Just a few days back I was surfing the tube and got a weird recommendation. A celebrity YouTuber shot a video of eating the most expensive pizza of the world. I was still fine with the title, but when I saw the video, it blew my mind. Especially the price of that pizza was so huge that you can easily take multiple trips around the globe, or buy a new home, or maybe a car or you can easily start your business. Last but not the least you can keep that amount in bank and live the rest of your life on the interest amount.

Did that raise your curiosity? It did raise mine. What perplexed me is the irony that a food like pizza was invented as an inexpensive food that could be consumed quickly. But here it is making a name for itself as one of the luxurious food items that could please the rich people out there. Nevertheless for everyone else it at least is working as a way of amusement. So let’s quickly check out the progress of a pizza from humble beginnings to a hole burner of pockets. Here I present a list of most expensive pizzas from around the world.

List of Most expensive pizzas in the world

Usually a pizza in the United States cost on an average USD 7 to USD 15, and a medium pizza in Europe costs approximately 10 Euros.  In Indian currency it is approximately 1000 rupees. So anything that is 10 times these values will be considered as expensive and will be given a consideration.

The Magic Gold Pizza

Is gold vegan? I am asking this, because this pizza has gold in it and is a vegan friendly pizza. Hailing from Canada’s, Magic Oven restaurant, it costs $108. Which makes it ten times expensive than the average pizzas sold around the world. Yet it is the cheapest one on the list. It is made from gluten free dough. The ingredients used for the toppings are vegan. One of the topping is that of the edible 24-karat golden leaves.

Indians love their gold, if you offer them a pizza worth $108, they would rather ask for the money and buy a gold out of it. So maybe this is the reason that in India you won’t be able to see such gimmick filled places that try to sell exotic pizzas. Anyway, this is just the beginning of the list. Let’s see what awaits ahead.

The Astice E Tartufo

To eat this pizza you will need to visit the land of gold. Yes you will need to visit Dubai. In Dubai mall there is a place called Third Avenue Café, which makes this most expensive pizza. The chef who makes the pizza imports the rare and exotic ingredients that goes in the pizza. Truffles from Italy and world’s finest lobsters are a part of the topping of this pizza.

At $125, it is surely one of the most expensive pizzas, but if you consider the premium quality ingredients that are used, and if you are a pizza connoisseur then this one is definitely worth trying. Just a pro tip, take a friend along and split the bill. Take more than one friend on this adventure, the more the merrier.

Triple Mille-Feuille Pizza

Are you eligible to travel to Japan? Are you willing to travel to Japan? I have heard it is so beautiful country. Because the dominos franchises of Japan has this super hit pizza called Triple Mille-Feuille which has three layers to it and between each layer there is a generous amount of cheese. There are so many toppings which you can order with this pizza. With all the toppings intact it is one of the trickiest pizzas to grab. Even without all the toppings, I bet the cheese uplifts this pizza and places it in the league of the legends.

Priced at $140, it seems that it is an overpriced item. But hey if the cheese is worth it then I don’t have anything else to say. So if you want to try this pizza, tag a friend along, share this post with him/her and fly to Japan right away. Mimicking the famous dessert called mille-feuille, this 3 cheese pizza is surely a must try. The diameter is smaller but the thickness is 5 times of the regular pizza and it weighs around 3 kilos at times.

Gordon Ramsay’s Pizza

If you are talking about a famous food like pizza, then is it even possible to not have any association with the world famous chef? No chance! Gordon Ramsay’s pizza is available in his Maze restaurant, located in London. The pizza has some exquisite ingredients from around the world. The signature of this pizza is an Italian onion puree. Truffles from Italy, Cep Mushrooms, Fontina cheese, mozzarella from buffalo milk, white truffle pasta, rare herbs and cured pork belly.

The pizza is prices at $250 that depends on how much of the truffle you want in the topping. This was from a long time in the Guinness book as a record holder for one of the most expensive pizzas. With passing time it lost that title to other pizzas on the list. If you are a Gordon Ramsay fan then this pizza should be on your bucket list.

C-6 Pizza

Do you have a thing for seafood? Do you like pizza? What if a place offers a combination of both these things? I am sure you won’t mind paying a hefty sum just to enjoy this treat. It is available at Stevetson Pizza in Richmond, British Columbia. This place is known for best and fresh seafood availability and hence even at $450, this one of the most expensive pizzas served with seafood toppings.

You need to inform and place order for 3 days in advance, because the dough takes 73 hours to be prepared. It is a family run restaurant. The ingredients used are smoked salmon, tiger prawns, black Alaskan cod, lobsters thermidor and Russian osetra caviar. Such a load of amazing seafood is surely going to add to the price as seafood is generally very expensive and they use the best of their catch in the pizza. Have you tried a seafood pizza ever?

Nino Bellissima Pizza

First pizza on this list of most expensive pizzas to cross the $1,000 mark. Priced at perfect thousand dollars this pizza was launched in 2012 by Chef Giovani Spatala. Available at the Gino’s restaurant in upper Manhattan region. The making cost of the pizza is roughly around $820 and thus the profit is merely $180. Still it is a proud creation which was conceived after 33 years of work experience with pizzas from the owner Nino Salamache.

The ingredients comprise of thin lobster slices, salmon rolls, crème Fraiche, wasabi paste, chives and 4 to 6 different types of caviar. More than 50 of this pizzas are sold per year. The buyers are mostly top notch stock brokers or the rich politicians. I must say that this one is a hit pizza on the list by sheer number of orders per year.

The 24K Pizza

The Industry kitchen at New York is the home to this lavish looking pizza. At $2,000, it is a premium priced pizza which can be shared with 8 people contributing $250 each. So aren’t you curious about what makes this pizza so expensive? First of all you need to inform the place 48 hours in advance so that they can get the ingredients in the place. Everything is ordered as per the requirement and so the freshness is unmatched. The dough has black squid ink and is blackish in colour.

They add a 24-carat gold foil and 24-carat gold dust as a topping. Apart from these, they add truffles from France region, some Foie grass, and Ossetia caviar from the Caspian Sea and shilton cheese from England. Of all the ingredients, the foie gras is one of the most hard to procure. It is a liver of a duck that is force fed, so that the liver grows large. I am not sure if after hearing this anybody would like to order this pizza. Or even if you do, try to avoid foie gras. Have a glance at it in the video below.

World’s Most Expensive Pizza

It was inevitable to leave this one out, when the name of the pizza itself says the most expensive pizzas. It was in the Guinness book of world record in 2010. Hailing from Malta, it was created by expert chefs of Margo’s chain of restaurants. The detailing done to this pizza is just marvelous. The flour procured is from one specific farm. The dough for the base is not more than 2 mm in thickness.

It has white truffles, some gold leaves and locally procured buffalo mozzarella cheese. Till 2019 only 12 of this pizzas were sold. Priced at $2,880, it certainly a dish that can burn a hole in your pocket.

Pizza Royale 007

Are you a fan of James Bond? Heck yeah right? Who isn’t a fan of James Bond? The appearance, the style and the charisma, all makes a statement. So inspire by Mr. Bond, and made at The Domenico Crolla Restaurant in Haggis, Glasgow. It is priced at $4,200 and shortly you will know why it is priced so high. One part of it is the fact that it is a recipe from Chef Mr. Crolla. It is not generally sold for commercial reason and if you want to taste it then you need to get in touch with the chef.

The toppings have both white and black truffles, 24-carat gold dust, vintage of balsamic vinegar, lobster tails marinated in thousand year old cognac, the caviar is soaked in Dom Perignon champagne. It also has high quality prosciutto (cured pork meat), Scottish smoked salmon and venison medallions. Plus it is served with a glass of martini, shaken not stirred as per the James Bond style. This pizza was made in 2007 to raise funds for Fred Hollows Foundation.

The Miss Verdun Pizza

As you are still reading, why don’t you guess the ingredients of this pizza by yourself? I mean most common edible things that are expensive are gold, caviar, truffles and lobsters. So by default they are a part of this pizza. But does that justify the tag of one of the most expensive pizzas or does it justify the price of $4,250? What if I tell you that you can order this from your home if you are in Canada? It is offered by Mizzou Pizza in Verdun, Montreal.

