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THE WORLD'S BEST IN OUR 2 ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
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2 BBC GoodFood NOVEMBER 2013
At BBC Good Food India, we believe in food without frontiers. A culinary
globe sans boundaries. This historic, border-busting edition is proof that
this is possible.
The worlds best in a single issue? The very idea seemed inconceivable in
India. We dreamed of it, believed in it and made it happen. On our second
birthday, Im proud to present The GF 25, some of the most important
culinary forces on the planet. All together. Right here. For you.
Imagine getting exclusive one-on-one interviews and recipes from
global giants like Alice Waters, Neil Perry, Kylie Kwong and Masaharu
Morimoto. And Indian greats like Imtiaz Qureshi, Ananda Solomon and
Jiggs Kalra. Not only did we pull it of, we managed to photograph several of them.
From chefs and restaurateurs to TV stars and cookery book writers, here are 25 icons that
have been instrumental in inuencing the way we think about and engage with food. They
are beloved trailblazers, the ones industry insiders imitate and the rest of us line up for. On
the pages that follow, they share with us their milestones and philosophies, the restaurants
where they ate their most memorable meals, the books and tools that changed their lives, the
incredible people they encountered along their journeys.
And the food. Oh the food. The 25 signature dishes from the icons represent
some of the nest cooking on terra rma. Think of it as a large birthday banquet,
a worldwide feast with the choicest dishes ever. Starters like Sergi Arolas patatas
bravas and Jiggs Kalras s Gilawati kebabs. Mains like Jamie Olivers rustic tuna
stew, Kylie Kwongs crispy duck in plum sauce and Ananda Solomons Thai red
curry. Desserts like Gordon Ramsays lemon tart, Nigella Lawsons tiramisu and
Jacques Ppins tarte tatin.
A few qualications are in order. This is NOT a culinary power list. Our idea is
simply to celebrate masters we love and their fabulous dishes. Weve deliberately
chosen a mix of old-school veterans and mavericks at the leading edge of food.
The sequence in which they appear does not connote their order of importance. Finally, the
list is neither comprehensive nor denitive. We happily acknowledge that there are many other
heavyweights in food. Thomas Keller, Heston Blumenthal, Abhijit Saha, Vineet Bhatia, Urbano
Rego. We hope to showcase them in future issues of GF f .
There are so many priceless gems in this edition. Like how Ananda Solomon opened Konkan
Caf after Thai Pavilion just so he could get a buyers advantage from his coconut supplier
in Mangalore. Or how the expletive-hurling Gordon Ramsay humbly followed orders while
learning to make biryani from Imtiaz Qureshi. Or how Ren Redzepi, the worlds No. 1 chef,
landed in culinary school because his grades did not qualify him for university.
No more spoilers. Dig in and get a rsthand taste of greatness.
Happy birthday.
Sona Bahadur, editor
Illustration SVABHUKOHLI
2nd anniversary
special feature
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We turn two
with a coup!
THE GF 25
Revelations (and
reipe) fom the
greats. Our bday gif to you! P 55
MITHAI NEXT
Introducing
moichoor
mouse and red
velve shrikhand. Swoon! P 46
CHIC CHIKKIS
Im nuts about this
months sensational
cashew and kafr
lime britle. P 12
What better place to measure out your life in coffee spoons or watch the world go by than at a
heritage caf? We find out what makes five iconic eateries across the country as special as they are
Kyani & Co is the oldest existing Irani
caf today, established over a century
ago in 1904 (its been in its current
location since 1909; for the rst ve
years it was located in Girgaum). In
the 50s, Bombay boasted of around f
400 Irani cafs, but today, only a few
dozen remain. In their heyday, they
were found at nearly every street corner
in town, often, close to a cinema house.
Kyani, in Dhobi Talao, is within walking
distance of Metro and Edward Cinema.
I would see a lot of movies at Metro, or
as many as my limited pocket money
would allow, and after building up an
appetite standing in the queue for a
ticket, like many others I would stop at
Kyani for a small, afordable bite.
The genteel caf is a monument
to an earlier Bombay. Kyanis
proprietor, Farookh Shokriye, is one
of the few third-generation owners
of an Irani caf in most cases, the
family is not interested in continuing
the tradition, given the low returns
and high overheads. In 1995, he
took over the reins from his father,
Aatoon Khodadad Shokriye, who
passed away last month. Within the
scufed splendour of Kyani, theres
HOW WE DID IT The ve cafs featured here are vastly diferent in character one is a European-style tearoom, another an Irani bakery.
The common thread that links these long-standing eateries is that they are beloved of the cities to which they belong. Each of these iconic
landmarks is an entrenched local institution, and is considered a must-visit spot for visitors to the city. We have handpicked writers who regularly
visit these cafs to write these reviews. They ofer an insiders perspective and share a slice of the heritage that is so much a part of every visit.
KYANI & CO
MUMBAI
Clockwise from
left: Bun maska
and milky Irani
tea; A weighing
machine is one
of the many
relics at the
caf; Batches
of mutton
patties are
prepared daily;
Writer Rafique
Baghdadi
at Kyani.
Facing page:
Chequered
tablecloths and
black bentwood
chairs
epitomise
quaintness at
Kyani
P h o t o g r a p h s R I T A M B A N E R J E E
The stuff of
LEGENDS
eat eat out t ooou out uu
spy py caf spy af s s sp af s sppy py caf spy
GREATNESS
CAF-FIED
Our tribute to
fve iconic Indian
eaterie is a feast
for the ee. P 132
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Chief Executive Officer Tarun Rai
Editor Sona Bahadur
Assistant Editor Amrita Gupta
Features Editor Vidya Balachander
Senior Features Writer Priyanka Hosangadi
Junior Copy Editor Khorshed Deboo
Associate Food Editor Amit Pamnani
Assistant Food Editor Kainaz Contractor
Recipe Tester Vishal Kolhe
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UK TEAM
Director of Publishing Nicholas Brett
Editor Good Food Gillian Carter
Creative Director Food Group Elizabeth Galbraith
Food Director Food Group Lulu Grimes
Head of Editorial Jenny Potter
Head of Publishing Chris Kerwin
Publishing Coordinator Eva Abramik
Contents
eat in
Inspiring, seasonal recipes that
work every time
28 7 MEALS FOR ` 700 `
A weeks worth of stylish
meals
35 LUNCHBOX
What to carry to work
36 READY IN 30
Delicious ready-in-a-ash
dishes
46 SHOWOFF
Mithai gets a makeover
55 THE GF 25
25 culinary masters and
their great dishes
ALL YOUR FAVOURITE
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46
ULTIMATE DISHES FROM THE ICONS
25 culinary masters share their lives and
ultimate dishes with us on our 2nd birthday.
Special collectors section!
MAGZTER
COPY
BBC GoodFood 5 NOVEMBER 2013
November 2013
eat out
Restaurants on trial and cafs
with character
132 CAF SPY
Our tribute to ve iconic cafs
143 PRO VS PUNTER
Le Bistro du Parc, New Delhi
eat away
Foodie holiday ideas and
recipes from around the world
145 EAT LIKE A LOCAL:
FINLAND
Whip up a true-blue Finnish
meal
149 BUDGET AND
BLOWOUT:
MELBOURNE
An eaters guide to the
Australian city
150 COOK LIKE A PRO
A ravioli tray for perfect
pillowy pasta
151 DO IT YOURSELF
Edible gift hampers
153 WINE GUIDE
Wines for special occasions
156 LIFE ON A PLATE
Actor Nimrat Kaur shares
her lunchbox secrets
masterclass
THE BBC GOOD FOOD LEGACY
BBC Good Food is the UKs largest selling food magazine with
a readership of over 1.1 million.
bbcgoodfood.com is the UKs most popular recipe site
attracting 3.7 million unique users per month.
The hugely successful iPhone & iPad apps have had over
70,000 downloads till date.
rst bite
54 SUBSCRIBE to
Good Food India
JUST A FEW GOOD PLACES TO EAT FEATURED THIS MONTH
Out & about
Bengaluru
6 OVER TO YOU
Reader recipes, comments
and letters
12 FIRST BITE
Go nuts with brittles
14 NEWS, TRENDS AND
SHOPPING
New restaurants, trends we
like and more
17 ON TEST
Salted butters and cake tins
18 BARGAIN HUNTER
Foodie events and deals
20 FOOD ISSUE
BBC Good Food investigates
entomophagy
23 WELLBEING
Wholesome cauliower
25 DRINK UP
Classic cocktails
26 WHATS ON
The months best food TV
145
New Delhi
Melbourne
Finland
Kolkata
Goa
Mumbai
BIRTHDAY
ISSUE!
2
nd
BUMPER
132
59
Legendary chef Imitiaz
Qureshi shares his
recipe for Jal Pari Pulao
Over to you
For top restaurant, recipe and travel tips, we ask you,
our readers, to keep us in the know
We love hearing from you. Email your feedback,
your favourite recipes and your comments at
bbcgoodfood@wwm.co.in. Lets be in touch!
Write to us!
Good Food reader Shivani Goel lists her
favourite eateries in Jamshedpur
BREAKFAST Time Out Restaurant
(+91 657 655 0468) in the Mango
residential locality is a vegetarian joint
where you can choose from crisp dosas,
soft idlis with piping hot sambar or the
mouth-watering club kachori with sabji or raj kachori and
dahi samosa chaat. Meal for two, ` 250.
LUNCH The lunch buffet at Zodiac (+91 657 398
8444), a ne dining restaurant at the Fortune Hotel
Centre Point, is always a delight. Its central location is
great for working professionals wanting to grab a quick
lunch. The spread includes a range of salads, chaat, raita
and soup, and vegetarian and non-vegetarian mains
spanning Chinese, Indian and Italian cuisines. Round off
your meal with Indian desserts or a choice of ice cream.
Meal for two, ` 998.
DINNER Awadh (+91 657 600 2444), located
in Sonari, specialises in authentic Awadhi
cuisine. The restaurant offers an array of
kebabs, biryani and curries prepared by
chefs trained by experts from Lucknow.
The vegetaria aan Nawabi thali, priced at ` 125, is a ste l. The Kacche Gosht ki
Biryani is highly recommended.
Meal for two, ` 750.
FOOD NATION Jamshedpur
HOW YOU PIMPED IT
Red velvet is a trend that isnt likely to die
out anytime soon. Pairing it with shrikhand
is certainly a novel idea, and I was amazed
at how the avours complement each other
so well. I substituted the eggs with 1/4 cup
of fresh curd and added 1 tsp of powdered
axseeds mixed with water. Since Im not too fond of store-
bought shrikhand, I made my own. I am denitely making this
for Diwali. Renuka Nadkarni-Hattangadi is a Mumbai-based
public relations professional.
Shrikhand red velvet
sponge
Serves 10 50 minutes + refrigeration
EASY
Recipe RACHEL GOENKA
all-purpose flour (maida) 220g
baking soda 1 tsp
baking powder 1 tsp
cocoa powder 1/3 cup
salt 1/2 tsp
sugar 1 cup
oil 1 cup
eggs 2, beaten
buttermilk 1 cup
vanilla essence a drop
vinegar 1 tbsp
water 1/4 cup
coffee powder 1 1/2 tbsp
red food colouring 30g
(try McCormick available at
gourmet stores)
cardamom (elaichi) shrikhand 500g (try Amul
available at gourmet stores)
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Line a 28x24cm at
tray with
parchment paper. Pass all the
dry ingredients our, baking
soda, baking powder, cocoa
powder and salt together
through a sieve. Keep aside.
Mix the sugar and the oil
together, then add the eggs,
buttermilk, vanilla essence
and vinegar, and mix until
well combined. Heat the
water and dissolve the coffee
powder in it. Add this to the
sugar mixture. Whisk the dry
ingredients into the sugar
mixture. Slowly stir in the red
food colouring to the mixture,
checking the colour carefully
as you go along. In addition to the
colouring, the reaction between the
buttermilk and the vinegar contributes
to the striking red hue of the cake.
Pour the mixture into the prepared
tray and bake for 12-15 minutes. The
batter in the tray should not be more
than
1cm deep.
Cut the sponge into 3 equal
rectangles. Layer the sponge with
shrikhand. Place the second layer on
top of the shrikhand. Repeat twice.
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours to allow
it to set before slicing.
PER SERVING 507 kcals, protein
10.23g, carbs 61.71g, fat 27.03g, sat fat
3.88g, fibre 3.46g, salt 0.2g
GOOD
FOOD
STAR
RECIPE
JOIN OUR TASTE TEAM
Our Taste Team comprises readers and home cooks
who try our recipes and give us feedback on what
they liked and what they would do differently. Write
to bbcgoodfood@wwm.co.in to join us.
over to you
readers write
READER RECIPE OF THE MONTH
Which of these
mithai-based
desserts do you
want to try this
festive season?
55.6%
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Mithai cheesecake
Lemongrass
panna cotta
kheer
Shrikhand
red velvet
11.1% 22.2%
INSIDERS
POLL
Interact with other Good Food
readers on Facebook at facebook.
com/GoodFood MagazineIndia or
follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/
goodfoodmagin.
The winner of the letter of the month for this
issue wins a Grand Celebration Hamper worth
` 4,900 from Godrej Natures Basket. The hamper `
comprises goodies such as Valors 70 per cent dark
mint chocolate, Guylians milk broken nuts, Ferrero
Rocher chocolates, Galaxy Jewels chocolates,
Planters whole honey roasted
cashews, Pure Heavens red d grape
juice, Waterthins poppy cracked
pepper twists, Poco Locos smoky
Texas salsa dip, Missions chilli
and lime corn chips, Jacobsens
assorted choco cookies es and Lindt
pistachio chocolate. TTo o wr w ite in
to the magazine, emaail l uuuss at
bbcgoodfood@wwm.co.in with
your contact details.
Dearr Editor,
It is aallways a pleasure to see how ee s a how hh ee h e se
well Goodd Food has customised Fo Foo cuu i omm ed ed ed ised
its Indian edition to readers so knowledgeable, ti bl bl bll b eabb dgee dg l dd d
yet adventurous enough to try something new
regularly. Kudos on the style and substance, plus
the excellent mix of local and global or is that
glocal? I am a grandmother now, but long beforre
these were fads, I have believed in light, fresh food
made from produce grown within a radius of
50 km to be environmentally sustainable. I would
welcome Good Food Indias focus on these, as well
as more on how regions all over the world have
traditional foods for specific climates and our
overall wellbeing. Soul food indeed!
Kusum Burman, Bengaluru
LETTER
OF THE
MONTH
The winner of the Reader Recipe of the Month wins a special gift
hamper worth ` 2,000 from Dalmia Continental Pvt Ltd (DCPL), `
a leading company of premium wellness foods. The hamper
contains an array of products from DCPLs Leonardo
brand, such as extra virgin olive oil, olive pomace oil, whole
wheat pasta, premium pasta, premium pickle in olive oil,
pimento stuffed olives, black sliced olives and two recipe
booklets.
Watermelon rind gravy
Serves 2-3 30 minutes EASY
Peel off the dark green part of 1 cup
of cubed watermelon rind and chop the
whitish green rind into small cubes. Bring
water to a boil, add the watermelon rind
and cook until tender. Season to taste.
Alternatively, pressure cook the rind with
salt for 2 whistles.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan, then add
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic cloves and
1 chopped onion and saut well. Stir in
2 chopped tomatoes and cook until the
sauce begins to thicken.
Add 1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp
coriander powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric
powder, 1/2 tsp sugar and r 1 1/2 tsp salt.
Add the cooked melon rind and stir well.
Cover and cook for a few minutes.
Finally, pour in 2 tsp fresh cream and
garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with
steamed rice or roti.
Mo Mo Mo Moo Mootti ti ti ttich ch chhh ch cch chooooo oo oo ooo oo oo oor r mmmmmmmmo mo oooo mm us us ss uuuuuus us us usse se se e sse se sse se e MMMM ti ti tii ttt hhhhh
Good Food reader Gayathri Saravanan d
shares her favourite recipe
In this issue
SVABHU KOHLI
Svabhu Kohli studied Film and Visual Communication and
specialised in print and graphic design at the Srishti School
of Art, Design and Technology in Bengaluru. He has created
illustrations for Ritu Dalmias cookbook, Travelling Diva, which
are now displayed at her restaurant, Diva Piccola, in New Delhi.
He has also designed the menus of Bengaluru restaurants
LikeThatOnly and Olive Beach. Kohlis illustrations have
appeared in earlier issues of BBCGood Food India, and also
grace the walls of the Good Food test kitchen. He has created d
our anniversary issue cover.
APARNA PEDNEKAR
parna Pednekar is a Mumbai-based author and travel and
estyle journalist. She has worked with
Mid Day and y Conde

st Traveller
, and her articles have appeared in Vogue,

avel Plus, Verve, Lonely Planet, Elle, Spice Route, Jetwings
ernational
and l Femina. Pednekars rst book, Strike@36, a

rk comedy, was published earlier this year. She takes you on
a culinary tour of Finland in Eat Like a Local on p 145.

NIMRAT KAUR
Nimrat Kaur began her acting career as a theatre artiste
and shot to stardom with her role as a jaded homemaker in
the acclaimed lm, The Lunchbox. Kaur, who has appeared
in several television commercials, is best recognised as the

girl biting into a bar of chocolate at a trafc signal in a rece
Cadbury advertisement. She serves up details on her passi
for food in My Life on a Plate on p 156.
JOY MANAVATH
Photography has been Joy Manavaths
passion for as long as he can
remember. In 2010, he enrolled in an
extensive 10-month-long course in
photography at the Center for the
Visual Arts in Mumbai and went on to
establish Joy Manavath Photography
in 2011. While food and interior
photography is his prime focus,
conceptual wedding photographs and
portraits are also part of his portfolio.
Manavath trained his lens on an array
of iconic dishes in The GF 25 on p 71.
RACHEL GOENKA
Rachel Goenka is the proprietor and
chef of The Sassy Spoon, a Mumbai-
based restaurant that serves innovative
European cuisine. She studied
journalism at Penn State University
before training under Rachel Allen
at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in
Ireland. Goenka specialised in ptisserie
at Le Cordon Bleu, London. She often
experiments with contrasting avours
in her creations. Goenka developed an
impressive line-up of desserts with an
Indian twist, exclusively for BBC Good
Food India in Showoff on p 46.
PUSHPESH PANT
Pushpesh Pant is an academician and food historian. In 2010,
his book, India: The Cookbook a compilation of more than
1,000 recipes was declared one of the best cookery books
of the year by The New York Times. A former professor of
international relations at the Jawaharlal Nehru University,
his writings have appeared in publications such as Forbes
India, Outlook, Navbharat Times and The Tribune. He has also
contributed to First Food A Taste of Indias Biodiversity.
In this issue, Pant recounts memories of New Delhis
venerable Indian Coffee House on p 136
ODETTE MASCARENHAS
dette Mascarenhas is a food writer and consultant based
Goa. She has written seven books about Goan food, and
currently working on her next one. Mascarenhas, who
s compiled the Goa edition of the
Times Food Guide,

the co-founder of the Goan Culinary Club, which aims
preserve the states authentic recipes. She reminisces
about Calangutes landmark eatery, Infantaria, on p 140.

AJIT SALDANHA
Ajit Saldanha is a Bengaluru-based author and food
columnist. Saldanha is an active member of local food
group Sapad Brigade, which seeks out ne food in hole-
in-the-wall eateries across the city. He promotes stand-u
comedy by organising frequent shows in India, and also

