SRI LANKAN FOOD FESTIVAL @XOOX- BREWMILL, KORAMANGALA - BENGALURU

XOOX BREWMILL known for their craft beers and pub grub is hosting a SRI LANKAN FOOD FESTIVAL till Sep 1st, 2019. The menu is specially curated by Priya Bala Food writer, Critic and Restaurant expert.

Priya Bala

I always enjoy reading Priya's columns and articles regularly on Time of India - Bangalore. Getting to meet her in person and tasting dishes which are her family recipes was really unique and unexpected experience I had.

Sri Lankan food is homely, simple and very comforting. I could taste the dominating flavours from cinnamon, coconut and curry powder in many dishes, it is very similar to Indian food but I could see the strong british, malaysian and portuguese influence in the cuisine. All the dishes served to us paired well with beers and cocktails. This is my third visit to XOOX and every visit was truly enjoyable from food to service. 

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JAPANESE BLONDE - CRAFT BEER 

RAPUNZEL'S DREAM - COCKTAIL

BREAD FRUIT CHIPS, ROASTED SALSA, ACHARU

 BANANA BLOSSOM SALAD

Banana blossom tossed with coconut, peanut & spices

CHICKEN PATTIES

Creamy chicken in pastry

BOILED CASHEWS 

 Tender cashew, tossed with coconut

SEENI SAMBOL PATTIES

 Crescents filled with sweet onion relish

 DEVILLED EGGS

 Eggs stuffed with creamy yolk & mayo -- a retro hit

 PORK BUNS

Peppery pulled pork in stuffed in fluffy buns

 BEEF ROLLS

Crumbed pancake rolls filled with mince

Sorry I do not consume beef it is part of my religious belief, but i was happy to see my friends enjoy this dish.

SWEET POTATO CUTLET

Oven roasted sweet potatoes, spiced and crumbed

 SRI LANKAN - STYLE CANAPES

Sweet-n-sour prawns on buttered toast

 RICE and VEG CURRY BOWL

Sambol rice, breadfruit cooked in coconut milk, vegetable and papadum

 IDIAPPAM KOTTHU NON VEG

String Hoppers tossed with prawn/ chicken & veggies

 MILK TOFFEE

 WATALAPPAM

Coconut & jaggery custard with milk toffee and sesame crisp

Tilapia Fish Bonda Recipe #Freshtohome

Tilapia is a mildly flavoured fish which is commonly breed in natural ponds and lakes by local fishermen. I purchased these tilapia fish fillets from freshtohome app, they list fresh and premium quality meats, poultry and fish, which is procured from organic farming and packaged without any pesticides. The app also has good discounts and offers on a regular basis. 

Tilapia Fish (Jalebi)  Fillets: 250 Grams

Vacuum Sealed Pack

Priced: 123/-

Buy You Daily Meats, Fish, Poultry, Cut Veggies, Idly Dosa Batter and Ready to Cook Products From: www.freshtohome.com/‎ or download the app for more offers...

Fresh to home supplies in Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kerala, Pune also in UAE.

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Ingredients: (Fish Filling)
250 Grams Tilapia Fish Fillets
1 Onion Finely Chopped
5 to  6 Green Chilies Finely Chopped
8 Sprigs Coriander Finely Chopped
5 Sprigs Mint Finely Chopped
5 Sprigs Curry Leaves Finely Chopped
2 Tbsp Ginger and Garlic Paste
1 Tbsp White Pepper Powder or Black Pepper Powder
1 Tbsp Chilly Powder
1/2 Tsp Turmeric Powder
1 Tbsp Chaat Masala
1/2 Tsp Cumin Powder
1/4 Cup Grated Fresh Coconut
1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2 Tsp Carom Seeds
Salt as per taste
2 Tbsp Oil

Ingredients: (Bonda Batter)
150 Grams Chickpea Flour
100 Grams All Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp Chilly Powder
1 Tsp Carom Seeds
1/4 Tsp Cooking Soda
Salt as per taste
2 Tbsp Hot Oil

Method:
Prepare the Fish Filling:
Wash the fish fillets, allow excess water to drain using a colander.
Pat the fish dry using a tissue and reserve in a bowl. Finely chop all the ingredients.

Heat a wok with 2 tbsp oil on medium flame.
Add the cumin seeds and carom seeds to hot oil and allow to splutter.

Once the carom and cumin seeds stops spluttering, add the finely chopped coriander, onion, chilies, mint and curry leaves.
Fry the onions till it turns transparent.

Add the grated coconut and fry for few seconds.
Add the chilly powder, chaat masala, cumin powder, turmeric powder and white pepper fry all the spice powders till the raw flavors reduces.

Place the tilapia fish fillets in the masala and coat the fish with the masala. Add salt as per taste and 1/4 cup water.

Flip and coat the fish with masala and cover.
Once the fish has cooked in masala for 5 minutes it will be easy to crumble. Gently toss the fish and crumble.

Place on medium flame allow the fish masala to dry out excess moisture. Once the masala has no moisture remove from flame allow to reach room temperature.

