To me a cake is not something that is covered in tons of cream but something that can be enjoyed solely for whatever magic the baker can create with the maida (flour). A cake loaf fits these requirements and there are umpteen recipes that are available. Here is my favourite. A chocolate loaf which you can read about in detail here.
A loaf is ideal for picnics, to take on a journey or simply tuck into between mealtimes. No guilt feelings particularly if I don’t stand on the weighing scale thereafter.
Here is the recipe that I have reproduced from the above blog with consent.
Ingredients:
2 ¼ cups plain flour
2⁄3 cup Cocoa
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp instant coffee
2 cups caster sugar
1 cup soft butter
3 Eggs
1 1/3 cups water – chilled
1 tsp Vanilla essence
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius. In a bowl, add the butter and
the sugar, and cream the two together for about 5 minutes until it is
light.
2. To the creamed mixture add the eggs one by one and beat for about 2 minutes. Then add the vanilla essence.
3. Sift into this, the flour, cocoa, coffee, baking powder and baking soda. Combine it gently till you get a smooth batter.
4. Add the chilled water to the batter and mix again. Fold the batter slowly, just till all of the water is incorporated.
5. To a lined loaf (or cake tin), Pour the chocolate cake batter. Bake
for about 20 minutes or until the cake has risen and a cake tester
comes out clean.
Tuck in!
Walking on Laxmi Road, Pune is an extremely trying affair. The place is terribly crowded at practically any time of the day (most shops here are open all day long unlike other true blue Puneri establishments that close for a siesta) and any time of the year. Moving from shop to shop, climbing up and down their rickety stairs and discussions about design/texture/colour (with your co-shopper) and price (with the shopkeeper) and (after transactions are successfully concluded,) lugging around your bags in the heat can test the resolve of even the most dedicated retail therapist!
So where does one go to restore the body as it were, the spirits having already being restored with the now lighter wallets?
Janaseva Bhojanalaya (Dughdha Mandir) is an ideal spot to rest the limbs and restore much needed glucose to your systems. It is strategically located towards the Alka Talkies side of Laxmi Road, where the usual shopping haunts peter out… (I have not mentioned this place in one of my earlier posts about Laxmi Road.)
Its an old and small unpretentious hotel that has been revamped to some extent. Let me assure you that the menu remains faithful to its tradition, offering most Maharashtrian snacks (and few South Indian ones as well). The place is clean, the food is tasty, fully vegetarian and one cannot really complain about the prices.
Presently there are two sections in the hall. One is for Mithai and Namkeens for take aways. The other is the self-service dine in (you can get items from this menu packed as well) where one has to simply order and pay for whatever you want and relax your legs, back and arms as you wait at the tables. The billing machine is connected to the kitchen and your order is automatically transferred to and prepared by the chefs there. A tinkle announces your token number and then you can tuck in to your hearts content!
The menu is not very extensive but Sabudana Khichadi, Batata vada, Sabudana vada, Kharvas, Modak, Doodhi halwa, Misal pav, Thikhat Sanja, Kothimbir vadi are top favourites.
So the next time you are tired after shopping on Laxmi Road, head to Janaseva- you’ll enjoy it.
Cheers!
Archana
I was stunned by claims that its possible to set dahi (curd) in a bowl made of Fossil stone from Jaisalmer without adding any starter culture. Ask any local guide or local vendors and they will vouch for this amazing property but it had instantly inspired doubt instead of awe!
Fossil stone a.k.a Habur limestone can be seen as part of the flooring in the Jain Temples @ the Golden Fort at Jaisalmer. Its a lovely reddish
brown with interesting dark patterns on it. Apparently the only other site its found is @ Fatehpur Sikri.
Naturally
I purchased a tiny glass (was left poorer by Rs 300 for it) just to
test this fantastic property.. Some vendors sold small pieces of stone that they
claimed when kept in plain milk would convert it to dahi…If dahi is not your forte then simply drink water stored in this glass as it is said to impart medicinal properties.
Once back home, the first thing I did was to pour a small quantity of milk in
this glass. This was at about 3PM. It was pretty cool in Pune hence I did not
observe any change for about 8 hours. I decided to wait overnight not
really knowing what to expect. I gave it the usual treatment I administer to set dahi in winter (warm surroundings).