dabbles in theatre. Saldanha writes about his second
home, the old Bengaluru establishment, Koshys, on p 13
RAFIQUE BAGHDADI
Raque Baghdadi is a lm historian
and journalist with a wealth of
knowledge about Mumbais past.
Asenior member of the Press
Club of India, he often conducts
heritage walks within the city. The
recipient of the National Film Award
for the Best Film Critic (English)
in 2006, he collaborated with the
BMW Guggenheim Lab to organise
a programme to explore Mumbai.
Baghdadi gets nostalgic about the Irani
caf, Kyani & Co, on p 132.
RAKHI PURNIMA
DASGUPTA
Kolkata-based Rakhi Purnima
Dasgupta is the proprietor of Kewpies
Kitchen, a restaurant renowned for
its authentic Bengali cuisine. A food
columnist with The Telegraph, she has
participated in TV shows such as
A Taste of India by Madhur Jaffrey,
and recently, Rick Steins India: Search
for the Perfect Curry. She is currently
witing a book called Eating Calcutta.
In this issue, she soaks up the charm
of Park Streets delightful tearoom,
Flurys, on p 138.
first bite
Whenit com hen com When en ee es tothec es tothecrunch, crac runch, kly,
nuttybritt nuttybritt n les arejus les arejust thet t theticket
rst bite
news, trends trends, shoppinggg
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RecipesAMITPAMN RecipesAMITPAMN pesAM cipe ecpees Re Recip c ees es Recip ec ccipp ANI PhotographsJ ANI PhotographsJ otograp OYMANAVATH OYMANAVATH MANA ANAV MANAVATH A MA MAANNNAVATH NA TH
SUGAR DANDIES
These st These sticky c es hunks o unks of hardened
candy candy are traditionally tionally made with th
nuts and melte nuts and melted sugar or hon d sugar or honey. ey.
While the term hile brittle was p as popularised opularised
in America, al in Am most every cou ost every country ntr t ntry ntry try
has its versio has its versio h n of this crac n of this crackly delight: kly delight:
cup cupeta cupe cup in Italy,pasteli asteli in Greece in Greece
aand and d croquant quant in France. Clo in France. Closer home, ser home,
we knowit as k we knowit aschikki chikki.
Brittles add a Brittles add an excitin n exciting element to ent to
almost any foo almost any food on y d on your plate, from rom
ice creamsund ice creamsundaes to salads. aes to Turn rn
overleaf for s overleaf for six innovative ix innov recipes,
where weve up where weve up e w dated the clas dated the classic sic
caramelised tr ca caramelised tr ra car eat with every eat w thing ng
froma handful oma handful of kaffir lim of ka e leaves to s t
lashings of s lashings of sm laas oked paprika.
REALLY R
REALLY
QUICK K
Easyafter-workdishesthat come
together inaflash
Ready
in 30
Linguine with fresh
puttanesca sauce
Serves 2 15minutes EASY
Throwtogether this simple yet tasty
pasta dish when youre really pressed
for time.
linguine 150g (try Garofalo available at
gourmet stores)
cherry tomatoes 250g, chopped
capers 2 tbsp, rinsed (try Epicure
garlic clove 1/2, crushed
flat-leaf parsley a small bunch,
chopped
red chilli 1, nely chopped
green olives 12, pitted and chopped
(try Iliada available at gourmet stores)
lemon 1, juiced
olive oil 3 tbsp
salt and pepper to season r
Cook the linguine following the
packet instructions.
To make the sauce, put the rest of
the ingredients in a large bowl, add
the olive oil, season and toss together.
Drain the pasta and toss with the
sauce.
PERSERVING309kcals, protein 11.1g,
carbs 59.7g, fat 4.6g, sat fat 0.6g, fibre
4.4g, salt 2.5g
Recipe JANINE RATCLIFFE Photograph GARETH MORGANS Styling JENNY IGGLEDEN Food styling JENNIFER JOYCE
FINLAND
RusticFinnishcuisinemakesthemost of thecountrysplentiful freshproduce,
whichincludestart lingonberries, grains, mushroomsandfish
WordsAPARNAPEDNEKARPhotographsJUHOKUVARecipesILJABJRS
eat like a local
O
verowing baskets
of ame-coloured
chanterelle mushrooms,
mountains of tart and
juicy lingonberries, freshly smoked
Baltic herring, deep-fried sardines
stufed in rustic loaves of bread, crpes
oozing blueberry jamthe kauppatori,
or market square, at Helsinki is a
sensory smorgasbord. Chowing down
on fries at Hesburger (Finlands largest
burger chain) one day and warming
up to a Karelian rice pastry (a thin rye
crust lled with creamy rice) the next,
it doesnt take long to get into a Finnish
foodie groove.
One word liberally tossed
around all over Finland is makkara
(sausage).Tampere in the south has
mustamakkara (black sausage made a
of pigs blood, traditionally eaten with
lingonberry sauce);Turku on the
southwest coast has rusinamakkara
(raisin sausage). Stick a makkara inside
a soft, fried bun with cucumber salad
and pickles, and you have porilainen,
Finlands favourite fast food.
Reindeer meat is popular in the
northern part of the country. In
Lapland, you can enjoy poronkristys
(sauted reindeer) served on a bed of
mashed potatoes, washed down with
a few mugs of locally brewed Lapin
Kulta beer. In urban areas like Helsinki,
youre more likely to nd restaurants
serving parts of the animal such as
heart and tongue in sashimi-like slices.
Fish is beloved across regions.
Often eaten with boiled potatoes, it
tastes best when smoked or grilled.
Salted whitesh, salmon, lamprey and
herring are eaten raw on slices of bread,
as snacks or meals. Creamy salmon
soup is well liked, as is soup made of
smaller sh like vendace, a freshwater
white sh and perch, especially in the
summer months.
Common vegetables include
beetroot, rutabaga (Swedish turnip)
and nettle (a substitute for spinach),
cooked in cold-pressed rapeseed or
olive oil. Mushrooms, too, are popular,
and they grow in abundance all over
Finland between August and October.
Rye bread, with its typically sour
aftertaste, is a Finnish staple.There are
also a variety of atbreads called rieska.
Finns love their cofee through the
day. Cofee-time snacks include pulla,
a not-too-sweet, cardamom-avoured
bun and a cinnamon roll made of
pulla dough called korvapuusti (which i
translates into a slap on the ear, for its
characteristic spiral, rolled shape).
On Sundays or festive occasions,
Finnish homes are lled with the
aromas of home-cooked classics
such as macaroni stew, hearty ham
roasts, or karjalanpaisti (Karelian
stew), a hot pot prepared with a mix
of meats, potatoes and onions.These
are served with pickled beetroot,
mushrooms, cucumber or jams
made of lingonberries, cloudberries
or rowanberries. Berries, which are
plentifully available, are also used in
most Finnish desserts.
Chef and
restaurateur
j Ilja Bj j rs owns
Juuri Keittio &
Baari (Kitchen
& Bar), in the
heart of Helsinki.
Translated
to roots in
Finnish, Juuri
has pioneered
the concept of
sapas, or Finnish s
appetisers, a
menu of little
bites that includes
sausages with
vodka mustard
and terrine of
reindeer liver with
berry jelly.
Horn of plenty (wild
mushroom) soup
p y ( p
Serves 2 1 hour 15minutes
MODERATELYEASY
Finns traditionally eat soups made of
forest mushrooms in autumn, with
toasted rye bread on the side. The puff
pastry in this recipe is a slightly more
sophisticated accompaniment.
onion 1/2, chopped
garlic clove 1/2, chopped
butter 150g r
mixed mushrooms (chanterelles,
shiitake, button and porcini) 200g
salt, sugar and white pepper to r
season
soy sauce 1 tsp
white wine 2-4tbsp
chicken or vegetable stock 1l k
cream1 cup
espresso 1/2 cup
sparkling water 1/2 cup r
THE PUFF PASTRY
kale leaves 2, parboiled and chopped
(try Trikaya available at gourmet stores)
butter 20g, melted r
black pepper to season r
puff pastry sheets 2, cut into 10x10-cm
pieces (available at your local bakery or
try Jus Rol available at gourmet stores)
goats cheese 4tbsp (try President
egg 1, beaten
pumpkin seeds a handful (try Tong
Garden available at gourmet stores)
Kalamata olive
tapenade
Makes 200g 15minutes EASY
Blend 100g pitted kalamata olives,
50g capers, 25g peeled, crushed
garlic cloves, 10ml extra virgin olive
oil and 25g anchovies together in
a liquidiser until smooth. Store the
tapenade in an airtight jar. It can be
refrigerated for up to a month.
PERSERVING39.67 kcals, protein
1.51g, carbs 2.41g, fat 3.11g, sat fat 0.26g,
fibre 0.43g, salt 0.6g
Sundried tomato and
cashewpesto
Blend 1 cup sundried tomatoes,
10-12 cashewnuts, 1 garlic clove,
2 tbsp parmesan and 2 tbsp extra
virgin olive oil together in a liquidiser
until smooth. Store the pesto in an
airtight jar. It can be refrigerated for up
to a month.
fibre 1g, salt 0.2g
Cheese and chilli straws
Makes 15straws 45minutes EASY
Mix 1/2 cup grated processed
cheese and 1 tbsp chilli powder
together and keep aside. Combine
1/2 egg and 2 tbsp milk to make an k
egg wash. Place 1 puff pastry sheet on
a chopping board and brush it evenly
with the egg wash. Sprinkle the cheese
mixture on top of the pastry uniformly.
Place a parchment paper on top of
the cheese mixture so that it is fully
covered.
Lightly roll the pastry with a rolling
pin so that the cheese mixture gets
stuck to the pastry. Remove the
parchment paper carefully. Cut the
pastry into 2cmstrips fromtop to
bottom. Twist each pastry strip and
place on a greased baking tray.
Bake at 190Cfor 20-25minutes
until golden and crisp. Cool and store in
airtight container for up to 10days.
PERSERVING85.4kcals, protein
3.17g, fibre 0.48g, salt none
Oatmeal cookies
Makes 15-201 hour + refrigeration
EASY
Preheat the oven to 150C. Mix
150g flour, 200g oats, 100g chopped
raisins, a pinch of salt and a pinch of
cinnamon together until evenly mixed
and keep aside. Whisk 180g unsalted
butter with r 175g brown sugar and r
50g caster sugar until smooth, r
preferably with an electric beater. Add
2 eggs, one at a time, and beat well.
Add the our mixture to the butter
mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon until
fully combined to forma dough. Cover
the dough with foil and refrigerate for
an hour. Place a sheet of parchment
paper on a clean surface and dust it
with some our. Remove the dough
fromthe fridge and place it on the
dusted paper. Using a rolling pin, atten
the dough into a 1/2-cm-thick sheet.
Cut using a 7cmround cookie cutter
and place the cookies on a greased
baking tray.
Bring together all the trimmings, roll
into another sheet of dough and cut
with the cookie cutter.
Bake for about 20-25minutes until
light golden, then allowto cool. The
cookies can be stored in an airtight
container for up to two weeks.
Peanut butter cookies
Makes 151 hour EASY
Mix 160g butter and 160g peanut
butter together until smooth. Add
160g powdered sugar and mix until r
well combined. Fold in 200g flour and r
mix till it forms a dough. Divide the
dough into 15portions and roll into
individual balls.
Grease a baking tray with oil.
Preheat the oven to 160C. Flatten
the balls lightly and place on the tray,
making sure to keep themevenly
spaced. Sprinkle 2 tbsp brown sugar
evenly over the cookies.
Bake in the oven for about 20
minutes until golden brown, then allow
to cool. The cookies can be stored in an
airtight container for up to two weeks.
Whynot gift charminglypackagedhomemadeediblesinyour hampersthisDiwali?
RecipesAMITPAMNANI PhotographJOYMANAVATH
its a wrap!
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mmunch). The m yrealsoc yrealsocrackin rackinggoodinDiwali gift hampers rs
The brittles
will keep for a
week when stored
in an airtight
container
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ssuga g ssugar ssuga ug ga ugar ssugar in a heavy-botto n a h in a heavy-botto h a bott oottomed pan until it mmed pan un r
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add dd aadd add aadd a 1/2 1/2 /2 ccu cup 1//2 c 2 c 1/ cup halved cashewnuts halved cashewnut ed cashewn d cash cashew alved cashewn shewnu hewn hewn shewn alved cashewnut alved cashewn ed cashe cashewn hewnu ved cashewnuts lvved cashewnut nu ut nuts ts h and
5 fi 5 finely shredde iinely shredde nely shredded ddd nely shredded 5 fi redded kaffir lime leav kafffir lime leav ffir ffir fir lime le r lime leav ka f ka afffi es.
Mix well and s MMix well and sp Mix well an Mix well and spoo well and spoo d s M dd s n the mixture ont n the m he o
an oiled work sur k r rk s oiled work n face. Let it r face. Let it rest ace Let it rest L ce. Let it rest face. Let it r ce. Le Let it ace. Let it re ce. Let it rest Let it re res Let it rest ace. Let it res fo for a ffo fo ffo o
minute then atte atte een with a rolling n with a rolling n with a rolling with a rolling th a rolli n with a rolli n with a rolling n with a rolling r h a ro ng ol th a ro a g ppi pin. Cut pi
into desired shapes while still wa hil till le still warm.
fibre 0.5g, salt none
Pistachio a Pi nd rose petals
brittle br
Makes 100g 30minutes 0m EASY
Heat Hea 1/2 cup liquid gl /2 cup 1/2 cu ucose with 6 tbsp
sugar uga in a n aa heavy-botto o med pan until it r
caramelises. Swit aramelis rame m ch off the ame, the ame, ame, he then
add dd /2 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 cup /2 cup chopped pistachio opped pistachio pist h ss and
the petals of 1 r the petals of 1 r petals petals of of 1 als o tals o ose ose Mix . Mix well and sp Mix w Mi well and s . Mix well and sp Mix oon oo
the mixture onto e mix mixture o xtu ture o the mixture ont ure o u an oiled work sur n oiled w ur oil dd face. ace. f c
Let it rest et it rest f t it rest foor a t est minute then att en te en with th
a rolling p olling pin ling pin. pin. Cut into desired sh es apes
while still hile st while still w while still warm. while stil
Almond and cofee
brittle
Heat 1/2 cup liquid glucose with
6 tbsp sugar b in a heavy-bottomed med ed r
pan until it caramelises. Switch off
the ame, then add 1/2 cup chopped
almonds and 1 tsp instant coffee.
Mix well and spoon the mixture onto o
an oiled work surface. Let it rest for
a minute then atten with a rolling
pin. Cut into desired shapes while still
warm.
Peanut and d smoked
paprika brittle
6 tbsp sugar in a heavy-bottomed med d r
pan until it caramelises. Switch off the
ame, then add 1/2 cup roasted and
peeled peanuts with 1 tsp smoked
paprika. Mix well and spoon the
mixture onto an oiled work surface.
Let it rest for a Let it et i minute then att tten with
a rolling pin. Cu olling pin ng pin t into desired shapes pes
while still warm. illl war wa w
PERSERVING277 kcals, protein
Oats, sesam am ame seed and
axseed bri b d bri br ttlee
Makes 100g gg 330m 30minutes 0 EASY
Heat t 1/2 cup liquid gl 1/ ucose withh
6 tbsp sugar in a heavy-bottomed r
pan until it caramelises. Switch off the e
ame, then add 1/2 cup oats, 1 tbsp
sesame seeds, 1 tsp flaxseeds and
1 tbsp raisins. Mix well and spoon the
Let it rest for a et it rest for a minu minute then atten
with a rolling pin. Cut into desir es ed
shapes while stil till warm. l warm
Walnut, cra cranberry nberry y
and orange brittle rittle
yy
Makes 100g 30minutes
EASY
Heat 1/2 cup liquid gl 2 cup liq 2 cup liqu up liq ucose se
with h 6 tbsp sugar bsp suga suga uga in a r
heavy-bottomed pa ttomed pan until
it caramelises. S se witch off h
the ame, then add 1/2 cup
chopped walnuts, wal 10-12 dried
cranberries and 1/2 tsp orange ze ge zest st..
Mix well and spoon the mixture onto
an oiled work sur d w face. Let it rest for
pin. Cut into desired shapes while still ll
warm.
PERSERVING278kcals, protein
1g, fibre 2.03g, salt none
eat away eat away eat away at away at away eeat away eat away tt a eeat
nland n nland nland nland nland nnl n nnd
Horn of plenty soup
Freshly picked
blueberries are
used in a variety of
Finnish desserts
Cabbage rolls w Cabbage rolls wi Cabbage abbage rolls wit s wit CCabbage roll g h
pumpkin pur mpkin pure a pure and e and e and e an umpkin pu n pure um umpkin pu ppuu
lingonberr ingonberr onberry onberry compo compo onbe mpo lingonb p te ttte te te
The Finnish capit e al, Helsinki,
is also a major port
masterclas masterclass maste ss maste masterclassss terc s
ddiy iy y diy y diy
VEGIT
By leaving
out the
anchovies
Kalamata Kalam Kalamata mat m
olive tapenade olive tapenade olive tapenade t olive live tap e tapenade
Sundried tomato undried tomato Sundried tomato r dried t ndried tomat
and cashewpesto and cashewpesto nd cashewp d cashewp st d c to o es o
Oatmeal cookies okies, okies,
Peanut butter coo Peanut butter coo ut butter coo t bu kies kies ies k
Cheese and Che Cheese and Cheese an
chilli straws chilli straws chilli straw chilli straw c
Recipe JUSTINE PATTISON Photogr
Recipe JUSTINE PATTISON Photogr
PATTISON Photogr
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TINE PATTISON
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everyday d veryday everyda everyda
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soup soup up oup s rec (recipe overl (recipe overleaf) cipe overleaf) (recipe overleaf verleaf rec e o
Eat Out
This section stands out for its uniquely positioned restaurant reviews
and features that are authoritative, objective and reliable. A novel
approach to restaurant reviews, our Pro vs Punter section enables
a Good Food India reader to go undercover and rate a restaurant
together with an expert. In Caf Spy, we revisit five classic cafs and
walk you through their heritage. P 131
Eat Away
Our seasoned travel journalists and food experts arm you
with insider information and recipes from the worlds
most exciting food destinations. Eat Like A Local brings
easy, authentic menus from around the world while
Budget and Blowout shows you how to get your wallets
worth when travelling. P 145
Masterclass
Learn to cook like a pro in our Masterclass section. We
feature nifty kitchen gadgets that sharpen your kitchen
skills and our 10-minute wine guide is perfect for wine
lovers. P 150
What better placetomeasureout your lifeincoffeespoonsor watchtheworldgobythanat a
heritagecaf?Wefindout what makesfiveiconiceateriesacrossthecountryasspecial astheyare
the 50s, Bombay boasted of around
took over the reins fromhis father,
passed away last month.Within the
HOWWE DID IT The ve cafs featured here are vastly diferent in character one is a European-style tearoom, another an Irani bakery.
landmarks is an entrenched local institution, and is considered a must-visit spot for visitors to the city.We have handpicked writers who regularly
visit these cafs to write these reviews.They ofer an insiders perspective and share a slice of the heritage that is so much a part of every visit.
KYANI &CO
MUMBAI
Clockwise from
left: Bun maska
and milky Irani
tea; Aweighing
machine is one
of the many
relics at the
caf; Batches
of mutton
patties are
prepared daily;
Writer Rafique
Baghdadi
at Kyani.
Facing page:
Chequered
tablecloths and
black bentwood
chairs
epitomise
quaintness at
Kyani
Photographs RITAM BANERJEE
The stuff of
LEGENDS
eat out eat eat t oouu oo
caf spy caf s af af sp py py c py caf spyy pyy
1 110 00 B BBB BBC CC G GGo ooo ood ddF FFo ooo ood dd NOVEMBER 2013
REALLY R
REALLY
QUICKK
Easy after-work dishes that come together in a flash
Ready
in 30
ead
ead
Linguine with fresh puttanesca sauce
Serves 2 15 minutes EASY
Throw together this simple yet tasty pasta dish when youre really pressed r r
for time.
linguine 150g (try Garofalo available at gourmet stores)
cherry tomatoes 250g, chopped capers 2 tbsp, rinsed (try Epicure available at gourmet stores) garlic clove 1/2, crushed
flat-leaf parsley a small bunch, chopped
green olives 12, pitted and chopped (try Iliada available at gourmet stores) lemon 1, juiced
olive oil 3 tbsp
Cook the linguine following the packet instructions.
To make the sauce, put the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl, add the olive oil, season and toss together. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce.
PER SERVING 309 kcals, protein 11.1g, carbs 59.7g, fat 4.6g, sat fat 0.6g, fibre 4.4g, salt 2.5g
Recipe JANINE RATCLIFFE Photograph GARETH MORGANS Styling JENNY IGGLEDEN Food styling JENNIFER JOYCE
FF
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We hope you enjoy our lively mix of recipes, restaurant
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TRIPLE-TESTED RECIPES All our recipes are tested
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y y y y
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How we triple test
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p
1
The rst time is by the recipe writer,
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kitchen.
2
Next, a member of the cookery
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Good Food India kitchen.
3
The recipe is then tested at our
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FOR
SKILLED
COOKSS
REALLY REALLY
REALLY
QUICKK
REALLY R
REALLY
EASY Y
Showoff recipes when you
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recipes require a little effort.
Recipes that can be made
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for hectic weekdays.
Those recipes marked with
this stamp are the simplest
and require very little effort.
What our symbols
mean
EASY Recipes everyone can make,
even beginners. These dishes are
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MODERATELY EASY These require
a bit more skill for example making
and rolling out pastry.
A LITTLE EFFORT
Recipes aimed at experienced cooks
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CAN BE FROZENUnless otherwise
stated, freeze for up to three months.
Defrost thoroughly and heat until
piping hot.
VEGETARIAN Meat-free dishes.
JAIN Suitable for Jain cooking.
Over to you
Have a family recipe to
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add to our recipes? Email
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LOOK OUT FOR
THESE HIGHLIGHTS
For a list of stores that stock gourmet ingredients, turn to p 155
first bite
When it comes to the crunch, crackly,
nutty brittles are just the ticket
rst bite
news, trends, shopping
Brittle Stars
Recipes AMIT PAMNANI Photographs JOY MANAVATH
SUGAR DANDIES
These sticky chunks of hardened
candy are traditionally made with
nuts and melted sugar or honey.
While the term brittle was popularised
in America, almost every country
has its version of this crackly delight:
cupeta in Italy,pasteli in Greece
and croquant in France. Closer home,
we know it aschikki.
Brittles add an exciting element to
almost any food on your plate, from
ice cream sundaes to salads. Turn
overleaf for six innovative recipes,
where weve updated the classic
caramelised treat with everything
from a handful of kaffir lime leaves to
lashings of smoked paprika.
Chikki Lit
These sweet shards of candy are an ideal ATM (any time
munch). Theyre also cracking good in Diwali gift hampers
The brittles
will keep for a
week when stored
in an airtight
container
Cashew and kafr
lime brittle
Makes 100g 30 minutes EASY
Heat 1/2 cup liquid glucose with 6 tbsp
sugar in a heavy-bottomed pan until it
caramelises. Switch off the ame, then
add 1/2 cup halved cashewnuts and
5 finely shredded kaffir lime leaves.
an oiled work surface. Let it rest for a
minute then atten with a rolling pin. Cut
into desired shapes while still warm.
PER SERVING 287.25 kcals, protein
fibre 0.5g, salt none
Pistachio and rose petals
brittle
Heat 1/2 cup liquid glucose with 6 tbsp
sugar in a heavy-bottomed pan until it
caramelises. Switch off the ame, then
add 1/2 cup chopped pistachios and
the petals of 1 rose. Mix well and spoon
the mixture onto an oiled work surface.
Let it rest for a minute then atten with
a rolling pin. Cut into desired shapes
while still warm.
Almond and cofee
brittle
6 tbsp sugar in a heavy-bottomed
pan until it caramelises. Switch off
the ame, then add 1/2 cup chopped
almonds and 1 tsp instant coffee.
warm.
Peanut and smoked
paprika brittle
ame, then add 1/2 cup roasted and
peeled peanuts with 1 tsp smoked
paprika. Mix well and spoon the
Let it rest for a minute then atten with
a rolling pin. Cut into desired shapes
while still warm.
Oats, sesame seed and
axseed brittle
ame, then add 1/2 cup oats, 1 tbsp
sesame seeds, 1 tsp flaxseeds and
1 tbsp raisins. Mix well and spoon the
Let it rest for a minute then atten
with a rolling pin. Cut into desired
shapes while still warm.
Walnut, cranberry
and orange brittle
Makes 100g 30 minutes
EASY
Heat 1/2 cup liquid glucose
with 6 tbsp sugar in a
heavy-bottomed pan until
it caramelises. Switch off
the ame, then add 1/2 cup
chopped walnuts, 10-12 dried
cranberries and 1/2 tsp orange zest.
warm.
1g, fibre 2.03g, salt none
need to know
Cheats pancetta and arugula risotto Serves 2 40 minutes EASY
Boil 250g De Cecco Arborio Rice (` 180/500g) in chicken or vegetable stock according to packet instructions. Cook
4 finely sliced onions (` 36/500g) and a pack of chopped pancetta (` 400/100g) in a little butter. Stir in the rice and
divide between two plates. Top with a few arugula leaves (` 20/100g) and serve.
THE CASE FOR
If there is a culinary equivalent
of an intrepid explorer, thats
what I am. Grilled cockroaches
on a stick? One please. Ant
chutney? Ill have that as a side
with parathas. Crisp-fried
grasshopper? Make
that ve. While
creepy-crawlies
crept into
food cultures
due to
topographic
and economic
constraints, they
might just be here to
stay with the global food crisis
becoming a looming reality (see
p 20). Once you get past your
initial squeamishness, its much
like eating any meat or small sh,
fried to an unrecognisable crisp.
I love the crunch and the good
protein it adds to my diet. Not to
mention the wonderful weirdness
it adds to my travel stories.
KAINAZ CONTRACTOR
THE JURYS OUT
Eating insects
How to use up
SUPERMARKET SWEEP
Pop into the supermarket for a quick, flavour-packed meal
THE CASE AGAINST
I get creeped out every time
a bug comes within swatting
distance of me, so theres no way
anyone can convince me to put
a crawly creature in my mouth.
Yes, I know they are a
high source of
protein and
are part
of the
staple
diet in
many
countries,
but seriously,
why would I eat
fried beetles, crickets, or
worse, slimy worms, while theres
still the option of chomping on
good ol chicken? The thought
of biting down on a spindly leg
here or an antenna there makes
my stomach ip. I dont care if
grasshoppers are the food of
the future. Id rather eat grass,
thank you.
PRIYANKA HOSANGADI
Sherried pumpkin soup Fry
1 sliced onion in 2 tbsp olive
oil until soft. Add 4 tbsp
sherry and 1kg peeled and
chopped pumpkin and sizzle
for 1-2 minutes. Pour in 600ml
vegetable stock. Simmer, covered, for
20 minutes until the pumpkin is tender. Pure in a food processor. Reheat
and serve topped with croutons and a parsley sprig.
Sherried chicken and ham bake Preheat the oven to 200C. Mix 350g
roast chicken, 140g ham and 175g peas in a buttered dish. Put 50g
butter, 50g flour and 600ml milk in a saucepan and bring to the boil,
whisking until the sauce is thick. Stir in 3 tbsp sherry and 2 tsp mustard.
Season to taste and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in
50g grated cheddar. Pour the sauce over the ingredients in the dish.
Mix another 50g grated cheddar with 50g chopped nuts and sprinkle
over. Bake for 25-35 minutes.
Sticky chicken with sherry and dates Heat the oven to 200C.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan. Season 8 chicken legs, then
brown on all sides. Keep aside in a baking dish. Add 2 tbsp olive
oil, 2 chopped onions and 15 garlic cloves in the pan and season
to taste. Fry until golden. Stir in 1 tsp ground cumin, 250ml
sherry and the zest and juice of 1 lemon. Bring to the boil,
then add 50g chopped almonds, 12 chopped dates and 10g
chopped parsley. Pour the sauce over. Cover and roast for
1 hour until tender, taking the foil off after 15 minutes. Serve with
the sauce poured over, the garlic cloves, some extra parsley and lemon z est.
Try Barbadillo available at wine shops, ` 2,502 for 750ml.
CUPBOARD LOVE
SHERRY
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need to know
FRESH ON THE SHELVES
COCKTAIL
OF THE MONTH
Winter
Pimms punch
Makes 1 5 minutes
EASY
Combine 500ml
Pimms and 500ml
brandy with 1 1/2l
apple juice in a jug
lled with ice cubes,
2 cinnamon sticks
and a sliced apple
and orange.
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SMART COOKS GREEN CHILLI POWDER
` 35 for 40g `
This green chilli powder has
a potent, even foreboding,
aroma. The instructions
clearly recommend using it
in moderation. We used a
pinch of the powder to add
avour to jowar bhakris. At
rst we were deceived by the
bhakris mild taste, until we
felt the distinct burn of the
powder in our throats. Still, it is
a subtle kind of heat that wont
reduce you to tears, so its perfect
for salads or to add a bit of punch to a savoury
oats porridge.
ASAS SICHUAN PEPPERCORNS
` 300 for 250g `
Sichuan peppercorns are
distinguished by their reddish-
brown colour and peppery
fragrance. But beware, biting
into one is a tongue-numbing
experience. We used them
in a Chinese-style vegetable
soup but found ourselves
shing out the peppercorns after
a while. We recommend coarsely
pounding them and using them as a dry
rub for meat or sh. Remember, the idea is to use
them in spicy dishes as their numbing quality helps you cope
better with the heat.
SEMPIO GREEN TEA VERMICELLI
` 325 for 300g `
Products avoured with green tea often sound tastier than
they are. Sempios Green Tea Vermicelli is no exception.
Though it has a promising aroma, the delicate fragrance
dissipates once youve cooked it. The noodles have a
toothsome bite like that of soba noodles, but their dull,
doughy taste is only uplifted by a citrusy ponzu sauce. Give
these noodles a miss and opt for nutritious soba instead.
KITCHENAID IN INDIA!
KitchenAid, the worlds premium kitchen appliances manufacturer, has
always been synonymous with quality craftsmanship and high performance
gadgets. Its most celebrated product, the stand mixer, is an icon in its own
early every
ear-old American
nticipated entry
couldnt be
positioning as the
met, KitchenAid
ducted a series
of events in
cities across
e country.
mbai, they
ed with special
n association
15 Ptisserie and
eli. The brand will
roducts online as
oodhall stores in
d Bengaluru.
gadgets. Its most celebrated product, the stand mixer, is an ic
right and holds pride of place in ne
home bakers kitchen. The 100-ye
brand recently made its much-a
into the Indian market and we
more excited. Reinforcing its p
brand for the passionate gourm
cond
the
In Mum
launche
offers in
with Le 1
Indigo De
retail its pr
well as at Fo
Mumbai an
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need to know
EURISKA, PUNE
Euriska (Greek for I discover) is the latest
restaurant to pop up in a locality dotted with
eateries at every turn. It specialises in Greek
and Mediterranean fare. The place doubles as
a venue for gigs and makes for an ideal setting
for a soire. The menu comprises a range of
appetisers (they serve an octopus cracknel
salad), souvlakia, spice-rubbed grills, pastas,
pizzas and risottos, along with an elaborate
cocktail list. Ask for the honey-avoured baked
Greek dessert, Strava, or the sorbet of the day.
Next to Koregaon Park Plaza, Koregaon Park
Annexe, Pune. Tel: +91 90491 59911
MARITIME BY SAN LORENZO,
MUMBAI
The launch of Maritime by San Lorenzo marks
the international debut of Londons timeless
Italian eatery, Osteria San Lorenzo. The menu
offers rustic northern Italian specialities such
as Spaghetti Schillaci, Tagliata of Chicken
Breast with Balsamic Sauce, Polenta alla
Piemontese, a bounty of vegetarian dishes,
and a lavish selection of Italian wines. Most
of the ingredients are imported from Italy, so
diners will rack up quite a few food miles.
Taj Lands End, Bandstand, Bandra (W),
Mumbai. Tel: +91 22 6668 1234
GUPPY BY AI, NEW DELHI
Restaurateur AD Singh has transformed
Guppys shuttered predecessor, Ai, into a
colourful Japanese dining space brimming
with anime-inspired murals and origami
installations. On offer is a range of sushi and
sashimi, small plates and ramen. Opt for the
set lunch comprising a soup, salad, a main,
sushi rolls and a choice of rice or noodles,
along with dessert and green tea. The
signature Black Cod with Miso, Pork Belly and
Yuzu Cheesecake are popular choices.
28, Main Market, Lodhi Colony, New Delhi.
Tel: + 91 11 2469 0005
TABLE HOPPING Get your first taste of the hottest new restaurants on the block
C
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E-IDEAS WE
imly.in
In June this year, entrepreneur
Abhishek Singh came up with the idea
of launching a one-stop portal to sell
and order home-cooked fare online. He
called his initiative imly.in, a tribute to
his mothers delicious imli chutney. Now,
various homemade delicacies such as
bacon jam, organic soy sauce, mango
pachadi and salted caramel tarts are just
a click away. The virtual marketplace has
modelled itself as a foodie community
of small-scale home cooks, food caterers
and gourmands across the country.
Home chefs keen to set up shop on the
website can select their preferred areas
of delivery or key in a pick-up address
for customers to collect their orders. If
you lack photography skills, the folks at
imly.com will happily send a professional
shutterbug over.
Visit imly.in or write to hello@imly.in
for details.
bowlstoyou.com
This little start-up specialises in healthy salad
lunches and offers ofce-goers in Mumbai
much needed respite from greasy canteen
fare. Advertising professional Pinank Shah,
who started the venture in December
last year, offers around a dozen
vegetarian salads prepared
by amateur home cooks on
his whimsically designed
website. Though a tad
confusing to navigate,
persevere: intriguing
options in a bowl include
Exotic fruit salad, Mexican
bean salad and Chinese
pasta salad. The delivery
service operates across
Mumbai via the faultlessly
efcient dabbawalas. Our only gripe
they dont deliver on Sundays.
Visit bowlstoyou.com or call +91 98205
02010 for details.
samaas.in
Authentic regional food isnt always easy
to replicate at home. This is why online
food delivery service samaas.in ought to be
bookmarked. Tanmay and Tintoo Degwekar,
who kicked off this initiative
in September 2012,
teamed up with home
cooks to offer
traditional meals
to Mumbaikars.
Its simple:
choose your
cuisine (Bengali,
Kashmiri,
Malvani, Parsi,
Puneri, Punjabi or
Tamilian), and call at
least six hours ahead
on +91 22 2617 4716 to
place your order.
Visit samaas.in for details or follow them on
Twitter @samaasindia.
M
aharashtria
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s
a
need to know
pantry basics
Nothing spreads happiness like butter. We put six salted varieties to the test
Words KAINAZ CONTRACTOR Photographs SHREYA GUPTA Products courtesy FOODHALL
Cake tins
ON TEST Salted butter
BRITANNIA
` 160/500g
What strikes us rst
about this butter is the
alarmingly high sodium
content 1,048mg per
100g, the highest among
all the tested brands.
However, it doesnt lose
out on avour. Pale yellow
in colour with a creamy
aftertaste, Britannias
butter is more suited
to cooking than baking.
While the light, velvety
texture works beautifully
as table butter, it is not
solid enough to be a good
baking butter; our pie tart
turned out a tad oily.
MOTHER DAIRY ` 31/100g
This butter is smooth without being too rich. It has a distinctive savoury avour
found in most salted Indian butters. It melts almost too quickly not the best
quality when making pastry or biscuit bases. On the other hand, its soft consistency
is perfect for frostings and as a base for cooking. The agreeable salty aftertaste
dissipates within seconds, and doesnt leave behind any residual unpleasantness.
GOWARDHAN ` 165/500g
With a full, nutty avour and deep yellow
colour, this is a sharper tasting butter than
we are used to. It earns bonus points over
its competitors with a neat and thoughtful
packaging solution. The butter is packed in two
individual blocks that t right into your butter dish.
GALA DEEP DISH TIN ` 110
This deep-dish tin is perfect for making airy
sponge cakes that need height to rise. The
vertical, straight sides ensure the sponge
mixture rises to its maximum height,
resulting in a feather-light cake. The loose
base, which doesnt let any of the cake
batter leak, and the
non-stick nish,
makes it quick
and easy to lift
the cake out.
AMUL ` 31/100g
As ardent loyalists of this iconic
brand, we can discern Amuls salty
creaminess with our eyes shut. While
some might nd it over-salted, we love the
intense savoury tang it adds to our toasted
sandwiches and bakes. The butter melts really quickly, making it a breeze
to slather generously on bread. Be judicious when using for baking.
LURPAK ` 345/200g
This Danish brand instantly
reminds us of the butter our
parents say they grew up
eating creamy, mildly salted
and with a distinct taste of its
own. Lurpak has a avour that
can be compared to a very mild
cream cheese, which we love!
Its rich consistency translates
into a thick generous smear
when spread on bread. It also
makes for the ideal butter
for baking as it creams well,
which is great for puff pastry
and butter cream frostings.
ELLE & VIRE ` 275/200g
This is the kind of butter youd nd on the table at a good restaurant in
France. Like most butters from Normandy, Elle & Vire too has a dominan
avour the delightful result of varied pastures, with aromatic herbs, for
grazing cows. It is dense but softens easily and is of spreadable consistency.
As its expensive, youll probably want to save it for your toast.
TRAMONTINA LOAF TIN ` 500
Its not everyday that one bakes a loaf of
teacake but when you do, look no further
than this tin. With a 100 per cent thick
non-stick coated steel nish, this tin does
its job awlessly and does not require any
additional greasing. Its rectangular body
means you g
edges, requi
both bread
loaves and
teacakes.
TCHIBO SPRINGFORM TIN ` 160
A loose springform tin with a detachable
base is a good choice for delicate no-bake
cheesecakes and mousse cakes. We are
impressed with this sturdy, easy to clean,
n-stick steel body. The clamp on the
side is secured by an overlapping
mechanism designed to
prevent any leaks. We
have no difculty in
removing the cake
from the tin.
o n
LOVES
t
get good at
ired for
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WORTH
THE
SPLURGE
need to know
Weve featured
many a Sunday
brunch, but a
deal comprising
unlimited food
and liquor is
hard to come
by. The Pan
Asian restaurant
Wokamama,
specialising in
Chinese and
Thai fare, ofers diners a choice of three deals pairing unlimited food
with domestic liquor (` (( 1,025), Indian-made foreign liquor ( (` ( 1,175) or
international liquor (` (( 1,595). Appetisers on ofer include chicken and `
vegetable dim sum and satay; mains include Southeast Asian curries and
a variety of vegetable stir-fries, noodles and rice dishes. Round of your
meal with Honey-glazed Noodles with Ice Cream or Coconut Rolls
with Pickled Raisin and Cinnamon. Tel: +91 124 496 9191; Daily
7 pm 11.30 pm.
Good Food tracks down this months top foodie meals and deals d
` 248-A-HEAD DINNER `
PARTY FOR 4!
UNLIMITED LIQUOR AND
FOOD AT WOKAMAMA,
GURGAON

All prices
PER HEAD
excluding taxes
and travel
Total ` 991
(` 248 ` per head)
Sichuan pepper noodles (p 31) ` 388
Paprika chicken ciabattas (p 39) ` 335 `
Imarti with coconut ice cream (p 48) ` 268
Digital start-up gourmetitup.
com has partnered with the
Mahalaxmi-based restaurant,
Neel at Tote on the Turf, which
specialises in Awadhi and
Kashmiri cuisine. Members of
Gourmet It Up can avail of a
ve-course thali-style spread
worth ` 1,200, comprising `
shorba, kebabs, mains,
accompaniments such as dum
biryani or assorted naans, and
dessert. Some of the kebabs on
ofer include Peshawari Paneer
Kebabs and Murgh Chaarbagh
Tikka, while mains comprise
Gosht aur Kareli ki Nihari and
Nadru ki Yakhni. End your meal with Angoori Rabdi, a creamy dessert
made with chhena (curd cheese). Visit gourmetitup.com to register or call a
the concierge service on +91 96195 51387.
The Japanese Restaurant Season, organised by the government of
Japan as part of the second edition of the Oishii Japan festival, aims
to popularise Japanese cuisine. The event gives culinary acionados
a chance to enjoy authentic fare at a fraction of the regular rates.
Participating restaurants include Aoi, India Jones, Kofuku, Sushi
and More and Umame in Mumbai, and Asia Seven, Guppy by Ai
and Megu among others in New Delhi. Until November 10th. Visit
cooljapanfestival.com/oishii.japan for details or to make reservations.
JAPANESE RESTAURANT
SEASON, MUMBAI AND
NEW DELHI
GOURMET IT UPS
FIVE-COURSE MEAL AT NEEL,
MUMBAI

