Food Review

“Food tastes best when it’s cooked from the heart”

This is what celebrity Chef Harjinder Singh stands for.  Fondly known as Sweety Singh, he is here in Chennai from Punjab, with his mouth watering Punjabi cuisine at The Crown at Residency Towers.

His charming demeanour and thorough delight in telling us his journey is hard to miss. Highly passionate towards cooking and focused on serving delectable food, Harjinder Singh is one of the most wanted chefs by celebrities - both cricketers and Bollywood. We intently listen as he takes us back to his roots.

“My father ran a small dhaba in Amritsar. It was quite famous and a lot of people visited it. Even after he lost sight to diabetes, he continued cooking based on the smells emanating from the pot and instinctively knew when to add the ingredients. This passion my father showed towards cooking attracted me from a young age and I decided to become a chef.”

Sweety Singh began his career in 1996 at Park Sheraton, Chennai. He fondly remembers the first dishes he ever made - Rajma, Dal Makhani and his signature dish until date - Pindi Chole. There has been no looking back, ever since.

With strong belief in serving “ghar ka khana”, Sweety Singh oversees every single dish made in his kitchen. He believes food tastes best only when masala is added using his fingers. With a small chuckle he adds, “I think one can relish the taste of good food only when eaten with fingers.” Well, don’t we all agree?

Punjabi food is known for being rich and lavish with loads of butter and ghee. Interestingly, Sweety believes in moderation. He doesn’t believe in adding too much fresh cream and nuts to every single dish. He points out that young chefs today add too much cheese, cream, artificial colouring, butter or ghee to enhance the flavour in the food.

Working doubly hard to preserve the taste of authentic Punjabi food, Sweety Singh, like every top chef, has his own “secret” ingredients. The only thing he is willing to share is that these secret ingredients are flavour enhancing masalas.  A staple set of ingredients is what Sweet believes, brings out the flavours in each of his dish. Sweety is also a firm believer in garnishing and presentation.

Then we excitedly, set forth to enjoy our first private dining with Sweet Singh. Our meal began with the popular Punjabi Delight - Lassi. This was followed by an assorted platter of paneer tikka and the gobi kebab, and the exotic dish we enjoyed thoroughly - Beetroot kebab! A vegetable thoroughly boring to eat has been cooked into something so delectable which left us spellbound, as we slowly relished each bite of it.

The main course consisted of Sweety’s signature pindi chole, mutton ghosh and the Punjabi staple - sarson ka saag. This was accompanied with soft and fluffy kulchas. Each dish was cooked perfectly with a generous mix of his secret spices, leaving us completely satiated and in-love with authentic Punjabi cooking.

Sweety Singh also runs a Dhaba in Delhi. But he spends most of his time visiting other hotels, training young chefs. Content with what he does, he says, “People work hard for food, so I feel happy feeding people good food.” We needn’t say more.

Ask him to choose between idli/sambar and aloo paratha? Sweety says aloo paratha wins hands down! A delightful person to meet, his cheerful face and pleasing nature coupled with small doses of humour (he asked me if I chose to be vegetarian in order to find a good husband!) is what makes him who he is today. Sweety Singh has no immediate plans in opening a restaurant in Chennai, but he’s happy to offer consultation to those who want to. Sweety Singh is truly king!

-  Nina Justin was at The Crown, the rooftop restaurant at The Residency Towers in Chennai, on a personal invitation from Sweety Singh.

Red, White and Bean minestrone soup

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil1/4 cup Italian turkey sausage, in small pieces, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 cup chopped onion, 1 cup chopped celery, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1 cup chopped carrots, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 16 ounces chopped canned tomatoes, 5 cups chicken stock, 15.5 ounces cannellini beans with liquid, 8 ounces red kidney beans, drained 2 cups zucchini cut into 6-inch pieces, 2 cups baby spinach1 1/2 cups baby spinach, 2 tablespoons pre-packaged pesto, 2 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium sauté pan. Add sausage, brown well.
Add tomato paste, cook 5 minutes until brown.
Add onions, celery, garlic, carrots, and oregano. Cook until garlic is aromatic, approximately 5 minutes.
Pour into a 4-quart slow cooker. Add tomatoes and chicken stock.
Cook on low setting for 6–7 hours or until the vegetables are tender.
Stir in beans, zucchini, spinach, and cooked pasta. Cook on high setting for 8 minutes or until beans and pasta are warmed through and spinach has wilted.
To Serve: pour the soup into a bowl. Top with a little pesto and fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Thai chicken coconut noodles recipe

Crunchy green beans work really well with these Thai flavours

Serves - 4

Ready in about 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 x 250g pack dried medium egg noodles
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste (we like Thai Taste, from major supermarkets)
• 400ml can reduced-fat coconut milk
• 600ml chicken stock, hot
• 4 small, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 lemongrass stalk, bruised
• 150g green beans, halved lengthways
• 2 carrots, cut into thin sticks
• 1 tsp soft brown sugar
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lime, plus lime wedges,
• Good handful fresh basil leaves

Method:

How to make thai chicken coconut noodles

1. In a bowl, cover the noodles with boiling water and set aside for 5 minutes, to soften. Drain, refresh in cold water and drain again. Toss in half the oil.

