Manthan Mayfair- Indian Cuisine.

London is one of the best cities in the world for dining out. The restaurant choices are endless, whether you want fine dining or fast food. There are countless restaurants serving Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Moroccan, Lebanese, and Indian cuisine. These are just a few, there are many more world-famous cuisines to enjoy. 

It was a pleasure to visit Manthan, an Indian restaurant recently. A short walk from Bond Street and Oxford Circus Stations, Manthan is situated on Maddox Street Mayfair. A Michelin-starred Indian Chef, Rohit Ghai and his business partner Abhishake Sangwan own the restaurant.

The Decor

The restaurant owners have used the space well, creating a stylish and uncluttered dining area with a focus on the central statement bar. The restaurant has an elegant contemporary theme with many décors inspired by the ocean, fish, and blue and green colours.

The Menu

Manthan offers an A la carte menu, tasting menus with food and wine pairings and brunch-sharing menus. The restaurant has an impressive drinks menu with a fantastic selection of wines and spirits to complement the food and enhance your dining experience. This includes a wide selection of cocktails and mocktails inspired by exotic fruits, botanicals, and infusions from the seven oceans of the world.

There are many dishes on the menu that are inspired by Indian street food. You can enjoy bar snacks and sharing plates as well as mouth-watering grills, curries, and a selection of the chef's signature dishes and family recipes.

We booked a table in the evening and chose the A la carte menu. A courteous and friendly waiter seated us at our table and we ordered mocktails. While I chose Sindhu, which was pomegranate, mint, lime, jaggery and sparkling apple. My partner chose Sapta, which was lemongrass, ginger with guava. The mocktails were both delicious and refreshing.

There were many dishes on the menu with a fusion touch, and it was difficult to decide what to have. A wide variety of vegetarian dishes are available. The manager was very helpful in suggesting what to sample and asked about allergies before taking our order.

Appetisers

For our appetisers we tried the Pyaaz Kachori, a deep-fried pastry garnished with Roscoff onions, sprouts, mint and green chutney, tamarind chutney and pomegranate seeds. There was an explosion of flavours in every mouthful.

We also ordered the Jackfruit Uthappam, a lentil rice pancake served in the shape of a taco filled with spicy cooked jackfruit filling. It was served with delicious coconut chutney and we really enjoyed it.

Both dishes were very unique in taste and flavour with just the right balance of spices. The presentation was top-notch in both dishes.

Main course

It was the manager's suggestion to order the Aubergine Moilee. The baby aubergines are cooked whole and served over coconut gravy. I am a huge Aubergine fan so I was excited to try this dish. 

We also ordered the slow-cooked Kali dal which was creamy and rich together with the Saag makai, a puree of spinach cooked with tender sweetcorn. 

The main course was completed with flaky tawa paratha and steamed rice to help mop up the delicious gravy and flavour the fluffy rice.

All three curries were very different, each cooked in its own blend of spices and presented beautifully. We loved the Saag Makai and Kali Dal as well as the Aubergine Moilee. I would have preferred some sort of spice-stuffing in the aubergine moilee instead of plain aubergines as they were a little bland on their own although the gravy was delicious.

Desserts

The meal would not be complete without dessert. I am sure you will agree there is always room for dessert. I chose the delectable classic Trio. It was presented in the style of a cheesecake with a layer of besan barfi layered with mini spongy gulab jamuns and a creamy srikhand topping. A beautiful garnish of chopped nuts and rose petals completed the look. 

As a big chocolate fan, my partner chose Narangi Chocolate. The mousse was rich and creamy and the addition of the tartness of the kumquats and tangy orange coulis really balanced the dark chocolate. The chocolate truffles added another dimension to the dessert and paired well to enhance the flavours and textures.

As a huge foodie, I was mesmerized by the beautiful presentation and the combination of flavours and textures. We loved both desserts, but the Narangi chocolate was the winner.

Ambience and Service

The ambience and service were wonderful, and despite the restaurant being busy, we found the waiters very attentive.

Value for money or not?

Even though the restaurant is a little on the pricey side, it is definitely worth a visit for its location, delicious food, ambience, and service. We will definitely visit again to sample the brunch menu.

Our reservation for Manthan was made through Open Table.

Manthan, 49 Maddox Street, London. W1S 2PQ. 020 7408 2258

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Healthy Zucchini Curry

Zucchini also known as courgette and baby marrow are summer squash, which are herbaceous vines whose roots and seeds are edible even when immature. It is closely related, but not identical, to the marrow. Zucchini is a very versatile vegetable with numerous health benefits.

