ABC Wednesday - 'D' for Dessert

Dessert Corner at Saffron Spice, Powai. There was vanilla icecream with hot chocolate sauce, and gulab jamuns kept on the side. The mini pastries were a superhit with the kids and adults alike.

For interesting photos of ABC Wednesday 'D' for 

click below:

Our World Tuesday # 20 Saffron Spice

I give a 4 out of 5 for ambience to Saffron Spice, Powai.

For amazing clicks of 'Our World' from various parts of the world, click below:

Our World Tuesday # 14 Merwans Cake Shop

Merwans Cake Shop near Andheri station, is an inseperable part of our world and we find excuses to visit this bakery and celebrate. Once you open that door, the aromas of cakes, muffins and savouries will surround you and you cannot leave without trying a few of the delicacies.

It is one of the best, the oldest and the pocket-friendliest bakeries in the city.
Exotic cakes and pastries that will melt in your mouth, cookies, croissants, chocolates, rolls, puffs, desserts, icecream, fruit smoothies....are all irresistible and pretty inexpensive, with no compromise in taste and quality. There is a special eggless section upstairs, if you are a vegetarian.
 Some of the speciality cakes, pastries and savouries you must try are mawa cake, almond cake, pineapple cake, dutch truffle, chocolate crackle, lemon crackle... to mention a few. To buy the special Christmas cake in this season, you may have to stand in queue.
The veg.mini pizzas, chicken garlic roll, chicken cheese roll, veg. manchurian pattice, paneer roll, veg. and non-veg puffs are also very popular.
There are three small cafe tables with seating, but insufficient for the huge crowd inside. Most of the very popular stuff - like mawa cakes and almond cakes are sold out in a couple of hours after arrivng on the shelf.

Merwans is an awesome cake shop, insanely popular and amazing value for money. It is Krrish and my favourite hangout on most weekends when we visit Andheri. I will share photos of few of the delicacies here next week, if they allow me to photograph, or click the cakes and puffs I buy for Christmas.

Merry Christmas to all friends and readers of 'Our World Tuesday'.
To view the Christmas week from places around the world, click below;

Weekend in Black and White 2014 : 3

Saffron Spice

The staircase from the doorway up to the restaurant Saffron Spice in Powai.
The lift is also very unique and interesting.

For great shots in black and white, click below:

ABC Wednesday - ' V ' for Variety of Namkeen / Farsan

A huge 'Variety' of these fresh fried snacks popularly called 'Farsan' or 'Namkeen' of different tastes, shapes and flavours are very popular in Mumbai. They could be of Maharashtrian or Gujarati origin or even from North or South India.

Here they are sold loose by weight. One can even taste before buying them.
In many localities, the 'farsan' vendors sell the freshly packed  'farsan' at our doorstep. Our kids eagerly wait every Thursday for their favourite 'namkeen wala uncle' (means- uncle who gets lots of  'namkeen') and are eager to try something new each time. They are popular snacks for the school 'short break'.

For more ' V ' for..... entries from around the world, click below

My World #10

Sugarcane juice is a popular thirst quencher in Mumbai. The sugarcane sticks pass through the huge stainless-steel crusher as it squeezes out the fresh drink. Some ginger and lemon juice is often added to the juice to make it easily digestible. You can opt for juice without ice, or the ginger and lemon juice added. Served immediately, it is instantly gulped down by tourists, office goers and residents alike. Most office-goers love to have a glass of sugarcane juice in the afternoons, during lunch time.

Saturday Photohunters Theme: BREAKFAST

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The batata wada is a popular breakfast dish, and also evening snack in Mumbai. It is popularized as street food, eaten with pav and called vada-pav. This photo is taken in a restaurant and the batata wadas are served with South Indian accompaniments, sambar and coconut chutney.(South Indian dips).

Batata wadas are patties made of potatoes mixed with green chillies, ginger and a tadka(tempering) of mustard seeds and turmeric. The balls are dipped in herb-seasoned gram flour batter, and then deep fried. The finished vadas can be served as in the photo with sambar and coconut chutney in South Indian style, or typical Mumbai style as vada-pav, with green chillies and chutney.

The combination of vadas and the split pav is also called  Mumbai's burger.

Several fast food chains specialise in vada pav outlets in the city.

Weekend Snapshot: Falooda & Icecream Treat

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This Saturday, I and my li'l boy went Diwali shopping. We went to Crawford market area and got great bargains for toys, bedspreads, decorations and lots more.

We then went to 'Badshah Falooda House' and got ourselves this yummy treat a 'Royal Falooda' for me and 'Vanilla Icecream' for Krrish. Falooda is a popular summer drink made by mixing rose syrup( or  other flavours like kesar, mango..) with vermicilli and basil seeds (sabza) served with a topping of icecream.

I have always(since childhood) loved to believe that no one leaves the Crawford market shopping area without having a falooda at Badshah's.  If you go to Badshah's and see the crowd waiting in queue for the table, you too will think like me. The place was so crowded that I couldn't get a good photo of it this time.

