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Month: January 2018

9 min read
Travel

48 HOURS IN MUSCAT

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9 min read

THE CULTURAL HOTSPOT OF THE REGION, MUSCAT IS A POTPOURRI OF TRADITION, HERITAGE AND MODERNITY WOVEN TOGETHER SEAMLESSLY TO GIVE THE VISITOR AN UNPARALLELED EXPERIENCE BY BINDU GOPAL RAO It…

THE CULTURAL HOTSPOT OF THE REGION, MUSCAT IS A POTPOURRI OF TRADITION, HERITAGE AND MODERNITY WOVEN TOGETHER SEAMLESSLY TO GIVE THE VISITOR AN UNPARALLELED EXPERIENCE BY BINDU GOPAL RAO

It was my first visit to Muscat and Oman and I went with an open mind. I suggest you too do so as this city will surprise you with the many things it has to offer – from food and museums to shopping, culture and more.

DAY 1

A mix of heritage, history and shopping – there is so much to see and do in Muscat on your first day here.

7:00 AM
BREAKFAST AT THE SHERATON HOTEL

Start your day on a good note as you tuck into an elaborate breakfast at the Courtyard restaurant at Sheraton in Muscat. Set in the tallest building in Muscat, this breakfast is extensive with local Omani, Indian and Continental choices. An array of fresh fruit and vegetable juices, cut fruits and even soft idlis are served for breakfast. Do try the local delicacies especially the kaboos (a local bread) with ful medames (a curry made with rajma-like beans with vegetables). Wash it all off with a fresh kahwa, an Omani coffee mixed with cardamom powder and you are ready to go.

9:00 AM
VISIT THE GRAND MOSQUE

The Grand Mosque

An ornate and beautiful structure, the Grand Mosque is a fine example of Islamic architecture and is one of the few mosques that allow non-Muslims inside its precincts. There are of course specific timings and a list of rules which includes being fully clothed, covering your hands and legs and women need to also cover their head. The interiors of the mosque are ornate and covered with intricate mosaic work and carved wooden doors, beautiful carpets and large chandeliers. There are separate prayer halls for men and women as well as ablution areas. The mosque covers an area of 4,16,000 square metres and is set amidst well landscaped lawns and gardens.

11:30 AM
VISIT THE AMOUAGE PERFUME FACTORY

The Amouage Factory

Amouage is one of the most highly rated perfumes in Oman and as you enter the factory, you are greeted with a whiff of fragrance that draws you into the world of perfumery. One of the staff members will take you on a quick tour where you are taken through the entire gamut of processes that shows you how the flowers or the raw materials go through various kinds of processing where their essential oils are extracted and distilled and how the perfume is made and finally packed. Interestingly, the men’s perfume bottle caps resemble the traditional khanjar (knife) and the women’s perfume bottle caps resemble the dome of a mosque. A range of unisex perfumes are also available and you can buy perfumes at the in-house store too.

1:00 PM
LUNCH AT THE RESTAURANT AT CHEDI

Chedi Muscat Dining Restaurant

The Restaurant is a fine dining space with ornate chandeliers, curved Omani arches and contemporary seating with live piano music and large bay windows. There are four open show kitchens where Western, Asian, Middle Eastern and Indian food is prepared and paired with award-winning wines. I suggest you try their chilled Mezze selection for starters as it comes with hummus, smoked eggplant, tabouleh and stuffed vine leaves served with an assortment of local breads. Also check the quinoa salad — a delectable mix of roasted vegetables, fresh herbs, Yarra Valley Feta and toasted pumpkin seeds. The Phad Thai Kung made with fried rice noodles, prawns, bean sprouts and dried radish is another dish you must try.

