A delicacy like no other..

As the city enjoys the arrival of the Seafood season, fishermen all over are on a fishing spree to find fresh seafood from the treasures of the ocean. We at The Westin Mumbai Garden City are in the midst of a Crab Carnival to entice the taste buds of seafood lovers. Each venue will feature signature recipes in consonance with its cuisine specialty. Crab meat is delicious and can be made into dainty nibbles, tasty appetizers, a snack or even as an entree. Relish the mouth-watering fare.

Our Executive Sous Chef Rahul Dhavale gives an insight into the fascinating world of crab delicacies and has shared some appetizing recipes of various crab dishes. Try these recipes in your very own kitchen and share your experience with us.

Tagliolini con granchio                                                                          

(Tagliolini, whole mud crab, cherry tomato, capers)

Recipe serves: 01 portion

Ingredients                                      Quantity

For Tagliolini dough (04 portions)

(Tagliolini is thin ribbon shaped long pasta and due to use of only egg yolks the pasta will be yellowish in color.)

Refined Flour                                     500 gm

Olive oil                                               10 ml

Egg yolks                                             20 nos

For sauce

Mud crab                                             1 whole

Olive oil                                               10 ml

Chopped onions                                10 gm

Cherry tomatoes                               10 gm

Capers                                                  5 gm

Bisque or seafood stock                  80 ml

Salt                                                        To taste                               

Pepper                                                  To taste

Lettuce arugula                                10 gm 

Method of preparation:

To make Tagliolini dough

1. Break 20 eggs in a clean bowl and separate egg yolks from them. Reserve egg whites separately.
2. Sieve refined flour in a mixing bowl, make a well in the centre, add olive oil and egg yolks to it.
3. Start to mix the ingredients slowly. Knead the dough with hands or a dough mixer.
4. Once the dough is ready, cover the dough with cling film and keep it for resting for approximately 30 minutes in refrigerator.
5. Make tagliolini with the dough using a pasta machine.

To make Tagliolini con granchio

1. Put a pot of water for boiling enough to immerse the mud crab.
2. Once the water starts to boil, cook the live mud crab in the boiling water for 20 minutes.
3. Remove the crab from water and shell it. Leave the claws for garnish at the end.
4. Remove rest of the crab meat from the crab carefully ensuring the crab shells don’t get mixed with the meat.
5. Now over a medium flame, heat olive oil in a pan.
6. Sauté chopped onions and allow it to sweat. Add capers and put the crab meat to the pan along with bisque/stock.
7. Prepare the sauce adding cherry tomato halves to the pan.
8. In the mean while cook a portion of tagliolini in salted boiling water (ensure the pasta is cooked a la dente, (firm to the tooth, just about 3 – 4 minutes).
9. Once the crab sauce is ready, season it and add the cooked tagliolini to the sauce.
10. Toss the pasta well ensuring the pasta is well coated with the sauce.
11. Finish it with fresh arugula lettuce and olive oil. Check and adjust seasoning.
12. Place it gently on a serving plate and garnish with the crab claws.

Crab salt and pepper

Recipe serves: 01 portion

Ingredients                                                      Quantity

Crab, cleaned and shelled                            350 gms

Corn flour                                                            60 gms

Green capsicum, chopped                            10 gms 

Red capsicum, chopped                                 10 gms

Yellow capsicum, chopped                           10 gms

Green chili, chopped                                       10 gms

Spring onion, chopped                                   10 gms

Ginger, chopped                                               10 gms

Garlic, chopped                                                 10 gms

Oil vegetable                                                     for deep-frying +20 ml

Chicken broth powder                                    5 gms

Salt                                                                        to taste

Powder white pepper                                     to taste

Black peppercorns, crushed                         to taste

Wine cooking Chinese (optional)               20 ml

Method of preparation:

1. Coat Crab meat with corn flour, deep fry until cooked and strain on absorbent kitchen paper.
2. Heat 20 ml oil in a wok/kadhai, sauté all chopped vegetables.    
3. Add fried crab meat pieces & seasonings, toss well with chopped vegetables. 
4. Finish with Chinese wine (optional).  

