Moroccan Food Festival - Westin Pune

Moroccan cuisine has developed over centuries and is heavily influenced by the interactions the country has had with other nations and cultures.

Being the center of trade in the days gone by , it saw travelers and traders from across the world walk the tiny alley ways and souks . They all brought with them distinct flavors , exotic spices and unique cooking techniques.

With access to great sea food , spices and fresh produce Morocco has some fine food to offer!

Seasonal Tastes at Westin , Pune is hosting a Moroccan Food Festival until the 8th of November ,2014 . Pune foodiez were invited to sample this gorgeous fare last week!

And easily, this is the best Food Festival I have been to . Chef De Cuisine -Prasad Metrani has put together an excellent food experience!

Chef has made every effort to keep the food authentic! Everything is fantastic be it salad , pickled lemons , kebabs and desserts!

I will keep this short because I could go on for forever about how gorgeous everything was!

Here are some more  pictures of everything we enjoyed!

And you MUST go check it out !

At Seasonal Tastes , Westin Pune , Koregaon Park

Moroccan Food Festival till 8th November , 2014 .

6.30 PM onwards

Buffet @ INR 1299 +  Taxes

Lakeland Pune

What better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than admiring the lovely wares at the Lakeland Store?

The Tiny Taster (Roxanne) with Shahzad Variava (aka Dessert King of Master Chef fame) put together a lovely afternoon of baking and fun for food /baking enthusiasts in Pune.

I loved the afternoons I spent in the Lakeland store in Stratford Mall , London ....so you can imagine how pleased I was to find out that Pune has a Lakeland Store too!

Its the perfect place to find gifts for friends & family that enjoy entertaining/baking/cooking! Its also just the place if you are looking to make your time in the kitchen a little more convenient and enjoyable....

They stock everything from beautiful Tagines, lots of baking pans , canning & preserving essentials....

Lots of lovely retro swing top bottles ...ideal for infusing olive oil and vinegar with herbs.....

 Silicon baking mats , pots and pans , an excellent specialty knife section , party supplies , cake pop machines and well I could go on..........but you will have to visit the store to find out how wonderful it is!

Most of my enamel pie dishes are from Lakeland and they have stood the test of time ....no chips and no cracks despite having put them to plenty of use!

Lakeland is a one of UKs home shopping pioneers that offers an unrivaled collection of creative kitchenware that is sure to make your time in the kitchen lots of fun!

I had a lovely time learning how to frost cupcakes and cake pops from Dessert King Shahzad Variava!

And ofcourse was completely thrilled to meet and pose with Tiny :))

Do check the store out for lots of cooking/baking inspiration!

Lakeland Pune
Ground Floor ( Near Mad Over Donuts)
Phoenix Market City

WTF Seaons Mall Pune

I had heard so much about WTF from friends in Bombay and friends in Pune who attended the launch and pre-launch tasting sessions that I was mighty excited about spending Friday night there with PuneFoodiez.....



The place has a very cool , youthful and relaxed vibe about it! I totally loved the way the space has been designed and put together ...

The indoor area has a lovely well stocked bar and cool graffiti is everywhere on the walls ...on the menu cards...

Mojito & Apple Martini

The drinks were all pretty neat I had a few sips of the cocktails friends at my table ordered....Each one was well executed .

The food menu is pretty limited , mostly bar/finger food ....nothing like a main course really....

So this is some of what we tried ...

Hummus with Pita

WTF French Fries

I was a little disappointed with the food ....because on a night out FOOD is the hero!

Bombil Thecha Roll

Chicken Naan Pizza

Chicken Kemma Pav

I did however enjoy a few things like the chicken keema pav , Hummus and the chilli chicken! A lot of the dishes that my friends really enjoyed I could not really taste because I dont eat red meat!

Overall its a nice place to catch up with friends over a few drinks .
I will defiantly go back for the lovely drinks and ambiance   :))) ...... I will also go try WTF at Phoenix Mall sometime soon and let you know how that was...

Gur Ki kheer

There is something so comforting about a rice pudding ....no wonder then that every country has its own version.

In India "Kheer" or rice pudding is such a versatile and popular dessert. Its fast , easy , creamy and comforting . Best of all it uses ingredients that are present in even the most humble kitchen pantry.

There are as many versions of this creamy cardamom scented dessert as there are families in India. This is my version , based on an age old family recipe !

I hope you try it and enjoy it. It uses gur (jaggery) and coconut. Incase you cannot find jaggery you may use brown /regular sugar.

Gur Coconut Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding)

1/3 cup basmati rice
1 Tablespoon Ghee
 2 green cardamoms (slightly bruised and opened)
1 Litre full fat milk
1/2 fresh grated coconut
80-100g Jaggery (gur) depending on how sweet you want it
A handful of raisins
Dry fruits to garnish


Start by soaking the basmati rice in warm water for 10-15 minutes. Then rub the rice grains gently between the palm of your hands to slightly break up the grains of rice.
Drain water from soaked rice and set aside.

