MealTango

MealTango is a worldwide community that connects friendly hosts with people keen to experience local cuisine in a warm home setting.

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Onam Sadhya with MealTango

When it’s not a meal, it’s THE meal. 

Ona–sham-sakal (Happy Onam)! That’s what a bunch of foodies in Pune were wishing each other last Saturday as they headed for a heavenly, home-made Onam feast. Something about the meal made every foodie conclude – it was not a meal, it was THE meal.

An Onam Carnival in Pune, really!

You heard it right. Not in Kerela, in Pune; and not in August-September, in February! With MealTango, the Onam carnival came alive in its true spirit. From a lavish feast to the melodious Onam music, from festive aromas to radiant rangolis and other Onam intricacies rolling on a projector, it was complete merriment.

Where was it?

Not at a restaurant, neither at a function or a public gathering – it all happened at a Kerelan home! A time-tested MealTango host cooked a wholesome Onam meal and perfectly recreated the festive charm with every element reflecting the true Kerelan carnival spirit.

And who is this amazing host?

It’s Alice, an established MealTango host who by now is quite famous in the MealTango foodies circle for her appetizing appams, delicious dosas and mouth-melting idlis (a round of filter coffee invariably follows). Those who have known Alice for long have seen the specialist she is at Kerelan meals.

At MealTango’s Onam Sadhya, here’s how the fun began.

Tone for the day was set just right as enthusiastic MealTango guests were greeted with skilfully lined up rangoli (read Pookkalam) at the entrance. On stepping in, flavours of soon-to-follow-feast meshing up with cadence of the Kerelan culture, were casting a spell. It was hard to distinguish if we were really in Pune or in God’s own country, Kerela!

From authentic coconut-base vegetables and curries, Aviyal, Kalan, Olan, Injipuli, Erissery and Thoran, to the delightful ensemble of Vadas, Rice, Sambhar followed by Payasam (sweet dish), just name it and Alice’s lavish Onam feast had it. A suite of pickles, Kerala papads, Sweet chips, Salted banana chips and Butter milk added zing to the wholesome meal. The way Alice artistically served each dish on a Banyan leaf in some scientific order made it even more special. Surely a tenet only a true Kerelan would know or memorise. The banyan leaf soon resembled a colour palate of delectable home-made Kerelan dishes as portions of Achar (pickle), Mangacurry (curry made of mango) or Narangacurry (lime curry), Uppu (Salt), Puliyinchi (curry made of ginger, tamarind, green-chilly and jaggery) took their respective places. First course began with rice but not without a traditional norm. We were only served rice after all the guests had seated. A generous pouring of “parippu” (lentil), ghee, Sambhar, Kalan (strictly in that order) followed.

After the mouthful meal, every MealTango guest resonated – our stomach’s full, but heart secretly hankering for more!

MealTango guests were all smiles.

“An experience of a kind.. For an IT techie with a lobe for food there was no better way to meet new people over a lovely home cooked meal Kerala style.. Alice Aunty’s cooking n Saket n Neeta’s hospitality in their beautiful home was one of a kind experience.” – Viveck

“I liked your concept of having get togethers like the Onam Meal Tango deal organised by you. The ambience was very homely, easy and the food was very authentic. GREAT.” – Kishan

“Great Authentic Food cooked with warmth and love served traditionally, fantastic hosts, lots of history, new people, great house, lungi dance, munda and set munda, lotsa photos and videos,  laughter, and stories of precise directions and the scooter which never rode because it was still on the stand!!! Thank you Neeta and Saket for initiating this wonderful initiative… Wishing you loadsa love and luck for all your future endevours!!”  –Amruta

Feeling bad that you missed it!

For those who missed out on this awesome Onam fiesta there’s more lined up with MealTango’s special Kayasta Holi meal in the offing coming Saturday!

PS: You can also exclusively dine with Alice by looking up her meal listings under Pune. By the way, Alice’s ‘Steaming Hot South Indian Breakfast’ and ‘Splendid South Indian Fare’ fill up real fast! Grab the appams this week before they vanish.

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MealTango Holi Celebration

Click here  for more details 

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Worth a read.

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Cofounder Saket introduces MealTango and invites you to an Onam Feast

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How to wear a "Set Mund" saree: by Neeta, MealTango Co-founder

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Two days left for Pune's Onam Sadya

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MealTango celebrating 1000 likes on FB

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Day1: Onam Sadya Lunch ====================== "One must have the Onam lunch even if one is forced to sell his property" - a Keralan saying.