Crab Masala

Recipe serves: 01 portion

Ingredients                                                                      Quantity

Crabs cut into halves (with shell on)                        250 gm
Garlic pods, crushed                                                       10gm
Ginger, chopped                                                                5gm
Green chilies, (slit)                                                          2 no
Tamarind pulp or paste                                                 10ml
Tomato, (chopped)                                                          2 no
Onions, chopped                                                              2 no
Curry leaves                                                                       1 sprig
Dry red chilly                                                                     1 no
Garam masala powder                                                   1 tsp
Turmeric powder                                                              1/2 tsp
Chili powder red                                                               1/2 tsp
Salt                                                                                        to taste

Oil vegetable                                                                     15 ml
Water                                                                                    300 ml
Coriander leaves                                                               to finish

Method of preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan; add curry leaves and red chili, Add ginger and garlic and sauté.
2. Add chopped onions and cook until translucent, add green chilies, turmeric and salt, stir and cover for 2 minutes on a slow flame
3. Add tamarind pulp and cook for 2 min.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, crab pieces and mix well, add water to cook on low heat for 30 minutes, until the crab is cooked. Adjust seasoning.
5. Finish with Garam masala and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Take a dive into the treasure of the sea

October denotes the arrival of Seafood since the monsoon season ends by September. People generally avoid eating seafood during the rainy season for hygiene reasons. As the monsoon gets over fishermen are back on the seas, trolling for the best the murky waters have to offer. With seafood you don't need to trim any fat. Just grill, barbecue, bake, steam, poach or microwave seafood to keep a low calorie count. Seafood is also an excellent source of top quality protein.

Now that the rains have receded, the city is breaking its collective seafood fast. We at The Westin Mumbai Garden City bring a Crab Carnival to tantalize the taste buds of Seafood lovers. Crab meat is a popular and versatile type of seafood. Crab is considered a delicacy in many countries. The ingredient is so versatile that it lends itself to any cuisine and can be made into dainty nibbles, tasty appetizers, a snack or even as an entree.

The mild, sweet-tasting crab flesh melds well with an array of flavors. It can be an ideal choice for a light lunch or even an elegant dinner. Indulge yourself to mouth-watering crab delicacies at all our venues.

Crab Carnival

28^th September – 12^th October 2012

Seasonal Tastes        24 hours

Kangan                       7 pm – 12 am
Prego                         12 pm – 12 am

Cheers to Oktoberfest!

‘Oktoberfest’ which happens in Bavaria, Munich, Germany is one of the Largest Volksfest (People's Fair) in the world. The first Oktoberfest was held in 1810 to celebrate the October 12^th marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to the Saxon-Hildburghausen Princess Therese. In the earlier days Horse Races were held at the Oktoberfest.  But by 1819, the race had been called off, replaced by beer carts and a carnival-like atmosphere.

It is a 16 day long festival starting at the end of September till first week of October. In a large ground various tents are built which serve Bavaria beer and other alcoholic beverages along with German appetizers. People from all over the world come to Germany to attend this festival.

We at The Westin Mumbai Garden City are celebrating Oktoberfest at Eighteen The Lounge. To spice up the event, enjoy chilled beer over exhilarating cricket action on a large screen. Munch on to some traditional German Würstl (sausages) along with Brezeln (Pretzel) and Knödel (potato or bread dumplings).

Relax with your friends and family as we treat you to a range of innovative drinks, tantalizing appetizers and fun filed cricketing! Hold your beer glass up and say cheers to Oktoberfest!

Oktoberfest

Eighteen The Lounge

21^st September – 15^th October 2012

4 pm – 1 am

Bring Dilli into your Kitchen

Mumbai is experiencing a food extravaganza by offering the scrumptious cuisine of Delhi. As we know Delhi is a Foodie’s paradise, we at The Westin Mumbai Garden City focuses on pampering the taste buds of all those people who crave Delhi Food. Inspired by Mughal, Awadhi and Punjabi cuisine, Delhi is well known from street food to parathas to Kulfi falooda.

Instead of going to Delhi to devour Delhi food, our Executive Chef, Ajay Chopra brings Dilli into your kitchen with mouth-watering recipes from our Dilli Khaas menu. Savor the delicacies like Peethi Waali Tikki from the streets of Chandani Chowk to Chicken Korma from Karim and Babu Khan or indulge yourself with appetizing Darbaari Ghost. Visit Dilli in your very home and share your views with us.

Peethi Waali Tikki

Ingredients                                     Quantity

For potato mixture

Boiled potato (Grated)                      500gm

Roasted chana flour                          10gm

Bread crumb                                      50gm

Corn flour                                           10gm

For stuffing

Moong dal (soaked)                          100gm

Jeera                                                   2gm

Hing                                                    5gm

Deggi mirch                                       2gm

Salt                                                      5gm

Honey                                                 5gm (1tspn)

Chopped green chilly                         5gm    

Chopped ginger                                 10gm

Lemon juice                                       5ml                 

Ghee                                                   80gm

Oil                                                       20ml

For topping

Chat masala                                       10gm

Saunth chutney                                 20ml

Whipped curd                                    50ml

Mint chutney                                      20ml

Julienne ginger                                  for garnish

Coriander sprigs                                few

Yellow chilli powder                           05 gms

Coriander powder                              05 gms

Method of Preparation:

For Stuffing

1. Heat oil and ghee together in a pan, add tempering jeera, chilly, ginger with hing sauté it.
2. Add moong dal and sauté it again to make stuffing little dry; now add rest of the above mentioned ingredients to make stuffing. Cool the stuffing and keep aside.

