Tag: indian

Foodie Friday: Avocado lassi and fritters

Post author By Aleksa Rokvic
Post date December 31, 2021
No Comments on Foodie Friday: Avocado lassi and fritters

Today’s recipes come from Mark Best and Delcado Avocados. They’re perfect partners as a brunch appetiser, arvo snack, or late-night treat.

Avocado lassi and fritters

Rich and buttery, avocados are a natural addition to an Indian lassi – a traditional, and very popular, yoghurt-based drink. While the delicious avocado fritters are a perfect partner, rounding out a simple snack.

Avocado Fritters

2 Delcado avocados
2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup tapioca flour
1 heaped tsp baking powder
2 tsp honey
500 ml iced water
1 litre avocado oil for cooking

Avocado Lassi

1 Delcado avocado
1 cup Greek yoghurt
600 ml buttermilk or kefir
1 small bunch English spinach
2 tbsp honey
4 cardamom pods

Avocado fritters

Sift the self-raising flour and baking powder twice into a large bowl.
Whisk in the iced water and honey to obtain a good batter consistency.
Cut the avocados in half and pop the seed by placing your thumbs at the back and pushing outward. Remove the flesh with a large kitchen spoon. Slice each half into 4 slices and coat in tapioca flour. Leave them there for a minute or two to hydrate the flour, allowing it to stick better.
Heat the avocado oil to 180 degrees Celsius.
Coat the floured avocado slices in batter and fry until golden.
Drain on absorbent paper and season with flaked salt. Eat while piping hot.

Avocado lassi

Scoop the flesh from the avocado and put into a tall jug.
Wash the spinach with two changes of fresh water. Trim the stems and reserve to use as straws. Add the 8-10 spinach leaves to the jug. Add the yoghurt, buttermilk (or kefir for a delicious, slightly more acidic alternative) and honey.
Blend with a stick or upright blender. You are after a thick milkshake-like consistency so adjust with more buttermilk or a little cold water.
Garnish with the seeds from the cardamom pods. Serve with straws made from the hollow spinach stems.

You can use any variety of avocado for this recipe.

Appetizer, entrée

Indian fusion

avocado, fritters, lassi, vegetarian

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Tags avocado fritters, avocado lassi, avocados, delcado avocados, foodie friday, indian, snack, vegetarian

Art Homewares

SVÄRTAN: New limited edition IKEA range out next month

Post author By Amy Collins-Walker
Post date August 25, 2016
No Comments on SVÄRTAN: New limited edition IKEA range out next month

From saris to spices and semi-precious jewels, India is often associated with vibrant colour which is what makes the latest IKEA range SVÄRTAN so interesting. An exploration of India’s urban life, the collection is a monochrome affair that was designed by the Swedish fashion and textile designer Martin Bergström in collaboration with a select group of Indian fashion students.

“My idea was to create a modern interpretation of India and its heritage, a country with designs that are perceived in the West as colourful, golden and shiny,” says Martin of the textiles, paper items, glassware, ceramics and metal objects that are made in India too.

“When I came to India, the first thing I noticed was the light but then I started seeing other things. I saw the beauty beyond the obvious – the amazing patina of surfaces, the textures of walls and the patterns created by the monsoon rains. These imprints felt like the true India. Both abstract and organic, as well as modern and traditional.” Martin produced the range alongside 25 students from the National Institute of Fashion Technology in New Delhi.

An Indian fashion student at work on the range

The students derived inspiration from unexpected, seemingly mundane places including distressed walls and dangling cables hanging over the streets. The design phase produced over 2,000 drawings that were refined to produce the 15 patterns of the collection.

“Martin Bergström and the NIFT design students have found beauty in the unexpected. They have taken something you would normally walk by, like a tree, a shadow and even power lines, to show that beauty can be found anywhere. The contrasting inspiration from both natural and urban landscapes in India, has led to the creation of an incredible range that is all about small details and handmade touches,” says IKEA interior design leader Christine Gough.

The mouth blown glassware is particularly beautiful with its angular, imperfect look. The metal tray table is easy to fold away and features a gorgeous abstract embossed pattern on the top. The wooden side tables have a lovely handmade quality too – you could also use them as stools.

The SVÄRTAN sketchbooks contain thick paper and are manufactured by an Indian company that has been in business for over 300 years. The posters are our top pick – they come in two sizes and four different prints and slot right into an IKEA frame.

Shop the range in store and online from September 5, 2016 until sold out.

