An escape from Delhi to a city of food, fun, and rains

Any guesses which city am I talking about? Well, if you just thought of Mumbai, then give yourself a pat on the back. Everybody deserves a break from the monotonous life and after my best friend moved to Mumbai for higher studies, I definitely needed one. My birthday was just around the corner, and even the thought of celebrating it without my bestie filled me with dread. And so my other friends and I decided to make a short trip to Mumbai, and I am still amazed at how quickly and easily things fell into place.

The moment we landed in Mumbai, it started raining cats and dogs. We quickly took a cab and travelled a long distance from the airport to her rented flat. After catching up for a few hours, all of us took a refreshing nap as we had huge party plans for every night. But we can categorise most of our activities under eating, shopping, and partying. It was a lot of fun to explore the different breakfast places in Mumbai. Every morning we had a different destination in mind and trust me! Not even a single place disappointed us. From the spicy street food to the exotic desserts, we tried and loved it all.

Nights, as I mentioned above, were reserved for parties and we usually ate the typical food we have in Delhi- pastas, pizzas, and nachos. But we made sure we dine at the best restaurants in Mumbai for lunch. And I am sure you would agree with me that there is nothing as satisfying as good food after hours of searching, trying, and buying outfits.

All in all, my trip to Mumbai was an absolute joy and my birthday could not have been celebrated at a better place or with better people. The only thing that I probably didn’t enjoy as much were the constant rains that came pouring down without any warning. But I would love to visit the city again next year as I would love to meet my best friend who has no plans of visiting Delhi this year!

The best birthday in Mumbai!

I had once been to Mumbai on an office trip. That was the only time I have ever visited Mumbai, but I fell in love with the city the very day. I loved the marine drive and if I did not have a flight booked, I would have stayed back. I tasted the famous Vada Pav and I was mesmerized with the synchronized hastiness of the city. I had the best smoked food in Mumbai in a restaurant; being a crazy fan of smoked food I could swear that I had never tasted anything close to that!

It was on my birthday that I got to visit this place again. All thanks to my husband, he flew me to Mumbai for a dinner in the same restaurant I kept talking about all the time. No wonder, it was the most delightful birthday of my entire life- to have my favorite food with my favorite person in one of the best restaurants in Mumbai! I couldn’t have asked for more!

His plan to surprise me extended till taking a long walk along the Juhu beach! It was incredibly romantic and I guess I fell in love with that place a little bit more for adding one of the best memories to my life.

My husband had booked a beautiful hotel with an amazing view of the city. The view was spectacular and it had me hooked to such an extent, that I wanted to move to Mumbai permanently! That of course did not materialize, as both of us have our workplaces in our hometown, but we keep coming to Mumbai since then and we’ve considered buying a property here!

The city is never tired and so are its people. Each time I come here it is new and since the mind-blowing birthday my husband gifted to me, the city has been etched onto my mind!

Burger and Iced Tea- My favourite meal

Yes, that’s what I love and that’s what I can have any time of the day. While this was my favourite meal, I did not have any favourite restaurant until I tried out the amazing burgers of this equally amazing food joint in Khan Market.

It was a Monday morning and my friends and I had gone to college rather unwillingly. That first lecture at 8.30 worsened our Monday blues and frankly, I do not even remember the topic we were taught in that class. All of us survived a series of torturous lectures until our brains and stomachs gave up. We skipped a class we dreaded every single day and decided to escape to our favourite food spot, Khan Market. We were musing over our food options when I spotted a restaurant we passed by every time we visited the market, but never cared to try. A little more awake after the bumpy ride our amateur driver friend put us through, we were up for an adventure. We were surprised to find that restaurant in Khan Market almost full even though it was early afternoon. The ambiance was great and the seats super comfortable- just perfect for a bunch of college students to laze around on a Monday. We quickly decided our orders and I of course ordered a chicken (smoked) burger (with extra cheese) with lemon iced tea.
While I wasn’t expecting the burger to be bad, it surpassed my expectations. It was simply fantastic. And not to forget, the burger was huge and totally worth the price. Over the next two years of college, we visit the restaurant every time we visited Khan Market. And I assure you my friends, every single burger they serve is damn tasty and fulfilling. I could easily give this place an award for the best burgers in Delhi. So when I graduated from college, I was more upset about not eating at that place as often as we did, more than I was about not seeing my friends every day (don’t judge me please). But guess who listened to me. They recently opened another branch in a mall near my place which gives me an opportunity to go have those delectable burgers every weekend. Yayy!

Breakfast Smoothie Recipes

There’s nothing I like better than a tall glass of some fresh smoothie before I hit the grind every morning. Accompanied by a sandwich, a bowl of cereal or fruit, a glass of smoothie is the perfect kick-start to a glorious sunny day or a dreary winter morning!

Check out the following recipes and make your own smoothies:

1.Mango Smoothie

Beat the summer heat with the king of all fruits –go in for a refreshing mango smoothie with a plateful of Eggs Benedict for the perfect summer breakfast. In a  blender, mix together 1 cup mango, 1/2 cup low-fat milk, 1/4 cup low-fat yogurt, 1 tbsp honey and some ice –and tada!

2.Raspberry and Nut Smoothie

Raspberry has always been a favourite amongst all. Throw in that delectable raspberry flavour with some healthy nuts and you’ve got yourself a deliciously healthy breakfast smoothie! All you’ve got to do is mix 3/4 cup low-fat milk, 3/4 cup frozen raspberries, 1/2 banana 1 tablespoon natural almond or peanut butter, 1 tbsp honey in a blender until it’s frothy and yummy –just like smoothies at the best of Breakfast places in Mumbai!

