For the Love of Biryani

"Would you like to have a taste of  the BEST Hyderabadi Biryani?"

Balaji from Deccan Spice is serving up Hyderabadi Biryani at the 2012 Varli Food Festival

"Sure, I'll have a taste or two or maybe a plate full. Balaji watched me as I indulged in this savory rice dish filled with spices and saffron. There are different varieties of biryani. Hyderabadi biryani is the most famous and well known among all Indians. This dish originated during the Mughal empire and is made with Basmati rice, spices and goat. As it became popular, variations wee made with chicken instead of goat.

My first taste of Hyderabadi biryani was during one of my trips to Hyderabad, India in 2008. One of my cousins took my sister and I on this off the beaten path place near his apartment for dinner. The Megana Biryani Point wasn't much of a restaurant and more of a shack really, but one cannot mistake the aroma of roasted spices mixed with rice and meat for anything but biryani. We eagerly waited while this man behind a small kitchen was cooking our dinner. It's not Hyderabadi biryani if it's not spicy. 

When I got back to the States, I searched and searched for god spots to eat Hyderabadi biryani and finally found a few, which were comparable to Megana Biryani Point. Below are a few that I found to be good. 

1) Deccan Spice Restaurant - Jersey City, New Jersey - Really good! 

2) Paradise Biryani Pointe - Edison and Parsippany, New Jersey - This was the original restaurant that was famous for Hyderabadi Biryani in Hyderabad, India. 

Hyderabadi Biryani with chicken and egg

My only concern at Paradise was that it was either too mild or too spicy. It's not like in India where they only make it one way. Most places in the US, can make meals mild, medium or hot. However, I found that a couple of times, I found the biryani to be too spicy here. If you can take the heat, go for it. 

3) Rajni - Parsippany, New Jersey - The Hyderabadi biryani here is pretty good. Regardless of how spicy you order your dish, it is cooked well. The portion sizes are reasonable as well. The biryani is available with chicken, egg, goat, or plain here. Next time, I will share a picture. 

4) Urusi - The Taste of South India - Rockaway, New Jersey - A few weeks ago, I tasted a variety of biryani that I never came across before to this day. It's called Thalappakatti Biryani and it received its name from Mr. Nagasamy Naidu who owned the Anandha Vilas Briyani Hotel in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu (southern state in India). Mr. Naidu always wore a turban called Thalapa, which over the years became synonymous with his brand and cooking styles.

Thalappakatti Biryani from Urusi - The Taste of South India

This dish is prepared with Seeragasamba rice or short grain rice; spices, meat, and coconut milk. These ingredients are really what makes this dish unique and flavorful. I wasn't sure whether I would like it or not because it's not like any biryani I have ever tasted. However, I found it to be quite tasty and well seasoned. I also liked the presentation with the sprig of mint laid over the dish. It adds a nice refreshing flavor overall. 

For the love of biryani, I will continue my journey and seek out best and worst and give it to you as it is. Until next time, LIVE TO EAT not the other way around. Cheers! 

Quick Tips: If you like taking a ride on the wild side, then try making one of these biryani varieties.  You only need to go to your nearest Indian grocer like Patel Brothers or Subzi Mandi and look for brands such as Shah or MTR  biryani mix. 

Do you have a favorite restaurant that makes really good biryani? Share your experience with us. You can also connect with us on Facebook or Twitter. 

A South Indian Dinner on Sankranti

I've felt this emptiness inside of me ever since the demise of my favorite Indian restaurant, Bombay Grill. You may think my behavior is over dramatic but I have my reasons. You see, I'm very picky when it comes to dining out, especially at Indian restaurants. More than the ambiance and decor, I indulge in the food. I can tell when the dishes are made with LOVE and when they are not. The family that owned Bombay Grill cooked with such love and treated their customers very nicely. I was heartbroken when it closed its' doors forever.I was happy to know that although there was no more Bombay Grill, the spot wasn't vacant for long.