4:00 PM
VISIT THE PALACES

Al Alam Palace

The Al Alam (meaning ‘The Flag’) Palace is the ceremonial palace of Sultan Qaboos. This is one of his six  royal residences and has a history dating back to 200 years. It was built by Imam Sultan bin Ahmed and has a beautiful gold and blue facade. You can see the royal insignia and the khanjar symbol on the gates. The palace is surrounded by beautiful gardens. It is not open to the public but you are allowed to take pictures outside the gate. The other palace that you can see is the Al Bustan Palace now a A Ritz-Carlton hotel that is again in a large green space among the Al Hajar mountains and the Oman Sea. A private beach is part of the property that is currently undergoing renovation.

5:00 PM
PHOTO-OP AT BARR AL JISSAH

This is a beautiful cove which is also where you will see a clutch of luxury private boats parked. Surrounded by tall beige cliffs, you can see the stunning marina with sleek yachts in the pristine blue waters where ancient dhows used to sail in the past. It is a beautiful sight to see the water framed against the Al Hajjar mountains here. The rocky coastline is a photographer’s delight especially around sunset when the water changes to a warm hue. Naturally this place is a favourite with locals and tourists alike.

6:00 PM
VISIT THE CORNICHE AND SHOP AT MUTRAH SOUQ

Muttrah Souq

The waterfront corniche in Muscat is the place to be especially after sundown. If the Sultan is not using them you can even see his personal private yacht parked here. The waterfront has a beautiful path to enjoy a nice walk too. Opposite to the corniche is Mutrah Souq, the oldest shopping market in Muscat with a labyrinth of stores in its little lanes. This is where you can find local souvenirs, clothes, silver jewellery, incense and more. While you are shopping do take a moment to admire the beautiful ceiling of the souq too.

8:30 PM
DINNER AT KARGEEN

End the day with a true Omani meal at Kargeen where they make the best lemon mint drink – an instant refresher. Incidentally kargeen means little wooden cottage in Omani and this place is well laid out amidst greenery with traditional Omani décor that is as enticing as the food itself. The restaurant prides itself in ensuring traditional food is not forgotten. While you are here do try the Zatar Cheese Lebnah bread that is light and fluffy. They also serve a large number of refeshing and fresh salads and my vote goes to the in house special Kargeen’s salad made with lettuce, avocado, tomato, cucumber, greenpepper, mushrooms, red cabbage, celery and pomegranate tossed in a special dressing. For the main course try the delicious Omani specialities like the Omani Shuwa, Mandi Laham, Boram and Biryani Dajaj and do not forget the desserts especially the delectable Umm Ali.

DAY 2

Explore the cultural aspects of Muscat and take a trip down memory lane through its museums while indulging in some retail therapy.

7:00 AM
BREAKFAST AT GRAND MILLENNIUM

Breakfast atGrand Millenium

The Taybat Restaurant here offers a lavish buffet of international delicacies for breakfast that includes a salad bar with lettuce and condiments and dressing for you to create your own customised salad. Assorted cut fruits, bread, cereal, local foods and also a variety of dates will leave you spoilt for choice. And if you want something else, the attentive staff is always around to help. Do try the special coffee and tea here.

8:00 AM
GO DOLPHIN WATCHING

The Gulf of Oman has so many dolphins that it is impossible to believe. If you head in the morning to the DMC (Destination Management Company), you can book a boat for yourself and head to the seas where you will be treated to a great show by the dolphins as you head into the deep seas. In fact you might be concerned that you have not spotted any dolphins close to an hour in the trip but they appear magically jumping in and out of the blue waters and if you are lucky you can spot several hundred of them.

11:00 AM
SHOPPING AT THE MUSCAT GRAND MALL

This mall has a good mix of indigenous and global brands across all categories that make the shopping experience quite a pleasure. Also you can look around for some great deals so that the shopping does not burn a hole in your pocket. With over 150 stores, you have a wide range of top brands to choose from.

12:30 PM
LUNCH AT MUMTAZ MAHAL

If you have been missing Indian food, head to the Indian specialty restaurant Mumtaz Mahal that serves delectable North Indian fare. There is a lunch buffet usually laid out that is pretty extensive with soups, salads, starters, main course and desserts. Non vegetarians will drool over the Garlic Tandoori Fish Tikka and the Gun Powder Tandoori Prawns. Do try the delectable Gulab Jamun and Carrot Halwa to end this filling meal on a sweet note.

