Afraa Lounge & Restaurant- Taste of Tuscany

Us with GM Diksha Pande, Debamita Banerjee and Chef Arnab

Afraa Lounge & Restaurant at City Center Salt Lake, a fine dining restaurant with exceptionally breath taking view of the city's skyline, showcasing a blend of multi themed interiors and decor that encompasses a taste from traditional classic to a more contemporary outlook, all in one, armed with machineries to roll out global cuisines, geared up to give the city a taste of pure Tuscany.

Region of Tuscany in Italy, (Picture Credit: Wikipedia)

As Amrita and I, representing Kolkata Food Bloggers, had the oppurtunity to dine along with GM Diksha Pande, we got to know more about the food of Tuscany, 
Tuscany is a region in central Italy known for its landscapes, traditions, history, artistic legacy and its influence on high culture. 

Tuscany cuisine, known to have a very simplistic outlook, is power packed with the richness of the olive oils, cheese, fresh green vegetables and a lot of protein. 

Tuscany also produces some of the best wines in the world. 

The Tuscany Festival at Afraa was a great treat to relish. Most of the element in almost all the dishes were imported all the way from Italy and the artistic chef Arnab, who has gone through extensive training in this particular cuisine, displayed very intricate gastronomical skills. 

  

Our evening started off with Olive oil tasting sessions where we were served 3 kinds of Olive oil shots by chef Arnab himself. He educated us about the texture and use of each kind. For Amrita and me, it was a rather unusual experience gulping down shots of olive oil.

Antipasti Platter

Armed with a glass of a beautiful crisp white wine, we headed to the table where we were served a mixture of veg and non-veg Antipasti platter. Imported straight from Italy, the cold cuts were a treat to our olive oil dunked tongues. The Mortadella, Salami, Chorizo, pickled fish were far beyond excellent and a wonderful way to start our tryst with Tuscany food. The excellent quality of the food on the platter made us forget to pair it with any of the numerous dips and pestos it came along with.  

Herb crusted Bekti

For mains, we were served Erbe in crosta di barramundi Indiano- herb crusted Betki with caramelized onions and melanzana involtini. The fish coated with Panko crumbs, as told to us by Chef Arnab, was first cooked in the pan and then in the oven. The dish came with lovely accompaniments like a dollop of Risotto, grilled aubergines and a garlic based sauce. 

Lamb shank with egg sauce

Next came in a big portion of Agnello brodellato- lamb shank with egg sauce. The lamb, flavour with thyme and rosemary herbs, was a perfect accompaniment to the full bodied Italian red wine.   

Affogato

The desserts kickstarted with the very traditional Affogato which had a beautiful surprise of a blend of sweetness in vanilla ice cream, a welcomed bitterness in coffee espresso and a perfect neutralizer in Bailey's liqueur. Together they formed a mesmerizing combination that was a pure treat to our palate.

Mango Zabaglione

The Mango Zabaglione came is as another beautiful dessert which had layers of fresh mango and a light airy custard. 

Its amazing to see how everything come together in making a dining experience as fine as the one we have had at Afraa. The Tuscany Festival will be on till 31st of August and you can relish the best produce of Italy right at the very heart of the City Center. 

Vishal & Amrita Tupper

Sunday Sparkling Lunch, Aromas,Kenilworth Hotel and their Hilsa Festival "Oh d-ilish-ous"

Kolkata Food Blogger had the opportunity to be invited for the Sunday Sparkling Lunch which co incided with the ongoing Hilsa Festival at the Kenilworth Hotel. Going through their in-house promotions called as Sunday Sparkling Lunch. Listing below are some of the highlights.

 Tantalizing lunch every Sunday from 12:30 – 3:30pm.

Buffet lunch in a medley of World Cuisine from Continental / Oriental and Classic Indian Spreads

Menu Matrix that contain an elaborate spreads of Cold Cuts, Salads , Healthy Counter, Gourmet selection of French & Italian Cheese, Home – made bread creation, Lebanese displays of dips, scrumptious spreads of 15 delicacies, Ethnic Indian Sweet tooths and Enticing home made bakery items.

