7 Food Wonders of Delhi to EAT before you DIE !

1) Hot Chocolate Fudge aka HCF- This has been the most popular sundae when Nirulas was the only fast food joint in Delhi. Every child or adult who grew up in Delhi must have eaten it more than once for sure. It is till now the best sundae I have eaten. It has 3 scoops of Nirulas Vanilla ice-cream, hot chocolate sauce (Nirulas),  roasted nuts and that's about it. Simple yet the best. I am sure everyone must have always asked for extra sauce and extra nuts while drooling over the counter and seeing it getting made. So if you still have not eaten it or you are visiting Delhi this should be a top priority on the eating list or any other list.

Hot Chocolate Fudge

2) Chicken Momos/Veg Momos - Delhi should be renamed the momos capital. I am pretty sure there will be more momos vendor in Delhi than combined momos vendor in rest of India. Every delhite I am sure just loves momos. I love Momos and try momos everywhere I travel but trust me nothing even comes closer to the momos you get in Delhi tried it in northeast India as well but nothing as good as Delhi. The spicy sauce and mayonnaise served as dips with momos are just simply amazing. Also If you want to try a different style of momos you can try fried momos which are as good as the steamed ones and then there is this place called QD's near south campus which serves the best tandoori momos. So guys don't miss out the opportunity of eating momos in Delhi and specially winter time is the best time to have them.

Chicken Momos

3) Crispy Honey Chili Potato- Mind you they are crispy and just not chili potatoes. This is one of the things you will miss if you move to Mumbai. I just could not find this combination. All I could find was crispy chili potatoes. You will get this Chinese starter at mostly all the restaurants, road side vendors or the famous Chinese vans in delhi. So this is for the vegetarians which is a must try dish in Delhi.

Crispy Honey Chili Potato

 4) Bread Pakoda- Something special about Delhi rains is that they are accompanied by hot tea and pakoras. The favorite among all of them is bread-pakora which is served a nice tamarind sauce. This is an instant snack with a stuffing of potatoes and paneer. Mostly hygiene conscious people go to the famous Aggarwal Sweets but I would recommend a street vendor as well. Street food is best enjoyed when you don't worry about hygiene too much. So If you are in Delhi and it is raining or is super cold or it is any kind of weather just give this mouth watering bread pakora a try.

Bread Pakoda

5) Bhalla Papdi Chaat- How can anyone not love the famous bhalla papdi chaat! This is made for all seasons and it is the most colorful dish you can eat. I find this dish very patriotic as it has all the 3 colors of the Indian flag. The green sauce made of coriander and chili, Curd and kind of near to the orange but not exactly orange is the tamarind sauce with pomegranate and chopped onions on top.

Bhalla Papdi Chaat

6)Kathi Rolls- The most filling and easy to the pocket rolls you will ever find. They are as popular as the momos. The most famous ones are a chicken roll, chicken tikka roll, and chicken kebab rolls. This is one of the things which are not available as easily in rest of India and one of the reasons it makes me keep coming back to Delhi. This is a quick snack it is filling and can be eaten on the go.

Kathi Rolls

7) Aloo Chaat- Every-time I hear the song of famous rdb aloo chaat I start feeling hungry so I have just deleted the song from my playlist. This is a unique dish which is again available in Delhi and not so much outside of it. The crispy potato with a mix of sauces and squeezed lemon on top is a must try for people who love food. Delhi trip will be incomplete without giving this aloo chaat a try. So guys what are you waiting for??

Aloo chaat

 

Werribee Zoo (Melbourne)

Like every other person new to the city I wanted to check out famous places in Melbourne. So I turned to my adviser Mr. Google. In the list of places to visit in Melbourne Werribee Open Range Zoo was one of them. I have always been interested in Wildlife so I decided to Visit this zoo.