The offer with the pizza goes like this, you can order this pizza from your home and the chef will come to your home and make this pizza in front of you. The offer doesn’t ends there, you will be given a fleet of musicians that will play an orchestra in the background while you enjoy your pizza. So here is an idea, why don’t you order this when you plan your big parties or a wedding in Canada, you can save on orchestra cost. Let me know in the comments if you will do this.

Favitta’s Pizza for Lovers

Does your better half like pizza? Does your better half like diamonds? It was the idea of Favitta’s owners to sell a pizza in a heart shape along with a diamond ring and a glass of Dom Perignon champagne. The idea was to create an experience with pizza, so conducive that it aids in your plans of proposing someone. Sadly the response to this gimmick was not great. Though the intentions were pure. It was to save the tax that a buyer has to pay on jewelry and buy it for them and pass on the tax benefits.

The only pizza in the list which you can’t order anymore. It was priced at $8,180 and the prices kept varying as per the prices of the diamonds. This pizzeria closed in 2008. I guess this was the fate of the pizzeria because most of the people are single these days and the ones in relationships will rarely go for this experience. Don’t you agree with me? With the diamond rind, I am sure this is the most economical of the most expensive pizzas on this list.

Louis XIII

This is a pizza from the legendary pizza expert Chef Renato Viola. This is one of the most expensive pizzas on the list and is available in Salerno, Italy but only for special guests and on request. Are you bored on regular pizza brands? Then you can order this pizza for a change, it costs just $12,000. A pizza measuring 20 cm in diameter and is enough for 2. You need to order it 72 hours in advance. The flour used is Arabian flour and pink salt added is from Murray River, Australia. It needs 72 hours to develop the flavour.

Three caviars viz. Oscietra Royal Prestige, Kaspia Oscietra Royal Classic from the Iranian coast and Kaspia Beluga Caviar are used. The lobster is sourced from Norway and it has 7 different types of cheese on it. To enhance the taste you are served with Champagne Krug Clos du Mesnil 1995, Cardenal Mendoza Carta Real Sanches Romate Finos brandy and Louis XIII Remy Martin cognac a rarest cognac in the world.

The best thing is, you can order it from your home and the Chef will come to your home along with a wine sommelier to serve you the course. How lavish this experience sound? Certainly sounds like the best of most expensive pizzas.

$70,000 Golden pizza

This is the pizza that I was referring to in my introduction. A celebrity YouTuber called Mr. Beast ate a $70,000 Golden pizza with his friends and it was covered by Business Insider and Insider.com. The price tag seems insane, the location of offering is not revealed in this video which means this was a pizza made on request and is not commercially sold. It was made by a private chef who cooks for Billionaires.

With the base covered with an ounce of gold, and 10 years aged béchamel cheese spread on it, the foundation is pretty lit. The pizza toppings include Japanese beef marinated in $10,000 grape juice and Hudson Valley foie gras seared and flamed with a $6,000 bottle of apple juice. Truffle shavings worth $4,000 some Albino caviar which is rare to find. Finishing with golden leaves and smoked sea salt. It is just a baffling experience. One of the best most expensive pizzas of all time.

Pierchic Pizza

One of the most expensive pizzas and one more from the lands of Dubai. Pierchic restaurant is one of the premier fine dine places of Dubai. Around 2 years ago this place added a pizza to the menu which costs $180,000. Imagine what else you could buy with this amount of money. But till 2019 it already sold 3 pizzas already. The ingredients used are white Alba truffles from Italy, Black winter truffles from France. Saffron from Kashmir and Foie gras from Gascony and France, Iranian almonds.

The list goes on with beluga caviar soaked in Dom Perignon champagne, matsutake mushrooms from Japan and 2 ounces of gold leaves. All these ingredients are imported and prepared by Michelin starred chefs. So the experience is quite luxurious and is flashy enough for someone with rich appetite.

Closure:

So which one of the list is going to your bucket list? Personally I would prefer making them at home by sourcing all the ingredients myself, I can save a lot of fortune in that way. Plus it would feel very upsetting if I bought one of these pizzas and it does not match my expectations. So I would play safe here. You are free to make your own decision. I would like to know your views in the comments below. From these most expensive pizzas which one made you curious?

This marks an end to this crazy topic. If you liked it then you should also read about 8 most expensive Ice creams from around the world which I wrote few months ago. Please do not be harsh on this aspect of reality. As I have always said, rich people do their bit for charity and we should be less judgmental on how they choose to spend their money. This is a fun most so please don’t take it in a wrong direction.

If you have any topic suggestions then write to me at foodie_khiladi@sh119.global.temp.domains or DM me at foodie_khiladi007. With this I am ending this blog post. In a hope that you will like it and share it with your crazy friends who love pizza. I will see you soon in my next blog post. Till then keep smiling and spreading the smiles.

Picking a side and then reading about something is much more fun than reading neutrally. Thandai or Bhang, here I am referring to Thandai wali Bhang as Bhang so please do not confuse yourself. Plus let me ask you one more thing. Were you aware that Cannabis is not legal in India? If you said yes and added, what kind of silly question is it, then you should know that it is just partially true.

Before we go to sober thandai I think you should know enough about the bhang, so allow me to educate you. Cannabis is of course illegal, the resins of cannabis which often are used in charas, hashish oils and liquid hashish are illegal. The flowering or fruiting tops of the cannabis plant which is often called ganja is illegal too. The leaves which is often referred as Bhang is the part of the cannabis plant that is legal in India. Isn’t this confusingly interesting? Now keep reading.

Let’s find the roots first

Speaking of cannabis itself, it has been mentioned in Atharvaveda around 2000 and 1400 BCE. With the rise of 10^th century, it became famous due to wide usage and was popularly called the ‘food of the Gods’. Maybe, this is a prime reason that its association with lord Shiva got a firm footing. Eventually it was used by the devotees of Shiva for recreational purposes. This is how it started to show up on the eve of holy festivals like Mahashivratri and Holi. Mostly disguised in the cold and refreshing drinks like Lassi and Thandai.

While we talk about Lord Shiva, the story goes like this. In the age of Gods, when there was a battle between the Gods and Demons over the elixir of life called Amrit the first reference of bhang could be found. The Amrit was supposed to churn out of the ocean and along with it came the poison (see the balance of nature), which was called the Halahala. For the greater good, the Halahala was consumed by Lord Shiva which turned his throat blue and he was called Neelkanth.

This is the version that most of Indians would know, but the backstory will surprise you. According to many pundits, the consumption of poison by Lord Shiva, led to immense pain and burning sensation. His better half, Goddess Parvati, made a bhang preparation and gave it to him. After consuming the same, the pain was relieved. What started with a therapy for pain has turned out to be many folklores and myths.

One of the famous folklore states that while the Amrit was consumed by Gods, it spilled at various places and the places started growing cannabis plants. This is why near Himalayan ranges you can see abundance of the weed. People started believing that the weed is a gift from the Gods. Which I highly doubt. Only stoners will feel offended here. But people started propagating such stories for their selfish agendas and for love of Bhang.

The recent History of Bhang

Though Indians have been using the Bhang in various forms like Bhang Thandai, Bhang Halwa, Bhang Laddoos, and so on, but the Britishers who ruled India had a chance to stop this. But clearly they didn’t. It is written in many literary works that in 1890s the British people conducted the study on widespread use of bhang in India. They interviewed 1000 people who were asked a series of questions on usage of bhang. The Indian Hemps Drug Commission Report concluded in favour of usage of Bhang.

It stated “To forbid or even seriously restrict the use of so holy and gracious an herb as the hemp would cause widespread suffering and annoyance, and too large bands of worshipped ascetics, deep-seated anger. It would rob people of solace in discomfort, of a cure in sickness, of a guardian whose gracious protection saves them from attacks of evil influences.” So to save themselves from the fury of millions of Indians they allowed the usage of Bhang.

The continued usage of Bhang is also attributed to the caste system in India. The upper caste Hindus were not allowed to consume any other forms of intoxication and thus they tried to find solace in Bhang. As it was already being used by many Sadhus and was justified and supported by following statements ‘He who despite the example of Rishis uses no bhang at all, shall lose happiness in this life and the next’, ‘he who drinks foolishly or for pleasure without religious rites is as guilty as the sinner of lakhs of sins’ and ‘he who scandalizes the user of bhang shall suffer the torments of hell as long as the sun endures.’

