Acing The Flavors At Janpath Grill House...

Janpath is now the newest kid-on-the-block as far as restaurants are concerned. It was thus, a pleasant experience when I was invited for the new Menu tasting as a Blogger by the folks at Janpath Grill House. 

The visual USP of this place has to be Delhi painted on its walls, from Jantar Mantar to Rajpath, from street food to boho-chic, from a casual shopping spree at Janpath with a world of shopping  bags by your side to foreigners admiring Indianness in the capital city.

Janpath Grill House is all about Janpath and good food offered in two concepts - patrons can opt for either Ala Carte or Buffet. However, my visit came about as a consequence of their exclusive Menu panning five Indian States - Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Delhi - under the colloquial tagline - 'Janpath Grill House - Handcrafted In-House Gourmet Specials'.

With live music going on, my time at Janpath Grill House was good enough for me to say I would love to visit a second time. The food was fantastic, the place is a crowd puller is what I could witness when I went, the service could  be a bit more pepped up in terms of quickness and alertness.

A Boondi-filled Golgappa presented atop a mini-Achaar Ki Barni was served as amuse bouche.

We savoured the following preparations in Appetisers:

• Anjeer Aur Akhrot Ki Tikki - The first and only time I had savoured an appetiser with the same ingredients (plus Lotus Stem too) was when had pledged to Lighten Up This Diwali With Canola Oil, and such a Tikki was prepared by Chef Jolly of Masterchef fame in a live demo. I was surprised to see this on the Menu and the fact that they had aced the preparation to an extent. Good job there.
  
  
  
• Bharwaan Tangri - Leg Pieces stuffed with Egg, hence Bharwaan.
  
  
  
• Lahsun Aur Sarson Waali Machchi - Minimally oiled, non-spicy, soft and succulent flavorful fish.
• Firangi Gobhi Ka Tikka - Broccoli tossed in White Sauce.
  
  
  
• Galauti Kebab - Simply melt-in-mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
• Dahi Ke Kebab - Yoghurt was on a high with this - had to be.
• Parde Wali Raan - Authentic lamb preparation

All the curries were most loved and neatly presented. We had the following:

• Sabzi Makkhanwali
• Dadisa's Desi Murgh
• Dal Janpath
• Dum Aloo Banarasi
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Accompanying the curries and gravies were:

• Kathal  Biryani
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Bread Basket

And, we rounded up a filling meal with quintessential desserts:

• Phirni
  
  
  

  
• Gajar Ka Halwa

All the savoury and sweet dishes were on point with their flavour and preparation factor. The presentation was also nice. The drinks, namely Kokum Sharbat and Nectarine Mojito could have been better prepared, as they lacked a bit with their flavours.

That being said, I am definitely coming back to Janpath Grill House, solely because they have aced their ambience, decor, and taste game. :)

Superfoods At India International Trade Fair

The Trade Fair at Pragati Maidan is one of the crowd-puller events in Delhi each year. This year, however, my visit to India International Trade Fair 2016 came about as a consequence of the 'Launch of Superfoods by CFTRI at Trade Fair of India'.

A number of prominent personalities from CLRI were present. The showcasing of a range of Superfoods came along with many important tidbits of information as takeaways. CFTRI is a pioneer institution in India incorporating new technologies in food and nutrition. The organisation has developed some wonderful and innovative products having high nutritional value. These products were on display at CFTRI stall at Pragati Maidan. Some of these breakthrough products are:

• Chia and Quinoa based Chocolates and Laddoos 
• Omega-3 enriched ice-cream
• Multigrain banana bar
• Fruit juice-based carbonated drinks

Under the umbrella of CSIR, its premier national institute for food technology, Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) exhibited a range of new agri-products. In fact, these products are  now grown in India. These products are called 'Superfoods' because of their nutritional power.

These Superfoods present a way to incorporate the  best practices in health and nutrition to everyday eating and living to the common man.  The launch came with a bundle of insightful surprises that were highly impressive in terms of knowledge imparted about them. Rather these products have a wide range and scope of their utility and potency.