For Potato Mixture

1. In a bowl add boiled grated potatoes and all the above mentioned ingredients to make a mixture, rub it well to avoid any lumps.
2. Divide the mixture into 50gms and stuffed with moong dal stuffing to make tikki.
3. Heat ghee to shallow fry tikki and make it golden crisp from both the sides.
4. Serve hot in a platter with toppings and garnish with julienne of ginger.

Chicken Korma

Ingredients                                     Quantity

Chicken leg (boneless)                      250gm

Ginger garlic paste                            30gm

Turmeric                                            5gm

Coriander powder                              10gm

Ghee                                                   50gm

Chopped green chilly                         5gm

Yellow chilly powder                          5gm

Curd                                                    50gm

Brown onion paste                             50gm

Cashew nut paste                              30gm

Green cardamom powder                 3gm

Chicken stock                                     500ml

Salt                                                      10gm

Cream                                                 20ml

Garam masala powder                      2gm

Whole spice

Bay leaf                                               2nos

Black cardamom                               2no

Cinnamon stick                                  1no

Green Cardamom                             05 nos

Mace                                                   02 nos

Method of Preparation:

1. Heat ghee in a pan, put whole spices to crackle it, add ginger garlic with some water to sauté well
2. Add the turmeric and the coriander powder and cook well
3. Add the yogurt and cook till oil comes up
4. Add chicken with spices and stir it until masala cooks, thereafter add brown onion paste and cashew nut paste
5. When masala leaves fat, add yellow chilly and green chilly
6. Put chicken stock and cook until chicken becomes soft and tender
7. Add garam masala, cardamom powder and cream before cooking gets done to retain flavor
8. Finish with fresh chop coriander leaves and green cardamom powder

Darbaari Ghost

Ingredients                         Quantity

Lamb curry cut                     500 grams

Ginger garlic paste                30 grams

Desi ghee                                50 grams

Coriander powder                  15 grams

Red chilli powder                   15 grams

Turmeric powder                   05 grams

Green cardamom                  05 grams

Bay leaf                                  02 grams

Cloves                                     05 grams

Cinnamon                              05 grams

Onions, chopped                    100 grams  

Almond paste                         50 grams

Mace powder                         10 grams

Green cardamom powder     10 grams

Salt                                          as per taste

Fresh coriander leaves         50 grams

Lamb stock                             100 ml

Method of Preparation:

1. Clean and wash lamb curry cut
2. In a bowl add coriander, red chilli, turmeric powders and mix well
3. Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed kadhai or vessel, add whole spices first and cook well. Add onion and saute till golden brown
4. Add lamb curry cut and cook on high flame for 10 minutes. Add ginger garlic pastes and cook for another 10 minutes. Reduce flame and add masala mixture and cook for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle water if the spices are starting to burn.
5. Add almond paste and cook for another 10 minutes. Add lamb stock and cook till meat is tender .take out the lamb pieces and strain the sauce.
6. Return lamb pieces into the strained sauce and add green cardamom and mace powders. Check and adjust salt.
7. Finish with chopped fresh coriander.

Also visit http://chefatlarge.in/category/recipes for Dilli Khaas recipe. 

Dil walo ki Dilli!

A city known as the capital of India is unique in its own way. People who are from Delhi will know that the city is divided into 2 parts, New Delhi and Old Delhi. New Delhi is modern and well developed whereas Old Delhi is famous for its street food like Chandni Chowk and Daryaganj. Delhi was ruled by various kingdoms and empires during the medieval era. Each part of the city represents various rulers of the past. The cuisine of Delhi is inspired by a mix of Mughal, Punjabi and Awadhi cultures. Different cuisines in Delhi make it heaven for gourmet delights.

The city has a diverse range from street chaat at Chandini Chowk to Rabri Faloodas at Giani. Enter Paranthewali Gali for Punjabi cuisine like the layered parathas with ghee, meat or egg stuffing. Visit Karim and Babu Khan for Mughlai food. Each street and place showcases different cuisines and that’s what makes Delhi, the Restaurant Capital of India.

Taking inspiration from Delhi’s diversity, we introduce a culinary journey to the capital of India, Delhi to the foodie of Mumbai. Experience Chandni Chowk’s spicy chaat or tempt your taste buds with Kulfi Falooda, indulge in old Delhi delicacies with ‘Dilli Khaas’ in our very own Kangan.

Dilli Khaas

24^th August – 9^th September 2012

7 pm - midnight

Kangan, Level 18

Global Indian with Chef Ajay Chaudhary

One on one with our very own Chef De Cuisine – Kangan, Ajay Chaudhary on Global Indian.

