Gala Brunch spread at Durbari, Swissotel, Kolkata

“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"
"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"
"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said.”

-A.A. Milne

Ah!!! It’s not exactly the same thing happened with me last Sunday and yes there was something very special waited for me us to pair my our breakfast and lunch together. I know you got me. I am talking about Brunch - the concept that is recently evolving in Kolkata. The European concept of brunch has been ceremoniously offered to Kolkata by Swissotel first at their Café Swiss restaurant. Then they moved a step ahead to give it an Indian touch by designing a Sunday Brunch Menu to their famous Indian speciality restaurant Durbari. Kolkata Food Bloggers were exclusively invited to sample the re- launch of the Durbari Sunday Brunch Menu on last Sunday. My soul always does happy dances and taps its feet when it comes to Swissotel. Yes, I love visiting the place (with Friends/Fellow Bloggers & Family) for its elegance and the quality food they serve. Did I mention about their courteous hospitality which makes you feel like home!! This time visiting Durbari was not new for me, but what was new, was the delectable brunch spread on offer.

Durbari itself is famous for offering the North Indian speciality food where you will get the Kashmiri influences as well as the Awadhi. Recently keeping in mind about the Bengali culture and food, Durbari offers some famous Bengali dishes like: Malaikari, Shorshe Machh, Kosha Mangsho. It made us more surprised when Ashish (Restaurant Manager) informed that Durbari is the only one restaurant in Kolkata which serves the famous PANTA BHAT. And the icing on the cake is the Chef’s own touch that incorporates some brilliant fusion dishes to serve. For example picking some from the Brunch menu: Naaza (Na of Naan & Za of Pizza), it's a fusion of Naan and Pizza. The chef deftly made an indianized Pizza, making the base out of  Khameeri roti and topped it with Murgh Tikka, amul cheese and some colourful bell peppers. A smoky flavor steaming out of it would give one a taste of heaven. Or take Murgh Balai Kabab. The name itself  made us all curious what could be the meaning of Balai. On asking Chef Aditya casually shared “Malai kabab tha, to maine iska naam Balai kabab rakh diya” (there is already Malai Kabab, so I kept it Balai Kabab). And  yea you guessed right we all almost rolled over the floor. And this Murgh Balai Kabab was a stuffed chicken breast with onions and

pomegranate. Taste wise I was not able to do much justice to it. Ok let me talk about the menu later on. Coming to the characteristic of the Brunch menu- it is not constant but keeps on changing every week. That means every week there will be uniqueness on the menu and a new taste to lure. Soon after we reached Durbaari, we were greeted by Enakshi Kundu (assistant marketing and communication manager) and Aashish Shaw (restaurant manager) and made us comfortably sit in their private dining area. The culinary journey started then – clicking, tasting, gathering information, giggling on intervals and all we shutter bugs kept on playing the music of our shutters to freeze the beauty of each food in our cameras.

Now let us peep in the Brunch Spread: 

Starters

The special starters will be served on the table. One will get more starter options on the buffet counter too: i.e.Zafrani Paneer Tikka, Dalcha Kebab (Veg) and Achari Tikka, Sarson Mahi Tikka (Non-Veg ).

Dahi Ke Kabab

 This starter was served first. The speciality of this starter is, it is always served cold. Hung curd with some spices got coated with semolina and then got fried was divine. It will tickle one's taste bud with a kind of not so tangy but too tasty paired with the aroma of the fried spices.The perfectly shaped and fried patty could be easily grab for a second serving.

Naaza..I have already talked about it. One of the star dishes for which one can go back again and again.

Murgh Balai Kabab

Gondhoraj Mahi Tikka

Now this one was the star of the day. Tender pieces of  Bhetki Fish delicately marinated with Gondhoraj lime and Kaffir lime, grilled and served to us to so the justice to it.and no need to say each bite made to say only YAM, nothing else.The balanced flavour totally camouflaged the Fishy smell for which Bhetki is famous for. 

