Food Quote of the Day

There is no love sincerer than the love of food.

—George Bernard Shaw

                                                              

Food Quote of the Day

Food Quote of the Day
I went into a McDonald’s yesterday and said, ‘I’d like some fries.’ The girl at the counter said, ‘Would you like some fries with that? 

–Jay Leno

Paradise in Hyderabad!

With due apologies to Mughal Emperor Jahangir, I quote

Jannat Barooay Zameen Ast (if there was a paradise on earth, this is it, this is it!))

If Jahangir said these words after seeing Kashmir, then I say it after tasting the biriyani from Paradise restaurant in Hyderabad.

I picked up four biryanis – 2 special chicken, one mutton and one egg biryani – on the way to Delhi. It took me five minutes to pay the money at the cash counter and pick up the packets of biriyani from Paradise Takeaway in Masab Tank Cross Road.

Hyderabad airport security were kind enough to let people carry the biriyani packets and packets of Karachi biscuits as hand luggage. Almost everyone to flies out of Hyderabad has a food packet in his/her hand!

I tried few spoonfuls of chicken biriyani for dinner. And without any doubt, I can vouch that this one of best biriyanis I have ever tasted!

History of Paradise

The world famous Paradise brand has its origins in a small canteen and a café in a cinema theatre called Paradise in Secunderabad in the year 1953. This small 100-seater resturant started serving typical Hyderabadi cuisine like biryani from early 1960s.

In 1978, A Hemmati took over the management and renovated the restaurant.

In 1983, an air-cooled multi-cuisine restaurant called Paradise Persis Family Restaurant and the highly popular Paradise Takeaway came up.

In 1987, the Paradise theatre and consequently the Canteen closed down. But the Café and Restaurant continued its operations.

In 1996, Paradise underwent a major restructuring, renovation and modernisation programme. It expanded both vertically and horizontally.

In January 2004, Persis Gold came up and in 2006, Persis Silver took shape. In 2007, Persis Platinum and Persis Roof Top came into existence.

In 2006, the entire operations were computerised and technology upgradations have been continuously happening since then.

In 2009, Paradise opened a Large Takeway at Masab Tank Cross Roads.

Paradise opened a  Takeaway chain with the opening of its Hitec City Centre in 2010.

Rayalaseema Ruchulu - A Review

On March 13^th night, four of us decided to try authentic Andhra cuisine. One of my friends, who had earlier worked in Hyderabad for a few years, suggested that we try Rayalaseema Ruchulu restaurant (near Lakdi ka Pul) , which was adjoining to the hotel we were staying in.

Four of us – a Konkani, an Odiya, a Yadav from Etawah and a Bengaluru-based Marathi – I thought was a perfect combination to tatse the food from Telengana region.

Rayalaseema Ruchulu restaurant has comfortable seating and ambience for a perfect dining experience. We ordered Chicken Biriyani, Chicken fried with lot of curry leaves, spicy vegetarian pulao, few rotis, a baigan (aubergine for the British and eggplant for Americans) masala and few other accompaniments.

I forgot to add, the brain masala, which I ordered. Others assured that it’s all mine.

All dishes tasted authentic, spicy the way Andhra food should be, and was made using little fat. Chicken Biriyani was more like a pulao bur was tasty to eat with the baigan masala.

Baigan or eggplant is one of the few vegetables, which is widely used in all cuisines – Indian, Chinese, other south-Asian countries, Italian, French, Mediterranean, Arabic and Australian and in India we get a variety of eggplants in different shapes and colours!

Melanzane alla Parmigiana or Eggplant Parmesan from south of Italy is one of vegetarian dishes, which exploits the complex taste and texture of this vegetable.

In India, the smoked or rather, burnt taste of baigan in baigan bartha, which is cooked with simple spices is also another example. After China, India is the highest producer of this vegetable!

Rayalaseema Ruchulu’s baigan masala was simple, straight and offered the best of baigan and infused masala’s.

