FRESHMENU ~ FOOD FOR THOUGHT (Oct - Nov 2017)

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Food thought oct - nov 2017

fEStivE SPEcial

with frEShmEnu

Party Pleasing cocktails raise a glass!

e of t i B a e Tak ith w a i g l a t Nos ats e r T t e e These Sw

Party Smart

with mr EPicurE

tErrific turkEy

new Bird in Town

Table-hopping

PEru, Brazil & argEntina

12

TAsTe of HeAlTH

02 fM noW THE GIRL WITH THE MAGIC WAND: Meet FreshMenu fan, artist Alicia Souza

PARTY SMART WITH MR EPICURE: Action plan to celebrate

Contents 15

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cuisines on fleek SOUTH AMERICA: The undiscovered food trail

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fooDs in fAsHion

ocTobeR-noVeMeR 2017

Spend this festive season celebrating with FreshMenu

sPeciAl feATuRe

FESTIVE FEASTING: India celebrates

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cHef cHAT CUISINE REVIVALIST:

Chef Ravitej Nath talks traditional grains

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TRENDING GRAINS: ‘Ancient’ new super foods

TAlkinG fooD

fooDs in fAsHion

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FESTIVE DHAMAKA: Party cocktails

THANK GOD FOR TURKEY: Thanksgiving means turkey

fM loVe

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fooDs in fAsHion

DEMYSIFYING FOOD TRENDS: Be in the know DESIGN & EXECUTION BY Don’t Be Content

WHY THEY COME BACK TO US

24 fooD fAnTAsy TRADITION 2.0: Mithai goes west

Food Lives in Memories As the dusk falls early and the nights cool, we gear up for time with family and friends, togetherness and festivities. And every moment of these is punctuated by food— your mother lovingly popping a kaju katli into your mouth; the bowls of pistachios and almonds that are brought out for every visitor; and the endless, delicious variations on the thali each community trots out for the festive feast. These and many other memories popped up for us as we put together this special festive issue.

FreshMenu’s belief in fresh, mouth-watering and health-conscious cuisine from around the world makes it the best companion you can ask for this festive season.

Whether you’re celebrating with family or entertaining with friends, you’ll find snacks, appetisers, meal options and desserts to surprise you through this season!

Here’s to feasting!

Team FreshMenu

concept, content & strategy: Don’t Be Content, shveta sahu, Manjira Dutta creatIVe DIrector: renu singla; consultant eDItor: soni sangwan; eDItorIal: garima gupta; DesIgn & proDuctIon teaM: syed salahuddin, ashi sinha prInters: Vishwakala printers, no 28, 2nd stage Industrial suburb, yeshwantpur, Bangalore

cuisinesonfleek

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South america Ceviche, caiparinha, chimichurri – three Cs that spell South America. Join us on a culinary tour of Peru, Brazil and Argentina to discover what foodies are raving about

t was stories about unimaginable treasures of gold, jewels and precious stones that lured Spanish Conquistadors to South America. When they returned home, they also took with them treasures that have enriched world cuisine – potatoes, tomatoes, chocolate, corn. The continent continues to share its bounty with us – the latest being super-grain quinoa, a South American native grain that is giving health-food junkies their newest high.

If South America gave us our common kitchen staples, each wave of immigrants – Spanish, Italian, Arabic, Japanese – returned the favour by contributing to the local cuisine, creating unique flavour marriages. Join us as we travel through Peru, Brazil and Argentina to give you a taste of the culinary bounty they offer.

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Peru

A typical Peruvian food adventure begins with ceviche. Using the freshest ingredients – fish, lemon, chilli – this starter has been a favourite in Peruvian cuisine for more than 2000 years. In its original form, raw fish was cured with a local fermented brew and chilli or aji (aa-hee), but later, the alcohol was replaced by lemon juice. Aji de Gallina is chicken strips enrobed in a creamy sauce served with herb potatoes, olive and oregano rice. (FreshMenu had featured this during their ‘Peruvian food trail’.) Keep a lookout for it and similar dishes on the daily changing menu of FreshMenu. Papas a la Huancaina or potatoes in a spicy cheese sauce is also very popular. Slices of boiled potatoes are drowned in a hot sauce made with fresh cheese, Amarillo peppers, thick milk and garlic. A popular snack is Papa Rellena – potato croquettes stuffed with chicken mince and deep-fried. Stir-fried beef or

Loma Saltado is a soy-marinated beef dish cooked with onions, tomatoes and garlic which form a thick gravy. But look for chicken alternates–tastes just as good!

Wash It Down With: Pisco Sour–A cocktail created in Lima using Pisco, a grape brandy

BrAzil

With its multi-cultural, laidback, fiesta, surfer-dude vibe, Brazil is the ideal place to go big on street food. Check out the Pao de Queijo—a lot like our own pao (bread), but these little dough balls have a cheese filling which oozes out when you break a hot pao. Acai (asaai) is an Amazonian super-fruit. You can have the berry as a fruit, use its pulp to make savoury sauces for meat dishes, or make thick shakes, slushies or fruit bowls. The thick stew of black beans, Feiojada (feyee-uh-ada) will warm you from within.