Heat ghee in a thick bottomed pan , then add the rice and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the milk and let the rice cook in the milk on a low flame for about 25 minutes.

By this time the rice will be cooked and the kheer will appear thick , use the back of a spoon to gently mash some rice into the milk , this gives it a nice thick texture.

Next add the fresh grated coconut. Also add the raisins and green cardamom pods.

In the end add the jaggery , stir till the jaggery melts and is well incorporated into the rice kheer. Adjust the amount of jaggery according to how sweet you like your desserts!

Serve chilled . Garnish with dry fruits of choice.

Stone Water Grill

Stone Water Grill is hands down the city's most loved party/ dining destination and Pune diners have missed the place sorely since it closed for renovation.

Stone Water Grill re-opens this week and with  my lovely friends from Pune Foodiez , I was invited to a Preview Dinner.

Its already at a great advantage  being located in Koregaon Park , the epicenter of all things happening ...add to that a spectacular river view and spruced up interiors ....

Like before there is both an indoor and outdoor dinning area....you can choose to dine outside under a canopy of twinkling stars along side the dramatic lighting effects and water features or inside in the elegant charcoal grey dinning area...

Stone Water Grill has been instrumental in introducing Pune to experiential dining along with excellent service...

Chef Shailendra Kekade- Pune's style chef is all set to take diners on a world class gastronomic journey with a new innovative menu..... The new menu comprises of modern European dishes and every dish is prepared to delight the diner

Miso butter with cumin breadsticks, Infused olive oil with bread, Aracinni di Riso with smoked aubergine soup

Not only does the food taste spectacular with several layers of flavor and great texture it also looks breathtaking! I love when a restaurant puts in so much care and love in plating a dish!

The soups are fantastic I loved the Light Tomato Tea aka the ginseng , ginger and tomato soup....the Mushroom Cappuccino was fabulous ......

Light tea- tomato, ginseng, ginger soup, Chicken & Mushroom Broth ,Chilled Pomegranate Gazpacho with garlic bread

The food is dramatic and fabulous ....there is plenty to choose from Salads like Soy Roast Duck with medicinal herbs and pomegranate , Mushroom Galouti with saffron brioche .........Wood fired pizzas that Stone Water Grill has always been famous for.......even the humble burger has been elevated to dizzying culinary grandeur under the skilled hands of Chef Shailendra Kekade.....

All vegetarian Mushroom Galouti Kebab served over saffron Brioche

All the vegetarian food we tried was remarkably good....right from the fluffy as a cloud Miso butter with cumin flavored bread sticks to the Mushroom Risotto....the Arancini di Riso with smoked eggplant soup....

Grilled wasabi cottage cheese with papaya salsa

Roasted pepper Tortellini with creme fraiche and toasted garlic crumbs

The salads are a work of art so many different flavors at work all at once....

The shots and Mocktails/Cocktails are astounding but thats no surprise because Stone Water Grill has always boasted of an amazing bar!

Eye of the Tiger ;)

I tried a shot called the "Eye of the Tiger" with a Raspberry Raviolli and lets just say it made me a better person if only just for the evening ;))

And dessert was luscious Pannacotta with lemon leaf and pink peppercorns amongst serveal other equally fantastic desserts....

Malai coconut Panacotta with pink pepper corns and Kafir lime gastrique 

Its rare for me to enjoy a place THIS much ....I have never found any reason to complain of my time at Stone Water Grill ....the place looks amazing....plays great music....attracts the right kind of people ....boasts of an excellent service staff and good God even serves spectacular food!!

I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a memorable night .....this is the place to go to for seriously good food or if you just want to unwind over a few drinks along with great appetizers and  great music !

Stone Water Grill
Pyramid Complex
81/82 North Main Road
Koregaon Park

Call (020) 67251000 for Reservations

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Pune's best Vada Pao

The summer is on its way out and its time for the great Indian Monsoons!

I was away from India for the last two monsoons so I am really looking forward to the rains this year!

Its amazing how the change in weather gets me craving for completely different kinds of food.All through the summer months all I wanted was lots of fruit ...Mangoes...lots of juices and cold coffee 

And now just after the first rains of the season all I really want is hot chocolate , onion pakodas ( fritters) and ofcourse Vada Pao!

Vada Pao is basically a giant potato filling.... batter coated and deep fried to crispy perfection and served in a pao (melt in your mouth pillow-y bread)...

There are several versions found all around Maharashtra and Vada Pao makes for excellent street food ...think of it as India's version of a burger!

Makes for a great , quick , portable lunch/snack...

This post is about MY most favorite Vada Pao in my home city of Pune....I have tried several iconic stalls that serve this addictive snack but this is THE best according to me...

Its always bustling with people , the vadas are crunchy and hot , its served with a delicious sweet-spicy chutney and comes with a side of chopped onions and pickled lemon /green chillies...

