A unique culinary voyage , a delectable luxury dining experience that braces’ quality with accessibility, Shanghai Club is a discovery. The restaurant showcases a perfect blend of ancient Chinese tradition along with contemporary décor with touches of the symbolic red colour to emphasize upon the Chinese ambiance.

Like we experience in India, Chinese Cuisine too varies almost every hundred miles or so. There is the Szechuan, Hunan, Cantonese, Beijing, and Peking with umpteen other variations in between.

Cantonese cuisine, originally known in China as Guangdong Cuisine, is often referred to as Yue cuisine. This is the cuisine of China’s Guangdong Province, and more specially adheres to its Capital, Guangzhou. Cantonese is a Cuisine with a mild taste, the Cantonese enjoy the natural flavors of fresh sea fish and Sauces, including hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, plum sauce, sweet and sour sauce, and soy sauce. the flavours are well balanced and not greasy. To leave intact the flavours of the primary ingredients, which are at the peak of their freshness and quality, very little few and very little spices are used. The spice does not engulf the natural flavor of the main ingredients. Except the use of garlic and coriander, in order to retain the taste and flavours of the main ingredients, the Cantonese avoid the use of fresh herbs as against the  liberal use of the same in Sichuanese, Vietnamese,  Lao, Thai and European. In fact, garlic is often used as a vegetable in Cantonese cooking!

This makes Cantonese a popular cuisine in China and Cantonese Chefs are highly sought after in China. Chef Jia brought to India by the ITC being one of them. As required, he uses a variety of cooking methods from roasting, steaming to stir frying.

Cantonese cuisine, less spicy than the Sichuan and Hunan methods of preparation is yet a flavorful and delicious cuisine; far more delicate than other eight forms of Chinese food.

these 10 days at the Shanghai club Express traces the Cantonese route through two set menus – the Superior ticket and a First class ticket on The Shanghai Express. the Superior ticket @ Rs.1500 per person + taxes, avails the diner a four course meal including soup and dessert.

A soup from the choice of four—two pure vegetarian and 2 non-vegetarian. Our Jain friends had their choice too.

One main course from a choice of 4 vegetarians (including for Jains), 1 fish, 1 prawn, 1 lamb, 1 chicken. The Sliced Lamb in chili oyster Sauce paired with Guangzhou Glass Noodles from the vegetarian Menu was YUMMY! So was the enchanting flavours of Wok tossed noodles with pickle vegetables, Asparagus in Chili garlic sauce, Steam tofu in special hot black bean sauce, crispy baby corn salt and pepper at Shanghai Club.

One Noodles/rice from a choice of 3 vegetarians and 3 non-vegetarian.

One dessert from a choice of three. Apricot honey rice pudding with a sprinkle of Pista and julienne of Apricot, highly recommended.

The FIRST CLASS ticket is available for Rs. 2000 and the menu includes a choice of 4 Vegetarian and 4 N0n-vegetarian starters

The Cantonese experience will soon be followed by Beijing and Shanghai destinations on THE SHANGHAI CLUB EXPRESS.

So book your tickets now to experience delicately balanced flavours of yin and yang, dished out by Master Chef Jia.

Ambakalyo is not a preserve it is a recipe for a Parsi Ripe Mango sauce quick and easy sauce recipe.   Ambakalyo is a delightful, light and happy dish to be served in the heat of summer , the height of the Mango season in India. Ambakalyo is delicious; eaten with red/white rice or any bread — whether baked in an oven or cooked on a griddle including tortillas, chapattis, corn bread and pita . The bright orange colour of the finished dish of the Mango Ambakalyo only adds to its appeal. Ambakalyo, by itself, makes for a popular meal in a Parsi household and saves the mother from long hours in the grueling heat of the kitchen.

Ambakalyo also makes a scrumptious sauce for all roast meats and fowl — especially Roast Chicken and Pork; if you are so inclined to use it.  The sweet and slightly tart-chili tang of the sauce goes a long way in enhancing the flavours of your dish. Visually too, the translucent orange colour , reminder of scenic sunsets, and the thick consistency of the sauce is tremendously appealing.

Mango is the traditionally accepted fruit to make an Ambakalyo and the name itself “Amba” meaning ‘Mango’ in Gujarati and ‘Kalyo’ meaning ‘Grated, Shredded, made into a Paste’ suggests that the dish is essentially made from Mangoes cooked to the consistency of  a thick paste. The ingredients and the Gujarati name suggests that  the Parsi-Zoroastrians of India learnt to make the Ambakalyo after migrating to India. However, the word  ‘Kalyo’ is no longer found either in Persian or Gujarati; but in Filipino the word “Kalyo” still exists  the meaning has declined and is used to denote ‘a Shredder’.

If you are inclined to innovate, like I am, you may add oranges or other citrus fruit, or pineapple or green apple or passion fruit (yellow or purple) any tart fruit of your choice to the recipe at the stage where you introduce the sliced Mangoes into the melted Jaggery/sugar mixture.

Replacing Mangoes, altogether, with another tart and fleshy fruit or a combination of fruits would give you a Orangekalyo, Citrouskalyo, Pineapplekalyo, or green-applekalyo or passion-fruitkalyo or Kalyo of your choice. The entire Recipe will remain the same except that the Mango will be added onto or replaced by another fruit. This would make an equally delicious sauce and a seasonal sauce, at that!

INGREDIENTS:

6 Ripe Mangoes (Alfonso or Pairi preferred; but you may use your favourite);

250 Gms (½ lb) pearl onions (can replace with small red onions or diced regular onions. The taste with each will differ but all taste good);

250 Gms Jaggery as per original recipe;  (or Sugar, if you prefer. In which case take 200 Gms of sugar);

3 cloves;

1 inch piece of cinnamon;

Juice of 1 lemon;

1 tsp chili powder;

A pinch of Turmeric powder;

1 clove Garlic;

¾ inch piece of Ginger.

METHOD:

Peel and slice the Mangoes (you may also use the seed),

Slice the Ginger and Garlic,

If using large onions, quarter them,

Fry the onions lightly and place aside,

If using small onions fry them whole,

Now, boil the jaggery/sugar in 2 spoons of water,

Add chili powder, Turmeric Powder, Ginger, Garlic, Cloves and Cinnamon.

Boil till all the jaggery/sugar has melted,

Then, add the mangoes and onions and cook boil for 5 minutes,

Simmer for another 20 minutes or until mango and seed orange and translucent.

Your Ambakalyo is ready to eat.

SERVE: Hot or cold with chapattis, preferably made of rice flour.