Now this legacy was carried on even after India won its freedom. In the 60s and 70s the pop-culture enthusiasts and some hippies came to India and discovered a God who was offered weed. This is where they saw an opportunity to propagate numerous stories which would justify the consumption of weed by mortals. Many experts will tell you that the image of smoking Lord Shiva never existed before this.

Plus in many northern parts of India, Bhang is offered to Lord Shiva a symbolic surrender of all of life’s intoxications to the divine. This is as mentioned on this wonderful article on this topic at culturetrip.com. So this offering became an excuse for many to start consuming bhang. While there is still no written or recorded evidence which states or instructs the devotees to consume bhang as a matter of devotion to Lord Shiva.

Personally speaking, even if Lord Shiva consumed Bhang I don’t believe you should do so. Just for my belief which stands its ground on the statement “Can you do what Lord Shiva is capable of doing? First make yourself capable of that and then you might become worthy of it.” You and I are mere mortals and Lord Shiva is beyond life and death so I personally feel that if you consume anything in name of the God then it is morally incorrect in many ways.

Still it is Legal in India

After reading till here it is self-explanatory that why Bhang is still legal in India. But just to ensure that you know the right thing I am going to write something. Please do not skip this section as this might save your from legal trouble later in life. India enacted the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act in 1985 which prohibited the usage of many narcotic substances.

Cannabis was one of them and therefore it stated that consuming any resins from the plant is illegal, the same applies for the fruiting buds of the plant. The stem is also a dangerous thing to keep with you. Only the leaves were made an exception which are the true source of making bhang. So now you know which part of the plant is legal and which is illegal.

Other things to know as per the law is, if you are planning to build a fortune by selling bhang then you will need a special license to do so. You should know that you can’t grow cannabis plant as this is again illegal. See how tricky and confusing the laws around cannabis are. Just to add to the confusion, you should know that harvesting leaves of cannabis from wildly growing plants is legal.

So tell me how amusing did you find this information? I found it weird but interesting. So basically you are free to collect leaves from the nature and sell it under the license but you can’t grow it yourself. If it would have been legalized, then in India it would have been a win-win situation for businessmen and government. Because from a survey conducted by seedo (an Israeli data based firm), it says that taxation of this business would lead to a revenue of 725 crores from Delhi alone.

Now that these figures are out in open, it should be considered by the government as an option to raise funds. Only if the stigma around the cannabis lessened then only the government can take such a bold step.

Hiding behind the Mask of Thandai

Bhang has been often mixed with Thandai since thousands of years now. Many people who want to consume it prefer mixing it with edible stuff as the sole taste of bhang is just ridiculous as per the user feedback. So when the consumption of bhang is on its peak, that is the spring season, the people started associating it with the drinks that are happily consumed by everyone alike. Thandai was the preferred choice.

So Thandai became the official mask of bhang and both went well together. Why was it justified of adding bhang to Thandai? It can be inferred from the fact that thandai has its own health benefits. Thandai is made from a mixture of finely ground almonds, cashews, melon seeds, fennel seeds, dried rose petals, cardamom pods, black and white peppercorns and nutmeg with a dose of cinnamon. So in a diverse flavor profile the taste of bhang finds the perfect hiding.

It is also believed that Thandai was a favorite drink of Lord Shiva and someone thought of mixing two of the things associated with him to make the bhang infused thandai. I don’t know if this was genius move or just an act of selfishness without any sense but as it stands this is the root where bhang infused thandai came into existence.

Thandai a perfect drink

The spring season in India is quite long and marks an end to the winters and the temperatures start soaring. This is the transitional phase of climate which weakens the immune system. So scientifically the Thandai becomes a perfect drink. It has all the cooling effect on your body and has all the nourishing ingredients that boosts your immune system. Like Bhang the hub of Thandai still remains Varanasi. Where it is often served at Mahashivratri and Holi.

These two festivals involve a lot of physical exertion due to various functions and dancing that is a part of these festivals. So in a hot environment the body burns a lot of calories and thus thandai is the savior that refreshes and nourishes you at the same time. Fennel seeds have antioxidants are anti-flatulent and have cooling properties, rose petals improves digestion, almonds are rich source of Vitamin E and have cholesterol regulating effects. I recently made the thandai at home. of course without bhang. You can check this post below and refer the comment section for recipe.

Conclusion:

This blog was just a way of letting out things that I feel about consumption of Bhang in the name of God. Thandai a drink so divine has a maligned image because of its association with something notorious that has been propagated for selfish motives of people who like to get stoned. So without bhang the thandai has its own identity and is more than magnificent when it comes to the taste. Don’t trust me? You make it for yourself and see how you like it.

With this, I rest my case in a hope that I enlightened you today. If you loved this post then make sure to share it with your friends and families. If you are reading me for the first time then do check out my other blogs as well. I hope to see you soon in my next blog post, till then keep smiling and spreading the smiles.

The other day I was surfing on the internet and I found that Akshaya Patra foundation were facing some troubles, after 4 of its trustees resigned from their posts and some allegations started surfacing. I thought why not let my readers know, what this foundation is all about. Have you heard about the Akshaya Patra Foundation? I hope you must have but have ignored it like me. I came across the name in 2013 as it came across my mail box in one of those promotional mails. I chose to ignore, till recently I found out what a noble cause they are working on.

In this blog I will try to tell you in brief about how an NGO is single handedly working for a cause and is ensuring that the future of our country remains well fed at least one time in a day. I don’t know what is it with the cooking on massive scale, but it really fascinates me and this is another reason I chose to cover Akshaya Patra. As I have previously covered the kitchen experience of Golden Temple, I thought of covering this one as well.

When this vision started?

This act of kindness had its seeds sown in Calcutta’s Mayapur village, where Shri A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada saw few kids fighting with stray dogs for some morsels of food. His heart ached and that was the day he told everyone from the centre that no child within a radius of ten miles from our centre should go hungry. I am confident that after reading this your hearts also ached a bit.

Following this incident the Akshaya Patra Foundation started functioning since June 2000. The journey from the beginning have been very humble. They started feeding 1500 people from 5 government schools in Bengaluru. Initially it was a struggle, but soon the like-minded people started coming forward and worked for the cause and took this initiative to new heights. The government tie-up happened, the well-known philanthropists started donating in huge volumes.

All these works made Akshaya Patra Foundation the largest mid-day meal programme in the world. The vision became clearer “No child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger.” And they are trying their best to meet the targets.

The Marvelous Kitchens of Akshaya Patra

It is not a joke to have 51 centralized and 2 decentralized kitchens which cater daily to around 1.8 million food portions. 1.8 million Meals prepared daily and distributed in 12 states and 2 union territories. Just imagine the scale at which the food needs to be prepared in each kitchen. Though the various kitchens vary in sizes and capacity of food preparation, but if counted on an average then each kitchen is at least making 30,000 meals which needs to be ready by 7 a.m. in the morning.

As the first rays of the Sun falls on the earth. These kitchen are abuzz with the sound of cutting, chopping, slicing and washing of vegetables and rice. Some of it is of course a manual work but the major chunk is taken care by the state of the art machineries. Have you seen those ‘How it is made?’ videos, where the inside detour of any food production is covered? The set-up of Akshaya Patra’s kitchens are just similar. But what adds the feather to the hat of these Kitchens is the fact that they are better equipped to cook a full-fledged meals and not just one product.

The story of the kitchen starts with the huge quantities of vegetables and grains that are supplied to the locations. Vegetables need cleaning and chopping and a cold storage, so that they can be used within 2-3 days. Grains need to be cleaned and sanitized before storing them in huge 16-20 feet of silo pillars. These are nothing but giant air-tight containers so that no microbes affect the grains. To avoid any contamination, human interference is minimum, and everything is automated via a chain of conveyor belts.

You would be surprised to know that the rice and grains are transported from silo to the washing area on conveyor belts and is totally automatic. Washing area is a place where deaf employees work in perfection by using just sign languages.  This is another aspect of the foundation which enables the less privileged people, to work and earn with dignity. After everything is thoroughly washed. It goes to the cooking area.

