Loi Krathong Festival Celebrated at Benjarong

The Loi Krathong is celebrated on the full moon of November in Thailand. Loi translates to floating and Krathong means small baskets or rafts. When we went to Benjarong, we saw a tray full of open baskets made using banana leaves and decorated with purple orchids and a candle. We needed to light the candle and float it. It is quite similar to our Diwali celebrations.

Floating a Loi Krathong

The floating baskets of leaves and orchids

Here is the unfolding of the menu served that night.

Benjarong, being true to its Thai tradition, hosted a great dinner for us. We were served the traditional Mian Khum, which contains spinach leaves, roasted coconut, chutney made of palm sugar, onions, ginger, lime and chilli. It tastes great and set the mood for the feast we were to have later at night.

Mian Khum

Wild Orchid- A great concoction of lychee, orange and guava juice, which was smooth on the tongue and a great accompaniment to the soup we had.

Gaeng Som Gung- A soup made out of Thai red curry paste, mushrooms, prawns, galangal and lemongrass. Bits of an egg omelet were added too. The soup was a little spicy, which was quite welcome considering the chilly atmosphere.

Gaeng Som Gung Soup

Yum Hed Hoo Noo- We were served this salad made of carrots, beetroot, black mushroom and sesame seeds. The flavour was a mixture of tangy and sweet. The tang was added by the lime juice and the sweet was from palm sugar (we are guessing!).

Pla Hor Baitaey- We were given fish fillets wrapped in pandana leaves. The flavour of the fish was intact and it was further infused with the flavour of the pandana leaf. It tasted great. A similar dish is available on the regular menu, but it is made with chicken. So do sample this dish while it lasts on the festival special menu.

Lock Chin Gai Ping- The name literally translates to chicken balls on bamboo skewers. The balls were soft and well cooked and they were great as fillers, with a sauce of chilli and garlic flavour.

(Left) Pla Hor Baitaey, (Top) Lock Chin Gai Ping (Below) Yum Hed Hoo Noo

After such a lip smacking spread of starters, we were very eager to check the main course out. The main course served us portions of the following items:

Glass Noodles, known as Pahd Woonsen Goong in the Thai language. The noodles were cooked to a good texture and they were the perfect gluten with the side dishes that followed. We were served Graprou Gae, a shredded lamb curry in holy basil sauce, with green peas, carrots and chilli. The holy basil flavour was well infused in the curry and it tasted great with the glass noodles.

We were also served a Burmese curry or Kaeng Bamaa, made using the Thai Red Curry Paste, Chicken and Coconut Milk. This dish is eaten widely in southern Thailand and it had a wonderful flavour imparted to it by the coconut milk and fried onions that were added to the curry. We had fluffy white rice to have with the curry. Kai Chi Gai or and Omelet stuffed with minced chicken was also served.

Burmese Curry or Kaeng Bamaa

Graprou Gae

The staff was very gracious and they explained to us the different kinds of dishes. In between serves, we were given lemongrass tea which helps in digestion. It is also said to reduce weight if one takes it regularly.

Finally, we polished our meal off with a helping of a date jaggery custard, sticky rice pudding, synonymous to the Bengali "payesh" and coconut ice cream which had crunchy coconut bits in them.

Sticky Rice Pudding, Coconut Custard and Coconut Ice Cream

It was a great meal and we enjoyed it with other food enthusiasts, discussing different food and their types. It was a great experience and we would like to thank Benjarong, South City Mall for it.

Food Bloggers Doing What They Do Best :)

Do try this special feat out while it lasts, which is 9th December 2012.  

