KITCHEN BEAUTY: HIBISCUS AND EGG HAIR PACK

For super shiny, clean and voluminous hair

 

You'll need:

(For long hair)
 15 -20 Fresh hibiscus leaves
1-2 eggs (I used 1 because I can't stand the smell)

How to:

1. Blitz together in a mixer adding water if you need it. You'll end up with a soapy, sticky green mixture.  

2. Apply on hair and wait till the pack dries - about 20 minutes.

3. Wash hair. Getting the leaves out will take a couple of rinses.  

PRODUCT REVIEW: BAKEBOX

 

 

 

  

I love that there are so many novel start ups mushrooming in the food industry but many of these entrepreneurs have a long way to go before their enterprises can be considered professional. I think Bakebox is a great idea - get a box of sweet treats put together by different bakers delivered to your doorstep every month. A really convenient way to try out all the great, smaller bakeries out there that aren't easy to reach otherwise.

 

The first time I ordered, my order got lost and I didn't get my box. Disgruntled but not inconsolable, I followed up and got my box a couple of weeks later. Bakebox has great packaging and each box has clearly been put together with great attention to detail but the bakers they covered in May "The Sugar Story" just aren't very good. Everything was too sweet, too dry and though not bad looking, hardly edible.

 

This is the problem - while I understand their model is to outsource the actual baking to others, the entire exercise fails if they don't rigorously scrutinize the bakers they pick. I don't want to gamble INR 850 (approx.) each month, unsure if the product I'm going to get is going to be worth it or not. If you want to try your luck though check out their website here.

SUPER HEALTHY CAULIFLOWER HUMMUS

He is no lawyer who cannot take two sides. - Charles Lamb

 

Ten Thoughts Corporate Lawyers Regularly Have

1. You did not just send me the mark up at 9:00 pm on a Friday night! &*F%^@!

2. Done with the email at 7:00 pm. I think I'll go home and send it out by 10:00 pm.

3. Maybe if I don't mark my partner on my cover up email s/he won't realize I've dropped the ball.

4. To start the email with "dear" or not? "Regards," "kind regards" or "warm regards"?

5. I wonder how may billable hours s/he racked up on that deal.

6. I took a day off last month. I wonder when is the soonest I can ask for the next day off?

7. Of course, the printer will jam when I'm trying to print on stamp paper.

8. Shit, how many days do I have left to file the Form FC-TRS/GPR.

9. When are the partners going to go home/ go on holiday/ go out for lunch?

10. One more hour till I can leave. Facebook/ instagram/ twitter/ pinterest time!

Unlike the sharp and useless thoughts of most corporate lawyers, this cauliflower hummus is crazy wholesome. Did you know cauliflowers are packed with an insane quantity of Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Manganese? The vegetable also has antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties and some studies link its consumption to cancer prevention. Unfortunately it's a particularly boring vegetable and hard to make appetizing - its bland, mushy texture plays well in this hummus recipe though. This is much easier to get together than traditional chickpea hummus and tastes (okay, fine I'll be honest, almost) as good.

Serves 4

Recipe adapted from Our Fifth House

What you’ll need:

1 head of cauliflower (steamed)

1 lemon (juiced)
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp garlic paste
Red chilli powder
Salt

How to:

Throw everything into a grinder and puree. Check for seasoning and adjust as per taste.

JUST ANOTHER EXCUSE TO PARTY: PIZZA NIGHTS

There’s very little in my world that a foot massage and a thin-crust, everything-on-it pizza won’t set right. 

 - G.A. McKevett

 

I don't like pizza. It reminds me of days spent in boxy conference rooms discussing shareholders' agreements or nights when there's absolutely no other option but to order in. When I moved to Delhi I was shocked to realize so many people close to me, including my brother and father, love that ridiculous flat bread with cheese on top. Since they do I started experimenting with pizzas at home and found that if you're not making the crust yourself this is possibly the EASIEST food to put together at home. Also the easiest to jazz up.  

What you'll need:

Pizza bases (whole wheat if you want to make the healthier choice)

Sauces

1. Pesto (I used store bought) -  you can try the Basil Pesto by Wingreen:

2. Tomato -

2 tomatoes (chopped)
1 pack tomato puree
2 -3 tbsp garlic (as much as you like)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 -3 tbsp Oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings

Be as creative as you like but here are a few options for inspiration -

Mushrooms/ Potatoes/ Capsicum/ Pineapple/ Spinach
Bocconcini/ Cheese (any kind that suits your fancy)
Pepperoni/ Bacon/ Sausage
Basil/ Parsley/ Oregano
Eggs

If you feel like, put together different themes like Thai, French, Indian by using different ingredients.