Cooking area is mostly 2 storeyed place where the bottom floor has all the cauldrons and the top floor is the area where the washed vegetables and grains are processed. Now you will be shocked to know that both the floors have pipelines which aid in depositing the ingredients from top floor to each cauldron on the bottom floor. This arrangement is specifically planned to save time and make the cooking operations easy.

The cauldrons on the bottom floor has a vent on the top of each cauldrons. All the vegetables, grains and water is dropped directly from the top floor by the cooks who work very attentively to ensure all the cauldrons receive equal proportions of ingredients. The spices and condiments that needs to go in each cauldrons are pre-measured and kept packed already. This is done to save further time. Once the ingredients start cooking the spices and condiments are dropped in and cooked till ready.

All the kitchen machineries are made of 304 Stainless steel, as this is the steel that does not rust. No wonder that these kitchens might have costed a fortune, but this was necessary to ensure that the kids are well fed and the quality is not compromised.

The containers and cauldrons are heated with the use of steam, which is supplied with a network of sturdy pipelines. Steam is used as no other fuels can generate high temperature in such a short span of time. Hence, steam is used to cook all the food in a short time. Even this specialty surprised me. A well connected steam system which releases in the food and cooks it rapidly.

What is in the menu?

The meals are balanced diets, comprising of lentils, vegetables and rice or chapatis. It depends on the geography of the region, in southern states the rice is preferred but in northern states a little rice but more rotis are preferred. 3 days a week, milk is distributed and 3 days a week some sweets are given away. Curd is also give on 3 days of the week. This ensures that a minimum dietary requirement is met. Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fats, Vitamins and Minerals are all in the meals.

The menu is very diverse which is visible from the fact that the Bengaluru central kitchen makes 18 types of sambar. The variety is maintained so that the kids do not lose interest in the food. As the kids come to school for eating this yum food. Perhaps for the most of kids have just this one meal in the entire day. So the onus is on Akshaya Patra Foundation to keep the meals varied and interesting.

The menu keeps changing state wise and region wise too. Roti, Dal, Rice, Khichdi, Daliya, Kheer and Fruits and common in some places. Sambar, Rice, Chutney, Payasam is common in other regions. It is ensured that a single meal is not repeated in the entire month. This variety in the food options make students excited and for this delicious food made out of love, the kids turn up in the schools.

Recently the menu was under the scanner for being the typical Hindu Upper Caste in characteristic. And I was amused by the ranting. I mean the Akshaya Patra Foundation is already doing its best to try and feed all under privileged children then why some people are having issues with that. Why trying to politicize something that is so simple. I mean if I cook a certain food in my house then I will offer the same to someone who is in need, I won’t give them something that I do not eat.

How hard it is to digest? If the people who are concerned about the food choices being forced on someone, then they should cook and start supplying the meals rather than creating controversies. What you think? Hunger knows no religion, it desires only food. If a menu which is Sattvik in nature bothers you then do supply what you eat to the people in need. This is my personal opinion, what are your thoughts on this?

Meals inching closer to set records…

1.8 million Meals are served daily. Can you guess which states receives the most of the free meals? It is Gujrat, which receives 414496 meals per day across 2169 schools. A state like Tripura is also covered and receives 527 meals across 2 schools. With a mission which aims at feeding 50 lac children by the year 2025, there is hope and scope for improvement. I personally wish that more of the sates from seven sisters should be covered.

The aim of serving 50 lac meals was supposed to be achieved in the year 2020, but due to multiple factors this was not possible. I wouldn’t call it the failure of an organization here. Rather I would like to put this up as a lack of empathy, and shyness to donate. I take the blame on myself as well, having donated to the cause just once. It costs just 1100 INR roughly as a donation to feed a kid for an entire year.

We spend 1k in a single go when we go to a restaurant or buy stuff on e-commerce websites. Perhaps we should start spending wisely, save a little and start donating. Imagine your one simple donation will feed one kid for an entire year. Could you imagine how satisfying that would feel? I personally feel very much satisfied when I feed something to someone. For doing this you don’t even have to travel or take much efforts.

Delivery model is one of the best

It has a fleet of 500+ trucks which are having stands that can hold the containers in leak proof manner. These trucks have an advanced GPS systems and smart sensors. The GPS ensures right tracking which comes to aid when a vehicle is busted or needs help. The sensors detect if the door is locked properly. These trucks travel nearly 140-150 kilometers daily to deliver food to as many as 5-10 schools.

The drivers of these trucks literally deliver happiness to millions of kids. It is said that the kids just run at the sight of these trucks and welcome the employees with smiles. Some of these trucks deliver to the remotest of the places where at certain point they need to lift and carry the food for certain miles. All this due diligence is maintained so that the food reaches the schools before 1-2 p.m. everyday.

Other initiatives

The recent COVID enforced pandemic was something that nobody experienced. In such times when people were jobless and in lockdown, the hunger was their main challenge. Akshaya Patra stepped up to the challenge and helped in providing 92 million meals which includes the grocery kits that were provided to the people in dire situations. It eased a major chunk of burden from government’s shoulders.

The Anganwadi Feeding is another such initiative where children in early ages, say under 3 years of age and some lactating and expecting mothers are fed with nourishing food so that no child suffers from malnourishment. At present the expecting and lactating mothers are fed only in Jaipur but if donations sky-rocket then this is bound to change.

Awards and Recognition

From receiving an appreciation letter from Mr. Barack Obama to entering the Limca book of world records, the Akshaya Patra Foundation has achieved many milestones. They have received BBC’s Global Food Champion award, Best NGO at Mother Teresa award, and these are just few as the actual list is very long. You can check the entire list here.

Even Harvard Business School has included Akshaya Patra’s model in one of its courses. The London School of Business followed the suit. If such prestigious institutions are acknowledging the great social work model of Akshay Patra then it is a proud moment for every Indian and every global citizen. Many more organizations should walk on this path after taking inspiration from Akshaya Patra’s foundation.

A true Noble cause…

Each and every employee takes pride and finds immense happiness in doing this job. They earn a decent income, but their job satisfaction is one hundred percent. Right from the employees who clean the veggies to the people who deliver, they work responsibly and with love. Love is that one secret ingredient along with faith that ensure that the gargantuan portions of food are cooked to perfections and to the taste liking of the kids.

The management team is highly motivated and why it should be not! After all they are doing some real ground breaking work for the future of our nation. Education is so important, but nobody can learn on an empty stomach. This food is not just food but a blessing for all these children. Who come to the schools for the food but unknowingly start dreaming big as they are well fed and so they can sleep at night.

Staying true to its names, Akshaya Patra Foundation is that vessel which will never be empty. If after reading this you felt like contributing then please click on this link to visit their official site for donation. I am sure that you will do this. If you donate then please leave a comment below saying “I did it, and you should do it too…It feels good.” Again this is not mandatory, I know everyone has their own struggles in life, so if you are not in a position to donate then inform others, it would still mean a lot.

Closure:

It saddens me to know that organizations like this, are also at times found in some or other controversies. I am not taking any sides here, but I wish whatever issues there are should be addressed and solved at the earliest as the work that is ongoing is incredible and should not stop at any cost. I would love to see their mission of serving 50 lac meals succeed soon. I would be on cloud 9 if my blog could help in the cause in any little way possible.

So share this blog with all the possible people you know. Let the goodness flow and the vision of Akshaya Patra Foundation gain momentum. With this you foodie_khiladi is signing off for the day. In a hope to see you soon in my next blog. Till then keep smiling and spreading the smiles.

The menu card in printed freshly just for you and your guest, it still smells fresh from the printing press. The menu is curated as per your demands and the list of wines is finely curated. Each segment is as surprising as it is unfolding. This experience is once in a lifetime one. Till the time your company joins you, the waiter has served you a glass of delicately flavored mocktail, made up of freshly squeezed grape fruits pulp, blended kiwis and coconut water with a dash of honey and pepper, it does taste like an elixir.

How did you feel while you imagined these moments? I am sure you were flabbergasted by the idea. I mean who wouldn’t be overwhelmed by such an experience. At times people do pay for unique experiences, where the focus is not only on the taste of food but the overall experience that is created. An experience that is going to be etched in your memory forever, unless Alzheimer’s strikes you, just kidding!!! Apologies for the same.