The main course/ Buffet Spread

Sarson Mahi Tikka

Achari Tikka

Palak Paneer 

Methi Murgh

2.      The sumptuous  buffet spread will lure you with almost 15 -16 dishes to devour. Starting right from the Soups/Shorbas, Salads, Starters, Main Course and Desserts were all on offer. The main course comprises of  Dal Durbari, Palak paneer, Diwani Handi and Aloo Dhaniawala from the Vegetarian section. Ajwaini Fish Curry and Methi Murgh were from the Non Veg section. Green Peas Pulao was there to compliment the side dishes. I enjoyed thoroughly each of bite of all the dishes. But to be specified Dal Durbari was out of the world. Mainly when we were served the famous Swiss Cheese Naan, both conjugated like made for each other in heaven. Off the Brunch menu Murgh Makhni Andaz and Kumbh Do pyaza were also served to sample the taste. Again they won my heart.

3.       

The dessert counter had a mixture of Indian traditional sweets and pastries along with fresh fruits. Mango Rasmalai, Mihidana and Rabdi were enjoyed unanimously by my fellow bloggers. For me I was so full I had console my appetite with bite size Tiramisu. 

The overall food experience was out of the world and when you have host like Swiss team who would take the utmost care to make you comfortable with their cordial politeness. And don't miss the price on offer. Yes it is just 1000/- plus tax (yes you hear me right!!!!) for the Brunch which is available only on Sunday. 

Durbaari is opened from Tuesday to Sunday between 1900 hrs to 2300 hrs,the restaurant is open for lunch from 12:30 hrs to 15:00 hrs on weekends as well. Mondays are closed.

The taste of Royal cuisine with Chef Imtiaz Qureshi at ITC Sonar, Kolkata

 My impatient soul was feeling like tapping the table to settle down the heart beat and let the rhythm soothe the soul till the exact moment jingles. Being a food addict from my childhood the Chefs are like the Food Gods to me. As much I read about them, I watch them on TV, I get so much inspired to follow their footsteps and to create some magic in my kitchen. And when one gets an opportunity to meet some iconic figure whom you have just thought to meet in your dreams, does life want anything more!!! An invitation to the Kolkata Food Bloggers from ITC Sonar to meet the legendary Chef Imtiaz Qureshi and witness his magical culinary journey with his creations made a dream come true.  I have heard so much about him. The iconic grand master who can transform a veg kabab to taste like a meat, who has magic in his hand, the king of Dum Pukht cuisine and a legend that carries all the anecdotes right from the Mughals' Royal darbar to the recent days. He cooks and weaves stories with each of his creations...He creates royal dishes and spiced it up with the royal lore. 

Then he entered in the double breasted chef's suit, neatly combed silvery lines streaming down with ignorable curls. A heart melting smile was continuously peeping from the masculine aged mustache and a fashionably done beard. He was joined shortly by Chef Zuber Qureshi  and the moment stopped there and took us back to the Nawab’s darbaari kitchen from where his journey with the Dum Pukht cuisine started. In his chaste

Luckhnawi urdu he continued that 'Dum' means 'to breathe in' and 'Pukht' means 'to cook'. The main Dum Pukht cuisine defines as cooking a dish in a clean kitchen where in a deep bottom vessel the dish will be cooked while choking all the steam inside and its own aroma will spice up the whole taste. He kept on picking up each dish from the menu and went on explaining how it got cooked with the anecdotes behind each dish. One such anecdote: “In Arab there was once no water. So people survived only on Dates. And from there I got the idea to use date in my dishes. I used dates in Raan-e-huzoor which nobody can think.”   He also explained that people has become more prone towards healthy and nutritious food;so keeping in mind the modern scenario all the dishes were cooked with very less oil and ghee. And we all became surprised to hear that the Biriyani was cooked with Olive oil. When it comes to meat, there are almost 50 types of different kind of cuts for each meat dish and at the same time the taste depends on choosing the fresh soft meat. We also came to know the sectect about the melt in mouth meat flesh is nothing but slow cooking for at least 7-8 long hours. The food went on filling our plates and the legendary father like man in his 80s kept on moving table to table asking about the dishes and did we figure out what ingredients he had used. He also added that Usage of Sea food is very rare in Mughlai cuisine but he has added since keeping in mind the choices of the present taste buds.

Soon after we were joined by the whiskey connoisseur Mr Sandeep Arora who educated us that whiskey could be very well get paired with food. He talked about the famous brand of scotch whiskey Royal Salute 21YO which is 21 years old. He called it ‘Royal Challenge’ as it is a marriage between royal cuisine and royal whiskey.

Let us now have some glimpses on royal dishes crafted in the menu:

My take of the day were- Raan-e-huzoor, Jhinga Qureshi, Dudhiya Biryani and Desi murgh ishtew.