The Carnival of Onam is the most significant festival of Kerala, India. The Sadya meal is served on a banana leaf with an array of curries, along with traditional pickles, papadam and a dessert called 'payasam'. As the Keralan saying goes, almost every Keralite attempts to attend an Onam Sadya. Day2: Breakfast Food Trail Through The Old City ========================================== Join Pune Food Trails & MealTango on our breakfast walk in the old city and explore the traditional eating joints. Get the authentic taste of Pune by visiting restaurants which have been serving delicious food for more than 60 years! The trail will be guided by Jayesh Paranjape who is a quintessential Punekar, a hardcore foodie at heart, and who know the best and the most authentic places to eat in the city! No better way to spend your Sunday morning than walking through the old city and having breakfast at 4 different locations!

 visit http://mealtango.in/onam to book

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You’re Invited to an Ayurvedic Vegan Cookout‏

Ayurvedic cooking is a quick, effortless technique that retains nutrients, satiates hunger and allows the mind and body to experience a natural lightness.

Meet interesting people at this ayurvedic vegan cookout with Anuradha Sawhney at The Cultural Centre.

Anuradha is a vegan food expert. She runs professional cooking classes and has authored ‘ The Vegan Kitchen : Bollywood Style’. In this cookout Anuradha will show you how to cook vegan Indian food based on Ayurvedic principles. All dishes will be made with organic ingredients.

Every participant will be part of cooking one dish. And besides the excellent recipes, Anuradha will be providing homemade fat free organic snacks as well.

Venue : The Cultural Centre. Located in Koregaon Park Annex, Pune. TCC is a new space devoted to the people living in Pune from around the world, for their enjoyment, entertainment, and enrichment. Time: Saturday, 8th Feb, 2014, 11am – 1pm Cost: 1000 Rupees A limited number of seats are available. Please call us at MealTango’s concierge number [phone] to book.

MealTango Concierge [phone]

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5 Courses of Kayastha Deliciousness!‏

According to the Hindu scriptures known as the Puranas, Kayasthas are descended from Chitragupta Maharaj, the deity responsible for recording the deeds of humanity, upholding the rule of law, and judging whether human beings go to heaven or hell upon death.

                                   The uniqueness of Kayastha food is the way it is cooked along with the spices. The meat and vegetables are never over-cooked and retain their original flavour. Oil content is low, and so is the fat and cream.

                                                                                  Sushma is our Kayastha host in Hadapsar, Pune who prepares Kayastha dishes through handed down recipes. She has three hand-written tomes with recipes passed down the generations (she may show these to you if you ask!). Sushma also comes from a military background, and her husband and she are excellent at entertaining!

Enjoy this ancient, sophisticated cuisine in the beautiful home and warm hospitality of Sushma and her husband. We loved it too, when we dined with them last week!

Kayastha (Chicken) 5-Course Meal

Welcome Drink                                                   Appetizer Juice / Soft Drink                                                 Chicken Boti

Side Dish (choose any one) Kathal Masala (Jackfruit cooked in spicy gravy) / Kathal Korma / Khatte Baingan (A tangy eggplant curry) / Bharwan Baingan (Stuffed eggplants/brinjals) / Lauki Kofta Curry / Arhar Daal / Chana-Urad Daal / Moong-Masur Daal / Urad-Soya Daal

Main Course (choose any one) Chicken Ajwain (Chicken dish infused with carom seeds) / Chicken Shorbe wala / Chicken Chukandar (Chicken dish with beetroot base) / Chicken Masala Sukha

Accompaniment  (choose any one) Sonth ke Chotte Aalu (Baby potatoes cooked with Dry Ginger/Black cumin) / Kayasth methi daane waale aalu / Kurkuri bhindi (Crunchy Ladies’ Fingers) / Sabut mattar masala / Zimikand mattar sukha (Yam and Peas) / Hari pyaj aalu. (Tropical Onions cooked with Potatoes) Rice, Chapatis, Raita, Salad

Dessert (choose any one) Posht aur makhane ki kheer (Lotus seeds simmered in milk and flavored with nutmeg) / Chawal aur nariyal ki kheer (Rice simmered in milk and flavored with coconut) / Chhware ki kheer (Dried dates simmered in milk)

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Relish authentic cuisines and experience in home dining with our kick-ass hosts in town

This week, get ready to enjoy GOA with our awesome host Caroline in Pune! What better way to experience Goa, its rich culture and history than to dine with a Goan family. 