BARGAINHUNTER
D
ont miss a chance to win a three-night weekend stay at the JW Marriott
Bengaluru, one of the citys nest ve-star luxury hotels. Stay in a suite
with a stunning view of the landmark Cubbon Park. With a variety of
excellent dining options, foodies are sure to enjoy the gourmet experiences
on offer. The ptisserie, Bengaluru Baking Company, is a visual treat with
its interactive open baking area and an extravagant spread of snacks and
beverages. Enjoy a romantic meal under the stars at Spice Terrace, the poolside
Indian speciality restaurant. You can even soak in the rustic ambience at Alba
as you feast on some of the best Italian dishes. This Italian speciality restaurant
is designed like an amphitheatre with a show kitchen, so you can watch chefs
prepare your dinner. And after a lavish meal, get rejuvenated at their spa with a
Swedish massage. Its an opportunity to get pampered to the hilt! Send in your
completed entry form for the chance to win.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR CLAIMING THE GIFT VOUCHER/
COUPON THROUGH A LUCKY DRAW:
1. The lucky draw is organised by Worldwide Media Pvt. Ltd (WWM) and is binding on
all participants to this lucky draw. All applications for participation would be in the
original form. Only one entry permitted per person. Entries made in bulk or by third
parties are prohibited. WWM reserves the right to cancel any duplicate entries and
debar all such entries from the lucky draw at its own discretion. 2. Entries received
after the closing date of the contest shall not be entertained and wont be returned.
3. The result declared by WWM is nal and no further queries or complaints or
questions will be entertained. WWM is further not obliged to respond to the same. 4.
The winner of the contest is entitled to stay on a weekend at the JW Marriott
Bengaluru in a suite facing Cubbon Park for 3 nights. There is no cash alternative
and the prize is not transferable. 5. The winner of the lucky draw shall pay and be
responsible for the Income tax and any other statutory taxes or surcharges before
claiming the gift coupon/ voucher. The winner of the lucky draw shall give the proof
of payment of Income tax and any other statutory taxes before claiming the gift
coupon/ voucher. 6. WWM is not responsible for difference or variance or deciency
in the service by JW Marriott Bengaluru and will not have any obligation to respond
to any of the complaints of the winner(s). 7. WWM reserves the right to change/
modify the terms and conditions of this offer or to withdraw this offer at any point in
time, if circumstances arise beyond our control. 8. The participants to this contest,
including the winner, agree that the details disclosed in the Competition Entry Form
would become the property of WWM and its afliates, JW Marriott Bengaluru, and
the participants, including the winner, further agree that the details can be used for
all purposes (including commercial and promotional use) as WWM and JW Marriott
Bengaluru deem t. 9. The winner will be notied within a month of the closing
date of the contest. If WWM cannot contact the winner within one month of the
closing date, then WWM will offer the prize to a runner-up, or re-offer the prize in
another promotion. 10. The winner has to collect the prize within one month of
being notied/ informed by WWM of the result. If the winner fails to collect the prize
within the time period specied, it would be assumed that he has forfeited his claim
to the prize and WWM is then allowed to offer the prize to a runner-up, or re-offer
the prize in another promotion. 11. The hotel accommodation is valid till 31st March
2014, subject to availability. Reservation needs to be made in advance and blackout
dates may apply. 12. The winner would need to abide by the terms and conditions
of JW Marriott Bengaluru. 13. WWM would not be liable in any manner whatsoever
for any loss, damage or injury occurring to the winner, arising from their entry
or acceptance of the prize. 14. This contest is only open to Indian residents aged
18+ years. The guest of the winner would also be an Indian resident also aged 18+.
15. Employees of WWM and JW Marriott Bengaluru and the other sponsors, and
their relatives and business associates are not eligible to take part in this lucky
draw. 16. JW Marriott Bengaluru reserves the right to unconditionally modify/
append this offer without prior notice. 17. The offer is valid for a couple only and is
not applicable to groups or special discounted rates. 18. The offer does not include
consumption of cigarettes and alcohol. 19. The winner will bear the cost of travel
from his home town to Bengaluru airport. JW Marriott Bengaluru will arrange for
two-way airport transfers. 20. The package includes breakfast and lunch in the
coffee shop, Sunday brunch, a dinner at the coffee shop, second nights dinner at the
Italian speciality restaurant Alba and the third dinner at Spice Terrace, the poolside
Indian restaurant. 21. The package also includes a Swedish massage for two.
22. Anything over and above the agreed offer will be charged extra.
COMPETITION ENTRY FORM
For a chance to win this fantastic prize, simply ll in your details
and post this form to: BBC Good Food India (November 2013), a
Worldwide Media Pvt Ltd, The Times of India Building, 4th Floor,
Dr DN Road, Mumbai 400001 before November 30, 2013.
Title First name Surname
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WINA LUXURY WEEKEND TRIP
Experience ve-star opulence at the exquisite JW Marriott, Bengaluru
W
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The idea of eating insects might ruin your appetite, but entomophagy is here to stay. BBC Good Food
tells you why bugs might be the food of the future
Words VIDYA BALACHANDER
ENTOMOPHAGY
investigates
F
or even the most daredevil
eaters who wouldnt shy
away from trying all kinds of
outlandish meats, bugs can
be the nal frontier. Creepy-crawlies
evoke a near universal sense of disgust;
far from rushing to put them on our
plates, we race to exterminate them
from our homes. To willingly ingest
an insect remains an impossible feat
for most it is the line many simply
wouldnt cross in search of gastronomic
thrills. Yet, even as the subject remains
controversial and evokes extreme
reactions, entomophagy, or the human
practice of eating insects, has never
been more relevant than it is today.
Entomophagy is derived from the
Greek words entomon, meaning insects
and phagein, or to eat. It has long been
an integral part of culinary cultures
around the world, yet it is only in the
last few years that entomophagy has
suddenly caught the attention of food
policy makers. As food security and
scarcity become mounting concerns,
many researchers and professionals
from the food industry are looking
anew at insects and exploring their
viability as a cheap and ecologically
sustainable source of nourishment.
But why insects, you might ask. Isnt
there a more crowd-pleasing solution
to the worlds food problems? Well,
the fact is, were fast running out of
options. In 2013, the United Nations
Food and Agricultural Organisation
(FAO) predicted that at the rate
Skewered insects are a popular
snack in some countries
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need to know
food issues
at which the worlds population is
currently growing, it is likely to swell to
nine billion by 2050. The demand for
food is expected to rise by at least
50 per cent and simultaneously,
our global food reserves are at a
50-year low.
Conventional food choices such
as meat require signicant investment
of precious natural resources that will
become a luxury in the near future.
Already, the FAO estimates that pasture
for livestock and agricultural crops that
are used as fodder take up 70 per cent
of the planets available agricultural
land. In order to make more room
for the meat industry, we may need
to resort to clearing rainforests and
other green lungs of the planet. Plant-
based diets are also likely to put a
considerable strain on agricultural
resources. A study conducted this year
by researchers from the University of
Minnesota, published in the academic
journal PLOS ONE, showed that the
world is likely to face an agricultural
crisis by 2050. Agricultural yields
are simply not keeping pace with
accelerating demand.
Faced with this frightening reality,
the FAO began to seriously consider
the possibility of treating insects
as a source of food. This year, the
organisation released a book called
Edible Insects: Future Prospects for Food
and Feed Security, in association with
the Wageningen University in the
Netherlands, which has undertaken
some pioneering work on the subject
in the past few years. The book makes
a strident and well-researched case for
putting aside our value judgements and
giving insects a chance.
A BELOVED SNACK
As proof, Edible Insects states that
far from being a new-fangled trend,
entomophagy is an ancient and well-
established practice among several
communities around the world. The
statistics are eye-opening: according
to the FAO, nearly 80 per cent of the
worlds populace consumes insects,
which puts the naysayers in a tiny
minority! In 2012, an inventory
put together by Yde Jongema, an
entomologist at Wageningen University,
showed that nearly 1,900 species of
insects are eaten, including common
ones such as ants, beetles, bees,
crickets, cicadas, grasshoppers and
wasps, and uncommon varieties such
as scorpions and tarantulas. Eating
insects is common in North, Central
and South America, several parts of
Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
In many cultures, far from being
considered famine supplies, insects
are aforded pride of place in local
culinary customs. A case in point is
the atta laevigata, a particularly large
species of leafcutter ants, afectionately
called hormiga culona (ants with a large
backside, translated from Spanish) in
Colombia. Prized as a delicacy thats
preserved and eaten all year round,
even the harvesting of these ants has a
sense of ceremony about it. Only the
queens of the species are considered
edible. They emerge from their anthills
to nd a mate for only a few days every
year a phenomenon known as the
nuptial ight. This richly anticipated
period lasts for a few weeks, sometime
between April and June. It is then that
local peasants catch the insects, soak
them in salty water and roast them
until theyre crunchy. Likened to salty
peanuts or pork rinds, the demand for
hormiga culona is so high in these parts
that the ants command a hefty price
and are also exported.
In other parts of the world, bugs of
diferent stripes are a more matter-of-
fact part of life. Indigenous Australian
tribes consume several large, white,
wood-eating larvae, locally known as
witchetty grub. Witchetty grubs are
valued as a cheap and readily available
source of protein. The larvae, which
are said to taste like almonds, are
either eaten raw or cooked on hot
ashes. Insects are relished throughout
Southeast Asia too, where vendors
selling a variety of fried bugs are a
common sight in open-air markets.
Farther east, the Chinese exhibit
more derring-do in their appetite for
insects, with choices such as scorpions,
centipedes and silkworm cocoons
ONE PLATE AT A TIME
Across the world, chefs are beginning to hop on to the insect bandwagon.
Nomas Ren Redzepi (read about him on p 72) has been experimenting with
insects for a few years with dishes such as Blueberry and Ants, a dessert made
of ant paste, milk curd and berry preserves. He is also known to serve live ants
and fermented grasshoppers. Last month, Australian chef Kylie Kwong (see p 89
for an interview with her) served a dish of Deep-Fried Silken Tofu with Roasted
Organic Tomatoes, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Korean Fish Sauce, topped
with Black Ants at her Sydney restaurant, Billy Kwong. Much earlier, in 2008,
an Indian chef famously dabbled with insects Meeru Dhalwala, chef and co-
owner of the high-end Vijs and Rangoli restaurants in Vancouver, decided to add
crickets to the menu by grinding them into our and making parathas out of
them. In 2011, she went one step further, by introducing an Indian cricket pizza
with a base of tomato sauce and chickpeas and a topping of paneer and four-
week-old roasted crickets for added crunch.
Dr Margaret Lowland believes insects
can be easier to rear than other foods
they do not require pesticides, fertilisers,
hormones, or any other drugs to remain
healthy. So they are, in a sense, the
ultimate health food!
when compared to conventional
meat production. It takes more than
10 gallons of water, for instance, to
produce about two pounds of beef,
Dicke and Van Huis point out. Also,
since insects are exothermic or cold-
blooded creatures, they dont expend
energy (or use up calories from their
food intake) to maintain their body
temperature, unlike warm-blooded
creatures such as pigs and cows. Hence,
more of their feed converts to high-
quality protein. For instance, according
to the FAO, 10 pounds of feed yields
one pound of beef, three pounds of
pork, ve pounds of chicken and up to
six pounds of insect meat.
Insects also produce less waste
according to Dicke and Van Huis,
a whopping 65 per cent of a lamb
becomes waste after processing, while
only 20 per cent of a cricket is inedible.
Only a few insects such as termites
and cockroaches produce greenhouse
gases such as methane, while
greenhouse emissions from livestock
remain a major concern for the
environment.
widely available. Although Indians are
a lot more squeamish than the Chinese
in this regard, we also have a long
history of eating insects. For instance,
theres Chhattisgarhs ery red ant
chutney, a full-bodied mix of red ants
and their larvae, pounded with salt, red
chillies, ginger and garlic, among other
ingredients. The chutney is a source of
nourishment for the tribals of Bastar
and other impoverished districts of the
state. Hoihnu Hauzel, author of The
Essential North East Cookbook, adds:
Baby bees are considered a delicacy
by the Nagas and the Mizo tribes. They
are boiled with salt and grated ginger
and the soup is given to new mothers.
THE CASE FOR
CULTIVATING INSECTS
Apart from the fact that they are so
readily available, there are a number
of pertinent reasons for entomologists
to promote the cultivation and
consumption of insects. Dutch
entomologists Marcel Dicke and
Arnold van Huis from the Wageningen
University elaborated on some of these
points in an article called The Six-
Legged Meat of the Future, published
in The Wall Street Journal in 2011.
(Van Huis is also one of the co-authors
of the FAO book on the subject.)
Insects have a reputation for being
dirty and carrying disease yet less
than 0.5 per cent of all known insect
species are harmful to people, farm
animals or crop plants, they wrote.
Of course, that doesnt mean you
can simply munch on a grasshopper
you found in your backyard. They
recommend trying insects that are
raised under hygienic conditions,
specically for human consumption.
Rearing insects requires relatively
low investment and puts a lighter
ecological burden on the planet than do
meat production or even sheries. To
begin with, since insects naturally like
to crowd together, they dont require a
large amount of space and rearing
them poses fewer ethical dilemmas
than battery cage hen farming or
industrial livestock production. Insect
farming also requires little water
American biologist, ecologist,
conservator and insect-enthusiast
Dr Margaret Lowman, who has been
organising annual Bug Cook-Ofs
at the North Carolina Museum of
Natural Sciences for the past few years,
sums up the immense potential of
insects as food in an email interview:
Insects are very sustainable they
are cheap, abundant and in a world
with over seven billion people, kinder to
the planet to raise, distribute and eat.
I believe that insects can be easier to
rear than other foods they do not
require pesticides, fertilisers, hormones,
or any other drugs to remain healthy.
So they are, in a sense, the ultimate
health food!
THE NUTRITIONAL ASPECT
Besides high-quality protein,
insects boast complex nutritional
proles. In general, most insects
are low in saturated fat and rich
in polyunsaturated (PUFA) and
monounsaturated (MUFA) good fats.
For instance, grasshoppers have a total
fat content of 67 per cent, of which
46 per cent is linoleic acid or PUFA
and 16 per cent is alpha linoleic acid
or vital Omega-3 fatty acids. Similarly,
termites have 49 per cent of fat content,
of which oleic acid or heart-healthy
MUFA fats make up 48 per cent.
THE INDIAN CONTEXT
Despite the growing enthusiasm
about insects among researchers and
international chefs (see One Plate at
a Time), and the practice of eating
insects in some Indian states, there
is still a while to go before we can
hope to see them on our plates in
restaurants. With the countrys dining
out culture only having diversied
and gained depth in the recent past, it
will take a few more years for Indian
palates to become experimental
enough to accept grasshopper salsa
or crickets on chocolate desserts.
However, for a start, perhaps we
shouldnt turn up our noses at the
notion of insects as food after all,
we may be looking at the planets
future source of nourishment.
need to know
food issues
Cheap and nutritious
bugs can be a
sustainable food solution
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Cauliflower
The healthy ingredient
The original brain food, cauliflower is a formidable arsenal of nutrients
T
he versatile cauliower is
a staple in most homes
and appeals to young
and old alike. Cauliower
has a springy, crunchy texture and a
nutty, slightly bitter taste. It is made
up of small orets as well as several
underdeveloped ower buds, which
clump together to form the compact
head called the curd. The vegetable
belongs to the Brassicaceae family
that also includes broccoli, cabbage,
Brussels sprouts and arugula.
In the case of the white cauliower
the most common variety of the
vegetable the coarse, ribbed foliage
that surrounds the head prevents
the ultraviolet rays of the sun from
penetrating to its inner reaches.
The absence of sunlight prevents
the formation of the green pigment,
chlorophyll. However, there are
coloured varieties of cauliower as well,
such as the spiky green Romanesco,
and purple cauliower, and these are
packed with even more goodness than
the white kind.
NUTRITION MATTERS
Cauliower is known as the original
brain food because it has nutritive
properties that improve mood,
memory and attention. Like most other
cruciferous vegetables (vegetables
belonging to the Brassicaceae family),
it is highly nutritious, possessing several
potent compounds that have been
known to help ward of disease. The
vegetable is a good source of vitamins
that boost health and immunity. Rich
in vitamin C, cauliower can prevent
the occurrence of colds, improve skin
health and build immunity against
everyday viruses. It contains vitamin K,
which supports vital functions such as
blood clotting, promotes bone health
and reduces inammation in the body.
Folate, a micronutrient that belongs to
the vitamin B family, replenishes the
bodys red blood cells, improves heart
health and brain function.
Cauliower also plays a signicant
role in eliminating dangerous chemicals
from the body. It contains antioxidants
that help us ght infections and
potent phytonutrients (plant-based
compounds) called glucosinolates that
stimulate our immune system to speed
up and destroy inammation-causing
or carcinogenic intruders, which
creates a strong line of defence against
a number of cancers.
In addition to these benets,
cauliower is also non-starchy and an
excellent source of bre, with nearly
12g of bre per 100g of the vegetable.
This makes it a good addition to a
weight loss diet.
PICKING THE BEST ONE
When shopping for cauliower,
look for one that is surrounded by
thick leaves, since this ensures better
protection to the inner orets. Ensure
that the individual orets are not
separating or crumbling. The more
compact the orets are, the
fresher the cauliower is.
To clean it, dip the
cauliower in a solution of salty
water for 10-15 minutes. It is a
versatile vegetable, and can be steamed,
sauted, stir-fried, roasted, marinated
or barbecued. However, dont let too
much time elapse between prepping
the cauliower and preparing it. The
processes of cutting and cooking
the vegetable help break down the
brous plant cell walls, and release
glucosinolates. However, once cut, the
vegetable should be cooked promptly
to prevent oxidation. Storing or
shopping for precut cauliower can
reduce the efcacy of glucosinolates
and other nutrients. Quick cooking
methods such as sauting and stir-
frying, which reduce the exposure of
the vegetable to heat, are the best ways
to retain its nutrients.
To reap maximum benets,
pair cooked cauliower with a raw
cruciferous vegetable. For instance, you
could team stir-fried cauliower with
arugula or purple cabbage for twice the
nutritional punch.
Words MADHURI RUIA
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Cauliower vinaigrette
Recipe BARNEY DESMAZERY
Make the dressing by whisking
together 6 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp red
wine vinegar and 1 tbsp dijon mustard
with some seasoning in a bowl, then
set aside. Bring a large pan of water
to the boil, cook the florets of 1 small
cauliflower along with the florets of 1
Romanesco cauliflower for 5-7 minutes
until just cooked, then drain well. While
the orets are still hot, toss with the
dressing and leave to cool. Just before
serving, add 1 finely chopped red onion,
a handful of chopped capers and a
handful of chopped parsley.
PER SERVING 114 kcals, protein 3g,
carbs 5g, fat 9g, sat fat 1g, fibre 3g, sugar
3g, salt 0.28g
Warm cauliower salad
Heat the oven to 200C. Toss the
florets of 1 cauliflower with 2 tbsp olive
oil, season and roast for 15 minutes. Stir
in 1 thinly sliced red onion and continue
roasting for 15-20 minutes more until
tender. While the cauliower is roasting,
mix 3 tbsp sherry vinegar, 1 1/2 tbsp
honey and 3 tbsp raisins with some
seasoning. When the cauliower is done,
stir into the dressing with a small bunch
of snipped dill, 3 tbsp toasted, flaked
almonds and 50g spinach, and serve.
carbs 19g, fat 11g, sat fat 1g, fibre 4g,
sugar 18g, salt 0.11g
need to know
wellbeing
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Cauliflower vinaigrette
Bloody Mary
Makes 1 10 minutes EASY
The Bloody Mary packs a robust punch
with worcestershire sauce and Tabasco.
The celery stalk is not just a swizzle
stick; it provides the perfect bite to this
savoury cocktail.
Half ll a cocktail shaker with ice
cubes. Add 60ml vodka and shake
vigorously. Add 12ml lemon juice,
150ml tomato juice, 5 dashes of
worcestershire sauce, a dash of
Tabasco and a pinch each of salt
and pepper. Shake vigorously once
again. Run a slice of lemon around
the rim of a highball glass, and dip the
rim into some salt or paprika salt for
more avour. Half ll the glass with ice
cubes, and strain the Bloody Mary over
the ice. Serve with a celery stick. PER SERVING 104 kcals, protein 2g,
carbs 7g, fat none, sat fat none, fibre
2g, sugar 6g, salt 0.35g
Tom Collins
This classic American cocktail is
typically served in the tall tumbler
thats named after it the Collins glass.
Its made with gin, lemon and soda.
Pour 50ml gin, 25ml fresh lemon
juice and 15ml sugar syrup into a
glass, add a handful of ice cubes, stir,
then top up with soda and garnish with
a slice of lemon.
carbs 10.4g, fat none, sat fat none, fibre
0.7g, sugar 4.3g, salt 1g
drink up
night out
Margarita
Recipe courtesy BUREAUCLUB.COM
The most iconic of tequila-based
cocktails, the margarita is a favourite
from Mexico. It can be served on a bed
of cubed or blended ice. Arriba!
Put a handful of ice cubes into a
shaker then shake together 50ml
tequila, 15ml orange liqueur (preferably
orange curaao but Grand Marnier or
Cointreau will do), 20ml fresh orange
juice and 10ml lime juice. Strain into a
margarita glass lled with crushed ice
and garnish with a sprig of dill.
PER SERVING 132 kcals, protein 1.5g,
carbs 8g, fat none, sat fat none, fibre
1.78g, sugar 5.6g, salt 0.83g
Mojito
The refreshing mojito is a traditional
Cuban drink with five essential
ingredients: rum, lemon, sugar, mint
and soda. The trick to getting it right is
muddling the mint leaves lightly so that
you extract the flavour and essential oils
from the herb.
In a tumbler, muddle 10 mint leaves
with 2 tbsp lime juice and 3 tsp sugar.
Pour over 50ml white rum and stir. Add
a handful of ice cubes, top with soda
and stir, then add 3 drops of Angostura
bitters and garnish with a wedge of
lemon and a sprig of mint.
carbs 12.8g, fat none, sat fat none, fibre
none, sugar 3.6g, salt 0.05g P
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Molecular mixology and hipster cocktails might be trendy, but nothing raises the bar
like a well-made classic
High
&
mighty
Bloody Mary
need to know
food shows
ON THE PLATE
JUNIOR MASTERCHEF INDIA
A familiar face in
Chef Kunal Kapu
a judge on the rec
kiddie cooking co
MasterChef India.
judging panel, Ka
as the executive ch
winning restauran
Leela Kempinski
Get a taste of his
signature style
with this simple
recipe for panjeeri
nutritious sweet d
traditionally made
and Pakistan, with
Orange rind and cinnamon-scented
panjeeri
gg
Heat 100ml ghee and add 250g whole wheat flour to r
it. Cook on a low ame until the our has a pleasing aroma
and turns light brown. Remove and allow to cool completely.
Mix in 150g caster sugar, 1/4 cup grated orange rind,
2 tbsp sliced pistachios and 1 tsp cinnamon powder.
Mix well and serve in hollowed-out orange halves.
Whats on
This monthsbest food newson
multimedia
YOUTUBE PICK OF THE MONTH
ALINEA
MEDIA MUST-HAVES
APP: COOKS ILLUSTRATED
This versatile, multipurpose iOS app is a great way
to get started in the kitchen. It offers a sizeable bank
of recipes organised neatly into categories such as Beans and
Grains, Eggs and Breakfast, Desserts and so on. The app offers
detailed guides on specic dishes such as roasted broccoli and
chewy chocolate chip cookies. You can ditch the notepad and
use it to make your monthly shopping list, too.
BLOG: THE FIRST MESS
This blog is an homage to a vegetarian way of life. Ontario-
based food blogger Laura Wright puts commonplace
vegetables such as carrots and cauliowers in luscious frames
that compel you to try the nutrition-packed yet appetising
dishes she creates with them. We cant wait to try the Chilli
Lime Cucumber Noodles on a bed of salted watermelon.
Swoon!
INSTAGRAM: @CANNELLEVANILLE
Memories of Aran Goyoagas native Basque country and the
cinnamon and vanilla aromas that she associates with her
childhood inspire this US-based cookbook authors blog and
Instagram feed. Her photos display a zeal for fresh produce,
such as strawberries, apples and red maize, as well as a
fondness for sumptuous, gluten-free goodies such as Pear and
Chocolate Galette and Summer Fruit Tarts.
Who says all food videos need to be
instructive? Why cant they be whimsical
taking the idea of ne dining and
giving it a playful twist? Path-breaking
Chicago restaurant Alineas videos on
YouTube achieve exactly that. Documen
the process behind some of the restauran
molecular and frequently theatrical dishe
the videos successfully convey the
child-like joy that can ensue when, for
instance, you are served a green apple-
avoured edible balloon pufed up
with helium or a chocolate pumpkin
that is quite literally smashed open on
the table. These short videos will put a
smile on your face.
Visit youtube.com/AlineaRestaurant
ONTH
l,
nting
nts
es,
all our drawing rooms,
ur is best known as
cently concluded
mpetition, Junior
Before he joined the
apur won accolades
hef of the award-
nt, Diya, at the
in Gurgaon.
i, a
dish
e in India
h a modern twist.
BBC GoodFood 27
eat in
25 pages of recipes, from snappy weekday cooking
to mithai with a modern twist
IN THIS ISSUE
Seven meals for ` 700, p 28
Wholesome lunchbox ideas, p 35
Dishes ready in 30 minutes, p 36
Stylish desserts with mithai, p 46
Aflatoon cche heessec ecak akke, e, e, p p p 49 49 49
need to know
food issues
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Whoever said stylish meals have to cost the earth? Try our versatile winners
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STORE CUPBOARD
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` 698.5
TOTAL FOR
7 MEALS
*
*Recipe costings are based on the amounts of
ingredients used, eg 125g butter is costed at half
the price of a 250g pack. The store cupboard
ingredients are not included in the costing; we
assume that these are consumed daily and do
not need to be specially purchased.
`700
7
meals
for
MONDAY
Pasta e fagioli
Pasta e fagioli translates as pasta
and beans, a traditional meat-
free Italian dish. This version adds
bacon for more flavour. You can use
whichever greens are in season and
vary the beans if you like.
bacon 1 slice, chopped
onion 1/2, chopped
celery 1 stick, diced
olive oil 1 tbsp
rosemary 1 sprig, chopped
chicken stock 185ml
orzo or any small pasta shape r 20g
(try Barilla available at gourmet stores)
cannellini beans 100g, boiled and
drained (try Epicure available at
gourmet stores)
mixed greens or spinach 50g, woody
stalks removed and roughly shredded
salt and pepper to season
Cook the bacon, onion and celery
in the olive oil until softened. Add the
rosemary, stock and pasta and simmer
for 5 minutes, then add the beans and
greens and simmer until the pasta is
tender. Season and serve.
fibre 3g, salt 1.6g
Recipes JANINE RATCLIFFE Photographs LARA HOLMES
VEG IT
Leave out the
bacon, use
vegetable stock and
serve with grated
parmesan
TUESDAY
Rawas with mustard
and caper sauce
A quick and easy dinner is just what
you need at the end of a long day.
This piquant fish dish is ready in a
jiffy, and its low in fat too.
rawas 1 llet, skinless, boneless
olive oil 1 tbsp
lemon juice 1 tsp
crme frache or soured cream
2 tbsp (try President available at
gourmet stores)
wholegrain mustard 1 tbsp (try
Tracklements available at gourmet
stores) dill 1/2 tbsp, chopped + extra to serve
capers 1 tsp (try Lindsay available at
gourmet stores)
spinach 50g
puy lentils (masoor dal) 125g, boiled
and drained
Brush the rawas with oil and lemon,
season and grill for 5 minutes. Put the
crme frache and mustard in a pan
and bring to a simmer. Stir in the dill
and capers and season. Add a splash
of water if needed for a light, saucy
consistency.
Put the spinach in a colander and pour
over a kettle of boiling water to wilt. Toss
together the spinach and boiled lentils,
season and transfer to a plate. Remove
any skin from the sh, place it on the
lentils and spinach, and spoon over the
mustard sauce. Add extra dill if you like.
carbs 29.4g, fat 9.1g, sat fat 3.6g, fibre 11g, salt 5g
INGREDIENT TIP:
Turn this into
an easy gratin put the sh in an
ovenproof dish, spoon over the
sauce, then add a handful of gruyre
cheese and grill until golden.
eat in
everyday
REALLY
REALLY
QUICK
THE HUMMUS
chickpeas 75g, boiled and drained
tahini paste 50g (try Al Fez available
at gourmet stores)
garlic clove 1/2
cumin powder 1/4 tsp
chilli powder 1/4 tsp
lemon juice 2 tbsp
olive oil 1/2 tbsp
salt to season
To make the hummus, tip the boiled
chickpeas into a food processor and
whizz with a little cooking water until
smooth. Add the tahini, garlic, cumin
and chilli powders, lemon juice, olive
oil and a good pinch of salt and blend
again (you may need to add a little
more water). Transfer to a bowl and
refrigerate. Consume any remaining
hummus within two days.
Heat a non-stick pan and dry-grill the
halloumi until golden. If you dont have
a non-stick pan, use a little olive oil to
prevent the cheese from sticking. Halve
the bun and lightly toast on both sides.
WEDNESDAY
Halloumi and roasted
red pepper stacks
This is a veggie burger with a difference
the flavour of the salty Cypriot
cheese mingles beautifully with the
slight sweetness of fresh chilli jam.
halloumi 2-3 slices (try Lemnos
crusty burger bun or brun pav 1
arugula a handful
roasted red pepper 1 large, cut into
squares (try Jamie Oliver available at
gourmet stores)
chilli jam to serve (see box)
red onion 1/4 small, sliced
Spread 1 tbsp hummus on the bottom
half, then add some arugula. Layer with
the halloumi and pepper and spread
over a small spoonful of chilli jam and
some sliced onion. Place the other half
of the bun on top.
carbs 35.9g, fat 18g, sat fat 8.9g, fibre 2g, salt 2.6g
MAKE YOUR OWN CHILLI JAM
Tip 8 deseeded, roughly chopped
red peppers, 10 roughly chopped
red chillies, 1 roughly chopped
knob of ginger and 8 peeled
garlic cloves into a food processor,
then whizz until nely chopped.
Scrape into a heavy-bottomed
pan with 400g cherry tomatoes,
750g golden caster sugar and
250ml red wine vinegar, then
bring everything to the boil. Turn
the heat down to a simmer and
cook for 50 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Once the jam is sticky,
continue cooking for 10-15 minutes,
stirring frequently. It should now
resemble thick, bubbling lava. Cool
slightly, transfer to sterilised jars,
then leave to cool completely.
eat in
everyday
THURSDAY
Sichuan pepper noodles
These Sichuan pepper noodles
make for a feisty lunch. The crunchy
vegetables and peanut butter add
oodles of flavour.
noodles 100g
oil 2 tbsp
Sichuan peppercorns 1 tsp, crushed
(try ASA available at Foodhall outlets
nationwide. See p 15)
red chilli 1/2, shredded + extra to serve
ginger a walnut-sized chunk, nely
chopped
soy sauce 1 1/2 tbsp
peanut butter 1 tbsp (try American
vegetable stock 50ml
broccoli 100g thin-stemmed, halved
and blanched
edamame beans 75g, blanched (try
Trikaya available at select gourmet
stores) spring onions 1/2 bunch, chopped,
including the stalks to serve
Cook the noodles following the
packet instructions, then drain.
Heat the oil in a wok and add the
peppercorns. Cook for a minute then
add the chilli, garlic and ginger and fry
for a minute more.
Add the soy sauce, peanut butter
and stock, and simmer for a few
minutes. Add a splash more water if
you need to you want it to be saucy.
Add the noodles, broccoli and beans,
and toss until heated through. Serve
sprinkled with extra chilli and spring
onions.
fibre 8.4g, salt 4.4
INGREDIENT TIP: For a heartier
dish, add some cubed tofu,
shredded chicken or prawns.
eat in
everyday
FRIDAY
Vegetable jalfrezi
Serves 1 1 hour EASY
Recipe LUCY NETHERTON
This vegetarian curry is low in
saturated fat and packed with the
goodness of pumpkin, cauliflower, bell
peppers and chickpeas.
sunflower oil 1/4 tbsp
onion 1/2, thinly sliced
jalfrezi paste 40g (try Kohinoor
pumpkin 1/8, cut into chunks
cauliflower 1/4 small head, broken into
orets
vegetable stock cube 1/2, powdered
coriander a few leaves, stalks nely
chopped
tomato pure 125ml
water 125150ml
red bell pepper 1/4, sliced
yellow bell pepper 1/4, sliced
chickpeas 100g, boiled and drained
yoghurt 25g
green chilli 1/4, sliced
boiled rice or naan to serve
Heat the oil in a large frying pan.
Add the onion and cook over a low
ame for about 8-10 minutes until soft,
stirring often. Add a splash of water
if the slices start to stick. Add the
jalfrezi paste and mix well, then add
the pumpkin, cauliower, stock cube,
coriander stalks, tomato pure and
125ml water. Simmer for 20 minutes,
adding the remaining water if it gets
too thick. Add the peppers and chickpeas, and
cook for 1520 minutes more, until
the vegetables are tender. Stir in the
yoghurt and most of the coriander
leaves. Serve scattered with the
remaining coriander and the sliced
chilli, with rice or naan on the side.
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SATURDAY
Budin Azteca
Budin means pie in Spanish and is quite
similar to lasagne in structure, but
this layered one-pan dish uses tortillas
instead of pasta sheets. It works
wonderfully as a casual main
and makes for a cheerful change to
bland dinners.
corn tortillas 4, trimmed to the size
of the baking dish (try Old El Paso
olive oil 1 tsp + extra for frying
onion 1/2, chopped
garlic clove 1, nely chopped
red bell pepper 1/2, chopped
green bell pepper 1/2, chopped
tomatoes 200g, chopped
chipotle paste 1 tsp (try Old El Paso
availa aable at gourmet stores)salt nd pepper to season
chicken 100g, cooked, cut into chunks
jalapeos 2, chopped (try American
soured cream 40ml (try Impero
cheddar 50g, grated
Heat the oven to 190C. Brush the
tortillas lightly with 1 tsp olive oil then
toast in a large dry frying pan until
crisp and browned. Fry the onion and
garlic in 1 tsp of oil until softened, then
add the peppers and keep cooking until
they soften a little. Add the tomatoes
and chipotle and simmer for 20
minu uut ttes unt tti iil ll thickened. Seaso oon well. P a tor la in the bottom f a
baking dish or small ovenproof pan.
Spread over 1/3 of the sauce, 1/3 of
the chicken, 1 tbsp of the sour cream
and 1/4 of the cheese. Repeat twice,
sprinkling with jalapeos as you go,
then top the last tortilla with cream
and cheese only. Use a bit more cheese
if you need to get a good layer. Bake for
2030 minutes until it is bubbling and
turns golden brown on top.
INGREDIENT TIP: Try different
llings in the pie refried beans,
prawns or thinly sliced steak will
work well too.
eat in
everyday
eat in
everyday
SUNDAY
Pork schnitzel with
garlicky green beans
Schnitzel is usually made with veal, but
tastes just as good with pork or even
chicken.
garlic clove 1, sliced
olive oil 2 tbsp
chilli flakes a pinch
caster sugar a pinch (try Tate & Lyle
dried breadcrumbs 15g
parmesan 15g
pork escalopes (flattened, boneless
fillets of pork) 2 small, about 75g each
all-purpose flour (maida) 1/2 tbsp,
seasoned
egg 1/2, beaten
French beans 100g, blanched
Sizzle the garlic in 1 tbsp of olive oil
then add the chilli akes, tomatoes
and sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes until
thickened, then remove from the heat. In the meantime, mix the
breadcrumbs and parmesan and
season. Put the pork escalopes
between sheets of cling-lm and bash
them with a rolling pin until around
1/2-cm-thick. Dust them in the
seasoned our, dip in the beaten
egg and coat with the parmesan
breadcrumbs. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of oil in a
non-stick pan. Cook the schnitzels for
3-5 minutes on each side until crisp
and golden. Add the beans to the
tomato sauce and toss. Serve with the
pork schnitzels.
FOR A LIST
OF STORES
THAT STOCK
GOURMET
INGREDIENTS,
TURN TO P 155
e eea aat tt i iin nn l llu uun nnc cch hhb bbo oox xx
These flavour-packed, feel-good dishes will keep pesky afternoon hunger pangs at bay
Lunch on this!
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Mini spinach and cottage
cheese frittatas
Recipe EMILY KYDD
Heat the oven to 180C. Lightly grease
a 6-hole mufn tin with butter and line
with parchment paper. Put 85g spinach
in a colander in the sink and pour over a
kettle of boiling water, then drain. When
cool, squeeze the liquid from the spinach,
then roughly chop. Beat 3 large eggs and
add salt and pepper to season. In another
bowl, add the spinach, 6 tbsp cottage
cheese, 3 sliced spring onions, a few
sprigs of chopped dill and a little grated
nutmeg. Marble the egg mixture through
the remaining ingredients in the bowl.
Divide the mixture between the mufn
cases. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Leave to
cool before removing from the tin.
PER SERVING 59 kcals, protein 6g, carbs
1g, fat 3g, sat fat 1g, fibre none, sugar 1g,
salt 0.3g
Pasta with ham and minty
pea pesto
Cook 400g mixed pasta
shapes, adding 200g
green peas for the nal
minute of cooking.
Drain, reserving some
of the pasta water;
return to the pan.
Blitz an additional 200g
peas, a bunch of mint, 25g
parmesan and 100g crme
frache together in a blender
until smooth, then season with salt and
pepper. Put the pan on the ame; stir in
the pea mixture, 175g sliced smoked ham
and 25g parmesan and mix.
carbs 65g, fat 12g, sat fat 6g, fibre 7g, sugar
5g, salt 1.3g
Black bean chimichuri
salad
For the chimichuri dressing, whizz
a large handful each of coriander
and parsley, 2 tbsp sherry vinegar,
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1/2
chopped garlic clove, 1/4 tsp chilli
powder and 1/4 tsp ground cumin
together in a blender until combined.
Season with salt and pepper and set
aside. In a bowl toss together 400g
boiled black beans, 1 chopped tomato,
1/4 chopped red onion, 1/2 chopped
avocado and 50g crumbled feta.
Drizzle over the chimichuri dressing
just before eating.
sugar 7g, salt 1.9g
Mini spinach
and cottage
cheese frittatas
REALLY
REALLY
QUICK
Easy after-work dishes that come
together in a flash
Ready
in 30
Linguine with fresh
puttanesca sauce
Throw together this simple yet tasty
pasta dish when youre really pressed
for time.
linguine 150g (try Garofalo available at
gourmet stores)
cherry tomatoes 250g, chopped
capers 2 tbsp, rinsed (try Epicure
flat-leaf parsley a small bunch,
chopped
green olives 12, pitted and chopped
(try Iliada available at gourmet stores)
lemon 1, juiced
olive oil 3 tbsp
Cook the linguine following the
To make the sauce, put the rest of
the ingredients in a large bowl, add
the olive oil, season and toss together.
Drain the pasta and toss with the
sauce.
4.4g, salt 2.5g
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eat in
everyday
Spiced lentil and ginger
soup (recipe overleaf)
Spiced lentil and ginger
soup
This is the perfect soup for weight
watchers. Lentils are low in fat and high
on fibre, keeping you full for longer.
olive oil 1 tbsp
onion 1 medium, nely chopped
carrot 1 large, peeled and diced
celery 2 sticks, diced
garlic cloves 2, crushed
ginger 25g, peeled and grated
fresh red chilli 1, nely sliced
curry powder 1 tbsp (try Everest
available at grocery stores)
red lentils (husked masoor dal) 150g,
rinsed
yoghurt 2 tbsp to serve
Heat the oil in a non-stick saucepan
and fry the onion, carrot and celery.
Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and
cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and 4 tbsp
cold water. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring
constantly. Tip the lentils and tomatoes
into the pan. Add 2 cups of cold water
into the sauce eepan. Season, th n bring to the boil.
Simmer for 20 minutes until the lentils
are tender and the soup is thick. Serve
topped with a swirl of yoghurt.
carbs 10g, fat 2.3g, sat fat 0.3g, fibre
2.1g, salt 0.1g
Thai shredded chicken
and bean salad
This recipe will taste more authentic if
you use Thai sweet basil, which has a
stronger aniseed flavour than ordinary
basil, but coriander gives it a nice Asian
touch, too.
French beans 200g
salt to taste
fresh red chilli 1, halved and nely
sliced
shallots 2, nely sliced
lemongrass 1, nely sliced
ginger a 2cm piece , shredded
skinless chicken breasts 2, cooked
mint leaves a small bunch
Thai basil or coriander a large bunch
lime 1, cut into wedges
jasmine rice to serve, steamed (try
Real Thai available at gourmet stores)
THE COCONUT DRESSING
coconut cream 100ml (try Real Thai
garlic clove 1, crushed
fish sauce 3 tbsp (try Ayam available
at gourmet stores)
sugar 1 tsp
lime 1, juiced
birds eye chilli 1, nely diced
Cut the beans diagonally into 2cm
pieces. Cook in simmering salted water
for 4 minutes or until tender but still
bright green. Drain and put in a bowl
with the chilli, shallots, lemongrass and
ginger. Pull the chicken breasts into
shreds using your ngers and add to
the bowl.
To make the dressing, mix the
coconut with the garlic, sh sauce,
sugar, lime ee and chilli. Tear th mint and Thai basil over the
chicken and toss together. Pile onto a
plate and pour over the dressing.
Serve with the lime to squeeze over
and jasmine rice.
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Paprika chicken
ciabattas
Turn an open sandwich into a filling
meal with this fast and flavoursome
recipe.
skinless chicken breasts 4
lemon 1, juiced
smoked paprika 1 tbsp (try Ahumado
availa aable at gourmet stores) salt nd pepper to season
olive oil 3 tbsp
ciabatta 1 loaf
mayonnaise 4 tbsp
romaine lettuce leaves 8, torn
Cut the chicken breasts in half
horizontally and lay each between two
sheets of cling-lm. Bash with a rolling
pin until about 1cm thick.
Squeeze lemon juice over the
chicken and dust with paprika. Season
well, then drizzle with olive oil. Place on
a hot griddle pan or barbecue and cook
for 5 minutes on each side until lightly
charred and c ccooked th hhrough. Halve the iabatta orizontally and
lay, cut side down, on the pan for 1
minute. Mix the crushed garlic and
mayonnaise, then spread over the cut
side of each ciabatta half. Top with the
lettuce and chicken, then season. Cut in
half to serve.
REALLY
REALLY
EASY
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Broad beans and feta
cheese toasts
Slice up a baguette, toast, then use as a
bruschetta base topped with beans and
salty feta cheese for a healthy bite.
broad beans (papdi) 350g
feta 100g, drained (try Lemnos
mint leaves 2 tbsp, chopped or
shredded
black pepper to season r R
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extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp
mixed salad leaves (baby spinach,
arugula, beetroot) 50g
cherry tomatoes 10, halved
lemon juice 1 tsp
baguette 4 thin slices
Bring a small pan of water to the boil.
Add the beans, return to the boil and
cook for 4 minutes. Drain in a colander
under running water until cold. Press
each bean out of its skin into a bowl.
Crumble over the feta and scatter
over the mint leaves. Season with a
good grind of black pepper and drizzle
with 2 tsp of the oil. Toss together.
Toss the salad leaves and tomatoes
with the remaining olive oil and lemon
juice. Divide between 2 plates. Toast
the bread under the grill or in a toaster
until golden and crisp on both sides.
To serve, spoon the bean and cheese
mixture onto the warm toasts and
place alongside the salad.
sugar 6g, salt 2.2g
Moroccan roasted
vegetables with tahini
dressing
gg
Serves 430 minutes EASY
Tahini, a paste made from ground
sesame seeds, is often used in Middle
Eastern cooking to impart a creamy,
slight nutty taste to the dish.
zucchini 2, cut into chunks
red peppers 3, deseeded and cut into
chunks
aubergine 1 large, cut into chunks
spring onions 8, cut into 2cm lengths
olive oil 2 tbsp
harissa 2 tbsp (try Al Fez available at
gourmet stores)
tahini paste 2 tbsp (try Al Fez available
at gourmet stores)
lemon 1, juiced
Greek yoghurt 4 tbsp (try Himalya
Fresh available at gourmet stores)
mint a small bunch, roughly chopped
couscous 2 cups, cooked (try Tipiak
pita bread to serve
Heat the oven to 200C. Spread
the vegetables out on a baking tray.
Drizzle the oil and harissa, season and
toss well. Roast for 20 minutes or until
cooked and beginning to caramelise.
To make the dressing, mix together
the tahini, lemon juice, yoghurt and
12 tbsp water. Stir in half the mint.
Sprinkle the vegetables with the
remaining mint and serve with the
dressing, couscous and p
ita bread.
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Fresh tomato and
zucchini penne
Keep it fresh with this pasta dish of
chopped tomatoes and zucchini in a
crme frache sauce.
olive oil 2 tbsp
zucchini 200g small, diagonally sliced
tomatoes 400g
penne 200g
sugar a pinch (optional)
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crme frache 2 tbsp (try President
basil a small bunch, torn
Heat the oil in a frying pan and
fry the zucchini for 4-5 minutes until
softene eed. Remove and set aside. Whil the zucchini cooks, boil
the tomatoes for 15 seconds in the
water you will cook the pasta in,
then plunge them into a bowl of cold
water. Remove the skins and seeds,
and chop the esh. Add the pasta to
the boiling water and cook following
Add the tomatoes and garlic to the
zucchini pan. Cook on a high ame
until the tomatoes start to break down.
Taste and season, adding the sugar if
the tomatoes are sour. Drain the pasta, reserving some of
the water, and tip it back into the pan.
Add the tomatoes and zucchini, crme
frache and basil, adding a little of the
pasta water, if necessary, to moisten.
Spiced chickpea and
potato fry-up
Serves 4 30 minutes
EASY
This low-fat dish packed with fragrant
flavours is perfect for a quick, healthy
dinner.
onions 2, sliced
olive oil 1 tbsp
coriander, turmeric and chilli powder
1 tsp each
cumin seeds 1 tbsp
chickpeas 400g, boiled and drained R
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tomato pure 2 tbsp
potatoes 300g, boiled, cut into
small pieces
spinach 200g, washed and cleaned
coriander a small bunch, leaves
chopped
chapatis, yoghurt and mango
chutney to serve
Soften the onions and garlic
in the oil in a frying pan for a few
minutes. Add all the spices, then
fry for 1 minute more. Stir in the
chickpeas and tomato pure with
400ml water, then turn the heat up
and bubble for a few minutes.
Add the potatoes to the pan. Cook
for a few minutes until the sauce is
thick, stir in the spinach, then season.
When the spinach has wilted, scatter
with coriander and serve with the
chapatis, yoghurt and chutney on the
side.
carbs 33g, fat 4g, sat fat none, fibre 6g,
sugar 6g, salt 0.6g
Crunchy sh ngers
basa, tilapia or any boneless fish
fillets 250g
lemon 1/2, juiced
fish sauce 1/2 tsp (try Kikkoman
polenta 50g (try Valsugana available
at gourmet stores)
dried breadcrumbs 50g
egg 1, lightly beaten
olive oil 2 tbsp
peas and spinach 1 cup each, sauted
mayonnaise to serve
Heat the oven to 200C. Cut the
sh into 8 pieces, then squeeze over
the lemon juice. Line a baking sheet
with parchment paper, and mix the
sh sauce, polenta and breadcrumbs
on this. Dip the sh into the egg, then
turn several times in the polenta and
breadcrumb mixture to coat. Repeat
with all the pieces of sh. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for
15 minutes, turning halfway through
cooking. Serve with peas, spinach and
a spoonful of mayonnaise.
carbs 20g, fat 8g, sat fat 1g, fibre none,
eat in
everyday
Those who have created beautiful,
graceful and intelligent homes
DESERVE AN AWARD.
GoodHomes Awards is initiated to recognise designers and brands, who have enhanced
the home living experience with their creative value additions across categories.
Announcing an award celebrating designers, architects & companies.
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Trophy design inspired by the Fibonacci curve.
/GoodHomesMagazineIndia
Trophy Partner
Mithai Mod
Give classic mithais a chic makeover with these dazzling innovations
perfect for Diwali entertaining. Oohs and aahs guaranteed
Recipes RACHEL GOENKA Photographs PRATEEKSH MEHRA Styling inputs SHREYA GUPTA
Props courtesy LE MILL and FREEDOM TREE
gone
Imarti with coconut ice
cream (recipe on p 48)
eat in
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Lemongrass panna cotta
kheer (recipe on r p 48)
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Lemongrass panna
cotta kheer
MODERATELY EASY
This light lemongrass panna cotta with
a centre of homemade sevvaiyan kheer
is just what I recommend to impress
your dinner guests at Diwali.
THE KHEER
ghee 1 tbsp
pistachios 1 tbsp
cashewnuts 1 tbsp
cloves 2
cardamoms 3
rice vermicelli (sevaiyyan) 50g,
roastedmilk 250ml
sugar 1 tbsp
condensed milk 1 1/2 tbsp
THE PANNA COTTA
lemongrass 2 stalks, chopped
milk 1 1/2 cup
cream 1/2 cup
sugar 6 tbsp
gelatin 1 tsp, soaked in 3-4 tbsp warm
water
To make the kheer, heat the
ghee and saut the pistachios and
cashewnuts until golden brown. Add
the cloves and cardamoms and saut
further. Mix in the roasted vermicelli
and stir. Add the milk and heat till the
vermicelli is cooked. Add the sugar and
condensed milk a aan nnd keep a aaside. To make the p na cott , lightly
hit the lemongrass with the back of
a spoon. Add it to the milk, heat and
reduce for 5 minutes on a low ame.
Cove eer and refrigera aate overnight. H at the cream nd sugar together,
then strain the avoured milk into the
cream. Heat till the sugar melts, then
add the soaked gelatin. Pour 1/2 cup
of the panna cotta liquid into a martini
glass and refrigerate for an hour. Layer
the kheer on top of the panna cotta.
Pour 3/4 cup of the panna cotta liquid
over the kheer and let it set for 1 hour
in the refrigerator before serving.
4.98g, fibre 0.57g, salt 67.17g
Imarti with coconut ice
cream
Serves 6 30 minutes + overnight
freezing EASY
Homemade coconut ice cream with
imarti topped with toasted sesame
seeds is my Indian spin on the Asian
sticky honey noodles. To save time, use
store-bought ice cream.
coconut milk 250ml (try Dabur
Hommade available at gourmet stores)
cream 250ml
egg yolks 4
sugar 125g
imarti 6 (available at your
local sweet shop)
black and white sesame seeds 1 tsp,
toasted
Heat the coconut milk and cream
together and keep aside. Make a
sabayon (similar to zabaglione, a light
mousse-like Italian dessert) by whisking
the egg yolks and the sugar over a
double boiler until light and foamy.
Add the cream mixture to the sabayon,
combine ee well and strain. Freez the mixture overnight and
churn in an ice cream machine. Place
a scoop of ice cream over each imarti,
and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
REALLY
REALLY
EASY
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When I began creating this menu, I had to frst consider
which mithais would lend themselves to contemporary
desserts. One of the biggest challenges was how to make
the hero of the dish, the mithai, stand out without masking
the other ingredients. Mithais are also saccharine sweet, so
attaining balance is key in all of these creations.
I have used delicate ingredients in each of these desserts.
Lemongrass, for instance, has a subtle favour that marries
beautifully with the cardamom in the kheer. The ras malai
already has notes of pistachio and saffron so I decided to
keep the favour profles within the same family. With the
motichoor laddoo mousse I had to balance the sweetness
of the laddoo with a salty biscuit base. For the red velvet
sponge, I used shrikhand as a substitute for cream cheese. I hope these desserts
inspire you to experiment with our versatile Indian sweets.
Rachel Goenka, chef and owner, The Sassy Spoon, Mumbai
Aatoon cheesecake
Serves 8 40 minutes + baking and
chilling MODERATELY EASY
Aatoon is a baked khoya-based
dessert most commonly eaten within
the Muslim community. In this creation,
aatoon mithai forms a base for a
cheesecake.
aflatoon or dodha barfi 500g
(available at your local sweet shop)
Philadelphia cream cheese 450g (try
Kraft available at gourmet stores)
sugar 6 tbsp
cornflour 1 tbsp
eggs 2
cream 1 cup
raspberry compote 1 cup (optional)
Place 450g of aatoon in a bowl.
Mash well until it resembles a paste.
Cover the base of a 7-inch round ring
with cling-lm, and then with aluminum
foil. Place the aatoon in the ring and
press slightly, making an even layer.
Chill for 30 minutes.
To make the batter, mix the cream
cheese and the sugar in a bowl. Add
the cornour, mix well, and then add
the eggs one by one. Scrape the sides
of the bowl and mix again, adding the
cream in a slow, steady stream. Pour
the batter over the aatoon base. Make
small rounds of the remaining aatoon
and stud the top of the cake with it.
Bake the cheesecake at 150C in a
water bath for about 40 minutes, or
until the mixture is slightly rm in the
centre. Chill for 2 hours and serve with
raspberry compote, if using.
eat in
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Ras malai and safron
mousse with pistachio
sponge
Serves 6 55 minutes + baking +
standing MODERATELY EASY
Ras malai shines in this sophisticated
layered dessert with saffron mousse,
pistachio sponge and white chocolate.
THE PISTACHIO SPONGE
icing sugar 1/2 cup (try Bluebird
available at gourmet stores) flour 1 1/2 tbsp
pistachio 6 tbsp, powdered
egg whites 3
caster sugar 3 tbsp (try Tate & Lyle
THE SAFFRON MOUSSE
milk 1/4 cup
saffron a generous pinch
whipping cream 200ml (try Richs
powdered gelatin 3/4 tsp
egg yolks 4
sugar 7 tbsp
white chocolate 50g, chopped (try
Valrhona available at gourmet stores)
ras malai 6 cakes (available at your local
sweet shop)
Preheat the oven to 180C. To make the
pistachio sponge, sieve the icing sugar, our and pistachio powder together.
Line a 14x24cm baking tray with
parchment paper. Whisk the egg whites
until stiff. Add the caster sugar and
keep whisking until the meringue holds
stiff peaks. Fold the pistachio mixture
into the meringue. Pour the sponge
mix onto the tray and spread evenly.
Bake the sponge until it is rm to the
touch, for about 18-20 minutes.

