Cut a watermelon - easy to eat, no mess

I read this on one of the recipe sites i frequent on cutting a watermelon  and had to tell you foodies about this.

I feel silly writing an article about how I cut a watermelon. Last summer when my husband saw me cut a watermelon this way, he looked at me funny, wondering what the heck I was doing. I guess he’d never watched me cut a watermelon in the 15 years we’ve been together.

When I picked up the pieces and gave them to our son he said, “that is genius! You need to post that!”

I highly doubt I’m the first mama to cut a watermelon like this. I shook it off thinking, who’s going to want to read an article about cutting watermelon?

Then my friend Cari H. sent me this article that she found on Pinterest and then she also suggested I write about how I cut too. I don’t claim to know how to pick a stellar watermelon, and I really love the advice that they suggest on picking one. I have been following it since she sent me the link. But I guess my cutting method makes for easy eating, especially for little ones.

If you have a giant watermelon, I suggest cutting yours the way Fifteen Spatulas did. If you have a medium-sized watermelon or one of those mini watermelons, then give this method a shot.

Step 1:
Cut the watermelon in half.

Step 2:
Take one half and place it cut side down. Cut it into sections approximately 1 to 1.5 inches thick.

Step 3:
Rotate the melon 90° and repeat, creating 1 inch squares in the skin.

Step 4:
Toss the end pieces that are mostly or all skin and rind. Then pick up the pieces and eat.

Step 5:
Enjoy!

I’ll be honest that a photo of a kid biting into a giant wedge of watermelon makes for a cuter photo, but this method seems to create less of a mess and is easy for little fingers to pick up and eat with out leaving a lot of waste behind.

Thank you http://www.mamasaywhat.com/cutting-a-watermelon/ a community of moms

Delux - must visit for authentic Malayali cusine

The Veg meal on banana leaf

For Mallu food on a banana leaf – this is THE place. For a satisfying meal which is easy on the pocket head here. The tiny restaurant in Fort, is on Pitha St off PM Rd (near The Bombay Store. A small South Indian temple is my landmark to this lane. 

Don’t get waylaid at “Taste of Kerala” as Delux is much better!  

We recently went for lunch. Ensure you sit upstairs as downstairs only a la carte is available and it’s not air conditioned. It doesn’t deter people, the downstairs is always full. On offer is fish, seafood, mutton, chicken and duck as Vembanad Lake is home to loads of ducks - so it’s a big part of Kerala cuisine.

As we go for the vegetarian lunch on banana leaf which is a MUST HAVE here, trek up the stairs. As people leave, the plastic sheet covering the table is changed and you are seated at a clean table. 

Reach before 1 pm to ensure a table, its always crowded or be prepared to wait – we did!

Despite being a die-hard carnivore I relish  the Kerala style vegetarian meal on banana leaf – all my favourite preparations eaten in my best friend’s house (Ro please note)are served – avial, toran, with lashing of rice (red if you can else white) sambar, rasam, papad, pickles,

We had a prawn masala (dry) and surmai fry in addition to the veg meal. On previous occasions I have enjoyed the chicken roast and sukha mutton.

Next time I will visit and not eat non veg at all just focus on the thali ,…. Actually will have the prawns and try the duck which is a speciality (back waters et al)

My husband discovered this restaurant some years ago and introduced me to it. Now I am their “unofficial” brand ambassador introducing it to those who haven’t yet discovered it.

Its in the SST category (Sastha Sundar Thikhao) or as I would say in Bengali – Khabar khub bhalo, jaaga ta shadharan!

Enjoy!

Must visit for a relaxed leisurely Sunday Lunch

Oak Ash Chevre Salad - my all time favourite

We are big fans of the Smoke House Deli F&B brand and were regulars at High Street Phoenix till the Pali Hill (Bandra West) one opened, as its near home. Though the food is superb across locations, the cramped environment  doesn't optimize the dining experience.

Hence the drive to BKC to check it out. 

We went there for lunch recently on a Sunday, our 1st visit to the SHD at BKC.

The restaurant is lovely and spacious, the frontage of large windows provide light and a sense of expanse.

So here's what we had (a group of 6:

Sparkling white wine and rose sangrias

Starters

Oak ash chevre salad my all time favourite

Asparagus grape and flax seed salad (to try something new – nice but prefer the Oak Ash Chevre Salad)

Seafood fritters (only calamari and shrimp, asked them to hold the fish) My son’s favourite

Mains

Peri Peri grilled chicken

Tenderloin burger with emmental melt

Grilled prawns with lemon grass and Anaheim peppers

House special tenderloin steak

Pepper encrusted John Dory my most favourite mains in Mumbai

Honey orange pork spare ribs

Desert (we shared)

Bitter chocolate orange ganache torte 

Tiramisu

Great staff like in the other locations and the same high quality delicious food so we had a superlative dining experience. 

If you wonder at the paucity of visuals its because when the food arrives i eat first and remember later that i should have photographed it! 

I'm a foodie first then a flogger (food-blogger)

Yoga House Cafe - Delightfully Healthy!

The Detox joice

The Yoga House Café located above the Yoga House - is a lovely find, hidden in the leafy lanes of the Shirley Rajan Village, was a great surprise. Being close to office, I decided to check it out last week. I visited with no expectations at all, as I am a carnivore. I was quite taken by the place and the food and have already returned with a friend yesterday.

Here’s what we had:

The quinoa taboule – delicious and filling – a good helping

Summer salad with pomegranate and feta – dressing served separately. A good helping  

Sandwich – travellers plate – 4 open sandwiches made on multi grain bread

Detox juice – cucumber, celery, cabbage and mint – good despite the fact that no drinks not even water  is served cold  as its against the yoga principles

Carrot cake supplied by Eighth a Bandra-based baker – delicious, so yummy that I picked up 3 to go

Summer Salad

Quinoa Taboule

Travellers Plate - open sandwiches

Carrot Cake 

The bill for what two of us ate was about Rs 1000/- The building, above Waters the salon, is being made “rain proof” so the open areas are being covered presumably.

The table ware - earthen glasses and bell metal plates go very well with the natural ambiance. The green, blue and white color scheme complement the whole look and feel of the place making you feel that you are in a lovely nature retreat or spa. 

Worth a visit or two….

Hot? Visit Hokey Pokey to create an ice cream now

I went to Hokey Pokey for the first time recently courtesy a Food blogger event curated by FBAI at the new Carter Rd, Bandra outlet.

We got to mix and match flavours with toppings to create and name ice creams. flavours were mixed on the Hokey Pokey signature "cold stone." which we were allowed to do. Typically you watch the staff mix the selections but we were encouraged to try our hand in the mixing.

One chooses from the ice cream flavours and adds toppings from a HUGE range including fruits, chocolate chips, various candies, chocolate like Mars, Oreo cookies, etc even desi toppings like Gulkhand etc

This is the COLD stone where the mixing happens

I went back again taking my son and his friends. They enjoyed it - and i enjoyed a decadent chocolate sundae - Secret Affair.

Its good value compared to the other parlours and has become a hit in my family. An ideal treat in this hot weather