Bollywood Cooking

I have been dying to do a cooking class and can finally scratch this one off my bucket list - and what a cooking class it was! Six of us ladies booked in for a 5 course Indian Bollywood themed cooking class. Instructed by an excellent teacher, Alexis, we were taken on a journey through India: culture, colours, symbolisms, spirituality, exploring the senses, cooking techniques, food, the meaning of the right and left hand (left is for ablution only and the right everything else) and the art of eating with our hands.

Alexis opened us up to her life and her experiences which helped make our journey even more important. Gathered in a large but quaint kitchen we discussed the menu for the evening: Green Chutney, Paneer Makhani (Paneer is a type of cheese which we actually made on the night! It was FANTASTIC), Pistachio Korma with Cauliflower and Calabash (Calabash is a veggie from the squash family, very nice I thoroughly enjoyed it), Coconut and Cashew Rice, and an Almond Fudge with Chocolate Truffles from the night before.  Recipes to follow when I try make them at home again :)

Let the cooking begin! Preparations

With wine at the ready and all the recipes split among ourselves, we embarked on our cooking journey. I could not contain my excitement... I felt like one of those idiots with a stupid grin plastered on my face!

Me, Kirst, Ruvi

Me, Bez (very proud of her Chutney) and Kirst

We watched each other and assisted where necessary, learning and observing. The main rule with Indian cooking is NEVER taste the food while cooking. (Bez, bless her, arrived late and missed the rule. She eagerly gobbled down a cashew nut from the table while the 5 of us just gasped and stared at Alexis waiting for the wrath of India to come down on Bez. Luckily Bez was oblivious to the rule and apologised repeatedly, no wrath or bad karma went her way).

Delightful smells and noises engulfed the kitchen as we started enjoying ourselves more and more. A couple of hours later we were ready to serve and indulge. Alexis set the table with large silver dishes/plates and smaller pots or cups, used to serve up your curry or rice or chutney. We all eagerly plated up like starving fools and received our first lesson on eating Indian food with our hands - well right hand to be exact! I failed dismally - rice falling everywhere, sauce falling on my chin, and unattractively stuffing my fingers into my mouth. Defeated I used my fork for the rest of the meal.

The food was AMAZING! Such fresh and strong flavours.. absolutely delicious!! Vivid colouring and smells, exactly how food should be.

Table set and ready to eat!
Ruvi, Tiff, Kirst, Me, Bez

Beautiful
bez, Mandy, Kirst, Me, Tiff, Ruvi

Pot bellied, wine soaked and recipes at hand, we gratefully thanked Alexis for her efforts and fantastic experience and headed our separate ways. All I could think about on the drive home was when can I make all this again!!