FreshMenu has several bean-based stews, served as a complete meal with rice,

Parmesan Potato Wedges (Veg)

InDULGE ExPLorE Journe

Cajun Cottage Cheese Wrap (Veg)

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Tasty & Spicy from sa

es Chimichurri: It do a as s multiple job g sauce marinade, a dippin or a topping s: A gif t red Chilli Pepper of the st re from SA to the world a Coca leaves: It is painkiller, energy booster and helps kness control altitude sic

me from annatto seeds: co stick Tree. the Achiote or Lip cooking It is widely used in d flavour or both colour an

inspired by Brazilian cuisine. But the ultimate Brazillian comfort food is their version of the chicken pot pie. Available as an ‘empadao’, a whole big pie, or its mini versions as ‘empadinha’, these pies have a buttery crust and are packed with filling. Pass on the regular French Fries and try Mandioca Frita (yucca fries) instead. Bolinho de Chuva are little doughnuts, with sugar and cinnamon.

Wash It Down With: Caiparinha (kaipurr-reen-yah)–is the national cocktail of Brazil, made with cachaça (ka-sha-sa), a rum-like drink distilled from sugarcane juice. Caiparinha is a lot like the mojito

South American food: A delicious medley of tastes brought in by visitors to the land & brewed with local influences...

Jerk Chicken with Red Bean Stew (Non Veg)

ArgentinA

Argentine cuisine has been influenced more by immigrants— the Spanish, Italians, Germans and Arabs—than Peru or Brazil. Meats dominate the cuisine. Asado or barbecue is a ritual where families gather round for a feast of a variety of meats cooked on the grill. Chimichurri is their answer to pesto much like our own coriander chutney. Fresh parsley, oregano, onions, garlic, olive oil and vinegar are roughly ground together to make a marinade for the meats or a topping for cooked meats or a dip for finger food. While the

nu, you At FreshMe ishes from will find d globe, made across the nts tic ingred ie with authen with care to but tweaked . d ian palate suit the in a outh Americ Check for S hes inspired d is

Peruvian Chicken Wings (Non Veg)

meat is grilling, slices of provoleta, the local cheese are enrobed in spices and chilli flakes and grilled to work as starters. Empanadas or pastry parcels filled with meats, sweet potatoes, cheese or quince jam are popular. The food here is less spicy than Peru or Brazil.

When it comes to dessert, nothing can beat Dulce de Leche—a sweetened, caramelised condensed milk.

What To Drink: Yerba Mate– a tea made with yerba leaves and drunk from a communal gourd through a bamboo straw

FreshMenu | FOOD FOR THOUGHT - OCT-NOV 2017 05

foodsinfashion

TRENDING

GRAINS!

Avoiding grains for the fear of carbs? You don’t need to.

Grains are now reclaiming their place on the plate.

Couscous, quinoa, freekeh and sorghum—all favourites of our ancestors—are the new superfoods. Know more!

Among the new crop of wholegrains, freekeh (free-kah)—a Middle Eastern green cereal made from wheat—is fast gaining popularity. Wheat is harvested while still green, and the chaff and skin are burnt off to make the smokey freekeh. It can be eaten whole (in pilafs, salads or porridge) or cracked (in soups, stews, salsa and stuffing).

Another superfood is the native Indian grain sorghum (so-ghum) or jowar. As it tastes like wheat, sorghum rotis, crepes and pancakes have begun appearing on platters of the discerning. The kernels can also be cooked into a risotto (the Italian

khichdi-type dish made from Arborio rice traditionally), popped like popcorn, or used in salads.

Foxtail millet (fox-tail mi-let) goes by many names: kangni (Hindi), rala (Marathi), navane (Kannada) and thinai (Tamil). This subtle nutty-tasting millet can be used as a rice substitute.

Traditionally, its flour was used to make upma, idlis and dosas.

The whole kernel is now part of stir-fries and salads, and the flour is used in baking.

The ‘ancient grains trend’ has taken the health food world by storm. ‘Ancient grains’ are grains that have been around for millennia—and are more nutritional because their nutrient quality has remained unchanged down the years. Unprocessed and full of fibre, these grains bring extra texture and new flavours to the table.

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Check your FreshMenu options today to add a healthy grain to your platter!

The super foods

Couscous and quinoa have made headlines for their nutritional content and culinary versatility. here’s why

A substitute for pasta and rice, couscous and quinoa up the nutrition quotient

Couscous

Couscous (khoos-khoos) is a fine pellet-like semolina-based food used in North African and Mediterranean cooking.

Its popularity has made it the ‘national dish’ across North Africa. The core ingredient of couscous is semolina or sooji . Yes, the same one we use to make upma and halwa in India. Traditionally, semolina dough was rolled by hand into pellets, dried in the sun and steamed for cooking.