Tags affordable art, cushions, design, furniture, homewares, ikea, india, indian, limited edition

Recipes

Foodie Friday: Creamy coconut dhal

Post author By Guest Poster
Post date July 22, 2016
No Comments on Foodie Friday: Creamy coconut dhal

Today’s recipe is from

My vegan creamy coconut dhal has hit the jackpot. This creamy, coconutty, mildly spicy lentil curry, is made from some of the best healing ingredients: ginger, chilli, turmeric, coriander and garlic. Coconut dhal (or dal) is one of my favourites and it is surprisingly the simplest. It really is a dish that will cost you no more than $8 (if not less) to make for four people. A great one to make this weekend, freeze the rest for the week.

There are so many benefits to using fresh herbs and spices in your food. They can aid bloating, inflammation, high blood pressure, colds and flu and fresh turmeric is a winning spice for digestive disorders. The fresh coriander leaves are a high source of vitamin C and will be able replace any vitamin C that would have be lost during cooking.

Best served with flat bread, rice or freshly steamed veggies. Serves 4.

Ingredients

200g red lentils, washed until water runs clear
1 thumb fresh turmeric (or 2 tsp turmeric)
1 tsp cinnamon
900ml cold water
1 tin organic coconut milk
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 red onion, finely diced
1 red chilli, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 thumbs ginger, grated
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garam masala
1 tin tomatoes
1 veggie stock cube
1 bunch coriander to serve

Method

In a large sauce pan, add the washed lentils, 900ml cold water, turmeric and cinnamon. Let it boil for about 25-30mins until lentils are soft/mushy.
When lentils are cooked, add coconut milk and pinch of sea salt, be sure not to boil, but let it simmer until it has thickened.
In a frying pan add coconut oil, followed by onions and chilli, let it fry on a medium heat until soft, before adding ginger and garlic. Let it sizzle for a couple more minutes before adding the cumin and garam masala. Toss and let the flavours all blend for 3-5 minutes.
Add tinned tomatoes, stock cube and 1/2 cup water. Bring it to the boil then let it simmer for 5-7 minutes before adding it back to the coconutty dhal. Stir in well, season with a little more salt if needed and then finish with a good garnish of coriander.

All our recipes.

If you’re a food blogger who’d like to share a recipe on Interiors Addict, please contact us.

Tags by rosie, coconut, dal, dhal, food blogger, foodie friday, health, indian, nutrition, recipe, spices

Designers Furniture Homewares

What’s a homewares buying trip to India really like?

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date April 21, 2015
No Comments on What’s a homewares buying trip to India really like?

Last month, Shelley Boyd, founding director of leading Australian interiors wholesaler Boyd Blue, ventured to North India for her annual 10-day trip with employees Georgia Anderson and Elizabeth Hemlin. They visited the artisans and factories producing the handcrafted exclusive collections for Shelley’s own Boyd brand and to source customised hand-knotted rugs and product for Boyd’s 2016 catalogue. They also managed to squeeze in a trip to the majestic Amber Fort and a celebration with their local friends at the exquisite Bar Palladio.

In Shelley’s own words:

“The buying trips to India are always deeply inspiring and moving and I am, and have been for many years, passionately in love with the place. It is such a wonderful and diverse destination, filled with colour, magic and greatly talented craftsman. Whilst exhilarating, it can also be a frightening and physically demanding experience. The days are long with vast distances travelled on pretty horrible roads with drivers who have a different interpretation of “safe” to those of us in the western world. Couple this with sometimes uncomfortable conditions and the chance of a tummy upset and you can see why the journey is always what you would call up and down.

That said, the spirit of the Indian people and their constant optimism in the face of adversity certainly puts things into perspective.

Our trip this time was primarily to source traditional rug makers for Boyd’s new hand-knotted range, to view prototypes for some very special product for our 2016 catalogue, and to catch up with our key artisans, some of whom we have been working with for close to a decade.

As part of this process, we based ourselves in Jaipur and visited a handicrafts trade fair to help source new handmade product for our collections. This involved hours of trawling through stands, looking at product and talking to craftsmen. Some of what we saw was exquisite and some was what I would describe as less than inspiring! As part of this visit I have been able to hand pick unique and globally themed pieces for our clients, which will be available in our 2016 catalogue. We are very excited about what we found; gorgeous new hurricanes in glass, leather and rope, nautical accessories and fabulous timber and glass pendants.

While staying in Jaipur, we visited my all time favourite entertainment spot, Bar Palladio, with our dear Indian friends. The interior decor here reflects serious style and the attention to detail is breathtaking. The finely hand painted murals and enormous hand carved marble bar sit alongside an absolutely beautiful garden setting, and it was the perfect place to say thank you to our valued Indian suppliers. Catching up with the artisans we have worked with for so many years in Jaipur and continuing to nurture these relationships really makes my heart sing as we have worked long and hard to find the best India has to offer and are so grateful for these connections. On a previous trip, I had the privilege of sharing a fine meal with one of my longest standing suppliers in the private dining room of the Amber Fort. I was pretty thrilled to learn the last guest to entertained in this private room before me was Richard Gere!