As much as the Durga Pujas the whole of Bengal every year eagerly looks forward to the Hilsa Festival. The Hilsa Fish is a delicacy and is harvested during monsoon when they come on the deltas to breed.

Beside other dishes smoked Hilsa and Hilsa Biryani seemed to win people's heart. Chef Khemraj Bhatt and Sombit Ghoshal also led me through the brunch programme that Kenilworth Hotel has where they have tried to craft a fusion to blend the major cuisines.

Happy Sparkling Lunch-ing

Vishal Tupper

 Sparkled Menu is priced at Rs 849 plus taxes (Lavish Buffet along with one glass of Sparkling Wine / Beers/ Soft Beverage/ Mocktails)

Unlimited offer is priced at Rs 1250 plus taxes ( Lavish Buffet along with unlimited Sparkling Wine / Beers/ Soft Beverage / Mocktails)

Kids Buffet is priced at Rs 499 plus taxes ( Lavish buffet along with unlimited soft beverages /mocktail) (offer applied to kids age from 6 year-12 year old)

Vishal with chef  Khemraj Bhatt and Sombit Ghoshal

Orange Juice

Fish in yellow Thai Curry

Pad Thai Noodles and Five spiced vegetables with fried cashew nuts and tofu

Charoli Murg Tikka

Dahi ke Kebab and Sabz Jhal frezi

Vegetable biryani

Walnut feta filled chicken parcels

Smoked Hilsa

Sorse Ilish

Ilish Biryani

Tiranga Bread Roll

My daughter, Vaanya, had Independence day celebrations at her Montessori today. All parents were informed a couple of days back to dress up their child in colours that represent the National flag. I must confess that I have been the laziest Mom around in terms of showing enthusiasm for such events by running around arranging dresses. This time I wanted to be different and decided to charge up my lazy self and go the market to buy a piece of cloth for her dress. Thankfully my Mom is an expert in stitching and happily agreed (with much more enthusiasm than mine) to stitch a frock for Vaanya. With one day left for the celebrations at school, me and my mom were discussing the buttons and ribbons to be added and so finally the frock was ready. A beautiful dress with the colours of the flag for my most beautiful daughter who was equally happy to wear it to school and participate in singing 'Nanha Munha Raahi hoon'. 

  This year while scratching my head on a recipe for Independence day celebration, I strictly avoided going the sweet way. I was reminded of these bread rolls that my mom made often. Grated cucumber, carrots and crumbled paneer with crushed peanuts make way into these crisp bread rolls. The combination is amazing and I can eat 2-3 of them in one go. Since the filling has all the colours of the flag, I nudged my Mom to help me make this recipe for the blog. 

 Ingredients : Makes 12 bread rolls

• 12 slices of white sandwich bread, edges trimmed
• 2 medium sized carrots
• 2 medium sized cucumbers
• 100 gms paneer
• 50 gms roasted peanuts
• salt and black pepper powder to taste
• Vegetable oil for deep frying

Procedure : 

Peel and grate carrots and cucumbers. 

Take a little butter in a pan and saute the carrots and cucumbers till the water from the cucumber dries up. 

Crumble the paneer and add. Mix well.

Add salt and black pepper to taste and mix well.

Remove from heat and allow to cool. 

Crush the roasted peanuts and add to the mixture. 

Heat oil in a deep pan for frying. 

Take a bowl with water wide enough to dip the bread slice.

Take one bread slice at a time, dip it for a brief second and squeeze out the water by pressing between your palms. 

Take a portion of the carrot-cucumber-paneer mixture and put in the middle of the bread slice.

With your hands shape the bread in a roll and keep aside. Repeat the same with all bread slices.

Once all are ready, deep fry them till golden brown.

Enjoy them with your cup of tea or relish with some tamarind chutney or ketchup. 