Since this a labourintensive method, we now have instant couscous which is pre-steamed and dried. It simply needs to

be cooked with water or stock to be revived.

In North African countries, couscous is served alongside spicy stews made from seasonal vegetables and meat.

Though a bit bland by itself, it soaks up flavours quite well. It is now being experimented with as a substitute for pasta and rice in Continental and South Asian cuisines.

Couscous pairs especially well with grilled vegetables, fish and meat; and is the star of Middle Eastern dishes such as the Lebanese tabbouleh and Mediterranean one-pot stews.

Quinoa

No other grain has received as much good press in recent memory as the South American grain quinoa (keen-wa). It hails from the Andean region of Peru, Bolivia and Chile; the ancient Incas treated it as a staple in their cooking. Quinoa’s reputation as a nutrition powerhouse rests on its high carbto-protein ratio (better than rice and barley), fibre content, vitamins B and E, iron, magnesium and potassium. Added bonus: it’s gluten-free! It has a rich, nutty flavour and is amazingly versatile as an ingredient.

Traditionally, it took hours to cook quinoa.

But modern versions simply require it to be soaked and then boiled, much like rice. It can go from breakfast to dessert, adding a bite of health to every meal. Mix the cooked grain with nuts and seeds, and have with milk for a fibre-rich cereal. Quinoa is a great substitute for rice: eat it with Chinese stirfries or Indian curries. It’s also a great add-on in a vegetarian burger patty, or you can toss a handful into your salad. Craving something sweet? Try a nutty-tasting sweetbread or muffin baked from quinoa flour. FreshMenu offers interesting quinoa dishes—tuck in!

foodinfashion

Thank God for

Turkey Turkey may not have been served at the first Thanksgiving dinner in the United States but, today, there can be no Thanksgiving without it. Lean turkey meat has its share of fans in India too. Join FreshMenu on an exploratory journey to discover how turkey is fast becoming the fowl of choice

Talking TradiTional Turkey

Traditionally, turkey comes to the table roasted a glistening golden-brown, its succulent meat dripping with juices and an abundance of aromatic, flavourful stuffing inside. The golden bird forms the centrepiece at the family table. Each family has a secret recipe for stuffing. Thanksgiving is the all-American harvest festival celebrating all that the farmer has grown—corn, potatoes (white and sweet), pumpkin, squash. The table groans under the weight of side-dishes such as sausage and herb-mixes, mashed potatoes, gravy made from the roast turkey’s pan juices, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. But the best part about Thanksgiving is the leftovers. Who doesn’t love a sandwich with a thick slab of roast turkey to enjoy the day after?

Ways With Turkey Turkey lends itself very well to our own Indian style curries, grilled on a tandoor and even in a biryani. But turkey sandwiches are a great way to have a healthy meal on the go. Pulled roast turkey with creamy dressing stuffed in a sub is a lunch favourite. The white meat paired with salad greens and a citrus dressing is a crowd-pleaser. Try a turkey ham sandwich with a chutney maybe, for a delicious sandwich. Turkey sausages sing in a Spanish-inspired tomato sauce for a hearty stew. Check out the turkey specials on FreshMenu this Thanksgiving.

Tasty turkey slices go well on pizzas too, as seen on this hot seller from FreshMenu (right). Pairs deliciously with peppers and olives Bird WiTH BiTe

Whoever said that tasty food cannot be healthy obviously did not know about the benefits of this bird. It is low in fat and high in protein and packed with riboflavin and phosphorus.

The omega 3 and omega 6 make it good for the heart.

It is also a rich source of vitamin A and iron. Turkey has a low glycaemic index which keeps insulin levels stable. But the best thing about turkey is the amino acid tryptophan. This produces serotonin, great for your immune system; it boosts mood too. Tuck into turkey, and do your body and mind a favour!

Thanksgiving Roast Turkey with Savoury French Toast

Turkey Ham, Jerk Pulled Chicken Pizza

Thanksgiving Roast Turkey with Herbed Pepper Rice

Turkey Fun Facts Pulling the turkey wishbone is fun. The wishbone—formed by the fusion of the neck-bone—is pulled by two people in opposite directions and the one who snaps up the bigger part gets their wish. But this particular skeletal clue is also an indicator that the turkey has evolved from dinosaurs like the T Rex. Though turkeys can weigh up to 15 kilos plus, they can fly and prefer to sleep on tree branches than on the ground. They have no teeth but have two stomachs—one where the food they eat is digested, and the other, called the gizzard, where stones previously eaten by the bird are stored to grind the half-digested food for better absorption. Turkeys can also turn red—they blush when excited or angry.

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foodinfashion

Demystifying

Food Trends Navigate menus with ease, get up to speed with the latest food trends, and converse with any kind of mealtime company. Here’s the cheat-sheet to help you impress friends and clients.

Master the terms, sit back, and enjoy your culinary adventures as a whole new world opens for you

Science in the Kitchen Chemistry and physics in school may have revolved around nitrogen and ammonia, magnets and fulcrums, but when you look at the science behind how a cake rises or what makes corn pop, then the fun really starts.

