Popular travel and food vlogger Balram Menon believes experiencing local cuisines is a surefire way to understand the history and traditions of a place. The seasoning and the ingredients used can offer hints on a region’s culture, he says.
It’s been a decade since Balram adopted travel as his “way of life”. Subsequently, the first Covid lockdown nudged him into food vlogging. His minute-long food reviews on Instagram became a hit.
“I used to travel a lot, and exploring food was always a part of the expeditions,” says Balram, who has travelled to 39 countries. “But, after the lockdown, I visited many places within India -- Kolkota, Lucknow, Hyderabad, etc -- and explored food specifically,” says the Kochi-native who is also an entrepreneur
Through his vlogs, Balram says, he is able to to reach out to more people. “Seeing people experience what I had to offer is pure happiness for me,” he adds. Balram’s vlogs are concise, and he blends history related to the food or culture of the people in the presentation.
“So, in my videos, I focus on introducing something new a place, dish or culture to the viewers,” he says. Though he still reminisces Ecuador’s popular beef curry and banana dish and Kolkata’s Dada Boudi biryani, Balram says an “out-of-the-world experience” that remains on top was in Mongolia.
“We were dog-sledging on a frozen lake, the temperature was about -20 degree Celsius,” he recalls.
“We didn’t have any food. So, the Mongolian natives dug a hole in the ice and caught fish. Using the dry bark of the trees, a fire was made. And then, within minutes, fish barbecue was ready!”
Vlog page: @balme24
Churro recipe
Ingredients
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup whole milk
8 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
vegetable oil to fry churros
Preparation: Combine 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup milk, 8 Tbsp butter, 1 tsp sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt to a saucepan. Stir frequently and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and immediately stir in 1 cup flour. After that put back on the heat and stir constantly for another 2 minutes to release extra moisture and partially cook the flour. The dough should come together in a smooth ball format.Transfer it to a mixing bowl. Beat the mixture. Add 4 eggs. Mix until the dough is smooth. Heat some vegetable oil to 370˚F. Keep the oil between 350-370˚F while frying. Transfer dough to a pastry bag fitted with a large open star tip. Pipe the mixture into hot oil and cut with scissors. Fry until it turns golden brown and then roll in cinnamon sugar.