Band Baaja Barbeque @Barbeque Nation Outlets From 26th Oct to 12th Nov

Indian weddings are never complete without a plethora of food to cater young and old. How lucky am I to get invited for a taste testing  at BARBEQUE NATION ‘BAND BAJA BARBEQUE’. 

‘Band Baja Barbeque’ - a wedding themed food festival from October 26th – November 12th enjoy the thrills and celebrations of the wedding season at all 9 Barbeque Nation outlets in Bangalore. The décor, menu and activities will offer guests a feel of the wedding season.

MENU Vegetarians can begin with Pardesi Piya Ke Paneer Wale Tikke– chunksof paneer marinated in spices and grilled to perfection. Indulge in Taka Tak Mushroomi Mausi– succulent mushrooms stuffed with garlic and chilies’ to give a twist on the usual. 

Non-vegetarians can dig into Nawabi Jija Ke Ghost Seekh–minced lamb moulded into skewers and cooked to delight the mughali food craving. Seafood lovers can enjoy scrumptious Amritsari Fufa Ji Ki Machliyan – fish marinated to create a unique flavor experience.

From Live Counters- choose interesting dishes like Banarasi Dewar Ji ke Manpasand Aaloo– a rich preparation made with whole and ground spices, tomatoes, cashews and fresh cream, Tawa Non Veg- roasted meat pieces cooked in spicy, Khala Ki Lajawabi Bhindi -a spicy deep fried ladies finger recipe prepared with chick pea flour and other Indian spices,diners can pick from interesting desserts like Moong Daal Halwa and Malai Sandwich...

My Experience at Kalyan-nagar  BBQ Nation Outlet...

We Started with a strong and cold beer

Followed by spicy fish, prawns, chicken skewers on the table...

Up next were palate cleansers mixed tropical fruit skewers which can also be matched with grilled meats...

Round 2 meat skewers...

Pick and choose unlimited meat skewers as per your taste...From the skewers my favourite was chicken and prawns...

Condiment to match skewers: Chilly sauce, garlic sauce and mango chilly sauce...

Chilly Vinegar to brush on grilled meats 

Mint Chutney for Kebabs 

Crispy corn 

Mutton Seekh Kabab

Dahi Vada

Channa Chop and Chole Chop

Grill vegetables and Pani Poori Live Counter

Pita Bread

Bhuna Chicken 

Murgh Shikampuri Kabab

My picks from the live counter was Shikampuri Kabab and bhuna chicken...

Buffet Spread

Pickles and Salad Counter

Nonveg Buffet Consisted of: Chicken Shorba(soup), Chilly chicken, Chicken Dum Biryani, Dhaba Gosht, Masaledaar Macchi, and Murgh Makhani

Vegetarian Buffet Consisted of : Vegetarian Manchurian, Noodles, Dhal tadka and rice, mixed vegetable curry, crispy corn, Dum aloo, muttar paneer, Vegetable Dum Biryani... 

Naans, curd rice, papads and chutney were additional served as per preference...

Fruit and Dessert Counter: Kala Jamun, Hot Jalebi, Double ka Meetha, besan Ladoo and Fruits.

What did I eat from the spread??

From the starters I enjoyed the seekh, chicken tikka, Cajun potatoes, prawns and fish tikka...

From the mains: Noodles, chicken soup, crispy corn, chilly chicken, chicken biryani, and dhaba gosht with butter naan from desserts i chose jalebi, kala jamun, kulfi and double ka meetha...

Butter naan

Mango Kulfi

Jalebi

Kala Jamun and Double ka mettha

This is my first time visiting a marriage themed food festival very innovative and creative food festival. The restaurant was packed for the festival everyone were celebrating anniversary, birthdays and so on...the atmosphere was very lively. 

Team of chefs have curated wonderful dishes  everything tasted good from skewers to kababs, live counter grilled veggies to chaats and not to forget the mains like chicken biryani and meat curries with butter naans it was truly a feast. 