Molecular gastronomy does just that—it takes the help of science to create visual impact and layers

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of unusual flavour combinations to surprise and excite the palate.

It was Hungarian physicist Nicholas Kurti and his French collaborator Hervé This who first looked at the science of cooking.

But famed Spanish chef Ferran Adrià took molecular gastronomy to a new level. He invented

spherification: a liquid is encapsulated in a gel sphere which explodes like a flavour bomb in your mouth.

Heston Blumenthal of The Fat Duck restaurant in England is another pioneering molecular gastronomist. He creates ‘multisensory’ culinary experiences.

The Nitro-poached Green Tea and Lime Mousse at The Fat Duck comes with a whiff of lime-grove scent, and the Jelly of Quail is served on a bed of oak moss with dry ice smoke dispersing the moss aroma.

Some of the most common processes include the use of carbon dioxide to make foams, liquid nitrogen for flash freezing and shattering, vaccum-sealed food cooked in a temperaturecontrolled water bath for sous-vide, and adding maltodextrin to turn high-fat liquids into powder, and many more.

Gourmet Cup of Joe Invest in a French press for that perfect cup of joe in the morning.

It lets you extract maximum flavour with minimum fuss. A French press is a glass cylinder with a plunger and a mesh. You pour hot water over coarsely ground coffee beans, let them steep for 4 minutes, press down the plunger, and pour out your perfect coffee, minus any mud or grounds. Try a cold brew: replace hot water with cold and allow it to steep for 12 to 14 hours.

The best coffee beans come from Ethiopia, Tanzania, Colombia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

In Indonesia, gourmet coffee beans are collected from the droppings of a civet cat

IndIan Modern

inventing Indian chefs are re molecular native classics with uvelle French gastronomy and no maste to dishes techniques. Say na cornetto at like duck khurchan tra’s Indian chef Manish Mehro guchhi (morels) accent; tandoori at Masala Library with a mint foam ; or duck four by chef Jiggs Kalra asala confit, foie ways—samosa, m roast—at the gras and tamarind Varq.

Taj Mahal Hotel’s

that has eaten, digested and passed them.

These are ground for the most expensive coffee in the world.

Globally, people have unique coffee habits. Italians prefer a short and dark espresso—hot water is forced through coffee grounds, yielding a thick concentrate with foam on top. In Australia, ask for a flat white: a single or double espresso topped with the micro-foam of milk steam. The Spanish love café con leche where espresso and scalded milk are combined in a 1:1 ratio. Vietnamese cold coffee or café da involves pouring hot coffee onto a bit of condensed milk and then serving it with ice on the side.

Move Your Cheese There’s more to cheese than processed, sliced or pizza. Here’s how to sound like a Maïtre Fromager (cheese expert) and a turophile (cheese lover):

be eaten. Camembert is intense and earthy: brie buttery, creamy.

l Gouda is a light yellow, hard Dutch cheese. The sweeter, older gouda goes well with drinks.

l Ricotta is an Italian, soft textured, mild cheese. It is popular in both desserts and savoury preparations.

l Camembert and brie are both soft French cheeses. Their white to creamy rind is meant to

l First made in England, cheddar is a semi-hard, yellow to orange cheese with a sharp, nutty taste.

l Blue cheese has a sharp taste and blue veins from a friendly fungus which gives

Italians prefer a short and dark espresso while the Spanish love their café con leche. In Australia, ask for a flat white, their variation of the espresso

it its characteristic nutty taste and funky smell. l Mozzarella is a semisoft Italian cheese.

Burrata is a mozzarella that is stretched into a pouch which is filled with cream and a stringy curd. l Emmental is a harder Swiss cheese easily identifiable by the holes in it. It is savoury and mild in flavour, and is eaten as is or used in gratins and fondues.

tasteofhealth

y t r a P art Sm th wi

Mr Epicure Fun and festivities are incomplete without the third F—food!

This season you will find it difficult to dodge the calorie bullet. How to balance taste and health? How to resist the craving? To risk offending your host by avoiding the food table or not? Food dilemmas are unending at this time of the year. But with Mr Epicure as your friend and guide, glide through the minefield of calorie-bombs with ease!

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The Sweet Side of Love (Eggless)

Situation #1: With festivals abounding, temptation is everywhere. The box of kaaju katli whispers your name from the fridge and your social calendar is chock-a-block with party invites.

If it’s not food, it is drinks—and the calories sure do start adding up. But don’t worry.

Don’t curb your inner party animal but party smart, here’s how...

Diplomat’s Pudding

CHOOSE RIGHT

RIGHT way

Here balance is the key—if you know there is a party in the evening, eat light during the day, saving yourself for festive indulgence later.

When you see the festive repast laid out by your hosts, first eat with your eyes—this will give you time to pick your favourites rather than piling your plate high with everything on offer.

But if the treats are very tempting, go ahead, help yourself, just keep the portion sizes small and don’t go back for seconds.