  Goan (Fish) Menu

Welcome Drink                                                   Appetizer Aerated Drink                                                     Prawn Chilly Fry OR Fish Fry

Side Dish                                                              Accompaniment Goan Vegetable Preparation, Rice                Green Salad, Goan (or assorted) Pickle

Main Course Authentic Goan Curry (a tangy and spicy dish made with fish or prawns) OR Caldine Curry (a yellow non spicy curry with fish and coconut milk base) OR Ambotik (spicy and sour fish curry)

Dessert Caramel Custard OR Vonn (a semi-liquid highly nutritious dessert) OR Pancakes Chicken, beef and pork options available.Click ‘Customize and Book’ to view.

Book before 25th Jan to get INR 100 off per person (PROMO CODE : MTGA14)

  Reviews/Recommendations received by Caroline

Felt like I am actually in Goa. The decor of the home, the food, the people and the entire dining experience was authentic Goan. Just loved it. Caroline and her family are very welcoming and there is loads to talk about travel, recipes and of course GOA!!! The Bibincas we had were simply amazing..ahh!! Just writing about it is making me hungry again. You are bound to experience the goan food and culture in the most authentic way in Pune when you dine with Caroline. A wonderful experience indeed. - Hiren

Caroline, the ever ready to eat foodie, is one of the best cooks and host I have ever come across. If you’re ever stuck for a recipe, Caroline comes to your mind first and as she finishes explaining a recipe to you, you can feel your mouth begin to water and you can’t wait to try out the recipe suggested by her – simple, quick and tasty. I’ve eaten meals cooked by her several times in the he many years I have known her – fancy ones and simple ones. She excels in her Goan fish curry, which, when you hear the recipe, you cannot believe that it can be so simple. Her fried fish is perfectly done, the right shade of fried but succulent. Her chicken curry prepared Goanese style, too is something to die for. Her Christmas cakes,especially the Bathh, a typical coconut-based cake from Goa, is lip – smacking tasty. I would recommend Caroline wherever and whenever food is involved! - Navaz

MealTango Concierge [phone]

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MealTango in Jagran

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MealTango: by Saket Khanna and Neeta Valecha

By DNA

                                                                     Bored of eating at the same old restaurant in Pune over and over again? Or, new in town and want to make new friends? Then MealTango is just where you need to log on. At MealTango you dine dine with interesting people in their homes. “It’s an opportunity to meet new people, get to know their culture, and above and beyond that – eat healthy delicious home cooked food from their region!,” says Saket, whose website has over 200 people signed up as members and around 40 hosts who have agreed to open their homes and hearts to food lovers to come in and dine with them.

WHY IS IT DIFFERENT?

Neeta Valecha, the chief of user experience and co-founder at MealTango, explains that the website has hosts from diverse backgrounds – from homemaker Neelam Chawla serving Army-style breakfast, to animal rights activist Anuradha Sawhney who cooks up an amazing Vegan meal. If you’ve never tasted Sindhi food or enjoyed authentic Bengali cuisine, there’s a lot of choice. “And what makes it special and different is that it is cooked with a lot of love by a home-cook rather than a professional chef,” says Neeta. Cinzania Rodriguez, an interior designer, who is listed as a host on the website for Goan cuisine says, “The concept of inviting strangers home for a meal had my family thinking that I‘m crazy. All inhibitions aside, I gave it a try and opened my doors three times to host guests through MealTango. Each time, I ended up meeting lovely people and having great conversations.” So whether you’re craving ‘Ghar Ka Khaana’ or simply want to go beyond the usual commercial eateries, MealTango is a delicious dotcom.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

On www.mealtango.com guests can simply search for hosts in their city, and can see details of what’s on offer. They can book a meal based on their host’s availability and convenience of dates. The cost per meal ranges from Rs 150 onwards. They need to then fill out some details including details about themselves, number of people who will be dining, if they will be bringing a pet or child along with diet preference and restrictions if any (diabetic, food allergies, less spicy etc) so that the host can prepare the meal accordingly. They then have to make an online payment. A host has a right to accept or reject a request too.

-Preeti Devnani

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Curries And Conversations

By The Indian Express

MealTango gives foodies and travelers the opportunity to experience different cultures and meet interesting people over dinner.                         

