Coriander and Cilantro I know, I know. All spices are equal, but you’ll never convince me that coriander is not more equal than the others. Here’s why: coriander seeds, stem, root, leaves – every part of the plant is not only edible, but is used in cuisine. In India, coriander leaves are used, in addition…
Lolzzzzz was the cryptic comment in reply to a facebook post I had made on social media. I had just vented my spleen about how social media had taken over our social lives. How every time I opened my facebook account with trepidation, I would encounter several ‘invitations’ to a confusing welter of subsidiary sites…
Butter Chicken The national dish of Punjab and Delhi is butter chicken. Tandoori chicken (if you are faithful to the original), tart tomatoes cooked down and blended with rich cream for a tangy, smooth pulp where the spices are secondary to the sauce – it is devilishly difficult to nail the recipe perfectly. Gulati in…
After all these years, meticulously run Cuisine: Chinese Atmospherics: Something of an architectural marvel in the hotel, this magnificent restaurant is built around a central axis, so that no matter where you are seated, you can just view the neighbouring tables. The kitchens are arranged all around the restaurant, being designed according to the dishes…
The story of art in Kashmir is bound inextricably with that of craft. While crafts – and by extension, craftsmen – are thick on the ground, art in the Valley is confined to a tiny school in capital Srinagar, which operates out of a rented building in a housing colony. While craftsmen have, by and…
Once upon a time, Chinese food meant chilli chicken and chicken Manchurian. Now, thanks to the growing tribe of chefs from China, it is possible to get a more authentic taste of what Chinese food is all about. By definition, Chinese food in India can never be really authentic: food in China is usually cooked…
I’ve noticed that lady chefs always bring another dimension to their food than their male counterparts. Perhaps it has been entirely incidental, but when you hear Chef Angela Hartnett talking about shopping for food, you could forget that she has won two Michelin stars at The Connaught in London, where she manages a restaurant for…
The recently concluded Islamic calligraphy exhibition held in New Delhi’s Iran Culture House was not the first of its kind – such exhibitions are held periodically. It’s another matter that calligraphers routinely outnumber audience. Nevertheless, the perseverance of the Culture House and the steadfastness of the calligraphers themselves are probably why the art itself has…
What is common to Koshy’s Bangalore, United Coffee House Delhi, Mocambo Kolkata and Gaylord Mumbai? They’re all landmark restaurants. None of them are particularly old-fashioned, and certainly none are down at heel; rather, they wear the patina of timelessness. Is the cuisine excellent? In patches, yes, but it is not excellence all the way. Most…
Subtly flavoured tandoori fare takes centrestage at Magnolia The management of Magnolia, a slightly difficult-to-find restaurant in. Sector 29 of Gurgaon, is reported to be running a couple of high profile restaurants in Washington DC. You’d never imagine it going by the formulaic desi decor, but the menu is sophisticated and the food even more…