KABABS:

Raan- e- huzoor: Baby Lamb Legs cooked on the dum with a thick Date sauce, embellished with walnut and almonds.

Jhinga Qureshi: Named after the legnedary Chef it is a puff pastry covered Jumbo Prawn, stuffed with dried apricot and cheese.

QORMA, QALIYA,SALAN

Samundari Ratan: Soft Marbles of fresh crabmeat, simmered in a delicate fenugreek flavoured gravy. 

Koh- E- Avadh: Chef's recipe of qorma of elegantly exposed lamb shanks, dum cooked in their own cardamom tinged juices and marrow, finished with saffron

Desi Murgh ishtew is also served under this head. This ishtew is totally difffernt what we ussually make at home. Country chicken braised over slow burning fire, with onions, black pepper, yoghurt and other spices.

Dal Badami was served too..

NAAN

Naan-e Bah Khummach, Mugtha Paratha and Roomali Roti was served to relish with the qormas.

BIRYANI

Dudhiya Biryani: tender lamb morsels, cooked on Dun with Aromatic Basmati rice. To enhance the taste and to keep it healthy Milk and Olive oil are used.

MEETHA

Sahi Tukda (a dessert of saffrom rabri, spread on a slice of syrup soaked homemade bread) and Lab-e Mashooq (Frozen dessert of reduced milk scented with orange)

And last but not the least the Sahi Paan was served to draw an ending line to the royal treat.
Apart from all the Non-veg dishes a royal Veg spread is also available on the menu.

The Signature Collection can be enjoyed at the Eden Pavilion from 22nd June to 30th June as a part of the dinner buffet (7.30-11.45 pm) at INR 1850 plus taxes.

And a set menu of five courses paired with Roysl Salute, one can go for Royal Repast at Dum Pukht that is only available for dinner from 22nd June onwards at the price of INR 6500 plus tax.

For more photographs please visit HERE.

Mango Haat at ITC Sonar,Kolkata

“In keep with ITC Hotels philosophy of being ‘rooted to the soil’, we celebrate the unique diversity of flavours through which Murshidabad mangoes delight connoisseurs of the fruit. This is in keeping with our commitment to sustainability and Responsible Luxury.” – Atul Bhalla (General Manager, ITC Sonar)

Have you heard of Bimli, which carries a classic legend direct from the enchanting history from the Nawabs’ era. During the rule of Mir Jafar, a maid called Bimli worked hard in the leisure garden of the Nawab. While being pleased with her work the Nawab named a new verity of mango that was being cultivating in his garden “Bimli’. Yes Bimli is the name of one of the sweetest and fleshy Mangoes that Murshidabad takes the pride of cultivating it.  Or what about Kohitoor the most legendary Nawabi Mango from Hakim Aga Mohammadi Bagh which would only pluck by hands and would be kept wrapped in cotton wool to keep it fresh. After every 12 hours, the mango has to change its position to ripe uniformly and should be cut with a sharp bamboo wedge but not by a knife. 

Bhavani, Bira, Anaras, Kalapahar Saranga, Molamjam, Ranipasand so and so forth- what do you think they are!!!!They are nothing but all the name of the varieties of Mangoes that leave the trail of the legends of the Nawab’s era again. Moorshidabad, not Murshidabad then used be the Heart of Bengal, the torch bearer of the Indian culture and architecture – The Nawab’s land of luxury.  In the pages of History Murshidabad It was the place where once 200 varieties of mangoes grown alone in the orchards of Murshidabad.

To start with - Thanks to Murshidabad Heritage Development Society (MHDS), iLEAD and ITC Sonar whose joint effort presented ‘Mango Haat’ to introduce the exquisite verities of mangoes where many got extinct but still there are many to bear the pride of the heritage land Murshidabad through the trail of history, the land once famous for its highly nurtured exotic mangoes. Being a part of Kolkata Food Bloggers the invitation to experience the journey with the legendary Mangoes from Murshidabad along with the history was a stupendous experience that last Sunday evening gifted us.

