phew!!
On my last visit, I missed Kareem Hotel coz it was during Ramzan, when the restaurant remains shut during the day. So that’s where we went the next day, looking silly riding cycle rickshaws from Chawri Bazaar metro station through old Delhi's crowded bylanes. Now with all the attention, the restaurant has become a bit commercialized and I've heard people saying one should try some of the other eateries in the vicinity to get a more authentic Mughlai experience. But, for lack of time and research, it had to be Kareem's. Over the years, the restaurant has expanded and taken over other shops in the vicinity, so now it occupies several blocks in an alley/courtyard. The menu is small but loaded with several Mughlai classics. We went for the standard Seekh Kebab for starters and I could not resist ordering the Bheja Masala, especially since it had been a while...:) I had to have some mutton, so I ordered a plate of Mutton Burra and my friend got some chicken dish, the name of which I can’t remember now. All of this was really good except for the Burra which was really chewy and seemed virtually uncooked. But surprisingly, the star of the show here was the Sheermal, which is the Roti we ordered to go with the food. It’s a thick, slightly sweet bread that for some reason reminded me of a waffle, but it was easily the best item on the menu. All the food at Kareem's floats in a sea of oil and with the amount we had ordered, I was too full to eat anything for the rest of the day.
The next evening, my friends took me to Khan Market, to an Italian place they really like - Big Chill. This seems to be a real crowd-puller and the decor was really nice. There's decent Italian to be had here and I like my Ravioli and the Pizza we had, but it's still your typical Italian-adjusted-for-Indian-palate kind of a place. The deserts are really good though.
On my last evening, I really wanted to go to this one restaurant I had seen on TV called Yum Yum Tree. It’s a Pan-Asian restaurant in New Friends Colony and the name really caught my attention. Also, while browsing the menu online, I found Pho, the Vietnamese noodle soup I wanted to have for a while.
The place is split into two sections - one for Japanese and South-east Asian and one for Chinese. We did not know this and sat in the Chinese section thinking it was all the same. But determined as I was to have the Pho, I managed to convince the waiter to get it for me. Now I know I'll have to go to Vietnam to know what it tastes like for real, but this one wasn't too bad. Beef, noodles and greens in a flavored broth, it hit the spot. And it went down well with Asahi beer. The pork buns were quite good as well. The place is definitely recommended, but do take care of which section you chose to be seated in.
Two trips and there's still a lot to be done in Delhi. The State/UT Bhavans and Sadans alone will take several visits and I'm not even counting all the stalls at Delhi Haat. Add to this, all the new places my friends have come up with. I think I'll have to make this Delhi trip thing a semi-annual affair...:)
Five days in Delhi sounded like enough time to cover all the food-joints I had missed when I went to Delhi last time. That was what I thought, till my friends who have been living there for a while now, started bombarding me with one restaurant after another, each one with a different cuisine and a different specialty. Kashmiri Wazwan, the best Kebabs, Israeli and Greek food, places to drink....the list grew many fold, and what had looked like a piece of cake, suddenly looked like it would take some doing. Couldn't do it all, so here's what I did.
State Bhavans are an awesome place to eat in Delhi and after gorging on the spicy delicacies at Andhra Bhavan last time, it was time to choose another state. Assam Bhavan was recommended to us, so we decided to go there. This one has a regular restaurant as opposed to a canteen, which is the case with most other Bhavans/Sadans. Jakoi has a cozy feel to it and the outdoor seating is highly recommended when weather permits. The menu was big with a lot that piqued my interest, but the Parampara Thali sounded like a good deal. It sounded like a huge spread, which it was and had a few choices within it. It was time to try exotic meats and I went for the pigeon curry while a friend went for the duck. Everything on the Thali was good, from the dal and chutney to the freshwater fish (which is not usually a favorite of mine) and the fish steamed in bamboo. The pigeon meat was gamey as expected and the curry was well made, but the duck was certainly better. We ended the meal with a peculiar dessert with puffed rice, milk and molten jaggery. Jakoi doesn’t beat Andhra Bhavan but I would still recommend it, especially if you're a carnivore. That’s 2 hits out of 2 for State Bhavans and I still have some 33 to go...phew!!
On my last visit, I missed Kareem Hotel coz it was during Ramzan, when the restaurant remains shut during the day. So that’s where we went the next day, looking silly riding cycle rickshaws from Chawri Bazaar metro station through old Delhi's crowded bylanes. Now with all the attention, the restaurant has become a bit commercialized and I've heard people saying one should try some of the other eateries in the vicinity to get a more authentic Mughlai experience. But, for lack of time and research, it had to be Kareem's. Over the years, the restaurant has expanded and taken over other shops in the vicinity, so now it occupies several blocks in an alley/courtyard. The menu is small but loaded with several Mughlai classics. We went for the standard Seekh Kebab for starters and I could not resist ordering the Bheja Masala, especially since it had been a while...:) I had to have some mutton, so I ordered a plate of Mutton Burra and my friend got some chicken dish, the name of which I can’t remember now. All of this was really good except for the Burra which was really chewy and seemed virtually uncooked. But surprisingly, the star of the show here was the Sheermal, which is the Roti we ordered to go with the food. It’s a thick, slightly sweet bread that for some reason reminded me of a waffle, but it was easily the best item on the menu. All the food at Kareem's floats in a sea of oil and with the amount we had ordered, I was too full to eat anything for the rest of the day.
