Spinach Rice/Palak Rice with Green Chicken Curry

Spinach (Palak) Rice and Green Chicken Curry (6-7 people depending on their appetites)

If you fancy the Recipe below and find it too tedious to try and want to place an order instead, please drop me a comment below with your mobile number and I will call you. That's only if you live in Dubai :)

I recently bought some Spinach, trying to eat healthy ;). Usually I prepare Aloo Palak which is basically Spinach and Potatoes sautéed in powdered spices. Since the spinach welts and a big bunch ends up to almost nothing I thought of doing something different like adding it to Rice to sort of make it like Pulav.

Of all the vegetables my hubby eats (and it is so difficult to get him to eat any) Spinach is my safest option.

Make this for your loved one’s lunch box or for a dinner party. Either way you are bound to impress.

You may need something to accompany the Rice like either Yoghurt Raita or just plain Yoghurt or Pickle. I decided to go with green Chicken curry for substance.

So for the Rice you will need 2 cups of Basmati Rice soaked in water. Soak it for about an hour or so. You also need - 

1.       2 bunches of Spinach

2.       Half a bunch of Coriander Leaves (Dhaniya)

3.       Few Mint Leaves (Pudina)

4.       4-5 Cloves of Garlic

5.       2 inch piece of Ginger

6.       1 Green Chilli (you can remove the seeds for less heat)

Blend the above ingredients with a little water to form a paste. We are now going to cook this paste for which you will need –

7.       2 tbsp of Vegetable Oil

8.       4-5 Black Peppercorns

9.       ½ tsp of whole Cumin seeds (Jeera)

10.    2 Cloves

11.    1 Bay Leaf

12.    1 tsp of Red Chilli Powder

13.    1 tsp Coriander Powder (Dhaniya)

14.    ½ tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi)

15.    1 medium Red Onion

16.    1 small Tomato

17.    Salt

Heat up 2 tbsp of Oil in a wide deep non-stick vessel. The reason why I specify wide is so that the Rice has space to breathe. I am not sure if it’s true but I have just formed this opinion upon numerous tries, sometimes ending up with sticky rice and no one likes to eat sticky Pulav.

Add the Peppercorns, Cumin, Cloves, Bay Leaf, Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder and Turmeric Powder and fry for a minute to release the flavour from the spices. Add the onion and Tomato and fry for another minute. Add the Spinach paste and fry for a good 5 minutes.

Add the soaked rice along with 4 cups of water and salt and cook on a slow flame until the rice is cooked. Avoid stirring the rice; you can fluff it with a fork if you like.

There you have it - delicious Spinach or Palak Rice.

Green Chicken

The chicken is a little easier. You take 1 whole chicken cut into parts and marinate it with a green Masala (see below). Once marinated for about an hour or so, fry the chicken in a vessel (not a frying pan as it may be too shallow) for a few minutes until the Masala is cooked and then add about 2 cups of water if you want some gravy. Let it simmer for about an hour until the chicken is cooked.

If you do not want gravy then you can just cook the chicken without adding any water on a slow flame for about an hour until the chicken is done.

Don’t forget to add salt.

To make the Masala, blend all the below ingredients to make a thick smooth paste.

1 Onion

1 cup grated fresh Coconut

1-2 bunch(es) of Coriander Leaves (Dhaniya)

Few Mint Leaves (Pudina)

1 Green Chilli

4-5 Cloves of Garlic

1 inch piece of Ginger

3-4 Black Peppercorns

1 inch stick of Cinnamon

2-3 Cloves

A splash of Soya Sauce

That’s all for today folks!

Happy Cooking!

Recipe for Chicken Stew with Appams (Indian Pancakes)

Hi guys – I am blogging after a while as ... well I have no excuse, I have just been lazy!

Yesterday I tried my hand at Chicken stew with Appam (pancakes made with Rice and Coconut). Now this is essentially a South-Indian meal so I won’t say my recipe is perfect but it is safe to say that it is delicious. And I also must admit that I did browse through various recipes before trying this one out just to get an idea of the ingredients involved.  

The recipe below is good for 4 people. If you are cooking for more people, then you could just double the quantity of the ingredients.