Along with the varieties of Mangoes on display a delectable high tea table enriched the taste buds of the guests. All the delicacies very creatively and sumptuously presented and the common ingredient of all was nothing but Mango. Even it really won the heart to see Sushi made out of Mango. The event became more interesting when Mr. Pradip Chopra the president of Murshidabad Heritage Development Society (MDHS)and the Chairman of iLEAD, enlightened our knowledge with a short documentary mainly based on

the  book – Mangoes From Murshidabad”, written by him.  It not only travelled us several years back to get the glimpses of how Mango used to get cultivated but also introduced to the Sheherwali cusines like Aam ka launi, Aam Chana ka Kutti, Kachhe aam ka kheer etc and there famous mango cutting techniques. If we literally define ‘Sheherwali ’, it means ‘City (sheher)’ dwellers. History says that the Jain Community who settled down in Murshidabad (Jiaganj, Azimgang) was called Sheherwali. Most of them came from Rajasthan with a connection of some business purpose and then settled down here. Apart from their delicious cuisine the most captivating part was their mango cutting technique. It is like a ceremony that has to go through five phases to get the perfect slices of the fleshy mango pieces without having wasting the juice or any finger prints on the flesh.

#The Mangoes has to be soaked in water for 4-5 hours and washed carefully.

#Then the skin has to be cut with two kinds of techniques.u

#Again the mango has to be washed.

#Then the pieces should be cut with utmost care.

#And then serve carefully.

The event was very encouraging to see the effort to bring back one of the glories of the Heritage place like Murshidabad and exhibiting the exquisite collection of mangoes that is not only a rare experience but also an eye opener to take the pride of the treasures that Bengal own.

(All the sources of information was found from the book: Mangoes From Murshidabad, Compiled & Designed by Pradip Chopra and Team iLead)

Chatpata Nimbu Pani (Spicy Lemon Juice)

 Today I am going to draw a short line and writing a very small post. Last few months were quite hectic for me. We got semi-shifted to our new nest in Rajarhaat. Semi-shifted, yes I used the term as we are only visiting here during my daughter's holidays. Till now it is quite difficult for us to commute to her school from here. Therefore staying here means a complete leisure busy time for me. I had to do all the household work here, though have a maid who comes and makes the house neat and clean by swiping and wiping it. I had to cook the four meals, didn't get a single time to sit with my second love, my lappy. Had to give my sole hours to the lil one who would never leave her mamma for a single second as for her this was the vacation time where we would only play and play and play. I also cherish this time where I can take a complete break from my personal professional work. And completely enjoy a homemaker's duty and a mom's duty (Ah, which I do always but at the same time I proudly enjoy the free spirit of a working lady too on the other days). Here we have just arranged the minimum requirements that make a life happy and perfect. A Washing Machine, a Micro-oven, a refrigerator and a mattress and we three are madly happy to enjoy the holidays here without all those extra gadgets that now a day have taken the pleasure of simple living. We enjoy in the pool, we run on the green and live a life totally unaware of the humdrum of the polluted, populated city life. I don't know how long this place will be so peaceful but at least few years can be a boon to have some time escaped from the city life. Ooopps.. I said that it would be a small post and see how much I pulled so far… Ok now let us cheers to the glasses of the Chatpata Nimbu Pani (Spicy Lemon Juice) to make life little bit cooler in this unbearable summer season. My daughter is very fond of Lemon juice. So every day she wants a glass of lemon juice to beat the heat. So this time I made a little variation to give it nice tasty twist. And no need to say she enjoyed it till the bottom and demanded for a next glass. Happy me here sharing the recipe.

Chatpata Nimbu Pani (Spicy Lemon Juice)

 Ingredients:

 (Measurement given for 1  tall normal drinking Glass)

Lemon Juice: Out of 2 medium size Lemon

Chat Masala -  1/2 tspn (I used MDH)

Sugar - 2 & 1/2 tspn (More or less)

Salt/ Black Salt- 1/4 tspn

Mint Leaves - 2-3 sprigs

Chilled Water: 1 tall normal drinking Glass

 Method:

1. Squeeze the lemon juice out of the lemons. Add sugar and rest it for few minutes till the sugar granules get dissolved.
2. Add all the other ingredients except the mint leaves. Stir nicely. Taste if more sugar or salt is needed.
3. Crushed the mint leaves in-between  your palms  and add in the juice.  Add some ice (Optional) and serve to soothe your quenched throat in this unbearable summer season.

