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DUBAI THALI MEALS authentic value for money Indian food

What are Dubai Thali Meals all about then?

UPDATE DECEMBER 2022: NEW THALI LUNCH ALERT

We really liked our Andhra (from Andhra Pradesh state) style thali in Discovery Gardens near the Jebal Ali side of Dubai. It’s called GODAVARI and serves both vegetarian and non vegetarian thalis. Be prepared to wait for a table at the weekend. Definitely worth the trip.

VEG AND NON VEG MEALS FROM GODAVARI RESTAURANT ANDHRA STYLE

Nice place to sit and super grocery shopping at the nearby Flavours supermarket! Blueberry boxes for AED 3 and Strawberries for AED 6!

Dubai Thali Meals are from India mainly. They are a complete meal served to you in separate little bowls all on one, tray style plate. Dubai Thali meals are cheap as chips but hugely authentic, and very tasty too. They’re great for hearty eaters as you can often have refills of your favourite dishes.

Money Saving Deals DoinDubai Monica Kapila Andrha Thali
Andhra Style Thali at Shree Krishna Bhavan in Karama

Quite often they’re also served on fresh banana leaves instead of china plates. Very sustainable and saves water and laborious washing up.

TIP

Do ASK for knives and forks if you need them else eat with your hands like everyone else!

TIP

In terms of timing, if you go on a Friday for lunch (much more sensible than boozy, overpriced brunches) then get to your thali place by about 12 or 12.30 pm else you may have to queue.

TIP

Rice is typically served at the END of the meal to fill you up, again you can have as much as you like IF you have room!

TIP

We like the Gujerati thali (Western India style) from Rangoli in Karama most of all. Decent place to sit and don’t forget to get some fresh eggless ice cream from Govinda’s restaurant next door after you’ve finished your spicy thali. Try flavours like guava or custard apple!

MONEY SAVING DEALS DOINDUBAI MONICA KAPILA Thali at Rangoli Karama Cafe
Gujerati Style Thali from Rangoli in Karama

If you fancy making your own easy peasy vegan ice cream with just 3 ingredients then listen to how easy it is on our vegan ice cream podcast.

Just 3 ingredient vegan ice cream

Other Thali places include Venus Restaurant (Karama) Shree Krishna Bhavan (Karama) and Saravana Bhavan branches in Al Barsha near Mall of Emirates and Karama.

If you’d like seafood then try Dhe Puttu for your thali also Karama side of town. I still suggest you call before hand and CHECK they are serving thalis when you want to go. Often the a la carte items may not be available when it’s Thali Time!

Money Saving Deals DoinDubai Monica Kapila Thali Meals Venus Karama
South Indian Thali from Venu restaurant Karama

Expect to pay between aed 10 and aed 25 or so for a Dubai Thali meal

You can also get and should try South Indian dosas as well if you’re at one of these restaurants. We like the dosas at Sarvana Bhavan with branches in Karama and Al Barsha not far from Mall of the Emirates. Or you could go to Bombay Chowpatty at Mall of Emirates itself if you’re shopping.

A great alternative Friday breakfast brunch idea for the family. VERY REASONABLY PRICED TOO so treat your family and friends but leave your designer gear at home, it’s casual and comfortable style here.

Dosa at Bombay Chowpatty Mall of Emirates

Want MORE? Then follow us on @DoinDubai INSTAGRAM for more up to the minute ideas and do check out our Money Saving Deals page that links to the Dubai Eye Podcast

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AIR FRIED PAKODAS easy tasty authentic and quick perfect vegetarian snack

I tried these air fried pakodas for the first time recently and was so surprised at the very good result! Try these air fried pakodas and forget deep frying them ever again! Great tea time snack these air fried pakodas are vegetarian and gluten free. I think vegan too if you’re careful with your spray oil. Fabulous for Ramadan time too.

Air Fried Pakodas
Air Fried Pakodas DoinDubai Monica Kapila almost ready
Air Fried Pakodas almost ready

Ingredients for Air Fried Pakodas

2 medium onions thinly sliced

salt 1/2 tsp for the onions then 1 tsp for the gram flour and spice mix

3/4 cup of gram flour/ besan in Hindi

1/4 cup of rice flour this makes your pakodas nice and crispy

red chilli powder to your taste – I use about 1/2 tsp mine isn’t too fiery

1/4 to 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder

1 tsp ajwain or carom seeds if you can get them, easily available in any ethnic grocery store

Your preferred spray oil

I used Lurpack spray butter oil blend

Use spray oil we like this one from Lurpak

fresh chopped coriander about 1 tablespoon full

1 to 2 tsp of lemon juice

cup cake cases ones that can go in your air fryer safely!

Air Fried Pakodas DoinDubai Monica Kapila Spices box
Spices box use salt chilli and turmeric add ajwain or carom if you can get it

How to make them

THE PAKODA MIXTURE

Simply rub the sliced onions with salt and leave on the side for about 30 mins or so (don’t bother if you don’t have time, still works fine)

Mix flours, spices and coriander leaves in a bowl

Toss in the onions and mix well

add in few drops of fresh lemon juice

add a few table spoons of water to make a thickish batter consistency

Slice your onions ideally red ones like this

THE AIR FRYING BIT

Heat your Air Fryer to 160 degrees for about 3 minutes

Then spray your cup cake cases with your oil

add 1 spoon of pakoda mixture to each case

Pour the batter mixture into greased cup cake cases

spray well with the oil

air fry for 6 to 7 minutes on 160 degrees

Carefully turn over spray again and then air fry again for similar length of time on the other side, maybe a little less. This Air Fried Pakodas recipe has been adapted from www.secondrecipe.com