If you want to experience such things in life then you will either need to go for fine dine restaurants which have their presence in almost all the urban areas of the world. But if you want serenity, that is exclusive and where you won’t be bothered by fellow patrons, babies crying, group of teenagers shouting wildly, then you must visit one of these isolated restaurants. These restaurants offer unique experiences that only few thousands must have experienced. How exclusive this sounds?

Isolated Restaurants an unique idea

First of all let me appreciate the idea that is so elusive and rare that only few have capitalized on this. I mean opening a restaurant in busy street also requires meticulous planning and risk appetite. Then how much of planning and risk calculations must be involved in opening a remote restaurants that is isolated from the world. I am sure more than anything it must have taken gargantuan self-belief to go ahead with the idea. Then only you can convince people to support you in such thrilling venture.

To open a normal restaurant which goes live for business, if it takes 10 points of efforts on a scale of 1 to 10, then to open an isolated restaurant it takes 50 points on a scale of 1 to 10. Having said that, I am not at all exaggerating things here. You imagine for yourself, if you plan to open an isolated restaurant which is away from the city and not easily accessible. Then how you think, that the people will want to come there?

Either you will need mammoth efforts with marketing, or an extremely talented team of chefs who can pull the crowds with the magic of taste, or you have to simply ask God for grace and luck. Despite of all these if your place becomes a hit then this is how a modern day success story looks like. So personally this idea deserves an A+ grade for being unique. So now let’s explore some of such isolated restaurants that are success stories on a platter away from the urban life chatter.

Tampu Restaurant – Machu Picchu, Peru

First of all, tell me if you knew that Machu Picchu is amongst the new 7 wonders of the world. At the entrance of the Machu Picchu lies a hotel called Sanctuary Lodge (Hotel of Belmond group). Inside it lies this famous restaurant which is at 7970 ft. height. The Tampu restaurant is isolated in a sense that only limited tourists visit Machu Picchu and even fewer stop at the Sanctuary Lodge.

Getting ingredients and spices till the top is in itself a praise worthy task. The restaurant has a separate lunch and dinner menu. With multiple global options and Peruvian dishes this place has the best ambience with the valley view. While dining you can see rare birds and butterflies that are native to this place. Plus the bonus here is their amazing list of wines that is of 9 pages, one of the best collections. Being the only place at the entrance it is fairly secluded as the prices are also a little north, but the experience is value for the money. At least the reviews on the internet says so.

La Mesita de Almanza – Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

This one is in the south direction of Atlantic Ocean and close to Antarctica. A small restaurant with big windows and wooden walls, there lies its charm but do you know what makes it special? A couple runs it with the warmth of their gesture, words and good food. They lit up this place and fill the atmosphere with good vibes. They have some great seafood dishes as the sea is nearby. The beer is good. The Black Hake, and the crabmeat cheese casserole are exquisite as per the reviews.

The best thing is, only 18 people are served at a time. So you can enjoy your meal with peace. This is how culinary serenity looks like. The best view of Beagle channel, 1 hour away from Ushuaia and off the road terrain. You greet penguins on the way and finally eat some delicious food. Now this is called a worthy isolated restaurant. Nobody dare complains about the location or the trouble of reaching there. As it is all worth it.

Koks – The Faroe Islands

Do you know where the Faroe Islands are? Better say yes. As this is where you need to go to dine in this restaurant. It lies between Norway and Iceland in the Arctic Ocean but in real is a territory of Denmark and close to North-Atlantic Ocean. If you find this place tricky then I am sure the food will seem even trickier to you. After reaching the island you will need to walk for 20 minutes, hitch a ride or get a private helicopter to reach this restaurant.

The local delicacies which are made from lamb meat and seafood are served to you. By seafood I do not mean fish here. You will get vegetarian seafood here. They serve sea urchins with marinated egg yolk, and salads prepared out of seaweeds and so on. It has 2 Michelin stars and thus garners a lot of respect. The restaurant has a capacity of only 23 people but the view is just amazing. Poul Andrea Ziska is the man behind the inventive menu which pulls the crowd.

Mount Huashan Teahouse – Huayin, China

Do you like tea? I am not talking about Chai, but we are talking about China for sure. This one is a literal high tea that is served on the top of a mount Hua. You need to take a cable car rid called gondola ride and then trek for further path to reach the Taoist temple. Here you will see the Mount Huashan Teahouse which serves some rejuvenating tea and snacks.

So if you love tea and you have a thing for trekking that pumps the adrenaline then this is a place worth visiting. Even if it is an isolated place the people from around the world turn up in huge numbers. Maybe you should go here after the ongoing Pandemic ends. Will you dare to do it? Let me know in the comments below.

Christian’s Café – The Pitcairn Island

This isolated restaurant on the list is a café actually and the story is really interesting one. A ship wrecked here which was named H. M. S. Bounty, the survivors came to this island and inhabited the place. There were local restrictions which required strict liquor permit to sell and consume alcohol which was relaxed only after 2009 to increase tourist footfall.

It is such a remote place that the supplies here come is scanty quantity. Because you need 2 flights one till Tahiti Islands then form there to the Mangareva islands and then a boat journey to Pitcairn Island which is a British territory. The food here is focused more on local ingredients and being an island with population of 50 people, privacy is guaranteed. Just a warning the café opens post 6:30 pm and operates for limited span of time. I would just love to visit this place.

The Three Chimneys Restaurant – Isle of Skye, Scotland

An isolated restaurant is Scotland doesn’t sounds so isolated and remote, but according to the sources this place is isolated and serene. Being near Scotland it is expensive but the experience justifies the price tag. It has options of 3 and 8 course meals to choose from for dinners. You can book the only table in their kitchen where the chef’s team prepares your food for your visual delight.

The wine list is 19 pages long. Head Chef Scott Davies takes pride in the kitchen menu which boasts of being a local centric one. The star dishes include Mallard Duck and Deer meat. Everything is posh and ambience just increases the majestic feel.

The Rock, Michiamvi Tanzania

A restaurant perched on a coral outcrop, which is on the Kijiweni beach, Tanzania. It is a photogenic isolated restaurant on the list. When it is high tide you have to take a boat and otherwise you can literally walk on the mushy sand to reach the Rock. Both the experiences are worth it. The menu focuses on the sea food and is kept fairly simple. Starters are under 20 dollars, and so is the Pasta and Gnocchi varieties. Mains has a special dish which is lobster, cigal, king prawns, octopus, and calamari all on the grill cooked and seared in front of you.

Deserts are 9 dollars and an exhaustive wine and cocktails list. It is very simple yet special. You can take a leisurely stroll on the rock and on the beach. The ocean green water is really soothing that relaxes your mind while you are at this place. It is always having decent numbers of tourists but it is well far away from the chaos of the city.

EL Diablo Restaurant, Spain Teguse

Do you love barbecue? What if I tell you that there lies a restaurant on an island of Lanzarote in Spain that cooks meat on live volcano. Will you be curious about it? Built on an active volcano, this isolated restaurant needed 9 huge layers of basalt rock to lay the foundation of this place. It has a deliberate opening from where the heat of lava is harnessed.

All the meats are grilled on the top of this lava well. Don’t you worry about the volcanic eruption? This might be the only place on the list to be non-compliant to fire safety. To compensate for that they offer a great view of Timanfaya National Park and a red sand beach which they claim to resemble Martian atmosphere. So if Spain is on your bucket list then do visit this place for some volcanic barbecue.

Old Forge Pub, Knoydart Scotland

The next on this list is actually an old Pub which is officially UK’s remotest pub. As it has no road that can lead you to this place. So it takes the literal meaning of ‘out of nowhere’. You can hike from the nearest pot for 2 days to reach here or you will need to take a ferry till this pub. Feel free to choose your way.

Nobody boasts of a menu that is served here but I am sure after so much of travel any kind of beer will be gulped down with ease. As it is the remotest of place, they should officially declare the following slogan as their own ‘save water drink beer’. From March to October the visitors increase but in winters the area has a rather hostile climate. So do you want to visit there for a pitcher or two?

Treepod restaurant Thailand

Just for a day, would you like to eat the way a bird eats? No I am not asking you to grow a beak or fix one on your mouth. The Treepod restaurant is an isolated restaurant which is famous in Thailand. They host you in a man-sized nest that is then suspended 36 ft. above the ground. You can feel the comfort of a bird while up there. The waiters serve your meals and drinks on a zip-line. I guess you would be more interested in that perhaps.

