BAANTHAI

 

BAANTHAI

My love affair with Baanthai dates back to 2007 and till date I’ve been a devotee to this place.Baanthai –serves the best varieties of Chinese and thai food at very affordable prices along with quality and quantity.

The design of the restaurant is simple and its also pretty small consisting of only 6 tables,due to which there are long waiting lines especially during weekends.

The menu is extensive here consisting of almost 130 chinese and 84 thai dishes,but the service staff will gladly help you to make your choices.

Baanthai is also the best place to dine with your vegetarian friends as there are ample options in vegetarian dishes and also that every dish here comes with the choice of your favourite meat like chicken,prawns,fish,lamb or mixed.

In Chinese,Spring rolls are a must here as you can taste the lovely delicate flavor of the veggies and also the sauce that is served alongside gives the spring rolls an added kick.

The sour pepper shrimp wonton soup comes with a clear soup with steamed wonton in it.The soup is light in flavor and the sourness from the lemon is quite refreshing,though the wonton in it makes the soup quite filling on its own.

The 5 treasure hakka noodles too are prepared well which comes with julliened peppers and red cabbage and is not like the usual hakka noodles one gets.

In Thai,the satay koong and kai is a nice option for starters which is grilled chicken served with peanut sauce.

The salads at Baanthai are very fresh  and my favourite one is the yam woonsen which has glass noodles in it along with chicken or prawn and lightly flavoured with fish essence.T he salad is seasoned with the right amount of fish essence as too much of it can make the dish smell foul.

Tom kha kai is also my favourite soup in the thai menu.Its quite different from the stereotype soups,in this coconut milk is mildly spiced with lemongrass and galangal,perfect for a chilly night.

The curries is must have here especially the gheng khaew wan which is the thai green curry.The thai green curry is made authentic here.Its best eaten with baanthai’s chef special rice which is mildly flavoured with fresh basil leaves.

However,I never got to taste any desserts here as its never available whenever I’ve asked for it.

Baanthai is a must visit restaurant and I would recommend every person who visits pune to dine here.The service does tend to slow down a bit during rush hours but its worth the wait as the quality of the dishes is always spot on.A prior reservation of the table is a must here if you are really starving and want to be served quick.The prices here again are very reasonable for the quantity of food that is served.

I would say it’s a must visit restaurant in pune or simply because you’re a die hard fan of asian cusine.

Ambience:3/5

Food:4.5/5

Service:3/5

Price:4.5/5

Food for 2: 400 INR

Overall ratings:4/5

Address:kubera colony,next to bakers point bakery,nibm road,kondhwa

 Pune - 411048

Phone: 020 32911907, 020 26834276

SOUTH INDIAN STYLED SAMBAR

SOUTH INDIAN STYLED SAMBAR

Who has never eaten sambar for breakfast, right!!

I love waking up to a good breakfast and Sambar is a great option to kick start your day.

You can have it with idlis, dosas or wadas which are pretty easy to make with the easy availability of the idli / dosa batters in the market.

Usually sambar is made with Toor dal but since I did not have some in my pantry.

I decided to try it out with Masoor dal and the Sambar turned out beautifully.

I absolutely loved it.

Slurrrp!!

INGREDIENTS: (serves 5)

FOR SAMBAR-

1 cup red lentils / masoor dal

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

2 tsp madras masala powder / sambar masala

2 tomatoes grated

1 tbsp tamarind pulp

1 small eggplant (the long thin variety)

2 drumsticks

1 carrot

5 curry leaves

Coriander leaves chopped

Salt

FOR TADKA-

5 curry leaves

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of asafoetida /  hing

4 dry red chillies

1 tbsp garlic chopped

1 large tomato

4 madras onions

2 green chillies slit

Sugar

Coriander leaves chopped

Coconut oil

METHOD:

Wash the dal thoroughly with water.

Pressure cook the dal with turmeric powder, red chilli powder, curry leaves, chopped coriander leaves and salt along with 4 cups of water until 2 whistles.

When done, slightly mash the dal or churn with churner.

Chop the vegetables in big equal pieces and add it to the dal.

Put the pressure cooker back on medium flame without the lid.

Add the madras masala powder, tamarind pulp and grated tomatoes.

Let the dal boil till the vegetables are cooked thoroughly.

FOR THE TADKA-

In a deep vessel,heat coconut oil and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, dry red chillies, chopped garlic and curry leaves.

Let the seeds splutter, then add the tomato, sliced madras onions, green chillies and sugar.

Sauté till the onions start caramalizing.

Add the prepared dal to the tadka.

Stir everthing well.

Add chopped coriander leaves and let the dal come to a final boil.

Serve hot with fresh idlis, dosas, wadas.

This recipe has been especially created for sumee’s culinary bites for her Bon Vivant Moments 3 - Breakfast Ideas

MINI PUFF PASTRY APPLE PIES

MINI PUFF PASTRY APPLE PIES

 

This is my mom’s recipe of apple pie, tweaked a little by me.

I haven’t eaten a better pie than this ever!!

The apple filling is so yummy that it used to get half over even before the pie was made.

Usually apple pies are made of short crust pastry but I had some leftover puff pastry dough left in my fridge and so I used that up to make these little wonders.

Serve them warm with fresh vanilla sauce or icecream.

 INGREDIENTS: (makes 6)

1 package puff pastry squares (12 pieces)

3 large apples

5 tbsp sugar

½ tsp cinnamom powder

½ a juice of orange

A pinch of salt

2 tbsp butter

1 beaten egg

Flour for dusting

Food colouring( cochineal, blue, rose pink)

Assorted cookie cutters

METHOD:

Thaw puff pastry according to directions on package.

Peel, core and chop the apples up coarsely.

In a medium sized pan, melt the butter and add the chopped apples to it.

Let the apples sweat in the butter for 5 mins.

Add the sugar and Cook till the  apples are caramalized.

Add the  salt, orange juice and cinnamom powder.
 

Cook on medium high flame till all the moisture from the apples has evaporated.

Do not overcook the apples, they should have a bite to it.

Let the mixture cool.

Meanwhile, prepare the cupcake / muffin tins by lightly buttering the tin and then dusting some flour on it.

Place the thawed puff pastry squares in the cupcake tins.

With the help of a fork, poke the puff pastry all over (so that it does not rise unevenly)

Let the excess hang on the edges of the tin,you can trim them later.

Place 1 heaped tbsp of apple mixture in each puff pastry.

Cover the tops with another square of puff pastry.

Press the edges well.

Trim of the excess puff pastry.

FOR THE COLOURED DESIGNS:

Divide the pastry dough in small balls.

Add colour to it.

Knead well till the colour is incorporated evenly.

Dust the pastry with some flour.

 Roll it out.

With the help of a cookie cutters , cut out desired shapes from different coloured pastrys.

Place the shapes on each of the pies.

Brush the tops with egg.

Bake in preheated oven at 180C for 15 -20 mins or till the pastry turns golden.

 

This recipe has been especially created for sumee’s culinary bites who is guest hosting Bake Fest  by vardhini. 

This recipe is also participating in the event i love baking  hosted by Radhika.