3:00 PM
VISIT THE AL ZUBAIR MUSEUM

This is a museum that gives you a good insight into the history, culture, tradition and art of Oman and is all part of a private collection. Colourful goat figurines greet you on the outside. The museum is well laid out and the separate sections over the two levels house various sections. These include The Khanjar, Male Attire, Jewellery, Female Attire, The Household, Swords And Firearms, Stamps, Coins And Medals and The Manuscript Room.

5:00 PM
CATCH A SHOW AT THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE

Located in Shati Al-Qurm district of Muscat, the royal opera house is one of a kind in the Middle East and reflects contemporary Omani architecture. The opera house has a capacity to accommodate upto 1,100 guests and has a concert theatre and auditorium. Set in formal landscaped gardens, the opera house is home to luxury restaurants and an art centre for musical, theatrical and operatic productions.

8:00 PM
DINNER AT AL LOOMIE

A curious mix of Omani fusion food, Al Loomie is quite a winner. There are separate dining rooms named after different cities in Oman and everything here from the table runner to the cutlery is sourced locally. The food itself is delectable with winners like the Signature Shew Salad made with lamb marinated in traditional spices with chef’s Shewa mix, cabbaged and dressed with an a Loomie vinaigrette.

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6 min read
Food

PASS THE PARMESAN PLEASE

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6 min read

MATURE OR BLUE, SOFT OR HARD, CREAMY OR FANCY, CHEESE IS ONE OF THE MOST BELOVED AND CONSUMED FOODS AROUND THE WORLD. BY NIVEDITA JAYARAM PAWAR Everyone loves a good…

MATURE OR BLUE, SOFT OR HARD, CREAMY OR FANCY, CHEESE IS ONE OF THE MOST BELOVED AND CONSUMED FOODS AROUND THE WORLD. BY NIVEDITA JAYARAM PAWAR

Everyone loves a good cheese. Humans have been obsessed with it ever since we discovered curdled milk was both good to eat and could be made to last. Now there are around 2,000 different varieties of cheese — from the aged gouda to stringy mozzarella. But there’s so much more you can do with cheese than just chop it up on a board and pair with crackers. You can sprinkle it on top of your steamed veggies, grate some on your pasta or stuff it in ravioli. Whatever you choose to do, cheese is simply delish in all forms.

It is also nutritious and can be incorporated into almost every meal. So it is no surprise that cheese is one of the most popular foods in the world. But although most of us eat cheese frequently, there’s probably a lot about the smelly stuff you didn’t know.

NOT ALL CHEESES ARE CREATED EQUAL

Good cheeses comes from good milk and this can vary from cow, buffalo, goat, yak… and so on. The major difference between natural and processed cheese, according to Tina Chinoy, owner of ABC Farms, one of India’s leading cheese producers, are whey and emulsifiers. “Natural cheeses have the whey pressed out of them while processed cheese do not. The processed variety also contain emulsifiers which help them be more shelf-stable and extend the cheese life,” she explains. Then there is the artisanal variety made with good quality milk and in small batches. This results in a much tastier, healthier product.

Talking of health, cheese has a bad reputation for being fattening. But it’s not all bad news. As a dairy product, cheese is a good source of calcium and Vitamin D which are essential for healthy bones. It’s also rich in other nutrients such as zinc, phosphorus, Vitamin A, Vitamin B2 and Vitamin B12. If you’re worried about the fat, varieties like parmesan, mozzarella, ricotta, cottage cheese and feta are the leanest cheese varieties. “It’s great for building and maintaining lean muscle. Many athletes love cheese for this very reason,” says Rounak Shah, a fitness trainer.

THE TASTE TEST

(Left) Bocconcinni with olives,basil, olive oil and herbs; (right) Buffalo Milk Mozzarella used in Caprese Salad by ABC Farms

There is an overwhelming variety of cheese on the supermarket shelves — some dirt-cheap and others rather pricy, some branded, others not. Though the general rule with regards to cheese (as with most things in life) is the fact that you get what you pay for. But thankfully there are a few helpful pointers.