As a matter of fact, the whole nation is going through a transition in the field of nutrition. Because of rapidly changing lifestyles, there is a tremendous increase in health issues like diabetes, impaired heart health and obesity. In fact,  there is still rampant malnutrition in the nation. Due to these issues prevailing at large CSIR-CFTRI decided to introduce an effective solution needed to address these concerns and thus bring 'Superfoods' to the Indian audience.

Superfoods have been introduced after thorough research on various facets of food technology, food processing, advanced nutrition, superfoods and allied sciences. Superfoods are foods which have significant and superior nutrition values. Upon regular consumption, they improve health and wellness of the consumer.

CFTRI has successfully researched and thus developed agro-technology for growing Superfoods viz. Chia and Quinoa in Indian conditions. Chia is known to be the richest source of omega-3 fats from a vegetarian source. Similarly, Quinoa contains excellent protein quality and low glycemic load carbohydrates. As a result of this, Chia and Quinoa have a great capability to improve population health.

Prof. Ram Rajasekharan, Director, CFTRI said:

“Our mandate is to find innovative solutions to India agricultural and nutritional challenges. Our aim is to develop products to make Indian agriculture productive, efficient and at a consumer level gradually replace drugs with foods that will promote better health and wellness. We strive to deliver our best in improving food security and nutrition security, also developing a stronger, smarter and healthier India”.

The launch was a hit with consumers being drawn in large numbers to witness the innovative products displayed. Here's hoping that they make their way to the market soon! :)

Gastronomic Delights At This Jungle...

Jungle Jamboree, located in Connaught Place is a wilderness hideout. It's a wild world out there, but with sobriety in their food and a knack for on-spot service up their sleeve, this Jungle is here to delight. I had a chance to visit this outlet of Jungle Jamboree on a dinner spree earlier this month.

While their life-size mascot statuette reminded me of Commonwealth Games' Shera and Baloo right at the entrance, I was also reminded of Pai Vista's Jungle - The Restaurant, which I had been to, in the past during my stay in Mysore, that had a similar theme.

Jungle Jamboree incorporates the best of Mowgli's Jungle and Ariel's Aqua World on its first of three floors. It also has demarcated, the ambience for each floor.

While the first one is a Buffet, with spacious seating for catering to patrons, the second one has a dedicated Kids' Area equipped with swings, games and lots of free space to roam, jump, and hop around - basically have fun. This floor also caters to Ala Carte preferences.

The third one is a lounge which one could probably pick for partying with friends or family because Jungle Jamboree's ambience ensures that you have a good time, with good company and good food, not to mention light music that keeps playing in the background.

While there has been a mushrooming of party places in Delhi quite lately, in the food sector, Jungle Jamboree is one of the few places where you can see families having a good time with jolly, goofy, ecstatic children and banter over great food.

As for the food, patrons can either opt for an all-you-can-eat buffet or Ala Carte as per their liking. But, one thing's for sure - with a number of similar outlets as far as their food concept is concerned, like Pirates of Grill or Barbeque Nation - I've had food at all three places now - and Jungle Jamboree is a clear winner with their variety in food and bang for the buck.

What appealed to me was their concept of a seven-course buffet (Indian Chaats, Soups & Salads, Indian Appetizers, Global Appetizers, Indian Main Course, Global Main Course, Desserts, and Paired Drinks) with quite a lot of variety, quick service and good taste. While a couple of courses were duly served by stewards, rest of them were self-service to a laid out buffet. There was also an on-table grill for skewered appetisers.

I would love to recommend their Lasagne and Paan Shots and Ice-cream. Lovely preparation with the Lasagne, the right number of layers and the perfect veggies stuffed, while the Paan dishes were nice on the Gulkand flavour.

The presentation and quality of the food were up to the mark and I had a nice time. Looking forward to a second visit, next time probably to their newly opening Rajouri Garden outlet. :)

Learning Avenues With MarkSharks...