 Benefits of Zucchini

• A variety of vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds can be found in zucchini. Cooked zucchini contains a large amount of vitamin A. It also contains antioxidants, which are found in the skin which is why it's better to keep the skin and not peel zucchini.
• As well as protecting you against certain cancers, such as prostate cancer, these may benefit your eyes, skin, and heart. 
• In addition to being high in fibre, zucchini may regulate blood sugar levels and increase insulin sensitivity, thereby reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Carotenoids, fibre, and potassium in zucchini may lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and other heart disease risk factors.
• You may be able to lower your risk of age-related eye conditions by eating zucchini because it is rich in manganese, lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamins A and C.

How can you eat Zucchini?

The zucchini can be eaten raw or cooked in a variety of dishes, such as soups, stews, sandwiches, salads, baked goods, and more. Water and fibre in zucchini, combined with its low-calorie content, may help reduce hunger, which could lead to weight loss over time. This is why Zucchini is perfect to include in your weight loss programme.

Some recipes that I have made with Zucchini are Spanish Warm Courgette Salad and Mucver- Turkish Courgette Fritters

Can I cook zucchini with other vegetables?

You can make zucchini and potato curry, zucchini and peas curry and zucchini and fenugreek curry. 

Types of Zucchini

There are all shapes and sizes of zucchini. You can get yellow, green, stripped, round oval and long. In terms of flavour they are all very similar.

 

You can also watch a video of the recipe below:

My favourite 10 UAE vegetarian dishes

The cuisine of the United Arab Emirates (Arabic) is one of my personal favourites. I adore the flavours, textures and aromas of Arabic dishes. Arabic cuisine makes effective use of spices and the blend of sweet and savoury flavours is delectable. There are many dishes that are influenced by the nearby countries of Persia and India.

Here are some of my favourite Arabic dishes:

Pilaf made with Burghul wheat

Burghul wheat pilaf is a delicious one-pot meal that is made with a medley of vegetables. The dish is flavoured with Middle Eastern spices and served with a vegetable stew.

Man'ooshe Bread

There is a flatbread called man'ooshe available in almost every street bakery in the UAE. In general, it is served with a spread called Za'tar. This spread is made of sumac, sesame seeds, and salt, topped with tomatoes, onions, and salads of choice. Then, it is wrapped up and eaten.  

Dango

Dango is a lovely appetiser made with boiled chickpeas. The boiled chick peas are coated and stir-fried in cayenne pepper and spices and served as a snack

Fatoush

Fatoush is a delicious salad that is made with crunchy salad leaves, cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, delicious sweetcorn, pomegranate seeds and Lavash bread. It’s dressed with the flavours of sumac, pomegranate molasses and coriander.

Muhallabia Milk pudding.

Muhallabia is a creamy and rich milk pudding flavoured with rose water and rose petals. The pudding is served chilled and is very delicious. Often nuts are used as a garnish.

Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is a salad made mostly of finely chopped parsley, with tomatoes, mint, onion, and bulgur, and seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and sweet pepper

Falafel

Falafel is a Middle Eastern snack. A deep-fried ball or flat-shaped patties made with ground chickpeas, herbs, and spices. They are usually served on a meze platter with hummus, pitta bread and salad.

Labneh

To make Labneh, full cream yoghurt is strained and then salt is added to it. This is the base, and you can flavour it with herbs and spices, drizzled with olive oil. It can be used as a dip.

Hummus

The main ingredients in hummus are chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and seasonings. Red pepper hummus, smoky paprika hummus, and caramelised onion hummus are just some of the variations you can make with hummus.

Couscous salad

A delicious couscous and chickpea salad is seasoned with aromatic herbs and spices. To enhance the flavour and texture, flaked almonds, dried apricots and pomegranate seeds are added.

Despite the fact that Arabic cuisine is predominantly meat-based, it makes use of a lot of fresh vegetables, herbs, and spices, making it a very healthy and nutritious cuisine. There are plenty of vegan and vegetarian options available to eat and enjoy in the UAE. 

If you are looking to travel to UAE, finding a restaurant in the UAE can be made easier by visiting the Square Meal UAE. Here you will find plenty of restaurant choices at a click of a button.

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World Vegan Month with tastecard

I have always been a vegetarian all my life, but in the last few years, my diet has been shifting more towards a vegan diet. I have found that veganism is more readily accepted worldwide and catered for in most places. Most restaurants have at least 1-2 vegan dishes if not more on the menu and some restaurants have separate vegan menus that they serve.

November is world vegan month and I have joined forces with tastecard to enjoy a vegan meal at a local restaurant. tastecard partners with many restaurants to offer discounts on meals as well as days out and coffee clubs, along with many more benefits. tastecard membership can start from as little as £5.99 a month or annual membership from £39.99 offering excellent value for money.