Eat slowly, enjoying each morsel, savouring the different flavours and textures. This way, you enjoy the food but also fill up faster as the brain has enough time to get the messages from the stomach.

FEasT WiTH your EyEs FirsT, THEn EaT sloWly, savouring THE TasTE. you Will EaT sEnsiBly!

What is a festival without traditional sweets? A festival without mithai may as well be any other day. But if you do want to gorge, try something different.

Pick from the range of desserts on FreshMenu—satisfy your sweet tooth, without the syrupy, extra-sweet traditional mithai. The desserts are in single-serve jars but you may want to order in a mixed bag and share with friends. In fact, the beautifully packed dessert jars of FreshMenu make for great gifts. Your friends will thank you for the sweet gift —for the uninitiated, introduction to FreshMenu too would be a gift! Give up fried stuff for baked goodies. Go nuts—try dry roasted almonds and cashews, not deep-fried ones.

Nutty Ginger N Honey Cake

go for SweetS made with dateS or honey

Spread joy by gifting thoSe goodieS that come home

#1 LIVE RIGHT

Festivals are all about sharing. So instead of pigging out on that big box of mithai, share the booty.

Sample it to satisfy your craving, but pass the bulk of it on to those who make your life a little easier—your maid, the driver, the newspaper delivery man, the watchman. Make some changes in your lifestyle to help you enjoy the party season. Eat that hard boiled egg before heading out to party—helps line the stomach and controls alcohol absorption.

Enjoy your drinks, but prevent the calories from adding up by having a glass of plain water between two drinks. Innovate!

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Situation #2: When hunger pangs hit with a vengeance, it’s tough to keep your hand from reaching out for the sinful stuff that’s closest—chips, cookies and candy bars. What food will keep you filled up, satisfy you, but not fill you out? Try these three options...

FOwL PLay

If you eat non-vegetarian food, make chicken your best friend. It is a rich source of Vitamin B12, high in protein and low on fat (chicken breast is the leanest, with about 1 gm of fat in 28 gm of meat). Vitamin B5 and tryptophan in chicken relieve stress and it also contains cholecystokinin, a hormone that helps you stay fuller for longer.

Win-win! The Chicken Fajita Salad is only 180 calories per serving, and is perfect as a light but filling dinner. Check out other chicken options in FreshMenu—fix a day as your chicken lunch day and go for the option that tempts you the most.

If you ‘hate healthy food’, mix in the good (read greens) along with some ‘delights’ Grilled Paneer Teriyaki Salad

Chicken breast is a great go-to food, high on protein and low on fat. Eat it as you like

Chicken Fajita Salad

#2

CHICkpeas

They’re yummy and will help you stay satiated through the day. according to a study published in the Journal of Obesity, people who had about 1 cup of chickpeas (chole) a day, felt 31 percent fuller than those who didn’t.

Chickpeas are rich in fibre, healthy carbs and vitamin B6. Hummus is a delicious way to add chickpeas to your diet. a small cup contains 193 calories, with about 5 to 6 gm of fibre and protein, each. look out for hummus in FreshMenu’s options for the day.

PanEER

Like chicken, paneer is wonderfully filling while being low on fat and high in protein. It is also a great source of calcium, which is essential for bone and teeth health. One cup of paneer contains about 25 gm of protein.

Both the grilled Paneer Teriyaki Salad at 264 calories per serving, and the Bulgarian Shopska Salad at 155 calories are delicious as well as healthful. Check out more paneer dishes on the FreshMenu options.

HuMMus is a dEliCious Way To add CHiCkpEas To your diET Roasted Garlic Lemon Hummus In Combo Platter

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specialfeature

Festive Feasting Festivals and food go hand-in-hand.

As the festive season unfolds, here are some fun things for you to do, some interesting stories to share, and some fantastic food to gorge on

From Kashmir to from Kanyakumari and ati—we Gujarat to Guwah how to Indians really know before celebrate! Long to come Hallmark decided mes for up with special na of the year, almost each day different we celebrated a of the year. festival every day our Of course, today reduced celebrations have the but the fervour of , with each festivities remains g in its region celebratin own unique way

Touch of Nostalgia

Life often takes us away from our roots but come festivals and we long for home. Being Indian, it is natural that soon the sentiments find their way to the dining table. One of the most worshipped goddesses is Lakshmi. It is believed that the divinity loved to partake of yam or suran, generally cooked in a well-flavoured gravy or mashed into kebabs.

Transport yourself to your childhood—check out the veg kebabs from FreshMenu! During this time of year, Bengalis turn out the delicious Choddo Sak, a dish made with 14 greens. Legend has it that since Diwali falls on a moonless night, evil spirits descend on earth—the green combo is said to help keep the ghouls away. Puri & kachori, gujiya & karanji, kheel & batasha, mohantal & kalakand, kaju katli & khajur ki barfi... the list is endless!