Happy Independence day

Amrita

Kheer Poode(पूड़े) -celebrating Teeyan(तीयां)

Saawan is the month of rains and like all other months in the Indian calendar, we have festivities attached to this month too. In Punjab this month is celebrated with 'Teeyan (तीयां) da Mela' which means fair of daughters. It is a festival where daughters go back to their maternal house and celebrate the festivity. In the olden days when women when not allowed to visit their parents house often, the women would spend this entire month with their parents and get pampered. 

Women get together and participate in the traditional dance called 'Gidda' with lots of 'Boliyans' or traditional Punjabi songs. Another mainstay of Teeyan are the swings which in earlier days used to be usually around a water body. In olden days it was a way out for women from their normal routine life and indulge in some fun and frolic.

And as far as festivity is concerned how can food be left behind. Teeyan is associated with Kheer Poode (पूड़े) , halwa, malpua and gulguley. In olden days, sugar was used scarcely and instead Gur (Jaggery) was used in everything. Traditionally the Poode are made with gur and the kheer is kept bland i.e. sans sugar which justifies the otherwise weird combination. However nowadays, poode are relished with some kind of Achaar esp Raw mango(Kaccha aam) achaar. The poode are actually crepe like and are made with whole wheat flour or Atta. The sugar or gur is dissolved in the batter and then these are spread thin on a tava with some oil to make them crisp. 

These recipes though extremely simple and humble are getting lost because the festivities are getting lost. Thankfully some families are keeping the festival of Teeyan alive so that the coming generations get a glimpse of the way things were back then. 

Ingredients for Poode : makes 7-8

• 1 cup whole wheat flour/atta
• 1/4 cup sugar (powdered)
• 1/4 tsp saunf powder
• water as required to make the batter

Procedure : 

Take atta in a bowl and mix sugar in it. Add the saunf powder and make a crepe or dosa like batter with water. 

Allow it to rest for 30-40 minutes.

Take a flat pan or tava and spread oil or ghee on it.

Pour little batter and spread it to a round.

Add more oil and crisp it from both sides.

Ingredients for kheer : 

• 1 1/2 litre milk, preferably full cream
• 1/4 cup rice, soaked in water
• chopped assorted nuts like cashews, almonds, pista and raisins
• elaichi powder

Procedure : 

Take milk in a heavy bottomed vessel and let it boil. Add the soaked and drained rice and let the milk reduce.

Keep stirring in between and let the rice cook in the milk. 

When the milk reduces to half the original quantity, take off from heat and cool it.

Add elaichi powder and assorted nuts(optional)

You may add sugar to your kheer if you do not want to pair it with the poode. 

Happy 'Teeyan da mela'

Amrita

6 Ballygunge Place Hilsa Festival

The rain of Hilsa continued in the city with the launch of the much awaited Hilsa Festival-Ilisher Swadkahon at 6 Ballygunge Place, Salt Lake, a very popular Bengali Restaurant in Kolkata that has made a reputation of winning many hearts, and as a member of team Kolkata Food Bloggers I was thrilled to have the opportunity to cover the same.

Apart from the signature regional dishes like Sarso Ilish, Doi Sorse Ilish, etc the restaurant has introduced some very innovative dishes like Ilish e pur bhara lonka bhaja, Smoked Ilish Cutlet, Tomato Posto Ilish, Anaras Hilsa, Begun Bharta Ilish, Chalkumro Ilish Bhaja, etc.

Chef Sushanta Sengupta of 6 Ballygunge Place said that they were happy to have the Hilsa Festival this time even though the harvest of Hilsa seems to be lesser this year. The people here look forward to the Hilsa Festival from the Restaurant.

The Hilsa Festival is on till 16th August, 2015.

Happy Hilsa-ing

Vishal Tupper

With Chef

Chef Sushanta Sengupta

Doi Sorse Ilish

Ilish Mache Pur diye lonka bhaja

Smoked Ilish Cutlet

Chalkumro Ilish Bhaja

Anaras Ilish

Tomato Posto Ilish

Begun Bharta Ilish

Ilish Dimer Dhoka

Ilish Thali