For the Chicken stew you will need –

1.        one whole Chicken quite obviously, or Chicken parts if you prefer

2.        4-5 tbsp of Oil (any vegetable oil)

3.        1 tbsp of Coconut Oil (I used Parachute which comes in a blue plastic bottle and is available in most grocery stores eg Carrefour)

4.        a small stick of Cinnamon

5.        2 dried Bay leaves

6.        2 Cardamom pods

7.        5-6 black Peppercorns

8.        1 large chopped red Onion (if you don’t have red even white or yellow Onions will do)

9.        5-6 cloves of chopped Garlic

10.     a little chopped Ginger (about an inch long)

11.     1 tsp red Chilli powder

12.     ½ tsp Turmeric (Haldi) powder

13.     1 tsp Coriander (Dhaniya) powder

14.     1 medium chopped Tomato

15.     1 medium sized tin of Coconut Milk

16.     1 chopped Potato

17.     1 chopped Carrot

18.     1 cup of Water

For the garnishing you will need –

19.     a few curry leaves (Karipatta)

20.     a pinch of dried Fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi) (This is optional)

21.     a few Coriander leaves (Dhaniya)

22.     a squeeze of 1 small Lime

23.     Salt (as much or as little as you like)

24.     a pinch of Pepper

Now to make the all important Appam you will need –

25.     1 cup raw rice soaked in a cup of Water (I used Basmati rice but not the very expensive kind)

26.     1 tbsp cooked rice

27.     about 3/4^th of a cup of fresh grated Coconut

28.     a pinch of Baking Soda

29.     1 tsp of Salt

30.     2 tsp of Sugar

31.     1-2 cups of water depending upon the consistency achieved

32.     Oil for frying

I know it looks like a tonne of ingredients but trust me it is worth the little bit of effort.

To start with the stew, take a deep dish vessel/pot. Add the vegetable and Coconut Oil. Now add the Cinnamon, Bay Leaves, Cardamom and Peppercorns and fry. After about a minute add the chopped Onion, Garlic and Ginger and stir. Now add the Chilli powder, Turmeric powder and Coriander powder and continue frying for about another minute. Add the chopped Tomato and stir. Let it fry for about another minute so that all the spices are cooked well.  Now add the Chicken pieces and let it brown a bit. Then add the Coconut Milk, a cup of Water, chopped Potato and Carrots and cook on a low flame for about an hour or so until the Chicken is completely cooked.

To garnish add ingredients no. 19-24.

Now let’s move on to the Appam

The Appam batter needs to be mixed a day before so that it ferments a bit.

So one day before soak a cup of raw Rice for a few hours in a cup of Water. Blend the raw Rice with the cooked Rice and Coconut in a Blender with half a cup of Water. Blend it well so that there are no lumps. Now keep this mixture in a container, overnight, in a cool room and let it ferment. Put it in the Refrigerator the next morning.

Take it out of the Refrigerator just when you want to eat them. Add about a cup or two of Water, Salt, Sugar and Baking Soda and give it a good stir. You should aim to achieve a pancake batter like consistency (not too thick and not too thin).

Now to fry the Appam, take a tsp of oil in a non-stick pan, pour a ladle of batter into the pan and fry until you see the edges browning. It should take about 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, if you like you can flip it and fry it for about half a minute on the reverse to ensure it is cooked. Cover the pan to speed up the frying process. And voila you should get a tasty Appam. Continue the process until the batter is over. I didn’t count but I think I got around 9 or 10 Appams.

 I didn’t click any photos so I don’t have anything to show you what it looks like, but to give you a general idea they look very similar to white thin pancakes.

Let me know if you try out the Recipe. I would love to hear what you thought of it. All the ingredients listed above should be available in either Lulu or Carrefour supermarkets.

Xiao Wei Yang - Part 2 (Al Rigga, Dubai)

I have blogged about Xiao Wei Yang before and this is now part 2. Xiao Wei is definitely my favourite hot pot restaurant in Dubai (not that I have eaten at all of them but just saying). Hot Pot is also known as Shabu Shabu which I learnt from Wikipedia means thinly sliced beef boiled in water or stock along with vegetables.

So if you read my earlier blog it explains what the whole concept is and what you should do in such a restaurant etc etc. The earlier blog talks about the joint in International City but this time we tried the one just outside the Salah El Din metro station.

In this post I am just going to add a few pictures and also mention about the spicy prawns which you must order on the side (didn't mange to take a photo). Unfortunately you have will have to put in a little effort in taking off the shells but it's worth it.

Note: you might have to specify that you want bowls instead of plates (just easier to slurp all that delicious stock from).


 For all that good stuff that you can see in the photos (excluding the spicy prawns) plus 2 bottles of iced teas we paid a total of AED 160 (good for 2-3 persons).

