Posts by Sambrita

Fiery Hot Duck Vindaloo

Posted by on Sep 6, 2012 in Culinary Journeys | Comments Off on Fiery Hot Duck Vindaloo

Fiery Hot Duck Vindaloo

Ingredients: 2 teaspoons cumin seeds 2 teaspoons mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic 1 teaspoon ground red pepper( I used dried ground Mexican Poblano Chillies) 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/3 cup white wine/grape vinegar 1 kilogram duck meat, cut in medium pieces( Ask your butcher to leave the skin on for that extra crispness) 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 1 1/2 cups minced fresh onion 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 cup water 3 tablespoons tomato paste 2...

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A Delightful Gastronomic Sin, “Per Se”!

Posted by on Sep 1, 2012 in Culinary Journeys, Reviews & Recommendations | 10 comments

A Delightful Gastronomic Sin, “Per Se”!

There are lunches and then there are lunches that are downright sinful. “Per se”, this lunch was the epitome of a dining nirvana.  Between the various functions dedicated to each table (each and every one of them thoroughly knowledgeable about each and every dish printed on the everyday-custom-made menu), everything at Per Se– from the ambiance, impeccable service, pace of the service, the wine selection, and not to leave behind by any mean quarter, surrealistically delicious food, to even the restrooms– was the fantasy finale of a dining experience. In that context,...

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I’m in a “New York State of Mind”!

Posted by on Aug 8, 2012 in Travel Tales | 6 comments

I’m in a “New York State of Mind”!

On my flight to JFK, my co-passenger on the next seat was a very serious looking Dean of a private University in Hyderabad. Not only did he disrupt and disturb me all the 9 direct hours from Brussels to JFK, with his obnoxious snoring, he also was a very bad man. No, no..hold on…not bad because of misbehavior! But bad, because he doesn’t like New York. Unbelievable. “I’ve said over and over to so many people that I’m really just not all that into New York.  I have this idea that New Yorkers and people who love New York, just really like the idea of New York. This is my attitude: who really...

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When Matt met Meera!

Posted by on Aug 3, 2012 in Reviews & Recommendations | 13 comments

When Matt met Meera!

I would have almost missed out being personally pampered by Hari and his kitchen staff at Matt & Meera, had I not had taken the earlier flight out of Boston, that afternoon. A very elaborate debrief from the chef on directions, a couple of train-changes later, from Newark Airport to Hoboken, and a leisurely stroll of 6 blocks from the station to Washington Street brought me to this friendly, almost economical in decor yet, very stylish  restaurant. When you see M&M from a block’s distance, its clustered among the several rows of the mile-long chain of restaurants on that road....

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Eataly, New York:Everything Eataly-an!

Posted by on Jul 31, 2012 in Culinary Journeys, Reviews & Recommendations | 1 comment

Eataly, New York:Everything Eataly-an!

Let me start with the last. “Let’s go to Eataly!”, he said. He has stayed in the Americas for the last 15 years or so, with enough travel and food experience around the world to be termed a global citizen. So, when he suggests that my trip to NY won’t hold good, if I do not walk and/or dine at Eataly (Pronounced  how you are read it!), I simply agree to it…presuming it was Little Italy, he was referring to! I smirked, thinking he was showing off his Mediterranean accent, complete with the lisp! Turns out, it wasn’t Little Italy, but the place is actually called...

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