Ni Hao From China!
Ni Hao my fellow Chatoras,
This time I won’t say, it’s been a long time. I’m rejoicing as there are so many food festivals lined up in the City and therefore I’ve been buried under a work avalanche wherein, I’m just eating, clicking pictures and writing. I haven’t really got time to do anything else and most of my friends are annoyed that I don’t meet them.
Anyways, this week is blossoming with the aromas of good food. Hotel Noor-Us-Sabha Palace is hosting a Chinese food festival wherein they are showcasing some mouth tickling delicacies.
The “Noor Us Sabah” meaning “The Light of Dawn” was built in the 1920s’ by Hamid Ullah Khan, for his daughter Abida Sultan. It’s one of the best presidential palace in the erstwhile Bhopal Estate ,its white palatial building and architecture reflects the regal times and grandeur of a bygone era. Located at a vantage altitude in the city and blessed with a stunning view, the lush green well manicured gardens in its surrounding present a perfect setting for a superior quality dinner.
Soups
Vegetable Manchow Soup
Manchow soup is a very popular Chinese soup. It’s a thick soup with plenty of finely chopped vegetables that are simmered in a broth which contains ginger, garlic and mint. All these flavours make this soup very refreshing and the aromas truly awaken your senses. It gets an extra bit of crunch with a garnish of deep-fried crispy noodles. Absolutely Delicious!
Through its course, Chef Suman walked us through an array of dishes on the menu they had to offer, explaining their history and significance.
Starters
Dragon Cottage Cheese
This Chinese delicacy is named Dragon Cottage Cheese because it is as spicy as a dragon’s fiery breath. Dragon Cottage Cheese was made with Tofu that was cooked in Schezwan Sauce and other spices. It is the best option for vegetarians and is healthy too.
Mushroom Money Bag
Cute little money bags are made up of wonton wrappers that are stuffed with mushrooms, chopped onions and a slight hint of ginger-garlic paste which are then deep fried till golden brown ! These dainty treats make a great starter served hot with spicy sauces.
Mains
Veg Balls in Chilli Cilantro
Veggie Balls with Chilli Cilantro Sauce is a scrumptious appetizer. Mixed vegetable balls deep fried and tossed in a delicious base of Chilli Cilantro Sauce. The Cilantro or Coriander along with Green chillies have a very strong flavour when mixed together. When you eat these deep fried vegetable balls in Chilli Cilantro Sauce, do not let mundane things like the calories bother you! Just dig into these deep fried delights and rejoice!
Mix Veggies in Kung Pao Style
Kung Pao comes from the Schezuan region. It is basically a stir-fry with a spicy, velvety sauce that combines ingredients like Schezuan sauce and soya sauce. It is an exotic and pungent combination of vegetables that will just blow your mind.
Cantonese Noodles
Cantonese cuisine comes from Guangdong province and is one of the Eight Culinary Traditions. A popular Chinese preparation of stir-fried noodles which are topped up with luscious gravy filled with sauteed vegetables. It is simple, colourful, delicious and flavourful. It pretty much begs to be gobbled up, but you’ll want to be sure to savour each and every bite.
Five Jewel Fried Rice
Steamed rice combined with neatly cut juliennes of veggies and tossed in soya sauce. Since it’s a little on the blander side, one can relish it with a lip smacking spicy sauces that come as accomplishments. I mixed it with my Mix Veggies in Kung Pao Style and it was just incredible.
Maple Glazed sweet potatoes with peccan
Roasted sweet potatoes with a sticky sweet maple glaze plus nutty pecan paired beautifully with each other. Can be tried.
Breads
Firstly, Chef Suman, Take a bow! This is one such restaurant in Bhopal to actually come up with authentic Chinese breads. I’ve witnessed so many food festivals and some Chinese restaurants in the city, but none of them have offered Chinese breads or baos.
Shao Bing
Shao bing is a Chinese flaky layered round baked bread topped with sesame seeds. The taste and shape of Shaobing differ from places. The one which was served to us was of classic Beijing style. The coating was sweet which was made of honey and soy sauce and then lightly brushed on the bread which was then covered with sesames seeds.
Jian Bing
Jian bing is a traditional Chinese street food similar to crepes. The savory crisp-fried crepes are all about bold contrasts of flavour and textures, the surface was very similar to that of South Indian Dosa. Crunchy puffed strips of fried wonton. A jumble of grassy cilantro, peppery scallions, and tangy pickles, a sweet and spicy layer of hoisin and chilli sauces are wrapped in it. Highly Recommended!
Mantou
Chinese Steamed Buns are also named as Mantou which are a basic staple in northern part of China. It is made with flour, yeast and water. It tastes delicious.
Desserts
Choco Roll: Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake is the ultimate decadent gourmet dessert that tastes heavenly. It’s as mouth-wateringly delicious as it is beautiful and you will absolutely have a hard time not eating the entire thing yourself, it’s that good. I had 2 all by myself. 🙂
Some more dessert options on the menu worth trying are Orange Jelly, Fried Ice-Cream & Date Pancakes.
This Chinese food festival brings to the table, quite literally what the cuisine is about, very light textures, intricate flavours that are cooked with minimum ingredients. Food lovers in Bhopal should give it a try as the breads they have to offer are highly authentic and no other restaurant has till date offered something like this.
Happy Hogging!
Date: 23rd to 26th March, 2017
Venue: BBQ Lawn at Noor – Us- Sabha
Timing: Buffet Dinner from 7:30 PM to 11:00 PM
P.S. The author was invited and the reviews are personal.
Tastes are subjective and may differ from person to person.
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