How to:

1. For the tomato sauce, sauté the garlic in the olive oil till it browns. Add the tomato chunks and tomato puree and stir for 2 -3 minutes. Add the seasonings. Taste and adjust to suit your taste.

 2. Spread the pesto/ tomato sauce on the pizza bases, anoint with toppings of your choice. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.

3. If you're making multiple pizzas prep 3 - 4 at one go and pop them into the oven one after the other so you have one coming out every 20 minutes. Don't bake them all at one go in advance because the pizza will get soggy if you don't serve it immediately.

4. If using an egg, make a little wreath with the other toppings to keep the white in and then break the egg in the circle.

5.  Don't be shy with the cheese! The more you use the better it will be!

6. Don't sprinkle dry herbs on top of the pizza, if you're using dried oregano or parsley then mix it in the ingredients. Dry herbs will burn in the oven. If you're planning to make more than a couple of pizzas or are calling company over then it'll be worth it to buy fresh basil and oregano.
 
7. If you're using fresh Parsley it isn't to be baked like the basil/ oregano leaves. Use it as a garnish once you have the pizza out of the oven.

8. While you can use any cheese you like, drier, harder cheeses tend to have very high melting points, that is, you might not end up with that "dripping cheese" experience you'd like if you're using them on your pizza. If you want that texture, mix a dry/ hard cheese with a softer one.

 

RESTAURANT REVIEW: KERALA FOOD CHANNEL

For lazy Sundays

 

 

Delhi is accused of many things but diversity isn’t usually one of them. People seem to imagine us as a horde of muscle tees, swigging whisky and gorging on butter chicken. All of which I wholeheartedly endorse but we aren’t as predictable as that. Set aside the butter naan and check out some of the unexpectedly authentic (and delicious) Mallu food being served up in this city. The proof, as they say, is in the parotha.

 

LOOKS LIKE

 

Keeping the old guard of Mallu eateries like Kerala Hotel at INA Market and the unnamed joint in Gowtham Nagar, good company is the unassuming Kerala Food Channel. Nestled into a bylane of Kalkaji, the place only has 3 tables – the single page menu and service are equally fuss free. Since they don’t have air conditioning and these guys aren’t really into “decor” I wouldn’t blame you for just ordering in and eating in the cool comfort of your home.

 

TASTES LIKE 

The menu is a lovely single sheet offering dosa, uttapam and various curries. In the spirit of full disclosure I need to explain that I love short menus, life already involves making too many decisions for my taste without someone trying to paralyze at me at lunch with a menu that doubles as an encyclopedia of global cuisine. The portions are very generous and I doubt I could finish any one dish myself. I tried the chicken curry/ egg curry and set dosas - the curries are explosive, and appropriately paired with the faintly sour and yeasty slab of dosa. If you’re really hungry try the Kerala Meals which come with a shot of rasam, a bowlful of tart sambhar and a couple of vegetable dishes. Dedicated carnivores will want to order the off menu buff fry, the meat so rigorously and ruthlessly spiced and fried it’s almost too much to handle.

FEELS LIKE

Though so basic in terms of infrastructure, Kerala Food Channel is one of the few places I’ve eaten at recently without fear of picking up a stomach bug – each dish is scalding, straight off the stove and into your plate. To cool off after, get yourself a Chickoo Shake or freshly squeezed fruit juice at Chawla Juice and Shakes Corner next door. Order yourself the chicken curry and set dosa on a lazy Sunday when you can spend the rest of the afternoon sleeping off the effects of the fireworks that went off in your mouth.

 
 

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE RESTAURANT OWNERS OF HAUZ KHAS VILLAGE

 

 

 

RESTAURANT REVIEW: SMOKEHOUSE DELI, KHAN MARKET

For good food and pretty people

Delhi's indigenous restaurant chains make me quite proud. Big Chill, Mamagoto, Ritu Dalmia's Diva chain, Amici and of course the Smokehouse lot all consistently deliver quality food and distinct themes in very presentable settings. All of these have an outpost at Khan and I've recommended each of these places to friends and acquaintances numerous times. Smokehouse Deli, in particular, is a perfect fit for Khan Market and the crowds have been flocking in from the day they opened their pretty, painted doors.