A new Indian restaurant called Urusi - The Taste of South India opened its doors on Pongal on January 14th the day before Sankranti. We were in the neighborhood and decided to stop by for dinner.  The restaurant's entrance was adorned with sugarcane sticks and colorful Christmas lights. The host and owner welcomed us at the door with a smile and seated us to our table. While we looked at our menus, we chatted him up a bit and learned about the restaurant. He is originally from Tamil Nadu (Southeast State of India) and came to the United States with his family to start a restaurant business. His brother is the chef and he loves to cook all kinds of South Indian dishes.

After the pleasantries, we ordered a plate of idli fry with mint chutney for appetizer and different kinds of dosas (fermented crepe with rice batter, various lentils and/or flours) for dinner. Idlis are steamed rice and lentil cakes. As we enjoyed these crispy and well seasoned idlis, the host brought our dosas out one by one. My father ordered the ever popular Paper Masala Dosa with a side of hot sambhar, seasoned potato curry and coconut chutney.

Example of Paper Masala Dosa  

Whereas, my mother and I ordered my favorite, Onion Rava Masala Dosa with the same sides. Our dosas were not presented as majestically like my father but that didn't stop us from enjoying them. Onion Rava Masala dosas are typically made with rice batter, semolina flour (sooji) and all-purpose flour (maida). The taste was a bit different from what I've eaten before but it was still tasty. Overall, our dinner was enjoyable and the company was nice. I am looking forward to stopping by again soon to try more of their South Indian dishes.

 ***Quick Tips:

- Urusi is situated in the mini plaza off of Route 46 East in Rockaway, opposite of World Gym and BP Gas Station. 
- Dosas taste better when eaten hot; so don't take too long to enjoy them because you are taking pictures. 
- Also check out my review of the Thalappakatti Biryani, one of their specialty rice dishes. on my post, For the Love of Biryani

My Kind of HOLI celebration!!

Celebrating the Festival of Colors aka Holi in the heart of Manhattan is one-of-a-kind treats. My first experience was back in 2011 and I was thrilled to be a part of it again. As the month of March came to a close and Spring was upon us, I knew what that meant...it's time for HOLI once more. As I made my way to Hammarskjold Park on 47th Street and 2nd Avenue, I saw faces covered with bright colors and heard Bhangra music. I knew I was close to NYC Bhangra's Holi Hai event. The park was beaming with people; people of all colors and ages, there to celebrate the arrival of Spring as one community. For a moment, I thought I was in India. 

While I searched the crowd for familiar faces, I realized where I was standing. I was amid a crowd of color smeared people looking "way too clean". I welcomed them with open arms and let them smear me with color as well as part of the celebration. 

It isn't Holi without some color!! Posing for a picture with my new friend, Patrina. 

My new friends and I stood in line and bought more color and took it to a new level of color explosion. Just look at us! We didn't spare anyone. 

:) What a colorful family: Patrina with her kids, Sachin and Sanjay :)

After we had enough rang on our faces, we moved through the crowd for some musical entertainment:

We saw performances of all our favorite songs, including the famous one from the movie Silsila called, "Rang Barse". NYC Bhangra did a great job of putting the whole event together. You know it’s a party, when they’re involved! Good job guys! Looking forward to making more colorful memories next year.

After the event, I met up with some other friends and we all headed down to my favorite Indian spot in Curry Hill called Chennai Garden. Their food is always amazing and finger licking good; try the Bhel Puri and Chole Batura. You won't be disappointed. A great way to end my weekend! 

I Cheated On My Vitamix Blender!

It's tough to eat healthy when you're traveling on business. Last week I attended PITTCON in Philly and boy did I miss the Vitamix blender. Ever since we bought this baby, we've been whipping up all sorts of shakes, soups and sorbets. I didn't know veggie smoothies tasted so good. Vitamix, where have you been all my life?

The Reading Terminal Market, a delicious wonder!

It took me a day or two to get acclimated with my surroundings and find this wondrous place called the Reading Terminal Market, steps away from the convention center. Hallelujah!! So many cuisines at one location: Japanese, Indian, Middle Eastern, Cajun, Greek, Mediterranean, Gourmet cheeses, etc. I can go on and on but I think you get my drift!

