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ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH TZATZIKI

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Roasted Cauliflower with Tzatziki

2 recipes in one for this roasted cauliflower with tzatziki post! 

Have together or just eat the tzatziki on it’s own! Easy, very nutritious, has a Middle Eastern twist with the fresh zaatar and of course makes a perfect vegetarian main course. 

Ingredients for Tzatziki

FOR THE ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

Simply break into florets and toss in a mix of salt, pepper, olive oil, turmeric and a little chilli if you like. I suggest about 1/4 tsp of all the spices and about 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil. 

Roast in an Air Fryer or in your oven till golden brown. Don’t cook it till it becomes soggy! If you like cauliflower but not gluten, you may like our very popular CAULIFLOWER BREAD recipe. Watch the You Tube of how to make it here. 

If you like cauliflower but not gluten, you may like our very popular CAULIFLOWER BREAD recipe. Watch the You Tube of how to make it here. 

How to Make the Tzatziki

Equipment Required

Indian Curry Base DoinDubai The Spices
Use some salt, chilli and turmeric. We like Himalayan Pink Salt.

NOTE Here are the stages of what the tzatziki looks like after each little “whiz” in my thermomix. Don’t know much about the thermomix? Listen to this podcast to find out more. THE TM6 is the latest version of the machine. 

zaatar and cucumber chunks
chop them up 4 ro 5 secs in TM6
Pour in Greek Yoghurt and spices
MIx gently use spoon function on TM6

Quick Shopping List

  1. 1 med cauliflower
  2. Garlic
  3. Greek Yoghurt
  4. Cucumbers
  5.  Olive oil
  6. Salt and Pepper
  7. Turmeric
  8. Red chilli powder
  9. Unsalted peanuts
  10. Zaatar leaves

WE WANT TO SEE WHAT YOU MADE!

So if you make it, please tag us @doindubai on Facebook or Instagram or on Pinterest.

If you have a question about this recipe please leave us a comment and we’ll get right back to you.

browse our gallery for home cooked restaurant style recipes

click to go to our recipes gallery
Cooking Lessons in London Sauce by the Langham Monica Kapila
Monica Kapila
Chef at DoinDubai

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Blueberry Scones without eggs

Blueberry socnes without eggs doindubai

 

MOTIVATION

Cook something from scratch and eat fresh today. Establish a routine for every day that incorporates cooking, connecting and chilling!

 

Quick Question...?

Where do you look for inspiration for what to cook for dinner? Please leave me a comment. 

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EASY CHOCOLATE MOUSSE Ramadan Recipe

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Easy Chocolate Mousse Ramadan Recipe

Easy Chocolate Mousse

We have added some rose water, coffee and made a simple blend of local dried Arabic floral herbs and nuts. This gives the easy chocolate mousse a restaurant feel and makes it perfect for a ramadan recipe.

Some people call me a Recipe Disruptor! 

RECIPE WILL BE SUITABLE FOR THERMOMIX METHOD AND FOR NON THERMOMIX USERS TOO. 

easy chocolate mousse doindubai pink plate with orchid

Ingredients

How to Make

Equipment Required

NOTE The original recipe was adapted from a THERMOMIX basic cookbook recipe which I then adapted using inspiration from an account on instagram called Foodfunk1

easy chocolate mousse floral blend whizzed up doindubai

Quick Shopping List

  1. chocolate bars 2 of 200 grams each
  2. sugar 
  3. milk
  4. eggs
  5. coffee
  6. rosewater
  7. dried floral herbs
  8. pistachios

It’s really easy getting your ingredients from El Grocer if you live in Dubai. Here’s the El Grocer supermarket delivery app. They have an offer on till 9th of April where there is NO DELIVERY FEE AND NO MINIMUM ORDER QUANTITY either from certain outlets! So if you need just 1 or 2 ingredients it’s great!

easy chocolate mousse containers doindubai

This post was written in conjunction with El Grocer – the largest supermarket delivery app in the UAE. 

easy chocolate mousse recipe doindubai

WE WANT TO SEE WHAT YOU MADE!

So if you make it, please tag us @doindubai on Facebook or Instagram or on Pinterest.

If you have a question about this recipe please leave us a comment and we’ll get right back to you.

browse our gallery for home cooked restaurant style recipes

click to go to our recipes gallery

 

MOTIVATION

Choose to do a task you can finish TODAY.

