Delhi Diaries: Unearthing kitchen secrets at Book Fair, 2015

So I might not always talk about this but F 🙂 🙂 D has such a special place in my life! One of my best friends claims that I’d probably sell him off for super-yum food. Haha, now I’m not going to comment on the veracity of that statement- but you can safely agree that it is way past the exaggerating line. 😈 Anyhow, coming back to the food talks- Zomato- the foremost Indian website/App which aids in discovering & getting information about restaurants in over 21 countries worldwide [side-note: Woah- they’re growing fast ]; has released this!

It has 21 challenges- some quite difficult ones at that, but all of them are oh-so-totally fun! 😛 Now only if this damned VISA of mine arrived on time, & I could start ticking this list off with my better-half. We’ve already covered two of these while holidaying; ❤ but oh well, my brother’s getting done with College in about 2 months & then, this List is going down in weeks.  Also, I got a head-start at dinner last night with my mom. Starting with Dessert? Of course, that had to be the first challenge. 🙄

Moong Dal ka Halwa (Indian sweet dish) & Dark+White Chocolate Truffle

On a seperate note, I was in Delhi last week. Having spent half-a-decade there, that city holds an extremely emotional spot in my heart. The food, the street-shopping, the monuments, the beautiful greenery-lined roads, the momo vendors, and the slight february chill- Delhi is simply irreplaceable! 😎

 

Clockwise: Overview of a Delhi Road, Colourful Bangles, Hauz Khas Lake and Momos ❤

More so, as my visit coincided with their Annual Book Fair!! I was literally jumping up and down for as far as I can remember, Book Fairs have been my ABSOLUTE favourite place to be. 🙄 The mere idea of being surrounded by innumerable books and smelling fresh books is almost intoxicating to me. 😯 Ok, I know I sound silly but I honestly am that obsessed with books; more so as I was hunting for that perfect Coffee Table book. Now Delhi hosts Asia’s biggest Book Fair and after an hour I had literally lost count of the number of Stalls where I ran around, flipping through books & going- ‘meh!’ 😐

And then I saw Roli Books, and realised that their Stall was like a Coffee-table Books’ Heaven, if any such thing even exists. Whether your interest lies in history, architecture, cookery, modern art- they will definitely have it; with immaculate photography at that! I was mesmerised as I flipped through one book, then next and then another. But the Book that made me stop in my tracks was something else altogether. ❤ Have a look!

Dining with the Maharajas talks about the phenomenally rich culinary traditions of Indian royal families of Hyderabad, Jammu and Kashmir, Jodhpur, Mahmudabad, Mysore, Patiala, Rampur, Sailana, Tripura and Udaipur. Whilst at that, it showcases their specialities and centuries-old food traditions with which they achieved perfection in their cooking. Food has been turned into exquisite art-forms in the remarkable pictures, for which recipes have been provided as well.

As a bonus the recipes are separately included in a Kitchen Booklet as well; lest one would have to look through this heavy book every-time they’d want a recipe. So there goes a Big Tick against scoring secret royal recipes, being the kitchen newbie that I am. 😎

And the Royal Purple Cover is made with Velvet fabric- which adds a distinct charm to the entire Book. Oh, and did I tell you I got it for a total steal at 30% off.

 

The Kitchen Copy & Purple Velvet Cover  

Besides, this I bought other Books as well, and another Coffee-table one on Festivals of India, but this has to be the highlight of the day. Next day we left for Pilani which is going to be another long story, and best left for another day. 🙂

Thanks for stopping by.

-Surabhi

[Picture Courtesy: img5a.flixcart.com, tablesandthyme.co.za, scoopwhoop.com, cherrytin.com- all sourced via Google Images, & the remaining are self-clicked]