Teriyaki Prawn ’N’ Leek Skewers Fried Rice Bowl

Kung Pao Chicken Skewers

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Mountain of Food

celebration Myriad Notes The reason for celebration may be the same but the way each region celebrates varies. Diwali, for instance, is the Festival of Lights, celebrating the night of Lord Ram’s return after vanquishing Ravan.

But in Tamil Nadu, where Lord Ram entered India on his return journey from Sri Lanka, the trademark Diwali firecrackers are set off in the morning. Dussehra in north India culminates with the fire arrows striking down Ravan, but in West Bengal, Vijayadhasmi (at the same time) celebrates the victory of Durga over evil. And while Navaratri is all about fasting among north Indians, in West Bengal, Assam and Odisha it is all about feasting!

Black Bean Veggies with Hakka Noodles

A festival no foodie can resist is Govardhan Puja or Annakut which is celebrated after Diwali. On this day, a whopping 56 dishes are prepared and presented to Lord Krishna— also called the Chhappan Bhog. Legend has it that when Indra tried to drown Vrindavan with incessant rain, Bal Krishna held up the Govardhan mountain like an umbrella over the village. After seven days, when Indra gave up, the people offered Krishna 56 dishes to make up for the seven days that he had remained without eating when he held up the mountain. Lord Krishna is said to have had eight meals a day, so multiplying that by seven, the grateful people of Vrindavan decided he must be fed 56 delicacies! Till this day Odisha’s Lord Jagannath (said to be an avatar of Krishna) temple offers a mahaprasad of chhappan bhog everyday.

During the festive season, add a celebratory touch to your working meals too: order in a variety from FreshMenu

Butter Chicken Makhani Combo

Jaipuri Kofta and Laccha Paratha

Whether you Want to have that meal-in-a-boWl or lay out 2-3 dishes, check your options from freshmenu to indulge yourself this festive season With your favourite global cuisines

tHe MaNy VariatioNs oF KHeer

You will find a version of this rice pudding in every state of the country. Made with the most basic ingredients—rice, milk and sugar—this dessert is a festive staple, be it Diwali, Holi, Id, ugadi or Pongal. As the landscape changes, so does the name, and a local ingredient may be added. What is kheer in rajasthan, becomes payesh in West Bengal often with jaggery replacing sugar. Payasam in Tamil Nadu and Kerala may replace rice with moong dal and become parappu payasam. In the sugarcane belt—Punjab, uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra—you will come across kheer made with fresh sugarcane juice instead of milk. Kheer becomes sevaiyan when vermicelli takes the place of rice; and phirni when kheer is made with a rice paste rather than rice. A Marwari specialty is boondi ki kheer where boondi is added to thickened milk. no gift compares With the gift of food. make a dish at home or if pressed for time, select the best from freshmenu!

The Joy of Giving

PBJ Steel Cut Oats Jar

This festive season, why not try something innovative when it comes to gifting? rather than giving your friends and neighbours that same box of mithai that Trifle Pudding they will most probably just recycle by passing it on, (Eggless) give them something they will enjoy. FreshMenu has an array of delicious desserts from pastries, cheesecakes, puddings and desserts-in-jars. A welcome change from the syrupy sweetness of traditional Indian mithai yet deeply satiating! Try the fruit-based desserts for some freshness. Buy a Cherry Conde set of six or an assortment of half-a-dozen different with Kiwi Coulis desserts and bring a smile to someone’s face.

Jar (Eggless)

Try the fruit-based desserts for some freshness. Buy a set of six or an assortment of half-a-dozen different desserts to gift and to enjoy with the family (age no bar)!

Fun Time

1

Daunted by the task of your annual house cleaning? Rope in the family with the lure of FreshMenu. Let eveyone order as they please.

Your little one’s meal may be ‘ just desserts’!

(It’s okay, FreshMenu keeps things healthy!)

2

3

Plan a fun picnic with friends. You don’t even have to go anywhere—turn your terrace or colony garden into a picnic spot. Prepare your picnic basket with the help of FreshMenu. Pick easy-to-eat foods like sandwiches, wraps or rice bowls. Carry lemonade or wine.

Even if you are not a cards person, try it.

Focus on getting the game going and the drinks. For food? FreshMenu!

Baked Bean Sandwich (Veg)

relive childhood memories With a game of ludo or frisbee

chefchat

New Age RegioNAl

Cuisine Revivalist Meet chef Ravitej Nath, an industry stalwart and mentor to several rising stars, who chucked it all to follow his heart. From lording over the Oberoi Hotels’ kitchens to doing R&D in his home kitchen, he has carved out a space for indigenous grains and Indian regional cuisine Chef Ravitej Nath has worn many hats in the two decades he spent in the kitchens of the country’s best hotels. His last role in corporate hoteliering was as Executive Chef of the Oberoi Gurgaon. But today, he is a man on a mission, or rather, two missions—to improve the lives of

farmers growing indigenous grains and chemical-free produce, and to help promote regional Indian cuisine on a national and international level.

Before being bitten by the entrepreneurship bug, he gave us unmatched fine-dining experiences,

showcased Indian cuisine internationally cooking for heads of state like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and was presented the National Award for Best Chef by none other than the President of India in 2016.