Don’t get distracted. 

quick question

DO YOU GO TO A RECIPE BOOK, YOU TUBE, THE WEB OR SOMEWHERE ELSE TO FIND A RECIPE YOU HAVEN’T MADE BEFORE?

 LET ME KNOW IN A COMMENT BELOW PLEASE

THANKS Monica. 

Cooking Lessons in London Sauce by the Langham Monica Kapila
Monica Kapila
Chef at DoinDubai
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WATCH THIS CLEAR INFORMATIVE STEP BY STEP VIDEO SHOWING YOU HOW TO MAKE SOME HEALTHY SPRING ROLLS 5 mins

NOTE It’s really easy to make a dipping sauce based on the ingredients you have. Keep soya sauce, chilli flakes and a little sesame oil in your store cupboard. Add Fish sauce if you’re ok with that. The above together with some fresh lemon or lime juice can see you through most sauce and marinade needs! 

EASY PEASY VEGAN
PREPARE BEFORE YOU START
PLACE IN DIFFERENT SECTIONS
BLUE DRAGON OR THAI CHOICE

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THERMOMIX IN DUBAI

I found out all about the thermomix in Dubai this week (Feb 2017).  Listen now to the Updated Review (Feb 2021) in the Monic Moments Podcasts.

Thermomix is a kitchen gadget that weighs, processes and cooks your food. Read on to find out what thermomix in Dubai is all about. It’s fabulous if you’re a creative cook, but it’s also fabulous if you’re not a creative cook. It’s great if  you can cook, but it’s great if you can’t cook too! Here’s why I want one.

Thermomix in Dubai making a curry paste DoinDubai gallery

What’s thermomix in Dubai all about

UPDATED 20TH MAY I have 4 friends that have thermomixes, 3 here in Dubai and 1 in the UK. They have very different family set ups, some have young children, one is an empty nester, but they all love how the thermomix makes feeding themselves and their families easier.

Thermomix in Dubai Middle East DoinDubai Blogger Event Blogger Bread gallery

The thermomix is about the size of a large electric kettle that sits in it’s own pod type housing unit. The “kettle” is in effect the mixing/cooking bowl that you use for almost every task the machine carries out.

The pod has only 3 types of controls, a timer, a temperature control and a motor speed dial – that’s it. The machine has been designed and made in Germany and new models come out about every 10 years at the moment! The newest model has just come out 2016.

Thermomix in Dubai Blogger Event DoinDubai Making MInt Lemonade gallery

What can a thermomix do that my current food processor can’t

One of the unique selling points about the thermomix is that seems to be many kitchen gadgets all rolled into one. So it’s not just a food processor.

  • It’s very easy to weigh ingredients precisely and continue adding and weighing as you need to without removing things and starting again. So good bye kitchen scales.
  • It has an incredibly powerful motor, the most powerful of any food processor on the market at the moment. So that means you can produce fine powder from the hardest food substances. This makes it easy to produce your own flours, sugars and nut combinations. You can then use these to turn into dough, butter, cake mixture or anything you need. It’s also very easy to process tough, sticky dates, so you can make things like these 4 ingredient energy balls in seconds!

  • The processing functions are quite comprehensive and sophisticated. So there is a special kneading mode for making dough as though you were doing it by hand. There is an emulsifying mode for combining sauces, as well as the regular blending and chopping functions of a standard food processor.
  • There is a unique cooking mode which again can be precisely controlled via the temperature gauge. We saw how simple it was to first grind whole spices like pepper corns and cinnamon sticks into a fine powder and then easily roast them in the same bowl by pressing a button. These spices then form the base of a spicy curry paste with the garlic, ginger and onion easily chopped in the same bowl.
  • It also works as a very powerful blender so it’s great for making any combination of fruit or vegetable drinks that include a bit of the zest or skin if you’d like. So it’s good bye smoothie and ice cream maker.
  • We saw the cooking element work to make a curry and a soup. It works in a similar way to how a multi cooker would work. It’s more powerful than a slow cooker though.  So goodbye multi cooker and slow cooker. But there is a non stick wok type saucepan that enables you to steam food as well. That sits comfortably on top of the “kettle” type bowl.