Prepare Batter:
Sieve the chickpea flour and all purpose flour twice.
Heat oil for frying on medium flame. 

Add the sifted flour to a mixing bowl, add the chilly powder, cooking soda, carom seeds and salt.

Gradually add water and mix to form a smooth batter. 
Once the batter has formed mix it once using your hands and make sure there are no lumps.

Dip your finger or back of a wooden spoon to check if the batter is coating or if it is to watery.  The batter consistency should be slightly thick than a pancake or dosa batter.

Final Assembly:
Fish Filling
Batter
Bowl Water
Bread Slices 
Oil for Frying

Let's Prepare Fish Filled Bondas:
Prepare a batch of five to six bondas. Take five to six bread slices, trim the edges.

Slightly dampen the bread slice and press the slice of bread in between your palms.

Place couple of tbsp fish filling in the middle and gather all the edges form bondas.

Dip each bonda in batter and shake out excess batter. Drop the bonda in hot oil and fry on medium flame. 

Constantly toss and fry the bondas for 5 minutes or until the outer covering turns golden in color.

Drain from excess oil and reserve on a plate lined with tissue paper allowing excess oil to drain.

Serve the bondas hot with coriander chutney or a cheese sauce and enjoy as a snack with masala chai or serve as a starter 😊

Tapioca Pearls / Javvarisi / Sabudana / Sabakki Vadai Recipe

I'm recreating this recipe post with fresh photos and video. This recipe was posted back in 2010, here is the link to my old post.

My mom would often prepare sabudana vadas as after school snack, I have fond memories enjoying these crispy vadas with ketchup. Sabudana / Javvarisi is very nutritious, helps in growth, it is good source of vitamin k and calcium.  

Recipe video posted on Youtube English and Tamil Channel Subscribe for regular updates 😊

Ingredients:
300 Grams Tapioca Pearls / Javvarisi / Sabudana / Sabakki (Nylon Javvarisi)
150 Grams Yogurt
1 Large Onion Finely Chopped
1/2 Cup Fenugreek Leaves Finely Chopped
1/2 Cup Dill Leaves Finely Chopped
1/4 Cup Coriander Finely Chopped
8 Green Chilies Finely Chopped
5 Sprigs Curry Leaves Finely Chopped 
1/2 Cup Maida (All Purpose Flour)
1/2 Cup Rice Flour
1/4 Cup Roasted Peanuts
Oil for Frying
Salt as per taste...

Method:
Add the measured tapioca pearls to a bowl, add yogurt and mix well. Add 1 cups water gradually mix well, cover and allow to soak for 2 to 3 hours.

Once the tapioca pearls double in volume transfer to a larger mixing bowl or plate. Add all the finely chopped greens, onions, chilies, peanuts, rice flour, all purpose flour and salt combine all the ingredients if needed sprinkle water and form a dough.

Heat a wok with enough oil for frying on medium flame. Once the oil reaches smoking point place on low flame.

Wet your hands and palms with water or oil take slightly larger than lime size portion of dough and flatten it in your palm to form vadas.

Gently drop the vada to hotoil prepare a batch of 4 to 5  vadas and start frying on medium to low flame. Gently turn the vadas every minute and fry the vadas for 5 minutes. Drain from excess oil and reserve on a plate lined with tissue paper.Serve the vadas hot with chutney and hot chai...Enjoy 😊

Tapioca Video Series on Youtube 

How to Steam Cook Tapioca

Honey Chilli Tapioca

Tapioca Chaat

Binging on Coastal Cuisine @Mahesh Lunch Home - Bangalore

Mahesh lunch home was established in 1977 by Mr. S.C. Karkera. The famous multichain restaurant has been dishing out Mangalorean and coastal cuisine to their customers across Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai and Dubai. Customers can choose a five course set menu to thali or alacarte. Apart from seafood, meat and chicken curries with appams and neer dosas or rice is also the best choice here. 

I got to visit this place with a small group of friends. I expected authentic mangalorean / konkani cuisine, but the set menu here features everything from chinese to tandoori and even andhra. Slightly disappointed with the set menu option, but majority of dishes specially the curries tasted excellent.

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 Ground floor with bar attached 

 Comfy seating at both the levels 

 Set Menu

 Crab soup was okay 

Mixed seafood soup was spicy better than the first soup

Both the soups were chinese style

 Lava Flow Mocktail Okay

 Chicken Sukka was perfect

 I liked the crunchy coconut in chicken sukka

 Thai Chilli Garlic Prawns was very bland no flavour

 Surmai tikka was little dry 

 Kane Rawa Fry was excellent 

 Chicken Ghee roast was not good

 Vijayawada Fish curry must try excellent

 Chicken korma excellent

 Boiled rice must try with fish curry

 Regular rice with chicken korma

 Appams were okay

 Neer Dosas must try

 The curries were next level, truly enjoyed with appams and rice.

 Gulab Jamun Excellent

 Elaneer Payasam Excellent

 Kulfi Excellent

Overall we enjoyed majority of dishes. The staff were friendly and treated us to good food. My picks from the entire menu were chicken curry, fish curry, chicken sukka, kane fish fry and kulfi.