“Before you actually taste the cheese, squeeze a small piece under your nose and then slowly take in the aroma. Since cheese is a dairy product, one sign of bad cheese is an `off’ smell. Depending on the type of cheese, this scent can be of spoiled milk, ammonia, or even of a refrigerator or freezer. Also check the rind and appearance of cheese. The small crystals in cheese suggest that the cheese is matured and aged. Soft cheeses are as spongy outside as inside. Semi-soft cheeses have a certain suppleness, but are not as supple as soft cheeses. Finally taste it to determine if it’s sweet, sour, bitter, savory or salty,” suggests chef and author Reetu Uday Kugaji.

THE RIGHT PAIRING

Taking great tasting cheese and whirring it into a dish with competing flavours may be the ultimate gourmet blasphemy. The right cheese can play a leading role in adding richness and texture to dishes. “Pick hard and aged cheese for au gratin. For stuffing go for brie, camembert or blue cheese as they have a tendency to melt quickly and blend perfectly. Strong flavored cheeses are the best for fondues. For toppings the best cheese are the ones that can crumble quickly and can be shaved easily like ricotta, feta and parmesan,” suggests Kugaji.

According to cheese consultant Aditya Raghavan cheddar is a great cheese to go in sandwiches. “Feta’s strong, briny flavour is excellent to complement sweet fruits. Watermelon-Feta Salad is slowly becoming a favourite salad the world over. Soft goat cheese has a strawlike flavour which makes it ideal with tart fruits like berries. Goat cheese dipping sauces pair great with seekh kebabs while a mild ricotta is great to be dolloped on top of a hot bowl of pasta to add creaminess,” explains Raghavan.

COOKING WITH CHEESE

Be sure to treat the cheese kindly during cooking. “Be gentle with heat. Too high a temperature or too much heating time can make its proteins tighten up, squeezing out both water and fat,” says Kugaji. If you’re shredding your cheese before cooking with it, be sure to do so while it’s cold, lest it turn to mush. This goes for hard cheeses, as well. Fresh and soft cheeses may not need to be shredded at all. You can just crumble them with your fingers, she adds.

WHEN IN DOUBT, THROW OUT

Knowing when your cheese has reached the end of its life is sometimes trickier than it seems. Each cheese ages differently and therefore spoils differently. But mold on cheese isn’t always something to worry about. According to Raghavan hard cheeses like Gouda and Cheddar aren’t easily penetrated by mold and can be used after cutting away the moldy part. With fresh cheeses like ricotta any mold is a sign of spoilage and should be discarded. But if you’re not sure what type of cheese you have or what to do if it grows mold, the safe course is to discard it.

STORING CHEESE

The shelf lives of cheeses vary from cheese to cheese. Once opened, hard cheeses like cheddar and Swiss will stay fresh for up to six months in the fridge, while softer varieties like ricotta and Brie will hold up for about a week.

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2 min read
Travel

MY TOWN – SRINAGAR

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Our ongoing series in which we look at various Indian cities through the eyes of SpiceJet staffers eyes of SpiceJet staffers. This month, Tabasum Sofi, Security, Airport Services, holds forth…

Our ongoing series in which we look at various Indian cities through the eyes of SpiceJet staffers eyes of SpiceJet staffers. This month, Tabasum Sofi, Security, Airport Services, holds forth on Srinagar

Connection to the city:

My association with Srinagar is very old, having been born and brought up here.

Best thing about Srinagar:

There is a sense of oneness here. Togetherness among family members is still deep-rooted. People of Kashmir are known for their warmth and hospitality. Even tourists are considered as part of the family. Apart from its cool climate, Srinagar is also one of the most scenic places in India, thanks to the tall mountains surrounding the valley and its world famous lakes.