The next evening, my friends took me to Khan Market, to an Italian place they really like - Big Chill. This seems to be a real crowd-puller and the decor was really nice. There's decent Italian to be had here and I like my Ravioli and the Pizza we had, but it's still your typical Italian-adjusted-for-Indian-palate kind of a place. The deserts are really good though.
On my last evening, I really wanted to go to this one restaurant I had seen on TV called Yum Yum Tree. It’s a Pan-Asian restaurant in New Friends Colony and the name really caught my attention. Also, while browsing the menu online, I found Pho, the Vietnamese noodle soup I wanted to have for a while.
The place is split into two sections - one for Japanese and South-east Asian and one for Chinese. We did not know this and sat in the Chinese section thinking it was all the same. But determined as I was to have the Pho, I managed to convince the waiter to get it for me. Now I know I'll have to go to Vietnam to know what it tastes like for real, but this one wasn't too bad. Beef, noodles and greens in a flavored broth, it hit the spot. And it went down well with Asahi beer. The pork buns were quite good as well. The place is definitely recommended, but do take care of which section you chose to be seated in.
Two trips and there's still a lot to be done in Delhi. The State/UT Bhavans and Sadans alone will take several visits and I'm not even counting all the stalls at Delhi Haat. Add to this, all the new places my friends have come up with. I think I'll have to make this Delhi trip thing a semi-annual affair...:)
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Nostalgia
A frequent complaint about this blog is that I don't write often enough. Now that's partly because I’m a lazy bum, but also coz I only write when I think the restaurant I visited last week, my last travel experience or the idea in the head is good enough to make a fab post. But this stubborn preservation of standards has taken its toll on the frequency of posts.
So, as a sincere attempt to change this, I have decided to share a few recipes on the blog. Few of them are my own, few are not, but rest assured they are all really good and have something special associated with them.
To start with, I have one that brings back great memories from the IIM Calcutta campus that I called home for two years. There was some great food in that place, but only one thing on the menu stands out as original and unique - Spicy Maggi from the New Hostel night canteen. I've endured the endless wait for the Maggi to get ready (while seeing it getting made) so many times, that I'm pretty confident I have an accurate mental note of the recipe. It looks like this and tastes much better than it looks...:)
Ingredients
Maggi Noodles, 1 packet
Water, 2 cups
Small Onion, 1 no - finely chopped
Tomato, 1 no - finely chopped
Green Bell Pepper, 1 no - finely chopped
Green Chilies, 2 nos - chopped into large pieces
Garlic, 2 cloves - finely chopped
Tomato Ketchup - 2 tbsps
Chili Sauce - 1 tbsp
Method
Bring two cups of water to a boil and mix in the tastemaker in a microwave-oven container. Add the tomato ketchup and chili sauce and stir well. Add the chopped onion, tomato, bell pepper, green chilies and garlic. Break the Maggi into four pieces and add it to the mix. Heat the mix in a microwave oven at 250C for about 5 mins. Stir once and heat for a further 3 mins. Serve immediately.
On campus and outside, I've had several versions of Maggi noodles - Egg Maggi, Chicken Maggi, Fried Maggi, Curry Maggi - but Spicy Maggi from IIMC's New Hostel remains a firm favorite and I’m sure most of my batchmates would agree. Try this incredibly simple recipe and I'm sure u'll agree too...:)
So, as a sincere attempt to change this, I have decided to share a few recipes on the blog. Few of them are my own, few are not, but rest assured they are all really good and have something special associated with them.
To start with, I have one that brings back great memories from the IIM Calcutta campus that I called home for two years. There was some great food in that place, but only one thing on the menu stands out as original and unique - Spicy Maggi from the New Hostel night canteen. I've endured the endless wait for the Maggi to get ready (while seeing it getting made) so many times, that I'm pretty confident I have an accurate mental note of the recipe. It looks like this and tastes much better than it looks...:)
Ingredients
Maggi Noodles, 1 packet
Water, 2 cups
Small Onion, 1 no - finely chopped
Tomato, 1 no - finely chopped
Green Bell Pepper, 1 no - finely chopped
Green Chilies, 2 nos - chopped into large pieces
Garlic, 2 cloves - finely chopped
Tomato Ketchup - 2 tbsps
Chili Sauce - 1 tbsp
Method
Bring two cups of water to a boil and mix in the tastemaker in a microwave-oven container. Add the tomato ketchup and chili sauce and stir well. Add the chopped onion, tomato, bell pepper, green chilies and garlic. Break the Maggi into four pieces and add it to the mix. Heat the mix in a microwave oven at 250C for about 5 mins. Stir once and heat for a further 3 mins. Serve immediately.
