Culinary Adventure Series: Trip to Savi-Trail Garuda Farms at Garudapalya - Kolar District

Learn the art of farming with Savi Trail

Take a break towards Kolar and in under an hour you will be at Savi - Garuda Farms. You can spend your time picking fruit and vegetables, take in many of the rugged trails available and spot peacocks, blackbucks and deer. While we wait for the next mango season, there's plenty of excitement available now at the farm. A bountiful patch of vegetables and flowers waiting to be picked. Truly a magical trail waiting to be explored followed by yummy home cooked organic meal. 

Ideal journey for kids and explore life in the farm. Let them enjoy the joys of picking vegetables and flowers. Let them play with animals in the farm. Give them the feel of open spaces and rugged tracks and give them the taste of a home cooked lunch. For a quick escape out of the city and to experience this tour in farm, pick any of these slots, 9 AM to 2 PM or 4 PM to 8 PM .

Package details:

Enjoy a refreshing drink and some snacks. 

Take in a tractor ride around the farm. 

Pick your fruits and vegetables. 

Enjoy a traditional banana leaf lunch or dinner.

Savi Trails arranges pick-up for the people in Bangalore. Best place to escape for few hours from the routine and enjoy nature. They can also organize corporate tours group size max 20 to 25.  Garuda Farms located at Garuda Palya in Kolar district. 

Content Credit Arka Communications.

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I got a invite via Arka communications to join for a farm to fork event, this travel invite was just at the perfect time. Taking a break and heading towards kolar was definitely a rejuvenating experience. We started our journey at Bangalore Press Club after a quick masala dosa breakfast at nisarga infantry road, ten of us boarded two vehicles and headed towards garuda palya kolar.

Breakfast: Benne Masala Dosa

Mandatory Travel Selfie 😊

We reached garuda palya by 11am, Garuda palya is 60 kms from Bangalore on Kolar highway.  Very friendly hosts Mrs.Meenakshi, her Mother law and Sister in law Manju Gowda welcomed us to their farm Savi-Mango Trails. Entire farm is managed by three women it was truly very impressive.  After few refreshments we started to explore the farmhouse...

Exterior of the farm house...

Entrance...

Varanda...

Homemade snacks and refreshments...

Avarekalu Mixture (Deep Fried Field Beans)...

Kobari Barfi (Coconut Sweet)...

Kajaya (Deep Fried Rice Fritters)...

Kadalai Puri (Puffed Rice)...

Sapota Fruit/Chikoo...

After few refreshments we were totally feeling at home and were ready to explore the entire farm...

A short tractor drive to the mango orchard...

The sight of flowering and budding trees was so beautiful. Many in our team also spotted deers and few birds on this hike...

By end of March till June its mango season, anyone can book this trail and enjoy the bounty at the farm and can also pluck and buy your own harvested mangoes.

First mango yield yet to be harvested...

Only one or two mangoes will survive from this bloom...

Tiny Raspuri Mangoes...

 A quick pic at the lake which is located in the property

After a quick tour around the mango orchard, all of us enjoyed a short hike towards the farm...

Many from our team who were adventures enjoyed rock climbing and bird watching...

We spent an hour and half hiking, exploring and enjoying the wilderness, many locations at the farm is still untouched which is perfect for wildlife. 

We enter the vegetable and fruit path at the farm...

Sapota tree...

Beans and green onions patch...

Days Harvested Fruits and Vegetables...

Sambar Onions (Shallots)...

Figs

Green Chilies

Bumblimass (Indian Grapefruit)

Banana Flower

Banana 

Ridge Gourd and okra

Coconut..

We can buy all this produce at the farm. They also sell red rice, brown rice, millets, dry beans cultivated at the farm.

After  a wonderful hike and gaining knowledge on eco friendly farming, we headed back to the farm house for a scrumptious gowdru manne otta...

Masala Vadai (Chickpea fritters)

Rasam (Pepper water)

Natti Kozhi Fry (Free range chicken stir fry)

Suggi (Sweet Dumpling)

Lime Rice

Aloo Palya (Potato Stir Fry)

Kosambari (Cucumber and Mung Beans Salad)

Coriander Coconut Chutney

Ragi Mudde (Finger millet muddle) 

Curd Rice

The lunch was amazing it was so satisfying. We can book for veg or nonveg lunch/dinner as per preference. They do not serve alcohol, please carry your own. 

I was back enjoying nature and relaxing in the garden. Few clicks of bougainvillea plants in full bloom.

A short trip not so far from Bangalore escaping to a stress free environment helped me calm down and enjoy. I highly recommend Savi Trails be it mango picking or trails around the farm it was enjoyable. Kids and adults will get to learn about wildlife and eco farming. Concluding my travel blog with a group pic.

Group Pic Credit: Naveen Suresh

Cheese Stuffed Chicken Kofta Pulao Recipe

Cheese stuffed chicken koftas was an experiment, I was planning to prepare a gravy but ended up adding the meatballs to a pulao, overall taste and entire dish was good. These koftas can also be added to a gravy and served with naan. I enjoyed the delicate flavors, cheese and nuts stuffed in the kofta.