To make the mousse, heat the milk
and steep the saffron in it. Cover and
keep aside for half an hour. Whisk the
whipping cream till it holds soft peaks.
Soak the gelatin in warm water. Make a
sabayon (similar to zabaglione, a light
mousse-like Italian dessert) by whisking
the egg yolks and the sugar over a
double boiler until light and foamy.
Add the saffron-avoured milk to the
sabayon, mix well, then add to the
white chocolate. Warm slightly to melt
the chocolate. Add the gelatin liquid
to the warm saffron mixture and mix
thoroughly. Fold the whipped cream
into the saffron mixture.
To assemble the dessert, cut the
pistachio sponge into circles, according
to the size of the glass. Layer the
pistachio sponge in the glass. Cut 1 ras
malai into half and place one half on
the sponge. Pour 1/3 cup of saffron
mousse over the ras malai. Set in the
refrigerator for 15 minutes and then
place another circle over the mousse.
Pour 1/3 cup of mousse on top of the
sponge, and top with the other half of
the ras malai. Serve chilled.
eat in
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eat in showof
Shrikhand red velvet
sponge
EASY
Its easy to see why red velvet is the
dessert du jour nowadays. Salty cream
cheese offers the perfect contrast to
the stunning red sponge cake. I couldnt
resist turning to sour shrikhand
instead, to give this popular treat extra
tang and character.
flour 220g
baking soda 1 tsp
baking powder 1 tsp
cocoa powder 1/3 cup
salt 1/2 tsp
sugar 1 cup
oil 1 cup
eggs 2, beaten
buttermilk 1 cup
vinegar 1 tbsp
water 1/4 cup
coffee powder 1 1/2 tbsp
red food colouring 30g (try McCormick
cardamom (elaichi) shrikhand 500g
(try Amul available at gourmet stores)
raspberry compote 1 cup (optional)
Preheat the oven to 200C. Line
a 28x24cm at tray with parchment
paper. Pass all the dry ingredients
our, baking soda, baking powder,
cocoa powder and salt together
through a s ssieve. Keep aside. Mix the ugar and the oil together,
then add the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla
essence and vinegar, and mix until
well combined. Heat the water and
dissolve the coffee powder in it. Add
this to the sugar mixture. Whisk the
dry ingredients into the sugar mixture.
Slowly stir in the red food colouring
to the mixture, checking the colour
carefully as you go along. In addition to
the colouring, the reaction between the
buttermilk and the vinegar contributes
to the striking red hue of the cake. Pour
the mixture into the prepared tray and
bake for 12-15 minutes. The batter in
the tray should not be more than
1cm deep. Cut the sponge into 3 equal
rectangles. Layer the sponge with
shrikhand. Place the second layer on
top of the shrikhand. Repeat twice.
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours to
allow it to set before slicing. Serve with
raspberry compote, if using.
GOOD
FOOD
STAR
RECIPE
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Kala jamun bread
pudding
Serves 4 35 minutes + baking and
standing EASY
This pudding adds a deliciously desi
twist to the traditional bread and butter
version laced with vanilla custard. The
boozy bourbon sauce cuts through the
sweetness to give the pud an extra kick!
milk 3/4 cup
cream 3/4 cup
eggs 2
egg yolk 1/2
sugar 5 tbsp
butter 1 tbsp, for greasing
bread slices 5-6 large, cut into small
squares
kala jamun 4 pieces, thinly sliced
(available at your local sweet shop)
THE BOURBON SAUCE
egg yolks 2
brown sugar 90g, powdered
butter 120g
bourbon 60ml (try Jack Daniels
available at liquor stores)
cinnamon powder 1/4 tsp
nutmeg powder 1/4 tsp
To make the custard, preheat the
oven to 150C. Heat the milk and
the cream together. In a large bowl,
combine the eggs, egg yolk and sugar.
Pour the hot milk and cream mixture
over the eggs and stir, allowing the
sugar to melt. Add the vanilla essence
and strain.
Arrange the pieces of bread in a
greased baking dish. Pour enough
custard to cover the bread, and allow
to soak for half an hour. Pour more
custard if the bread has soaked up
all of it. Arrange sliced jamun on top,
covering the entire sur rrface. Repeat the entire p ocess, and top
with a nal layer of bread, allowing it
to soak up the custard well. Place the
pudding dish in a roasting tin lled
1/4 with water for about 40 minutes
and bake till the centre of the pudding
is cooked. In the meantime, prepare the
bourbon sauce by whizzing together
all the ingredients. Cook on a low ame
until bubbling and keep aside. Serve
warm with the pudding.
eat in showof
Motichoor and
cardamom mousse
EASY
The savoury biscuit base in this dessert
cuts through the intense sweetness of
the laddoos and adds complexity to the
texture and flavour.
salted biscuits 100g, powdered (try
Monaco available at grocery stores)
butter 25g, cubed
cream 200ml
egg yolks 2
sugar 5 tbsp
gelatin 1/2 tsp
cardamom (elaichi) 1/2 tsp, roasted
and powdered, pods removed
motichoor laddoos 4 (available at
your local sweet shop)
almonds 2 tbsp, toasted and aked, to
garnish
Mix the powdered biscuits with the
butter and use this to form the base of
the mousse in each jar. Press slightly
and chill so that it sets. Whip the cream
till it forms soft peaks and refrigerate
it. Make a sabayon (similar to
zabaglione, a light mousse-like Italian
dessert) by whisking the egg yolks and
the sugar over a double boiler until
light and foamy. Soak the powdered
gelatin in warm water.
Mix the gelatin liquid with the
sabayon and add the cardamom
to it. Fold the whipped cream into
the sabayon very gently. Pour the
cardamom mousse over the biscuit
base in the chilled jars. Chill for half an
hour. Crush the motichoor laddoos and
sprinkle over the mousse. Garnish with
almond akes. Serve chilled.
4 .46g, carbs 55.98g, fat 18.3g, sat fat
Illustration SVABHU KOHLI
2
nd
anniversary
special feature
CULINARY CHOPS: Imtiaz Qureshi
is the oldest pillar of Indian royal cuisine.
The legendary chef, whos been cooking for
as long as India has been an independent
country, can be solely credited for
reinventing the forgotten Awadhi cuisine
from Lucknow. He is known as the father
of dum pukht, a technique of slow cooking
ingredients in a sealed vessel, so the food
cooks in its own juices for maximum
avour. Throughout his epicurean journey,
Qureshi, who is synonymous with ITC
brands Dum Pukht and Bukhara, has fed
prime ministers and royal families. As a
consultant chef with the chain, he is still a
presiding deity in the kitchens.
What is your earliest memory
of cooking?
When the National Cadet Corps was
established in India in 1948, Jawaharlal
Nehru was prime minister. I was 16 and
working as a caterer with my sisters
husband, my mentor. Massive camps for
thousands of cadets were set up. We were
in charge of all their meals. During that
period, Field Marshal KM Cariappa,
the rst Indian army Commander-in-
Chief, came for the NCC parade. I was
told to cook for Cariappa. Being an
army man, he could not eat without rum
and kebabs. No chef in Lucknow knew
about tandoori food then. I made simple
seekh kebabs, mutton tikka and chicken
kebabs on the angeethi (a traditional coal
brazier) and served them to the Field
Marshal. That meal ignited a desire to
learn within me.
You experiment constantly. Which
dish have you enjoyed making
the most?
I began my career with ITC at Mughal
Sheraton, Agra, and went on to work
at several ITC properties. Three dishes
of mine kebabs, biryani and nihari
korma have not been cracked by any
other ve-star till date. In New Delhi
at the banquet hall, the food would be
ready by 8 pm but served as late as 11
pm, as people would be busy drinking.
The biryani would dry out and lose
its avour. I was determined that the
guests should be served the freshest
food and adopted the idea of covering
the biryani with a chilman or purdah
made of maida. So even if you eat the
biryani at 1 am, it tastes just as good.
Describe your culinary philosophy.
I believe there is a time to eat. We must
never make food wait for us. As soon
as yo oou uu open the lid of a biryani, the av rs escape. Uska jo rang, roghan
aur uski jo khubi hai, woh usi waqt khane
mein hai. (The foods colour, avour
and uniqueness is best enjoyed if you
eat it when its freshly made.)
What is the secret to making
perfect seekh kebabs at home?
Just skewer the seekhs on the grill and
put into the oven, then saut on the
pan and serve with chutney. The meat
should ideally be of the raan (lamb
leg) and must have some natural fat,
which keeps the kebabs juicy while
grilling. Always get the meat fresh from
the butcher and not frozen from the
supermarket, or it wont taste the same.
A kilo of mutton should have at least
150g of fat. And as soon as the kebab is
of the skewer, eat it there and then.
What about biryani?
It depends whether you want to make kacchi biryani or pukki biryani. In
kacchi biryani, popular in Hyderabad,
the meat is not pre-cooked. You only
get the aroma of the meat; the aroma of
the rice is lost. You cant eat it without
a salan. But in the Lucknowi style
of pukki biryani, you get aroma and
juiciness thanks to the cooked mutton,
the ghee and milk. You can make a
delicious kacchi biryani as well. The
trick is to add milk to keep the rice soft.
In Lucknow, the kacchi style of biryani
was cooked at the time of shikar. People
would bring a goat kid back from the
hunt. It would be slaughtered, cut and
cleaned immediately and then and be
put on dum for the nawab to eat.
What is the biggest compliment
you have ever received?
About 25 years ago, Sea Rock [a
now demolished Sheraton hotel in
Bandra] had just opened. A host of
dignitaries were present. I served a
mix of Hyderabadi as well as Awadhi
dishes. After the meal, a guest from
Hyderabad said to me, Nawab toh
dono jagah ke mar gaye, magar aapne
dono ko zinda kar diya. (The nawabs
of both places are no more, but you
bro ught them back to life.) What can
be a bigger compliment than that?
Going forward, how do you see
the future of Awadhi and dum
pukht cooking?
All the cuisines of the world will
endure. But in Indian restaurants today,
they are converting Punjabi food to
Chinese food and Chinese to Punjabi.
Only if a person maintains the quality
and true form of a cuisine will it taste
good. Today, from Hyderabad to
Lucknow, there is no originality left.
Whats your advice to young chefs?
They need to spend a minimum of
20 years slogging it out in the kitchen.
And once they have chosen their
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Imtiaz Qureshi
THE DUM MASTER
I was determined that the guests should be served
the freshest food and adopted the idea of covering the
biryani with a chilman or purdah made of maida
ABOUT THE DISH
When I was working at Sea Rock
in Mumbai, I cooked this prawn
pulao for lm stars like Kabir Bedi
and Sunil Dutt, who were great
lovers of seafood. Then around 30
years ago, I made it for a major lm
awards ceremony in New Delhi and
served it with my Imtiazi chicken
kebabs. Some 2,500 people were
present at the function and it was
a hit. Since then I have tweaked
the dish by making it with olive oil
and adding ingredients like red bell
peppers, zamaane ke hisaab se thoda
hat ke (its been changed it to suit
the times). While cooking it, bear
in mind that prawns lose their taste
and smell if you overcook them. The
biryani should be imbued with the
taste and aroma of the prawns.
Imtiaz Qureshis
Jal pari pulao
specialisation, they should perfect
their own craft. They shouldnt try to
get into the domain of others. Only
then will they be worthy chefs. A chef
is like a khazana. His passion for his
craft is like a treasure that will get him
all the riches.
How do you look back at your
stellar career?
Two things, shauk aur himmat
(passion and courage) led to my rise.
You can never learn enough in this
profession. My life has been a journey.
The learning has never stopped. I
try to pick up new things and still
manage to take something away from
every new experience and inuence. I
believe a persons courage and passion
stay alive only when he or she keeps
on working.
What are you excited about
currently? Any dreams that are
yet unfullled?
These days I am thinking a lot about
healthy food that is tasty. I eat it
myself, too. I am experimenting with
broccoli, zucchini, capsicum and sh
dishes in the tandoor and also using
ingredients like cous cous.
- Sona Bahadur
Jal pari pulao
Serves 4 1 hour + marinating
MODERATELY EASY
king prawns 1kg, washed, peeled and
deveined (reserve the heads and shells
for the stock)
olive oil 3/4 cup
curd 3/4 cup, beaten
cream 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp extra
green chillies 7-8, slit halfways,
lengthwise
mint leaves a handful
ginger 1-inch piece, julienned
green, yellow and red bell pepper 1/4
each, diced
lemon 1, juiced
saffron a pinch
pine nuts 3 tbsp
rose water 1 tbsp
whole wheat flour 1 3/4 cup
THE RICE
basmati rice 2 1/4 cups, washed and
soaked in water for 10 minutes
cloves 8
cinnamon sticks 4
bay leaves 2
green cardamoms 12
salt a pinch
lemon 1/4, juiced
THE MARINADE
lemon 1, juiced
ginger-garlic paste 1 tbsp
royal cumin seeds (shahjeera) 1/2
tsp, powdered
yellow chilli powder 2 tsp
white pepper 1/4 tsp
all-purpose flour (maida) 1 tbsp
salt to taste
THE PRAWN STOCK
prawns 25-40g, shells and heads
brown garlic pure 2 tbsp
brown onion pure 2 tbsp
cardamoms 5
cloves 5
star anise 3
mace 1
kaffir lime leaf 1
water 1 cup
Clean, wash and soak the rice in
water for 10 minutes. In another
vessel, boil 1 1 /2 litres of water and
add the whole spices, salt and lemon
juice. If you do not want the whole
spices in the biryani, you can tie
them up in a muslin cloth to make a
bouquet garni and remove it once
the biryani is cooked. Add the soaked
rice to the boiling water and cook the
rice until 2/3 done. Pass through a
colander and let it cool. Reserve
3 tbsp of hot rice water.
Marinate the prawns with the
ingredients for the marinade and keep
aside ee for 10-15 minutes. H at half the olive oil, add the
prawn heads and cook until the colour
changes to dark red. Then fry both
the pures for 5 minutes. Add the
remaining ingredients and simmer for
about 20 minutes. Strain, reserve the
liquid and keep aside.
In a large copper vessel or handi,
whisk the curd then add the cream
and mix well. Add the strained prawn
stock along with the green chillies, mint
leaves, ginger, bell peppers, lemon juice,
saffron, pine nuts and rose water. Cook
for 5-10 m mminutes. In the eantime, grill the prawns on
a griddle until half done. Add half the
prawns to the curd mixture and reserve
half for later. Take the handi off the
heat.
To make the dough, sieve the whole
wheat our, add water and knead into a
dough. Keep aside.
Evenly spread the prawn-curd
mixture on the base of the handi and
top with a layer of par-boiled rice.
Layer the rice evenly on top of the curd
mixture. Place the remaining grilled
prawns ss on top of the rice. In a eparate bowl, mix together
3 tbsp each of cream, the remaining
olive oil and hot rice water. Pour this
mixture evenly over the rice; this
softens it while cooking. To cook the
biryani on dum, rst seal the edge of
the vessel with the kneaded dough,
place the lid on top and bang down
with your st. This ensures that the
lid is rmly in place and no steam is
allowed to escape while cooking. Place
the handi on top of a at tawa (for
indirect heating in the dum cooking
process) and cook the biryani for about
20 minutes on a slow ame. Remove
the dough from the side of the dish and
serve immediately.
29.77g, carbs 129.55g, fat 58.38g, sat
fat 8.49g, fibre 9.09g, salt 0.3g
INGREDIENT TIP Before sealing
the biryani and cooking on dum,
make the dough from scratch. Old
dough will lose its elasticity and
will not be pliable enough to seal
the handi.
n add the cream
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CULINARY CHOPS:Gordon Ramsay
might be Mr Controversial in the
culinary world, but his scathing temper
does little to dim his stardom. Though
lately he spends more time on the small
screen than he does in the kitchen, with
cooking shows such as Hells Kitchen
and The F Word, the notoriously foul- d
mouthed Ramsay has built a restaurant
empire that spans the globe. The Scottish
chefs current round-up of accolades
includes 7 Michelin stars (and counting),
an OBE (Order of the British Empire),
and a slew of bestselling books, most
notably his autobiography, Roasting in
Hells Kitchen.
Gordon Ramsay is the TV chef
everybody loves to hate. But he makes
for undeniably compulsive viewing,
as the hectoring, volatile tyrant on
Hells Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares and s
The F Word, shows so popular they
air in over 200 countries. (Currently,
hes seen in a slightly gentler avatar in
Ultimate Cookery Course, a show on
cooking basics.) There are Facebook,
Buzzfeed, Tumblr pages and a spate of
memes devoted to documenting each
one of his colourful insults. His vitriol
has been directed at everyone from
former mentors (he once described
Marco Pierre White as a savage) to
vegetarians (My biggest nightmare
would be if my kids came up to me and
said, Dad, Im a vegetarian.)
But in an industry rife with polished
celebrity personalities, where chefs
are weighed as much for their public
image as they are for their culinary
pizzazz, his manic outbursts make
for a refreshing change. Chefs are
nutters. Theyre all self-obsessed,
dainty, insecure little souls and absolute
psychopaths. Every last one of them,
he said in a 2009 interview with Vanity
Fair. One suspects, then, that Ramsay is
one of the rare few who lets viewers see
beneath the politically correct veneer.
But his expletive-ridden invective
does little to overshadow the prodigious
achievements Ramsay has racked
up over two decades. A knee injury
brought an end to his promising
football career, and Ramsay decided to
enroll in a catering college. Hes trained
under masters such as Albert Roux
and Marco Pierre White in London,
and Guy Savoy and Jol Robuchon in
France. Ramsays focus is on British
cooking, and he often incorporates
elements of other cuisines such as
Italian, Thai and Indian. His style
is characterised by straightforward
recipes and brilliant shortcuts, and
hes most known for elevating light,
healthy dishes into sublime experiences
for his diners. His wholly owned
Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, set up in
1998, quickly earned three Michelin
stars, and is Londons longest running
restaurant to hold onto this prestigious
accolade. (Though his Manhattan
restaurant was recently stripped of
its two Michelin stars.) Despite this,
Ramsay continues to be an icon, whose
restaurant and gastro-pub empire
today spans England, Ireland, Tokyo,
Las Vegas and New York. According
to Forbes, he tops their list of highest-
earning chefs, with an estimated $38
million in earnings as of 2012.
In Gordons Great Escape to India,
the Glaswegian showed a more open-
minded, humble side of himself. Hes
no stranger to Indian food his
mother often took him out for curry
as a child, and she also learnt how to
cook a few dishes from their Indian
landlord in Birmingham. It was during
the lming for this show in 2009 that
he tried his hand at making a perfect
dum biryani, under the watchful eye of
veteran chef Imtiaz Qureshi. Qureshi,
the chef who popularised the method
of cooking on dum, says he found
Ramsay to be an excellent man, and
a true artiste. He is smart, hard
working and has substance, he says.
Perhaps uncharacteristically, Ramsay
knuckled down and followed orders.
But that doesnt mean hes an expert
in Awadhi cooking just yet. No one
can pick up a craft by putting in just
a single day of work. It takes years of
devoted efort, adds Qureshi.
- Amrita Gupta
Lemon tart
Serves 81 hour 30 minutes
MODERATELY EASY
dark chocolate 50g, melted (try
eggs 6 (2 whole, 4 yolks only)
caster sugar 180g (try Tate & Lyle
double cream 200ml
lemons 2, juiced
icing sugar to dust
THE SWEET PASTRY
unsalted butter 125g (try Lurpak
caster sugar 90g
egg 1
To make the pastry, put the butter
and sugar in a food processor and
whizz until just combined. Add the egg
Gordon Ramsayy
THE HELL RAISER
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Chefs are nutters. Theyre all self-obsessed, dainty, insecure
little souls and absolute psychopaths. Every last one of them
and whizz for 30seconds. Add the
our and process for a few seconds
until the dough just comes together.
You can do this by hand as well. Add
1 tbsp cold water if the dough seems
too dry. Knead lightly on a surface
dusted with our then shape into a at
disc and chill for 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 190C. Roll the
pastry out and use it to line a 20-cm
loose-based tart tin or tart ring. Leave
the excess pastry hanging over the
edge and cover with parchment paper.
Leave to rest for 20 minutes in the
refrigerator. Line the pastry with foil or
baking parchment and baking beans.
Blind bake for 15 minutes, until the
sides just begin to colour. Remove the
beans and foil and bake for another
5 minutes or until the base is cooked
and lightly golden.
Brush the base with the melted
chocolate and cool. Lower the oven
temperature to 110C.
Whisk the eggs, yolks and sugar
together in a bowl and stir in the
cream. Finally, add the lemon juice
this will thicken the cream.
Strain the lling through a ne sieve
into a jug. Pour half of the lling into
the pastry case and put the pastry
case onto the bottom oven shelf. Pull
the shelf half out and, keeping the tin
steady, pour in the remaining lling.
Carefully push the shelf back and bake
for 50-60 minutes until the lling
is almost set. It should have a slight
wobble in the centre. Trim the excess
pastry level at the top of the tin with a
knife and leave it to cool completely.
Dust with icing sugar and run a
cooks blowtorch over the surface to
give a brle effect.
8.3g, carbohydrate 64.9g, fat 34.3g,
saturated fat 18.3g, fibre 1.1g, salt 0.12g
ABOUT THE DISH
This signature confection, a
version of the classic French Tarte
au citron, is easy to make the n
only tricky part is rolling out the
sweet pastry. The zingy lemon
tart is a combination of sweet
pastry, dark chocolate, brle
nish and lemon lling.
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Gordon Ramsays
Lemon tart
CULINARY CHOPS: Jamie Oliver is
a UK-based celebrity chef who is best
recognised for his television shows and
cookery books. Perhaps Britains most
famous export, Oliver is credited with
reintroducing people to the joys of home
cooking and growing their own vegetables.
Throughout the 2000s, with various
television shows, he championed food
causes such as healthier eating and food
sustainability.
Jamie Oliver has come a long way
since his days hosting The Naked Chef,
a popular British television show in
1999. Salacious as it seems, Oliver
gained this moniker not for cooking
in-the-raw but for stripping down
complex dishes to the very basics.
The Essex-born Oliver has worked
in the kitchens of Italian culinary
icon Antonio Carluccios Neal Street
Restaurant and The River Caf (read
about him on p 95) and his speciality
remains rustic Italian cooking with
regional specialities and snippety
dishes, complete with shortcuts for
cheats. However, his culinary repertoire
now also includes a wider range of
global dishes and modern spins on
classic British cooking.
Since his The Naked Chef days,
the chef has donned many hats:
restaurateur, cookbook author,
television producer, school lunch
reformer, magazine publisher and
product endorser. After six restaurants,
with over 20 cookbooks ranging from
easy Italian to 15-minute meals, bottled
sauces and a self-titled food magazine,
the brand Jamie Oliver has spread itself
far and wide over the last decade. While
many might attribute Olivers success P
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Jamie Oliver
THE DISH
Go to any school and
open 50 lunchboxes.
I guarantee there
will be one or two
cans of Red Bull, cold
McDonalds... and
several cakes
to his afable personality and exuberant
on-screen presence, its his unrelenting
passion for building sustainable food
cultures that has transformed him from
just another energetic bloke (who could
cook well) into an advocate of change.
Over the years, he has championed
various food causes from promoting
renewable farming to healthy eating.
My wish is for everyone to help
create a strong sustainable movement
to educate every child about food, to
inspire families to cook again and to
empower people everywhere to ght
obesity, said Oliver at the 2010 TED
conference, a series of lectures by
experts from a wide range of elds.
His 2005 documentary series,
Jamies School Dinners, was a harsh
reality check on the nutritional state of
meals served at typical British schools.
In a 2010 interview with The Guardian,
Oliver reiterated his long-held belief: I
challenge you to go to any school and
open 50 lunchboxes, and I guarantee
you there will be one or two cans of
Red Bull, therell be cold McDonalds
and jam sandwiches with several
cakes. As the movement garnered
public support after a reluctant start,
certain junk foods were banned from
schools and funding for catering was
increased. This series also spurred of
a larger movement called Feed Me
Better, a campaign which looked into
school lunches throughout the country.
In 2008, Oliver established learning
centres in UK neighbourhoods, in an
attempt to wean people of packaged
food products, through his Jamies
Ministry of Food initiative. At these
centres, cookery teachers equip
students with varied food skills such as
the basics of cooking and specialised
cuisine courses. But perhaps his biggest
triumph has been his crackdown on
obesity through his 2010 Emmy-
award winning television series, Jamies
American Food Revolution. Through the
series, Jamie forced average Americans
to look into their neighbourhood school
lunch programmes for children and
junk their McDonalds lifestyles. In
January 2012, McDonalds agreed to
change their burger recipe after Oliver
Nonna Fangittas tuna
Serves 4 1 hour EASY
tomatoes 1kg large, ripe
tuna or mackerel (bangda) fillet 400g,
one whole piece (available at your local
sh monger)
garlic cloves 3, nely sliced
rosemary 2 sprigs, leaves picked
red chilli 1, seeded and nely sliced, or
dried red chilli 1, crumbled
olive oil 3 tbsp
capers a small handful, rinsed
anchovy fillets 6 (try John West available
at gourmet stores)
dried oregano 1 heaped tsp
cinnamon stick 1
cherry tomatoes 400g small
flat-leaf parsley a small bunch, chopped
Use a pot that ts the tuna snugly its
important that you dont use one thats
too big because you want to gently poach
the tuna in the tomato sauce. If the pots
too big it wont work, because the sauce
wont cover the tuna. Put the pot on
high heat and add a kettleful of boiling
water. Drop the tomatoes in for about 40
seconds, then drain. Put the tomatoes in a bowl of chilled
water for about 30 seconds and cool a
little before rubbing the skin off, removing
the cores and carefully squeezing out the
seeds. Meanwhile, make incisions on one side
of the tuna about 8 times, at an angle. In
each incision put a slice of garlic, a sprig
of rosemary and a sliver of chilli. (Any
leftover garlic, rosemary and chilli will be
used in the tomato sauce.)
Put the pot back on the heat and add
the olive oil. Add the remaining garlic,
chilli and rosemary with the capers,
anchovies, oregano and cinnamon stick
and cook gently until the garlic softens.
Add the tomatoes, together with the
cherry tomatoes, bring to the boil then
lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
Break up the tomatoes in the sauce with
a wooden spoon and season. Carefully
add the tuna to the sauce, pushing it
right down so that the sauce completely
covers it. Put the lid on the pot, slightly
ajar, and simmer for around 25 minutes
(depending on the thickness of the
tuna). You can test to see how cooked
it is by removing it from the sauce and
checking if the esh is aky. Once cooked, take the pot off the
heat and let it cool down to eating
temperature with the lid on. In Italy,
youd normally eat this as a sh course
with a drizzle of olive oil and some
parsley scattered over, but it would also
be good on crostini. I like to serve it in
the pot in the middle of the table so
that everyone can help themselves. Its
lovely with some crusty bread.
revealed how ammonium hydroxide
was being used to convert fatty beef
ofcuts into beef llers for its patties in
the US. This was a big win for Oliver
and for food activists across the world.
Oliver is currently promoting his latest
television show called Jamies Money
Saving Meals and a new cookbook
called Save With Jamie.
- Kainaz Contractor
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ABOUT THE DISH
Nonna Fangittas Tuna, a
comforting Italian one-pot sh
stew, comes from Favignana,
an island that is famous for its
tuna sheries. A lovely lady
called Nonna Fangitta made
this incredible dish for me on
the island of Favignana of the
coast of Sicily. Its so good, and
any leftovers can be used in
pasta or in a salad the next day.
Make sure you get your tuna
in a whole piece, rather than
in bits, says Oliver, of one of
his favourite dishes from his
travels to Sicily. If you cannot
nd a whole llet of tuna, you
could use 4 pieces of mackerel
(bangda). Avoid using a white
sh llet like rawas since it
does not have a strong avour
like mackerel.
Jamie Olivers
Nonna Fangittas tuna
CULINARY CHOPS: Ananda Solomon
is the force behind Thai Pavilion, an
acclaimed chain of Thai restaurants at
Vivanta by Taj properties in Mumbai,
New Delhi and Hyderabad. As part of
the rst wave of Indias celebrity chef
brigade, Solomon can be credited with
introducing authentic Thai food to the
country. He is the corporate chef of all
the Taj Premium Hotels in the country
and the executive chef of Vivanta by Taj
President. Solomon is also known for
championing the cause of coastal food
through Konkan Caf in Mumbai, his
home-style restaurant specialising in food
from along the coastal Konkan belt.
In November 2013, Ananda
Solomons Thai Pavilion will celebrate
its 20th anniversary, while his second
venture, Konkan Caf, is in its 14th
year. Why did I choose to open
Konkan Caf after Thai Pavilion? It
was so that my coconut supplier in
Mulki, Mangalore would continue to
give me coconuts that are the best for
extracting coconut milk. Both cuisines
rely heavily on coconut, so this gave
me the buyers advantage, says the
chef, who has a reputation for insisting
on only the best produce for his
restaurants.
This admission might seem
amusing, but in the ercely
competitive culinary industry, it is
this very tenacity that has helped
Solomon carve out the iconic status
his brands enjoy today. Even as the
city welcomes a slew of new eateries,
Solomons restaurants remain
bolstered by loyalists who return for
his honest-to-goodness approach
towards food, impeccable service and
afordable pricing.
From virtually no understanding of
the cuisine to becoming the foremost
authority on Thai food in the country,
Solomon has had an inspiring and
often backbreaking journey. When I
was transferred from Goa to Bombay
in 1990, I was specialising in the
saucier section of French cuisine. [A
saucier is a chef whose primary role is
to prepare sauces in addition to stews
and hot hors doeuvres.] At that time,
I was indiferent towards Thai food,
but we knew that of all the Southeast
Asian cuisines, it was the closest to
the Indian palate, explains Solomon,
of the Taj Groups decision to open a
speciality Thai restaurant instead of a
Pan Asian one.
This was a huge risk at the time,
since popular preferences were strongly
tilted towards Chinese. Luckily
for him, the gamble paid of and
Solomon capitalised on and helped
shape the citys rapidly expanding
culinary horizons. Thai cuisine isnt
known for its subtlety. It takes some
time to get used to its bold, pungent
and often bitter avours. But once
you are trained by the right people
you begin to understand the ner
nuances of the cuisine and you begin
to appreciate it, he says. The two
years that followed were a whirlwind
of cooking with street hawkers, at
locals homes, cooking schools and
stages [an unpaidinternshipat another
chefs kitchen to learn new techniques
andcuisines] at noodle bars and som
tam centres in Thailand.
Back in India and armed with new
equipment such as the essential, heavy
stone mortar and pestle from Thailand,
Solomon painstakingly conducted food
trials with over 3,000 Thai dishes to
see which ones were best suited to the
uninitiated Indian taste buds. Out of
these, only 65 made it to the rst menu
at Thai Pavilion. Twenty years on,
some of the classics, like the marinated
chicken wrapped in pandan leaves and
Thai red curry, continue to appear on
the menu. Unlike the debut selection,
which played safe with recipes that
spanned the country, the current menu
is bolder.
A more condent Solomon
now showcases the region-focused
specialities of southern Thailand and
its central plains. This translates into
more coconut milk-based curries,
seafood oferings and the delicate
use of herbs and spices. As is the
case in India, the north of Thailand
is mountainous and does not have
access to seafood and fresh coconut
milk. So youll nd that the cooking
relies heavily on grated coconut, meats
such as pork, beef and chicken, and
the generous use of spices, adds
Solomon. The chef also plans to
introduce more dishes from the north
of Thailand, home to the spicy jungle
curries, on his upcoming menu.
November is a busy month for
Solomon. Apart from the anniversary
of Thai Pavilion, the chef is also in the
midst of relaunching Konkan Caf.
I want to take the culinary journey
of the Konkan belt to another level.
Grandmas cooking presented in
a contemporary manner, he says.
The new avatar of Konkan Caf will
showcase Moplah cuisine from the
Muslim community in Kerala. The
menu will veer towards the unexpected
with fewer coconut-based dishes
and more meat and local vegetables
such as laal maat, tendli, suran, khatta P
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Ananda Solomon
THE ROCK
A generation has
grown up with both my
restaurants. I want to
reintroduce them to the
joys of eating local
Vegetable Thai red
curry
oil 1 tbsp
pea aubergine 10-12 (try Trikaya
thin coconut milk 300ml, second
extract
salt to taste
sugar 1 tbsp
makroot or kaffir lime leaves 2,
sliced (try Trikaya available at gourmet
stores)
birds eye chillies 1-2 or more for a
spicier curry
thick coconut milk 50ml, rst extract
mixed vegetables (use baby corn,
mushrooms, courgette and snap
peas) 1 cup, blanched and diced
tofu 8 cubes
sweet basil leaves a small handful
fish sauce 1 tbsp (try Kikkoman
fresh red chilli 1/2, sliced to ganish
THE RED CURRY PASTE
red birds eye chillies 50g
galangal 50g, sliced (try Trikaya
lemongrass 50g, sliced (try Trikaya
makroot fruit peel from 1 fruit,
chopped (try Trikaya available at
gourmet stores)
shallots or Madras onions 50g
garlic cloves 50g
coriander seeds 1 tsp
cumin seeds (jeera) 1 tsp
shrimp paste 1 tbsp (try Tra Chang
dried red chillies (resham patti) 6
To make the red curry paste, pound
all the ingredients with a mortar
and pestle or use a mixer-grinder to
roughly grind the ingredients. Keep
aside. A red curry is always milder than
a green curry since the red chillies are
less potent. But if you prefer a spicier
curry, add more red birds eye chillies. In a pan, add the oil and toss in the
pea aubergine for 2 minutes. Let the
skins blister a bit and add 5 tbsp of the
curry paste. On a low ame, saut the
red curry paste for 3 minutes. Add the second, thin extract of the
coconut milk and stir till it releases its
natural oil. Add the salt, sugar, makroot
leaves and birds eye chillies. Add the rst, thick extract of coconut milk
(the coconut cream) and simmer for
5 minutes. Do not cook the curry any
longer, or the coconut cream will split. Once the curry is ready, add the
blanched vegetables and tofu. Add
basil leaves and cook further for
2 minutes. Add the sh sauce at the
end. Check for balance in avour. Add
VEG IT
By leaving out
the shrimp
paste and sh
sauce
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bhaaji and Madras cucumber. A
generation has grown up with both my
restaurants. I want to reintroduce them
to the joys of eating local. As lifestyle
habits change, people will look towards
restaurants to give them home-cooked
food. Thats where I come in.
- Kainaz Contractor
more sugar, salt or sh sauce as per
your preference. Serve hot and garnish
with more coconut cream and sliced
fresh red chilli.
ABOUT THE DISH
The ubiquitous Thai red curry is found in every
home and street corner in Thailand. However, the
recipe has various regional variants and changes
depending on the seasons and the produce available.
For instance, chillies are more potent in the summer
than during the monsoon, so you need to balance
the heat by using fewer chillies. The trick with any
Thai curry is to get the right balance of avours in
the paste and adding the thick extract of the coconut
milk at the end so that the curry doesnt curdle. In the
north, youll also nd that coconut milk is replaced
with water. This recipe is from the south of Thailand
so its not as potent and relies heavily on coconut milk.
Ananda Solomons
Vegetable Thai red curry
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Alice Waters
THE CRUSADER
CULINARY CHOPS: The visionary
American chef, restaurateur, author and
activist dons many hats. Waters pioneered
the farm-to-table movement in the early-
70s with her path-breaking restaurant
Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California,
which has consistently been ranked among
the Worlds 50 Best Restaurants. She
continues to be a passionate advocate
of organic food and evangelises local,
seasonal produce. Her Edible Schoolyard
Project, which promotes pesticide-free
gardening among students across the US,
inuenced Michelle Obama to plant an
organic vegetable garden in the White
House in 2009.
Alice Waters has her hands full. Her
latest book, The Art of Simple Cooking: II
released last month and the 69-year-old
is now busy developing a special menu
for Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California.
At her restaurant, which has enjoyed
an extraordinary run of over 40 years
(and fed the likes of Julia Child, the
Dalai Lama and Bill Clinton), Waters
creations are a tribute to the produce
she works with. She brought mesclun,
chvre and kohlrabi onto diners plates
at a time when few were familiar with
them. The names of the farmers, dairies
and ranchers from whom Waters sources
produce nd mention on the menu and
serve to familiarise diners with what they
are eating and where its coming from.
The elements that renew the restaurant
year after year are those ingredients
which are in season. It is important to
eat ethically, to consume food prepared
using locally picked, high-quality organic
produce, says Waters.
By Waters denition, the best food
is simple food. A recipe with just a few
ingredients lends balance of avour to
the nal dish. Minimalism need not be
mundane, she says. Her culinary
philosophy is buttressed by a strong
back-to-nature sentiment. Foraging
has been a part of mans existence
for eons. For example, going out
into the woods and picking wild
mushrooms this helps you be a
part of nature and understand what
nature has to ofer.
Using well-selected local produce,
by her own admission, transformed
the way she understood food: When
we opened Chez Panisse [in 1971],
I wrote the menus in calligraphy in
French and tried to nd ingredients
within California for the kitchen.
Suddenly it struck me, why is each
nights menu in French? Why not in
The thought of making fresh food
at home and sending it to family
members, this makes me know that
someday, we will totally change the
way we eat in America
Potato and green garlic
ravioli with fava beans
Serves 4 1 hour + refrigerating and resting
MODERATELY EASY
potatoes 450g, peeled and cut into medium-
sized chunks
green garlic 4 stalks, roots trimmed and
leaves discarded
butter or olive oil 1 tsp + 2 tbsp extra
crme frache 2 tbsp (try President available
at gourmet stores)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to
season
fava beans or papdi 900g, shelled
sage 6-8 leaves
parmesan 2 tbsp, to garnish
THE RAVIOLI
all-purpose flour (maida) 1 1/2 cups
farro or all-purpose flour 1/2 cup
eggs 2
egg yolks 2
Place the potatoes in a pot and cover
with at least 2 inches of salted water. Bring
to a boil and simmer until tender, for about
6 minutes. There should be no resistance
when pierced with a small sharp knife
or skewer. Drain the potatoes, then pass
through a food mill to pure or mash until
the potatoes are superne. Slice the green
garlic stalks into thin rings, including any
lighter green stems.
Melt 1 tsp butter in a small, heavy-
bottomed skillet. Add the sliced green garlic
along with enough water to cover. Season
well. Cook until soft, for about 3-4 minutes.
Make sure the pan does not dry out and
cause the garlic to stick. When the garlic is
cooked, stir it into the pured potatoes with
the crme frache, then season. Refrigerate
to cool thoroughly. Make a well in the our and pour in the
eggs. Mix with a fork, incorporating the
our bit by bit. When it turns stiff, nish the
mixing by hand. Turn the dough out onto a
oured surface and knead lightly. Or, make
the dough in a stand mixer tted with a
paddle attachment. Measure the our into
the mixture bowl and pour in the eggs while
mixing at low speed. Mix until the dough just
starts to come together, adding a few drops
of water if it is dry and crumbly. Turn out
onto a oured surface and knead. Shape the
dough into a disc and wrap in cling-lm. Let
it rest for 1 hour. Roll the dough out by hand on a lightly
oured board or with a pasta machine. When
using a machine, roll the pasta through
the widest setting, fold into thirds and pass
through the machine again. Repeat twice.
Then roll, decreasing the setting on the
machine one notch at a time, until you attain
the desire eed thickn nness of 1.5 mm. Cut th pasta i to sheets, about 14 inches
long. Keep the stacks of well-oured extra
sheets of pasta under a towel to keep them
from drying out. Along the lower third of
the long side of each sheet of pasta, pipe
or spoon blobs of the potato and green
garlic lling, about the size of 1 tbsp each,
keeping about 1 1/2 inches between each
blob of lling. Spray very lightly with a ne
mist of water. Fold the upper half of the pasta over
the lower half. Starting at the fold, press
the two layers of pasta together with your
ngertips, gently coaxing all the air out of
each ravioli. When the ravioli have been
formed and pressed, cut off the bottom edge
with a zigzag rolling cutter and cut between
each bit of lling. Separate the ravioli and
lay them out on a pan sprinkled with our,
making sure they arent touching each other.
Cover with a towel or parchment paper and
refrigerate right upto the time of cooking.
This keeps the lling from seeping through
the ravioli. To save time, you could even use
a ravioli tray (see p 150).
Blanch the fava beans in boiling water,
then cool in ice water. Drain and pop the
beans out of their skins. When ready to
serve, bring a large pot of salted water to
the boil. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a heavy-bottomed
pan and add the sage leaves. Cook until
the sage turns translucent, add the fava
beans and pour in a ladleful of boiling water.
Adjust the seasoning. Cook the ravioli in the
boiling water for 5-6 minutes or until they
rise to the surface. Drain, or remove from
the water with a slotted spoon. Place on a
platter, or in individual bowls and spoon over
the fava beans and their liquid. Sprinkle with
parmesan and serve immediately.
PER SERVING 835.5 kcals, protein 21.56g,
16.22g, salt 0.1g
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English? The Bay Area was where
we sourced sh. Chicken, beets and
greens were procured from nearby
farms; we grew our own herbs,
recalls Waters.
The chef is also a long-time
advocate of the slow food movement
in America, of which one of the tenets
is eating meals together as a family.
Waters explains: One has to realise
the importance of eating collectively
at the kitchen table. Be it breakfast,
lunch, or dinner, children must
be taught to eat at least one meal
together. This imbues within them
a sense of reverence towards food.
They also learn about value, about
generosity and not wasting food.
These are all ideals Waters hopes
will one day be inculcated at tables
around the US. Changing the way
people eat is never far from her
thoughts. In September, she watched
The Lunchbox at the Telluride Film
Festival. The lm touched me deeply.
The thought of making fresh food
at home and sending it to family
members, this makes me know that
someday, we will totally change the way
we eat in America, she says.
Her association with Indian food
and culinary practices goes back a
long way. As a student in London in
the late-60s, she had her rst taste
of Indian food. I would frequent a
tiny Indian restaurant down the street
almost every day for their prawn
and spinach curry. Its a pity I do not
recollect the name of the eatery, she
muses. It tasted fabulous. Shes even
taken a cooking lesson from Madhur
Jafrey. Indeed, Waters close friend,
Parsi cookbook author Niloufer
Ichaporia King, plans a Navroze
menu at Chez Panisse every year.
Says the chef: There is something
extraordinary about the ritual Parsi
feast: the owers, the rice our
stencils along the walkway, the chatter.
Everybody eats together the
patrons, the chefs and service staf. We
revel in food. It is almost as if weve
stepped into a diferent culture.
- Khorshed Deboo
ABOUT THE DISH
Both green garlic and fava beans are
harvested during spring in California
and are available in the market at the
same time, from February to May.
When blanched, the tiny, pale green
fava beans have a nutty crunch and
make for an ideal accompaniment to
ravioli. The tender green garlic has a
subtle, almost pure taste. This dish is
beautiful bursting with avour, it
looks bright and lively on the plate.
The soft, buttery potatoes marry well
with the fresh green garlic.
Alice Waters Potato
and green garlic ravioli
with fava beans
CULINARY CHOPS: Chef-patron
and co-owner of Noma in Copenhagen,
rated the top restaurant in the world
by Restaurant Magazine for the last
three years, Ren Redzepi has blazed a
formidable trail in the food world since
he made his debut nearly 20 years ago.
He is best known for carving out a
unique identity for Nordic cuisine, one
distinguished by a erce commitment to
locally sourced produce and cutting-edge
techniques.
Noma in Copenhagen has taken
the culinary world by storm ever since
it opened in 2003. It has two Michelin
stars to its name and has held the
top spot in the San Pellegrino list of
the worlds 50 best restaurants every
year since 2010. What does that make
Ren Redzepi? In a eld as subjective
and constantly evolving as food, its
impossible to pin the denitive title of
worlds best chef on any individual.
However, Redzepi can rightfully claim
the momentous honour of having
changed the way the world thinks about
whats on its plate.
Redzepis career trajectory is
impressive by any standards more so
when you consider that as a 15-year-
old, he only landed a spot in culinary
school because his academic grades
didnt qualify him for university.
In cooking, he found the ideal channel
for his creativity. He began his career
in 1993 at Copenhagens Restaurant
Pierre Andr (which won a Michelin
star soon after it opened).
Redzepis sensibilities were
informed by path-breaking chefs such
as Ferran Adri of El Bulli in Spain and
Thomas Keller of The French Laundry
in California. His stints at both these
pioneering restaurants, combined
with his classical French training
inuenced his aesthetic. But when he
opened Noma, located in a converted
18th Century warehouse, he didnt
want to simply present Frenchied
Scandinavian cuisine. He began to
develop the idea of a uniquely Nordic
cuisine and in trying to esh out this
somewhat nebulous concept, he set
forth on the path that has brought him
global acclaim.
Starting literally from the ground
up, Redzepi sought to dene Nordic
cuisine in terms of its indigenous
produce, from the region that extends
from Finland and Scandinavia to
Iceland and Greenland. Looking
beyond plentifully available berries and
sh, he pushed the envelope of what
was considered edible with dishes made
of mushrooms picked from the wild,
weeds growing by the beach, shrubs
such as sea buckthorn and edible moss.
His successful experiments with such
unfamiliar ingredients underlined by
his clear philosophy of taking pride in
local foodstufs heralded the now au
courant trend of foraging.
In his latest book Ren Redzepi:
AWork in Progress, which releases
this month, Redzepi talks about
discovering arrowgrass, a weed with
an unexpectedly robust avour that he
found growing by the beach and has
used in the Noma kitchen. I snapped
the stalk and was startled by how it
broke crisply like an asparagus stem.
Condent it might be edible, I sunk
my teeth into the beach curiosity. The
juices burst into my mouth, salty like
seawater and then an explosion of
avour, like the nale of a reworks
display: coriander. I was in aweI
wanted to know more. What other
hidden gems lay in wait for us? From
that day on the world looked diferent.
Over the last decade, Noma has
held strong to its commitment to only
serve ingredients from the Nordic
region. The menu also leans heavily
in favour of vegetarian dishes, driven
by Redzepis belief that vegetables
shouldnt just be valued for their
nutritive properties but also for their
distinct avour proles. This translates
into dishes that sound simplistic such
as Berries and Grilled Vegetables,
Cauliower and Pine, Cream and
Horseradish and Potato and Plum
but are revelatory in terms of their
depth and layered complexity.
Redzepi also hopes to shoulder
some part of the responsibility of
addressing critical food issues such
as sustainable eating. His MAD
symposium, founded in 2011, is
an annual, international conference
of chefs, writers and professionals
from the food industry, dedicated
to presenting and discussing the
past, present and future of all things
food-related. The third edition of the
symposium, which took place on 25th
and 26th August this year, explored
the theme of guts and what it meant
to each of the speakers from a literal,
literary and culinary point of view. As
Redzepi wrote in The Observer in 2011, r
We ourselves need to learn much
more about issues that are critical to
our world: culinary history, native
orasustainability and the social
signicance of how we eat. There is no
conict between a better meal and a
better world.
-Vidya Balachander
Ren Redzepi p
THE FORAGER
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We need to learn much more about issues that are critical to our world.
There is no conflict between a better meal and a better world
Forever beets and lacto
plums
Serves 4 1 hour + fermenting and
refrigerating A LITTLE EFFORT
gelatin leaf 1/2
fennel juice 500ml
balsamic apple vinegar a few drops r
salt to taste
THE LACTO FERMENTED CEP
WATER
frozen ceps (mushrooms) 200g
salt 1 tsp
THE LACTO FERMENTED PLUMS
Srens plums 200g
salt 1 tsp
THE LACTO FERMENTED RED
CURRANT JUICE
red currants 200g
salt 1 tsp
THE FENNEL TEA
fresh verbena 1 tsp
coriander leaves 1/2 tsp
lemon thyme leaves 1 1/2g
THE FOREVER BEETS
beets 8, long ones preferably
leather skin 8 pieces, sprayed with
lacto cep water
leather skin 8 pieces, sprayed with
lacto red currant juice (recipe above)
leather skin 8 pieces, dusted with
frozen, dried blueberry powder
THE ROSE OIL
hip rose petals 200g
grapeseed oil 200g
THE HERB GARNISH
salted sloan berries 10, halved
lemon thyme leaves 48
dill sprigs 8
coriander seeds 24, halved
angelica seeds 48small
dried nasturtium seeds a handful,
ground
To make the lacto fermented cep
water, place the frozen mushrooms
and salt in a vacuum bag and seal.
Leave out at room temperature (in a
ABOUT THE DISH
The highlighht of this dishhh iiis th th the ee be bbb et tro ro oot ot o , , whhh w ich isss rrroa oa oast st sted ed ed fffor or or ttthr hr hree ee ee hhhou ou ours rs rs, , , gi ggivi vi ving ng ng
it tt a rm, almost stt mea e ty texture. The fe ff nnel and nn vvver er erbe be bena na na sssauuuce ce ce add dd dds ss la la laye ye yers rs rs ooof ff
co c mplexity to the dish, co c ntributing to its over er eral al all l l wo ww od od ody, y, y eeear ar arth th thy aa avour uu .
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Ren RRedze epi pis s
Foreve v r be beet ets s an a d d
lact cto o plum umss
Beetroot and plums (our
version for India)
pp
Serves 41 hour 30 minutes
EASY
beetroot 3
fennel bulb 1/2
mixed mushrooms (porcini, shiitake,
enoki) 400g, fresh or rehydrated
red currants 2 cups, chopped
balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp r
extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp
salt to taste
pepper a pinch
sugar 1 tsp r
coriander seeds 1 tsp, toasted and
crushed
fennel seeds 1 tsp, crushed
thyme a few sprigs
plums 2, sliced
coriander a handful, chopped
dill a handful, chopped
Wrap the beetroot in aluminium foil
and roast in a preheated oven at 160C
cool space) to ferment for 3 days. Then
strain and cool. Repeat this process for
the Srens plums and red currants as
well.
Soak the gelatin and mix with a small
portion of fennel juice. Incorporate
back into the remaining juice and
freeze in an appropriate container.
Hang in a cloth over a bowl and place
in the refrigerator. Allow to lter
overnight.
To make the fennel tea, put all the
herbs in a small yoghurt cup. Heat
200g of the iced, ltered fennel juice
and pour it over the herbs. With the
back of a spoon, crush the herbs
against the side of the cup so that they
release their avour. Let it infuse for
20 minutes and occasionally crush
the herbs. Stain through a sh net and
squeeze lightly.
For the nished broth, measure
out the fennel tea and mix with the
fermented cep water. Season with a
few drops of apple vinegar and keep
cold.
Macerate the lacto fermented red
currants and strain the juice. Keep cold
in a small spray bottle.
For the forever beets, peel the beets
and place in an oven at 180Cfor
3 hours, rotating the beets every
10 minutes. When nished, the exterior
of the beets should be blackened. While
hot, lightly scrape the burnt exterior
off. With a sharp knife, slice the outside
millimetre off and reserve. This is the
leather skin. Cut the beets into 32 thin
slices and reserve the remainder for
future use.
For the rose oil, place the petals and
oil in the thermomix and blend for
5 minutes. Place in a vacuum bag and
allow to infuse overnight. Strain and
reserve.
Take the leather skins and plums and
arrange on a plate. Pour the fennel and
cep broth on top, drizzle with rose oil.
Spray the red currant juice and garnish
with herbs. Serve immediately.
PER SERVING 1,604.75 kcals, protein
4.44g, fibre 107.79g, salt 1.6g
for 45-60 minutes until cooked.
Slice the fennel very thinly with a
mandolin slicer and keep in chilled
water so that it turns crisp and
transparent. Saut the mushrooms
in 1 tbsp olive oil until cooked. Keep
aside.
Blend together the red currants,
balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt,
pepper and sugar to make a
dressing. Add the crushed coriander
seeds, fennel seeds and thyme to
the dressing and mix well. Once the
beetroot is cooked, peel and cut into
thin wedges.
Mix together the beetroot and
plums with half of the dressing,
coriander leaves and dill leaves.
Arrange the beetroot on a plate. Top
with the mushrooms. Pour over the
remaining dressing and garnish with
chilled fennel slices.
3.05g, fibre 8.79g, salt 0.9g R
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Weve adapted this
signature recipe from
Nomas kitchen keeping in
mind the lack of availability
of some ingredients. We
have also modied certain
techniques to make them
suitable for the
Indian kitchen
Beetroot and plums
(our version for India)
CULINARY CHOPS: A household name
across the globe, Nigella Lawson is widely
credited for bringing oomph back into the
kitchen. The celebrated British television
presenter and cookbook author is a self-
taught culinary whizz and has charmed
food enthusiasts for almost
15 years with her irreverent, easy
approach and uncomplicated home-style
recipes. The former food critic for
The Spectator Magazine shot to fame
with 11 books and eight television shows.
Nigella Lawson had a silver-spoon
upbringing. Born to wealthy Jewish
parents and brought up in London,
her childhood memories include
sharing Campari with her politician
father. Lawsons introduction to the
kitchen coincided with a stint as a
chambermaid in a boarding house in
Florence. She also worked part-time
as a waitress during her sophomore
year at Oxford. Lawsons career as
a journalist began at 23, when she
reviewed books for The Sunday Times,
moving on to write for publications
such as The Daily Telegraph, Bon
Apptit, Gourmet and t Vogue.
Her journey as a cookbook writer
started in 1998 with her signature
tome, How to Eat, highlighting easy,
everyday meals. Subsequent titles,
while wildly popular, did receive their
fair share of acerbic reviews. The
release of her confection-oriented How
to be a Domestic Goddess in 2000 caused
quite a stir: many critics alleged that
the title of her book had misogynistic
undertones. And Lawsons latest book,
Nigellissima focussing on simple
Italian food drew sharp criticism
from Italian nonnas and purists alike. s
Her recipes for Tiramisini or pistachio
pesto may have been considered
sacrilegious by traditionalists, though
in Nigellissima, she asserts: It is the
inspiration for, not the identity of the
recipe that comes authentically from
Italy.
Lawsons meteoric rise to stardom
came with the popularity of her
engaging television shows, aired in
conjunction with her bestselling books.
Programmes such as Nigellas Feasts
and Nigella Bites d were ideal for home
cooks looking to rustle up a meal of
comfort food for the family or host a
gathering. In an industry populated by
dour personalities in toques, her breezy,
chatty demeanour was refreshing, to
say the least. Lawsons cooking style
messy, easy-going and blas
almost brings madness to method. In
her book, Nigella Express, she states, I
dont follow recipes rigorously; thats
to say I certainly deviate, both in the
regularity in which they appear and
in the irregularity with which I follow
them. I am not good at authority, even
when that authority is my own. She
isnt fastidious about perfecting a recipe
or following it with precision. Nor does
she believe in adhering to technique
she believes ones individuality
shines through the variations they
lend to the food, and the way they
disregard tradition to play around with
ingredients.
Today, Lawson keeps herself busy
as a mentor on The Taste, an American
reality cooking show, updates Living
Kitchen, her personal line of cookware
and diligently shares a recipe of the day
on Twitter.
- Khorshed Deboo
Frangelico tiramisu
Serves 12 30 minutes + overnight
chilling MODERATELY EASY
espresso coffee 250ml
Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) 250ml
or Kahlua and hazelnut
syrup 100ml and 150ml, respectively
THE FILLING
eggs 2, separated
caster sugar 75g
Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) 75ml
or Kahlua and hazelnut
syrup 45ml and 30ml, respectively
mascarpone 500g (try Zanetti
savoiardi biscuits 30 (try Vicenzi
hazelnuts 100g, roasted and nely
chopped
cocoa powder 3 tsp
Combine the coffee and Frangelico
(or hazelnut syrup and Kahlua) in a
jug and allow to cool if the coffee is
hot. For the lling, beat the egg whites
until frothy. In a separate bowl, beat
the yolks and sugar along with the
Frangelico (or Kahlua and hazelnut
syrup). Add the mascarpone to the egg
yolk mixture, beating it in well to mix.
Gently fold in the foamy egg whites
and mix again. Pour half of the coffee
mixture into a wide shallow bowl and
dunk enough biscuit ngers for a
layer, about 4 at a time, into the liquid,
coating both sides.
Line the tiramisu dish (about
24-cm square or similar) with a layer of
soaked biscuits: they should be damp
but not falling to pieces. Pour any
leftover liquid from the dipping process
over the layer you have made.
Nigella Lawson g
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CULINARY CHOPS: Manish
Mehrotra is the chef extraordinaire at
the helm of Indian Accent, New Delhi.
He won the televised cooking contest
Foodistan in 2012, and is considered
the face of modern Indian cuisine in
India and abroad. The restaurant
has garnered a blizzard of accolades
for its path-breaking contemporary
Indian menu, which showcases
experimental creations using local
produce and unusual ingredients. This
year, Indian Accent was ranked 41 on
San Pellegrinos list of Asias Top 50
restaurants.
5 things you might know about
Manish Mehrotra
Although he is best known for his
award-winning role as executive chef
of contemporary Indian restaurant
Indian Accent in New Delhi,
Mehrotra began his career dabbling
with Southeast Asian food in the
kitchens of Thai Pavilion in Mumbai
in 1996.
After ve years with the Taj
Group, he continued his Pan Asian
explorations with the Old World
Hospitality group by joining Oriental
Octopus at New Delhis India Habitat
Centre. The ne dining restaurant
introduced New Delhis power
lunchers to little-explored Asian
dishes such as dim sum and Burmese
kauk swe.
It was while in London in 2006, as
executive chef of Tamarai restaurant,
that Mehrotra rst felt drawn towards
reinterpreting Indian food in a
contemporary context. Challenged
by the popular notion in the West
that Indian food was heavy, greasy,
takeaway chow, he decided to change
stereotypical notions of Indian food.
It was very important to break the
circle of dal makhani, butter chicken,
tandoori chicken and naan that
represented Indian food all over the
world, he says.
In 2009, he set up Indian Accent
located in the boutique hotel, The
Manor. Since its early days, Indian
Accent has introduced diners to a novel
approach to Indian cuisine with its
elegantly plated, signature creations such
as Foie Gras Stufed Galawat, Meetha
Achaar Chilean Spare Ribs and Khandvi
Ravioli. Malhotra believes plating plays
a key role in shaping perceptions. In
India, we only go to the extent of adding
coriander leaves or ginger juliennes on
our food but internationally, presentation
is very important, he says.
Manish Mehrotra
THE MODERNIST
It was very important to break the
circle of dal makhani, butter chicken,
tandoori chicken and naan that
represented Indian food
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Khandvi ravioli
Serves 4 1 hour 50 minutes +
refrigerating MODERATELY EASY
butter 1 tbsp
ginger 1/2 inch knob, julienned
green chilli 6-8 chillies, julienned
cherry tomatoes 10-12, halved
pine nuts 1 tbsp, fried
khakra 1, crushed
THE KHANDVI
gram flour (besan) 1 cup + 1 tbsp extra
cornflour 8 tbsp
sugar 2 1/2 tbsp
salt 1 tsp
turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
yellow chilli powder 1/4 tsp
curd 1 tbsp
water 4 cups
THE STUFFING
goats cheese 7 tbsp
cottage cheese 1 1/2 tbsp
bell pepper 1/4 tsp, chopped
black pepper 1/4 tsp, crushed
cumin 1/4 tsp, roasted and crushed
fresh mint leaves 8-10 leaves, chopped
THE GARAM MASALA CREAM
SAUCE
fresh cream 4 tbsp
butter 1 tbsp
garam masala 1/4 tsp
salt to taste
To make the khandvi sheets, mix
all the ingredients together in a large
bowl. Using a whisk, combine well to
make a smooth mixture. Strain through
a ne sieve and pour into a kadhai.
Start cooking the mixture on a low
ame, stirring to avoid any lumps. The
mixture will thicken gradually. Keep on
stirring.
Cook for 10 minutes. The mixture
will become thick and have a glossy
texture, ready to be spread. Pour the
mixture on the back of a thali and
spread evenly and thinly, to about
1-mm-thickness. Put the thali in the
refrigerator. In the meantime, make the stufng
by grating goats cheese and cottage
cheese in a bowl. Add bell peppers,
black pepper, cumin and mint.
Refrigerate. To make the khandvi ravioli, cut
around 40 discs from the khandvi
sheet of 5 1/2-6cm using a round cutter.
Place about 1 tsp of the mixed cheese
mash on half of the discs. Cover using
the remaining discs, to make the ravioli.
Gently press the top layer so as to
nearly se eeal it. Cover and refrigerate. For th garam masala cream sauce,
heat the cream in a non-stick pan. Add
butter, garam masala, salt, and water to
thicken the consistency of the cream
sauce. Remove from the heat and keep
in a bowl. Heat the butter on a non-stick skillet,
saut the ginger and green chillies.
Add cherry tomatoes and turn the ame off. Place the ravioli carefully
to prevent overlapping. Cook for 30
seconds on a low ame and ip the
ravioli. Arrange the ravioli on the serving
dish, topping with cherry tomatoes,
green chillies, ginger and pine nuts.
Pour over the cream sauce and serve
with crushed khakra.