Weekend Snapshot: Sunday Breakfast

Weekend Breakfast Special: Idli Chutney

Unlike South Indian homes, Idlis are not prepared very often in my kitchen. So, it is Weekend Special breakfast atleast twice a month. For those who don't know, Idlis are steamed rice cakes made of rice and lentil batter, served with sambar or chutney (which are South Indian dips).

Today we are having Idlis with spicy Tomato Chutney. My li'l one also loves idlis with (no-chilli & spice) coconut chutney.

Snacking

Trupti Snacks is a popular snack joint at Nadco Shopping Centre at Andheri West, near the railway station.
You can have fresh samosas, vadapav, khandvi, dhokla, kachori and all types of bhajiyas (pakoras) with tasty green chutney and sweet chutney. They also sell fresh Gujarati snacks like theplas, khakras, mathris, banana and potato wafers.
The sweets like Mohan Thal, Besan Laddoo and Kaju Katli are simply yummy.
The place here is always crowded and you are simply lucky if you can get samosas after 6 pm in the evening. The samosa tray comes hot from the kitchen 3 to 4 times, and within minutes, all are sold.
When you are in Andheri West, dont forget to snack here.

Sooji Ka Halwa

Sooji Ka Halwa is Semolina Pudding, a popular Indian dessert.


It is prepared on festivals and as prasad for poojas and is also a popular breakfast dish in India. In Maharashtra, it is known commonly as 'Sheera'. North Indians call it 'Sooji Ka Halwa'.
For the recipe of Sheera, click here

Hot Chips

Hot Chips at Seven Bunglows in Andheri is very popular. You can get fresh chips at any hour of the day from morning till late night. I see this man grating potatoes and bananas, and frying chips whenever I pass by.

The scene is simply inviting.


If you pass by here, do try them, and you will surely come backvfor more. The potato, banana and sago chips are popular besides many types of farsan including bitter gourd chips, chakli and South Indian varieties too.

August Monthly Theme: Typical Breakfast

Sabudana Khichdi is seasoned sago and potato. It is a Maharashtrian breakfast dish and enjoyed with a dash of lime over it. It can be served with coconut-coriander chutney or mango pickle and yogurt.

This is my Krrish's favourite breakfast, and over the last couple of months I've almost mastered it though my khichdi sometimes becomes sticky.

Take a look at what people around the world have for breakfast. These 100 blogs are participating in the August monthly theme: Typical Breakfast

Saint Paul (MN), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - New York City (NY), USA - Tel Aviv, Israel - Hyde, UK - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Mainz, Germany - Stockholm, Sweden - Paderborn, Germany - Singapore, Singapore - Haninge, Sweden - Nottingham, UK - Ampang (Selangor), Malaysia - Manila, Philippines - Boston (MA), USA - Seoul, Korea - Singapore, Singapore - Joplin (MO), USA - Chandler (AZ), USA - Paris, France - Sequim (WA), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Boston (MA), USA - Chennai, India - Madison (WI), USA - Baton Rouge (LA), USA - Toulouse, France - Seattle (WA), USA - Mexico (DF), Mexico - La Antigua, Guatemala - Selma (AL), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Cleveland (OH), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Lubbock (TX), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Sheki, Azerbaijan - Sydney, Australia - Mumbai, India - Seoul, South Korea - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Cypress (TX), USA - Saarbrücken, Germany - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - New Orleans (LA), USA - Budapest, Hungary - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Austin (TX), USA - Singapore, Singapore - Villigen, Switzerland - Montréal (QC), Canada - Stayton (OR), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Moscow, Russia - Springfield (MO), USA - Inverness (IL), usa - Arlington (VA), USA - Cologne (NRW), Germany - Anderson (SC), USA - Oslo, Norway - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Manila, Philippines - Kajang (Selangor), Malaysia - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Bandung (West Java), Indonesia - Stavanger, Norway - Bastia, France - Hong Kong, China - Wailea (HI), USA - St. Louis (MO), USA - Chicago (IL), USA - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Sydney, Australia - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Kansas City (MO), USA - Grenoble, France - Paris, France - Evry, France - Saigon, Vietnam - Prague, Czech Republic - Cape Town, South Africa - Brookville (OH), USA - Brussels, Belgium - San Diego (CA), USA - Wellington, New Zealand - Newcastle (NSW), Australia - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Shanghai, China - Zurich, Switzerland - North Bay (ON), Canada - Lyon, France - Naples (FL), USA - Olympia (WA), USA

Instant Lunch

Krrish had high fever, cough and cold( flu) from Sunday and wanted to cling to me all day (he usually prefers even sleeping by himself). For two days, I spent almost every minute of the day carrying him in my arms, he even wanted to sleep on my lap.
So, for the last two days, Jeetu and I had Maggi Atta noodles for lunch and cheese sandwiches for dinner.
Now Krrish is much better and playing, and full of mischief again and I'm back to my routine Indian cooking, which is usually time consuming.