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Ingredients for Kofta:
500 Grams Chicken Mince
10 Pistachios (Roughly Chopped)
10 Cashews (Roughly Chopped)
2 Tbsp Kitchen King Masala
1 1/2 Tbsp Ginger and Garlic Paste
1/4 Cup Pomegranate Seeds
2 Tbsp Green Chilly Paste
100 Grams Paneer (Grated)
100 Grams Cheddar Cheese (Grated)
1/2 Onion (Finely Chopped)
Salt as per taste
Oil as required...

Method:
In a mixing bowl combine the grated paneer and cheddar cheese.
Add 1/2 tsp chilly paste, 1/2 tsp kitchen king masala, pomegranate seeds, chopped nuts and salt. Combine all the ingredients and refrigerate until use.

Marinate the chicken mince with 1 1/2 tbsp green chilly paste, 1 1/2 tbsp kitchen king masala, 1/2 onion, 1 1/2 tbsp ginger and garlic paste. Incorporate all the ingredients well in the chicken and reserve for 15 minutes. Add salt as per taste, once your ready to create chicken balls.

Once the chicken has marinated, create cheeseballs slightly smaller than a lime. Oil your hands (chicken mince tends to be sticky).  

Make slightly larger portion of chicken ball than the cheeseball. Create a cavity in the chicken ball, and place the cheese ball in the middle, gently cover the chicken mince and seal the cheese.

Heat a pan on medium flame with 2 tbsp oil. Gently place the chicken balls and fry on medium flame. Fry the chicken balls on all sides. Add 1/4 cup water cover and cook the chicken meat balls until well done.


Tips: To avoid the meatballs crumbling while frying or to prevent the cheese oozing and burning. Place the chicken and cheese in the fridge and refrigerate till both the ingredients are cold. Once it's set and cold start forming meatballs.

 Ingredients to Prepare Pulao:
250 Grams Rice
1/4 Cup Yogurt
1 Bayleaf
3 Cloves
3 Green Cardamom
1 Black Cardamom
1 Star Anise 
1 Strand Mace
2 Inch Sticks Cinnamon
1/2 Large Onion (Finely Chopped)
1/2 Tbsp Ginger and Garlic Paste
1/2 Tbsp Green Chilly Paste
5 Sprigs Coriander (Finely Chopped)
5 Sprigs Mint (Finely Chopped)
1/2 Lime
1 Tbsp Ghee
1 Tbsp Oil
Salt as per taste
Pomegranate Seeds, Mint and Coriander for garnish...

Method:
Wash the rice twice and soak for 10 minutes. Heat a pressure cooker on medium flame with 1 tbsp ghee and 1 tbsp oil. Add the whole spices to the oil and allow to splutter. Add ginger and garlic paste, chilly paste and onion fry all the ingredients for a minute. Add 1/4 cup water and allow the onion and chilly to cook well till oil surfaces to the sides. 

Add yogurt, finely chopped mint and coriander to the onion masala fry all the ingredients. Drain and add the soaked rice to the masala. For every 1 cup rice add 1 1/2 cups water and 1 tbsp salt as per taste. Stir well and cover. Place a lid and whistle cook for 2 to 3 whistles or until the rice has cooked.

Once the pressure for cooker has reduced open and mix the rice well, add the shallow fried meat balls to the rice and mix. Place the lid back with whistle and place the cooker on low flame for 2 to 5 minutes on dum.

We can also bake the meat balls layered with rice on 180 degree for 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish the dum cooked kofta pulao with pomegranate seeds, mint and coriander...Serve hot...Enjoy😉

Peppery Bhindi / Vendakkai / Okra Roast

Vendakkai roast is one our go to easy to prepare side dish on weekdays. We normally serve this side dish with pulka or steam cooked rice and rasam. 

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Prep:
Wash the okra twice and allow excess moisture to drain using a colander.

Spread the washed okra on a cotton towel and pat dry.

If the okra has fuzz wipe using same towel.

Remove the stem and tail from the okra.

Bunch four or five okra start to thinly slice and reserve.

Ingredients:
1 Kilo Bhindi/Vendakkai/Okra
1 Tbsp Black Pepper Powder
1 Tbsp Red Chilli Powder
1/4 Tsp Asafoetida
4 1/2 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste.

Method:
Heat a nonstick pan or wok,  add 2  tbsp oil allow to reach temperature.

Add  asafoetida allow to splutter. Add the sliced okra stir occasionally on a medium flame, we can place the cover but must stir every 3 minutes once.

Cook the okra for 10 minutes. Excess gel format from the okra must evaporate.

Once the okra is half way done add salt chilli powder and stir well and fry.

Add pepper powder in 5 minutes after the raw flavor from chilly powder has reduced and fry for 2 minutes.

Once you see little bit oil to the sides remove from flame serve hot...Enjoy...😊