I recently came across MarkSharks, an App that is bringing about a complete transformation in learning and teaching. According to me, it brings a complete paradigm shift in the phenomenon, as Marksharks believes that learning will never be the same again. 

MarkSharks is creating a complete system that aims to teach secondary school students. To start with, it is focusing on Maths and Science. The innovative approach is to combine phenomenal pedagogy with the power of mobility. Students can learn on-the-go thus preventing waste of time. In addition, it creates a meaningful engagement and enables ‘learning by doing’. 

Although there have been many significant innovative advancements in Education Technology (EdTech), there is no remarkable change in the process of teaching worldwide. In fact, it is the same for decades. The main drawback of our existing education system is that it is mostly unidirectional. Whatever mode a teacher adopts, it is usually passive learning. 

The various modes are chalkboard, whiteboard, smart board, audio-visual broadcast on internet or offline. But it lacks interaction and seems to be ‘watch’ and ‘listen’. That is why I call it Passive Learning. It is like watching TV which is a purely one-sided affair. 

MarkSharks is a result of disruptive technology to end this unidirectional mode of teaching and learning. In fact, the younger generation belongs to the digital age. Thus they need to learn in a

different manner. 

Now there is a learning app evolving fast to help them. Students can use mobile devices to create there own knowledge mechanism. MarkSharks helps them in learning classroom concepts in a real immersive, multi-sensory, interactive, and meaningful way. And all this happens in a very interesting manner. So it is more learning with fun. They have games, simulations, interactive exercises, and virtual experiments. In fact, it is visually more enriching and is an interactive experience. And that too in a student's own style, as per their own convenience. That is what I call as Active Learning. 

If we look at the current learning and teaching mechanism, it is quite raw and mechanical in nature. Students easily get bored and dissatisfied. There is no fun. 

Students are of the general opinion - “I have to memorize everything that makes studying painful.” On the other hand the statement of a parent is, “How can I get my child to WANT to learn? I spend so much of my time and energy forcing her to study because I know that education is the only way to secure a bright future.” 

And, in general, an educator has an altogether different predicament to share - “Marks are important and my time in class is limited. So I just cannot devote the time and energy I need to individual students’ learning requirements. I KNOW there are students who are getting left behind”. 

MarkSharks, on the other hand, imparts a unique experience of learning that enhances a student's interest and speed. It provides a one-on-one experience thus introducing a personalized environment. This happens because a learner is using their own mobile device with a freedom of anywhere, anytime. It provides 100% hands-on and learner-driven self-paced learning experience that is quite enriching. There is CBSE Maths & Science curriculum for classes 6 to 12. The app is easy to install and modules are available for Class 8 and 9 on Google Play Store. I was able to download and install it quite easily. It was a hassle-free experience. 

There are features like voice-over and text in English which helps to grasp the concept intuitively. Since the content is modular, it enables easy adaption into various languages and curricula. Learn, Analyze, and Connect is the lifeline of MarkSharks. Learning is a fun because there are interactive games and interactive exercises. In addition, a learner can easily analyze performance in real-time. In fact, parents and teachers also have access to the same information. Connecting with friends in a constructive manner is another remarkable feature of this app. There is a feature - ‘Social Learning Network’ - where a learner can share notes with friends, request help from online tutors, and network with others on MarkSharks. 

You can download MarkSharks Class 8 & 9 Science CBSE content for Android devices on the Google Play store here. Also, you can watch videos of MarkSharks content being used here. 

I tried a few of their modules, those were available on Play Store. All the modules begin with this screen: 

Also, one can read the MarSharks story via the module by tapping on 'Our Story': 

Sliding Friction 

Phases of Moon 

Seismograph 

Lateral Inversion 

Air Pollution

All of them ran smoothly and an intermediate pace, neither too rushed, nor too slow. However, in the Lateral Inversion module, it got stuck at the following screen, for some reason. 

Other than that, it was a nice experience exploring MarkSharks, both as a learner and an educator. :)