i think now, i sea.

Okay, these relatives of mine have come over from Kolkata and they insist that we go out for at least one meal every day. And let me just say, it’s been a weekend of seafood galore! I’m not a seafood lover by nature, cause I hardly get the opportunity to experience its brilliance. My parents are strict chicken and mutton people, and my friends and I, well we simply can’t afford it. So my expertise remains put only in the sphere of the birds and four legged beings. The sea as they say in its vast expanse has a lot more to offer than you and I can imagine, and it’s true! I only realized it three days ago and thus the excitement. I stay very close to Chittaranjan Park, and no offence to any culture or community, but it smells awful there. I only logically assumed that something that smelt like that couldn’t have tasted nice. But I was horribly wrong. It’s just the nicest, lightest, softest meat that fills you up yet doesn’t give you a feeling that you may throw up.

We went to Diva, the Italian place in GK2, owned by the insatiable Ritu Dalmia. White walls, impressive wine cellar, green plants and low lights. I love what plants can do to a space, it makes it less serious and so much earthier. My parents played very safe and ordered the lamb chops. It was flawlessly cooked and was juicy with tender flavors of garlic topped with shitake mushrooms. My aunt and I split the Gamberoni al vapore, which would basically be prawns poached in aromatic broth with a simple butter and herb sauce. It was served with spinach and crunchy salad leaves in this wonderful balsamic vinegar and red wine dressing along with a few pine nuts. This was the first time I was eating prawns and let me just say, they are delightful. Who knew something that looks so convoluted and spiky would be so mellow and supple. The thing with prawns is that they absorb the entire flavor making them light and perfect for an evening meal. My uncle was very clear about fish. He ordered the Pesce “san pietro” con asparagi e funghi shitake. Haha, this was the Australian John Dory wok-fried Shiitake and asparagus garnished with almond dressing. Since I hadn’t really ordered anything for myself, I got to try a modest bit of everyone’s. Oh, we also had a risotto with thyme. For desert we shared, okay I don’t remember what it was called but it was a lemon cheesecake with a kiwi sorbet and it was so bright tasting. I love chocolate, like I finish 3 bars a day but these days something makes me crave fruit more than anything else. This satisfied me entirely.

The next evening we went to Mainland China, and to my delight, their sea food festival was on. This had to be a sign from above, YOU NEED TO START RELISHING SEAFOOD was the only thing I thought God was trying to tell me .This side of the table went fish and shrimp and lobsters and that side of the table was chicken and chicken and more chicken. Generally I would’ve been on that side, but I was enthralled to be on this side. We started off with lobster dumplings that to my surprise were topped with tiny bubbles of caviar. I felt so fancy, it was unreal! Then came the garlic chilly prawns which were as promising as the last time. These were spicy and full of heat yet spongy and gentle.  The fish was in yellow bean sauce, a little dry but nicely cooked and extremely appetizing. I cant write about the chicken, as I really didn’t taste it, my side had a spread of its own! Daarsaan for desert, it the one thing that never disappoints me.

Tonight we’re off to an Indian place, I promise to write soon J

zaza

Last week  when my sister was in town, the both of us thought it would be extremely cool  to go lamp shopping to Zamrudpur!  The name of the shop was ZAZA. So off we went to Zaza in Zamrudpur. I know it’s getting a tad bit repetitive but come on, I still can’t get over it! This shop had some exquisite hand crafted and freakily funky creations. My sister is the artsy one, I’m more of the give me food cause Iv come shopping with you sort. We picked up one very attractive blue glass bangle and a stole that I personally thought was overpriced, but then again, who listens to me?

The top floor we were told had a tiny café that made mouthwatering pizzas. The sound of food during my pretentious act of enjoying shopping is like the sound of the police van when your house is being robbed and you’re in some dappled corner, too scared to move. After we were done looking around, we made our way up to the café. It was the cutest place, and the only person I wanted to be there with was my boyfriend. It was perfect, with a frosty breeze and tiny dazzling lights, and charming garden furniture. I missed him, but then that’s a completely different story. We were told that the pizzas weren’t on the menu that particular day, so we had to choose something else from the menu. I ordered a ham and cheese sandwich in whole wheat bread, and my sister went for the ceaser salad. I know it sounds ridiculously un-fancy, but it was so delicious and wholesome. It was perfect for a 6’o clock snack. The salad was crisp and perfectly drizzled with yummy olive oil, crunchy lettuce, onions and peppers blended well with the green olives and white feta cheese. The light seasoning made it a heavenly experience. My ham and cheese sandwich pleased me exceedingly, and went well with my cold coffee. Later we split a huge slice of chocolate gateaux. The warm glow of chocolate and the ruggedness of the home baked cake made Zamrudpur quite a wonderful experience.

I don’t know how food does this to me, it makes the world around me musical and yet it doesn’t make me fat!

zest appeal.

Completely in love with Nigella Lawson, I decided to try for the first time- Linguine with Mushrooms and Lemon zest. My house help was making merry with his relatives somewhere and my mom, well she wasn’t in the best of spirits. Hence I decided to try what seemed quite easy on television as you do no more to the mushrooms than slice them, steep them in extra virgin olive oil, add to that a bunch of things and toss them into hot cooked pasta. Here I would like to bring to your notice the difference between our lives that we lead in our modular kitchens and Nigellas perfect kitchen where boiling gravy never stains the walls, the crockery looks like a fresh cut diamond set at all times and even the insides of a raw turkey seem to smell nice. Sometimes there is a very thin line between reality and television, its delicate and flimsy but it sure as hell is there. I felt like I was Nigella Lawson herself, feeling particularly artistic I started off by tying up my otherwise very wild hair neatly into a bun, and washing my hands (Yes, I do think it is very important to mention this here) I  made notes of what all I needed and then I began to assemble everything in the most creative way I knew, in order of size. I got out my knife and chopping board and chopped my button mushrooms which wasn’t as easy as I had imagined- for when soaked for a while in water the insides tend to get mushy (maybe that’s where they get the name?), and I at any cost required all of them to look alike cause my mom always says that they should be identical, my mom even shells peas that are indistinguishable! To that I added 3 generous spoons of delicious olive oil. I grated into the bowl lemon zest and garlic. There is something about the two together that makes me feel really good about everything in life. Pepper and salt went in next and then I squeezed in half a lemon to that golden-brown mushroom salad. I had already boiled water for my linguine, so in went half a packet and in ten odd minutes my pasta was ready. Here was the trick that I thought would make my culinary endeavors successful. To add a small bowl of the boiling water into the mixture right after you position the pasta in the mushroom salad. Apparently the starchiness gives the dish a real kick (?!) Anyway, still feeling overtly confident I followed the recipe and my linguine was ready to be served. I didn’t want my family to starve so I sautéed in butter a few tomatoes and potatoes, and seasoned them with basil. I was so nervous, I always say how I really really want to be a chef but then what if I wasn’t good enough? Well my fears were substantiated with answers soon after, I took the first bite.

Yes. It tasted like someone has added a lot of lemon to perfectly cooked linguine (I shall take credit for that) also I think the mushroom salad was too little and the linguine was too much, well it’s the recipes fault, they had measurements in gms and mls not cups and spoons! So the flavor was very mild. My sister dismissed it, she jumped for the potatoes, my uncle said he liked it and my mom said she would add to it chilly flakes and that it would taste better. I really don’t understand the addition of ketchup or chilly flakes to anything until and unless its completely bland- as was my fancy linguine.

So all my efforts and build ups came crashing down to what people often refer to as reality. I am not Nigella Lawson, I am Udita Jain, and I am 19 and by the time im 21 I will be a lot better at this J