Favourite eating place:

We Kashmiris are famous for our traditional cuisine (the multi-course wazwan; Tabak Maaz, prepared from lamb ribs; and harissa, a wintry, mutton dish). Shamyana restaurant is my favourite eating place. It is a foodie’s delight, located next to the picturesque Dal Lake on the stunning Boulevard Road which makes it all the more beautiful. Nobody serves the renowned wazwan like them. Their Wazwan Thali is one-of-a kind, with multiple varieties of non-veg served in the traditional way.

Local attractions:

Srinagar has rightly been called paradise on earth – it has the largest number of tourist attractions compared to any other place. The world famous Dal Lake is in the heart of the city and is known as Srinagar’s Jewel. Nigeen Lake, Nishat Garden and Shalimar Bagh are also worth visiting. Srinagar’s  beauty cannot be described in words; one needs to visit the place to experience the magic in the air. There are a number of places worth visiting like Pari Mahal, Hari Parbat, Sri Pratap Singh Museum and the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, among others.

Recommended places nearby:

I would suggest Pahalgam, just 86 km away, for its stunning scenery, fresh water streams, river rafting and para gliding. Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary, 22 km away, is the home of the Hangul, or Kashmir Stag. Himalayan Black Bear, Leopard, Common Palm Civet, Jackal and Red Fox can also be spotted here.

Srinagar when compared to other cities:

I have stayed in other places like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. But Srinagar is different from all the other places as far as climate is concerned. You won’t find Srinagar’s lovely climate at any other place in India – that is the best part about my city.

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6 min read
Food

ROSEMARY: THE CULINARY ESSENTIAL

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FROM BEING THE “ESSENTIAL” IN ROMAN HOMES AND KITCHEN TO THE “SECRET INGREDIENT” IN CLEOPATRA AND QUEEN VICTORIA’S BEAUTY REGIMEN AND THE MAGICAL HERB THAT MADE TURDOR’S CHRISTMAS FEAST, ROSEMARY’S…

FROM BEING THE “ESSENTIAL” IN ROMAN HOMES AND KITCHEN TO THE “SECRET INGREDIENT” IN CLEOPATRA AND QUEEN VICTORIA’S BEAUTY REGIMEN AND THE MAGICAL HERB THAT MADE TURDOR’S CHRISTMAS FEAST, ROSEMARY’S JOURNEY FROM A MEDICINAL HERB TO A CULINARY ESSENTIAL HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL. BY MADHULIKA DASH

Beer Glazed Prawns

FOR A LARGE NUMBER OF CULTURES AROUND THE WORLD, rosemary is a synonym to celebrations. It takes a smidgen of this perennial herb to perk up any dish – be it lamb, seafood, vegetable or simple potatoes. In fact, it is the interesting flavour profile, which ranges from mint-sweet-to earthy-astringent and then bitter, that makes rosemary such an exciting herb to work with for the chef. Or as Chef Paul Kinny (Director- Culinary, The Phoenix Mills Limited) describes, “A flavour palate that can be re-tuned for an exciting taste profile.”

Agrees Chef Abhishek Gupta (Executive Sous Chef, The Leela Ambience), who uses rosemary infused oil, butters and salt to give his dish that interesting, noticeable twist, without overpowering them. “The thing about rosemary,” says Chef Kinny, “is its flavour strength – it can easily overpower any other herb, including mint, its distant cousin. And like all powerful spices, rosemary too does a great solo performance than in pairs. But that doesn’t mean it cannot pair with any other spice. What it needs is a little mollycoddling. That is where a chef’s ingenuity comes through.”

An excellent example of this is Chef Gupta’s Rosemary and Maraschino Cherries Pound Cake. What makes it interesting isn’t just the slight unconventional pairing of fresh cherries, rosemary and buckwheat, but the subtle sweet, woody flavours of the herb, which makes every bite a delight. The trick to achieve this, says Chef Gupta, “was the rosemary infused oil. This enables you to use very little of rosemary to give the desired effect.”