Come
morning, I was absolutely stunned to see that the milk had thickened
and there was a bit of what looked like whey on the sides. On dipping a spoon I could pick up firmly set milk which had the texture
and colour of regular dahi. The taste however was neither sour nor
sweet and had a peculiar ‘earthy’ flavour. On leaving it at room temperature for more time, the ‘dahi‘ did not turn sour.
Have you tried to set dahi in a fossil stone (Habur limestone) container? What happened? Do tell us!
Our
research showed that this is the Habur limestone. Here are some links to
published research by Indian scientists on claims to its property of curdling milk. http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:dTiE5qLTCvQJ:www.ias.ac.in/currsci/sep102005/729.pdf+jaisalmer+fossil+stone+curd&hl=en&gl=in&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjpXT6XwwLEtjqeKNSnhtq3jEEGRSVJUaPCKH4kvfGgOxGbBP822FllVCKd1JJ3Zs1KbUUUEV3hrk9hPvokSGW2t_LHB76t72VfkI-2Dwo8SMW0V3WJJmjMSAvd_GYy6KKDg1Lr&sig=AHIEtbQL7k14rvA7Daw7-Vg50P33qfxMrw
This was on fishy encounter where the enjoyment has continued for a long time…
Let me explain.
For days we meant to visit a restaurant called Masemari on Tilak Road (it belongs to Lalan Sarang- an eminent actress in Marathi theatre) and specialises in coastal Maharashtrian fish cuisine. Somehow the thought of reaching the crowded congested Tilak Road had successfully sent us to other eating joints in the city.
However on this particular day we set off on our two wheeler determined to net this catch!!
Masemari situated a few steps off Tilak Road (near Hotel Girija) and we could park right outside the hotel itself but the by lanes had plenty of empty space. This seemed like a good start (oh yes it was, just read till the end…)
There is a fairly big model of a ship on the gate which was quite clear in the dark but may be interesting at daytime. Being Shravan, there wasn’t much of a rush.
The restaurant is not very big and is quite cozy. The wall decorations leave you in no doubt of its food specialty! While I knew of some Konkani food preparations I was not quite prepared for this huge range. The staff was both courteous and knowledgeable about their offerings. They helped clear our confusion and we finalised our order. Sol kadhi was a must, Pomphret and butter garlic Mussels followed accompanied by Vade and Amboli. We wanted to order more but there is only so much that two persons can consume however tasty it may be…
I heavily recommend all fish lovers to vist this restaurant. They deliver at home in a three kilometer radius.
Here is the best part.. I reviewed this restaurant on Zomato (we had referred to this website for the address) and I WON the weekly prize in their Write for a Bite review contest!
This has encouraged me to try out new restaurants and yes review them as well.
You can too. Visit Zomato.com
Enjoy!
We have been reading and drooling about street food delicacies available in Pune during the holy month of Ramzan. Never really made the effort of actually going out to sample the goodies. Last week however it was Determination with a capital D that drove us away from our computers and out on the streets.
The article in Sakaal served as a starting point and after consulting Google ‘Baba’ for local maps, we zeroed in on Babajaan chowk in Camp…
We reached there just as the last rays of the sun disappeared from the horizon. Camp with its low rise British era buildings was bathed in a warm golden glow. The determined would be dazzled by the glimpse of the changing colours of the Shravan evening sky, that is, if you could tear your eyes away from dodging kamikaze two and four wheeler traffic..
While we had a general idea of its location, asking shopkeepers and cart vendors was unavoidable. They probably thought we were gluttons of the worst kind, who kept asking for ‘biryani kuthe milel?’ (where can we get biryani?).
Hence the sight of the covered pandal and wafting aromas at Babajaan chowk reassured the surging gastric juices that a return to varan bhaat was not imminent!
My apprehensions about cleanliness were largely unfounded (for the time and day of our visit). Various stalls were arranged in the periphery with several seating arrangements in the centre along with the cashier and coupon seller. One could consult the menu with him or better still, take a walk around the stalls and check out what was on offer. In our case, we ended up getting more confused as to what we wanted to eat. Finally one could only consume so much and importantly our trip was self sponsored! So indulging on dishes we did not want to eat was out of question!