Service was good, quality of food was good  overall wonderful experience one of a kind marriage themed food festival in Bangalore. My three picks from the entire menu would be the shikampuri kabab, biryani and jalebi. 

Band Baja Barbeque is worth a visit friends...

DATE October 26th – November 12th
TIME Lunch and Dinner Hours

VENUE In Barbeque Nation’s 9 outlets in Bangalore (Indiranagar, JP Nagar, Lido Mall, Kormangala, Kalyan Nagar, Marathahalli, Rajajinagar, Electronic City and Whitefield).

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ABOUT BARBEQUE NATION
Barbeque Nation is a pioneer in India to promote ‘DIY’ (do-it-yourself) cuisine with a concept of live on-the-table grill in India and is the largest casual dining brand in the country. The restaurant offers a pre-fixed menu with a fixed price. The menu is drawn from Mediterranean, American, Oriental, Asian and Indian subcontinent. With more than 86 outlets across the nation, it offers a happy blend of various cuisines in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian choices.

Cost Average meal for two: Rs. 1600

Contact Number 080  6060 0000/01

Street Food Series: Chilli Parotta Recipe

Chilly Parotta is classic street food snack or a tiffin item from tamilnadu. I got to taste this dish for the first time at saravana bhavan located at hosur many years ago and since then I'm a huge fan of that saravana bhavan in hosur. 

I highly recommend this saravana bhavan location. Its has become a tradition for me to order a portion of chilly parotta for myself along with coffee here. There is no chance to miss this dish when at chennai its listed at all restaurants and many street vendors prepare this as per order with or with out chicken.

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Ingredients:
3 Parottas
2 Tomatoes
1 Medium Size Onion
1 Medium Size Capsicum
5 Green Chillies
2 Dried Red Chillies
1/2 Tbsp Chilly Powder
1/2 Tbsp Kitchen King Masala
1/2 Tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 Tbsp Ginger and Garlic Paste
4 Pods Garlic
1/2 Inch Ginger
3 Sprigs Curry Leaves
Oil for frying 
Salt as per taste...

I've used store bought parotta for this recipe. It is very easy to prepare this parotta at home and store in bulk till use I normally stock it in a zip pack in the freezer and heat it in a microwave till use. Recipe Link: Basic Parotta Recipe

In basic of Indian cooking series, I have featured my moms recipe for ginger and garlic paste we always have a small box of ginger and garlic paste to use for many recipes and this recipe is an excellent addition...ready to use must have ingredient in the fridge. Recipe Link: Basics-of-indian-cooking-series (Ginger and Garlic Paste)

Method:

Prep Up:
Add the tomato to a mixer jar grind to form a smooth paste.
Wash, peel and finely chop onion, garlic and ginger.
Slit the green chillies.
Chop Capsicum into small pieces.
Using scissors or pizza cutter chop the parottas into bite size cubes.
Heat oil for frying in a wok.

Lets assemble:
When heating oil for frying always place on very low flame and allow to reach temperature for frying any dish.

Gently drop a small portion of the chopped parottas in oil and fry on low to medium flame. Keep tossing the parottas pieces and fry for a minute on each side if the oil temp drops place on medium flame and fry till light brown.

Once the parottas turn light golden in color drain from excess oil and reserve in a plate lined with tissue paper. Allow the excess oil to drain.Fry the entire batch of parottas in the same way fry in small batches.

Use the same wok to prepare the chilly masala. I used only 2 tbsp of the fried oil and started to add all the ingredients. Add the onion, chillies, curry leaves, capsicum, chopped ginger and garlic along with ginger and garlic paste fry all the ingredients till the onion turns transparent.

Once the onion turns transparent add the chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala and tomato paste fry till oil separates. Add salt as per taste and the fried parottas mix well. Garnish with loads of coriander, finely chopped onion or spring onion and lime juice...Enjoy😊

Street Food Series: Papdi Pizza Recipe

Papdi Chat has always been my favourite starter/snack, I have tasted this dish multiple times during my visit to Mumbai and at various buffet restaurants. Anyone travelling to Mumbai must explore street food there its truly one-of-a-kind experience.