2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the curry paste and stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in the coconut milk, stock, chicken and lemongrass, cover and simmer for 12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked. Using a slotted spoon, lift the chicken out of the pan and onto a plate, and roughly chop.

3. Return the chicken to the pan with the beans and carrots. Simmer for 2 minutes, then stir in the noodles, sugar, lime zest and juice, and most of the fresh basil leaves and heat through.

4. Season and ladle into bowls. Garnish with lime wedges and the remaining basil leaves.

Wine note: Gallo Family Vineyards Turning Leaf Shiraz Rose. Turning Leaf Shiraz Rose pairs wonderfully with all the beautiful fresh flavours of Thai cuisine and the mildness of the coconut sauce.

Over 100 Super Foods for a Super You

Include These Foods for Maximum Body Benefits

Faster than a speeding bullet… More powerful than a locomotive… Nutrient-packed with health enhancing properties Here come the SUPER FOODS! These foods benefit your body in so many ways. They power your brain, and correctly and efficiently fuel your body. Super foods fight infection, enhance your immune system, and protect against diseases such as osteoporosis, heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes, and respiratory infections. While this list of super foods may be longer than most, it shows that great things do come in small packages. These foods are not only healthy, but they're also affordable, familiar, and readily available at regular grocery stores and farmers markets. With so many choices, you'll discover just how easy it is to eat super healthy every day…even when on a tight budget. This is an all-inclusive list, but some foods might not be right for your tastes, preferences or health goals. Remember that no single food can provide everything you need to be healthy. That's why it's important to choose a variety of super foods from each category to meet your daily nutrition needs. Vegetables   Asparagus Avocados Beets Bell peppers Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Collard greens Crimini mushrooms Cucumbers Eggplant Garlic Green beans Kale Mustard greens Onions Peas Portobello mushrooms Potatoes Rainbow chard Romaine lettuce Shiitake mushrooms Spinach Summer squash Sweet potatoes Swiss chard Tomatoes Turnip greens Winter squash Yams Calcium-Rich Foods   Almond milk Cheese, low fat Cottage cheese, low fat Milk, skim or 1% Orange juice with calcium Rice milk Soy milk Yogurt with active cultures, low fat Fruits   Apples Apricots Bananas Black olives Blackberries Blueberries Cantaloupe Cherries Cranberries Figs Grapefruit Grapes Honeydew melon Kiwifruit Lemons Limes Nectarines Oranges Papaya Peaches Pears Pineapple Plums Prunes Raisins Raspberries Strawberries Watermelon Grains   Amaranth Arborio rice Barley Brown rice Buckwheat Bulgur Corn Jasmine rice Millet Oats Quinoa Rye Spelt Triticale Wheat berries Whole grain breads, cereal, pasta Whole wheat breads, cereal, pasta Wild Rice Proteins   Almonds Beef, lean Black beans Cashews Chicken, skinless Chickpeas Egg whites Eggs Fish, unbreaded Flaxseed Garbanzo beans Hemp seeds Hummus Kidney beans Lima beans Lentils Miso Navy beans Nuts Peanut butter, natural Peanuts Pinto beans Pork, lean Pumpkin seeds Salmon, canned or fresh Seafood, unbreaded Sesame seeds Soybeans Sunflower seeds Tahini Tempeh Tofu Tuna, canned or fresh Turkey, skinless Veggie burgers Walnuts Wild game, skinless Miscellaneous   Canola oil Dark chocolate Green tea Olive oil

Designing The ‘Perfect Meal’ With Your Hands

We're celebrating Healthy Eating at Foodathon this week and to start with, let's talk about how to make the perfect meal.

The Perfect Meal takes the complexity out of creating healthy, and goal orientated, meals. It follows a simple system of portion sizes (using your hands) that will help ensure that you consume all of the nutrients required to keep your body happy, healthy, and lean.

So how does it work?

Well, it works on the simple premise that every meal must have a few components, and each of these has a serving size that’s determined by your hands. These components are –

• 2 palms of protein – the building blocks of muscle
• 2 fists of veggies – for vitamins, minerals, and fibre
• 2 thumbs of healthy fat – to improve testosterone levels
• A big glass of water – because you’re probably dehydrated, and as Dan John would say ‘water is the most anabolic thing on this planet’.

That’s a pretty simple way of setting things out, right?