The veggies and fruits are grown organically in their own garden. It is on the Koh Kood Island which guarantees desolation for you and your company. Galangal (a Thai spice) baked white fish in banana leaves with lime and Soneva garden salsa verde is the main signature dish along with other dishes tailor made to suit the Thai theme and eco-friendly tone of this place.

Fäviken, Sweden

In the forests of Jämtland which are to the far north of Stockholm, lies this isolated restaurant that you can’t visit anymore for dining. Magnus Nilsson the head chef of the restaurant who believes in his own philosophies to cook the best dishes. The Nordic cookbook is his one such creation that he has developed over the years through his experiences. 30 of the recipes in there are made at Fäviken and those can’t be recreated at home.

This was the exclusivity factor that brought the crowds to this place even when it was at a remote location. The fresh produce is always plucked daily from their own fresh. It was a 2 Michelin starred restaurant which ran on passion. Netflix shot a documentary on this place and the chef which you can watch here. One day Magnus woke up and felt nothing exciting and he decided to shut this place down. This story seems so incomplete, I hope it has a new chapter.

Refuge du Plan de l’Aiguille in Chamonix, France

This isolated restaurant is by far my favourite on this list. Last but by no way the least. It is located on halfway return hike on Plan D’Aiguille, France. The views of the valleys are breathtaking. The outside seating arrangement is like the cherry on the top. They make some delicious pies here which are constantly baked as the tourist frequent this place.

Ingredients to this place is supplied with a helicopter. How cool right! The food is paired with the local produce. The best of cheeses and wines are served. Their coffee is one of the best across Europe this is as per some of the reviews on the internet. It is a divine location and a very good vibe restaurant.

Closure:

So how many of these you added to your bucket list? Do you know any such isolate restaurants, please let me know and I would be glad to expand this list. You can DM me at foodie_khiladi007 or write to me on foodie_khiladi@sh119.global.temp.domains. I hope you liked this list and will share this list with your travel buddies.

Dining experiences are worth cherishing if they are the best ones. So spending on them is like investing in your memories. Do you agree? Best of the things in life are celebrated with food. So a little secluded heaven is all that you need. These restaurants toil with this idea and have made a mark for themselves over the years.

With this your foodie_khiladi signs off for the day in a hope to see you soon in my next blog. Till then share this blog. Subscribe if you haven’t yet subscribed. I will keep writing, you keep smiling and spreading the smiles.

Has it ever happened to you that you have been in stress or have been in mild or severe depression that led to emotional eating? Have you done it? Or do you want me to emphasize on the term emotional eating? I will gladly do it for you. Emotional eating is an act of seeking instant gratification by the means of consuming food especially in the times of emotional crisis. So now tell me, have you ever done it? If yes then just do not feel guilty about it, you were not alone.

It is said that almost every second person in the modern times have done this. They have found solace in the comfort food at such grueling times. So today I am going to tell you a story about a heartache that got mended by using this adorable tool called comfort food. We are a week away from the Valentine’s Day and so I though why not post something warm and sweet for the occasion well in advance.

The Comfort food Story

Sheetal received a text at 6 p.m. and it read ‘It’s over’. It was a text from Ishani, her best friend since college days. Sheetal took a while to understand what could have happened. She dialed Ishani’s number and waited for Ishani to pick up. Three rings down but Ishani didn’t pick up. Sheetal replied to Ishani’s message, ‘hey what happened baby, tell me or pick up the phone. I am worried’. Waiting for a reply, tapping her feet in anxiety, Sheetal called Abhay guessing that something sort of relationship trouble and told him what happened.

Abhay was the roommate of Tushar and Tushar was the reason behind the text from Ishani. Abhay told Sheetal that this is a sort of emergency and she needs to go at Ishani’s place. Sheetal finished her shift and stepped out of her office to reach at Ishani’s place. She was still trying to connect with Ishani as Abhay also didn’t know what exactly happened. In a worried state of mind she received a reply finally from Ishani, ‘can’t talk on phone mom and dad around and on high alert. You come here and get me out of here.’

Sheetal now figured out that yes it is definitely a relationship issue. She knew that all of them are in for a big night. The only thing that came to her mind was “Comfort food”. She googled instantly ‘Breakup Comfort Food’ and got few results which had a list of foods that help in such situations. Because what words can’t do, food can certainly do it. The list started with junk and ended with even more junk. Sheetal thanked God that she was single which spared her from all these melodrama.

But right now she had to handle the situation, she called Abhay again and asked him how the situation there is. Abhay replied “Not good, Tushar is really mad at the moment. When we spoke about 2 hours ago.” Sheetal said “Expected! You do one thing, get some food for him and talk to him to calm him down.” Abhay agreed and said ‘Will connect again in couple of hours, you reach to Ishani and see what can be done.’ The conversation ended and both begun their mission.

Sheetal’s phone screen still had the list of comfort foods that worked well for a heart break. Pizza, Chocolates, cakes, burgers, fries and ice-cream. The list was tempting in itself. Sheetal said to herself, these foods can overturn any grief into joy. She quickly picked up a burger and fries on her way to Ishani’s home.

Reaching at Ishani’s home she was greeted by her mom, “hello Sheetal beta, how are you, any plans today with Ishani, she didn’t tell me anything. She is in her bedroom since lunch today.” Sheetal said, “Yes aunty actually tomorrow a friend of ours is leaving for Auckland for her studies, so today we are having a small farewell for her.” Sheetal lied to Ishani’s mom with conviction. Avoiding eye contact and another questions, she sped towards Ishani’s room. Ishani opened the door as soon as she heard the first knock. As if she was expecting Sheetal since a long time.

Sheetal said “Hi there…”, but was shocked to see Ishani’s eyes turned red from crying. Sheetal hugged Ishani and said “Don’t you worry babes, I am here now. Tell me what happened?” Ishani was sobbing and was finding it hard to speak. Sheetal wipe the tears, hugged her even tight and held her for a while.

Ishani finally uttered in a hush tone “He said let’s break up, and we had a big fight.” She was wiping her tears and continued, “It was my fault, and I said things to him that I shouldn’t have.” Sheetal interrupted her while rubbing her back, “Hey, It is okay, we will sort it out. You first go and wash your face. Look what have you done to yourself.” While Ishani stood up and went in the bathroom, Sheetal unwrapped the Burgers and Fries and kept it open in an anticipation that Ishani will be cheered up by this gesture.

Ishani noticed the treat in front of her but said “I am in no Mood to eat. Let us go somewhere.” Sheetal was surprised, in so many years Ishani has never said no to fries, and club it with a burger then this was something Ishani was unable to resist. But today was a different day. Sheetal was hungry but couldn’t eat now. She halfheartedly took 2 fries ate them and wrapped everything again. Then handed this parcel to Ishani’s mom saying, “Aunty this is for you and uncle.” Meanwhile Ishani changed out of her pajama and combed her hair.

Ishani was ready with her clothes for the sleepover and without any eyeliner. Sheetal figured out, that this thing is gonna take a while. She remember lines from Zakir Khan (the comedian) who has truly said “No eyeliner look is not just a look but a statement.” Her Burger and Fries trick failed, so she opened her app from the phone and placed orders for an extra-large cheese burst pizza at her own place, as this where they were going. As soon as she placed the order, they left.

After reaching Sheetal’s home, which was vacant today as 2 of her roommates were out on a trip. She being from Goa, Mumbai was her second home since her post-graduation days. As Ishani was elaborating on the issue of the trouble.

The doorbell rang and the Pizza guy delivered the Pizza. Ishani was still unfazed by the pizza box and the aroma coming from it. As soon as Sheetal opened it, Ishani glanced at the pizza, resisting by all means and trying to put a sad face forward. Sheetal asked her to have one. But now Ishani thought it was too late to break out of the character.

Sheetal knew that Ishani has fallen for the trap. She said “See I am hungry since the morning, so I can’t stay hungry. You better eat or wait for me to finish so that I can cook something for you.” Ishani replied “No, No you eat it.” Sheetal shrugged and started picking a piece which had so much of cheese that it stretched just like they show in the commercials.