There were kababs of many kinds all sizzling and spattering on coal beds. Aromas from the biryanis and kebabs and rotis and parathas of different kinds rose up to engulf and smother us. They competed as it were to be on our order list! And the meal was completed with delicious phirni and doodhi halwa!
Some difficult decisions finally made, we got our food packed and headed home though eating there was not uninviting. Prices were reasonable and the experience was ‘priceless’!
Before Id, do make it a point to check out these khau galli’s, you will be pleasantly surprised!
Other areas you can explore are Rasta Peth and near Azam campus.
Today is Ganesh Chaturthi. The day next few days Pune city will wear a totally festive look, when swine flu, corruption in the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth games, rising prices, low rain fall, all fade in the background.
A must-prepare dish for this festival is Modak– the favourite dish of Ganesh. For the non-Maharashtrian, Modak can be crudely compared to a momo with a sweet coconut stuffing. But that’s where the comparison ends [before I get lambasted for comparing this ‘sugran‘ (marathi word for masterchef) item to a momo…]
Only the best quality rice is used to prepare the flour for the covering. Of course its available ready made but a true sugran will make it herself. The coconut stuffing can be sweetened with jaggery or sugar. The creative part is in moulding the modak so its delicate pleats are visible even after steaming. Modak is best enjoyed with a generous helping of ‘toop‘ (ghee/clarified butter).
Catering to the need of innovation, sweet shops in Pune now offer kajoo modak (cashew), amba modak (mango), khava modak, chocolate modak (may be full chocolate or with a coconut centre) just to name a few. Chitale Bandhu is the shop for these but others offer these varieties as well.
Puneites now have another choice for their dahi (curd) needs with Danone launching its Dahi in Pune. Now making (setting) dahi at home is something innate to every Maharashtrian household. Buying it was never an option other then when returning from a journey or due to sudden guests. Yet come the retail revolution we are spoilt for choice. Danone’s dahi in Pune has illustrious company : dahi by Amul (Masti brand), Nestle, Britannia, Gowardhan (Go) in addition to local biggie Chitale Dairy. Of course one can buy dahi loose from the local mithai store but that is often extremely sour.
For those of you keen to know the hard money facts behind this dahi/doodh market, click here and here.
Here is a homemakers perspective on the brands mentioned above. I have not mentioned costs and they usually vary by a couple of rupees. For me the deciding factors are taste, texture and ofcourse if it can be ‘reused’ or not (to set another bowl at home..)
Amul Masti: neighbourhood kirana stores usually stock this brand instead of Nestle. The dahi is often sour and most importantly does not work as a starter to set your own dahi at home. Texture is good.
I was told that dahi is prepared commercially using ‘designer’ bacteria. These become inactive once the milk is set into curds hence useless as starters. This is also the reason why the dahi does not turn sour.
Nestle: has many options and all have ‘live’ culture. This means a spoonful of this dahi can be used to set a delicious bowl at home. All varieties including NesVita are firm in texture and almost always sweet, but not often stocked by kirana stores. It also offers a range of flavoured yoghurts that are from all accounts excellent.
Don’t know if its because of margins or distributor incentives or customer preferences…
Britannia: again with ‘live’ culture and usually sweet to taste. Not available freely. Texture and taste are good.
Go: a recent entrant but does not have a ‘live’ culture. Texture needs improvement as does taste. Freely available at kirana stores.
Danone: the new ‘kid’ on the block in Pune is actually an European dairy major. I am not an authority to predict its success in this market segment but I do know this dahi is a good product. It did not seem to have ‘live’ culture (I did put on my glasses to read the fine print the packaging but could not figure out!). Taste and texture were good. I have not seen many ads other than huge hoardings and posters at the point of purchase.
As for me, my vote goes to Nestle- any variant. Danone is a close second choice provided its freely available!! Disclosures: other than hopes of my kirana stocking this brand, I have no interests in the company!!! This would save me the journey to a supermarket and parking hassles!! Cheers!
While the Thali system of lunch or dinner (Maharashtrian/Gujarathi style cuisine) has been around since my childhood, a more general Indo-western style buffet is fairly common in Pune now. I am sure that must be the case in other parts of India as well.