There are many restaurants in Watford to choose from. We decided to visit Namaste Watford an Indian restaurant that came highly recommended by a friend who had been there. Namaste Watford serves a good variety of Indian Cuisine. Looking through the menu, there were ample dishes to choose from. We were extremely impressed with the staff's knowledge of the ingredients used in the dishes and their suitability for vegans and anyone with allergies.

The restaurant is spacious, bright and well-decorated. There is plenty of seating to accommodate large groups and families alike. There is also a well-stocked bar with plenty of soft and alcoholic drink choices.

While waiting for our appetisers to be prepared, we enjoyed some soft drinks, poppadum, and delicious chutneys.

Our appetisers included Chilli Garlic Mogo (cassava in spices) and Crispy Bhajiyas (deep-fried potatoes dipped in chickpea coating and spices). 

Both dishes were delicious, and we really enjoyed them. The portion sizes were generous and since we did not finish the entire starters. The waiter kindly offered to pack them to take home as a kind gesture.

 

For the main course, we opted for some Tarka dhal, Methi Corn (a curry made with sweetcorn and fenugreek) and steamed rice. 

The food was piping hot, freshly prepared, and had just the right balance of spices making it tasty and appetising. Once again, the portions were generous and there was plenty of food left over that we took home with us.

There were no vegan desserts on the menu, but tea and coffee were available. Following an excellent meal, we were too full to sample dessert, so we were not concerned.

Namaste Watford was a suitable choice of restaurant to visit during World Vegan Month especially as they accept the tastecard, making the dining experience more affordable. 

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Vegan Supper Club with Chef Saurav Nath at Chakra Restaurant Kensington

My family and I love discovering new places for dining out. With the Covid situation now improving the options have opened to allow us to travel to London and visit our favorite restaurants. Being a vegetarian my first choice of restaurants are the ones that accommodate our dietary requirements and offer a good range of dishes not one or two, so that we can enjoy a variety of textures, tastes and flavours. 

We were recently invited to attend the Flavours of a Vegan Indian Spring supper club at Chakra Kensington hosted by Humayun Hussain one of the UK’s leading exponents of Indian food and restaurants and Chef Saurav Nath who is an extremely experienced chef who has headed up the kitchens of some of the finest of Indian restaurants in the UK as well as worked alongside such revered European chefs as Pierre Koffman and Eric Chavot. There are so many amazing chefs in the UK such as Merlin Jabron Johnson, Chet Sharma , Shelly Abe and many more extremely talented chefs who also run restaurants. You can check them out at Square Meal UK

 

We were lucky that the British weather was thankfully in our favour and we were able to dine outside under the stars. We sipped on refreshing Passion Fruit and Rose and Cardamom mocktails. 

The menu presented to us was extremely exciting, especially as a lot of thought and attention was given in choosing interesting ingredients, spices, flavours and textures. Here is the menu we sampled.

AMUSE BOUCHE

Palak & Aloo Chat

Tangy potatoes, sprouted beans, popped lotus seed, pomegranate, tamarind sauce, soya yogurt foam, red onion.

STARTER

Global Artichoke Doughnut

South Indian spiced infused globe artichoke patties, sesame seed & tomato chutney, black onion seed, coriander oil, mooli & peanut salad.

 

MID-COURSE

Beet & Broccoli Tikka

Tandoori spiced, glazed beet root & broccoli tikka, coconut & wild garlic chutney,  shimeji mushroom, golden beet, quinoa & walnut salad.

 

MAIN COURSE

Served with vegetable Yakhni Pulao

Separate grainS of rice, light and fluffy cooked to perfection with subtle flavours to compliment the curries and dhal.

Spring Green Kofta

Melt in the mouth spring green & soya ball cooked in Awadhi kormas sauce.

Tofu Hara Pyaz

Organic tofu tossed in black pepper & coriander flavoured tomato sauce with spring onions.

Dhaba Dal

Channa dal tempered with cumin & garlic.

 

Tandoori Roti

Soft tandoori roti cooked on the griddle, the perfect accompaniment to mop up the delicious curries.

Dessert

Boondi with Poached Pears and Icecream

Boondi pearls dipped in syrup served with poached pears in cinnamon syrup and creamy vanilla icecream.

 

Each and every dish was beautifully constructed, well balanced in look and flavours. I especially liked the fusion touch that Chef Saurav Nath introduced to the Indian cuisine. Using ingredients such as artichoke, beetroot, tofu and quinoa in a very unique way was welcoming and very exciting to eat.

I was a guest at the supper club and would like to Thanks Chef Saurav Nath and Humayun Hussain for inviting me to sample this gastronomical feast. My tastebuds were rocking and rolling all evening as each course arrived. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are of my experience of the supper club. If you would like more details for further information on all forthcoming Supperclubs and dinner events please contact Humayun Hussain or Chef Saurav Nath.