On campus and outside, I've had several versions of Maggi noodles - Egg Maggi, Chicken Maggi, Fried Maggi, Curry Maggi - but Spicy Maggi from IIMC's New Hostel remains a firm favorite and I’m sure most of my batchmates would agree. Try this incredibly simple recipe and I'm sure u'll agree too...:)
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Recipes from the Maghreb
As promised, I'm gonna share recipes of some of the Moroccan delicacies I've tried to re-create in my kitchen. Most of these are native to North Africa in general and versions vary from country to country. The debate as to where the origins of Couscous/Tagine etc lie and which country has the best recipe is usually between Morocco and its rival-in-the-kitchen Tunisia. It's safe to assume though, that Morocco wins the contest hands down...:)
Secondly, some of these dishes may be hard for you to cook in your kitchen for lack of a Tagine or the authentic Moroccan spice mixes. However, if you manage to find suitable substitutes, do give them a try, for Moroccan cuisine is one agreeable to all kinds of palates and wont disappoint.
So on the menu today is a soup, an Omlette and a Tagine.
Harira
Its the staple soup in Morocco and is found on the menu at most retaurants. It's made from chickpeas and vermicelli and is a good fast-breaker during Ramzan in all of the Maghreb.
Ingredients
Chickpeas, 1 cup
Tomatoes, 2 nos
Onion, 1 no
Garlic, 5 cloves
Cilantro
Vermicelli, 25 gms
Olive Oil, 3 tbsp
Mutton stock or water, 750 ml
Ras-el-Hanouf - Moroccan 45 spice powder, 2 tbsp (Dont know the substitute for this, may be garam masala powder will do)
Moroccan white spice powder, 1 tbsp
Turmeric, 1 tbsp
salt and pepper to taste
Wheat flour, 2 tbsp
Method
Soak the chickpeas in water overnight. Fry the chopped onions and garlic cloves in olive oil till soft. Now add the chickpeas and cook on a low flame for 15 mins. Add salt and pepper to taste and the 45 spice mix, the white spice powder and the turmeric. Add the mutton stock/water and turn up the flame. Let it boil till the chickpeas turn soft. Puree the tomatoes and add to the boiling soup. Add the vermicelli. Dissolve the wheat flour in 1/2 cup water and add to the soup once the vermicelli is cooked. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with flatbread.
Omlette Berbere
This is the mother of all omlettes I've had so far and is usually cooked in a Tagine. It takes minimum effort, and if you dont fuck it up, gives stellar results.
Ingredients
Eggs, 3 nos
Tomato, 1 no finely choped
Onion, 1 no finely choped
Green Bell Pepper, 1 no finely choped
Garlic Cloves, 3 nos finely choped
Ras-el-Hanouf - Moroccan 45 spice powder, 1 tbsp
Moroccan white spice powder, 1 tbsp
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Olive Oil, 2 tbsp
Method
Heat the Olive Oil in a Tagine and fry the Onions and Bell Peppers till cooked. Add the garlic and saute for a minute. Add the salt, pepper and spice mixes and mix well. Add the tomatoes and cook for a minute till soft. Now add the eggs carefully, keeping the yolks intact, so that the eggs cover the rest of the ingredients. Turn the flame off immediately and cover the Tagine with the lid. The eggs will cook in the internal heat of the Tagine and the result is easily the best omlette you've ever had. Here's what it looks like.
Fish Tagine
Tagine cooking is like a sub-cuisine in itself and there are so many varieties, that one could write a book about it. This recipe is from Essaouira and is simple enough to make.
Ingredients
Fish, preferably Kingfish (less bony), 4 cross-section pieces
Tomato, 1 no chopped into quarters
Onion, 1 no chopped into squares
Green Bell Pepper, 1 no chopped into squares
Garlic Cloves, 5 nos finely chopped
Ras-el-Hanouf - Moroccan 45 spice powder, 2 tbsp
Moroccan white spice powder, 1 tbsp
Turmeric, 1 tbsp
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Olive Oil, 2 tbsp
Water, 1/2 cup
Method
Heat the Olive Oil in a Tagine and fry the Onions and Bell Peppers till cooked. Add the garlic and saute for a minute. Add the salt, pepper, turmeric and spice mixes and mix well. Add the Fish pieces and cover with the lid for a minute. Add the tomatoes and Mix well to spread the flavour of the spices evenly. Add 1/2 a cup of water and heat with lid on for a minute. Serve hot with flat bread.
This brings the sequence of Morocco posts to an end...an amazing eight months after the trip actually happened. An unquestionable proof of my lethargy.