Flying Monkey Whoopie Pies

My favorites:
Kamal's Middle Eastern - good Shwerma sandwiches & platters
Nanee's Kitchen - Spinach and paneer curry, yellow dal, and the other veg varieties; Mango lassi (just be mindful that veg and non veg mixed platters - not cheap!)
Flying Monkey Bakery - Whoopie Pies: Red Velvet and Banana Foster (oh so heavenly)
El Rey, 2013 Chestnut St. location (my cousin's pick) - Loved the ambiance! Corn on the cob w/ chipotle and queso fresco, the tacos and Salted caramel ice cream. Yum!!!

Though I cheated on my Vitamix diet regime, I maintained my figure with exercise. I took advantage of the jog parks by the hotel and jogged as far as my legs could take me. I even participated in a 5K Run/Walk (benefiting Wounded Warriors Project) that took place at the Boathouse Row, a couple miles away. It felt great kicking off my heels for a pair of Skeletoes, my new running footwear.

After a week long of experimenting with my palate, there's nothing more I enjoy than good ol' home cooking and a healthy shake. I called from the road and my mom had hot rotis served with Sarson Ka Saag waiting at home for her baby (me of course). Moms are awesome, aren't they. They know just what you need. Recipe will be up soon.

Varli Food Festival - Oh What A Night!!

I have a passion for cooking, especially when it comes to Indian cuisine. Whenever my mom starts cooking, I stroll on over and help her. I also watch cooking shows, read blogs, and attend foodie events whenever possible. Last week, I scored two tickets to the sold out Varli Food Festival through Yelp and Varli Magazine. Boy was I happy, just look at my smile.

Begum Palace - Gem of the North

My dad celebrated Fathers Day this past Thursday with his two "little" girls: my sister and I. We started off the day by surprising him with a new Smartphone like ours. We were so proud and so was he! We were so famished after we went over all the cool features and setup of his new toy, that we decided to go out for dinner. After dining at most of the restaurants by our town, we decided to trek a bit farther and went to Begum Palace restaurant in Madison.
Although the restaurant appeared small, it was quite the opposite inside. Since we went on a Thursday night, it wasn't too crowded or noisy, which was perfectly fine with us. I especially enjoyed the music; it was a mix between classical Indian, instrumental, and trance. Here are some pictures from our evening for your viewing pleasure.

We started off the evening with some appetizers: Mirchi pakoras, pani puri, and papdi chaat. I loved the pani (seasoned water) in the pani puri a lot; it was cool and refreshing. My parents love spicy food, so they enjoyed the mirchi pakoras. The appetizers were so tasty, we finished them off pretty quick and couldn't wait to dig into the entrees. We ordered Bhooni Bhindi (Green okra cooked with onion, tomatoes and various herbs and spices), Saag and Paneer Koftas (chopped spinach and Indian cheese dumplings in a tomato based gravy sauce), and Achari Chicken kebabs (Hot and spicy Indian chutney infused into the chicken kebabs tossed with onions and topped with cilantro). We ate these with Peshawari naan (Unleavened bread stuff with coconut, nuts and raisins baked in the tandoor) and basmati rice. After all that food, everyone was pretty full but I was still contemplating about dessert. Our dinner was completed with a plate of warm and juicy gulab jamun on the house...we must have charmed the host.

Overall, we enjoyed our evening which was filled with nice conversations, delicious food, and good company. My parents were impressed with the courteous wait staff and the friendly nature of the owner who strolled by a couple times to make sure we were enjoying ourselves. That's what I call SERVICE. I would definitely dine there again! 

A Vegetarian's Delight!

The Lotus Stem Surprise

Unlike NYC where there are a variety of Indian restaurants in almost every neighborhood, NJ has a few to choose from; especially in our neck of the woods (Morris County area). Don't get me wrong there are Indian restaurants but none that I would bet my money on. I've had the chance to go to a few with my parents over the years and narrowed down the list that I would go back and try again. Those will be ones I'll share with you today.