“Do multi-grain dosas, bars or puffs. Try innovations like replacing refined flour in a tempura batter with red rice or black rice flour. Why shouldn’t we experiment with pulled chicken in a bajra taco?”

18 OCT-NOV 2017 - FOOD FOR THOuGHT | FreshMenu

cHeF ravITej naTH Was presenTed THe naTIonal aWard For besT cHeF In 2016

Today, the best way to describe him would be as a New Age Grain Evangelist.

“I want to see indigenous grains like jowar, bajra, Kerala red rice, amaranth, etc. get back their rightful place.

And I want to make sure that the farmers growing these get their due and are not driven to suicide. So I am helping them reach out to the big institutional buyers who may be using as much as 200 kg of rice a day and convince them to shift to 150 kg of, say, red rice. Orders like these do make a difference,” he says.

But how does he convince the buyers? “Buyers will be interested if you can show them the different uses of these indigenous grains. I show them how to do multigrain dosas, bars or puffs. I show them innovations like replacing refined flour in a tempura batter with, say, red rice or black rice flour. You may not get a young millennial interested in a bajra roti, but if you offer him a pulled chicken in a bajra taco he will go for it,” says chef Nath.

The R&D for these recipes happens in his own home kitchen in Gurgaon where he lives with his wife Neerja, a Human Resources professional. “I never used to cook in my home kitchen when I was working in the hotel industry. Now, I am tinkering about whenever inspiration strikes—it may even be at 3 am,” he says.

But, more often than not, the chef and his wife end up ordering in. “We order in so much that the other day, the guard of our condominium commented, saying, ‘Saab, you have a maid who comes for cooking, still you get so many food deliveries.’ I shudder to think what he would say if he knew that I am a professional chef,” laughs chef Nath.

“When ordering food home, the prime concern for me is the quality of the ingredients used and the respect with which they have been treated. If I am ordering chicken, it should be good quality chicken and it should taste good.

Lightly I will resauteed peppers order if it add zing Sliced Chicken to chicken is tasty,” peppers in Tausi sauce he says.

“I must be one of the top customers for FreshMenu ordering from their Sikanderpur kitchen. I have so many of their boxes, ready for recycling. In fact, all my masalas are stored in their dessert jars.

The biggest draw of FreshMenu is that they deliver on all counts–taste, variety and guaranteed delivery. With FreshMenu, a promise is a promise. I know that if I have placed an order, it will be delivered, every time,” he says.

He loves FreshMenu’s daily changing menu with an ever-expanding range of healthy options. “Health food is the future—not boiled vegetables, but traditional and popular recipes with a healthy makeover. I can also see a resurgence of indian pride. While a few years ago everyone was looking West for herbs and spices, now we are discovering our culinary heritage, and herb and spice spectrum. The pride in being Indian and cooking Indian is back,” he says. “In fact, soon amaranth will replace quinoa around the globe,” is his prediction.

Amaranth will soon replace quinoa on the plate

foodchat

Festive

Dhamaka

If your outfits, food and entertainment can be themed to the occasion, then why can’t the drink match the moment? When you are dressing up for the party, jazzing up your home, preparing the menu to match, then why leave the poor bar cabinet out? Here’s how you can get your spirits to keep up with the party spirit 20 OCT-NOV 2017 - FOOd FOR THOugHT | FReshMenu

This season is all about celebrations, sparklers and fire crackers. Add some sparkle to your cocktails with this special desi take on a classic sparkling wine-based cocktail. Kir Royale (champagne with crème de cassis, a blackcurrant liqueur) goes local with a tangy Malabar twist to make the Kokum Royale.

In a champagne flute, pour in some kokum syrup. Top the glass with any chilled sparkling wine.

Slip in a slit green chilli and enjoy.

If you want to play with fire, go for a flaming cocktail. Here’s a party pleaser made with just three ingredients—beer, amaretto or almond liqueur and 101-proof rum.

Known as a Flaming Dr Pepper, this cocktail looks spectacular. You will need a shot glass, a bigger glass in which the shot glass can fit and a candle lighter.

Avoid matches. First pour amaretto into the shot glass till it is three-fourths full.

Then top it with flaming cocktails are somewhat risky but great fun! remember to blow out the flame before downing your drink. also keep a fire extinguisher handy. drink responsibly

101-proof rum.

Now pick up the shot glass and place it inside the bigger glass.

Pour the beer into the bigger glass, very carefully, till it comes to the level of the shot glass but does not cover it.

(The shot glass floats up.) Now comes the showmanship. Light the rum. It looks great if you can darken the room at this stage. Let it burn for a bit, then blow it out and drink up as the beer mixes with the amaretto and rum. A little difficult to sip but great fun! Any liquor over 80-proof will flame, but the higher the better.

You can do Flaming Tequila shots by pouring tequila till three-fourths full into shot glasses, topping with Bacardi and lighting it. Keep the lemon slice and salt handy.