Thermomix in Dubai Middle East DoinDubai Blogger Event mango ice cream gallery

I’m not good in the kitchen so why should I buy a thermomix 

The thermomix also comes with it’s own unique recipe chip that very simply guides you though making a dish step by step, with minimal food preparation. And if you need inspiration for making fabulous food in your thermomix, we have recipe ideas here that you can easily adapt and make in minutes! This 3 ingredient pancake mix is trending on our site at the moment!

3 ingredient pancakes doindubai

And so many people have tried baking their own bread! Again very easy to do ANY KIND OF DOUGH in the thermomix!

Here’s our recipe for an easy Irish Soda Bread that doesn’t need yeast or proving time!

Bread without yeast DoinDubai toast and jam

Where can I get a thermomix in Dubai 

You can’t buy a thermomix in a shop, almost anywhere in the world. They’re only sold via distributors and Dubai is no exception. Call the thermomix office here in Dubai if you’d like to book a demonstration to see how the machine works or if you’d like to buy one anyway. The demonstrations are free of any obligation to buy. Tel +971 4 234 2520

Do say you heard about them from DoinDubai though please!

How much does a thermomix in Dubai cost 

The thermomix machine isn’t cheap. They are around AED 5000 or so. I think they’d make an ideal wedding present for a couple that are just starting out. Friends and family could put this money together for them instead of buying separate household gifts. Thermomix in Dubai do offer a type of payment plan whereby you can pay in installments. Do call them for exact details on +971 4 234 2520.

Thermomix Middle East DoinDubai Blogger Event Beetroot Energy Balls gallery

The thermomix is ideal for anyone who is maybe thinking of downsizing to a smaller home. The smart thermomix would negate the need of lots of gadgets taking up valuable kitchen counter space. Pay for it from the money you make selling your junk when you move.

Get it as a special Christmas or a Birthday or Anniversary present to yourself! My reasoning is if you kept it for 10 years, then it’s roughly AED 500 per annum on coming up with some gorgeous, healthy combinations for you, your family and your friends. But this month I need a new phone…!

What do other people think about thermomix in Dubai

We saw this special presentation of  the Thermomix in Dubai as part of an event I organised for myself and some other Dubai Food Bloggers. I’ll add the links to their posts on the thermomix as they are published. Keep checking back here over the next few days to see their views.  Always better to get another opinion.

Thermomix in Dubai Blogger Event DoinDubai Learning gallery

Here’s what Aneesha of OmNomNirvana thought of the thermomix.

MegsBlogged loved the thermomix, here’s why.

I love how Syeda of The Shaz World compares the thermomix to a tiny UFO!

Let me know if you have any questions about this post or if you’d like help with a free demo, thank you Monica.

More great recipes on the DoinDubai Instagram and Facebook Feeds. 

doindubai

doindubai

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GLOBAL VILLAGE DUBAI NOV – MARCH

Global Village a real winter activity in Dubai

UPDATE FEBRUARY 2021

So the pavilions for shopping and food are all OPEN, only the entertainment pavilions and live shows have stopped for now. STILL ONLY AED 15 TO ENTER, but a brand new feel to Global Village if you haven’t been for a while!  It’s in it’s 25th season already so Happy Silver Jubilee! 

What did we buy this time round? 

We loved the Turkish stall for melamine ceramics, dishes and bowls all very reasonably priced and so easy to carry too! 
Global Village DoinDubai Turkish Pavilion
The Indian pavilion is still good for shawl, but do keep bargaining and we like the food from Bundoo Khan’s Pakistani pavilion in Global Village. Try the lamb seekh kebab and naan! 
 
We went to the Moroccan stall also in search of pottery but didn’t find too much that we liked. I did buy this.. very reasonably priced and of course the tea glasses and pots are very pretty too. Good for serving little portions of dessert as well as tea!
Global Village DoinDubai Morocan pot

FROM BACK IN NOVEMBER 2015

Now it’s Dhs 15 to enter 32 pavilions and in it’s in 20th Season!  It’s opening to coincide with Flag Day too so that’s from TODAY 3rd of November till April 9th 2016. This post is based on a previous visit. No festival sales on in Global Village but go along for a different evening out while the weather is perfect for walking.

Experience a real Middle Eastern atmosphere with families enjoying a browse, shopping and eating at the various international stalls. It’s a big place so find out DoinDubai’s Top Tips for visiting Global Village before you go!

