Gilroy Ginger, Ginger Gilroy!!!

Hmmm Gilroy!

So have we heard about Gilroy?

Oh yes we have!!!

So what do we know about Gilroy...

Yes, all about its gardens, reservoirs, car showrooms, factory outlets and yes not to forget its golf stretches:-)

Gilroy is not just a city in Santa Clara County in California but is also known to be the Garlic Capital of the world!

Another hidden treasure (not so hidden may be)of Gilroy is Mount Madonna!

This mountain painted in the redwood forest and grassland overlooking Monterey Bay, between Santa Cruz and Monterey, in Northern California provides you with a scenic view.

But my main recommendation is not just Mount Madonna which would be a great hiking and camping place too, but is in fact is the The Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple!

This is a project sponsored by the Hanuman Fellowship and is located within the grounds of the Mount Madonna Center for the Creative Arts and Sciences, a residential private retreat and conference center.

It was established in 1978 by the students of Baba Hari Dass, and offers a community designed to nurture the creative arts and the health sciences within a context of personal and spiritual growth.

The Hanuman  temple holds you in captivation as you find yourself in a quiet, soothing  and friendly environment. It helps you connect to your self as well with the supreme power and nature.

Do visit Mount Madonna and the Sankat Mochan Hanuman temple. A prebooked appointment for a Saturday visit is best way  to ensure that you do not miss the chance! Link to appointment page(http://www.sankatmochanhanumansangha.org/visitors/login)

Another hidden treasure  for us Foodies is definitely the Ginger Cafe in Gilroy.

Do stop and enjoy porcupine custard buns, pineapple rice, chilly chicken rice. The Garlic butter noodles-Kids menu is super yummy too!

You don't know what you can actually like unless you try it!!!

Gilroy, though the Garlic Capital of the world is Ginger (cafe)Gilroy  for me;-)

Restaurant like Crispy Fried Chicken at Home!

Fried Chicken

Ingredients:

4 pieces of chicken with bone,

1 cup milk,

pepper powder to taste,

1 egg,

1 tablespoon meat masala powder,

1 teaspoon chat masala powder,

3 table spoon cooking oil,

2 slices of bread fried and powdered to form bread crumbs

Salt to taste.

Method:

·         Clean the chicken pieces with bone and marinate it with some salt and pepper powder. Keep aside for 15-20 mins.

·         In a deep cooking vessel, add milk and boil these chicken pieces in the boiling milk till perfectly cooked on slow flame.

·         Remove from flame and let it cool.

·         In the meanwhile, whisk the egg till light. Add some salt to taste and keep aside.

·         Fry bread till hard on a frying pan in some cooling oil and run into through the mixer till it turns into bread powder.

·         Once the chicken pieces are cooled, put some meat masala and chat masala powder on the pieces and dip them in the beaten egg mixture and roll with bread crumbs.

·         Fry till golden brown

·         Serve hot

Restaurant Review: Shout "Sanman" anywhere in Alibag and you will never be lost!

"Sanman"restaurant in Alibaug, Maharashtra is truly a sea-food lovers paradise!

In my recent visit to the region, I truly loved 2 places and I recommend all my friends to definitely try these- one is off course Sanman and the other is a Pure-Veg restaurant called "Suruchi". Suruchi doesn't offer typical Malvani style cuisine ( but they also do serve off the menu dishes- which you could order typical to the region)but will taste very good to your palate and will be very light on your wallet. For that matter both these places are extremely light on your pocket. I thoroughly enjoyed  a big crab masala(Chimbori masala)@ just Rs. 160/- Would you believe it?!?! 

In Alibaug you end up asking anyone , for their guidance -on which is a good place to enjoy authentic Malvani food in the region and you will hear only one name- SANMAN!

And you will know why? Check some of the pictures below of what all I and my family could devour at two occassions at the restaurant and you will agree with me:-)

And yes the show stopper at one occassion did end up to be a fresh bowl of "aamras". Can you believe it! Fresh delicious mango pulp in November-It happens only in Alibaug!!!

TheStarFoodie Winning Recipe this week- The Surprise Lot!

The winning recipe of TheStarFoodie contest this week by Ms. Chaya. Mr. Potato- YOU ROCK!

The Surprise Lot!

Starter
Indian Non-Veg

Serving: 3 pieces

Ingredients:
2 medium sized potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed

2 medium sized green chillies finely chopped

2 table spoons of mozzarella cheese
1 cup cooked and ready chicken kheema (chicken kheema recipe to follow shortly)
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon cummin powder

1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon garam masala powder

1 tablespoon corn flour powder mixed in water ready to be used a coating
Finely chopped fresh coriander
1 cup bread crumbs

Oil to fry
Salt to taste

Method

Take a mixing bowl and mix the mashed potato and the green chillies. Add the garam masala, coriander, cummin, turmeric powder. Mix well. Add the ginger - garlic paste and salt to taste and mix well.

Take the cooked and ready kheema and shape it as a ball. Place pieces of mozzarella cheese in the center of the chicken kheema ball.

Now cover the kheema ball with the ready potato mixture to shape it as a bigger ball.

Dip the potato ball in the corn flour mixture.

Roll this into mixture of bread crumbs and little salt.

Take a frying pan and add oil enough to deep fry the potato ball till golden brown.

Serve hot with green chutney or tomato ketchup.

The chicken kheema inside the crispy potato ball and the melting cheese inside the chicken kheema ball will be a surprise in a surprise lot!

Enjoy and LOVE FOOD!