Morocco has been one helluva fascinating discovery. Its incredible how much there is to see, do and eat in a country smaller than all its North African cousins. So fuck Egypt and the pyramids, if you want great food, Morocco is where its at.
Secondly, some of these dishes may be hard for you to cook in your kitchen for lack of a Tagine or the authentic Moroccan spice mixes. However, if you manage to find suitable substitutes, do give them a try, for Moroccan cuisine is one agreeable to all kinds of palates and wont disappoint.
So on the menu today is a soup, an Omlette and a Tagine.
Harira
Its the staple soup in Morocco and is found on the menu at most retaurants. It's made from chickpeas and vermicelli and is a good fast-breaker during Ramzan in all of the Maghreb.
Ingredients
Chickpeas, 1 cup
Tomatoes, 2 nos
Onion, 1 no
Garlic, 5 cloves
Cilantro
Vermicelli, 25 gms
Olive Oil, 3 tbsp
Mutton stock or water, 750 ml
Ras-el-Hanouf - Moroccan 45 spice powder, 2 tbsp (Dont know the substitute for this, may be garam masala powder will do)
Moroccan white spice powder, 1 tbsp
Turmeric, 1 tbsp
salt and pepper to taste
Wheat flour, 2 tbsp
Method
Soak the chickpeas in water overnight. Fry the chopped onions and garlic cloves in olive oil till soft. Now add the chickpeas and cook on a low flame for 15 mins. Add salt and pepper to taste and the 45 spice mix, the white spice powder and the turmeric. Add the mutton stock/water and turn up the flame. Let it boil till the chickpeas turn soft. Puree the tomatoes and add to the boiling soup. Add the vermicelli. Dissolve the wheat flour in 1/2 cup water and add to the soup once the vermicelli is cooked. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with flatbread.
Omlette Berbere
This is the mother of all omlettes I've had so far and is usually cooked in a Tagine. It takes minimum effort, and if you dont fuck it up, gives stellar results.
Ingredients
Eggs, 3 nos
Tomato, 1 no finely choped
Onion, 1 no finely choped
Green Bell Pepper, 1 no finely choped
Garlic Cloves, 3 nos finely choped
Ras-el-Hanouf - Moroccan 45 spice powder, 1 tbsp
Moroccan white spice powder, 1 tbsp
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Olive Oil, 2 tbsp
Method
Heat the Olive Oil in a Tagine and fry the Onions and Bell Peppers till cooked. Add the garlic and saute for a minute. Add the salt, pepper and spice mixes and mix well. Add the tomatoes and cook for a minute till soft. Now add the eggs carefully, keeping the yolks intact, so that the eggs cover the rest of the ingredients. Turn the flame off immediately and cover the Tagine with the lid. The eggs will cook in the internal heat of the Tagine and the result is easily the best omlette you've ever had. Here's what it looks like.
Fish Tagine
Tagine cooking is like a sub-cuisine in itself and there are so many varieties, that one could write a book about it. This recipe is from Essaouira and is simple enough to make.
Ingredients
Fish, preferably Kingfish (less bony), 4 cross-section pieces
Tomato, 1 no chopped into quarters
Onion, 1 no chopped into squares
Green Bell Pepper, 1 no chopped into squares
Garlic Cloves, 5 nos finely chopped
Ras-el-Hanouf - Moroccan 45 spice powder, 2 tbsp
Moroccan white spice powder, 1 tbsp
Turmeric, 1 tbsp
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Olive Oil, 2 tbsp
Water, 1/2 cup
Method
Heat the Olive Oil in a Tagine and fry the Onions and Bell Peppers till cooked. Add the garlic and saute for a minute. Add the salt, pepper, turmeric and spice mixes and mix well. Add the Fish pieces and cover with the lid for a minute. Add the tomatoes and Mix well to spread the flavour of the spices evenly. Add 1/2 a cup of water and heat with lid on for a minute. Serve hot with flat bread.
This brings the sequence of Morocco posts to an end...an amazing eight months after the trip actually happened. An unquestionable proof of my lethargy.
Morocco has been one helluva fascinating discovery. Its incredible how much there is to see, do and eat in a country smaller than all its North African cousins. So fuck Egypt and the pyramids, if you want great food, Morocco is where its at.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
...And the rest
What else could I call this post after the one about Place Djema El-Fnaa? That one eating experience was greater than the combination of all the other meals I had in Morocco. However that should in no way make you think that the rest of my stay there was anything less than excellent as far as the food was concerned. During my two weeks there, I ate a lot of great food, missed out on some things and made sure I avoided some others. And the list is pretty long.
