1 DINE WITH A CELEBRITY CHEF
How does a housewife become a masterchef? Ask Shipra Khanna yourself when she headlines a Diwali promotion in Dubai this week. The Shimla native, 32, is serving up a degustation menu of four or five courses at Nina, One&Only Royal Mirage, from today to Saturday.
We popped her a few questions before the event:
What’s your earliest Diwali food memory?
Diwali is a festival celebrated for a good whole month with family and friends. Each day is a celebration with an elaborate feast of various dishes. My earliest memories go back to the spicy aroma that would fill the entire house while we prepared our evening meals.
What kind of dishes does Diwali inspire you to cook?
In India, festivals are always celebrated with a variety of food which are an important part of our culture and traditions. I will be creating a lot of fusion to authentic dishes this Diwali at Nina to ensure everyone feels close to home.
One dish that absolutely needs to be on the menu at Diwali?
Desserts are a must for Diwali along with a lot of vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies. Some of my favourites are Navratna Pulao, Junglee Maas and Butter Chicken. These are few of my specialities, and they will most definitely be served during the Diwali Dinner that the One&Only Royal Mirage has invited me to prepare.
The one classic Diwali dish you absolutely hate?
I have always loved food. Cooking and ensuring others enjoy my food is a crucial part of my passion and pride. In fact, I encourage people to appreciate different types of food, and avoid wastage. It is important to share our food as a sign of love, respect and happiness. That is what Diwali is all about.
What’s been your most memorable Diwali yet?
The ones I have spent with my children at home. These memories are filled with traditional activities where families unite, oil lamps are lit, Rangoli is prepared, and the smell of spicy dishes are priceless memories.
What dish did you first make for Diwali — who did you feed it to?
Chocolate truffle and hazelnut cake for my family and friends
The details: 7pm onwards, October 18-20. Dh280 for a four-course degustation menu and Dh320 for five courses. Call 04 399 9999
2 YOU COULD ORDER IN…
For hostesses with no time or inclination to slave over hot stoves, there’s Posh Platters, a new catering service in the UAE, where every dish is a “rich culinary experience”, according to the media handout.
“Our dedicated catering team can create a perfect balance of tastes: from sweet to salty, hearty to surprising, and classic to flamboyant, bringing to your table a celebration of flavours that entice,” says Pooja Kalwani, the woman behind the business.
So what’s so posh about these platters? “Posh Platters is in the business of creating a flavourful blend of culinary memories for a discerning clientele. Our catering and decoration services in Dubai, like our name suggests, offer a delicious array of cuisines presented via bespoke menus that are delivered ever so exquisitely by a professional catering team trained to manage your requirements from beginning to end,” Kalwani says.
Sounds intriguing, all right. The basic menu starts at Dh150. Poshplatters.ae
3 …OR HEAD TO THE BUNGALOW
Sure, there’s Burrata Butter chicken, but Dubai newbie Bombay Bungalow wants to entice diners over with comfort fare such as Mutton Roghan Josh and Dal Makhani this Diwali. Sous chef Neeraj Rana says his Diwali menu is all about sharing, with a new seafood platter available for the occasion. But it’s his desserts that we expect the desserts will find favour: Chandrka with Orange Rabri or Chocolate Gulab Jamun cheese cake shikanji. It’s all priced at Dh145 per head, and is being served from noon to midnight. Bombaybungalowdxb.com
4 …AND THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT
If it’s just mithai you want, you might want to look up Spoonfed, the latest attempt to jostle for space on your phone. It offers sweets and dry fruits from Bikanervala, Jalebiwala or Chappan Bhog. An entry-level Diwali Mix box costs Dh21.6, but we couldn’t see a picture of what we were buying when we logged on.