So I suggest you stop reading this and be on your way to this little heaven of a place.

NB - no prior reservations required.

Masoor Dal Recipe (Lentils)

Dal is such a common dish in every Indian household. There are many different types of Dal. It is simple, easy to make and a good source of protein. Even though it's simple, it's somehow very satisfying. For my mum, this dish used to be a quick way of getting dinner prepared after a long day at work. Dal, rice and fried fish reminds me of my mum.

So, in this recipe I have used Masoor Dal. Below is what you need -

About a full cup of Brown/Black Masoor Lentils (Dal) (wash this repeatedly until the water runs clear)
2 medium sized Onions chopped
1 medium sized Tomato chopped
1 green Chilli chopped or slit lengthwise (optional)
5-6 cloves of Garlic (chopped)
1 inch piece of Ginger (chopped fine)
Half tsp of red Chilli powder
Half tsp of Turmeric (Haldi) powder
1 tsp of Coriander powder (Dhaniya) (optional)
Fresh Coriander leaves for garnishing

For the Tadka you will require -

1 tsp Ghee and 1 tbsp of oil (clarified butter available at most supermarkets)
1 tsp Cumin seeds (Jeera)
1 tsp Mustard seeds (Rai/Sarson)
3-4 green curry leaves (Kadi Patta)
2-3 dried red chilli (optional)
Pinch of Asfoetida (Hing) (this is good for the tummy and prevents bloating)

Tadka is a method of tempering whole spices in hot oil and then adding them to the Dal to intensify its flavours. There is no hard and fast rule to Tadka. You can also add cloves of Garlic or bits of Ginger if you like. Since I add Ginger and Garlic to the Dal itself I avoid it in the Tadka process.

Take a big deep vessel (I prefer to use a pressure cooker to save time). Pour a little oil in it and let it heat up. Then add the chopped Ginger/Garlic, give it a stir and immediately add the chopped onions, and green chilli. Let the onions fry for a bit and then add the Red Chilli powder, Turmeric powder and Coriander powder. Give it a good stir and then add the chopped tomatoe. Let it all fry for about 5 minutes. Now add the Masoor Dal along with 3 cups of water. Close the lid and let it simmer until the Dal  is soft or almost mushy. If you are using a pressure cooker like I do, then wait for about 5 whistles and then switch the gas off. Let all the steam escape from the pressure cooker and only then open the lid. The Dal should not be too thick and nor should it be too watery. If it is too thick add some more water and if it is too watery then let it simmer some more.

Add the green curry leaves and the dried red chillis (break them into half) on top of the Dal and in the centre of the vessel/pressure cooker. When we do the Tadka we will pour the Tadka right on top of it so that the hot oil automatically releases its flavours. You can also add the curry leaves and red chillis into the Tadka pan but this is just a different way of doing it.

Now for the Tadka. Take a frying pan and add a tsp of Ghee in it and a tbsp of oil. Let it heat up on high flame. Now add the Mustard seeds and wait for them to crackle. Then add the Cumin seeds and a pinch of Asfoetida. Give it a good stir and pour it in the centre of the vessel and right on top of the curry leaves and red chillis. Give the Dal a mix and garnish it with the Coriander leaves.

Serve with a bowl of steamed Rice :)

MERRY XMAS!

Goan hot and sour Squid curry

So this is my version of Goan Squid curry. How authentic Goan it is, I do not know but what I do know is that my hubby is Goan and he says it's Goan so well Goan it is.

Follow the below steps and enjoy this famous Goan curry.

You will need 1 kg squid, cleaned and cut into rings

2-3 pieces of tamarind - soak this in 1/4 cup water for about 10 mins. After 10 mins take out the tamarind pieces and you are left with the water, which you will need later so keep this aside. You can substitute the tamarind water with a tamarind stock cube if available.

Now you need to dry roast (on a pan without any oil) the below whole spices -

1 inch cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp of whole black peppercorns
1/4 tsp of whole cumin (jeera)
1/4 tsp of whole coriander seeds
4 black cloves
10 whole red dried Kashmiri chillies (break off the stems)

Take a blender and add to it the above roasted spices along with -

3 small chopped onions (or 2 big onions)
4 garlic cloves peeled
1/2 tsp of chopped ginger
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
 1/3 cup vinegar (white or apple cider).

Blend everything so that you get a smooth red paste (masala) which should be of a thick consistency.