Fresh chopped coriander or fresh baby spinach

All air fryers work a bit differently, but I use the Ninja Air Fryer, I have one in Dubai and one in our home in London where my grown up kids live, they love it too! See the link below to find out more. Ninja Air Fryer AF100, Roast, Reheat, Dehydrate, 3.8 Litres, 1550 Watts, Grey and Black

Check out more Air Fryer Recipes that work well

AIR FRYER AUBERGINES AIR FRYER GALLERY
More AIr Fryer recipes here

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ERICS DUBAI

Welcome to Erics Dubai. A mainly Goan, seafood restaurant serving tasty, reasonably priced food in a new branch in Al Safa Dubai.

rava fish fry

Erics Dubai has opened a NEW BRANCH in Al Safa

Is it just Goan food at Erics Dubai

No, not at all, you can sample some great Indo Chinese style food and some regular North Indian curries, all made to a high standard. But the restaurant does specialize in Goan coastal cuisine.

Where is Erics Dubai located

The original branch of Erics opened in 2006 in Karama and was just a 4 table restaurant, that’s grown up now. But there is a new branch with a lighter, more airy feel and easy parking too! The google map below shows you where in Al Safa the new Erics is located.

What to eat at Erics Dubai

erics Dubai al safa DoinDubai Menu Card

I have been twice now to the new branch of Erics and can recommend the following:

Start with some Potato Chops, a real Goan dish. Imagine small morsels of a spicy, minced lamb shepherds pie on a plate if you can. Only these are better than any shepherds pie I’ve had.

Or you could opt for some tuna cutlets instead of or as well as these.

Again a very home style tuna fish cake with the right amount of spice.

We also tried some peppery prawns that came from the Indo Chinese elements of the menu.
These would make a good main course on their own with some steamed rice.
Expect a rich, Chinese style sauce with spring onions and peppers coating the generous sized prawns.

peppery prawns
spicy lamb potato chops

Goan Style Main Courses

For main courses we opted for the classic Recheado style grilled prawns and a prawn curry dish again Goan style. Both were good and you need to eat the curry with a rice dish for sure.

The other main classic Goan dish we tried was the King fish Rava Fry. Expect fleshy, king fish steaks sliced thin and expertly coated with a spicy rava (semolina) type dry crumb and then fried. See main picture above.

I didn’t try it as I don’t eat beef but our table was raving about the beef vindaloo, which also comes with chicken if you prefer.

From the Mughlai Menu at Erics Dubai

Do order the Bhindi (okra) crisy fry, a perfect accompaniment to the prawn curry and rice. 

Sweets at Erics Dubai

We’ve grown up knowing that Crème Caramel is a classic Goan pudding and Eric’s serves a good one. But if you’re lucky you may get to taste some Bebinca!

A special dessert that’s occasionally flown in from Goa. Expect a number of layers of coconut and flour batter, cooked one layer at a time and sandwiched together to be eaten warm with some vanilla ice cream.

erics Dubai al safa DoinDubai Bibinka

NEW coffee shop concept at Erics Al Safa

This branch of Erics also has a new coffee bar and pastry section where you can just have a sweet or savoury snack and catch up with friends without having a big meal. 

erics Dubai al safa DoinDubai pastry shop

But you’ll enjoy your time and food at Erics whether it’s a snack or a meal. This review was written in collaboration with Erics but the opinions are all my own. 

THANK YOU FOR READING.

Erics Dubai Facebook Page
telephone al safa branch
04 3881222

Erics Al Safa is OPEN during Ramadan 2019 12pm till 11pm.

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SPICY BEETROOT CUTLETS RECIPE

Spicy Beetroot Cutlets

We were served these spicy South Indian beetroot  cutlets as a starter on holiday at Visalam in Chettinad in Tamil Nadu, Southern India. We all loved them, even the children so I asked the chef to do me a demo one afternoon.

spicy beetroot cutlets doindubai finished cutlet ready to fry

We make these regularly, they are a great accompaniment to any curry dish or you could have on their own with a salad for a light but different lunch.

Spicy Beetroot Cutlets finished cutlet

Fresh beetroot is extremely reasonably priced here in Dubai and widely available from the fresh vegetable section of most supermarkets and packed with vitamins and minerals. This is the only surefire way I can get my kids to eat this vegetable !

Ingredients for Beetroot Cutlets

  •  fresh beetroots, 1 large or 2 medium, peeled and grated like cheese
  • garlic cloves  3 or 4 crushed in a mortar and pestle
  • curry leaves  small handful of fresh washed 
  •  onion 1 medium chopped up finely
  • Small handful of fresh coriander leaves for garnishing
  • potato 1 large boiled and cubed

Spicy Beetroot Cutlets raw ingredients

The spices / flavourings for Beetroot Cutlets

  • 1/4 tsp of red chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Spicy beetroot cutlets doindubai spice box with curry leaves

For frying the Beetroot Cutlets you’ll need 

  • Plate of fresh breadcrumbs
  • Simple flour and water paste or some tapioca flour
  • Any vegetable oil for shallow frying the cutlets, sunflower is good

Spicy Beetroot Cutlet Doindubai raw beetroot

Method to make the Beetroot Cutlets 

  • Fry the onions till golden brown
  • Add garlic and fry into the onions
  • Add the curry leaves and fry for a minute or two
  • Add the grated beetroot and all the spices, fry for about 5 minutes
  • Add the boiled, diced potato and mix well
  • Add salt and pepper to taste
  • Leave the thickish mixture to cool for a while
  •  When cold, shape this mixture into small fishcake size cutlets or patties,
  • Dip into the flour/water paste
  • Fry for a couple of minutes on each side till dark ruby brown
  • Dry on kitchen paper, and sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander to serve on a platter

QUICK Reminder of how to make Beetroot Cutlets 

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