Global Village Walk

Top Tips when you visit Global Village Dubai  

Visit Yemen and pick up very reasonably priced rhodium based jewellery for yourself or as gifts. Sample all the various honeys on sale here, different ones for men and women’s health ! We also bought freshly ground cinnamon and a packet of spices for making biriyani rice.

Try Iran for perfect dry fruits such as apricots and miniature figs, also stock up on your favourite nuts from here, apparently the tiny bitter almonds and dried apple are brilliant for keeping cholesterol down. Sample some of the many types of seeds on sale here from melon to sunflower, all perfectly roasted and delicately salted. Do eat some of the shelled pomegranate famous in Iran as you walk around.

Pick up some pretty painted pottery at Tunisia and very reasonably priced coloured tea glasses from Morocco (use for tiny sprigs of Bougainvillea  for easy table arrangements if you prefer your tea in a builder’s mug) The funky teapots and tea glass sets here are identical but much cheaper than in a well-known department store in Dubai Mall.

Global Village Yemen Jewellery

We bought freshly made spicy soft cheese specially concocted and sealed in jars from Palestine, a great hit on savoury biscuits for evening drinks with visitors. You can sample an almost endless variety with flat bread twisted into tiny rolls before you buy.

Take a close look at the costume jewellery in Lebanon, this was the most fashionable and trendy jewellery on offer and at fairly good prices. Very handy if the little ladies are begging for multiple ear piercings, get earrings from here that reflect that look minus the extra holes.

Global Village Cheese balls

Walk through the India pavilion to get a feel for the variety of products on offer, it’s like a mini Meena Bazaar. I picked out some unusual black and beige semi pashmina shawls that are versatile enough to match a number of outfits.

Do not expect fresh apple strudel or anything like this in Austria despite the very authentic façade of the stall.  Do go to Global Village hungry, you can sample heaps of  extremely authentic food either in stalls, at the food court area (we opted for Indian here) or in more formal stand alone pop up restaurants dotted about the grounds. The Thai food is particularly good with stalls from restaurants owned and managed by Thais based in International City.

Global Village Shawls

Bargaining and Prices at Global Village

Apart from food do bargain hard for anything you purchase, especially if you’re buying more than one of something. We’re spoilt for spectacular fireworks in Dubai but the ones here are still special and happen on Friday and Saturdays at around 9pm.

Entry to Global Village is 15 dirhams for adults. They do have concessions for elderly and disabled people. Please note that it doesn’t open before 4pm in the afternoon but then it does stay open very late till around midnight or so.

Give the Malls a miss and tell me what bargains you picked up at Global Village, just off Mohammed bin Zayed road (previously Emirates road) past the entrance to Arabian Ranches. There is plenty of parking but it gets particularly busy at week ends. Dress sensibly for the cooler weather and the more local atmosphere.

There is also a funfair but DoinDubai doesn’t do funfairs any more ! As usual do Like and Share on Facebook and subscribe to DoinDubai to get prizes and discounts. 

Thanks Monica

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LOUVRE ABU DHABI What’s it like

UPDATE 14 FEB 2021

WANDERING WEDNESDAYS AT THE LOUVRE !  Every WEDNESDAY EVEING FROM 6.30 TO 9.00PM  you get free access to the dome.. 

you can see contemporary art works and explore a hidden roof terrace! There’s also a fascinating Sci Fi audio experience called We Are Not Alone that guides you to hidden parts of the museum and if you book ahead of time u can even go kayaking under the stars but that is charged at AED 120. The ART LOUNGE is also open where there’s a 2 for 1 beverage deal and an offer on a French Cheese Platter! 

The Louvre Abu Dhabi officially opened its doors on the 11th of November 2017 on Sadiyaat Island in the emirate of Abu Dhabi – the capital of the United  Arab Emirates. What can you expect to see at the Louvre Abu Dhabi? Image ofLouvre Abu Dhabi DoinDubai roof outside

Background to the Louvre Abu Dhabi

The name The Louvre has actually been rented out by Abu Dhabi for a period of 30 years from the Louvre in Paris.

Is the Louvre Abu Dhabi a museum or a gallery?

