Thecardamompods Reviews

A great afternoon of fun cooking and eating

I booked in a class to go and learn how to cook some of my favourite Indian dishes with the Cardamom Pods and admittedly was a little hesitant but went with an open mind ready to learn and eat In summary I am so glad I went because the experience was fantastic and I cannot recommend it highly enough We were welcomed into the their and after some introductions were offered prosecco soft drinks also available and some snacks to get us started on our cooking adventure Without giving too much away we learnt how to make a paneer dish and also a daal dish along with rice and chapatis Chhaya and Varsha shared with us little tips and tricks that they had learnt over the years which I imagine will come in handy when cooking at home What I loved was the fact that the whole experience was done at a leisurely pace without feeling rushed with plenty of time for questions and the whole atmosphere was so relaxed Once the dishes are cooked we got to dig in and eat some truly tasty food Being Indian myself I am always so critical of cooking and compare to what I eat at home The food here was spot on no spices were overpowering and everything was perfectly balanced and my palette was treated to a wonderful array of flavours I really recommend this to anyone who is looking to learn a thing or two about Indian cooking You ll be pleasantly surprised at what you learn even if you are a seasoned pro in the kitchen The array of dishes on offer is vast and caters to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian alike

Delicious and informative Highly recommended

I booked this experience as a Christmas gift for my partner as we are both very passionate about food and love to cook I m delighted to say it did not disappoint The menu can be tailored to your preferences dietary requirements allowing you to select vegetarian meat or fish so every need or taste is catered for It also means that you ll learn how to cook something you will want to make again as it s something you have chosen yourself Upon arrival you are offered a bottle of Processo soft drinks are available and water along with delicious snacks and homemade chutneys The chutneys are fantastic by the way - so much so we bought a couple of jars to enjoy at home after the experience Keen to pass on the traditional home-cooked food from Surat their ancestral hometown Chhaya and Varsha talk you through the preparation of each dish offering tips and tricks along the way - we learned so much and have recreated the dishes on a number of occasions since It was wonderful to hear anecdotes from Chhaya and Varsha about their memories of learning to cook and family life My boyfriend and I were made to feel extremely welcome during the session Chhaya and Varsha were warm and inviting hosts allowing plenty of room for questions and genuinely took the time to get to know us As part of the experience you are given a pack of spices and instruction cards so that you can recreate the dishes at home with ease which we felt was a really nice touch They also very kindly boxed up the leftovers which was very much welcomed by my boyfriend as we got to enjoy the food all over again the next day I d highly recommend this experience especially if you are looking to try traditional Indian food that is truly authentic and as it would be eaten at home It certainly beats your standard takeaway

A worthwhile experience

Wow what an experience Cardamom Pods really took us back to the meals our families enjoyed when we were kids We both like to think of ourselves as semi proficient in the kitchen so we ve actively put off attending courses and experiences like these thinking we don t need them when in actual fact we learnt a lot In our 2 hour session we discovered all about the best-case food prep the cooking times and the tricks experienced cooks use to make that perfect home cooked meal The biggest take away we got was how to balance all the complex flavors that makes an authentic and tasty Indian meal We learnt about the aromatic spices that are being used the flavors that have been added by each of the ingredients and what we should be tasting in each bite We are both quite thankful to Chhaya and Varsha for their willingness to share their family recipes and the passion that they have for wanting to pass these skills tricks recipes on to the next generation It also helps that they are lovely warm and welcoming people We can t wait for the master classes that they re soon to launch Raakhee Rakesh 12 2 19

Highlight of our stay in London

As a group of 2 we were lucky to closely see touch smell and learn how to cook 3-4 different Indian dishes Lamb meatballs and chicken curry were absolutely delicious Roti was the HIGHLIGHT We loved that we learned a recipe that we can easily bring home and repeat At the end of the 2 5 hour class we were gifted 5 lovely Indian spices including home-made garam masala so that we can practice right away for the weekends dinner Chhaya and Varsha sisters were welcoming and professional The open plan kitchen was spacious enough to accommodate a bigger group while the cooking table in the middle created a friendly atmosphere Highly highly recommended experience for beginners and also advanced

Amazing experience Highly recommended we will come back again for the fish

Amazing experience Thank you Chhaya Varsha for a most memorable night we not only got to eat amazing food but learnt how to prepare the dishes ask questions about the process and best of all had a great relaxed time where we had fun and laughed a lot We also got given our own recipe goody bag with spices included As it was valentines day it was extra special in the words of Chhaya Varsha chocolate strawberries prosecco win for us Highly recommended we will come back again for the fish

This experience was really unique

This experience was really unique Chhaya and Varsha welcomed us into their home as if we were part of the family and showed us how to cook traditional Indian food They made it look simple and quick and the food was absolutely delicious The fact that they gave us the spices to take home was great We replicated the dishes at home and everyone loved it We really recommend this experience to anyone who enjoys Indian food and would like to get to know more about it and taste the real thing We hope to be back soon to try the other menus Thank you both for your incredible hospitality Ivan and Elena

If I could move in with the Cardamon

If I could move in with the Cardamon Pod ladies I would Chhaya and Varsha are beyond amazing I discovered this amazing experience about 18 months ago through Instagram now I have been three times each experience has been unique and memorable I have already planned my fourth visit Last night we went to celebrate my mums 60th birthday Chhaya and Varsha made it so special for my mum with her very own personalised ballon For the first time last night we went for more sea food based menu with delicious king prawns and fish curry I m not a massive shell fish lover but these prawns left me licking my fingers and reaching for more What I love most about coming to Cardamon Pods how much you just feel like you re with friends having an amazing dinner cooked for you with family recipes the way that their home is opened up to you makes it such a relaxing and intimate experience Indian hospitality is known for its generosity Chhaya and Varsha exceed this Everything is so well thought out you have recipe cards to take home and the spices to re create the dishes you learn I have done this numerous times since Visit four is already planned and I can not wait

A unique memorable and delicious experience

My sister and I thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon with the sisters at The Cardamom Pods The welcome was warm the food was delicious and the session was incredibly informative Watching our food being prepared infront of us elevated our meal to a truly memorable experience We would highly recommend booking The Cardamom Pods table and arriving with a large appetite and an empty stomach

Highly highly recommend this amazing

Highly highly recommend this amazing dining experience fantastic food and great atmosphere this place is a must go