Sending this to the ongoing event of the Kolkata Food Bloggers:

Sneak Peek to the Breakfast Menu at The Corner Courtyard, Kolkata

Gone are those days when people love to dip their fingers in a oily potato curry and indulge the pleasure of morning breakfast with Luchi/ Puri/Radhaballavi/Kachuri. Though at the same time I must admit how much health conscious we have become the real pleasure still lures sometime to indulge in this sinful breakfast delicacies. Breakfast offerings in Kolkata are changing the scenario quite fast. Now we have quite a lot Food joints who are serving pretty attractive breakfast options and what is making it more whetting is the full concentration on the "Healthy Offering". One such new Restaurant "The Corner Courtyard" which is already got the fame for its Boutique Hotel with the amazing interior and the delectable world cuisine with the unique table presentation at offer. On a Sunday Morning with my Fellow Blogger Amrita we reached to sample the breakfast menu at The Corner Courtyard. Chef Chanchal greeted us warmly and made us sit comfortably. The first thing came to our notice was the Hotel Brochure that had been compiled in a new way where now all the information about the Menu on offering and the Hotel detail could be found in one place. That made us pretty impressed till the time dishes are coming on table one can easily apply the time by browsing the brochure. 

Breakfast Menu has been designed in a very attractive way. They have made Four Segments:

1.Choice of Broken Egg Shells:

Mexican Omelet served with Baked beans and salsa

Dishes on Offer: This section offers the healthy non veg options in a continental style. One can indulge in some scrambled egg with smoked chicken or Norwegian Pink Salmon or Sautéed vegetable along with mashed potato and baked beans. Few versions of Omllet are on offering too. Like the Fluffy and spongy Mexican Omllet or a Omllet with shredded cheddar cheese or just a simple Omlett along with some stir fried vegetable and Baked Beans. Or one can have the simple boiled egg or fried eggs with some hash browns or sautéed spinach & Mushroom.

2. Vegetable Mélange:

Stir fried assorted veggies, served with Baked beans, cheese toast and mashed potato

This section offers the vegetable offerings. The Continental Veg offering are pretty less. While talking about this with Chef Chanchal he informed that since they have started new with the Breakfast menu, gradually they had plans to start adding more after the customers choices. But what are there on the list are quite luring and totally sumptuous. Stir Fired assorted Veggies, served with baked beans, cheese toast and mashed potato simple made my heart dance in joy. The veggies where stirred with the minimum and merest ingredients that left a sheer joy of tasting something very healthy. And the in house baked bean was perfect in taste with the all balanced supplements adequately adjusted.

3. Sinful Delights:

Flipped Parfait (Assorted fruit bed topped with Muesli & yogurt, glazed with honey) , Muesli & Honey crushed Banana with seasonal fresh fruit mash warm Chocolate & Fruit wrapped pancakes...

Though the above mentioned dishes are quite common in the Breakfast offerings in the Restaurants which have the continental options in their menu, the colourful, nutritious and healthy twist in Breakfast with Muesli and Fresh fruits that is also in some elegant dining place was something new for me. If you are a health conscious freak, devotedly rule you healthy diet, this will be the right place to indulge in the pleasure of early morning nutritious calorie free food experience. You can have Muesli (Mind that not the soggy one but fresh and crunchy) with fresh fruits, hung curd and honey in the attire of Flip Parfait, or you can have Banana rolled in a nutty Muesli and mashed fruits combined again with muesli. The best part of it is no added sugar or artificial flavour. All you will have with the limited seasonings to enhance the taste and to retain with the delight to enjoy the healthy version of it. Even a simple pancake roll stuffed with assorted fruits and with a very significant usage of chocolate syrup can made you taste bud to opt for the next bite. 

Sinful Oreo Choco Pancake Stack

The most interesting dish from this section is the Sinful Chocó Oreo Pancake Stack. Nobody can think that one can indulge in a healthy and nutritious Sinful Sinless dessert in the early morning treat. Yes though they have named it Sinful but here the term is allegorical here. An energy pack dessert where you will have the flavour and oozing of chocolate from the pancakes but when you will have a bite you will have the feel that you are having fresh crunchy fruits along with a piece of pancake and the flavour of Chocolate and Oreo. The very stingy amount of chocolate did make it exotic but at the same time healthy too.

4. Sandwiches & Breads:

Home fresh in-house breads are on offer too and with a good variety, and Sandwiches, though the Sandwich options are also pretty less.

 

Norwegian smoked pink salmon topped with cream cheese and basil leaf, a special dish offer straight from the Chef's kitchen. And no need to say we were overwhelmed by the taste, how it was presented and also the sweet gesture of Chef Chanchal. 