Black Dog Easy Evenings Presents- Chandrakosh

Even though only the moon was visible today, there was no dearth of stars on stage! We were invited to attend the Black Dog Easy Evenings sponsored event, Chandrakosh, at Club Verde Vista by Conclave, at Upohar Apartment, off the EM Bypass. This was the third year of Chandrakosh and it could not have been better.
The evening began with a hi-tea, where sandwiches, hing kachori, vegetable cutlets and masala sandwiches were served with steaming cups of masala chai. Once the hi tea was over, we took our seats at the arena. It was organised as an open-air performance and as the evening progressed, it started getting chilly. Only the mesmerizing music managed to keep us glued to our chairs.
The performance started with a jugalbandi between tabla maestro Tanmoy Bose and Ayan Ali Khan, son of Ustaad Amjad Ali Khan and an excellent sarod player in his own right. He started off with the spirited Raga JhinJhoti. It started slow and then gathered the pace to reach a high crescendo. The next composition that he played was based on Zila Kafi in Ara Choutal. It has a good rhythm to it and all the members of the audience were tapping their feet to it.
After a short break came on Tanmoy Bose and his team of musicians. His soiree started with a tune being strung on the Sarangi and various percussion instruments like the pakhwaj, khol, tabla, drums etc. were showcased, weaved around the tune of the sarangi. One of his team members also showed a wonderful dance with a percussion instrument.
After that awe-inspiring performance, Ustad Rashid Khan took the stage with his entourage and sung a wonderful thumri. His whetted voice sounded melodious over the microphone and we all sat their listening to him. He went on to sing 2 more songs before calling it a night.
Music, they say, is food for the soul. Chandrakosh, definitely provided us some fodder for it, under the canape of the moonlit night! Black Dog truly sponsored an evening of the highest standards.

Pictures:

Tanmoy Bose and Ayan Ali Khan in jugalbandi

Tanmoy Bose with his team of percussionists

Arjun Chakraborty with Harsh Neotia

Ustad Rashid Khan

Yeh Shaam Mastani- A Tribute to Rajesh Khanna, Kishore Kumar and Panchamda, by Euphony

This week we had the chance to attend the event " Yeh Shaam Mastani" organised by Euphony, the R.D. Burman foundation based in Kolkata, in Kala Mandir. The musical evening was organised as a tribute to the blockbuster musical trio of Bollywood, as we knew it in the 70s- Rajesh Khanna, Kishore Kumar and R.D. Burman. The specialty of the evening was, there was no vocals- it was pure orchestration of the songs. Mr Ramesh Iyer (lead guitar), Kishore Sodha (trumpet), Raj Sodha (Saxophone/Flute), Suraj Sathe (Accordion), who were a part of Panchamda's orchestra, graced the evening with their perfect notes and tunes and rhythm. Evergreen songs like "Chingari koi bharke" from Amar Prem, "Mere Sapno ki Raani" from Aradhana, "Zindagi ke safar mein" from Aap ki Kasam etc. was belted out. The event was well conducted and we enjoyed a lot, along with the rest of the audience. The program began at 6pm and from then on it was all about remembering the legendary trio. Nostalgia swept over all of us and we were completely washed away with it!

Ramesh Iyer working his magic on the guitar

Kishore Sodha belting out a number on his trumpet

Suraj Sathe working on his accordion 

Black Dog ‘Ecstatic’ Easy Evenings-

Whiskey lovers need no introduction to Black Dog. Created in the breweries of the 175-
year-old liquor blending comany, the premium scotch brand acquaints us with the finest
of flavors of the Scottish Highlands.

It was a hot and humid Saturday evening, as we walked into Hotel Hindustan
International. Mr. Paul George approached and warmly welcomed us to the Black Dog
Easy Evening event.

Drinks-

The room had some of the best bartenders, whipping up cocktails, which were amazing
to look at, as they were to taste. We started out with a couple of pegs of Black Dog
Centenary. It had a beautiful amber and golden hue, and smelled and tasted refreshing!
We tried out a glass of white rum-based Mojito, and vodka-based Screwdriver. Also, we
had a few mocktails. Seesaw contained chunks of kiwi, pomegranate, lemon, crushed
and blended with tomato and orange juice. It had an interesting tangy flavor. Next in line
was Kiwi Cooler. The fruity and fizzy mocktail had an excellent taste. We just had to get
another glass!

The alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages

Food-

No cocktail party is complete without a snack, and HHI definitely did not let us down.
First, we were served miniature Vegetable Spring Roll. It contained fine rice noodles
and vegetables, and just melted in our mouths. Next came Onion and Leek Quiche. It
was an ideal balance between the aroma of oregano, and onion, and the tangy flavor of
cheese. They were followed by Mushroom and Tomato Bruchetta, which contained a
tasty mix of mushroom and tomato on tiny pieces of garlic bread. It had a characteristic
taste and aroma. The Grilled Paneer in comparison was slightly bland. Just when we
were thinking that it was an evening for the veggies, came Mutton Shammi Kabab and
Chicken Takrani. The Mutton Shammi Kabab was smooth and yummy, but the Chicken
Takrani with its unique deliciousness, kept our taste buds begging for more! Our begging
taste buds were treated with more goodies like Murg Badami Kabab, and Pesto Fish
Finger. The earlier one had a wonderful zing to it, with the chunks of nuts, perfectly
complimenting its flavors. The latter was a traditional fish finger, but was very much at
par with the rest of the food served that evening.

Mutton Shammi Kebab, Chicken Takrani and Mushroom and Tomato Bruschetta

Music-

The second half of August saw the entire nation moving to the tunes of Madonna, with
leading Madonna cover artist Melissa Totten and her team traveling the major cities. We
had the privilege of catching up with her at the HHI, and ask her a few questions.

Melissa Totten performing at Madonna Forever, HHI

In performance- Melissa Totten

Here's what we talked about-

1. You are the leading Madonna celebration artist. How did your journey
begin?

I moved to Chicago in 1988, where I studied to be an advertising copywriter
at Columbia College. It was there that I was first approached (on a city bus)
to do occasional lookalike work for celebrity themed corporate events. It felt
like playing dress up for beer money. I had no idea that there was a whole
industry out there. In 1991, friends started to realize that the Chicago Tribune's
reported "Madonna sightings" was actually I, and the amused columnists called
me in for an interview. The next day the photo hit the papers.

As the last three credits of her degree at Columbia, a small, low budget tribute
show came into town, and in a news segment, directed anyone looking like
someone famous to call and audition. I thought it would be good for my project.
I called the number on the screen, and set up an audition. It happened to be in
the same apartment building that I lived in. I threw on some red lipstick and got
in the elevator, and came back with a six-month contract on a Royal Caribbean
Cruise Ship. I was going to be singing live. I just went with it.

2. You have been in the music scene for over 20 years now. What would you say,
if you have to describe your musical journey in one word?

Unimaginable.

3. How did you like Kolkata? What are the things you loved about the city?

I was in Kolkata for a very short time. I didn't have time to fall in love.

4. How did you like the Kolkata music scene?

Again, sorry but I literally did not have time to step outside of the hotel except to go
to the airport at 5am.

5. Do you have any plans of working with Indian artists?
Not that I am aware of.

At 9pm, the show began, as Melissa rocked us with Madonna hits like ‘Like a
Prayer’, ‘4 Minutes’ and many more! What can we say? We were left speechless….!It's good food, premium liquor and melodious music all the way with BLACK DOG!

Four Seasons Live Cookout at Hotel Royal Orchid, Bangalore

We got the opportunity to attend live cooking at Hotel Royal Orchid in Bangalore.The event started
off with wine tasting. Ms Shamitha Singha-Former Ms. India Earth headed the session speaking about
the different types of four season wine- white and red wine and how the possible pairing is done
with food. The wine tasting event was followed by salad making where the chef supplemented the
taste of salad by prudently adding appropriate amount of cheese to it. We were also served Chicken
Satay along with vegetable satay which mainly consisted of broccoli, baby corn, red and yellow
bell pepper . The chef then cooked a special Thai dish with coconut gravy which was very good
in taste. The event was completed with live barbeque cooking -grilled smoked chicken which was
served with a tangy tomato garlic sauce . We had Chocolate mousse for desert.