Now take a deep vessel. Add some oil and fry 1 small sliced onion. After 2-3 minutes add the red paste/masala and fry well on a medium flame for about 5 mins. To this add one small chopped tomato and the tamarind water/stock cube and a pinch of sugar to even out the sourness of the tomato and the tamarind.

Now you can add the squid rings and about 2 cups of water (depending on the consistency that you like you can add more or less water). Let the gravy/curry come to a boil and them simmer on a low heat for about 15-20 mins until the squid is cooked.

Umm don't forget to add some salt otherwise it will be curry with no taste!

Garnish with fresh coriander/cilantro leaves and serve with hot steamed rice!

PS - all the above ingredients are available at Lulu/Carrefour supermarkets or any Indian store.

Indian Spicy Red Fish Curry

Now I am not really sure which Indian State this curry belongs to as it's something created out of one of my experiments. Every Indian family has their own version of fish curry. Some like it hot, some sour and some green! Anyhow, this is something I recently tried out and well it wasn't all that bad :)

So here is what you will need for this recipe -

Fish (I prefer Pomfret) - Clean your fish or you can have it cleaned from wherever you buy it. Keep the fish slices aside marinated with a little salt. In Dubai you get some lovely fish at the Deira fish market. If you do not have the patience to go there then you can get some at Lulu or Carrefour.

Take a small ball of tamarind and soak it in half a cup of water. If you do not have tamarind it is ok, you can skip this. You can soak the tamarind for about 10mins after which drain the tamarind water and keep it aside.

Now get ready to make the masala. Take the below ingredients and dry roast them (just put them in a pan on a low flame without any oil) -

4-5 Kashmiri Chillis (Available in Lulu/Carrefour)
1 tsp Coriander seeds
Half tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
A pinch of Fenugreek seeds

After about 5 mins take them out and put them in a blender. To the blender also add -

1 tsp of Red Chilli powder
Half tsp of Turmeric powder
1 small onion (cut into quarters)
3-4 garlic cloves
1 inch piece of ginger
Half a cup grated coconut (if you do not have fresh coconut, substitute this with 3-4 tsp of Maggi coconut powder)
Tamarind water (or just half a cup of plain water)

Blend all the above ingredients. If the masala is too dry add some water. It should be of a thick paste like consistency. The colour should be a dark orange. If you think it is too pale add some more red chilli powder.

Now slice up another small onion, a small tomato and one small green chilli (skip the green chilli if you do not like it hot). Take a deep vessel, add some oil and wait for it to heat up. Now add a few mustard seeds and wait for them to splutter. Once they start spluttering, add the sliced onion and green chilli and fry them for about 3mins. Once the onions are translucent, almost brown, add the chopped tomato and fry again. Now add the masala paste and fry for a good 5-10 mins on a low flame. Keep stirring to ensure the masala is not burning and all the raw smell of the spices disappear.

Lastly add the fish, add some more water to make it a gravy type consistency and some salt.

Let it boil for a few minutes until the fish is cooked.

Serve with plain white steamed rice.

PS - all the above listed ingredients are available at Lulu/Carrefour supermarkets

Chimes Restaurant (Al Barsha, Dubai)

Located in Seven Sands Hotel, Al Barsha is a little Chinese/Thai restaurant called Chimes. Serving a variety of interesting dishes like Duck Kuey Teow soup, Singapore Chilli Crab, Peking Duck,Nasi Goreng, this menu has something in it for everyone. We sampled the Tom Yum Talay soup for starters which was not too hot and just rightly spiced.





For the main course we had Singapore Chilli Crab and Thai Style Fried Rice.


The crabs come with plastic aprons so don't be afraid to get messy.










All three dishes were good though I hoped to see more seafood in the soup.





Our friends ordered the Kung Pao Prawns which also looked pretty good and a chicken dish whose name I cannot remember. It had roasted or fried peanuts in it which were yummy if you like peanuts.




The total bill for 5 main course dishes, 1 starter and 1 large bottle of water came up to AED 270. I will definitely be going back there the next time to sample other dishes on their menu like the Peking Duck.

Hope you are having a good weekend!

Fish Moilee Recipe

An avid lover of all kinds of food here is my take on Fish Moilee, a South Indian speciality.  

I must confess this is not my original recipe. I have reviewed various recipes online and I mixed and matched them all together.