Plus the liquid cheese was dripping from the edges. Finally she took a bite and Ishani tried not to give it in. Sheetal said “So why you guys broke up?” Ishani came back to her senses which were engulfed in the pizza. She said “Constant fights and repetitive arguments and he said let us take a break.”

Sheetal tried showing her consoling expression but failed at it, as a delicious pizza loaded with cheese was in her mouth. Ishani started crying again, as the emotional stress was too much but resisting a damn good pizza was worse than that.

Sheetal kept her pizza slice down. Gave a tissue to Ishani and said “Oye drama queen, it happens. It is just that you are in your first relationship and such things happen. So relax it will be sorted.” She pushed the pizza box in front of Ishani and gestured her to have a piece.

Finally Ishani was slightly happy. She grabbed a piece and bit into it and closed her eyes in bliss. Her brain released some endorphins. She felt a bit relaxed. Sheetal knew that this trigger would make things easy.

But soon when Ishani was half way down on that pizza piece, she started crying. “I miss him already, it all started with a pizza date.” Ishani said. Sheetal shouted at her, this time in a firm voice “Ishani come on grow up, you are what 26 now. Stop behaving like a baby. Let me talk to him. We will sort this out. But first eat that slice and finish it.”

Ishani was shocked on the tone of Sheetal but at least that made her quite. She was eating quietly. Sheetal went near the window and called Abhay. Abhay picked up the call and said “Hey Sheetal, what is it, do you know what happened?” Sheetal said “No. But I brought her at my place. Did you speak to Tushar? What you got him to eat? I got burger and fries, which were not good enough so finally a pizza broke the resistance.”

Abhay replied “I got him 2 Vadapavs and 2 samosas.” Sheetal asked again thinking that she heard something wrong “What??? Really!!!” Abhay said “Yes! This is from his favourite place.” Sheetal was not able to believe it. She in a tone of frustration said “You all boys are the same, we are dealing with a relationship issue here, and you could have ordered something better.” Abhay awkwardly replied “Hey it is month end already, and as always the budget is tight, plus we boys live a simple life and need simple things to be happy.”

Sheetal thought there is no point in debating this further. She asked “Where is Tushar?” Abhay said “He is not yet home and his phone is not reachable.” Sheetal said “then what have you done to trace him, aren’t you worried?” Men will be men as it always stands, guys know how and what their buddies think in such situation. Plus they also know when to hit the panic button but making Sheetal understand all these things was not his cup of tea. So he assured her that he will do the needful.

By the time the call finished, the pizza turned cold, Ishani just ate one slice and Sheetal ate three. Four slices still left behind, which Sheetal packed and kept in the refrigerator. Ishani said “Sorry I am bothering you so much. I am a terrible person.” Sheetal smiled calmly as she was expecting it to happen. She knew that in such situation a person blabbers all such non-sense. She asked her “shall I make maggi for you? It will make you feel better. Plus whatever your issues are we can discuss over a plate of maggi.” Ishani found this offer too good to resist.

Sheetal started chopping onions and tomatoes, while the wok was heating the oil for sautéing the veggies. She got some cheese slices from the fridge. While sautéing the onions she told Ishani “Relationships are like this only, just to get rid of the rawness, you need some heat, just like I am sautéing the onions.” She added a pinch of salt and red chili powder and continued to speak, “At times you need to take things with a pinch of salt and add some spices too.” Ishani was listening with all attention on the maggi.

Ishani interrupted, “but this time it was a big fight, we were not able to find time for each other as he is busy with his new job and my office has given me U.S. shift since a month now. So on weekends I just sleep and he insists that we need to meet. All this constant nagging turned into a fight and after 3 weeks of all these silly discussions. Today he said that we need a break. Then blocked me from all the social media and has not responded to my calls.”

Sheetal was listening patiently and once she thought Ishani has finished, “She continued, See now adding tomatoes to the maggi makes it interesting as some sourness is required to keep that tang alive. Then add the maggi masala, which is like the understanding each other factor to figure out what will make this relationship work.” She finally added the boiling water and broke the maggi into the wok. Now after doing everything at times you need to patiently wait.

Maggi was cooked, Ishani got the plates and forks and was about to scoop in for the serving. Sheetal stopped her, “see this is why I told patience is the key.” Sheetal unwrapped the cheese slices and put them on the top and covered the wok and turned the flame off. “Sometime a bit more patience is rewarding.” While they waited for the chees to melt, the doorbell ranged. Sheetal went to open the door. Tushar was standing in front of the door with flowers in one hand and a parcel in the other hand. Sheetal let him in.

Ishani came out of the kitchen to see who it was. She saw Tushar standing inside with puppy face and saying “Sorryyyyyyy”. Ishani’s face was red with anger and frustration. Tushar muttered “say something at least. I got flowers and your favourite Choco-lava cake. I thought comfort food is the only way to ask for forgiveness.” Ishani responded with full anger “You wanted a break, go have your break. Go away, why are you even here.” Sheetal kept mum as she wanted both of them to sort it out on their own.

After a few heated word exchanges, tears rolled down from Ishani’s eyes. Tushar mustered the courage to go near her and held her tight. After resisting initially she gave in. She kept slapping him and said “You moron, why you have to create a scene and then say sorry.” Tushar didn’t say a word. He slowly opened the Choco-lava cake and held it in front of her. Opened the foil covering, scooped a bite and fed her. Her heart melted more than the lava of chocolate and she saw him again with a smile. He said “Now please forgive me. Let us end the fight and discuss this with a lot of understanding.”

Sheetal walked in with 3 plates of maggi with the melted cheese on top. Ishani jumped in excitement, “So yummyyy!!!” Sheetal said “I told you, patience is the key.” She smiled and hugged Sheetal. Sheetal while being hugged, told Tushar to call Abhay form her phone and ask him to finish those Snack items that he got. Tushar called Abhay and informed that everything is sorted. Abhay was happier because now he had all the Vadapavs and Samosas to himself. Life of guys is so much sorted.

At last the three of them ate the maggi, ate the choco-lava cakes and reheated the pizza to finish it off. They had a healthy discussion and both the love birds were re-united. All of them agreed that being in an emotional turmoil it was not as easy as it looked. Food made the difference. So they decided that may whatever happen in the future, they will sort it out on a table full of junk food. As this is where the comfort food magic comes in the picture.

This was a happy ending to a small story that underlines the importance of comfort food while dealing with heart break or heartache. So have you ever done this to come out of a heart break or heartache? If yes then do let me know in the comments. If you liked this story, then do share with your buddies and better half. I do write such stories which you can read here.

If you have a constructive feedback then write to me on foodie_khiladi@sh119.global.temp.domains or else you can DM me on foodie_khiladi007. With this your foodie_khiladi signs off for the day in a hope to see you in my next blog soon. Till then keep smiling and spreading the smiles.

I personally liked Parathas since a very young age, because my mom makes some delicious Parathas that I prefer to eat with tomato sauce or ketchup (yes both of them are different things). What is your favourite sides with Paratha? Is it Achaar (Indian Pickle) or Dahi (curd)? For me, may be the movie Chandni Chowk to China made me obsess over Paratha so much that I started seeking them at many places.

Chatta Madan Gopal, Paranthe wali gali, Lal Quila, Chandni Chowk, Delhi-6, these were the words of Akshay Kumar in that movie. Though I openly admit that the movie was a disaster, but these words are rather worth focusing. They describe the address of the most legendary place which serves Paratha in enormous quantities which taste so delicious that is hard to describe. So by now you must have realized what this blog will be about. Paratha the unofficially accepted national breakfast of India, considering that it is eaten in most of the states during breakfast.

Paratha is just another comfort food that resides in the heart, especially of the people from north of India. Toppled with Ghee or Butter and served with Dahi. Just writing this has made me think about eating one. I don’t know how I am going to survive till the end of this blog. A Paratha can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, snacks or dinner, and this makes it an all-rounder in the team of Indian cuisine. So let us tear into the layers of this beauty and see what spills out.

History of Paratha

Multiple theories incept numerous chapters, yet the conclusion remains the same, this dish called Paratha is Indian in origin. Felling proud already? You should be definitely feeling proud of the fact that Paratha is Indian. Not like other foods which are much more celebrated but are having foreign origins. This is why Parathas are categorized as one of the most underrated food items.

