Mumbai, India
When you look at an ‘exotic’ list of fruits in India, Kiwi from New Zealand is bound to find a mention. And this list gets another addition and that is the Sun Gold Kiwis. Sofitel hotel in BKC is hosting a Kiwi promotion till the 23rd June with a well crafted Kiwi menu infused across restaurants and they along with Zespri, the largest marketer of Kiwis in the world organized a preview of the same for gourmets on a Saturday afternoon.
Sun Gold kiwis come with a golden pulp and a richer and sweeter taste than the green variant and on the other hand the green ones have mouth watering acidity and a zing to it. With 2 times the Vitamin C of an orange and 5 times the nutrients of an Apple, this shiny leathery looking fruit is power packed and both variants could be put to distinct culinary uses. Gavin Young the Consul General and Trade Commissioner of New Zealand graced the occasion and happily scooped out Sun Gold and relished it at the end of his brief introduction of the fruit.
Chef Prakash Lopes the Chef De Cuisine of the hotels showed us some easy recipes like the Kiwi and Avocado bruschetta, the Kiwi Tam salad a twist to the classic Som Tam where Kiwis replaced tomatoes whilst Elvis D’Souza star mixologist brandished some of his bartending prowess whilst glassing out cocktails.
I sipped on the Kiwi Mania a Kiwi, mango and vodka cocktail with an Indian touch of black salt to it and was privileged to have Gavin’s company for most of the afternoon. We talked about everything, from NZ lamb chops and Salmon to Hawkes Bay Shiraz to Hamilton waterjets to baggage carousels. It was a fine afternoon with lovely people, good food and a pleasant acquaintance with a new fruit in the Indian market, the Sun Gold.
The Kiwi promotion is on at the Sofitel till 23rd June. Worth a try…and I bet the fruit would not disappoint!
Watch Elvis D’Souza the mixologist at the bar shake up a Golden Promise
Indian Gourmand 
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