Most recently, we went to Chand Palace in Parsippany next to Subji Mandi (Indian Store) off of Rte. 46E. I haven't been there in years so it was a nice surprise. If you are vegetarian, you will love it because it's all VEG. I love a good Veg Buffet here and there. Now mind you, the day we went, we were all exhausted from moving and unloading into our new house so we were famished and wanted to eat some real good food. My parents have gone to this restaurant a few times and suggested it.

As you enter the restaurant, you will see a Guest Check In and then the table setting and in the back is the buffet table. I could already smell all the goodies. I couldn't wait to jump in line and try everything. I decided to stay healthy and started off with salad (cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, carrots...etc). Then I headed towards the manchurian Gobi (cauliflower) and kamal kakkadhi (Lotus Stem). That was just the first plate. I was not too impressed with the Cauliflower manchurian but I liked the Lotus Stem so on my second run, I grabbed more salad and Lotus stem with naan and rice. My friend who joined us for dinner said the lotus stem curry reminded him of being back home in India when he used to go over to his friend's place for food.

The rest of the curries were alright. I liked the lotus stem one the best. They also serve mini dosas with the buffet so there is plenty of food to go around. Oh. and don't forget to try the desserts.  Overall it was a good experience. I went over the weekend so I'm not sure how the buffet is on weekdays. If you have been here before, let me know how you found the place.

I apologize for the picture quality, I only had my phone with me at the time. Until next time, keep on eating and enjoying!!

A Hidden Jewel Amongst the Rocks

How many of you out there have tasted well prepared *Bhel Puri or **Papdi Chaat?

My family and I went out tonight to this Indian restaurant called Bombay Spice in Bridgewater, NJ. We usually go to places nearby but tonight it was my sister's treat so we let her pick the place. And she picked this place which was about 30-40 minutes away, but she said it received good reviews, and so we went for it.

At first, we were put off by the location and appearance of the place from our car as we made our way into the parking lot. It was hidden inside a strip mall which also had a cleaners, realty office, a bank and an ice cream shop. After making a round through the lot we saw the little restaurant in the corner and parked. We sat outside since it was nice and breezy. As we took our seats, the hostess brought out the menus, cutlery and these round steel plates which would be used to eat our appetizers. The feel of this place reminded me of our restaurant choices in Kerala, India. We ate at these small places where the decor was simple but the food was great. Everything was cleaned off the plates.

We ordered two appetizers which I haven't had in a long time: Papdi chaat and Bhel Puri. Now this restaurant claimed to have cuisine from East, West, North and South. The appetizers I just mentioned are from Northern India but most Indian restaurants offer them. The downside is that not all prepare them well. Usually, the puffed rice that is tossed with the potato pieces and tamrind sauce is soggy by the time the waiters bring it to the table and it's too sweet. I'm a harsh judge when it comes to my native food. If the appetizer is supposed to be served crispy, it should be like that when it reaches my table. Well, tonight I was so happy. Not only was the puffed rice still crispy but also tasty. The sauce wasn't too overpowering or sweet; it was tangy, just the way it should be.

The Papdi chaat was prepared really well and presented tastefully. It was brought out in this square plate that looked like antique silver with the edges slightly curved. The papdi was still crispy and as I was eating the chaat, it just made me feel like I was in Delhi and eating my favorites. I took a couple of spoonfuls before I realized I should keep some for my parents.

Also another notable entree is the Vegetable Kolhapuri. It is vegetables are cooked with roasted coconut and red chillies. We were told that the restaurant cooks in 4 spice modes: Mild, Medium, Spicy, and Indian spicy. We went for spicy just to be on the safe side. We ate this entree with rice pulao and naan. My parents are also pretty picky when it comes to Indian cuisine. A lot of restaurants in our area are North Indian and cater to Non-vegetarians. When they do have vegetarian options, it's usually worth it, so they don't dine out that much anymore. However, at this restaurant we ordered two entrees, the Kolhapuri I mentioned earlier and Saag Paneer. They were both really delicious and unique. My parents really liked them; now that's hard to come by. We found out at the end of our meal that the chefs do not use butter or cream to prepare the dishes like most other places do...so we know now that what we ate was all healthy and not too fatty. In conclusion, if you are in the central Jersey neighborhood and are in the mood for some good ol' vegetarian cuisine, try your luck at this place, Bombay Spice. The owner and staff were polite and helpful and the food was good. http://www.bombayspicenj.com/index.html <-- has coupons! I learned one more lesson tonight: Don't judge an Indian Restaurant by it's physical size and appearance. You might miss out on great cuisine.