A key highlight of this journey was the discovery of a wonderful group of craftsman in Bhadohi, a small rug-making village two hours out of Varanasi. The rugs are of superior quality and their makers use ancient techniques. We were so moved watching them cycle past us on their push bikes towing wagons filled with absolutely beautiful rugs. The Boyd Blue team and I are really excited to bring these rugs to Australia exclusively for our clients and are also really excited about what will be on offer through our 2016 catalogue.

All items will be available through interior designers and as one off retail purchases from our showrooms throughout Australia for Interiors Addict readers. We look forward to sharing this trip and others with you via Interiors Addict and our Facebook and Instagram.”

If you’d like the opportunity to buy from Boyd Blue’s latest collection, usually reserved for trade and wholesale customers only, please call your closest showroom and mention Interiors Addict:

Brisbane (07) 3254 0877
Sydney (02) 9331 0099
Melbourne (03) 9509 3332
Perth (0411) 135 533
Adelaide (08) 8363 6200.

Tags amber fort, australian, bar palladio, bhadohi, boyd, boyd blue, buyers, buying, buying trip, furniture, handicrafts, homewares, india, indian, interiors, jaipur, richard gere, rugs, shelley bord, trade fairs, varanasi

Interiors Addict

Paddo to Palmy pops up in Woollahra until Friday

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date May 19, 2014

Paddo to Palmy has popped up at 68 Moncur St, Woollahra, until this Friday 23 May 2014.

There will be discounted Moroccan rugs, blankets, cushions, pouffes, pom pom baskets, placemats and towels with the odd piece of vintage furniture thrown in for good measure. Walter G are also taking part, selling their stunning wood blocked printed cushions, camel tassels, lassie cups, lamps and tableware linens. There’s also jewellery from Rocket & Tess and Fedora hats from My Red Lippy.

Where: 68 Moncur St Woollahra (the old Jones the Grocer cafe – just off Queen st)

When: Until Friday 23rd May (10am – 7pm).

Check out Paddo to Palmy’s blog.

Tags homewares, indian, moroccan, paddo to palmy, walter g, woollahra

Homewares

Shakira Lima on giving her Indian heritage a modern edge

Post author By Olivia Shead
Post date April 24, 2014

Celebrating her Indian heritage but contemporising it with colours and materials that are on trend, Shakira Lima of Shakiraaz has taken a new approach to her latest homewares range.

Shifting from an online store that stocks other designers to just selling her own, Shakira has designed and worked on all the products herself, including screenprinting and block printing in her Melbourne studio. “What I love about designing my products is the creative process behind it,” explains Shakira. “I love the part where I visualise something and then need to figure out how I can get it to work practically, like selecting the right materials to print on, the colour mixing and adding the right trims.”

For Shakira, her ethos is simple: to have everything handmade and handcrafted. All her pieces are one-offs or limited editions, made using solvent-free, water-based dyes that have a low environmental impact. Supporting artisans is also of great importance, with Shakira having an agreement with herself to never bargain down the price of any item sourced or created in India: “I understand the process and craftsmanship behind the pieces created there.”

My favourite in her latest range is the Medallion Series Block Print (above), which comes on both cushions and tea towels. Inspired by the ancient carvings of a temple she visited in Chennai, Shakira designed a block, which was then hand carved by an artisan in India. Block printing in her Melbourne studio, Shakira juxtaposed fluro with a rustic linen background, achieving that modern but historical blend.

Shop online.

Tags blockprinting, featured, fluro, homewares, indian, screenprinting, shakira lima, shakiraaz

Interiors Addict

One off homewares, from India and Melbourne by Shakiraaz

Post author By Tess Ritchie
Post date June 4, 2013
4 Comments on One off homewares, from India and Melbourne by Shakiraaz

From one backyard studio in Melbourne – and a few in India – come the beautiful textiles that make up homewares brand, Shakiraaz. The collection of rich and colourful handprinted, painted and woven pieces are a combination of owner Shakira Lima’s designs and others by creatives she finds during trips back home to India

Both her parents were artists and her mother’s “sense of mixing old and new, sketching and painting” started her love for homewares early on. Even while studying a genetics degree, Shakira’s artistic inclination stuck, leading her to study textile design. “I’ve always gravitated towards art, design and beautiful things,” she says.