I think it’s both. It calls itself a Gallery Museum. The building itself is one those iconic structures that people will definitely make time to see. Architecturally stunning in scale and detail, the roof of the Louvre is probably its most distinctive feature. Inage ofLouvre Abu Dhabi Roof above water Its dome like structure seems to be made of an intricate criss cross lattice that lets in different amounts of light during the day. There also seem to be some electric lights within the roof that light up during the evening and night. This almost gives the effect of stars twinkling within the roof at night. Louvre Abu Dhabi DoinDubai roof I particularly like how waterways have been incorporated within the building so at some level it really does seem like the whole building has been built on a promontory that’s jutting out over the water. Louvre Abu Dhbai View DoinDubai

The exhibits at the Louvre Abu Dhabi

The Louvre Abu Dhabi aims to depict the evolution of mankind through art. Expect to see sculpture, artifacts, paintings and contemporary art displayed not by country or museum of origin but by theme. Themes seem to be designed to trace the gradual evolution of humanity, so the museum welcome leaflet actually says “Get ready to see humanity in a new light” Image ofLouvre Abu Dhbai DoinDubai Egyptian head You’ll see art connected to ancient fertility, early tools, man’s mastery of animals, music  and man’s connection to the spiritual world. So themes that connect us as humans. Image ofLouvre Abu Dhbai DoinDubai Philosophical thinking is also explored via art. Can you name these philosophers and their countries of origin? Image ofLouvre Abu Dhbai DoinDubai Philospher The art is drawn from the major civilizations of the world and incudes works from Egypt, India, China and Europe. Image ofLouvre Abu Dhbai DoinDubai map Exhibits are clearly marked in terms of name, age and where they have been loaned from originally. Some items are from the Louvre in Paris, but also from museums all over the world. Image ofLouvre Abu Dhbai DoinDubai Dancing Natraj I recognized the tall thin Giacometti figures from Tate Modern that we saw this summer in London for example and there is art from the Musee D’Orsay in Paris. Image ofLouvre Abu Dhbai DoinDubai Giacometti figure There is a section of modern paintings by well known painters that will be familiar to many. So expect to see a large Whistler painting, a Mark Rothko block painting – it’s not in the usual colours of saffron and reds, but brown. There is a also a Matisse, a Derain, a Cezanne and a Monet and a Manet, all representing some of the key impressionist painters. Image ofLouvre Abu Dhbai DoinDubai Derain painting There are also some very contemporary installations that include a series of traditional blackened cooking pots mounted on a wall. These are from Saudi Arabia. Image ofLouvre Abu Dhbai DoinDubai Cooking Pots from Saudi

Guided Tours and Opening Times

The museum is open every day except Monday from 10 am till 8pm. On Thursday and Friday it’s open from 10 am till 10pm! There are also guided tours featuring:
  • Masterpieces that introduces the museum’s most popular works
  • Architecture that explores how local traditions influence the building
  • And a Family Tour of the museum’s collection entitled My First Visit to Louvre Abu Dhabi.
Image ofLouvre Abu Dhbai DoinDubai African painting Adult entry tickets are AED 60 but the tours cost extra and last between 60 to 90 minutes. There are 2 places to eat, a café and a restaurant but we didn’t visit either of these as we had lunch before we came at the very good 99 Sushi restaurant at the Four Seasons in Al Maryah Island. That’s an easy 15 minute drive away if there is no traffic. See below.

Is the Louvre Abu Dhabi worth a visit?

Yes absolutely, for the building and it’s contents. It’s an important and iconic gallery museum. Go while the weather is good. You may want to combine your trip to see the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabai too. Or plan a longer trip to take in Qasr Al Sarab or Sir Baniyas Island. Both of these would be overnight trips even from Abu Dhbai itself. Closer to Dubai you could try the Eastern Mangroves hotel and spa, unusually green and the kayaking is great fun! Image ofLouvre Abu Dhbai DoinDubai black and white

Note that from the 21 December – 7 April, you could

Travel back in time to seventeenth and eighteenth-century France and discover the art, ideas, people and politics behind the creation of the great Musée du Louvre in Louvre Abu Dhabi’s first exhibition. It’s just also acquired Salvatore Mundi as of December 2017.