Ingredients:
4 to 5 Papdis 
1/4 Cup Pizza Sauce (follow my instant pizza sauce recipe)
1/2 Cup Bell Pepper (finely chopped capsicum)
1/4 Cup Drained Black Olives (Optional)
1/4 Cup Peas and Sweet Corn (Steam Cooked)
1/2 Onion (finely chopped)
1/2 Tomato (finely chopped)
5 Sprigs Coriander (finely chopped)
1/4 Cup Kara Sev
1/4 Cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
Chilly Flakes and Pizza Seasoning for garnish...

Follow my recipe for Papdi

Instant Pizza Sauce Recipe

Ingredients: 
1/4 Cup Pizza Sauce
1/2 Onion (finely chopped)
3 Pods Garlic (finely chopped)
1/4 Tsp Pizza Seasoning
1 Tbsp Butter 
1/4 Cup Warm Water

Method:
Heat a heavy pan on medium flame with butter before the butter melts and starts to burn add garlic and onion fry both the ingredients on low flame till onion turn transparent.

We can add warm water to cook the onions well. Once the water reduced and onions have cooked add the tomato ketchup and pizza seasoning stir well allow to cook for 30 seconds and remove from flame reserve in a bowl.

This pizza sauce is instant and can be used in many recipes like bread pizza or serve as a condiment for cheese balls. To prepare pizza sauce in bulk follow my recipe pizza/pasta-sauce-my-way.

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Lets assemble...

Method:

To enhance the flavor I have lined my plate with plantain leaf its optional . Start placing the papdi take a spoon full of pasta sauce and smear on papdi.

Top the papdi with chopped capsicum, steam cooked veggies, onion, tomato, grated cheese and kara sev garnish with olives and chopped coriander...serve right away...Enjoy!

Pre-planning is very important to prepare any chaat always have all the ingredients prepped two days ahead of time like papdi, pizza sauce and also grate cheese and reserve in airtight container, steam cook veggies and refrigerate. Just before assembly we can chop and prep all the veggies...reheat sauce and steamed veggies in microwave. 

Tasty, healthy, wholesome vegetarian/vegan food @Little Green Cafe - Museum Road, Bengaluru

Hi Friends, Here’s a look at a vegan/vegetarian friendly cafe I recently visited which is located at heart of the city, museum road in Bangalore.

I was hosted by Little Green Cafe couple of weeks ago and got to taste a part of their menu. After dining here for a causal lunch I was truly taken by surprise with the variety of world cuisine which was wholesome, tasty & healthy, everything I tasted was superb. 

At the entrance your surely welcomed with a aroma of freshly baked goodies displayed in a glass unit. Spacious and neatly maintained cafe with contemporary/vintage decor comfortable seating ample natural light and quick service.

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Ambience

Food we tasted...

Soups

 Vietnamese Pho with soba noodles

(Must try)

 Mushroom cappuccino 

(Creamy and frothy mushroom soup)

Starters

 Little Tikkis 

 Beetroot and Quinoa 

 Ricotta and Carrots

 Mezze Platter

Beetroot Hummus, Chia Seeds hummus and Multi grain Flak seeds pita bread (Must try)

Mains

Cottage cheese steak with mexican rice 

 Sparkling passion fruit and mint cooler (Must try)

Pearl Barley vegetables and roasted tomato risotto (Must try)

 My Plate 😃

 Thai Curry with semi polished kerela rice (Must try)

Hung Yogurt Chocolate Mousse with crunchy granola and meringue...

Masala Chai

Food served to us was vibrant all dishes were well balanced no over powering flavors and was really filling. My three picks from the tasting was Vietnamese Pho with soba noodles, Beetroot Hummus, Chia Seeds hummus and Multi grain Flak seeds pita bread and Thai Curry with semipolised kerela rice.