A dish makes you hungrier if it is well presented in front of you. Whenever I dine in The Corner Courtyard I love the way each dish gets presented and the usages of the fresh ingredients. While talking with Chef Chanchal he said he personally took care to choose each ingredient so that it should be fresh and how to present a dish to the customer. Every day the F&B team gets a special training from the Chef himself so that each customer can be given a proper vision of a single dish in the menu and top of it how to have a particular dish. For example I was served Flip Parfait and l took a spoonful bite. The first impression came in my mind that it was not my kind of a dish, its sour in taste and something was missing in it. When I was going for a second serving only to get a second opinion for the peace of my mind, Chef Chanchal made me stop and said this dish should be taste in a different way to get the exact taste of it. One had to dig at the bottom of the plate and scoop out all the layers till the top and then to take a bite. So following the instruction we did that. For few seconds I was just out of any reaction. I found the taste just out of the world. I had bite of fresh fruit, the muesli, the hung curd all in a delectably sumptuous way. Every tasting session is nothing but a learning session for me. Every time I come here and I return back home by enriching myself with the plethora of knowledge. I love the way the TCC team deals their customer and opens the door to a different world of Food where one can only take the pleasure of enjoy a dish if it is tasted in the proper way.
You can read my another experience with the TCC HERE...

Address: 

      92B, Sarat Bose Road, Kolkata

      Breakfast Timing: 8.00 to 10.30am (Only weekend right now)

      Pocket Pinch (For two): 600-700/- (For Breakfast)

Get more photographs HERE...

Read Amrita's Experience HERE....

Golmorich Chicken/ Black Pepper Chicken

"Ma when we are going??" 

Almost 1 month was left for our (Sister and Me) first Mountain Exploration, but we made our Mom almost mad by asking this same question after every single minute. Yes we were pretty excited and the entire fancy story related to the mountain region had already started to haunt us like anything and made us impulsive to get on board and reach there in no time. A travel plan was made to visit the paradise of Indian "Kashmir". I think I was then 9 or 10 yrs old and my sister 5/6. Day and night both of us kept ourselves busy in discussing what we would do there, how we wwould play with the snow, how much fun it would be, which doll/toy to take with us and then ending up in a fight. That was a time of sheer innocence when we were fully depended on our parents totally ignorant of the fact that practically what kind of preparation actually one had to take during a trip. We were happy with our imaginative world which made us to travel Kashmir for more than 100 times before we practically reached the city. Our parents would sometimes get angry with all our repetitive nagging questions or sometimes patiently answer our each question. I can vaguely visualise those days we were sitting on the both sides of our parents and with wide eyes listening our travel plans, about the Paradise of India, about the beauty of the mountains, the Dal Lake, the house boats, Shikara so on so forth. 

Our stay in Srinagar was not pleasant though due the bad weather and flood flowing at that time. But we enjoyed our trip wholeheartedly in some different way. We used to travel by boats from the main road to our hotel and then from the pavement till the hotel doorstep we have to walk over big tree trunks. All over the place where covered with mushy green water and if one didn't know the fact that this was water you were definitely going to get a chilled bath in this cold ice cold water. And yes it had happen with me two times...:D

On our way back home our train crossed Lucknow where my maternal uncle used to stay. So we met him in the station for few minutes and he handed over us loads of foods and gifts. We happily started our journey again. Among the food we had our dinner packed nicely too. And what we had!!!! Roti and GOLMORICH CHICKEN/BLACK PEPPER CHICKEN. The taste what I can remember was nice but too hot. And whole night my sister and I suffered from indigestion. But my parents enjoy the dish that we could guess how they smacked their lips and fingers and till date keep on talking about the dish. One day I gathered all the memorable flashbacks and decided to give a try to the Golmorich Chicken/ Black Pepper Chicken once again. Called my Tata (I call my maternal uncle with this name) and asked him to tell his secret Golmorich Chicken/ Black Pepper Chicken recipe. He laughed aloud and said he had totally forgotten about the recipe but still he gave me some titbits so that I can at least get a hunch how to cook it. So here I am with the dish. I have lessened the hotness of the pepper so that my lil one digest it and enjoy it. But if you love to have your chicken with full of peppery hotness then just go ahead enjoy the freedom of adding how much black pepper you want to add (To much usage of it may make the dish bitter). So here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Chicken (with bone): 300-400gms