To eat in Abu Dhabi

You may want to combine your trip with a lunch at the very good  99 Sushi restaurant in the Four Seasons hotel in Al Maryah Island, about a 15  minute drive away. Louvre Abu Dhbai 99 Sushi DoinDubai Image ofLouvre Abu Dhbai DoinDubai 99 Sushi Soft shell crab maki We had lunch there and we also had dinner at the very lively Peruvian restaurant Toro Toro that is located in Jumeirah Al Itihad Towers, but allow at least 25 minutes to get there from the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Louvre Abu Dhbai Toro Toro DoinDubai Thank you Monica. Image ofLouvre Abu Dhbai DoinDubai Monica Kapila

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TASCA BRUNCH AT THE MANDARIN ORIENTAL

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TASCA BRUNCH AT THE MANDARIN ORIENTAL

THE TASCA BRUNCH UPADTED OCT 2020

THE TERRACE WILL BE OPEN FOR BRUNCH BOOKINGS FROM THIS FRIDAY 16TH OCTOBER. TABLES OF UP TO 8 PEOPLE PERMITTED

THERE IS NOW A DEDICATED VEGETARIAN MENU IF YOU NEED IT

PRICE OF ALCOHOLIC PACKAGE IS NOW AED 450 PER HEAD. 

There is definitely a seafood slant to the Tasca Brunch at the Mandarin Oriental. That’s because José Avillez a Michelin starred chef brings it to you from Portugal.

Expect a range of starters, main courses and desserts all served at your table around a sharing concept

The Food

The most unusual thing to eat was an Apple Margarita. Delightful! A slice of crunchy apple drenched in some kind of alcohol, we had a piece each but could have asked for more. This came as part of the starter section of food.

I liked my cod cake and tempura beans to start with and our fellow brunchers raved about the veal chorizo. Another all round favourite was the crispy aubergine in a yogurt sauce with pomegranate, we all wanted and got more of this dish. I also went on to make it at home!

We also upon prior request got a non-fish rice dish made with mushrooms that was a real hit all round the table. I actually preferred this to the fish rice.

The hot, fat, crispy outside and fluffy on the inside chips were perfect and how all chips should be, I passed on the wagyu beef strips though. The crunchy broccolini was well cooked and a great accompaniment.

Tasca Brunch at the Mandarin Oriental Apple Margarita
Apple Margarita and clams

The Puddings

Desserts were outstanding with some obligatory custard tarts as these are a Portugeuse classic. Expect light, buttery, flaky pastry and a creamy filling. A range of fruit ice creams and a hazelnut cream pudding complemented the custard tarts. All beautifully presented and demolished by our table.

Custard tarts and hazelnut dessert

Expect a range of starters, main courses and desserts all served at your table around a sharing concept so no getting up and down for a buffet!

The Drinks Package

I think it’s quite a generous drinks package as far as high end Friday brunches are concerned. There is a range of cocktails you can order with no limit. You are greeted on arrival with a choice of red or white sangria or a mocktail. We opted for red sangria and got a tall carafe of it brought to our table.

There is also red, white or rosé wine on offer from Portugal, no sign of those iconic Matheus Rose bottles although we would probably have been the only table that remembers them well!

The passion fruit martini was a success all round only surpassed by the Espresso Martinis had at the end of our brunch. The cocktails are expertly crafted by mixologists, so we really appreciated that.

Passion fruit martini at Tasca brunch at the Mandarin Oriental DoinDubiai
Passion Fruit Martini

The Ambience

It’s lively and busy at brunch. If you want a table in front of the pool and the sea, then you need to arrive early at about 12.30 or so on Friday. Otherwise you’ll sit on the side facing the Dubai skyline. It seemed a little less noisy near the skyline side, but you maybe nearer the josper ovens and so it might feel warmer. Service was attentive and platters of food arrived at the right time.

Meet me at the Mandarin Oriental

Get a feel of the vibe of this place. 

Prices for the Tasca Brunch

There are no Entertainer or Zomato type deals for this brunch, but it’s not too expensive at AED 400 for the alcoholic package and AED 300 for the non-alcoholic package. I’d highly recommend and definitely go there again.

Location

where is Tasca

at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Jumeirah 1

This review was written independantly of the restaurant, we paid in full for our brunch. The pictures are all my own.
Monica Kapila
Founder of DoinDubai

MOTIVATION

Start your Fridays with some rigorous exercise, go for a swim, do a yoga class or an early morning walk, then you can eat brunch guilt free!

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Another Mandarin Oriental Moment

Christmas tea at the Mandarin Oriental in London.