I am not sure what kinds of fish you can use with the recipe but I do know Pomfret goes best with it so go to your local fish market (I go to the market in Deira near the Gold Souk metro) and get your hands on some yummy Pomfret (you can also get it cleaned at the market itself by paying a nominal price).

So what you must have for this recipe is –

-       The fish of course

-       2 tsp Coconut Oil and 4tbsp of vegetable oil (coconut oil gives it that authentic taste but you can skip it)

-       6-7 chopped small baby onions  - the ones used in Sambhar (if using a normal sized onion, 1 will do)

-       3 cloves of garlic hopped extremely fine or mashed

-       1 inch piece of ginger chopped extremely fine or half tsp of ginger paste

-       3-4 green chillies (or less)

-       10 curry leaves (kadi patta)

-       1/4^th tsp of turmeric powder

-       1/4^th tsp of pepper powder

-       1 medium tomato chopped

-       *Half cup thin coconut milk

-       *Half cup thick coconut milk

-       Salt to taste

*Don’t worry about the coconut milk. You can mix a few tbsp of Maggie coconut powder in water to make the coconut milk. For thick milk you might require 3-4 tbsp and for thin milk around 1-2 tbsp. What I did was I bought a can/tin of coconut milk from the store and kept it in the fridge. The milk that settles on the top is thicker. I emptied half the can in a cup and used it as my thick coconut milk. I mixed the remaining half (which is already thin) with some water and voila I got my thin coconut milk.

The above ingredients are to be fried but before you start chopping and sweating, defrost your fish and marinate it with 1/4^th tsp of turmeric powder, 1 tsp salt and juice of one lime. Rub the marinade gently but all over the fish and keep it aside.

Now you start with the above mentioned ingredients. Start with frying the onions in the coconut and vegetable oil; add in the ginger and garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes till the raw smell of ginger goes away (or in my case just reduces). Add in the curry leaves, green chillies, turmeric and pepper powder and fry for about 5 mins on low flame till the raw smell of turmeric goes away. Now add in the thin coconut milk and the marinated fished and the chopped tomato. Let it simmer for a few minutes after which add in the thick coconut milk. Let it simmer for few more minutes. Do not stir as the fish is usually tender and might fall apart. Just rotate the vessel. Add salt as per your requirement and tada fish moilee is ready to serve.

PS – If you are worried about the fish falling apart you can gently fry it before adding it to the curry.

If you worried about the coconut milk splitting, it is always safer to use coconut milk powder mixed with water instead.

Moroccan Bath at the Gallery Salon, The Hyatt Regency, Deira (Dubai)

I recently bought a voucher online from Huckel Buckel for a "Moroccan bath with blowdry" at the Gallery Salon in Hyatt Regency Hotel, Deira. The deal cost me AED 89. It started with a hair wash after which the therapist applied conditioner and then covered my hair with a shower cap. After the hair wash you proceed to the steam room where the Moroccan bath procedure is carried out. After you have showered you can change back in to your clothes and you proceed to get you hair done. I got mine blow dried by a male therapist, however my friend had her hair ironed and she was not sure why. I was happy with the treatment as I do not know any better. It was my first Moroccan bath ordeal. My friend claimed that they should have used Moroccan herbs instead of soap (the deal says it was Moroccan soap) and a loofah. Anyway for AED 89 I thought it was worth it. The therapist was sweet and she offered me coffee/tea when I entered (not many salons/spas do that). She also came in to check on me when she left me in the steam room as I am a bit nervous of being left alone in a steam room and I feel a tiny bit claustrophobic.

I recommend this deal in spite of what my friend says. I guess the whole idea of this ritual is to be scrubbed and that is what I got.

I feel clean and ready to face the long week ahead!

Cheap Indian Food at Pingara,Karama (Dubai)

Well we all know that there are a countless Indian food joints all over Dubai serving a variety of North Indian and South Indian dishes. Famous breakfast hangouts include Puranmals (Oud Metha next to Hot Breads) -try their "medu vada", Sind Punjab in Karama - try their "kheema with paratha",Bombay Chowpatti in Lamcy, Karama -try their "Lassi".

A not so well known eatery located in Karama next to MMI building (close to Marlin Furniture) is a restaurant with a brightly coloured board outside which says "Pingara". Due to the dim lighting you can hardly see inside. As you enter there are a few tables and the kitchen but head up to the first floor and you will find it spacious. The restaurant seems to go with a jungle theme with birds chirping in the background and everything covered in jungle green and brown. Do not expect tip top service, as here you pay for reasonably priced good food. So don't feel shy if you have to call out to the waiter to bring you a menu card which he will with a smile. The menu has a variety of Indian and Chinese dishes but their seafood dishes are what you should go for. Try their chicken drumsticks (specify with gravy and not dry), "neer dosa", fish curry, squid chilli fry, prawns "sukka" or basically ask them what's good and they will tell you. An average of 3-4 items and 2 drinks will close you around Dhs 100.