People across the world are now craving for Indian food. What is your view on this?

A lot of Indians are travelling within India and abroad thereby getting exposed to different cultures and with liberalization of the economy many foreign nationals are visiting India for business and tourism.  As a result, the awareness of Indian food has spread. The most important reasons that an expatriate gets drawn to Indian cuisine are because of the use of various spices within a particular dish that imparts flavor and vast vegetarian repertoire of recipes.

What are the main ingredients in Indian food which make it so tasty?

Spices and local abundance of ingredients. Most regional Indian cuisines rely on locally sourced ingredients. For example, coconuts are used throughout coastal recipes but souring agents vary from limes in Maharashtra to toddy vinegar in Goa to fish tamarind in Kerala etc. Indians are spoilt for choice for freshly grown and locally sustained ingredients.

The variety of spices used in India is unmatched anywhere else in the world and its pairing with other ingredients is not only meant to induce taste but also has medicinal and nutritional values. Different spices are used for different purposes. Each spice has a particular effect on the body. Cardamom has a cooling effect; turmeric has antiseptic and anti-carcinogenic properties and so forth. Almost all spices are aromatic and some even lend color to food in which it is used.

Which is your favorite Indian dish and why?

Dal Makhani. It was upon tasting Dal Makhani that I knew I had to be able to make this dish and hence decided to be a chef.

Do you believe that we need to modify traditional Indian dishes to suit the western palate?

Certainly! Indian cuisine is a riot of flavors on the palate due to use of various spice compositions coming together and creating a harmony of flavors in a particular dish. In comparison, western cuisines might just include one or two dominant flavoring ingredients that stand out.

This makes it slightly difficult for expatriates to adjust to Indian flavors initially. However, if certain spices and use of chillies and sharp flavors are toned as well the use of ghee/butter kept in check, Indian cuisine can have a wide appeal.

As a chef with focus on Indian cuisine, I would feel immensely proud if our cuisine is appreciated and sought after globally. More people eating Indian food the world over just means that its popular, affordable and easily acceptable just like Chinese food which you can get in almost any civilized country.

A tip to make delicious Indian food at home?

Keep flavors simple, use fresh ingredients. Of course having said that, nothing makes food so delicious than company of friends and dear ones and at times, a glass or two of wine or fine Scotch.

Happy Independence Day!

After an invasion from the British, India took birth as a sovereign nation on 15 August 1947. From that day, we celebrate 15^th August as Independence Day. This year it will be the 66^th Independence Day. During this day, there is a flag hosting event that takes place in Delhi where the Prime Minister hoists the national flag followed by a parade and cultural event.

Independence Day is a day to rejoice freedom, it is a day to bring change, it is a day to lift up your spirit and enrich the freewill which resides within an Indian. As an Indian, it is a day to be proud of this nation, its culture and tradition. We need to take a pledge to be the heart and soul of this nation and do our best to help bring unity. Change cannot take place over night, it is a step by step process and if we take one step towards betterment then success will follow.

With its culinary treats and ample variety from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, we invite you to experience a culinary delight of India. As India celebrates its independence on 15^th August, we bring to you our Independence Day Brunch at Seasonal Tastes. Relish northwest frontier cuisine to street chat of Mumbai, our Independence Day Brunch promises you to experience India at its best.

Independence Day Brunch

Seasonal Tastes, Level 18

12:30 pm – 4 pm

No End in Friend!

A friend is the one who walks in when the whole world walks out.

We human beings are very social and at each stage of our life, we need people to be with us. These people are called ‘friends’. We meet them in every path of our life. We call them friends because our interests, hobbies and thoughts are aligned.

Friends are those with whom we have fun travelling in a school bus, friends are those with whom we study together during class, friends are those with whom we share our lunch, friends are those with whom we watch movies, friends are those with whom we play games all day long. From spending time together to sharing a secret, they are with us always. With them you are yourself, no pretense, just the real you.

Friends know you better than you know yourself. Friends are like clay, they will mould themselves to stand beside you. They will be your critics when you need guidance, your admirer when you look good, your parents when you make mistakes, your teacher when you need help and your savior when you are in trouble. Their role varies over a period of time. Some friends enter our life, so some friends leave and some friends stay with us forever.

It is a strong relationship developed with time. Our friends help us to create all those beautiful memories. Whether it is skipping class together or enduring punishment together, a mischievous laugh or a tear for a broken heart, playing cricket or watching movies, a friend was, a friend is and a friend will always be the best chapter of our life.  

  

As we laugh together, we cry together and we celebrate together. Indulge in scrumptious food and spend quality time with your buddies. It’s the mammoth Friendship day spread, as large hearted as your friendship!

Friendship Day Brunch

Seasonal Tastes, Level 18

Sunday 5^th August 2012

12:30 pm – 4 pm