RESTAURANT REVIEW 01: THE PUMP HOUSE, BANGALORE

The first time I stepped into this restaurant something about it drew me. The ambience, the setting, the lighting. Something about it was very fascinating. It's a brewery. On the left of the entrance you can see their huge brewery. Again, fascinating.

So when we went there I ordered a Spaghetti agolio olio peperoncino, which is spaghetti pasta in a garlic, olive oil and chilly flake sauce, pork in teriyaki sauce which was sandwiched between pita bread and a crème brulée.

And I haven't tasted better continental food in the whole of Bangalore. The mouth melty pork in the softest pita bread, the crispy crunchy yet smooth crème brulée and the mild yet flavourful pasta made for a perfect lunch on a casual day. 

If you crave a good meal yet wish to have a lazy low key day, Pump House should top your list.

OUT OF THE LAGAN

OUT OF THE LAGAN  is my series of recipes and ideas that are a little different or innovative.

The first one, we came up with was ALOO RASMALAI.

It sounds absurd, I know but it makes a difference, trust me.

So we start by curdling the milk for Chenna or the milk solid. Once we curdle it, we let it rest in a mesh on a muslin cloth till all the water drains out. 

Then we boil potatoes a little more then Al denté. They must form a smooth creamy mash potato consistency. To obtain this finess we pass it through a fine sieve.

We then combine the Chenna and the potatoes and roll them into dumplings or roundels. 

These dumplings must be boiled for 15 minutes in chashni or a sugar-sweetned water.

Once cooked these dumplings and immersed in milk flavoured by sugar, cinnamon and cardamom. 

It's finished with kesar and served cold.

Why the potato?

The starch from the potatoes give the dumplings very smooth mouthfeel and make them extremely melty and juicy. 

PEHELI CHAI

This being my first post I'd like to tell you a little about me and my blog.

I am an 18 y/o female studying Culinary Arts at DOCA, WGSHA, Manipal. I was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra and brought up in Bangalore, Karnataka. My parents live in Bangalore while I live here, in Manipal.

This blog is basically a package of all my interests put into one box, reading, writing and off course, food.

Why "Nukkad ki Chai" one might wonder. This is quite a story that is extremely dear to me and close to my heart. Since I was a child (6-7 years old, I guess) I have been in love with Chai.  My parents, both being working adults couldn't successfully take me through the 'have milk twice a day' phase. I grew up drinking chai and it has honestly turned into my comfort food.
Speaking of comfort, on the busy streets of Mumbai and Bangalore that I have spent most of my life in, nukkad or tapri (basically an extremely small establishment, small enough to acomodate one person, more like a kiosk) to my observation is an extremely calm place. People come there after their break or day off at work to relieve their stress and fatigue and have a cup of chai. And the feeling, the first steaming hot sip of 'nukkad ki chai' brings, cannot be replaced. Among the busy and tiring routine of getting things done, 'nukkad ki chai' is your escape for a little break, a little something that will give you a 'me time', a little something that will make you happy and relaxed.

Now that I have told you a tinge about me an this small space of mine, I bring you to the end of my first post of my little espace world, NUKKAD KI CHAI.