Go here when you are in Pune next ...Rs 14 for a Vada Pao dont forget to ask for double chutney and lots of green chillies. :))

JJ Garden Vada Pao

Behind M G Road

Near JJ Agyari (Fire Temple)

Asian Express

Think fast food and all that comes to mind is Mc Donalds and KFC or at best the road side vada pao vendor.....well not any more!

Asian Express, a small chic eatery conveniently located in Mariplex Mall in Kalyani Nagar is all set to change the drab fast food scene in the city!

Asian Express offers popular South East Asian food in an "express" fast food format. Dont expect to be served in fancy plates!

But what you can expect is fresh food created using real Thai spices and ingredients.....a great place for a working lunch or a quick snack if you are in the area.

So on a lovely Saturday afternoon , with my lovelyy friends from Pune Foodiez  we had lunch at Asian Express and this is some of  what we ate....

I loved the Burmese Kaho Soi  (Rs 225) - a one bowl wonder with noodles , fried shallots, garlic, boiled egg ,a thick flavorful base and wonderful smoked chilli flakes on top!

 Surely the Khao Soi would make for a very satisfying meal all in itself! What you are served at Asian Express is a pre- assembled Khao Soi but dont be shy and ask for extra condiments if you so desire !

I like my Khao Soi with  extra squirts of lemon juice and fried garlic bits ...

Burmese Khao Soi

Next thing I liked was the Som Tam (Rs 145) - Raw papaya salad ....its something I can eat every single day...loved the long crunchy strips of papaya  that were tossed in a tangy garlic-y tamarind dressing.

Som Tam 

The Lemon Grass prawns (Rs 285) were nice also....it was a very generous serving of prawns considering the price :))

Lemongrass Prawns

Chicken satay (Rs 205) was good! It makes for a good snack though I would have liked the accompanying peanut sauce to be a little thicker with more texture and bite! Paneer satay was lacking in flavour and a little bland.

Chicken Satay

The Japanese potato cakes ( Rs 125) and Thai french fries ( Rs 135) were both nice! Think an aloo tikki with thai spices or french fries coated in exotic thai chilli and lemon grass seasoning!

Japanese Potato Cakes

The Tom Kha soup ( Rs 135) was nice but could do with more of a kick of Thai flavour!

Tom Kha Soup

The Thai red curry ( Rs 235)  and green curry served with a portion of basil rice were both quite impressive! I enjoyed them....

Thai Red curry

Desserts on offer are not very conventional and may be a little experimental for most people. I tried the mango spring roll ( Rs 155) and a Thai coconut Patties( Rs 140) -  coconut potato dumpling in a creamy coconut sauce.

 They were nice but I am not sure if I would order them again....but then again kudos to Asian Express for being experimental with food and trying new things :)

Thai coconut Patties

Mango Spring roll

Over all, I loved the chic interiors with the exposed brick walls and the interesting art .

Will I eat here again?

I will surely  eat here again given my love for South East Asian Food and healthy eating (on most days)  and stick with  house classics like Khao Soi, Red/Green Curry with rice , Som Tam salad and Lemon grass prawns!

Asian Express- Kalyani Nagar Pune

Its wonderful to find real Thai food in a fast food format at such reasonable prices for generous portion sizes !

‘Bake Like A Pastry Chef’ at Courtyard by Marriott Pune City Center

Whenever I begin to gather ingredients for baking, I am reminded of love....
Nothing fills a house with joy as much as the aroma and prospect of a  freshly baked cake no matter how basic it is .....
Baking marks a celebration , fills a child's heart with glee and revives lagging spirits ....
Baking comes from the heart ...

Delicious Tea Cake

Baking is about loving , about sharing and about giving as much as it is about cooking.....

Chef de Partie Gerwin D'souza

The lovely people at Courtyard by Marriott Pune City Center hosted a wonderful afternoon to a packed audience ...

Chef de Partie Gerwin D'souza hosted a baking master-class aptly titled "Bake like a Pastry Chef".

Cheese Cake

In a short span of just an hour and a half the  young and immensely talented Chef Gerwin D'souza taught us how to make muffins, crispy short bread , healthy oat cookies , scrumptious tea cake ,tiramisu and ravishingly good baked New York style cheese cake!

Brilliant baked cheese cake

The masterclass was held in a state of the art assembled bakery with cameras and television displays so that the audience could see every step of the recipe no matter where they were seated.....

Tiramisu

Chef Gerwin D'souza interacted with the audience in his witty , charming style and answered queries all through the session.....

Crispy shortbread cookies

What followed was sampling of everything that we learnt and high -tea.

Healthy oats cookies

And its Tea Time!

A truly memorable afternoon and I learnt so much in such a short span of time!

I highly recommend all forthcoming baking master classes with Chef de Partie Gerwin D'souza....its not often that one has the chance to interact and learn from such a gifted Chef who is so devoted to the art of baking!

Wonderful audience in rapt attention!