                             It’s the first dinner she is hosting after signing up for MealTango, but Niyati Gurjar handles it like a pro. Within minutes of arrival, the guest is welcomed with a delicious concoction of black currant and lychee with a dash of lime. Masala Puri as an appetiser soon follows. For the main course, in keeping with the Gujarati cuisine theme, she offers pulao with Gujarati kadhi and fresh fruit salad topped with raspberry jelly is served for dessert. What makes the dinner memorable, however, is the way 28-year-old Gurjar swaps stories and engages in conversation, carefully avoiding any possible awkward silences — making the guest, otherwise a rank stranger, feel like an old friend.

The idea of playing host to strangers looking to experience a multitude of cultures and cuisines is what prompted Gurjar, a media professional, to sign up for MealTango, an online venture started by Saket Khanna (32) and wife Neeta Valecha (30). It’s a network that allows people — often travellers — to get acquainted with regional flavours and cuisines over meals hosted by locals. With a reach in more than 20 cities across the world, the options vary from an American barbecue in Miami to gourmet albeit home-cooked Indian meals.

“When Neeta joined me in the UK after our marriage in early 2012, friends and acquaintances would make a beeline for a meal at our home. It made us realise that real foodies relish home-cooked food more than the restaurant fare,” recounts Saket. The couple quit their corporate jobs and moved to Pune a year ago to set up MealTango. With a team of 13, MealTango has got 70 people to list as hosts in less than two months, with interesting options such as a Maharashtrian Thali meal at a farm in Pune or a speedboat ride to Alibaug for a feast by the pool.

                         The website allows both hosts and guests to create individual profiles that list their food preferences, hobbies and interests. The MealTango team then reviews each host’s profiles and discusses with them their reason for signing up before enlisting. In addition, payments by guests — they range from Rs 150 to Rs 3,000 per person — are handled through the website in order to eliminate any possibility of awkwardness.

Initially, Gurjar was apprehensive about letting strangers into her home, but MealTango’s extensive background checks and easy-to-use features put her worries to rest. For instance, if a host is not comfortable with the profile of the guest, he or she has the option to decline. “Some people can be judgmental or may not value the effort you put into making a meal,” explains Gurjar, who specialises in fusion cuisine.

A unifying factor that cuts across cultures and age group, sharing a meal can help mark the beginning of new friendships as well. “In the feedback, our customers often say that they felt like not meeting strangers, but old friends. A simple meal turned into a relationship that’s lasted,” says Saket, an MBA from Oxford University.

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MealTango in Hindustan Times

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MealTango: Dine A Dozen

By brown paper bag

On your last trip to Italy you realized that Italians don’t eat pizza for every meal, they’re not all working for the mafia and there are some families who don’t own even one Vespa. Alright Sherlock, we can help confirm one of these facts for you.

Recently launched startup MealTango takes you right into the home of a local for a meal so you can break bread, make friends and ask questions. Just don’t jump the gun.

Stuffed?

Brainchild of husband and wife Saket Khanna and Neeta Valecha, MealTango was born  when the couple realised that their friends enjoyed Indian food at their London home far more than at any Indian restaurant in the city. They thus decided to build a platform that introduces travelers to local hosts in a bunch of cities, who will feed you an authentic meal inside their homes. All you have to do is key in the city of your choice and look up the profile of your host online, where they list the kind of meal they can offer along with their hobbies. Pick a host, drop them a personalized message and once the invitation is accepted by both parties, the date is set.

What kind of food will the MealTango hosts serve? Local cuisine which keeps your dietary preferences in mind. One host in Pune makes authentic appams, for instance, better than any South Indian restaurant in the city! If you’d rather just take a day trip to Alibaugh, hop into another host’s  speed boat which will to pick you up from Bombay, take you to Alibaugh where you share a wonderful meal and drop you back. No tipping.

Two To Tango

You can also sign up to be a host with MealTango. The only criteria for hosting is to have a deep love for good food, provide a safe, family atmosphere for the guests along with a meal of your choice. Indicate your hobbies and interests (no, fire breathing doesn’t count) on your profile and  soon you’ll get to break bread with new friends.

http://bpbweekend.com/delhi-services/mealtango-dine-a-dozen Currently operating out of Pune, MealTango has a satellite office in Florida and hosts all over India. They soon plan to expand to other countries. That’s all, cha-cha.