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BIRIYANI IN BARSHA

Biriyani in Barsha from a secret location. Is it worth it? UPDATED OCTOBER 2020

Welcome to the first MonicMoment, an honest, often funny insight into the real world of a Dubai based foodie blogger, starting with my experience of biriyani in Barsha. Digest and laugh!

BIRIYANI IN BARSHA DOINDUBAI LAMB BIRIAYNI IN A BOX
Our biriyani in a box from Barsha

UPDATE OCTOBER 2020

A delicious prawn biriyani has been added to the menu of Cinnamon Club’s Secret TakeAway Lunches! We LOVED it. READ ON FOR PRICES. 

I’ve had a message that there is one spot left for a Take Out Secret Supper Club lunch in a bag! Do I want it? Yes please.. we have to find the building and collect our Biriyani in a bag. Our biriyani in Barsha consists of  Hyderabadi lamb biriyani, vegetable yoghurt raita, 2 chicken cutlets, 2 drumsticks and a couple of squares of banana, chocolate chip cake.

Started by a girl just 6 weeks ago during lockdown, she now dispenses pre-paid for orders of the above meal from her Barsha building between 1.15pm and 2pm on a Friday.

Slots are booked well in advance so we’re lucky to have got this cancellation. No cooking for me this Friday! And thankfully Instagram acts as an instant messenger these days!

Who is Colin?

On the way there I am conscious I haven’t replied to “Colin” from the day before..We were filming a recipe from our studio home kitchen when my husband asked why I wasn’t answering my phone! His colleague has a mate who is trying to deliver something to our home!  What mate, what is going to be delivered? 

Enter Colin.. who would really appreciate some very honest feedback on some new foodie ideas he’s been working on. He’s heard I am the person to give him this! 

I met Colin who gave me a mixed fruit tart, a mango tart and 2 generous portions of saffron milk cake. We just have time for a quick conversation at this stage, but Kevin is someone who has time on his hands and loves to cook. 

BIRIYANI IN BARSHA DOINDUBAI MANGO TART

He doesn’t know what to charge for the puddings, neither does he have an instagram for this venture.  But he has been spurred on by his existing keto bread orders. We agreed to chat later but at least I managed to take some pretty shots to provide him some inspo for instagram.  I’m concerned I may have scared him by asking what his USP was, vegan, value or something else? 

BIRIYANI IN BARSHA DOINDUBAI MIXED FRUIT TART
Colin's Mixed Fruit Tart

How do you halve 5 eggs?

My mind thought back to the cauliflower bread we made for the first time earlier that week. We managed to film most of the recipe, but because I didn’t want to make a large quantity, I halved the cauliflower, but HOW TO HALVE 5 eggs? Use 3? There is a way! How to Halve 5 Eggs

The mixture ended up being a bit “wet” compared to the recipe, we added some moong daal sprouts and although the intention of using the egg white for a pisco sour was a noble one, we didn’t bother in the end.

We also added cumin, because if you’re Indian, you’ll know we always add cumin to cauliflower and some turmeric, because it looks nice and we wanted that golden colour on our bread. The result merited an immediate Instagram story. That proved very, very popular. Successful Story thanks to a cauli!

Bridge and bread

We had agreed as a one off to play our on line bridge game on Friday afternoon (I’m responsible for co ordinating games with Nairobi, Mombasa and London playing together) , perfect after a biriyani in a bag lunch, but a what’s ap pinged from my mother in law, the master bridge player, asking for the cauliflower bread recipe! 

Birthdays and bread

Friday evening was fun.. we were at a little birthday dinner at a friend’s house but most of us secretly wished that 11pm curfew still stood! The conversation went a bit like.. How are you, how was lockdown, did you survive, what are you travel plans and can I have the cauliflower bread recipe please?! As soon as possible. Except I haven’t written it yet! 

CAULIFLOWER BREAD RECIPE DOINDUBAI CAULIFLOWER BREAD WITH CAULIFLOWER
Cauliflower Bread Story

Biriyani in a bag.. any good?

Our biriyani in a bag secret supper club lunch meal from Barsha was good. The portions were generous and the food looked appetizing too. I was warned about the spice levels, but I managed fine, husband found everything a little too spicy though. We paid in full for our meal for 2, AED 150 in total, could have fed 3 people. 