All in all, we had a great time with amazing food :) Thanks to Four Seasons Wines

Here is the link to the Live Cookout at Hotel Royal Orchid in Bangalore!

Four Seasons Wines Live Cookout- Bangalore

Pictures from the event:

Wines Served

Live Chicken Barbecue

Desserts Served- Chocolate Mousse

Rashmi Uday Singh's Book Launch- A Vegetarian in Paris

    Rashmi Uday Singh is a well known TV presenter who is also a renowned food critic. The book talks of her experiences in Paris- A city known all through the world as a meat lover's paradise. It is a guide for vegetarians to eat out at Paris and which eateries to hit and which to miss.
    The event was organised by Le Creuset, which is a well known crockery brand, with a flagship store in Bangalore. They stock cookware, wine accessories, stoneware etc.
   We Reached late for the event as a result of which we could catch up with last fifteen minutes of
the event.I got to interview Ms.Rashmi Uday Singh –the award winning cookbook author .

1) As far as I know you have a background in law so why this switch to writing books on cooking

Ans; I wanted to explore more ,and I have always had passion for cooking.

2) What is the concept of this book?

Ans; this book is basically about vegetarian restaurants in Paris.it took me quite sometime
to find the vegetarian restaurants here. People have this misconception that there are not
many vegetarian restaurants in Europe.

This book clearly gives the details of the vegetarian food in Paris. Thanks to Four Seasons Wines for inviting us for this wonderful event!

Rashmi Uday Singh at the Event

Multi Talented Industrialist and Gourmet chef, Mr Vijay Kirloskar, rustling up his favourite dish

In Sensed Featured- Four Seasons Live Cooking Event at Novotel Mumbai

We were invited to attend the live cooking event at Novotel, Juhu Mumbai. Owing to some problems with transport in the city, we reached late. Upon arrival, we were made to wait outside for roughly 15 minutes by the hotel staff. Once, the Four Seasons Wines staff got to know, they took us in cordially. Unfortunately, we missed the actual cooking event. But, just 'cos we missed, you need not miss it. Here is the link to the cooking event.

We sat at a table and we were served some items from the fare on display. Chicken and Mushroom in three mustard sauce, lamb ravioli on a bed of mozzarella with anchovies were some items served. The food was well paired with the Four Seasons Chenin Blanc Wine, which is a young white wine. We had a conversation with Mr. Abhay Kewadkar (Head UB - Four Seasons Wines and Chief Wine Maker) and he explained to us about the different types of wine tasting and pairing possible. He explained to us what were the different types of wine and how the pairing was done. Generally, meats were not paired with white wine. Indian food is paired well with white wine, as it enhances the taste of the spices. The food was sumptuous and tasted great with the wine served. A slight spot on the experience was brought on by the less than lukewarm behaviour of the hotel staff. When one of us asked the maitre d' to pour some red wine, he, asked us to get it ourselves!

For dessert, there were lemon tarts and macaroons.

All in all, we had a good experience and we have only Four Seasons Wines to thank for it. :)
Here are the snapshots from the event.

Fare at The Novotel,Juhu,Mumbai

Four Seasons Wines served at the event

Chicken and Mushroom in 3 Mustard sauce and Lamb Ravioli

Lemon Tarts and Macaroons along with other desserts

In Sensed Featured- Wine and Dine with Four Seasons and HHI Mythh

The art of wine tasting is taking over India. With brands like Four Seasons manufacturing quality wines in the peninsular nation, it is something worth trying one’s hands at. The In Sensed team met up with Femina Miss India Earth 2001, and wine enthusiast Shamita Singha. In the course of tête-à-tête, the brand ambassador of Four Seasons Wine enlightened us about the fine art. Here’s what we asked-

 

India is not exactly a wine-making/ wine-drinking nation. Is it well worth the risk in promoting wine in such a country?