Infusions, adds Chef Sabysachi Gorai (Owner, Mineroity By Saby), “is a very clever way of using any powerful herb given that it is a slow process of gradually extracting all the interesting aromas from a herb, especially with rosemary that can go from woody to bitter within minutes.” Chef Gorai has been using rosemary to give that interesting twist to his meats, and as a basting in some of his a la plancha dishes. “It works amazing with tubers and root vegetables as it beautifully accentuates that different woody aroma and can just enhance the dish with a light drizzle or basting.” However, the one usage of the herb the culinary wizard is very fond of is in casseroles. “Just a pinch of rosemary (fresh preferably) and you can be assured it tastes brilliant.” For Chef Navin Kumar (Executive Chef, Radisson Blu Paschim Vihar), rosemary is an elevating herb. “Rosemary is a herb that needs to be worked on, but once you know how it plays out, it can be your wondrous spice, especially when it comes to giving certain subtle dishes that extra memory palate.”

Rosemary infused meat loaf

The Roman’s favourite herb works even for Rajasthani cuisine expert Chef Aksharaj Jodha (Executive Chef, WelcomHotel Heritage, Jodhpur) when it comes to retweaking a dish for a certain kind of audience. “Unlike its usual perception of being a difficult herb to work with because of its strong notes, rosemary in fact works with many rustic dishes, relevant to different platters. Take the case of the Junglee Maas – a dish made of mutton, chillies, salt, turmeric and ghee/oil. Add rosemary to it, just a few leaves, and it just turns the dish into a palate fest while effectively masking the slight meat aftertaste. ”

Concurs Chef Deepankar Khosla (Co-owner, Karma Kismet), who even though feels that rosemary isn’t the match for Indian cuisine – “not in the conventional sense at least, can be an interesting herb for interesting interpretation.” For Chef Khosla, rosemary has worked well to up the quotient of Tangdi Kebab. And the reason for this, says the talented chef, “is marination, which is usually spice-heavy and earthy. Here the addition of rosemary – as a fresh herb or in oil – can create a contrast. The festive aroma of course comes as an added bonus.”

dim sum with rosemary

The dual act of elevating a dish and masking the negatives, while creating a new taste profile in a dish, says ChefVikas Seth (Culinary Director, Sriracha), “ is one of the many reasons make rosemary – a herb which till date was known as the European Tastemaker – one of the sought-after spices today for most chefs, who use it in a variety of ways ranging from flavouring a mild sauce to perk up the earthy dishes and even to add that element of surprise in dessert for their cuisine.”

For Chef Seth, rosemary has been a great winter addition to their Mexican roast and for the dumplings, where he pairs it with an interesting assortment of sweet seafood and lamb. In fact, adds Chef Seth, “rosemary goes really well with the starch used in dumplings. It is a matchmaker between meat, tuners and citrusy fruits, especially sweet lime. And thus opens the platform for creating sweet-savoury dishes.”

The lime and rosemary pairing also finds room in Chef Amninder Sandhu’s (Executive Chef, Arth) purely Indian menu as well, but, cautions the award winning chef, “only in the form of experimental dishes.” Case in point: the Beer Glazed Prawns with Rosemary.

“The role of rosemary here is more as a balancer of taste, given that the dish is heavy on the earthy-woody flavour. Of course, what it lends to the dish is bit more than just the aromatic, taste profile – it also ensures that the notes are intact for a long time so the dish is enjoyed from the first bite to the last.” Interestingly, it is the astringent nature of rosemary that not only makes it a darling of the culinary world, but of the bar too. Especially, says head bartender Aman Dua, “when it comes to food inspired cocktail. Like the rosemary-sweet potato whiskey cocktail we serve at Philtre. “Called the Krater, it is an ode to the basic elements that make the earth. It replicates the taste profile of the iconic rosemary sweet potato mash with the smoothness of whiskey.” Adds Dua, “I use dry rosemary to create an exotic flavour foreplay between the sweet-earthiness of sweet potato, and the nutty- floral notes of the whiskey.” No wonder, Sir Thomas More called rosemary the sacred herb of remembrance.

 

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