Here is a list of some buffet’s. Most of these are in the range of around Rs 500/ per person as of now. Seasons at Aundh offers a buffet at Flavours. This is an excellent offering the best part being for those who dont want to gorge on the full menu can opt for smaller combos of only Soup+ Starter or Soup+ Starter+Sweet – at a lower rate of course. The meal includes a soft drink/beer and coffee to end the meal. Obviously the offering may change from time to time and what I have written is what we have enjoyed. The restaurant is not very big but the decor is simple and stunning. Valet Parking available.
Barbeque Nation at Kalyani Nagar (behind Dass Showroom) and also at Balewadi. Unbeatable for its starter range that is served sizzling right at your table. The pasta, chat and seafood counter is a good change. Beverages are to be ordered (and charged) separately. The staff works tirelessly, smilingly as you try to pause between courses to give your digestive system a breather… The sweet counter offers its delicacies in small bite sized portions. An excellent idea me thinks.
My suggestion- visit for lunch so you can do full justice. The chain of restaurants is present across India, check out the one in your city and do book a table to avoid waiting outside…
FoodLink: at ICC: We have not yet visited this place but has got some good reviews. These are priced lower.
Nawab in Camp: Opposite Poona Club. North Indian Food- mainly Lucknow style.
Puran da Dhaba at Pride Hotel: Dhaba style food. The restaurant is decorated like a Dhaba (obviously no air conditioning). Mehendi is a plus but bangles (choodivala) and the astrologer will serve you at an additional charge.
All Stir Fry and Not Just Jazz By The Bay at E-Square on University Road also offer soup/salad/sandwich buffets. Different combinations (at different price points) are available. Worth a dekkho. We have not yet sampled their offerings.
In addition most hotels offer seasonal specialty themed buffets ranging from Christmas or nation specific food etc. Check the Pune dailies for whats on offer when you feel like eating till you drop.
If you know of any more such buffer spreads do let us know.
Eat As Much as You Can!!
Cheers!
Last week Puneites were spoilt for choice on what to do on the weekend. There was something for the foodies (the Bhimthadi Jatra) and the geeks as well (the IT expo). The BhimthadiJatra held on the grounds of the Agriculture college was a showcase for women’s Self Help Groups (SHGs) in Maharashtra. There were over 500 stalls by women entrepreneurs and there are no prizes for guessing what most of the stalls were devoted to! That’s right Food!!
And what a variety! Absolutely Desi (and I mean from the Marathi heartland) stuff cooked in the authentic manner right in front of you. Fish, chicken, mutton, bhakri, bhajee and more.. served piping hot by ladies who were keen to show that had what it took to run a business even if they were rarely featured in glossy business mags. The best was each took pride in what she did had a good idea of the economics involved and had good marketing skills. I guess there’s more than one place to learn business skills other than ivy league B-schools and that’s the school of Life!
But here is something that was my star of the foodie stalls. KhandeshiMande stuffed with Puran. To the uninitiated these are huge (around 18″ diameter) puranpoli that reach this size not with a rolling pin but by actually stretching it out by hand.
There were two stalls and we had to book and await our turn to get the Mande. Each was priced at Rs 35 but the process of watching the ladies make it was a delight. You may have heard of pizza makers who throw the dough up in the air while making the base. Well the process here is something similar. After stuffing puran (bengalgram cooked with sugar and ground to paste) in the dough made entirely of maida (refined flour) the artist (yes, that’s the only word for the lady making the Mande) initially rolls out a small poli. Thats when the magic starts.
She picks up the poli and begins tossing it in circles over her both her arms as it gradually stretches into a bigger circle. A few minutes and the poli is big enough to be placed on an a huge upturned kadhai (wok) that serves as the griddle. A couple of minutes cooking on either side and lo behold! The Mande is yours! Thin crisp golden with not single tear in it. Drizzle (or drench) with ghee and enjoy!!!
This fair was the fourth one to be held in Pune and hopefully will continue each year. For those who missed it, BhimthadiJatramay return.
Here are some photos that will give you an idea of how the KhandeshiMande were made.
This is an unusual sweet and spicy preparation ideal for winters.
Ingredients:
125 gms fresh ginger
1 cup milk
1 ½ cup sugar
2 tsp castor sugar
Wash and finely chop ginger. Grind ginger and milk in a blender. Add sugar to this mixture and cook on a low flame till thick. Remove from heat and add a little castor sugar and mix thoroughly. Put into a greased plate and let cool. Cut into small squares to serve.