The a la Menthe (Mint Tea)
This is to Moroccans what coffee is to the French. It is everywhere, from the wilderness of the Atlas mountains to the stylish streetside cafes of Casablanca. And not without good reason. The flamboyant waiter in red at Djema El-Fnaa even called it Whiskey Marocaine (Moroccan Whiskey). We had seen it on the Globetrekker show and read about it on Wikitravel. We had our first mint tea in a Casablanca cafe and it was instantly addictive. I'm not exaggerating when I say that each one of us had, on an average a litre of mint tea everyday from the time we landed in Morocco. We cannot reach an agreement about which was the best, but my favourite was in a small cafe near the Medina gate Bab Bou Jeloud in Fes. This cafe had only coffee and mint tea on its menu and the tea came in the biggest possible glass, was full of mint and had two sugar cubes on the side. Specialization is the name of the game, even when it comes to something as simple as mint tea!
Tagine
If mint tea is the most common drink to be found in Morocco, the Tagine is the most common sight in any eating place. It's a clay vessel with a large conical lid and lends its name to most things that are cooked in it. So many different things are cooked in a Tagine in so many different ways, it should actually be classified as a sub-cuisine. During my time in Morocco, I tried the following
Vegetable Tagine
Chicken Tagine
Meat Tagine
Meatball Tagine with Tomato Sauce
Other Possible Tagines are Fish Tagine from Essaouira, Chicken Tagine with Plums and many others. My favourite was the Chicken Tagine we had in a Berber tent in the middle of the Sahara desert at Erg Chebbi.
Couscous
Morocco is the true home of what is considered a generic Arab/North African dish. Made with great effort (and skill), it has a texture quite similar to our Upma but is more granular and can be served with vegetables or meat. I wasnt very sure how this would turn out, but a well-made Couscous is definnitely a treat.
Grilled Seafood
Morocco's Atlantic coastline has good fish and two of its beach-towns, Essaouira and Agadir have great outdoor stalls that serve freshly grilled seafood. At Essaouira, I was really spoilt for choice. Giant crabs, lobster, cuttlefish, squid, sardines, snapper, turbot and more. I chose the Red Snapper, Sardines and some squid. This was then grilled and served with salad and bread. The Snapper was easily the best I'd had thus far, so were the Sardines. But the bastards burnt my Squid. Shall never forgive them.
Harira
I've already written about this one in the post on Djema El-Fnaa, but I had a lot of it throughout my trip and it deserves a second mention. It provided much needed nourishment after the gruelling trek to the Jebel Toubkal base camp and we always started our set meals in Fes with it. The Djema version is clearly the best though.
Berber Omlette
This is the mother of all Omlettes, the Omlette to beat all Omlettes. Three unbeaten eggs cooked in a Tagine with onions, tomatoes, peppers and spices. Had it only once on my way to the desert and the taste is still with me.
Fes restaurants
Fes was clearly the best city experience in Morocco. Getting lost in the alleys and souks of its gigantic Medina is an exotic and unforgettable experience. The restaurants in Fes were value-for-money, served great food and had typical Franco-Arab names like Chez Hamid and Chez Rachid. Thank you Chez Hamid for your filling breakfast and Chez Rachid for your Meatball Tagine in Tomato Sauce.
Sweetness in Chaouen
Its peculiar how hill-towns always have great bakeries. And its even more peculiar when you find out that this holds true not only in India, but also in far-away Morocco. Chaouen is in the Rif Mountains, known for 'relaxation'. After getting suitably 'relaxed', we stumbled upon an awesome bakery called Aziziya. It had awesome pastries, ice-creams and milkshakes - treats we could appreciate even more since we were 'relaxed'.
Pastilla
One of the things I missed in Morocco was this sweet-cum-savoury Chicken/Pigeon meat filled pie. The idea of a meat-filled pie being sweet in taste didnt quite appeal to me and the portions would have been too large for 2 non-vegetarians.
B'saara
This is Harira's poorer cousin and is only found in Fes. Its a soup made with butterbeans and garlic and is served with a dash of olive oil and bread. I couldnt try it for lack of time in Fes and the inconvenient location of the stalls serving it deep inside the medina.
Kalia
I knew I wouldnt be eating this the moment I saw it on Bizarre foods. Its meat preserved in fat and stored for weeks before its cooked with eggs. It smells awful and is supposed to taste even worse. Wonder how Moroccans eat it.
Morocco certainly lived up to its reputation for great food, and though I've never been to Tunisia, I'm sure Le Maroc will kick its ass in the contest for best food in North Africa. I've managed to smuggle some spices home and have also brought back a small Tagine. Will share recipes from the Maghreb in the next post so watch this space...:)
The a la Menthe (Mint Tea)
This is to Moroccans what coffee is to the French. It is everywhere, from the wilderness of the Atlas mountains to the stylish streetside cafes of Casablanca. And not without good reason. The flamboyant waiter in red at Djema El-Fnaa even called it Whiskey Marocaine (Moroccan Whiskey). We had seen it on the Globetrekker show and read about it on Wikitravel. We had our first mint tea in a Casablanca cafe and it was instantly addictive. I'm not exaggerating when I say that each one of us had, on an average a litre of mint tea everyday from the time we landed in Morocco. We cannot reach an agreement about which was the best, but my favourite was in a small cafe near the Medina gate Bab Bou Jeloud in Fes. This cafe had only coffee and mint tea on its menu and the tea came in the biggest possible glass, was full of mint and had two sugar cubes on the side. Specialization is the name of the game, even when it comes to something as simple as mint tea!
