Welcome to the MoroccanCulture Blog

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There’s a whole new twist in the palate of the city dwellers today; as young and old alike are vying for the rarest cuisines dished out from all parts of the world.

What do you want the chef at your favourite restaurant to dish up for you? Move over from the lemon and honey chicken or the good old ‘dum pukht biryani’ as exotica seems to be the new flavour for food. If dishes like rum filled strawberry daiquiris or ‘mille fuille’ of cheese with Bolognese sauce seem a tad too avante garde to you, then chances are you haven’t really arrived – as far as urban feasting is concerned.

The most hip and happening eateries in the country are now busy serving the most nouvelle cuisines to satiate the senses of the diners. So what is it that makes urban Indians shell out lots of moolah on dishes they had never before heard of? Is it a new sense of exploring the unknown that draws our palate towards rare fare or are we a country of great gourmands who love to appreciate epicurean delights?

Answers Charan Kukreja, managing director, Ambrossia Restaurant consultants, “It’s true that Indians are great connoisseurs of food, otherwise how else would you justify the rich cooking traditions in the Indian kitchens. But what is also remarkable is that today Indians are ready to dine with delight on the food that is nicely cooked. No matter what part of the world it comes from.”

Arab allure
Socialite Tikka Shatrujit Singh says, “I am a self confessed foodie and I love to try out newer cuisines. I am quite fond of Moroccan dishes as they are so rich in taste and are a delicate blend of spices, simmered with so much passion that you can feel it in the food.”

To transport you to Arabian deserts is Shalom, a lounge in Delhi, which is ready to give you a terrific treat with its new pan-Arabic cuisine. From the yummy Moroccan harira soup, which is a lamb broth flavoured with cinnamon, spaghetti and lemon to grilled prawns with Jordanian lentils that are served with pomegranate and cinnamon sauce, you can have a taste of authentic Arab cuisine in the capital city.

The chef maintains that the new cuisine is a definite hit with the glitterati as the diners are flocking in to try out the food. The most popular dishes are Dubai Duck - is a roast duck cooked in Arabic spices and served with lemon and apricot salad. Rubya Mishwa, which are prawns marinated in Arabic spices is also appealing to the Indian palate.

For desserts there are a host of choices but for a true blue Arab experience the chef recommends Baklava, a carefully cooked desert popular in the region. No wonder the place gets a huge draw with the celebs in the city. Designer sisters Gauri and Nainika maintain, “We love visiting Shalom because of the varied choices they offer in food and also the ambience is superb.”

Model and item girl Malaika Arora Khan says, “I am not a great cook so I often prefer to eat out, I have tried Arab cuisine and I like the flavour. I am glad to find many eateries in Mumbai also serving this gourmet grub.” TV actor, Pooja Bedi says, “I love visiting to this superb eatery called Frangipani in Mumbai which serves some great cuisines.”

Sea food surprise
While the Mediterranean grub has fast found favour with Indian taste buds, cuisines from the Far East are also getting a big draw. Adds Kukreja who runs almost half a dozen luxury eating joints in the capital, “We realized that sea food is a favourite almost amongst all age groups. So we decided to give sea food lovers a bonus by bringing to them tastes from southeast Asia. The Malaysian food festival at our restaurant Ploof recently gathered as much intrigue as interest.”

The eatery is known for some of its authentic dishes like Japanese Wakane Salad with iceberg and Japanese plum dressing, Chicken Xacutti in traditional Goan spices and grilled vegetable ratatouille.

While this trend of peregrine food fare was earlier limited to travel trips abroad today it’s not rare to find women ladling out newer dishes right in their kitchens. Model and actor Simone Singh says, “My husband Fahad and I are fond of throwing parties at home and I sometimes don the chef’s hat during these dinners. If I may say, my guests just love the exotic olives I cook.”

Most of the Mumbai celebs can also be seen flocking to a swanky eatery called Tetsuma in town. The chef explains, “Our sushi and sashimi platter is gaining immense popularity and we see people coming to try it out specifically. The other ‘in demand’ dishes include California Crab Roll and Chilean Sea bass with soya beans. More than anything else it is the craze of something new that is appealing to the masses.

Concept culture
But its not only about a superlative culinary fare sometimes it is also a concept that draws a huge response.

Urban Pind - an eatery in the heart of Delhi - has started a unique concept of Kama Art menu. The menu abounds in dishes that act as aphrodisiacs. So as you sit down at the dimly lit cosy restaurant amidst replicas of Ajanta and Ellora caves on the walls you can order dishes like Artichoke Heart stuffed with dry fruits, which the chef promises is very powerful for a young couple.

The cocktails too promise to give you a prolonged kick and also have rib-tickling names like Palang Tod (bed breaker) - a blend of Vodka, Bacardi, Tequila, Cranberry Juice and Pineapple Juice with a hint of Saffron as a garnish. For those who want to try mocktails, Kamasutra Shake, which is a blend of Orange Juice, Mango Juice, Pineapple Juice, Strawberry Crush and Fresh cream guarantees to blow your mind.

Model and actor Deepika Padukone says, “I am based in Mumbai now, which is the hub of all kind of world cusines. But even in my hometown Bangalore, the trend is fast catching up. I remember, while growing up my imagination never went far from idlis or appams for breakfast but the new generation is gorging on unheard dishes. I myself don’t mind trying it as long as they are healthy.” She signs off.

So whether you are munching on Himalayan rainbow trout from the Far East, the New Zealand green shell mussles or Pink caviar sushi a gastronomic pleasure to the gut is guaranteed.