Safari

The zoo is African themed zoo and has entry fees of 30.80$ (Australian dollar) and if you got a student ID then you get a discount. This includes a Safari tour, the duration of this safari tour is 40 minutes. I guess this was the best part of the Safari as the driver of the Safari keeps you entertained with all the important information regarding the animals. The only thing that put me off was that not many animals can be seen on this safari tour. I could see Rhino, Giraffe and few other animals though I felt it was a bit artificial as if they were just kept there for the sake of safari. Other animals that can be seen are Ostrich, Antelope and Bison. Since it is African themed zoo, so the safari felt incomplete without being able to see the pack of lions in their natural habitat.

These are few moments I could capture from the safari

Zebra

Ostrich

rhino

Giraffes

 

Once the safari got over I had mixed feelings as I wanted to see the King of the jungle. Well I think seeing the King is not an easy task anywhere. So after the Safari you get to walk through a replica of Botswana bush. On the way you will come across the Gorillas, this was the second best part of the zoo. You and the gorillas are separated by a thick glass. It was an interesting way to see the Gorillas and the 2 gorillas were quite entertaining.  

Gorilla

Watching the gorilla up-close I was even more excited to watch the pack of Lions like this. The lions enclosure is at the very end of route. Well on reaching the enclosure first I could not see any lions and then on scanning I could see a Lion sitting very far from the glass that seperates us from the lions. Even on zooming my phone to the maximum level this is all I could capture. 

Lion

Well it was really disappointing to see only one lion and that very very far. On the way to lion enclosure you come across hippos, cheeetah and meerkat. 

Other side of the zoo yo u can spot Kangaroos, Emu, Koalas and other Australian Animals on a beautiful walk through the Australian journey grasslands. 

Australian Grass Land

They and I - By Anushree Mathuria

They say I m a wanderer... 
I say I m a gypsy..
They say I don't have a place...
I say my soul is restless....
They say I keep travelling....
I say my eyes keep exploring....
They say I don't listen...
I say I hear the sounds of the nature....They say I won't find love....
I say I'll meet him on the way....
They say you don't have a home...
I say I was born in it, will always be mine....

Black Chana- Quick and Easy Recipe

The recipes I share here are for people who eat limited stuff in vegetarian food. I am not a big fan of green vegetables or pulses(dal). The only dal I love is Dal-Makhani. I have a limited menu when it comes to vegetarian homemade food. I remember being in hostel and asking people what is the menu for lunch from the balcony and as soon I and my roommate got to know it is some green dal or tindey we used to head out to the local dhaba for some nice chicken curry. Well I am sure many of you must be tired of the eating the dhaba food or restaurant. So here I am sharing a very simple Black-Chana recipe. It is a very easy recipe and for first timers.

I hope you guys will like it.

Recipe (Kala Chana) :

Ingredients:- 

1. 1 cup Kale Chana (Black Chickpeas)- Soak them in water over night
2. 2 big onions or 3 small onions (Finely Chopped)
3. 2 tomatoes
4. 1 Tbsp Jeera (Cumin Seeds)
5. 3 Tbsp Oil
6. Pinch of Hing(Asafoetida)
7. 1 Tbsp Red Chilli Powder
8. 1 Tbsp Garam Masala
9. 1/2 Tbsp Haldi(Turmeric powder)
10. 1 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
11. 2 green chilly
12. Chopped coriander
13. Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in pan and add hing, jeera, ginger garlic paste and onions. Fry onions till golden brown. Take tomatoes and chilly and make a puree. Add the puree into the pan (containing fried onions). After that add red chilly powder, haldi and garam masala. Cook till the mixture starts leaving oil and then Turn of the gas.

Put soaked Chana in pressure cooker (don't throw the water used for soaking Chana overnight) and boil. Pressure cook it for 5-6 whistles. Let the steam get out and then only open the pressure cooker.

Put the mixture from the pan into the pressure cooker and add salt to taste. Then pressure cook it for 1-2 whistle. Add chopped coriander and stir it.

Congratulations the Kale Chana are ready.

Travelling Soul- By Anushree Mathuria

Drive to Gokarna

I have been to the hills....
I have seen the shore...
I have played in snow...
I have swum in sea...
Strangers became friends as I traveled...
Bits and pieces I have gathered....
I have sat by the rocks on my own...
I have partied for long...
Lost myself to discover new places...
Found myself at the rarest moments...
Yet there is so little I have seen...
So many places still to go...