3.Orange Juice Shake

We all love OJ, don’t we? So there’s no reason to question whether or not an OJ smoothie will be just as awesome! Blend 1/2 cup milk, 3 seedless peeled clementines, 1 banana, 1 tsp honey, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and ice –sit back and enjoy!

4.Date Smoothie

This is a smoothie I really hope the Breakfast places in Mumbai would serve –it’s different and absolutely delectable! In a blender, mix 3/4 cup whole milk, 1/3 cup dates and some ice until it’s frothy and savour this exotic treat!

Give these recipes a shot and then come up with some of your own to brighten up each morning with a wondrous smoothie breakfast!

A BREAKFAST IN MUMBAI

Our daily routine starts off with waking up late, checking out clock every five minutes and skipping the breakfast just to leave for work on time. But there are days when we’re relaxing in the morning air and crave for a finger licking breakfast, and on such days, the city of Mumbai doesn’t disappoint at all!

With a plethora of Breakfast places in Mumbai, you have multiple options on the days when you’re just not in the mood of tiring yourself by making a breakfast up. Let’s look at some of the most common things you’ll come across while going through the menu of a breakfast place in Mumbai.

•Eggs: I believe a typical restaurant for breakfast has to have dishes of eggs in their menu! They’re not only delicious for a breakfast, they’re also extremely filling and healthy. Boiled eggs and flavored omelets are so popular.

•French toast: Is there anything better than a creamy French toast for a Sunday morning? Those thick slices of eggy bread served with butter and syrups just give a tasty kick start for the day.

•Vada: Went to a Mumbai restaurant and didn’t have vada? That would be so unusual. This traditional Maharashtrian affair is served in almost every restaurant for breakfast. Large spheres of Vada served with green chutney is so irresistible! 

•Idli: Mumbai restaurants serve amazing south Indian food- Idlis and Dosas. Some people love beginning their day with the spices of sambhar and the breakfast places in Mumbai always please such people with the delicious dishes served with south Indian sambhar.

•Pancakes: And for treating the sweet tooth of people, these breakfast places serve the fluffiest and loveliest pancakes. You can combine these pancakes with other breakfast items, or you can have a lot of pancakes only for a filling breakfast meal.

Does the list make you hungry? Well the restaurants of Mumbai welcome you with open arms!

How to Make the Perfect Eggs Benedict

It’s really surprising to me, the sheer number of people out there who don’t like eggs. Being a crazy egg fanatic, I just can’t quite seem to fathom how anyone could hate eggs! But here’s what I’ve concluded: it’s not that people don’t like eggs, it’s just that they’ve been having the wrong kinds!

Whether you love eggs or not, try out this Eggs Benedict recipe, and you’re sure to fall in love (with eggs, of course).

First off, here’s a list of ingredients you’re going to need:

•    4 eggs
•    2 English muffins
•    Hollandaise sauce (that you’ll need to prepare separately or purchase)
•    4 slices of ham or bacon
•    3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Now, gather these ingredients, get your cooking hats on, and cook a gorgeous serving of Eggs Benedict that’s going to taste even better than at a restaurant in hauz khas that’s reputed to serve the best of eggs!

Follow these simple instructions:

•    To begin with, boil about 2 litres of water in a large, deep saucepan.
•    Next, you must add those 3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar to the boiling water.
•    To prepare the eggs, first break them into 4 small bowls each.
•    Whirl the boiling water mixed with vinegar to create a sort of whirlpools in the centre.
•    When you’re created this whirlpool, slip in an egg gently from the bowl right into the centre.
•    Now this is important, keep swirling around the egg so that the vortex is maintained and the egg stays within, forming a nice round shape.
•    Cook the egg in this fashion for about 4 minutes and then remove with a deep spoon.
•    Repeat the process with each egg.
•    In the meantime, you can cut the muffins and toast them up.
•    Then, generously spread the hollandaise sauce into the toasted muffin.
•    Top the hollandaise with the eggs.

Tada, you’ve got yourself some delicious Eggs Benedict so dig right in!

TIPS FOR TENDERLOIN STEAK RECIPE

The content below is not meant for vegetarians because we’re going to talk about meat and loads of it. For those, who have not yet moved on from this and are continuing to read, welcome to the world of beefs and pork. This is for all the core non vegetarians who enjoy the meat of beef, pork, veal and lamb. For all those who have never tried anything beyond chicken and mutton, we have a lot in store for you because this world is a big place. Let us begin your venture with the delicious tenderloin steak, made with the tenderloin of either beef or pork. Although the recipe involves usual roasting of the steak in the oil along with the seasoning of salt and pepper, there are few tips for serving it seamlessly.

Follow these tips so that you don’t mess up with this deliciousness on a special dinner, also because tenderloin is one of the most expensive beef cuts around.

•Trim properly: Use a thin flexible knife to remove all the extra layer of connective tissues along the surface of the tenderloin. Trust me, you don’t want to eat this tough, not tasty covering.

•Tie it up: Tying the tenderloin with a kitchen string while cooking it up makes it a round figure of even thickness. This will result in even cooking.

•Seasoning: Experts from restaurant for breakfast and dinner believe that seasoning can do wonders to a simple dish. Season the steak enough because tenderloin doesn’t have an inherent beefy flavor.

•Moderate cooking: Tenderloin is lean and tender. Overcooking it might result in a dry, tough meat. And you won’t like it like that. Use a thermometer to make sure that temperature doesn’t go beyond 140F.

•Let it rest: Now that you have made this awesome dish, show a little patience if you don’t want juices all over the plate. Leaving it for 10-15 minutes will make it reabsorb all the juices and delight you with a yummy taste.