I would have liked a vegetarian biriyani and baigare baigan, a Hyderabadi aubergine dish, which may be in the pipeline. ORDER VIA CINNAMON HOUSE DUBAI INSTAGRAM EXPECT TO PAY ABOUT AED 140 FOR A VERY GENEROUS PORTION. If you want to phone Mercy directly use this number 050 139 8140

BIRIYANI IN BARSHA DOINDUBAI FEATURE PIC WHOLE MEAL
Our whole meal minus banana cake

But back to Saturday morning  as I write this…. some neighbours coming for snacks and a catch up, desserts will be fruit tart, mango tart and some saffron milk cake.

BIRIYANI IN BARSHA DOINDUBAI SAFFRON MILK CAKE
Colin's Saffron Milk Cake

Did this Monicmoment make you smile?

Is this how you imagined a Friday in a Foodie bloggers life?

Let us know in a comment! We need your honest feedback, like Colin!  Next Monicmoment I promise the recipe for the Cauliflower bread will be done! 

Want the details of the Biriyani in a Bag Secret Supper Club location?

If you want the name of the Biriyani in Al Barsha supper club, please follow instagram and DoinDubai You Tube.. all will be revealed. 

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AIR FRYER CORN ON THE COB – BBQ STYLE

AIR FRYER CORN ON THE COB- bbq style

AIR FRYER CORN ON THE COB BBQ STYLE DOINDUBAI with butter and rosemary

Air Fryer Corn on the Cob bbq style

Cook a whole corn on the cob with a tasty marinade in a fraction of the time it would take on the bbq! Then cut the corn off the cob and eat as it is or try our suggestion of incorporating it into a tasty corn and kale salad. 

INGREDIENTS

For one medium corn on the cob

Oil for spraying base of air fryer

RUB MARINADE

1/4 tsp Salt 

couple of twists of fresh black pepper

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp red chillis in oil or chilli flakes

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

1 clove of garlic crushed

Additional ingredients

Couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary 

small knob of melted butter

squeeze of fresh lemon juice to serve

AIR FRYER CORN ON THE COB BBQ STYLE DOINDUBAI Marinade

HOW TO MAKE IT

Clean the leaves and fibrous sections off your corn to leave just the corn kernels on the cob

Spray the base of air fryer plate twice with oil spray

Heat up the air fryer to 190 degrees C for 3 minutes 

Mix all the dry ingredients for the marinade rub up in a medium size bowl. Add a little of the butter to the mix at this point if you’d like, but not too much. 

Use a brush to liberally coat the corn on the cob with the marinade and leave it for 30 m minutes or so if you can.

Place the corn onto the plate of the air fryer when it’s warmed up. Set it at 190 degrees for 5 minutes. 

Open the drawer then re coat the corn with a brush. 

Set it back on Roast at 180 degrees and add the springs of rosemary cooking for another 5 to 7 minutes checking and rotating from time to time

Once your corn looks your  golden but not burnt, use a toothpick or tip of a sharp knife to pierce a couple of kernals and check they are tender.  Brush on the melted butter at this point. 

Take out and put on a serving plate. Squeeze over 1/4 to half a fresh lemon before serving. 

Serve as they are or slice off the corn kernals and incorporate into a kale salad as we have done and highly recommend! 

 

AIR FRYER CORN ON THE COB BBQ STYLE DOINDUBAI with some kale in a salad

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
AIR FRYER CORN ON THE COB BBQ STYLE DOINDUBAI close up

An idea for an bbq charcoaly taste- UNTESTED

So I had an idea to add a piece of charcoal into the air fryer while the corn was cooking, but I think it needs to be a lit piece of charcoal that glowing with with it’s embers to get the taste? 

I haven’t tried as yet BUT I have seen lumps of smoking coal put next to finished dishes with a dome cover that’s lifted at the table and a distinct charcoaly smoky flavour is achieved. 

AIR FRYER CORN ON THE COB BBQ STYLE DOINDUBAI with some coal for a bbq taste

MORE AIR FRY RECIPES HERE IN OUR AIR FRYER RECIPE GALLERY

Keep checking back here to see all our Air Fryer recipes. and let me know in a comment what you’d like to try and cook in your air fryer.

And follow along for our ongoing AIR FRYER ACTIVITY on our dedicated AIR FRYER INSTAGRAM PAGE  BELOW:

AIR FRYER SIMPLE. 

AIR FRYER AUBERGINES AIR FRYER GALLERY