High on Desserts – Chennai Style!

It’s the Valentines week and how else can we celebrate it without some sweets? I know the sweets and bakery market shoot up during Valentines day and here’s Foodathon suggesting few of the best desserts and have a sugar overdose peeps!

That Tiny Chocolate Cake

Don’t you feel it’s tiny? Oh yes, this Tiny Chocolate is definitely a MUST for everyone.  I know you’re writhing in chocolicious ecstasy right now.

This is available in the famous Sandy’s in Chennai and it’s just not this tiny in real, MIND YOU!

Rainbow Cake

Bored of one flavoured cakes?  Then please do try Rainbow cake. This cake which is filled with different colors is not just eye-catchy but equally yummalicioussss!

You get Rainbow cake in Cupcake Company, Chennai. Try out their cupcakes too. Truly blissful!
 

Ice Cream Cannelloni

It's easier to resist at the beginning than at the end, but where does this begin?!

"Leave the gun. Take the canneoli." 

Try these truly delicious canneolis at Amadora Gourmet Ice Cream and Sorbet, Chennai.

A definite must visit at least once in two weeks for the dessert lovers.

What other way to treat your loved ones than desserts? So foodies, STOP DROOLING and it’s time to GET HIGH ON DESSERTS!

Places to eat out on Valentine’s Day - Chennai style

Here are our top picks for Valentine’s Day this year – be it candle light dinner by the pool, some elegant wine, romantic music or irresistible desserts – we have it all covered.

The Taj Club House presents an exotic Chef’s special 5-course Dinner under the starlit sky at the rooftop Mediterranean restaurant, Kefi.

Prego by Taj offers a poolside venue, candle lit dinner, a gourmet handcrafted menu, and the finest bottle of Champagne and a starry sky above make for a memorable evening and dinner.

On the nights of February 13 and 14, Upper Deck and Bay View at Fisherman's Cove have a unique do for Valentine's. Four-course menu, dance floor, music bands... its attractions galore.

At Taj Coromandel, it's Aphrodisia at The Patio and Cupid Nite at Matchpoint. Besides live music, dance floor and a mugshot corner to freeze those romantic memories, a four-course meal (champagne) is on offer at The Patio. At Matchpoint, it's going to be candle-lit dinner.

The Hilton offers alfresco dining experience with a set exclusive dinner menu, a bottle of sparkling wine, strawberries and chocolates, and unlimited soft beverages and alcoholic drinks. Guests will have the choice of dining at the rooftop bar, with a view of the cityscape, or share a romantic evening at the cabanas on Vintage Bank's patio.

Courtyard Marriott has drawn up elaborate Valentine’s Day special plans across its best restaurants. Rhapsody brings to you the ultimate romantic Valentine dinner - an exotic Valentine menu with Italian cuisine, wine, live-band, roses and everything romantic. At Paprika there is an elaborate buffet spread; live counters with a mouth-watering dessert menu.

Hyatt’s Valentine Day package that includes multiple experiences starting from pre-dinner beverages at the bar, followed by dinner at Stix and to end the evening on a sweet note they have a special dessert buffet at the pool side in specially decorated cabanas.

The Residency Towers hosts a sumptuous Buffet, Candle light dinner comprising 35 dishes bearing names inspired by romantic heroes and places with Live Music at the Main Street. Key Board artiste Francis will sing your favourite romantic songs. The roof top restaurant The Crown Deck that serves Indian and continental cuisine has a chef handcrafted Valentine’s Day special menu and also Heather & Ashley Playing Live romantic music to dine alfresco at the deck with a breath taking panoramic view of the Chennai City.

Radisson Blu GRT, GST Road offers romantic candle light dinner by the Poolside and Garden Café coupled with flowing wine, live romantic music and a special menu with cupid's favourites on the specials.

At GRT Grand, a special a la carte menu by chef David Kao is an attraction at Oriental Pearl, while a special mock tail will be offered to guests visiting Copper Point.

The Westin promises a special Valentine themed evening at Seasonal Tastes the 
city’s most elaborate dinner buffet specially crafted for families and couples. Signature dessert buffet spread of macaroons, chocolate and strawberry themed delights.

For those who are madly in love, Mad over Donuts has introduced <3 shaped donuts. The love specials come in three exciting flavours:

1. Sweetheart: Dipped in white chocolate. Filled with strawberry jelly. Topped with chocolate sprinkles and drizzled with strawberry jelly 
2. Berry MOON: Dipped in white chocolate, topped with strawberry butter cream rosette and a drizzle of strawberry jelly 
3. I Love Hazel: Filled with hazelnut and milk chocolate ganache, dipped in dark chocolate and topped with chocolate chips. So go ahead and experience pure bliss that’s not only in the air, but on your plate too!