You can check out their full menu on zomato or just head there sometime and have a look for yourself. For better service go on a weekday when it's not a full house.

Have a good Saturday all! 

Hot Chocolate

A cup full of heaven - mix one and a half tbsp of Nesquick chocolate powder (or 2 if you are feeling sinful) in one cup of hot full fat milk (or low fat). Add a small tsp of Hershey's caramel syrup (try Lulus or Carrefour) and a pinch of cinnamon powder.

Tip - If you have spare Galaxy Jewels chocolates lying around try melting one in boiling milk, in which case reduce the amount of Nesquick. The results are equally yummy.

Voila - enjoy this hot chocolate concoction on a cold night :)

Merry Xmas!!!!

Merry Christmas everyone!! Ho Ho Ho

We had a quiet Christmas dinner with family. Turkey was on the menu which we ordered from Radisson Blu in Deira (Boulevard Gourmet) for AED 430. The sides were roast potatoes, roast veggies, meatloaf, gravy and cranberry sauce. The Turkey was a whole of 6 kgs and enough to feed a small village. There was tons of left overs and I packed some for my colleagues at work. I wish the turkey had some stuffing in it though otherwise it made a pretty hearty meal. I'm sure there are lots of things you can do with left over turkey and if you just google you will find lots of tips. I guess the important point is to not waste any.

Enjoy the holiday season for those of you who are on holidays and for the rest of us working we can enjoy the coming weekend :)

This and that...cauliflower soup!

I know I have not written for ages. I have just been really lazy and occupied with work and other stuff. The Eid holidays have begun today - yipeeee. I will be visiting my family in Muscat and I am hoping to catch the 20% discount at duty free (the discount is valid on all public holidays - not sure if it will be available on just the Eid day itself or on all 3 days starting today) :D 

 

I have a quick easy recipe for cauliflower soup - something I tried recently.

 

In a vessel, fry an onion (sliced) and garlic (2-3 pods chopped roughly). To this, add a cube of chicken stock and about 2-3 cups of water. Add cauliflower (chopped) and let it boil. Add any type of seasoning you want (chilli flakes, oregano, mixed herbs, pepper, salt etc). After the cauliflower has boiled and is soft, empty the vessel in a blender and blend till smooth (blend in batches if necessary so that it does not overspill).

 

Voila - garnish with some golden fried onions/shredded cheese on top and serve with garlic bread. Quick and easy and hardly takes up any time.

 

Eid Mubarak everyone!

 

 

Xiao Fei Yang Retaurant or Little Fat Sheep (International City, Dubai)

Feel like sharing? Then head over to Xiao Fei Yang.in International City (Cluster B/Chinese Cluster). The concept of the restaurant is different from any I have seen in a long time. If you go on a weekend the place is quite busy so I suggest you either go early or go late. The first thing you will see is a big pot on every table, or most tables, and people all happily dipping their food into it. Now don't be nervous and ask the waitress to find you a table. Each person gets a small bowl and a pair of chopsticks (you can ask for forks too).

So here how it goes - you can choose any item from the menu and they bring it to you raw and you basically dump it into a big pot of hot broth which continues to boil right in front of you. There are a few tables where you can have your personal hot pot. If you are feeling selfish by all means go for those. The broth comes in spicy and non spicy (go for the spicy!). The pots are divided in half so you can have spicy on one side and non spicy on the other. The menu includes items like noodles, mushrooms, fish balls, variety of leafy vegetables, chicken and beef strips, crab sticks etc.

Each item that you pick can be shared between 2-3 people. After you have placed your order, head over to the sauce section where you can mix and create your own sauces. The sauces include - chilli sauce,  peanut sauce, soy sauce with garlic, satay sauce, chilli oil and some others which I cannot recollect. Then there are bowls of crushed garlic, crushed peanuts, coriander etc which you can add to the sauces. Feel free try all their sauces, they are unlimited.

Oh and try the plum juice, it's yummy. The whole affair can get messy so be prepared! Do visit this place, if you are feeling bored of your usual hang outs.

Have a good weekend!