Rajma Chawal- Mom Style (Recipe)

A very popular saying " I Can't make everyone happy, I am not Rajma Chawal" Rajma Chawal is one of the most loved home cooked food in India and I just love my mom's Rajma Chawal. I am pretty sure everyone loves their mom's Rajma Chawal somehow I feel it's main recipe is the love mothers put in as a secret ingredient. I was always fond of eating food outside. But when you start living away from family you start valuing home made food. I have been living away from family for a long time now and one day I started craving for Rajma-Chawal not just any Rajma Chawal, the ones my mom makes. So called her up and took the recipe from her. Step by step instructions I took from her so that I can recreate the magic. I followed the instructions step by step and it did not turn out the way it was supposed to be, but it was not bad for a first attempt. Today I tried making it again and it turned out perfect just perfect. So here I am sharing the recipe with you guys who are living away from family and missing home made food or tired of ordering food or are just broke to afford food outside. This recipe is simple quick and easy. I am a beginner when it comes to cooking, so if I can make it anyone can make it.

 

Recipe (Rajma) :

Ingredients:- 

1. 1 cup rajma (Kidney beans)- Soak them in water over night
2. 2 big onions or 3 small onions (Finely Chopped)
3. 2 tomatoes
4. 1 Tbsp Jeera (Cumin Seeds)
5. 3 Tbsp Oil
6. Pinch of Hing(Asafoetida)
7. 1 Tbsp Red Chilli Powder
8. 1 Tbsp Garam Masala
9. 1/2 Tbsp Haldi(Turmeric powder)
10. 1 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
11. 2 green chilly
12. Chopped coriander
13. Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in pan and add hing, jeera, ginger garlic paste and onions. Fry onions till golden brown. Take tomatoes and chilly and make a puree. Add the puree into the pan (containing fried onions). After that add red chilly powder, haldi and garam masala. Cook till the mixture starts leaving oil and then Turn of the gas.

Put soaked rajma in pressure cooker (don't throw the water used for soaking rajma overnight) and boil. Pressure cook it for 5-6 whistles. Let the steam get out and then only open the pressure cooker.

Put the mixture from the pan into the pressure cooker and add salt to taste. Then pressure cook it for 1-2 whistle. Add chopped coriander and stir it.

Congratulations the Rajma are ready.

Rice

Ingredients :-

1. 1 Cup rice (soak them into water for 10 minutes)
2. Pinch of jeera
3. Pinch of salt
4. 1/2 Tbsp oil

Method:

Heat oil in  sauce-pan and jeera and salt. Rinse rice with water 3 times and drain excess water. Add soaked rice into pan and then add 2 cups of water into the pan. Boil for 5-10 minutes. To check if rice are done. Just use a fork to see if there is water at bottom of the pan. If no water is there then rice are done.

I am sure you guys will love it. Happy Cooking

  

Valentine's Day Jokes

Valentine's day wow so much love in the air, well so much so that it makes me feel suffocated. Entire week of pressure to make that one day memorable. Well good news I don't have to worry about it thanks to a very hectic study schedule in my University that I ended up spending most of the V day attending lectures and preparing for presentations. Well I won't complain as I had nothing better to do. The only complain was that this blog post is being posted a bit late. Well since there is no specific day for love so I am going to bore you anyways. Shifting to a new country and extensive classes starting without getting time to settle. So as it is pretty much prospects of finding a date for Valentine's day goes from difficult to impossible. Keeping my looks in mind I am pretty much confident as I look like a potato so I always have a better chance of finding a date since women love potatoes "I can be your French Fry baby". A normal human tendency is if you can't enjoy something it is better to make fun of it. So here is my try to do the same and to support it is famous status updates on social media "On Valentine's day couples are dating and Singles are updating". Here are a few funny jokes on Valentine's day to help you feel a tiny bit better.

we all can relate to it!! Can't we?

There is no love more sincere than love for food