A cup of Assam Tea

      The famous who visited, the awards and the showstopper dal, I was little nervous to write about Bukhara.  The visit itself, you experience the warmth and high hospitality the Indian culture stands for with rhythm of rustic interior keeping rendition with yesteryears of Mughal inspiration.      We were hit by the usual Delhi traffic that got us little late for lunch. Consider ourselves lucky, 5 minutes passed lunch, and we were greeted with the most gracious welcome.       As we already felt little guilty about getting late, so started our day with the main and how would it be without the iconic dal Bukhara. And then pudina paratha, Murg malai kabab, and Kastoori kabab.       Dal Bukhara: cooked for 24 hours in the earthen oven (tandoor)  with tomato and ginger garlic was indeed a show stopper and signature. Thick whippy black gram dal comes with a generous dollop of butter on top. If you haven't...

      The last couple of days had been really warm here, almost felt like mid-July. Not that I don't like warm days in New England when we always complain about the long winter. Yesterday the temperature dropped to a little chili. Feeling of the Fall is always wonderful. I felt like as if I am in India, Assam my home state. Felt like waking up in the morning walking on the lawn barefoot, foggy and hued and with all the festive buzz around. Now I am in New England, missing Indian festivities, so thought of posting a custom made Mekhela Chadar grey and orange, which I got from Assam when I visited last time from Xipini By Kanishka Gogoi Mahanta. A very contemporary appeal with a traditional touch. I accessorized it with antique finish gold jewelry. The outfit is ideal for both day and night. Also, the melange of the two colors, the brightness of orange and mildness of grey portraits the balance of fall  between summer and winter.       As you al...

      Felt like long that we have not dinner outed for as a family. Recently, if we were eating out it's always been take outs. We love to go out for eating as a family, sitting in a comfy place with the comfort of food sharing and conversing with each other. Because regular days are so busy and we always in a little hurry. On Friday nights a new place new food gives boost for a good relaxing weekend ahead. That’s why we always look forward to Fridays and is our favorite for dinner outings.       Zohara, the Mediterranean flare has been in my pending list for a little while now. Finally made it to Zohara, a comfort, complete, casual culinary tale. In the heart and hustle of blue back square, Zohar is casual, open modern kitchen and with a bunch of humble attentive staff and casual clean sitting. Just like its name, Zohara is a jewel in midst of blue back square. We started our day housemade lemonade with a mindful hint of mint flavor. As chi...

When two cultures assimilate, the result is always brilliant, and when it comes to the assimilation of cuisine from two cultures, the effect is even more brilliant. Whether its Chinese-American, Latin-American or Mexican-Italian, but when Chinese meets Indian cuisine the food and flavor take it to another level. Yes, Indo-Chinese a very popular cuisine in India, seasonings, and flavors from both countries come under one roof. Born in Calcutta, Indo-Chinese seasons in Chinese way merged in Indian cooking techniques. If you ever taste it, you won’t forget it. After moving from India to the USA, I always look for Indo-Chinese cuisine. Some restaurant's menu does include a few entrees but not a whole lot of items. Recently, I was lucky enough to visit Red Chutney in New Jersey and fortunate enough to find the same flavor in the restaurant. Eclectic, oriental interior with urban feels, sophisticated modern lighting, Red Chutney naturally create a great ambiance. It was an incr...

 I have always been fascinated by Tibet, whether it's their magical monasteries, monks, quaint natural beauty, dignified Dalai Lama, ethereal Everest or their simple delish cuisine. When a friend of my mentioned about this hidden gem, I could not stop myself visiting it. In art affectionate Wesleyan's home, Middletown, yes Tibetan Kitchen, Middletown, CT is a tiny piece of an art in its own way. Scarlet walls with Tibetan accents like Buddha and delightful portrait of Dalai Lama brought little Tibet inside this charming place. A little dream of mine became a reality as we entered into this Tibetan Kitchen with a vintage yet cherry, warm yet humble, eclectic oriental casual space. After a hearty and speedy greeting, we were seated. As going through the menu, we switched it a bit. As a momo(dumpling) lover, even though it is in the main course; we chose Momo as a starter. I and my husband had vegetable momo(Tsel momo) and for the kids chicken momo(Sha Momo)....