In Kerala! God's Own Country

If you do happen to visit Kerala (Cochin) you can call up Wilson Tours to arrange a boat cruise for you. I emailed them before my trip and they said I could pay on arrival. I was a bit hesitant that they might cancel last minute and I emailed them like 3-4 times before my trip.  As we didn't want something which kept us out until late evening, we opted for a canoe boat day cruise. The total cost for 2 was Rs 2,800 which is approximately AED 185. It included lunch, pick up and drop to the hotel. I thought this was an extremely good deal. At this price do not expect an air conditioned car. The lunch was simple but nicely prepared. It included 3 types of vegetarian dishes, 4 pieces of fried fish (which was some local catch) and rice. If you forget to tip the boatman do not worry, as he will remind you :P.

 Visit their website http://www.wilsontours.co.in/about.htm for more details.

If you prefer staying somewhere close to the backwaters, check out Ilona Lake Resorts, Kumarakom (http://www.ilonahotels.biz/factsheet.html). We booked them through Iris Holidays (http://www.irisholidays.com/) and paid Rs 8,500 (around AED 580) for one night stay (including breakfast).


The resort has a variety of things you can do like mini golf, badminton, cycling, swimming etc. I would suggest not visiting their "Ayurveda spa". I cannot say much for the food either, however the rooms were clean, the showers had hot water and the folks were hospitable.

Oh and if you are in Cochin do make a dinner reservation at the Marriott (near the airport), the servers there are extremely polite and friendly and the food is awesome.

Happy holidays :)

 

BBC (Belgian Beer Cafe at Crowne Plaza, Dubai Festival City, Dubai)

This weekend hop on over to the Belgian Beer Café and sample some of their delicious beers. If you cannot make up your mind, they also have a sampling tray pictured on the left. Excuse the picture quality as it has been taken from my mobile phone. If you do make it there you can also try the Belle-Vue Kriek (Fruit Beer which tastes like cherry) and mussels either in a plate or a pot. And you can take part in their contest - "pop in before 14 June 2013 and tell the manager how to pronounce the new chef's name (Stijn Surinx) and you will get into a draw to win dinner and drinks for 8". For more information visit their website which has other offers too http://www.diningdfc.com/.

 Cheers!!!

Coffee and Coconut Spa Review at Oxygen Spa (Dubai, UAE)

So in my previous post (http://oopssorrywrongblog.blogspot.ae/2013/03/oxygen-spa-deira-dubai-and-random.html) I mentioned that I was dying to try out their coffee and coconut spa. The name itself sounds delicious. The spa includes a full body massage, body scrub, hair mask, milk body wrap, honey facial and blow dry for AED 169 in all (we had purchased the vouchers beforehand via "Hit the Deals").

The aromatherapy massage was just perfect for me. However the rest of the spa was not as expected.

So here goes - My friend and I were seated together in a big room with 2 stone/granite tables in the middle. We were seated on a bench which was attached to one wall.  

A therapist entered and sprayed me with a hand shower, then rubbed some shampoo on my hair rather quickly and washed it off. I realised at that time that my friend and I would be sharing the same therapist for reasons unknown. Anyhow , following  the vigorous hair wash she then put some conditioner and washed that off too and then added a hair mask. All this was probably done in a span of 5mins. She then did the same for my friend.

Then came the process of the scrub. We were made to lie down on the stone tables. The therapist started with me first and applied milk and honey on my entire body and proceeded to scrub me with the coconut and coffee scrub (which were actual coconut shavings and coffee powder). This process was not very soothing and it somehow seemed like she was in a hurry. She then applied some honey on my face which was supposed to be the "facial" bit of the spa. The scrubbing process was also done in a span of 5-10 mins. She then repeated the procedure on my friend.

We were then left in the room with steam rolling in for about 10 minutes, after which it was just too steamy and suffocating. We had to call her to turn it off.

We were then given some soap and told to wash ourselves off. We were given robes and told to go for the massage. The body massage was heavenly (remember to take the towel off from your head before you go in for the massage  I stupidly didn't).

The blow dry which followed later was relaxing. The hair stylist was a very sweet woman and if anyone deserved a tip, it was her (unfortunately I don’t recollect her name).

Oh and the masseuse too was very good. My friend was very pleased with her massage too.