*Bhel Puri is a puffed rice dish with potatoes and a tangy tamarind sauce.
**Papdi Chaat is made with papdi which are crispy fried dough wafers made from refined wheat flour and oil and they are are served with boiled potatoes, boiled chick peas, chilies, yogurt and tamarind sauce. Sometimes this is topped with chaat masala.

The Lazy Man's Buffet

Everyone knows what to expect when you go for a Lunch or Dinner Buffet at any restaurant. Whether you go with your friends or family, it's always the same procedure and same setting in a restaurant. What I mean is that once you enter a restaurant, you are taken to your seats and then your drink order is taken. Then just like in school, you form a line in front of the buffet tables. One by one, you take a plate, utensils and the different food you want to eat. That's how it's been like in all the places I've gone to...except at one place.
Last week on March 13th my family and I decided to go for dinner before we went to the Zakir Hussain: Masters of Percussion concert in New York City. My mom has been telling me about this place called Vatan in the city for days. We just never had the opportunity to go. I thought, what's all the hungama about? Why have my mom's colleagues raving about it? I gave in and we decided, we'll go.

The word Vatan means Homeland or Motherland. So I'm guessing when you pick it for a restaurant name, you are saying food from the Motherland. In this case, the food offered is from Gujarat, which is N.W India. As we entered the restaurant, there was a place to keep your umbrellas and what not. The waiters and waitresses greeted us wearing gagra cholis and shalwar Kameez (Indian clothes). The ambiance of the restaurant was something different. I didn't feel like I was in a sit down place. I felt like I was back in India, visiting local dhabas or village eateries. There were 6 or so places where we could have been seated. Each had it's own identity and decor. You see in the pictures and links (http://www.vatanny.com/).

We decided to sit by this big Banyan tree with monkeys on its branches (don't worry, the monkeys are fake). And we had the option of letting our feet dangle under the table or sitting in meditation position. We were given menus just to show us the items included in the buffet (this place currently serves only Dinner Buffet). I was eagerly waiting for our waitress to show us the buffet table but there was no table. She began speaking "Please take a moment to take a look at our buffet menu. Once you are finished, I will come back to take them and bring you the appetizers." Now this is what I call style eating. I can eat as much as I want without ever leaving the table and all for $25 per person. Ok, you are thinking, that's pricey but I'm telling you, it's not in the grand scheme of things.

Each plate had the following appetizers: Chana Masala (seasoned chickpeas), Muthia, Khaman, Mirchi Bhajia, Sev Puri, Samosas, Batata Vada, and Ragda Patis. We all agreed, appetizers themselves could have been a meal. Next up, main course...

Main course includes: Toor Daal, Gobi Curry, Batakanu Sak, Chole, Bhaji, Puri, Papdam, and Kheer. Wait just a minute. I am not done. With all these items, you get Pulao, Khichdi and Kadhi. So each of us received a plate that included the main course items and we shared the three items listed above. Now, I'm getting full just from looking and reading this blog, can you imagine how I felt eating it all. When I saw the kheer in my entree plate, I thought that was the dessert. However, I was wrong.

After we all were done, the plates were taken away and along came our desserts: mango ice cream and masala chai (tea). All in all, I would definitely eat here again...next time around I will come with empty stomach, big appetite and loose pants (jk).

Oh did I mention, all their tabletops are like masterpieces of art...don't take my word for it, take a look below:

I wanted to take ours home and hang it on my wall.