Yogurt: 2 tbspn

Red Chili Powder: 1/2 tspn

Onion - 1 large

Ginger + Garlic Paste: 1tspn

Whole Black Pepper: 5-6

Black Pepper powder: 1 tspn (More or less)

Salt & Sugar as per taste

Oil: 2 tbspn

Ghee: few drops

Method:

1. Marinate the Chicken with Yogurt, Salt and red chili powder preferably over night.

2. Paste the onion along with ginger and garlic.

3. Heat the oil. Add the Whole Black Pepper in the hot oil and the add the onion paste.

4. Cook till it turns red.

5. Add the Chicken and cook in a low flame till the chicken gets cook.

6. Increase the flame and then add the Black pepper powder and cook till the dish take a dry texture.

7. Add ghee and then enjoy it with rice or roti.

Note:

You can add Potato if you want.

Master class International Vine & Food pairing Festival at Taj Bengal, Kolkata

 "FOUR SEASONS, the flagship brand of the company, captures the colors and moods of the four seasons, with three reds (Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot); three whites (Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc and Viognier); and, a Rosé (Blush). The Barrique Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Barrique Reserve Shiraz are the premium offerings of the Four Seasons portfolio. These wines have been aged in imported French oak barrels for 9 months before being bottled." (Source: HERE)

Wine was always deprived from my tasting list unless and until I got the opportunity to go through a long educational wine testing session by the Four Seasons, where the whole show got conducted by Mr. Peter Mitter last year. The event was an eye opener for me and I better understood then how one should drink wine along with which kind of food. The marriage between Food and Wine is made in heaven for sure and we all people in earth taking the full pleasure to savour it.

On an invitation by the esteem Four Seasons team led me to witness the Master class International Vine &Food pairing Festival at Taj Bengal a couple of days back. This was for the first time the more than hundred famous International & National brands came under one roof  to showcase a tasting session along with the choice of best food by the talented and reputed chefs from the Taj group (Some got invited internationally too) to an esteem group of people.   My tasting session started right from the Four Seasons stall where the display of all the  range of wines from Four seasons got sampled including  Viognier, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Blush, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon etc and my personal favourite the Barrique Reserve Cabrenet Sauvignon and Barrique Reserve Shiraz.  Four Seasons  produces wines from grapes grown around Sahyadri valley in Maharashtra, India and at its state-of-the-art Four Seasons winery near Baramati, around 65 kms from Pune. It aims to drive interest in wines and wine consumption by offering good quality wines at reasonable price points with packaging options as well as education and engagement.  The Master class session of each brands made the tasting session more interesting when one got to know the birth history  of the a wine till it gets matured. 

Chief Wine Maker of Four Seasons Mr Abhay Kewadkar's  master class was really an eye opener which covered the points like the right Choices of Oaks, Origin of the Oak, the Coopers Craft, The Flavour notes from the Barrel, What does a Barrel do, The Barrel Basics etc.

Moving on to all the other  national International brands what tickled the taste bud was the array of foods on display and that was also direct form the famous Chefs' stalls stationed there. For the first time taste the Rabbit meat sauce with Fettuccine. Though I was a bit skeptical how it would be, it really tasted very nice. Chef Sujan's special Gondhoraj Griddled Kolkata Beckti with Portobello Mushrooms was another dish, worth too mention. The Crab meat cake with Guacamole was just out of the world. Got the opportunity to taste the master class creation by the famous French Chef Marc Thuet too. All the dishes for me were the perfect pairing to complement that evening with the different colours and taste of wines.

Last but not the least the wine that won my heart was the Sparkling wine from Bouvet.  The french wine is the second oldest sparkling wine producer from Saumur in the Loire. The taste will give you the Champagne quality at a very significant price. Now its available in Kolkata Quest Mall too. Overall the whole event was a remarkably educational journey for me, mainly for the exclusive Master Class sessions. Talking with the Brand Sommeliers did break many myth and also gather a plethora of knowledge about the varieties of Wine. Its also a very proud moment to witness such event in our own city Kolkata. Hope to have this kind of event more here. With an ending note would like to convey my heartiest thanks to Four Seasons for extending the invitation for such great event.

 For Photographs please visit HERE..

Also Read what my fellow Blogger Vishal experienced HERE... 

[Disclaimer: Kamalika C participated as a guest of Four Seasons and the post solely based on the author's honest experience..] .