Mehrotra crossed over from the
professional kitchen to drawing
rooms when he participated in
Foodistan, a televised cook-of
between Indian and Pakistani chefs
that aired on NDTV Good Times in
2012. He became a household name
after beating 15 chefs from both
countries to the title.
5 things you probably dont...
Although the Indian Accent
menu does feature meat and select
ingredients from around the world,
Mehrotra is passionate about using
indigenous produce. In the next six
months, he aims to eliminate foreign
vegetables such as broccoli and baby
corn and include Indian vegetables
such as arbi, tendli and banana stem
in the restaurants seasonal menus.
Mehrotras dishes draw their
inspiration from a variety of sources.
He created a dish called Tuna Bhel
Ceviche with Nimboo Cream and
Crushed Kurkure after sharing a
packet of the popular crunchy snack
with his six-year-old daughter.
The wok is his trusty equipment of
choice in the kitchen. Being a trained
Pan Asian chef makes him especially
partial to it. The wok is very handy
when the restaurant is in operation,
he says. It heats up quickly and you
can cook all kinds of cuisines in it.
Although he doesnt favour a
particular cuisine while eating out,
Mehrotra says his eating choices
depend on his mood. I am a very
craving-centric guy, he says. These
usually include chaat, Indian Chinese
food from a roadside van and the
ultimate one: mushroom risotto.
He confesses to having a weakness
for dessert, especially after midnight
when it is even more sinful. He is
especially fond of hot gulab jamun
with a scoop of vanilla ice cream,
chocolate cake and soan papdi.
- Vidya Balachander
ABOUT THE DISH
I have taken an absolutely
Indian dish and given it the
treatment of a European
pasta. The sweet avour of the
khandvi goes very well with
the salty avour of the goats
cheese. Its a no-onion, no-
garlic kind of dish thats what
makes it unique. You can use
khandvi as a pinwheel as well
and ll it with any other kind
of cheese. Its best served as an
appetiser or a snack at a party.
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Manish Mehrotras
Khandvi ravioli