So was the brain masala, which I would say, was superlative!

The restaurant also offers thali for lunch which attracts lot of local as well as tourists!

My friend who had dinner in a restaurant named Chutneys located in Himayath Nagar, Hyderabad says the thali was great. Hope in to any of the branches of Chutneys and try it!

The Wrong Start!

From March 13-16, I was in Hyderabad. My business was to attend the bi-annual event, Indian Aviation 2012 at Begumpet Airport. Since I reached the hotel room at 11.00 am, I had the whole day to explore food in various locations in Hyderabad. After a brief meeting at RTC Crossroad, I was free for the day. My driver Raju suggested that I try the biryani at Bawarchi restaurant, which was also at RTC Crossroad.

Bawarchi is opposite the Bus Bhavan and almost everyone is familiar with this eating joint. On the ground floor Bawarchi has a non- air-conditioned section and the takeaway. On the first floor there is a dining room that is air-conditioned and there is rooftop, which is open till 12 in the night. The food served in all these places comes from the same kitchen.

I ordered a Chicken Biriyani and fresh lime soda, which was served on our table in less than 10 minutes. With the biriyani came some gravy, which has burnt taste and a thin raita. Some onion slices and lemon wedges too. When I asked them whether I could pickle or papad, they said no.

The biriyani portion is huge and two people can easily tuck in the flavoured rice and chicken. But oh boy! This biriyani was a disappointment. I wouldn’t like to rate this biriyani anywhere in the scale of 1-10. It had absolutely nothing Hyderabadi and would have easily disguised as a biriyani from Chandni Chowk or Chennai.

The next day three of us, who were working late till 10.30 pm, picked up a chicken biriyani and a egg biriyani. The second time also, the dish failed to impress me. After three of us ate there was still food left for one more person.

Visit this place only if you do not have any other option. The only good thing is that the portions are large and cheap. Chicken biriyani takeway costed me only Rs 110 and egg biriyani was Rs 70!

Baked Chicken

One of the Chicken recipes which I use for baking chicken is this one. It is simple and needs less than 10 minutes of preparation time. It is an easy recipe which can be modified according to your palate.


Ingredients:
Chicken: 2 whole leg pieces and 2 breast pieces (apprx 850-1000 gms)
Diced onion: 2 medium size one
Diced carrot: 1 carrot
Diced capsicum: Use red, yellow and green ones
Beans: About 10. Use whole after trimming the edges
Mushrooms: Optional
Garlic: 6 big cloves chopped finely
Lemon juice: 1 lemon
Olive oil: 4tsp
Crushed Pepper: 2 tsp
Salt: According to taste


Preparation: Rub the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Arrange in baking tray. Put the chopped garlic on top of the chicken pieces. Arrange onion, capsicum and all other ingredients. Pour lime juice and olive oil. Leave for about 10-20 minutes. Preheat the oven and cook till the chicken is tender.


I normally bake in the microwave which is adjusted to baking 1 kg of chicken. Takes about 30-40 minutes.


Serve with garlic toast/bread.

The Beginning!

I started cooking at a young age. Probably because like many kids who were brought up in Kochi in southern peninsula, I was inclined to eat more fish and meat than vegetables. But I was always and still is a great admirer of the SAMBAR. When amma used to cook, I used to sneak into the kitchen and see whether sambhar was on the menu. If it was missing, I would offer my help and invariably end up cooking sambhar for myself. 
Amma never discouraged me. Later, after many years, I used to cook a meal for everybody in the family on Sundays. For amma it was a well deserved break and for a me it was total relaxation.
Nowadays cooking is more of a passion. Almost everyday I chop, clean or cook in my kitchen. I try newer things for everybody's palette. Sometimes a little or rarely in large scale for a party.
Through this blog I want to share my experiences, recipes and also inform about various eating joints – big and small – which I visit whenever I step out of my house. Be with me and feel free to share your views too!