Tagine
If mint tea is the most common drink to be found in Morocco, the Tagine is the most common sight in any eating place. It's a clay vessel with a large conical lid and lends its name to most things that are cooked in it. So many different things are cooked in a Tagine in so many different ways, it should actually be classified as a sub-cuisine. During my time in Morocco, I tried the following
Vegetable Tagine
Chicken Tagine
Meat Tagine
Meatball Tagine with Tomato Sauce
Other Possible Tagines are Fish Tagine from Essaouira, Chicken Tagine with Plums and many others. My favourite was the Chicken Tagine we had in a Berber tent in the middle of the Sahara desert at Erg Chebbi.
Couscous
Morocco is the true home of what is considered a generic Arab/North African dish. Made with great effort (and skill), it has a texture quite similar to our Upma but is more granular and can be served with vegetables or meat. I wasnt very sure how this would turn out, but a well-made Couscous is definnitely a treat.
Grilled Seafood
Morocco's Atlantic coastline has good fish and two of its beach-towns, Essaouira and Agadir have great outdoor stalls that serve freshly grilled seafood. At Essaouira, I was really spoilt for choice. Giant crabs, lobster, cuttlefish, squid, sardines, snapper, turbot and more. I chose the Red Snapper, Sardines and some squid. This was then grilled and served with salad and bread. The Snapper was easily the best I'd had thus far, so were the Sardines. But the bastards burnt my Squid. Shall never forgive them.
Harira
I've already written about this one in the post on Djema El-Fnaa, but I had a lot of it throughout my trip and it deserves a second mention. It provided much needed nourishment after the gruelling trek to the Jebel Toubkal base camp and we always started our set meals in Fes with it. The Djema version is clearly the best though.
Berber Omlette
This is the mother of all Omlettes, the Omlette to beat all Omlettes. Three unbeaten eggs cooked in a Tagine with onions, tomatoes, peppers and spices. Had it only once on my way to the desert and the taste is still with me.
Fes restaurants
Fes was clearly the best city experience in Morocco. Getting lost in the alleys and souks of its gigantic Medina is an exotic and unforgettable experience. The restaurants in Fes were value-for-money, served great food and had typical Franco-Arab names like Chez Hamid and Chez Rachid. Thank you Chez Hamid for your filling breakfast and Chez Rachid for your Meatball Tagine in Tomato Sauce.
Sweetness in Chaouen
Its peculiar how hill-towns always have great bakeries. And its even more peculiar when you find out that this holds true not only in India, but also in far-away Morocco. Chaouen is in the Rif Mountains, known for 'relaxation'. After getting suitably 'relaxed', we stumbled upon an awesome bakery called Aziziya. It had awesome pastries, ice-creams and milkshakes - treats we could appreciate even more since we were 'relaxed'.
Pastilla
One of the things I missed in Morocco was this sweet-cum-savoury Chicken/Pigeon meat filled pie. The idea of a meat-filled pie being sweet in taste didnt quite appeal to me and the portions would have been too large for 2 non-vegetarians.
B'saara
This is Harira's poorer cousin and is only found in Fes. Its a soup made with butterbeans and garlic and is served with a dash of olive oil and bread. I couldnt try it for lack of time in Fes and the inconvenient location of the stalls serving it deep inside the medina.
Kalia
I knew I wouldnt be eating this the moment I saw it on Bizarre foods. Its meat preserved in fat and stored for weeks before its cooked with eggs. It smells awful and is supposed to taste even worse. Wonder how Moroccans eat it.
Morocco certainly lived up to its reputation for great food, and though I've never been to Tunisia, I'm sure Le Maroc will kick its ass in the contest for best food in North Africa. I've managed to smuggle some spices home and have also brought back a small Tagine. Will share recipes from the Maghreb in the next post so watch this space...:)
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Panacea!!
Of late I've been trying to follow the trails of my favorite food/travel shows, whenever I decide to travel to a new place. It's a different kick when you've seen the restaurant on TV with Bourdain/Zimmern/Wright having memorable, delightful or even epiphanous experiences and then go and check the place out for yourself.