Looks Like

Smokehouse Deli has spectacular interiors, Kriti Monga's much feted hand painted murals are endlessly charming. There are a lot of artist/designer types floating around in this city smoking weed and talking about projects they're never going to start or forget to complete. All of them need to learn from this very talented young woman who's doing phenomenal work.

Coming back to Smokehouse Deli, I love the quintessentially Delhi but very current motifs along with couplets and quirky symbols (including the Kamla sign on the ladies room door). A very, very stylish effort that never takes itself too seriously or tries too hard.

Tastes Like

The menu at Smokehouse Deli is full up with goodness but my favorites come from their all day breakfast menu. The Skillet Fried Chorizo and House Sausage are as the description would lead us to believe, a no holds barred meat and eggs fest. While nobody really needs more than that, there's the Smoked Salmon and Philly Omelet which will blow your mind with its pillowy eggs holding in an unfairly lavish quantity of cream cheese and chunks of salty salmon. If you can't eat breakfast food at all times of the day like I can then you can try their thin crust pizzas which are perfectly portioned for 2 people, I really like the whimsical "Inverted Hawaiian" (Ham, Chicken and Pineapple) and the very indulgent Pepperoni and Bacon. Amongst the pastas, my vote goes to the Boss Style Aglio Olio Pepperoncino Spaghetti with red onions, field mushrooms and your choice of meat. My friends swear by the John Dory with Smoked Shimla Chilli.

A meal at Smokehouse Deli is nicely rounded out. I appreciate the well put together bread basket (which they've sweetly replenished for me when I was starving and couldn't wait for my order to be brought in) and the fact that a cup of coffee comes with a couple of cookies. Small touches like that can really class a place up and it's heartening to see more and more restaurants in Delhi extending these tiny courtesies towards their patrons.

 

Smokehouse Deli also has an extensive cocktail menu and while I feel that the bartender is too heavy handed with the sugar syrup, if you can reign him in the Red Wine Sangria and the Smoked Melon Martini are worth trying.

Feels Like

I have it on good authority that Rahul Gandhi has eaten here. I can't promise RaGa will be there when you visit but you'll easily find a couple of characters from Delhi's pantheon of page 3 personalities. The tweezed and manicured mobs tend to swarm here in the evenings so I prefer to go during the day.

The staff is okay but can be slow and snarky.

 

SUMMER CRAB LINGUINI

"Humor keeps us alive. Humor and food. Don't forget food. You can go a week without laughing" - Joss Whedon
 

Between crazy work hours and my oddball obligations I've been feeling pretty low. Weeks like this always make me wonder about what it would be like to have a fun job. I've come up with a list of potential jobs:

1. Crafts teacher - except that I don't really like kids all that much;

2. Running an Art Gallery - except I don't know much about art;

3. Party Planner - except that I'm a moody, anti-social witch on most days;

4. Interior Decorator - except that I don't really have any sense of proportion;

5. Professional Shopper - except that I hate malls.

Since I can't think of any viable alternate career paths yet I think I'm just going to curl up with this delicate, gently peppery crab sauce - pair it with whole wheat linguini and bask in your own virtue.

Serves 2

Recipe Adapted from Nigella Lawson's Forever Summer

What you'll need:

1/2 pack of whole wheat spaghetti (about 250 g)
1 can tinned crab meat (about 200g)
2 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt
Pepper (ideally freshly ground)
Dashes of Tobasco
Parsley to garnish

Note: You can add onions, spring onions, garlic or any other flavors you'd like.

How to:

1. Cook the spaghetti in hot salted water till al dente. Set aside.

2. Gently sauté the crab meat in olive oil, season with salt and pepper.

Note: If you're using onion and/or garlic then sauté that first, wait till it's golden and then add the crab meat. Spring onions can be added with the crab meat.

3. Toss the pasta with some olive oil to detangle the strands of spaghetti. Spoon the crab mixture on top, add as much Tobasco as you can handle (or skip this step).

4. Garnish with Parsley and serve hot. 

PRODUCT REVIEW: FOODPANDA

Just discovered foodpanda, a convenient way to order home delivery from your laptop or cellphone, which is super helpful if you're stuck on a call or meeting and getting hungry. Unlike most new fangled online services foodpanda has its act together with lots of delivery options for each locality (which is a godsend because I cannot eat anymore Nirulas at work) as well as menus for each restaurant! If you don't have cash you can even swipe your card on the site! 3,500 restaurants across 25 cities means you don't ever need to wonder where to order from.