CULINARY CHOPS: Australian chef,
restaurateur, cookbook author and TV
presenter Neil Perry is best known for his
irreverent, genre-defying and trend-setting
approach to food. His love of Chinese
avours inuences his provincial French
cooking style to create an exciting cuisine
thats uniquely his, one that showcases the
nest Australian produce from Coorong
mullet to Tasmanian trufes. Perrys
empire includes a ne dining restaurant
with three hats, three steakhouses, two
Chinese restaurants and one Italian.
He is also the coordinator for Qantas
ight catering.
How do you dene the tenets of
modern Australian food?
Well, its difcult because we are so
multicultural and such a young country.
Interestingly, China was one of the only
countries with a community here up
until the 70s. A lot of Chinese came
with the Gold Rush. We had 100 years
of every country town in Sydney and
every suburb in Melbourne having a
Chinese restaurant. It was the rst exotic
cuisine that Australians were introduced
to. I always loved it as a child and I think
its had an incredible efect on modern
Australian food. Since the 70s there
has been an explosion of Vietnamese,
Japanese, Thai and Indian communities.
So you start to mix those blends with
Middle Eastern and, of course, the more
traditional European, where migration
was focused at the beginning of the
20th century. Australians have so many
incredible inuences. I could go with
this spice mix, try that garam masala
or be inspired by that really beautiful
fresh hand-pounded hummus I saw as a
child. Thats why the fusion in Australia
is so efortless and seamless.
Do you see yourself more as a
creative chef or an entrepreneur?
I consider myself a restaurateur who
absolutely puts food rst. I am a chef
rst but I have to build my brand
around my restaurants. I do a lot of the
food even now, but I also manage. So
its probably 50-50. I really like to try
and spend as much time as I can in the
kitchen. It keeps the collaboration with
me and all the chefs going.
In the 80s you were the rst path-
breaking chef. What spurred you
into brave culinary experiments?
The rst year of my life as a chef
was spent cooking rened French
provincial food, which came from
the kitchens I had worked in before.
Of course, I had a really strong
background in Chinese cooking and
avours and food because of my
father [who loved Chinese food].
Then in 1984, on a trip to France, I
ate at a really great restaurant called
LArchestrate. It was owned by Alain
Senderens. I have always thought
of French cooking as proteins and
secondary sauces, but we ordered the
tasting menu and it was all about the
clarity and perfection of the ingredient
speaking for itself. I remember walking
back from there and it changed the
way I cooked forever. I came back
to Australia realising that you didnt
have to stay within a boundary to
cook great food. And that I should be
cooking the food that I love, which has
a lot of Chinese inuences. And then I
deliberately went my way and made the
efort of saying theres no secondary
sauces, only combinations of sauces,
spices and juices. That was the moment
I decided to do Neil Perry food.
How would you describe your food
in 2013?
I think what is exciting is that the
food that Phil [Wood; co-owner of
Rockpool] and I do is really unique.
It relates to our long relationship
with China and Southeast Asia. And
although we respect and enjoy and
love the food that our friends like
Thomas Keller [The French Laundry
in California] and Heston Blumenthal
[The Fat Duck in Berkshire, UK] are
doing, what I really love is that our food
is diferent from theirs. Theres a lot
of food out there these days that feels
like its been copied. You feel like youre
eating Ren Redzepis (read about him
on p134) food but youre not at Noma.
We are inspired by the professionalism
of our brothers in arms who are
cooking out there and put in so much
efort everyday, but we travel down our
own path.
Whats the best and worst thing
about being a chef?
The best thing is that I kind of live
my job. And I love that through food,
theres a wonderful community that
you join. For instance I just ring up
Thomas Keller, Heston Blumenthal
and Ben Shewry [from Attica in
Melbourne] and I say, Will you come
down for a fundraiser? and they go
Yeah. And we spend a few days
together and cook and raise money
for charity. I guess the work does get
to you at times. But I dont dislike
anything about my life. I have been
incredibly lucky.
Any elements of Indian cooking
that fascinate you?
I have a huge amount of respect for
Neil Perry
THE MULTICULTURALIST
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You dont have to stay within a boundary to cook great food
Indian food. I think that the use of
spices is fantastic and so is the avour
you get out of the long cooking of
aromatics like onions, garlic and ginger,
and so on. I really like the use of pulses,
too. We work a lot with chickpeas and
lentils at the restaurant. One of the
things we have always done is curries of
lentils served with sh.
How do you see the future of
Australian food? What new trends
are you seeing in Australia now?
Australia is a country born out of
immigration. In the last couple of years
we have seen people coming in from
the Syrian crisis, the Iranian crisis, from
Afghanistan so there will be more
fascination with Middle Eastern food
in Australia. Its been growing, with the
Lebanese coming in rst.
The new crop of people in the
culinary industry is realising theres
only that much space for ne dining
and avant-garde restaurants. They
have great respect for ingredients and
fantastic craft, they are young, they
are exciting, and theyre going out and
doing great little places around Sydney
and Melbourne that relate to their
demographic and age. It just means the
country is a better place to eat in.
- Sona Bahadur
John dory seared in
Indian pastry with pearl
onion, pumpkin and
lentil curry
Serves 4 2 hours + resting and
refrigerating A LITTLE EFFORT
john dory or pomfret fillets 2 whole,
seasoned with salt and pepper
spinach leaves 100g, steamed
plain yoghurt 4 tbsp, beaten
ghee 60ml + extra for greasing
THE INDIAN PASTRY
all-purpose flour (maida) 1 cup
wholemeal or wheat flour 1/2 cup
sea salt a pinch (try Roland available
at gourmet stores)
egg 1
yoghurt 100ml
peanut oil 2 tsp
water 1 tsp
THE PEARL ONION, PUMPKIN AND
LENTIL CURRY
ghee 2 tbsp
onion 1/2, nely diced
ginger 1/2 tsp, peeled and crushed
white pepper 1/2 tsp, ground
coriander seeds 1/2 tbsp, roasted and
ground
fennel seeds 1/4 tsp, roasted and
ground
cardamom pods 2, ground
cloves 2, ground
star anise 1
cinnamon 1/2 stick
turmeric powder 1/4 tbsp
palm sugar 1 tbsp
tamarind water 1 tbsp
tomatoes 2, roughly chopped
chicken stock 1/2 cup
red lentils 100g, boiled
pearl onions or shallots 4, peeled and
roastedpumpkin 4 pieces, roasted
lime 1, juiced
To make the pastry, combine both
ours with the sea salt in a bowl. Make
a well in the middle and add the egg,
yoghurt, oil and water. Mix with a fork
until you obtain a sticky mass, then
knead on a at surface for 5 minutes
until soft and elastic. Allow the dough
to rest for 30 minutes. Divide the
dough into 4 parts. Roll them out as
thinly as possible on a lightly oured
surface. Lay the pastry sheets on a
chopping board and place a sh llet
at one end. Fold the other half of the
sheet over to completely enclose the sh and trim the pastry right to the
edge of the sh. Brush both sides
of the pastry with ghee and wrap in
greaseproof paper. Refrigerate for
10 minutes and repeat the process with
the others. To make the lentil curry, heat the
ghee in a large frying pan until just
smoking. Add the onion, garlic and
ginger and sweat until soft. Add the
spices and fry for a couple of minutes
until fragrant. Add the palm sugar and
caramelise, then add the tamarind
water, tomatoes and chicken stock to
just cover. Simmer on a low heat for
30 minutes. Then add the lentils,
onions and pumpkin and stir through
gently. Finish with a squeeze of fresh
lime to tast tte. To cook he sh, place a heavy-
bottomed frying pan on the stove.
Put 15ml ghee in the pan and heat
to almost smoking. Add the sh and
sear for about 3 minutes or until the
dough is cooked. Turn the parcel of sh over and cook for a further 2
minutes. Remove and drain on kitchen
paper. Wipe out the pan and repeat the
process.
To serve, spoon about 100ml of the
curry into the centres of four plates.
Pour over the yoghurt and place the
spinach over the yoghurt. Cut each
piece of sh into half and place on top.
Serve immediately.
ABOUT THE DISH
The combination of pastry, sh sauce, yoghurt and spinach
makes a complete dish. The
cardamom and tomato are a
perfect match, and the sh
steams gently inside as the
outside of the pastry crisps up.
The dish also works beautifully
with the at sh of Europe
and America. It is important
that the vegetables are well
seasoned and cooked until
they caramelise to impart their avours to the sauce. The
depth of avour of aromatics
is often lost when they are not
allowed to do their job properly.
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Neil Perrys John dory seared
in Indian pastry with pearl
onion, pumpkin and lentil curry
CULINARY CHOPS: British celebrity
chef, author and television presenter
Rick Stein has built an empire on fresh
catch, with a seafood cookery school and
acclaimed seafood restaurants in Cornwall
and in New South Wales, Australia. His
comprehensive, technique-driven book,
Complete Seafood, received the James d
Beard Cookbook of the Year award in
2005. He has travelled across southern
France, Spain, the Mediterranean region
and Far East Asia on a quest to discover
local, rugged avours, compiling his
research into bestselling cookbooks. Earlier
this year, Stein spent over three months
travelling around India exploring the
nuances of regional cuisine for his TV
show and cookbook, Rick Steins India.
Where does your enduring
fascination for Indian food stem
from?
My mother used to cook curries for me
and my brothers and sisters. I am afraid
they werent really proper curries, that is,
they were made with curry powder, but
I have been familiar with spicy Indian
food from an early age.
Youve said that India is the
best country in the world to be
vegetarian. What were your most
memorable veggie discoveries
during your three-month sojourn
across India?
Though Kerala is known most for its
fabulous seafood, I nd that the use
of coconut oil, milk and esh, tomato
and tamarind in its vegetarian dishes
makes them very popular with people
in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
I was lucky enough to spend a fortnight
cooking in a bungalow in the Kerala
backwaters of Kerala where my host
and his cook produced a selection of
fabulous dishes like thoran, poriyal and l
sambar which we ate with whatever I
had been cooking that morning.
Youve suggested halloumi in place
of paneer in a jalfrezi and conjured
up a simple British-style roast
chicken inspired by a khad murgh d
recipe. In your experience, does
a more relaxed style of cooking
result in tastier dishes on the
table?
I wasnt in India trying to faithfully
reproduce Indian food, although in
most cases the recipes are unchanged
from where I got them. The book is
largely intended for British readers
and a repeated worry from them is
that Indian food is too complicated, so
I have tried to simplify dishes where
I think there is a touch too much
masalacation going on.
Whats your idea of simple
comfort food when youre back
home?
Since I tend to eat far too much when
Im travelling, back home means rather
a strict diet which is quite often a
thakkali (tomato) rasam or Vietnamese i
pho, but occasionally I will indulge
myself with something like a grilled
Dover sole or a pile of crab from
Padstow with mayonnaise and fresh
crusty bread.
You place strong emphasis on
producers, calling them your food
heroes. Youre also a supporter
of sustainable farming and shing
techniques. Have you noticed this
approach gaining favour amongst
chefs internationally?
Interestingly, in countries like India
where supermarkets have not yet
taken hold, the local producer is
alive and well. In fact, it is in the
countries where food tends to be
farmed on an almost industrial scale
that getting back to small producers
is so important. Indeed, in countries
such as the UK, New Zealand and
Australia, the enthusiasm for home-
grown produce is very encouraging.
Could you give us a glimpse into
the kind of training and on-the-
job experience chefs receive in
your kitchens?
In my kitchens, the emphasis has
always been on local produce, notably
of course, sh. All the chefs that go
through my kitchen are expected
to learn sh preparation, scaling,
gutting, lleting and extracting
the meat from lobsters and crabs,
opening oysters, cleaning mussels
and many other skills. I think there is
an important link between familiarity
with raw materials and cooking them
with respect.
- Amrita Gupta
Meen kulambu (cod
curry)
Serves 4-635 minutes EASY
THE PASTE
onion 1 small, chopped
tomato 1 small, chopped
coconut 80g, grated or chopped
garlic cloves 6, peeled
dried Kashmiri chillies 9, stalks
snipped off
black peppercorns 1 tbsp
salt 1 1/2 tsp
Rick Stein
THE INDOPHILE
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I think there is an important link between
familiarity with raw materials and cooking
them with respect
THE FISH
vegetable oil 50ml
black mustard seeds 1 tsp
urad dal 1 tsp, husked
turmeric powder 2 tsp
water 150ml
cod or rawas fillet 600g, cut into 4cm
slices
curry leaves a handful
coriander leaves a handful
To make the paste, put all the
ingredients in a small food processor
and blend until thick, adding a splash of
water if ne eeede eed. Keep a aaside. To mak th sh, he t the oil in a
heavy-based saucepan or kadhai over
medium heat. Add the mustard seeds
and urad dal and fry for 30 seconds,
then add the paste and the turmeric,
and fry for 23 minutes until fragrant.
Add the water, bring to the boil then
add the cod. Cook for 5 minutes, or until cooked
through, occasionally shaking the pan
gently to distribute the heat (avoid
using a utensil to stir as the sh is
delicate and will break up). Finally add
the curry leaves and coriander to the
pan and serve with basmati rice and
warm chapatis. PER SERVING 230.33 kcals, protein
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ABOUT THE
DISH
This meen kulambu
was cooked by a
shermans wife,
Mrs Prabhe, in
Pondicherry. She
used kingsh and I
decided to use cod
because I wanted a
sh with good thick
llets, even though
the avour is not the
same. I enjoy simply
cooked sh, but if
the sh is absolutely
fresh, I dont think
it is overpowered by
masala, in fact the
masalas provide an
extra dimension to
good sh.
Rick Steins
Meen kulambu
CULINARY CHOPS: Kylie Kwong is
a third-generation Chinese Australian
TV chef and restaurateur. Kwong, who
learnt the fundamentals of Cantonese
cuisine by cooking at her mothers side,
also trained under Neil Perry (read about
him on p 82). At her Sydney restaurant 2
Billy Kwong, she cooks with only organic
and biodynamic ingredients, and has
implemented several environmental
initiatives, such as serving ltered tap
water and no bottled water. Kwong has
released ve books on Chinese cuisine,
and has appeared as a guest judge on
MasterChef Australia.
You have been a passionate
advocate of locally grown, organic
and biodynamic produce for almost
a decade. How would you sum up
your culinary philosophy in 2013?
I am passionate about and committed
to ofering truly authentic Australian-
Chinese cuisine by incorporating
many Australian native plants, fruits and
animals into my menu. When you dine
at Billy Kwong I want you to be able
to taste the true avours of Australia as
interpreted through the mind and taste
buds of a third-generation Australian
and a 29th generation Kwong.
What do you enjoy the most about
being a chef and restaurateur?
I love discovering, engaging and
connecting with amazing, artisanal food
and wine producers. I love the sense of
community spirit that we have with all of
our punters and our primary producers.
I love the simple, amazing act of feeding
people and watching peoples reactions
when they eat our food. Essentially, its
about the myriad opportunities and
fascinating people and experiences that
come my way, all as a result of owning
and running Billy Kwong.
Would you agree that your
interpretation of Chinese cooking
is progressive and not strictly
purist?
Yes I agree, I am constantly making
eforts to stay well-informed and
up-to-date with the current zeitgeist
within the world of gastronomy. As
a restaurateur in highly competitive
Sydney where Asian food is done at a
very high level, it is absolutely essential
that one keeps a step ahead and works
constantly on ones ofering to the
public. The discovery of Australian
native produce has been one of the
greatest creative moments in my
career it has been like discovering a
whole new palette with which to create.
Kylie Kwong y g
THE WOK STAR
I am passionate about and committed
to offering a truly authentic Australian-
Chinese cuisine
Crispy skin duck with
plum sauce
py
Serves 81 hour 15 minutes +
marinating, steaming and cooling
MODERATELY EASY
whole duck 1, approximately weighing
1.9kg (available on request at all Godrej
Natures Basket outlets)
Sichuan peppercorns 1 tbsp (try ASA
spices available at Foodhall outlets)
sea salt 3 tbsp
all-purpose flour (maida) 1/4 cup
sunflower oil 400ml, for deep-frying
THE PLUM SAUCE
water 1 cup
brown sugar 1 cup
plums 4 ripe, cut in half
fish sauce 1/3 cup (try Kikkoman
star anise 6
cinnamon sticks 2
limes 3, juiced
Rinse the duck under cold water.
Trim away excess fat from outside
the cavity and the inside. Trim
off the neck, nose and winglets.
Pat dry and rub the skin all over
with Sichuan peppercorn and salt.
Cover and refrigerate overnight to
marinate.
Transfer the duck to a large
steamer basket. Place the basket
over a deep saucepan of boiling
water and steam for approximately
90 minutes, or until the duck is
cooked through (to test, insert a
small knife between the leg and
breast the juices should run
clear). Using tongs, gently remove
the duck from the steamer and
place on a tray, breast-side up, to
drain. Allow to cool slightly, then
transfer to the refrigerator to cool
further.
Meanwhile, make the plum sauce.
Combine the water and sugar in
a small pan and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer,
stirring occasionally, for about
7 minutes, or until slightly reduced.
Add plums, sh sauce and spices
and simmer for a minute. Stir in the
lime juice and then remove the pan
from the stove.
Place the cooled duck breast
side-up on a chopping board and
using a large knife or meat cleaver,
cut it in half lengthways through the
breastbone and backbone. Carefully
ease the meat away from carcass,
leaving the thighs, legs and wings
intact. Because the duck has been
cooked through completely, the
meat should come away from the
bones very easily. Lightly toss the
duck halves in our to coat, shaking
off any excess.
Heat the oil in a hot wok until the
surface seems to shimmer slightly.
(There should be enough oil in the
wok to cover the duck halves.) Deep-
fry the duck halves one at a time,
for about 3 minutes on each side, or
until well-browned and crispy. Using
As I see it, we must use more native t
ingredients as a way of supporting and
upholding our inspiring indigenous
Australian culture.
What are your favourite Indian
dishes? Any plans to visit our
country?
I adore Indian pickles, chutneys and
atbreads as much as I do all of your
complex, absolutely stunning curries
I cant wait to visit India, when
I have more time. I know I would
absolutely love the place, the food,
the people and that very, very special
culture and tradition of yours!
How do you see the future of food?
What new trends can we expect to
see in the next 5-10 years?
Id like to see more emphasis on native
ingredients and edible insects in the
Western world.
What dishes do you love to make
at home?
I cook mostly Italian-style at home, I
like simple food, like roast chicken with
rosemary, salt and olive oil, garden
salads and steamed organic vegetables.
- Sona Bahadur
tongs, carefully remove the duck from
the oil and drain well on a paper towel,
then leave to rest in a warm place for
5 minutes while you gently reheat the
plum sauce.
Finally, with a sharp knife, cut the
duck into pieces and arrange on a
serving platter. Spoon over the hot
plum sauce and serve immediately.
TIP For a fresh nish, add either
oranges, mandarins or cherries
to the sauce, depending on the
season.
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ABOUT THE DISH
I have ofered this dish on my
menu since we opened the
doors here at Billy Kwong, 13
years ago. It is our signature
and has evolved over the years.
It is an excellent reection of
what BK food is all about
steeped in traditional Chinese
cooking methods and recipes,
yet executed with fresh, seasonal
Australian native produce. The
duck is marinated, steamed then
deep-fried so three cooking
methods are involved with
the one ingredient this is
typical of Chinese cooking. The
sauce really borrows from the
traditional Thai cuisine avour
prole of salt, sour, sweet
to which I add my Australian
native fruits to provide
sharpness, acidity and balance.
Kylie Kwongs Crispy skin
duck with plum sauce
CULINARY CHOPS: Rahul Akerkar is
the chef-restaurateur credited for injecting
a dose of freshness and originality to the
countrys dining scene, and creating a
stir in the late 90s that is going strong
even today. With Indigo, which has now
expanded to a chain of delis, Akerkar
brought modern European cuisine to
Mumbai, and with Neel at Tote on the Turf,
he revived Indian food, giving diners a
taste of a lighter, fresher cuisine. Akerkars
award-winning restaurants, responsible for
so many industry rsts, come under the
umbrella of DeGustibus Hospitality, the
company he runs with his wife, Malini.
Rahul Akerkar
Rahul Akerkar learned through
hands-on experience. Ive done
everything from ipping burgers to
working in a ne dining Greek kitchen,
he says, of his time working in New
York in the 80s. His exposure equipped
him as a generalist rather than a
specialist, something he turned to
his advantage when he started Indigo,
which serves modern European cuisine
that wasnt boxed into Italian, French,
Mediterranean. Sometimes, getting
hung up on a particular cuisine can
hamper your creativity. Its good to see
the bigger picture, he says.
In 1999, Indigo was the rst upmarket
stand-alone restaurant in Mumbai
that wasnt serving Indian or Oriental
cuisine. Akerkar changed the way the
city eats, and quickly made Indigo a chic
destination address. When we opened
our doors, people had only experienced
generic Continental fare such as baked
dishes with white sauce. It really was the
Dark Ages, says Akerkar. Its evolution is
an ongoing one: each menu change elicits
exhaustive tasting sessions with the whole
team. We go through approximately
50 dishes before we shortlist the nal set,
he says.
When it comes to choosing ingredients,
Akerkar sets his own rules. Hes been
known to add Indian vegetables such
as karela and tendli to his dishes. Sure,
people are surprised by this. We once did
a fettuccine with laal maat. It brought
something to the dish, and thats the only
reason it was there, he says. And in the
14 years theyve been in business, hes
never once put pomfret on the menu.
I just dont much care for it.
Akerkar bucked the trend yet again
when he reopened Tote as Neel at Tote
on the Turf, an Indian restaurant, in
2011. I wanted to change things up,
bring in the unexpected. Indian food was
getting bogged down, everything was
over-marinated and you couldnt taste the
ingredients, says Akerkar. With his chef
Mukhtar Qureshi, Akerkar has introduced
lesser-known ingredients such as
chilgoza, bamboo shoot and lotus root.
We toned it down, but still kept it
traditional, he explains.
This month, Indigo opens in New
Delhi after 14 years in Mumbai. We
grew organically, there was no pressure
to tap other markets, says the chef-
restaurateur. Akerkar feels the time is now
right to expand the Indigo footprint to
other cities.
5 things you probably dont
His pet peeve is when customers tell
him this isnt authentic. These are
not the same home fries you get in Texas.
No shit. These are fries the way I make
them at home.
He takes a cuisine-related trip every
year with his wife Malini. But they dont
always turn out as planned. Recently,
in New York, wed made reservations at
places where you need to book months
in advance. But two days of this kind of
concentrated haute cuisine and we were
done, he recalls. They spent the rest of
their vacation feasting on street food.
Apart for a couple of dishes, his kids
dont really like anything he cooks.
They love my pancakes, and steak
when I make it, but thats about it, he
says. Akerkar doesnt cook at home too
often; by his reckoning he steps into the
kitchen maybe once a week.
He believes its important for chefs
to explore and embrace social media,
but he isnt an instinctive tweeter.
Today, I know it has to be exploited
more. Everyone wants to know what
youre doing, and this is a perception
management business, he admits. But
it isnt part of my active psyche. During
the experience, Im not thinking about
sharing it online, Im just enjoying it.
A day later, I think, Oh, that would have
been a good thing to tweet about.
It took Rahul and Malini Akerkar
over a year to nd a property for Indigo,
and he rented the bungalow in Colaba
sight unseen. When it came on the
market, Akerkar was working in New
York, while his wife was looking at rental
spaces in Mumbai. She called me and
said, Come home, weve found it. And
I did.
- Amrita Gupta
Rahul Akerkar
THE INDIVIDUALIST
Sometimes, getting hung up on a particular cuisine can
hamper your creativity. Its good to see the bigger picture
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Lobster bisque
simmering MODERATELY EASY
lobster heads 1 1/2kg (available at your
local sh monger or try pescafresh.
com)onion 1, chopped
celery 30g, roughly chopped
garlic cloves 5-6 whole
carrots 1/2, chopped
butter 100g
brandy 1/2 cup (try Honey Bee
available at wine shops)
all-purpose flour (maida) 2 tbsp
fresh tomato pure 400g
water 8 cups
fresh cream 500g
lobster meat 1 cup, poached or boiled
(optional)
Clean and roast the lobster heads in
a preheated oven until bright orange
in colour. Keep aside. Saut the onions,
celery, garlic and carrots in a thick-
bottomed pan along with the butter
until light brown. Crush the lobster
heads into small pieces in a pan using
a wooden spoon. Add the crushed
lobster to the vegetables and saut for
10-15 minutes. Flamb with the brandy.
Dust the mixture with our and cook
until the our turns light brown. Add
the tomato pure and cook for another
10 minutes. Add water and simmer
for 1-1 1/2 hours on a very low ame,
removing the froth and impurities that
rise to the surface at regular intervals.
Strain through a ne sieve.
Reduce the fresh cream in a
saucepan on a low ame until it
reduces to half the quantity. Do not
worry if it appears curdled. Add the
reduced cream to the lobster stock.
Season well. Strain through a double
strainer and serve with crusty bread.
You could even garnish it with some
fresh lobster meat that has been
poached or boiled.
ABOUT THE DISH
The lobster bisque has been on the Indigo
menu since the start. It goes with the
philosophy of Indigo we keep it simple,
with respect for the ingredients. Weve just
presented it diferently, earlier with crab
ravioli and currently with a lobster salad
with capers. Its one of those dishes that go
wrong the minute you try to overcomplicate
it. We have a lot of lobster on the menu, so
this is a good way to make use of the shells
rather than throw them away. You have to
be careful not to over-roast the shells. Parts
of the head can also add bitterness to the
bisque when cooked.
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Rahul Akerkars
Lobster bisque
CULINARY CHOPS: Hailed as the
godfather of Italian gastronomy, 76-year-old
Antonio Carluccio is a fount of knowledge
on traditional Italian cucina n and wine. a
Hes been awarded the national honour of
Commendatore dell Ordine al Merito
della Repubblica Italiana by the Italian
government, and is the recipient of the OBE,
the Order of the British Empire, for his
contribution to the Italian food industry.
The self-taught culinary icon has authored
19 cookbooks and is the creator of Carluccios
a worldwide chain of cafs serving simple,
home-style Italian food.
Born in the Amal region along the
southern coast of Italy, Antonio Carluccio
grew up in Piedmont, amidst the sylvan
charm of farms, vineyards and woods. As
a child, he would accompany his father to
the woods to forage for mushrooms and
trufes, and then hand over the freshly
picked bouquets to his mother to prepare.
His delightfully illustrious relationship
with Italian cuisine, spanning half a
century, began in the early-70s during
his stay in Vienna, when he rst started
cooking for himself.
Carluccio has always been an advocate
of simple, traditional fare. In his memoir,
A Recipe for Life, he writes, I was served
fresh oysters embellished with a sweet
chocolate sauce by a two-star Michelin
chef in Turin. Why? It was disgusting and
did no favours, either to the oysters or the
chocolate.This no-frills approach has
held him in good stead throughout his
career. In 1989, he took over the reins at
Neal Street Restaurant in London where
he had been the manager for eight years.
Incidentally, it was in the Neal kitchen
that Jamie Oliver (read about him on
p 63), Carluccios protg, rst tried
Nothing can replace the dishes our
mothers and grandmothers created
his hand at Italian cooking. The rst
outpost of Carluccios a caf serving
simple, home-style Italian food was
established in 1999 in London, and
soon expanded to 80 outlets across
England, Ireland and the Middle East.
In the midst of this success, the
property on which Neal Street was
housed was slated for redevelopment,
and the restaurant was shuttered in
2006. Now a consultant at the cafs
he formerly owned, Carluccio keeps
himself extremely busy developing
menus and training chefs, testing
recipes for another cookbook and
travelling. These days, he cooks for
his family at the Carluccio cottage in
southwest London. Sunday lunches
are often simple meals rustled up using
fresh, local ingredients. As Carluccio
writes in his book Two Greedy Italians,
Tastes may be evolving, but nothing
can replace the original dishes our
mothers and grandmothers patiently
created to achieve the maximum
possible avour and give the maximum
possible pleasure.
- Khorshed Deboo
Antonio Carluccio
THE GODFATHER
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Risotto con funghi misti
(risotto with mixed
mushrooms)
Serves 4 55 minutes + soaking
EASY
vegetable stock 1.5l
mixed mushrooms 400g (use fresh
button mushrooms and dried porcini
and shiitake mushrooms)
onion 1 small, nely chopped
olive oil 3 tbsp
arborio rice 350g (try De Cecco
availa aable at gourmet stores) salt nd freshly ground black pepper
to season
parmesan 60g, nely grated
Put the stock in a saucepan and
bring to a gentle simmer. Leave over
a low ame. Gently clean the button
mushrooms, using a sharp knife and a
brush (avoid washing fresh mushrooms
directly under water or soaking them
in water whenever possible). Soak the
dried mushrooms in a small bowl of
warm water for 15 minutes. Slice the
fresh mushrooms, keeping a few good
slices aside for garnish. Fry the onion in the oil and half of
the butter. When the onion begins to
colour, add the sliced mushrooms and
continue to fry over a moderate ame
for a couple of minutes. Chop the dried
mushrooms into small pieces and add
to the remaining mushrooms, keeping
the water they soaked in to add to the
risotto later with the stock.
Add the rice and stir for a minute,
until all the grains are glistening and
coated with butter. Start to add the
hot stock, ladle by ladle; wait until each
ladleful is absorbed before adding the
next. Add the porcini soaking water.
When the rice is al dente, remove
from the heat, season and stir in the
remaining butter and the parmesan.
Serve hot, garnishing each portion with
a slice or two of raw button mushroom.
60.07g, carbs 267.69g, fat 33.08g, sat
fat 15.97g, fibre 20.38g, salt 0.2g
INGREDIENT TIP Patience is
key in getting the perfect plate of
risotto. The trick is to ensure that
you add the stock one ladle at a
time, so that each grain of rice
absorbs the stock slowly and does
not become a lumpy mess.
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ABOUT THE DISH
They say that a risotto made
with just porcini represents the
height of gustatory pleasure
(only beaten by one served with
trufes). But the satisfaction
of coming back from a
fungi hunt in the woods and
mountains with lots of diferent
mushrooms, with their many
colours, textures and tastes, can
be just as exhilarating. This dish
is best enjoyed with family and
friends.
Antonio Carluccios
Risotto con funghi misti
CULINARY CHOPS: Camellia Panjabi
has been described as the queen of
Indian food. Former managing director
of the Taj Group of Hotels, she deed
convention and brought Indian food
onto the table at leading ve-star hotels
across the country at a time when it was
considered infra dig to do so. Panjabi is
also responsible for introducing Indians
to Sichuan cooking back in the 70s.
She took this ground-breaking streak to
the UK, where she popularised regional
Indian cuisine with a slew of restaurants
including the Michelin-starred Amaya.
Panjabi, an MBE (recipient of the
Member of the Most Excellent Order
of the British Empire), is the author of
bestselling book 50 Great Curries of
India, and the consulting editor of
BBC Good Food India.
Youve been credited with
popularising regional cuisines
from the coastal belts and
southern states of India. Which
community specialities do you
feel are still under-represented in
menus today?
I was fortunate to have the opportunity
to visit these areas of India in the 70s
and early-80s, as Taj was setting up
hotels there and the rst menus had to
be made for the restaurants. But even
now only a fraction of what is there has
been exposed in upscale restaurants.
In Mumbai, where are the oferings
of food from the Konkan region of
Maharashtra, except the Konkan Caf
at the Vivanta by Taj President, which
I conceptualised nearly 15 years ago?
There is great Konkanastha food,
CKP food (from the Chandraseniya
Kayastha Prabhu community),
Saraswat food and the Muslim food of
Alibaug their sh masala is divine.
Youve said often that Indians
dont take pride in their own food.
Do you see this trend changing?
This trend is not changing
fundamentally. If Indian people
developed pride, fascination, curiosity
and patronised regional Indian food,
Indian food would blossom and attract
more chefs to learn, practise, rene,
modernise and ofer these cuisines.
Just as Indians have done with music,
dance and fashion. If Americans can
dominate the world with burgers and
the Italians with pizza, we have to think
big, bold and condent. Some of the
greatest Indian tastes in food are with
the street food sellers of India.
Back in the late-60s and 70s, you
shook up the ve-star restaurant
scene with a few radical moves.
Tell us about them.
I put bhel puri and sev puri on
the menu at the Sea Lounge at the
Taj Mahal Palace. There was great
reluctance as the main oferings were
open Danish-style sandwiches and
cakes served from a cart. But bhel is
still on the menu 40 years later! I also
introduced idlis and dosas in the new
Shamiana. Most senior chefs in the Taj
kitchen were Punjabi, so they thought it
was okay to serve parathas or puri bhaji
If Americans can dominate the world
with burgers and the Italians with pizza,
we have to think big, bold and confident
Camellia Panjabi
THE GAME CHANGER
Asparagus biryani
Serves 4 1 hour 5 minutes + boiling and
cooking EASY
asparagus 500g
oil 2 tbsp
salt to taste
THE RICE
basmati rice 500g, washed and soaked
in water for 30 minutes
saffron a large pinch, dissolved in 2 tbsp
milk salt 1 tsp
THE MASALA
oil 100ml
royal cumin (shahjeera) 1 tsp
green cardamom pods 8-10
bay leaves 2
cinnamon stick 1/2
cloves 8-10
ginger 2 tbsp, crushed
garlic cloves 2 tbsp, crushed
onions 3 medium, sliced
green chillies 2, chopped
red chilli powder 1 tsp
coriander powder 1 tsp
salt to taste
curd 500g
THE GARNISH
coriander a small bunch, chopped
mint sprigs 1/2 bunch
ginger 1-inch piece, julienned
onions 20g, sliced and fried to a crisp
(optional)
Heat a large vessel, half lled with
water. Add salt and boil. Then add the
washed rice. Allow to parboil and drain
the rice in a large colander. Cool in a large
container and pour the saffron soaked
in milk.
Cut off the lower hard portions of the
asparagus and discard. Gently peel the
asparagus; use the top halves for garnish
and the lower thick parts for the pure. In
another pan, add the lower halves of the
asparagus to hot boiling water and blanch
for 2-3 minutes. Strain and blend in a
mixer-grinder to make a pure. Saut the
other ha aalf in oil and season with salt. To m ke the masala, heat the oil in
a large pan, then add the cumin and
the rest of the whole spices. Add the
crushed ginger and garlic and cook for
a few minutes. Add the sliced onion
and green chillies and cook until just
brown. Stir in the powdered spices,
salt and cook for about 2 minutes. Add
the curd and cook for 2025 minutes
on medium heat. When cooked, add
the asparagus pure and remove from
heat. Cool the masala. To assemble the biryani, grease the
bottom of an ovenproof dish or a large
container. Place some masala followed
by the top halves of the asparagus,
chopped coriander, mint sprigs, ginger
and a layer of rice. Cover again with a
layer of masala, asparagus and rice and
the remaining garnish on top of the
rice. Do not ll the pan more than 2/3.
Cover with a lid and seal with freshly
made chapati dough or cover with
aluminium foil ensuring that all sides
are sealed, not allowing the steam to
escape. Place the pan in a preheated
oven at 200C for about 40 minutes.
You could even cook the biryani on
dum. Place on a tawa and then on the
stove, on low heat. Serve hot.
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for breakfast, but no one served any south
Indian food back then.
Have there been any recent
developments in the countrys
culinary scene that you nd
particularly exciting?
Yes, whats heartening is the opening of
small restaurants specialising in regional
food. I wish them well. Diners tastes
presently are changing slowly. They are
fascinated with international restaurant
concepts that they can now experience
for the rst time by paying in rupees.
This will change when the restaurant
business owners look at Indian food with
greater depth.
What are some of the factors that
hold Indian food back from gaining
global prominence today?
Firstly, theres a lack of professional chefs
who know Indian cooking catering
colleges dont do this, as they teach more
baking and European cooking. Secondly,
no technology has been applied to the
culinary industry. Tandoors dont have
temperature gauges, there is no attention
to sticking your hands into an oven at
450C and sticking bread on its walls!
Mexicans have tortilla machines but India
doesnt have chapati machines, except in
very large establishments like the Golden
Temple in Amritsar. We have such a large
body of engineers in this country why
is there no interest in all this?
How do you see the future of
Indian food?
The future of Indian food will be good
when we Indians in India think Indian
food is great! When Italians go out to
eat they mostly eat Italian, the French
patronise French restaurants, bistros and
brasseries, the Chinese go out to eat their
own food. Our upmarket city folks love
Japanese, Chinese, Italian and anything
else thats new. Better Indian food needs a
supportive market.
If it were your last meal, what would
be on your plate?
A nice spicy Andhra meal on a banana
leaf. Including Chicken 65!
- Sona Bahadur
ABOUT THE DISH
In India, I have come across
only one type of vegetable
biryani, that of mixed European
vegetables such as peas, carrots,
cauliowers and potatoes all
these vegetables came to India
via the Europeans. We decided
at Amaya, in London, to make
vegetable biryanis using the best
of what is in season locally that
month, including chestnuts,
mushrooms, and of course,
asparagus. Sometimes, we also
use exotic vegetables from
afar, such as lotus root. And we
now have a repertoire of veg
biryanis, developed by head chef
Karunesh Khanna.
Camellia Panjabis
Asparagus biryani
CULINARY CHOPS: French-born
Raymond Blanc opened his rst
restaurant in Oxford, Le Manoir
aux Quat Saisons, in 1977. The
restaurant won him many accolades
and prestigious Michelin stars, and
put him rmly among the ranks of
UKs top chefs. He has since opened
more brasseries and supplies French
breads to top establishments. Blanc,
who has authored several bestselling
cookbooks, was honoured with an
Order of the British Empire in 2007.
Over the past 20 years, he has been
a major force in British cuisine,
inspiring home cooks and customers
with his books and restaurants, as well
as legions of chefs who have worked
in his kitchens, including Marco
Pierre White, John Burton Race and
Michael Caines.
You have always said your
mothers home-cooked French
meals inspired your cooking.
How would you describe your
style of cooking now?
My cooking now is modern
French. However, I have lived in
the UK for the last 40 years and
have been very much inuenced
by the multicultural society here,
which includes all other foods
and cultures. I have also travelled
across the world, including India,
and have been introduced to new
tastes, textures and spices. All of my
travels have helped me to develop
my French cuisine. My cooking has
been enriched by other tastes and
cultures, which I have delicately
woven into the cuisine.
You are considered the master
of French cooking in Britain.
What techniques do you feel are
the most important part of your
reportoire?
My six-part BBC series How to
Cook Well focused on six diferent l
techniques: roasting, poaching, frying,
grilling and barbecuing, slow cooking
and baking. All of them are equally
important in French cooking. All great
chefs have to rst master the basics.
The secret to eating well is about
buying good produce and learning how
to cook well.
What are the essentials of a classic
French pantry?
Im a Frenchman, so it has to be garlic
and red wine!
What is your earliest food
memory?
The tomato salad made by my mother,
Maman Blanc. Impossibly simple
to prepare, it made such a deep
impression on me that the memory
of it never fails to make me smile.
She would slice ripened home-grown
tomatoes and arrange them in a dish
with salad leaves and nely sliced
shallots on top. Then she created her
dressing a generous spoon of dijon,
a couple of pinches of sea salt, black
pepper, red wine vinegar and water,
nished with vegetable oil. All at room
temperature of course, so that the
vinegar and salt drew the juice out of
the tomatoes. For me it was the juice
that was the highlight I mopped it
up with chunks of bread.
Which was the rst dish you ever
cooked?
I was about 14 and it was Crpes
Suzette not the easiest thing to
create! I remember feeling very
condent and adding ingredients as
I felt they should be added. It was
an amazing rst experience I felt
like an alchemist. It was all going so
wonderfully, until the Pyrex dish
exploded in the oven, sending shards of
glass everywhere.
Who would you say is your food
hero?
Its got to be Paul Bocuse hes
a legend. A three-star Michelin
chef, someone who truly brought
gastronomy to the people. He is most
strongly associated with nouvelle
cuisine and really, he exported French
gastronomy to the world.
Your hope for the future?
We live too fast and have no time for
anything that is something we must
change. We should take children out
into the garden or the kitchen, and
show them that cooking is not only to
ll their stomachs but also a creative
act something simple, and fun,
and magical, too. They will respond
beautifully to the miracle of heat, and
learn that adding fresh coriander to
homemade carrot soup broadens and
deepens the dish.
Your best food discovery?
Lemongrass has been an abiding
ingredient for me and reminds me of
the tom yum soup I tasted in a busy
street market in Thailand. I love the
ingredient so much that we now grow
30 varieties of Southeast Asian produce
in the Le Manoir gardens. We even
took our Southeast Asian garden to the
Chelsea Flower Show a few years ago
and won a silver medal.
- Kathryn Custance with inputs by
Kainaz Contractor P
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Raymond Blanc y
THE FRENCH GURU
We should take children
out into the garden or the
kitchen, and show them that
cooking is not only to fill their
stomachs but also a creative
act something simple, and
fun, and magical, too
Baked pancakes with
spinach, cream and
gruyre
Serves 4 1 hour MODERATELY
EASY
THE PANCAKE BATTER
eggs 2
salt 4 pinches
black pepper a pinch, freshly ground
full-fat milk 200ml
chives 1 tbsp, chopped
flat-leaf parsley 1 tbsp, chopped
oil 1 tbsp
THE SPINACH AND MUSHROOM
FILLING
unsalted butter 40g
spinach 300g, washed, stalks removed
and dried salt 2 pinches
white pepper 2 pinches, freshly ground
button mushrooms 200g, sliced to
form 3mm-thick chunks
gruyre 50g (try Le Superbe available
at gourmet stores)
THE CREAM AND CHEESE SAUCE
full-fat cream 400ml (available at
your local dairy)
nutmeg 8 gratings
salt 2 pinches
white pepper a pinch, freshly ground
gruyre 50g, nely grated
To make the pancake batter, tuck a
cloth under a mixing bowl to keep it
stable. Add the our, make a well and
crack the eggs into the well. Season
with salt and pepper. Whisk the eggs, incorporating the
our little by little. Thin down with
a little milk to get a smooth batter.
Gradually pour in the milk, whisking
continuously. Add the chopped chives
and parsley.
Heat the butter separately in a small
pan until it foams. Pour it into the
pancake mix, whisking continuously so
that it is incorporated well. The butter
will impart avour and help prevent the
pancakes from sticking. Keep aside.
To make the lling, melt 20g of
butter in a 20-cm pan on high heat,
and throw in the spinach. Cook down
the spinach at full heat, stirring
continuously for 2 minutes. Season
well. With the back of the spoon,
squeeze the water out of the spinach
and keep a aaside ee. In a sep rat pan, heat the remaining
20g of butter on high heat and cook
the mushrooms for 2 minutes. Season
well. Mix the mushrooms with the
spinach and stir in 50g of nely grated
gruyre. Keep aside. Preheat the oven to 200C. Have
a spatula and a tray ready to place
the pancakes on, once cooked. Heat a
frying pan, or better a pancake pan on
a medium ame, add the oil and swirl it
around. The oil must be hot enough to
sear and cook the pancakes. Make sure
it isnt too hot, otherwise they will burn
and if not hot enough they will turn
beige and cardboard-like.
Add just enough pancake batter to
the hot pan so that when swirled,
the mix covers the surface. Cook for
about 1520 seconds. Slide
the spatula underneath and
ip the pancake over. Cook
for a further 1520 seconds.
Repeat until all the batter is
used. Try to make them as
thin as possible the right
thickness will give you 12-14
pancakes.
Spoon the lling into each
pancake and roll tightly and
arrange on a tray. This can
be done one day in advance.
Lay all the rolled pancakes
into a gratin dish (roughly
2024cm in diameter).
To make the sauce,
bring the full-fat cream
to a rolling boil and
add the nutmeg and
season carefully, as
the cheese will be
quite salty. Pour
the cream over
the pancakes and
sprinkle over
with the grated
gruyre.
Bake the pancakes in an oven
preheated at 200C for 20 minutes. The
cheese will have gratinated, acquiring
a golden brown crust. Serve while it is
bubbling hot.
ABOUT THE DISH
My mother would cook this dish once a week as
it was cheap for her to make. The dish is from my
region, Franche-Comte, and is warming food for all
seasons. It is rich with cream and melting gruyre.
Meat lovers can roll up a ne slice of ham in each
pancake. Buy the best-quality gruyre you can as
it is the main element of avour. You can have the
stufed pancakes ready to be baked a day in advance
and they will taste just as good. I love this dish so
much that it is on the menu at all my Brasserie Blanc
restaurants. After ve years, this dish remains a
bestseller at my Petit Blanc brasseries. It is also one
of the the dishes we teach at The Raymond Blanc
Cookery School at Le Manoir aux QuatSaisons.
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Raymond Blancs Baked
pancakes with spinach,
cream and gruyre
CULINARY CHOPS:French legend
Jacques Ppin has 26 acclaimed
cookbooks and a dozen TV shows to
his credit. He is the recipient of Frances
highest civilian honour, the Legion
dHonneur, and seven James Beard
awards. Ppin dropped out of school to
pursue his passion for cooking. At the
age of 13 he ventured into the kitchen at
Le Plican, a restaurant owned by his
parents, and hasnt looked back since.
Acknowledged as a master of classic
French cooking, he has always emphasised
the importance of mastering basic skills in
the kitchen. His venerated tome,
La Technique, is the go-to guide for
students of the culinary arts even today.
Jacques Ppin is an artist, both
inside the kitchen and out of it. Now
78, and the dean of the International
Culinary Centre in New York, Ppin
has been known to have illustrated
menus by hand for the feasts he throws
with his wife Gloria. A look at these
minimalist keepsakes, signed by guests
at his table, reveals his predilection
for simplicity and perfection. This
characteristic extends to his approach
towards all things gustatory, too.
Ppin spent his childhood
summers in the hamlets of Foissat
and Montvernier in France, where
he worked on the family farm and
ate rustic fare such as homemade
cheeses, boiled potatoes and roast
chicken. Throughout his career, he has
championed classical styles of cooking
and favoured authentic French dishes.
He has always maintained that eating
should be guiltless. He believes food
is to be enjoyed and that cooking is
primarily about making others happy.
In 1959, the 24-year-old Ppin
moved to the United States to master
French haute cuisine at the legendary
Le Pavilion in New York. It was his
stint at Le Pavilion that landed him
an ofer to work at John F Kennedys
White House kitchen, which he turned
down in favour of a job at the Howard
Johnson chain of restaurants. In 2000,
he co-hosted an Emmy-winning TV
show, Julia and Jacques Cooking at
Home, with the grande dame of French
gastronomy, Julia Child. In the show,
based on the cookbook of the same
name, the two culinary icons agreed to
difer all along, but ultimately toasted
each others eforts.
Ppin, who has served as the
personal chef of three French heads
of state including Charles de Gaulle,
is pernickety about technique, from
the right way to break an eggshell and
shape croissants to sharpening knives
and lining cake pans. He stresses on
the importance of practice. In his
book, Chez Jacques: Traditions and
Rituals of a Cook, Ppin states, By
making a dish again and again, the
cook gains, often unconsciously, a
thorough comprehension of it. Even if
the telephone is ringing, the children
are running around the house, or
the ingredients are inconsistent, the
cook adjusts easily and automatically,
knowing what steps of the dish can
be prepared ahead and what to do to
increase the yield from four to forty.
- Khorshed Deboo
By making a dish again and again,
the cook gains, often unconsciously,
a thorough comprehension of it
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Jacques Ppin
THE PERFECTIONIST
Tarte tatin
Serves 8-10 2 hours + refrigerating
and baking A LITTLE EFFORT
THE PTE BRISE
all-purpose flour (maida) 1 cup
unsalted butter 6 tbsp, chilled and cut
into 1/4-inch-thick slivers (try Lurpak
available at gourmet stores) salt 18 tsp
sugar 12 tsp
chilled water 3 tbsp
THE FILLING
sugar 14 cup
unsalted butter 5 tbsp
lemon juice 1 tbsp
almonds 14 cup, slivered
apples 10, core removed, quartered
dried apricots 12 cup, sliced
dried blackcurrants 13 cup
water 34 cup
unsalted butter 2 tbsp, chilled and cut
into cubes
THE DOUGH GLAZE
sugar 2 tbsp
THE CARAMEL GLAZE (optional)
sugar 3 tbsp
water 1 tbsp
unsalted butter 1 tsp
THE GARNISH
heavy cream 1 cup (available at your
local dairy)
Preheat the oven to 205C. To
prepare the dough for the pte brise,
put the our in a mixing bowl and add
the chilled butter. In the summer, it is
a good idea to keep the our in the
freezer until ready to add since it is
important in a pte brise to mix all the
ingredients together quickly to prevent
the butter from melting. The butter
should remain visible in the dough
not blended into it. It will melt during
baking and the dough will develop
some akiness.
Now add the salt and sugar and
knead into the dough. At that point, the
pieces of butter should still be visible in
the dough. Add the chilled water and
knead for about 20 seconds, just until
the mixture starts gathering together
and forms a soft dough. Cover the dough with another piece
of cling-lm the same size. Roll the
dough out between the plastic sheets.
(If you were to roll it out on the table
at this point, the softness of the butter
would make it necessary to use a great
amount of our to prevent the butter
from sticking.) The pieces of butter
should still be visible in the dough
through the plastic. Refrigerate for
10-15 minutes wh hhile preparing the lling. The doug is only partially rolled
out to ease the chilling process it is
still too thick to use. To make the lling, heat the sugar,
butter and lemon juice in a 12-inch
skillet, and cook for about 3-4 minutes,
until it caramelises. Add the slivered
almonds and cook for 10-15 seconds.
Remove from the heat. Arrange the
apple quarters on top of the caramel,
placing them skin-side down in one
layer, making two concentric rows
with a piece of apple in the centre.
You will use 6-7 of the apples, about
20-25 pieces. Sprinkle the apricots
and currants on top. Thinly slice the
remaining apples and add to the skillet
to ll it completely.
Add the water, bring the mixture to
a boil, cover, and boil for 5-6 minutes.
Remove the lid and continue cooking
on top of the stove over medium heat
for about 7-8 minutes, until there is no
visible liquid when you incline the pan
slightly. This indicates that most of the
moisture has been boiled away and
what remains is the sugar and butter,
which is beginning to caramelise. Dot
the top with cubes of butter.
Remove the dough from the cling-
lm and place it on a board. Sprinkle
with a little our and roll out until thin.
Transfer the dough to the top of the
skillet pan and trim the edge. Fold it in
on itself to form an edge that is a little
thicker all around. Press it down with
your hand so it lies completely at.
Pierce with a fork all over and sprinkle
with the sugar, which will caramelise on
the dough during co oooking. If the handle of y ur skillet is a
plastic one, wrap it with several layers
of aluminum foil to protect it, and bake
for 45 minutes. To see if the juices are
caramelised, incline the pan. If any
visible juices remain, place the skillet
back on the heat for 3-4 minutes, until
you see that the boiling juices have
turned into caramel throughout and
the top is a solid mass when the tart is
moved. Flip it upside down on a plate
with the apple ba aase now facing t tthe top. To make a car mel glaze, hea the
sugar, water, and butter in a skillet
until the mixture turns a light caramel
colour. Immediately, using a brush or
spoon, coat the surface of the apples.
This coating will last for a few hours but
will e eeventually melt down. B at the heavy cream until rm but
not too stiff to use as a garnish. No
sugar is needed since the apples are
sweet. Cut the warm tart into wedges
and serve immediately with a tbsp of
whipped cream per serving.
ABOUT THE DISH
Tarte tatin is the famous
upside-down caramelised apple
tart created many years ago by
two sisters the demoiselles
Tatin. It originated in the home
kitchen, became a regional
speciality, and eventually made
its way into restaurants. In this
version, I cook the apples with
the skins on to give a crustier,
chewier texture. Dried currants
(regular dried raisins could be
substituted), slivered almonds,
and dried apricots help ll the
gaps between the large segments
of apple and impart taste as well
as texture to the tart. Additional
apples on top of the large apple
segments create a at surface for
the pastry to sit on, resulting in a
nicer shape when unmoulded.
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Pte brise is the
French version
of a classic pie or
tart pastry. It uses
more butter and is
akier than regular
shortcrust pastry
Jacques Ppins
Tarte tatin
CULINARY CHOPS: An empire of
Spanish restaurants around the world
bear the Sergi Arola stamp. A little over
a year ago, the globetrotting Catalan chef
brought a slice of stylish Barcelona to
Mumbai with his much-fted restaurant
Arola at the JW Marriott, introducing
patrons to masterpieces such as porcini
carpaccio, his signature patatas bravas,
and more recently, cocas or Spanish
pizzas. The chef has two Michelin stars
to his credit and is regarded as one of the
most creative forces in Spanish haute
cuisine today.
How did you become interested in
cooking?
As a teenager I dreamed of being a
musician, not a chef. I began my career
as a garon at a small paella restaurant
in Barcelona. I started getting seriously
interested in cuisine around 1990 when
I found a book on Roger Verg, one
of the top chefs of French nouvelle
cuisine. I saw his picture and said,
Jesus, I want to be like this man.
I remember being with my co-worker
in a small restaurant, cooking and
listening to hardcore music all day. We
were skinheads and dressed like punks
in the kitchen. It was completely rock
and roll. We had no desire to become
Michelin-starred chefs. We were led by
the passion to cook.
Describe the Sergi Arola brand of
cooking.
Why do I have to be slotted? I come
from a country with a strong culinary
tradition. And I went to culinary school
where I learnt some classic cooking
techniques. All I did was to mix the
two in a melting pot and create. Take
the example of classical music. In
the 1930s Igor Stravinsky in Russia
created what was possibly the most
intellectual music ever. But I prefer
the music of pianist George Gershwin
who was inspired by jazz, soul and
popular music. It is more accessible.
There are two kinds of creativity
spontaneous and induced. I prepare
traditional dishes from Spain in a new
yet spontaneous way. The opposite of
this is the induced creativity of
avant-garde chefs like Ren Redzepi
and Ferran Adri.
Which dish have you enjoyed
innovating the most?
The key question is, is it important
to innovate or not? I dont think it is.
When you go to a Japanese restaurant,
do you ask for innovation? No, you go
there to eat sushi and gyoza and ramen.
But you present patatas bravas
diferently. You are an innovator.
I simply use my food as a tool to make
my guests enjoy. themselves. Yes, I
present patatas bravas diferently, but
nally what I serve is patatas bravas.
My philosophy of cuisine revolves
around my guests. I dont consider
myself a creator. I see myself as a
professional. To be a chef is a 24-hour
commitment to your team, your
guests, your friends.
Whats the best compliment
anyone has given you?
To come back. Morgan Freeman came
to my restaurant in Madrid three times.
So did AC/DC. They came because
they liked it.
What is the hardest thing about
being a chef?
To play the game. This is a business
after all. I have to be an artist, a creator,