If you don’t want to be stuck making customized cocktails for every guest, make a large batch of Fruity Rum Punch—it will have something to please everyone. A rum punch typically is a blend of rum and two to three fruit juices (such as orange, pineapple and cranberry) with lots of lemon juice for tang. Depending on how potent you want it, you can increase the quantity of rum or add a lemony aerated drink and soda. Start with half a bottle of rum, 1 litre tetrapack each of orange, pineapple and cranberry juice, and approximately half a cup of lemon juice. Mix together and taste. Now dilute with soda or a lemony aerated drink according to your taste. Or increase the amount of rum. For a Caribbean touch, use Malibu rum. Garnish with about 2 cups of chopped fruits such as apples, pineapples, orange slices (with the rind) and lots of ice. This recipe gives you about 4 litres of punch. If you account for 200 ml per serving, you have enough for 20 servings. So you can proportionately increase or decrease the quantity depending on the number of guests. Serve in a jug or big glass bowl with a ladle.

Stock up your bar with essentials—a cocktail shaker, a muddler and a swizzle stick. Keep garnishes such as lemon slices and mint leaves handy. And ice. Lots of ice

Stretch a bottle of wine by offering wine spritzers. Top up 3/4 glass of chilled white wine with chilled soda and a slice of lemon

fmlove

Why They Come BaCk To Us

At FreshMenu, we process feedback very seriously and take our learnings from the good and the not-so-good.

Read what our regulars have to say… Oh, and what are you waiting for? Write in and tell us about your experience!

Avishek MitrA, freelance web developer

‘Calorie Counts

Given Suit Me!’ I’ve been ordering from FreshMenu for a couple of years now. My most frequent order is the Chicken Salad for lunch from their Soups and Salads menu. I’ve been on a weight management programme, and have been ordering a chicken salad from FreshMenu almost daily. The precise calorie counts have helped me keep track of my calorie intake, which has led to my losing 14 kilos in six months!

My favourite is the Roast Chicken Caesar Salad as it has only 250 calories, and has all the components of a healthy meal— vegetables, protein, a bit of carb and healthy fats—and the portion is just right for me.

22 OCT-NOV 2017 - FOOD FOR ThOuGhT | FreshMeNU

‘My favourite is the Roast

Chicken Caesar Salad as it has only 250

calories’

Roast Chicken Caesar Salad (Non Veg)

kAvitA MAheNDrA, home chef

Easy to Order, Good-to-Eat Placing the order was quite simple and easy. There are a variety of quick bite options.

I ordered Chilli Paneer Wrap and Veggies in Chilli Plum Sauce, a Paneer Tikka Rice Bowl and Red Velvet Cheesecake. Food was hygienically packed, delivered hot and on time.

ChiLLi PANeer WrAP: An excellent wrap with a Chinese twist. Love the fusion. Quite filling too. Good as an ‘on the go’ or quick working lunch too.

Well-packed and easy to handle. The texture was crunchy. The wrap was soft and firm, a perfect balance of spices and sauces. Little spicy but a must-try. I would give it 4/5 on my scale. veGGies iN ChiLLi PLUM sAUCe: A new avatar of the common baby corn and gobi Manchurian with less spice as the plum sauce gives it a sweet taste. Not for hard-core Indian-Chinese food fans, but yes for those who want to eat Chinese and at the same time want to keep their acidity levels down. It is ideal for kids

and people who prefer mild spice levels. Serves 2.

I award it 3/5.

‘The Paneer Tikka Rice Bowl —I

PANeer tikkA riCe BOWL: What an awesome found the fusion of Paneer Tikka with Butter Masala Gravy and Rice.

It had crunchy pieces of zucchini, carrot and capsicum.

Rice too was sautéed with veggies. Paneer was Paneer Tikka marinated well, with the Rice Bowl (Veg) right flavours, and was juicy and firm too, which is a rare combination. Butter masala gravy is silky and smooth. Very authentic. Go for it: 5/5!

best! Gets

5/5 on my scale!’

Veggies in Chilli

reD veLvet Cheese Plum Sauce (Veg) CAke: Mmm… it’s a beautifully packed dessert. I almost felt it was Valentine’s Day! The cake had no cracks or peaks, it was smooth and uniform. The colour was a perfect red without appearing artificially coloured (totally off-putting). It was Red Velvet Cheesecake (Contains Egg) velvety to the tongue, moist, light and fluffy with a delicate flavour without being too sweet. On my scale: 3.5/5.

n de o ss eg er g t

foodfantasy

tradition 2.0 When you crave a bite from each and every mithai on the menu, reach out for this deliciously layered sweetmeats jar

Your favourite mithais get a fusion makeover in this mouth-watering dessert. The jar comes with a base made from tiny motichoor boondis, a layer of rabri mousse, then sinful white chocolate ganache and finally mango cream. Topping this are pistachio flakes, silver leaf and mini cashew rocks.

Pistachio flakes and silver leaf add a garnish of tradition to this utterly modern confection

Motichoor Mango Mousse Jar