After the spa treatment I felt very very very clean and thoroughly scrubbed, down to the last coffee grain. But if you are looking for something more relaxing then I suggest you opt just for the massage. The whole spa deal can also be quite scandalous and you have to be prepared to bear it “almost” all! We definitely weren’t expecting to be put in the same room…lols

Oxygen Spa (Deira, Dubai) and random...

Hello folks! I have just been a lazy bum and have not posted anything in a long time. I haven't tried any new recipes which are worth mentioning here.

Hotmail is now appearing as Outlook and it is soooo slow.

The other day we watched Jack the Giant Slayer and it didn't live up to my expectations. It could have been saved with a whole different cast.

Hardees has an awesome Cheese Steak Burger for AED 20 when you are hungry and low on cash. Take that with some chilli fries and you are set. They also serve fresh orange juice for AED 6.

The Oxygen Spa in Deira (Marriott Executive Apartments, Tower B) is amazing. I tried out their deal for Microdermabrasion on "Hit the Deals" for AED 99 and was totally satisfied. The deal is still on so HURRY! They have another deal for Coconut and Coffee Spa which I have bought and can't wait to try. They are also nice enough to give you the same rate if you haven't had a chance to purchase the deal. Call first to make an appointment (00971 4 2222920).

Let me know how it goes :)

Coconut Rice

I actually saw this recipe on a blog but I don't remember which blog it was so whoever I took this recipe from - Thank you!

Serves 4 people

1 cup rice
1/2 cup coconut milk in a tin (if you have fresh coconut milk even better)
2 onions
1 inch ginger (chopped fine or ginger paste will do)
2-3 cloves of garlic (chopped fine or garlic paste will do)
Oil for frying
1 inch Cinamon stick
Few Methi (Fenugreek) seeds
Salt

Soak the rice for about half an hour. Drain the soaked rice well and keep it aside.

Fry 2 onions along with the ginger and garlic. Add the drained rice to it and stir it very very gently. Now add the coconut milk and around 1.5 cups of water (double the quanity of rice in the vessel). Do not stir. Add cinamon and Methi seeds and leave it on a medium flame to boil. When you notice that the liquid has almost dried off switch it on to a very low flame and cover the vessel so that it cooks all the way through for about 10-15 mins. Finally fluff the rice with a fork.

Note - It is important not to stir the rice so that in the end you get separate grains of rice and not just a mushy blob! Do not add too many Methi seeds as they are bitter (

Enjoy and let me know how it goes :)

Shrimp Spaghetti in Red Sauce my style!!

Serves 4

Spaghetti

Half a packet of spaghetti (or as much as you would consider appropriate for 4 people)

1 cube of shrimp stock

1 tbsp of oil and half tsp of salt

Shrimps (as much as you would consider appropriate for 4 people)

Sesame Oil for frying the Shrimps (optional for a different flavour)

Pinch of salt and pepper

Sauce

Bacon (approx 2 slices of bacon chopped very fine; they should hardly be visible in the sauce)

2 red onions

1 Spring onion

5 cloves of garlic chopped very fine

Fresh mushrooms chopped in quarters (again as much as you would consider appropriate for 4 people.)

1 red capsicum sliced

2 tomatoes

1 can of tomato paste

Chilli flakes/pepper/salt/mixed herbs

Soy sauce/Tabasco sauce

1 cube of stock (try different flavours; I used mushroom stock)

Fresh herbs (optional for garnishing)

Boil half a packet of spaghetti with a little salt and oil. Add a cube of either chicken or shrimp stock. I went with Shrimp stock for a change. While the spaghetti is boiling it’s time to create your sauce.

Take a big pan (should be deep enough so that the sauce does not spill over). Add some oil to the pan and fry your bacon bits. After a minute or so it’s time to add your onions, spring onions and garlic. Fry them all nicely together until the onions are translucent. Now add the sliced red pepper/capsicum. Fry for another minute or two. Now add the tomatoes and fry again until they have gone all soft and mushy. Now it’s time to add the tomato paste and mushrooms. At this time also add a good sprinkle of chilli flakes, crushed black pepper, various dry herbs (like oregano/basil/thyme), a splash of soy and tabasco sauce and a pinch of salt. You may also want to add a stock cube for more flavour (I added Mushroom stock). Stir is around a bit so that the stock cube is completely dissolved in the sauce. Now let this sauce simmer for a good 10 minutes or so.

Fry your shrimps separately in a little sesame oil with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the shrimps to the spaghetti and pour the sauce over it. If you have some fresh herbs you can garnish the spaghetti with those otherwise just go right ahead and serve hot!