a designer, and a businessman all at the
same time. Its very difcult to nd a
balance. I cannot sleep at night.
I worry about who is going to pay the
salaries, the taxes, the suppliers. Being a
chef is not for a sprinter, its for a long-
distance runner. You make many hard
decisions and learn all the time.
Its been over a year since you
opened Arola in Mumbai. Whats it
been like?
Fabulous. When I decided to open a
restaurant in India, many journalists
asked, Why India? and I said, Why
not India? It has a population of 1.2
billion people, its among the countries
with the highest growth index, most
people here speak English, and in terms
of history, it has always been in contact
with the West unlike China and Japan.
How do you see the future of food?
All the big things in food in the next
20-25 years will happen in China and
India. They are the only countries
where people will open gastronomic
restaurants. I think gastronomy will go
the way of fashion. It will be a kind of
melting pot where everything will be
relevant. The cuisine of the future will
be a mix, all very eclectic.
- Sona Bahadur
Patatas bravas
Serves 4 1 hour 10 minutes + cooking
A LITTLE EFFORT
potatoes 5, halved
sunflower oil 1l
salt and black pepper powder to
season
parsley 2 sprigs, to garnish
Sergi Arola
THE ROCKER
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I remember being with my co-worker in a
small restaurant, cooking and listening to
hardcore music all day. We were skinheads
and dressed like punks in the kitchen
THE SPICY TOMATO SAUCE
olive oil 8 tbsp
red chilli 1, chopped
tomatoes 5, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
THE GARLIC AIOLI
egg yolk 1
lemon juice 1 tsp
salt to taste
olive oil 125ml
Scoop the halved potatoes with
a pineapple corer to make small
cylinders, then scoop out the centres.
Place the potatoes in a roasting tin and
pour sunower oil over them until they
are covered. Cook in the oven at 150C
for 45 minutes. Remove from the oil.
To make the spicy tomato sauce,
heat the olive oil in a pan and add
crushed garlic cloves and saut. Add
the chopped red chilli, saut, then add
the tomatoes. Cook for 1 hour on a low ame. Season the sauce and blend.
For the garlic aioli, break the egg
yolk in a bowl, add garlic, lemon
juice and salt, and mix well. Begin to
whip with an electric whisk, then add
olive oil slowly to form an emulsion.
Continue to whip until rm. Season.
Deep-fry the potatoes, place on
a paper towel and sprinkle with salt
and black pepper. Fill the centres with
the tomato sauce and top with aioli.
Garnish with parsley.
5.49g, carbs 39.38g, fat 62.04g, sat f at
ABOUT THE DISH
The dish goes back some 15 years. The rustic patatas bravas you nd in Spain are
cubes of potatoes. When you fry cubes, you cannot fry consistently everywhere.
Arola wanted to make patatas bravas that were very soft from within. He cut the
potatoes into cylindrical shapes before frying them. The shape ensures theyre
fried evenly. He then lled the potatoes with tomato cont to make them soft from
the inside and topped them with aioli. The appearance of Arolas patatas bravas is
totally diferent from the traditional Spanish snack. But the ingredients used are
exactly the same. The beauty of Arolas version lies in the softness of the potatoes.
When you bite into the cylinders, you get a surprise hit of spicy tomato sauce.
Inputs by Manuel Oliveira, head chef at Arola, Mumbai
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Patatas bravas
CULINARY CHOPS: The numerous
trophies that jostle for space in Hemant
Oberois ofce at the central kitchen
of the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai
are a testament to his achievements
in a nearly 40-year-long career, spent
elevating Indian cuisine to international
gourmet standards. The corporate chef
of the luxury division of Taj Hotels was
the rst Indian to receive honorary
membership to the World Gourmet Club.
Though his family scofed at the idea of
him becoming a khansama, Oberoi has
cooked for several high-prole luminaries
including Henry Kissinger, Bill Clinton
and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Recount some of the highlights of
your 40-year innings with the Taj.
I joined the Taj Mahal Palace in 1974
as one of the many cooks in the kitchen
at Tanjore, the 24-hour cofee shop. In
1976, I was elevated to chef de cuisine
at Muscats Royal Guest Palace, with
which the Taj had a contract. After
a 10-year-long stint, I returned to
Mumbai, serving as executive chef of
the Taj Mahal Palace, and went on to
open Zodiac Grill in 1991. I took on
the challenging task of reviving and
bringing about an overhaul to Indian
food by creating the Masala brand
of restaurants Masala Art in New
Delhi in 2002, followed by Masala
Kraft and Masala Bay in Mumbai,
and Masala Klub in Bengaluru. In
2008, I established Varq, the ne dining
restaurant serving modern Indian fare
in New Delhi.
You spent your childhood in
Firozpur. What are some of your
earliest food memories?
The food I grew up eating was simple,
homemade fare, prepared using the
freshest of vegetables, some grown
in our own garden. The soil and the
water of the regio oon imparte eed dd a unique avour to the fo d cultivat , making
the dishes so tasty. The malai ki sabji
prepared during winter made use of the
buds from the indigenous kachnar tree,
and collecting them was a fascinating
process. A bedsheet was placed under
the tree at night to gather the buds that
fell along with the dew. They were then
used the next day for cooking.
What inspired the dabbawala
lunch at the Masala series of
restaurants?
People all over the world take pride in
their own culture and their roots, so
why do we shy away from doing so?
The idea was a mark of respect to the
dabbawalas, who embody the spirit
of Mumbai. The lunch is served in a
typical steel canister, with a choice of
community cuisines Gujarati, Parsi,
Bohri or Maharashtrian.
It is extremely important to learn the
basics well. Do not aim for gimmicks like
molecular gastronomy from day one
Hemant Oberoi
THE HIGH-FLYER
Youve instituted a special
annual menu to celebrate the
temple food of India. Tell us
more about this endeavour.
The idea was to replicate the almost
forgotten temple foods and bring
them on the menu at the Masala
restaurants during Navratri. We
visited temples across India as part
of our research Vaishno Devi
in Jammu, the Golden Temple in
Amritsar, the Dilwara Jain temple in
Rajasthan, the Venkateswara Swamy
Temple in Tirupati and Jagganath
Temple in Puri, to name a few. The
food prepared at these places is so
uncomplicated, so pure, made with
immense love and respect. The use of
homemade ghee is another common
factor. After our groundwork, I
deployed a team of two chefs to each
of the regions to stay with the cooks
on the temple premises and learn
from them.
Whats the rst thing youd tell
an apprentice chef?
It is extremely important to learn the
basics well. Do not aim for gimmicks
like molecular gastronomy from day
one. If you do not know how to make
a basic jus or demi-glace, how are
you going to extract the derivatives?
Youll land up in a mess! Besides, if
you do not put your heart into what
youre cooking, I assure you it wont
turn out well. A half-hearted efort
reects in the food.
What trends do you foresee on
the restaurant scene in India in
the next ve years?
Its all about going back to the roots.
It is ironic how quinoa, the staple
food of farmers in South America, is
one of the most expensive products
in India. The humble amaranth that
I used to enjoy as a child is going to
be widespread on restaurant menus
here. Also, people are moving away
from olive oil. In the next 5-10 years,
pure ghee will be used as a medium
of cooking across restaurants.
- Khorshed Deboo
ABOUT THE DISH
Prior to the opening of Zodiac
Grill in 1991, a team of 12 chefs
tested recipes for over a year,
from 1988 to 1989. The aim
was to make the food lighter,
tastier, and to do away with
conventional styles of preparing
chicken such as Chicken Kiev,
Chicken la King, or roasting
or searing it. We had a French
chef who suggested encasing
the chicken with lo pastry.
Eventually, after a month-and-
a-half of testing the recipe, we
decided to use puf pastry, as
it would make for a crisper
covering, had better consistency
and would hold the chicken well.
The decisive test was when it
was brought to the table with
the jus poured over, cut into
20 pieces. It was demolished!
Everybody loved the dish, and
since the restaurant was going
to be named Zodiac Grill,
we thought of christening it
Chicken Zodiac.
Chicken Zodiac
Serves 2 1 hour 30 minutes
A LITTLE EFFORT
boneless chicken breasts 4
puff pastry 200g (available at your
local bakery or try Jus Rol available at
gourmet stores)
butter 60g
egg 1, beaten
THE STUFFING
shallots or Madras onion 1 tbsp,
chopped
garlic cloves 1/2 tsp, chopped
carrots 1 cup, nely diced + extra to
garnish
leeks 1 cup, nely diced + extra to
garnish
butter 2 tbsp
mushroom 1 cup, nely diced
cream 1/2 cup
spinach 50g, cleaned, blanched and
chopped salt and pepper to season
THE SHALLOT JUS
butter 30g
garlic 30g
shallots or Madras onion 40g, peeled
and nely chopped
red wine 15ml
port wine 15ml
chicken stock 100ml
salt to taste
pepper a pinch
To make the shallot jus, heat the
butter in a pan and add the garlic and
shallots. Saut them on a low ame
until they caramelise.
In the meantime, make the
stufng by frying the shallots, garlic,
carrots and leeks in butter. Saut the
mushrooms separately in a hot pan
and add the cream. Add this to the
shallot mixture. Reduce to a thick,
semi-dry consistency and then add the
spinach. Season well.
Stuff the chicken pieces with the
mushroom and spinach mixture. Roll
out the puff pastry, about 1/8-inch-
thick. Wrap a chicken breast in it
and seal the edges. Repeat with the
remaining pieces. Brush each piece
with the beaten egg and place in a tin
greased with butter. Bake for 20-25
minute ees in a preheated oven at 200C. Wh n the shallots for the jus turn
golden, add the wines and let it simmer
until it reduces by half. Add the chicken
stock, bring to a boil and let it simmer
until it reduces by half. Strain through a
muslin cloth and season to taste. Serve
with the chicken parcels.
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Hemant Oberois
Chicken Zodiac
CULINARY CHOPS: In 2000,
after successfully running the Indian
restaurant Vama in London, Ritu
Dalmia started Diva in New Delhi and
has since been the foremost authority on
Italian food in India. Dalmia is the chef
and proprietor of Diva, Diva Kitsch and
Caf Diva, and runs Latitude 28 Caf
and the Caf at the Italian Cultural
Centre, all located in the capital city. She
is also a cookbook author and TV host.
Ritu Dalmia
Ritu Dalmia is the reigning queen
of Italian food in India. Her restaurant
Diva, in New Delhi, can be solely
credited for changing the fates of
over-sauced pastas across the country
and introducing diners to the subtle
earthiness of white trufes.
With no formal culinary training,
Dalmia earned her stripes by working
in kitchens across Italy tasting and
learning about regional Italian food.
She credits most of her knowledge
about Sicilian food to her time spent at
Marchessa Anna Tasca Lanzas cooking
school in Regaleali, Sicily. Those were
long, exhilarating and tiring days spent
milking sheep to make ricotta, plucking
blood oranges for salad and kneading
dough for bread. I love the Sicilian life!
she says.
The menu at Dalmias rst
restaurant, MezzaLuna, in Hauz Khas
Village, was a reection of her time
spent at Lanzas school. A lot of those
dishes are now mainstays on the Diva
menu: arancine (fried risotto balls), e
grilled sh in a lemon and caper sauce,
and cannoli. Today, her restaurant Diva
is fetd for its authentic Italian fare.
As one of the most recognised
female celebrity chefs, Dalmia also
hosts The Travelling Diva, a television
show (eventually adapted into a book)
where she travels across Italy and talks
to local chefs for regional recipes.
She is also the author of the bestselling
Italian cookbook, Italian Khana and a
the recently released Diva Green. A
collection of vegetarian recipes, the
book is dedicated to her vegetarian
Marwari family and specically,
her mother.
We wouldnt be wrong in saying
that most Italian expats in New Delhi
consider Diva their second home.
Dalmia has a caf at the members-only
Italian Cultural Centre in the capital.
She is also the only Indian chef to be
awarded the Order of the Star of Italy
one of the ve orders of knighthood
given in Italy.
5 things you probably dont
There was a period of six years
during her career as a chef when
Dalmia was vegetarian. So what
prompted this girl from a staunchly
vegetarian Marwari family to switch
loyalties from kachori to cacciatore?
Wed like to believe that it was the
translucent slivers of smoky Parma
ham that did it. But Dalmia insists that
she did it to be honest to her profession
as a chef.
I am a fake cook who is always
drawn towards easy techniques and
simplicity in cooking, she says. In fact
it is these very qualities that drew her to
Italian food at the age of 16.
Some of her favourite foods: blue-
veined gorgonzola from Lombardy,
the humble eggplant, plump peaches,
minestrone di verdura (vegetable and a
pasta soup), cannoli and Barolo wine.
The rst Italian meal she ever
cooked was at age 15 for her
friends: an undercooked risotto and
avourless spaghetti a complete
disaster.
She hates tiramisu.
- Kainaz Contractor
Torta di cioccolato
Serves 4 50 minutes + baking
EASY
dark chocolate 250g (try Morde or
unsalted butter 125g + extra for
greasing (try Lurpak available at
gourmet stores)
eggs 3
sugar 50g
dark cocoa powder 1/2 tbsp (try
Hersheys available at gourmet stores)
Grease a 10-inch baking tin
with some butter and line it with
parchment paper. Preheat the oven
to 200C. Break the chocolate into
pieces and melt with butter using a
double boiler.
Separate the eggs. In a bowl, beat
the sugar with the egg yolks. Add the
chocolate and butter mixture and
the cocoa powder and mix well. Beat
the egg whites until stiff with a hand
whipper or an electric beater, and fold
them into the chocolate mix.
Pour the mix into the cake tin and
bake for about 10 minutes. Lower the
heat to 160Cand bake for another
35 minutes. Cool, unmould and serve,
REALLY R
REALLY
EASYY
Ritu Dalmia
THE DESI DIVA
I am a fake cook
who is always
drawn towards
easy techniques
and simplicity in
cooking
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decorating with powdered sugar and
caramel. PER SERVING 624.25 kcals, protein
DECORATING TIPS For a more
elaborate garnish, make some
caramel threads and sticks. Just
melt some sugar in a pan until
molten brown, let the caramel
cool a bit, dip in a spoon and start
pulling threads around your hand
in a swift motion.
For caramel sticks, place a piece of
foil paper on a clean at surface
and grease it slightly with butter.
Pour the caramel over in random
shapes and let it cool. Remove
when cool and stick it vertically
into the cake so that it towers the
dish. Voila!
ABOUT THE DISH
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Ritu Dalmias
Torta di cioccolato
CULINARY CHOPS: Masaharu Morimotos
meteoric career trajectory has taken him from
a small sushi eatery in Hiroshima to a global
empire of eponymous restaurants. Morimoto,
who sliced through the competition on
Japanese cooking show Iron Chef, sharpened f
his cutting-edge skills at Nobu in New York
City. The chefs cooking style seamlessly
integrates Western and Nipponese ingredients
a cuisine so singular and exemplary its won
him a Michelin star. His restaurant Wasabi,
with branches in New Delhi and Mumbai, is
Indias gold standard for Japanese cuisine.
What have you learned most from your
Iron Chef days? f
Iron Chef battles always give me culinary f
inspiration and challenge. Pushing myself
to the edge in an hours competition gives
me intense culinary creativity, which I enjoy.
When you have too much time, you might
get distracted and start adding unnecessary
elements in your dishes.
Youve melded Japanese techniques
with global avours. Could you tell us
more about this approach?
Since I have been in New York where all
kinds of exotic and local ingredients are
available, it is natural for me to use those
ingredients without thinking about fusion.
I dont believe in fusion; fusion is confusion.
Of late, several afordable but f
mediocre takeaway sushi outlets have
sprouted in India. Do you think this is
inevitable as a cuisine takes root?
Im happy that all kinds of people have
started enjoying sushi even if the quality is
diferent. For some, my sushi at Wasabi may f
be a bit expensive. But if they can nd more
afordable sushi somewhere else, thats great. f
I want them to enjoy Japanese food.
It is natural for me to use ingredients
without thinking about fusion. I dont
believe in fusion; fusion is confusion
What would rate as your top
comfort food at home?
Okonomiyaki. Its a savoury
Japanese pancake.
What food trends trends have
you found particularly exciting
this year?
I dont really follow any trend. But in
New York ramen noodles have been
most talked about lately.
Could you share some examples
of dishes where youve played with
Indian ingredients?
When I came to Mumbai to open
Wasabi, I discovered the use of spices.
Right away I created a dish called
Lobster Epice using a variety of spices
such as black pepper and roasted garlic
powder. Its been a popular dish in my
restaurants ever since.
- Amrita Gupta
Masaharu Morimoto
THE SENSEI
Angry chicken
Serves 4 1 hour + 24 hours
marinating and roasting
MODERATELY EASY
chicken 2, quartered or whole
chicken stock 2 cups
lime 1, cut into wedges
crispy noodles a cup, to serve
THE SPICY YOGHURT MARINADE
black peppercorns 1/2 tsp
cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
coriander seeds 1/4 tsp
cardamom pods 2
chilli powder 1 tsp
garam masala 1/2 tsp
salt 1/2 tsp
sriracha sauce 1 1/2 cups (try Huy
Yong Foods available at gourmet
stores)
yoghurt 1 1/3 cups
heavy cream 1/2 cup
soy sauce 1/3 cup