So how old is the Paratha? Maybe older than the oldest things you know. The name Paratha is derived from two separate terms ‘Parat’ and ‘Atta’ which means layers and Dough respectively. As the reason being, most of the parathas on this planet have flaky layers. A Sanskrit text which was sort of an encyclopedia from the 12th century called the ‘manasollasa’ is the proof that Paratha is older than Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower, and statue of Liberty and so on. Nonetheless it is one of the culinary wonders of the world.

It would amaze you that the same book refers to a point which states that the Paratha has an ancestor which is most loved sweet dish of Maharashtra. The manasollasa has a culinary section which states that there existed a dish called ‘purana’ which was made of dough filled with jaggery and gram paste. The same concept through which Puran-Poli is made. This is the beginning chapter of the stuffed Paratha journey. This is how it all started.

The present form of Paratha that is eaten is mostly savory but initially this was not possible because going by the historical data, most of the veggies that go into a Paratha are not native to India. Potatoes came in 17^th century, Chilies came in 16^th century, Cabbage came in 18^th century, and cauliflower came in 19^th century. Probably onions were the only interesting veggies to make the Paratha journey larger than life in India. Hence, the precursor to present day Indian Parathas was Puran-Poli.

Apart from this it is said that during the Mughal rule, the Paratha became famous and travelled to various regions out of which, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Maldives and Sri Lanka are included. Once the Mughal Empire declined, the Mughlai cooks moved to different cities and propagated the love for Parathas especially the non-veg ones. It is said that the Bengal province got its famous Keema Paratha from these ex-Mughlai cooks.

Understanding the Paratha concept…

You must be thinking how dumb I am that I have to explain this as concept. So in my defense I say that we are a nation full of diversities and therefore a same dish has its own regional variations, this is why I want to tell you few things that are important. If you are a non-Indian reader then you should definitely read this.

Parathas are of 2 types, stuffed and the non-stuffed. Stuffed Parathas are those Paratha which are made after stuffing the dough with fillings of our choice and then rolling it to enlarge. The non-stuffed Parathas are made with the mixture of dough which is kneaded in the dough itself. The next classification lies in the way of cooking, it can either be stuck in tandoor or shallow fried in a wok or tawa. You can mix and match all these techniques, each time you will get a fantastic results.

The only difference might be the heaviness of the Parathas. Tandoor Paratha are less laden with oil or ghee, and the fried ones are fried in ghee or oil and thus makes them heavier. Irrespective of the heaviness quotient, it is a food which is capable of satisfying your hunger pangs at any given time in the day.

So the non-stuffed Parathas include Lachha Paratha, Trikoni Paratha, the plain Paratha, Malabar parathas, and the Parathas which were made with the dough kneaded in the fillings. Out of these Lachha Paratha is my favourite. The intricately worked layers gives it flaky texture and it goes well with many gravy based dishes. The stuffed Paratha is the one where any stuffing can do the wonders. Aaloo (Spice potato), Gobhi (Cauliflower or cabbage), Pyaaz (Onions), Mooli (Radish), the list of stuffing is endless.

Now without wasting more time on theory let us focus on what are the top rated Parathas of India that are world famous.

Top 10 Parathas of India

1) Aaloo Paratha

Two words one soul, this is how I perceive it. You ask anyone randomly in India to fill in the blank about either aaloo or Paratha they will respond with aaloo Paratha. Such is the fame of this version of paratha, and this it is my favourite too. Is it your favourite too? Mashed and spiced potatoes are the soul of this dish. The powdered condiments and other spices play a vital role as aaloo itself is a blank canvas ready to get painted. Spices done right is the key to make some delicious aaloo Paratha.

2) Gobhi Paratha

Be it a cauliflower or a cabbage, these veggies can be cooked with green chili and some spices are added to make the gobhi Paratha, though anyone can make a simple one, but with gobhi, the stuffed Paratha turns out to be the best.

3) Mooli Paratha

The most dreadful Paratha to eat. Not because it tastes bad, in fact it taste even more interesting than any of the Paratha listed here. But it creates flatulence in your tummy which is not good for the environment and the people around you. So if you plan to eat it then do so at your own risk and don’t get too ambitious. Little is enough.

4) Pyaaz Paratha

This one is not for you, only if you are a Jain person. If you aren’t a Jain, then I know this one is already playing with your mind and you are craving about having the perfectly chopped onions fried in the oil along with some chilies and other spices and then mixed with the soft dough to make this dish. Each bite gives you tang and the crispiness of the onions surprises your tongue. So when are you making one?

5) Paneer Paratha

Of course this one is the royalty in the house of Paratha. For all the vegetarians paneer is the best reply to chicken or mutton. This is why when Keema Paratha was created, Paneer Paratha was invented out of necessity. I assume the cook who made this was pleaded a lot to make a vegetarian version of keema Paratha. What are your thoughts on this theory? I personally do not like paneer Paratha though, because it has no taste of its own, only spices bring some life to this variation of Paratha.

6) Keema Paratha

This heavy weight Paratha that is famous not only in north of India but also in the southern India. Keema Paratha is a magical variation of Paratha. The creator of this Paratha should be given an award or something. Lusciously greasy keema with oil laden in spices sneaked in the dough and then the dough is rolled to flatten it. Deep fried in Ghee, I am still feeling my tongue oozing drools. If you haven’t tried this then do try it. If you are a vegetarian then refer to the earlier option.

7) Dal Paratha

Any leftover Dal at home? If you have one then this is the perfect thing to make. Fry that dal and reduce it till it thickens. Now add the flour of your choice in the dal and knead it. Add the condiments and make a Paratha out of it. The best way to recycle food without getting bored. You can do this daily, if your dal always ends up unfinished.

8) Methi Paratha

Out of all the leafy greens, methi has a distinct taste and this is why methi Paratha is very interestingly favored by many foodies. Just like methi theplas, methi Paratha is equally good, just heavier than the thepla. Be sure to use desi ghee and see some magic happen.

9) Palak Paratha

Palak Paratha will interest you if I tell you that there is no other fun way to eat this leafy veggie, than putting it in the Paratha. It tastes really yummy. I had few in last week, when my dad got palak that even our refrigerator refused to let it in. So my mom made Palak Parathas and I made Dal Palak, now next time when you have excess Pala at your home, you know what to do.

10) Sattu Paratha

Do you know what sattu is? It is a coarsely ground roasted grams. This sattu is mixed with other spices and condiments and filled as stuffing in the paratha dough. Then rolled over to make a paratha which is baked on a tawa with lots of ghee.

Craze of Parathas in India

I should be specific here, there are only 3 places in India that masks the consumption pattern of India overall. Punjab, Delhi and Haryana, you can find some world records of eating parathas and making parathas. These people do take immense pride in the paratha they make. So if you want to try the best ones then you have to visit these places.

You can see often that a delhite wakes up at 2 am and drives till Murthal for the late night paratha cravings, most of the youngster and bachelors do the same. Obsession with Paratha is just too much, if this is what you are thinking then just as a food for thought you need to think how good these parathas must be. They must be amazingly delicious that they inspire obsessions.

In Delhi you will see many eateries which offer challenges like finishing a large paratha in 30 or 40 minutes and if you do so then you get a cash prize in excess of 10000 bucks or free food for life. Such offers will work only at crazy places which are totally in love with paratha. So if you think you can take up this challenge, then you need to head out to Delhi soon. Or rather experience the craze over parathas.

Parathe wali gali is a place where you can actually experience what it feels to be in paratha heaven. This more than 100 years old lane is now one of the most famous tourist destination in Delhi. You get some 50 to 100 varieties of paratha on the menu at some place. Isn’t it insane? My wish list includes going there and eat the Rabri Paratha.

If you are still not in love with paratha then this article from livemint might help.

Closure:

So this brings an end to the paratha journey with you. Do you know how to make a paratha? You can refer this list of paratha recipes if you want to experiment. I hope you liked this one. With this foodie_khiladi signs off for the day, in a hope to see you soon in my next post soon. If you have any queries or suggestions than you can write to me a foodie_khiladi@sh119.global.temp.domains. Or else you can DM me on foodie_khiladi007.

In case you are new here then you can read my other blogs to explore more. See you soon in my next blog, till then keep smiling and spreading smiles.