So when I decided to spend this year's vacation in Morocco, I had to check out the relevant episodes in my favorite travel and food-related shows. I had already seen the two Morocco episodes in Season 1 of A Cook's Tour, but Bourdain being a finicky eater and a stickler for authenticity, had recognized that the best Moroccan food is to be found in homes and restricted himself to family-owned Riads apart from the whole roasted goat with Berber nomads in the desert. Both these experiences were beyond reach for me, so I turned to other shows and downloaded the Globe Trekker episode where Ian Wright travels to Morocco. And then later, I found an episode of Bizarre foods where Andrew Zimmern goes to Morocco in search of exotic eats. In both these shows, there was one and only one common venue. And this one made it look like Bourdain had a bad day in the office as far as the Morocco episode was concerned. How could he have missed this one? It was so obvious!
So, when I finally landed in Casablanca, I coudn't wait to get to Marrakech, where I knew something special was waiting for me. After two days full of trip planning and mint tea, we reached Marrakech on a Monday evening. After checking into a Riad, I wasted no time in getting directions from our host and walked straight to it. Delight, temptation and intimidation were just some of the feelings I experienced at first sight. This would definitely be a memorable evening.
Place Dejmaa-El-Fna is a large open square in the heart of Marrakech, just inside the walls of its ancient medina. It's about one square kilometre in area and has been described as the largest banquet in the world. During the day it is mostly occupied by Orange Juice stalls, hawkers selling trinkets, snake-charmers and street-performers. During the evening, most of these make way for several hundred food stalls and locals and tourists alike flock to it every night.
Having seen the place on TV, I knew a bit about what was on offer here. Not that it would help me in any way. As soon as I entered the maze of food-stalls, I felt completely lost. And the persistent touts at every stall didn't help either. The guy in the red coat at stall no. 15 proved the most difficult. I really didnt want to make a choice this soon with so much on offer. Moreover, this was a regular restaurant stall and I wanted to try the specialities first. So we got out of eating there by promising that we'd come back after checking the other stuff out.
We started with the Orange Juice stalls, of which there were about ten at one end of the square. I had never given orange juice much thought until I had a glass of it at Djemaa El-Fna. The oranges were some of the biggest I'd ever seen and they were bright orange, even on the inside. And the juice was so good, it made us come back for more. Lonely Planet calls the Orange Juice at Djemaa El-Fna the best in the world and I have to say I agree.
The orange juice stalls have the snail soup stalls for neighbours, so thats where I trained my guns next. Five dirhams for a bowl was a good bargain, but getting those little bastards out of their shells was tough. In the end, I chucked the toothpick and used my hands instead...:) The snails were good but the best part was the broth remaining at the end of it. Now, I had a nice little video of me devouring those snails but it got lost on its way here. So much for the first ever video on http://hungrykya.blogspot.com. Such is life...:(
The Orange Juice stalls and the Snail Soup stalls form a T with the Goat Head stalls!! I had seen this one in the Bizarre Foods episode and 15 Dirhams for a quarter of a head was an absolute bargain. The heads are kept in a stew inside a gigantic pot and after taking your order, the guy at the stall pulls one out, chops it into four, shaves the meat and cartilage off a quarter and serves it to you with a piece of bread soaked in the stew. There's also a plate of slat-pepper-spice mix at the stall, which you can use for seasoning. This was definitely the piece-de-resistance at the Djemaa. Have a look!!
After the goat's head, we kept our promise and ate at stall no. 15 which was one of the regular restaurant stalls. More than the food, it was the entertainment provided by the guy in the red coat, which was the highlight here. Not a single tourist could pass the vicinity of the stall without being accosted by our man and he did manage to lure quite a few. But the place did make good Brochettes and a mean Couscous.
I was completely stuffed when I walked out of the square after eating so much but I knew I had barely scratched the surface here. So it was no surprise when we went back the next night. This time, I went to the Goat Head stall and ordered the brain. This is done a little differently. The brains are lying on the mise-en-place at the stall and the chef takes one and drops it in the stew. After a couple of minutes, he takes it out, chops it into four pieces, and serves it with a bit of the goat's head and the stew-soaked bread. Sinful!!
Harira is the staple soup of Morocco and there are about 10-15 stalls that serve it along with dates at one end of the square. The soup is made from chickpeas and vermicelli, seasoned with spices and thickened with flour. Only 3 Dirhams for a large bowl of piping hot soup with bread and 3 Dirhams for the dates. In retrospect, I had Harira many times after the Djemaa, which was my first, and it was by far the best.
Two visits to Place Djemaa El-Fna and I knew I would still miss out on something or the other. The tripe I saw on the menu at some stalls, the offal. But the time I spent there was the best in the entire trip. It is unlike anything you've ever seen before. It has become my new favorite place in the world and I have appointed myself as it's unofficial brand ambassador...:) I also strongly believe that a place like this is the solution to all problems in life. Hard day at work? Break-up? Feeling down? Let's go to Djemaa El-Fna! Stuff yourself and forget about it for a while! We need a Djemaa El-Fna in every city in the world!!