 

According to her, it was indeed risky, but thanks to the television and the Internet, the youngsters are developing an interest towards wine. They predict that the wine market in India is to grow rapidly in the next 5 years.

 

We all know that wine has medicinal qualities. Does she include that during her talks on wine tasting?

 

Oh yes! That is something she makes sure she tells people about. Wine is known to strengthen bones and keeps the heart healthy. It has anti-aging properties and does wonders for the skin. Rich in anti-oxidants, wine cuts down on one’s risk of getting cancer. Recent studies have shown that it also reduces the risk of memory related disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. But then again, it should, like any other alcoholic beverage, be drunk in moderation.

 

Taking into account the climate of India, which kinds of wine would she suggest?

 

In this weather, she suggested that we try some chilled Rosé and white wine. Red wine, as you know is for cold weather, and tends to heat up your system. Also, gulp down some water after every glass.

 

A little more about the Four Seasons Wines and Vineyards: 

It has its very own vineyard in Baramati, Maharashtra, and are greatly inspired by the French wine making techniques.

 

What advice would she give to newbies like us, who are just getting acquainted with wine tasting?

 

According to her, it is best to start out with white wine. Red wine has more tannins in it, and hence more complex in taste. Also, make sure one has it with food, to get the feel of it.

 

 The rest of the evening went a little like this:

 

The live band belted out classic as well as new English hits, as we were warmly greeted by Mr. Mitter of UB Group. We went and sat down at our table in The Mythh, HHI, and eagerly waited for the Chinese gastronomic delights stirred up by chef Chang Lee, and a few glasses of Four Seasons wine.

 

As we sat down to dine

Starters and Appetizers-

 

We were served Hoisin Chilli Lamb, which was an ideal balance of sweet and spicy. The water chestnuts added an additional twist to the flavour. The Lan Zhou Chilli Basa Fish was yet another treat for the taste buds. The Sichuan Crispy Spicy Vegetables and the Panfried Spinach and Corn Dumpling were good to taste, but slightly salty. We paired the starters up with Four Seasons Chenin Blanc Wine. The medium dry wine had a slightly sweet tinge, and blended perfectly with the spicy starters.

Hoisin Chilli Lamb, Lan Zhou Chilli Basa Fish and Sichuan Crispy Spicy Vegetables with Four Seasons Chenin Blanc

 

Soup-

 

Next up was the Cilantro Cucumber soup, which smelled as well as tasted delicious. It successfully countered the spiciness of the starters. Complimenting the taste of the soup was Four Seasons Blush. This faintly sweet, and medium dry wine is said to go perfectly with spicy snacks as well as salads and sweets. It is a blend of Zinfandel and Shiraz varieties of grapes. What began an effort of the Californian wine companies to bring back the Rosé wine back in style became one of the best-loved varieties of wine.

 

Four Seasons Blush with Cilantro Cucumber soup

Main course-

 

Just when we thought it couldn’t get better, there arrived the main course! The tomato and mushroom fried rice and traditionally cooked North Hill noodles with stir fried prawns, roasted chicken and vegetables, were served with Panfried Basa, Tai Chin Chicken and Sautéed broccoli, mushrooms and baby corn. The vegetables were quite tasty. The fish and the chicken were cooked to perfection, and left our taste buds craving for more! Four Seasons Barrique Reserve Shiraz wine was our company during the main course. Dry with strong flavours, it is matured in French oak barrels for 9 months, before bottling. Just out of curiosity, one of our team members sipped a bit of Four Seasons Blush while having the main course. It was, of course a mismatch.

Four Seasons Shiraz

 

Desserts-

Mango pancakes and sesame ice-cream

 

The grand meal ended with mango pancake, and sesame ice cream. What can we say? They were definitely delicious!