So when I decided to spend this year's vacation in Morocco, I had to check out the relevant episodes in my favorite travel and food-related shows. I had already seen the two Morocco episodes in Season 1 of A Cook's Tour, but Bourdain being a finicky eater and a stickler for authenticity, had recognized that the best Moroccan food is to be found in homes and restricted himself to family-owned Riads apart from the whole roasted goat with Berber nomads in the desert. Both these experiences were beyond reach for me, so I turned to other shows and downloaded the Globe Trekker episode where Ian Wright travels to Morocco. And then later, I found an episode of Bizarre foods where Andrew Zimmern goes to Morocco in search of exotic eats. In both these shows, there was one and only one common venue. And this one made it look like Bourdain had a bad day in the office as far as the Morocco episode was concerned. How could he have missed this one? It was so obvious!
So, when I finally landed in Casablanca, I coudn't wait to get to Marrakech, where I knew something special was waiting for me. After two days full of trip planning and mint tea, we reached Marrakech on a Monday evening. After checking into a Riad, I wasted no time in getting directions from our host and walked straight to it. Delight, temptation and intimidation were just some of the feelings I experienced at first sight. This would definitely be a memorable evening.
Place Dejmaa-El-Fna is a large open square in the heart of Marrakech, just inside the walls of its ancient medina. It's about one square kilometre in area and has been described as the largest banquet in the world. During the day it is mostly occupied by Orange Juice stalls, hawkers selling trinkets, snake-charmers and street-performers. During the evening, most of these make way for several hundred food stalls and locals and tourists alike flock to it every night.
Having seen the place on TV, I knew a bit about what was on offer here. Not that it would help me in any way. As soon as I entered the maze of food-stalls, I felt completely lost. And the persistent touts at every stall didn't help either. The guy in the red coat at stall no. 15 proved the most difficult. I really didnt want to make a choice this soon with so much on offer. Moreover, this was a regular restaurant stall and I wanted to try the specialities first. So we got out of eating there by promising that we'd come back after checking the other stuff out.
We started with the Orange Juice stalls, of which there were about ten at one end of the square. I had never given orange juice much thought until I had a glass of it at Djemaa El-Fna. The oranges were some of the biggest I'd ever seen and they were bright orange, even on the inside. And the juice was so good, it made us come back for more. Lonely Planet calls the Orange Juice at Djemaa El-Fna the best in the world and I have to say I agree.
The orange juice stalls have the snail soup stalls for neighbours, so thats where I trained my guns next. Five dirhams for a bowl was a good bargain, but getting those little bastards out of their shells was tough. In the end, I chucked the toothpick and used my hands instead...:) The snails were good but the best part was the broth remaining at the end of it. Now, I had a nice little video of me devouring those snails but it got lost on its way here. So much for the first ever video on http://hungrykya.blogspot.com. Such is life...:(
The Orange Juice stalls and the Snail Soup stalls form a T with the Goat Head stalls!! I had seen this one in the Bizarre Foods episode and 15 Dirhams for a quarter of a head was an absolute bargain. The heads are kept in a stew inside a gigantic pot and after taking your order, the guy at the stall pulls one out, chops it into four, shaves the meat and cartilage off a quarter and serves it to you with a piece of bread soaked in the stew. There's also a plate of slat-pepper-spice mix at the stall, which you can use for seasoning. This was definitely the piece-de-resistance at the Djemaa. Have a look!!
After the goat's head, we kept our promise and ate at stall no. 15 which was one of the regular restaurant stalls. More than the food, it was the entertainment provided by the guy in the red coat, which was the highlight here. Not a single tourist could pass the vicinity of the stall without being accosted by our man and he did manage to lure quite a few. But the place did make good Brochettes and a mean Couscous.
I was completely stuffed when I walked out of the square after eating so much but I knew I had barely scratched the surface here. So it was no surprise when we went back the next night. This time, I went to the Goat Head stall and ordered the brain. This is done a little differently. The brains are lying on the mise-en-place at the stall and the chef takes one and drops it in the stew. After a couple of minutes, he takes it out, chops it into four pieces, and serves it with a bit of the goat's head and the stew-soaked bread. Sinful!!
Harira is the staple soup of Morocco and there are about 10-15 stalls that serve it along with dates at one end of the square. The soup is made from chickpeas and vermicelli, seasoned with spices and thickened with flour. Only 3 Dirhams for a large bowl of piping hot soup with bread and 3 Dirhams for the dates. In retrospect, I had Harira many times after the Djemaa, which was my first, and it was by far the best.
Two visits to Place Djemaa El-Fna and I knew I would still miss out on something or the other. The tripe I saw on the menu at some stalls, the offal. But the time I spent there was the best in the entire trip. It is unlike anything you've ever seen before. It has become my new favorite place in the world and I have appointed myself as it's unofficial brand ambassador...:) I also strongly believe that a place like this is the solution to all problems in life. Hard day at work? Break-up? Feeling down? Let's go to Djemaa El-Fna! Stuff yourself and forget about it for a while! We need a Djemaa El-Fna in every city in the world!!
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