To make the spicy yoghurt marinade,
grind the peppercorns, cumin and
coriander seeds, and cardamom in a
grinder. Transfer to a medium bowl.
Add the chilli powder, garam masala
ABOUT THE DISH
I created this dish before I opened my agship Morimoto in NYC. It is highly
inuenced by Indian cuisine, as you can
imagine when you look at my recipe. I
wouldnt call it chicken tandoori, but you
see the inuence. This wouldnt have been
created if I hadnt visited India. Whenever
I travel, I try the local food. Again, it is not
about fusion, but a natural reaction to my
own experience and the inspiration I get
whenever I nd interesting ingredients
and food around the world.
and salt. Add the sriracha, yoghurt,
cream and soy sauce, and whisk until
smooth and well blended. Trim any excess fat from the chicken.
Rinse and pat dry. Place the chicken in
a large bowl. Measure out 1 cup of the
spicy yoghurt marinade and reserve
for the sauce; refrigerate in a small
covered container. Pour the rest of the
marinade over the chicken. Turn the
pieces to ensure they are well-coated.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 and
up to 24 hours. About 1 hour before you plan to
serve the chicken, preheat the oven to
230C. Remove the chicken from the
marinade and arrange the pieces on
1-2 half-sheet pans. Discard the chicken
marinade. Roast for 30 minutes,
until the chicken is tender and lightly
browned and the juices run clear when
the thighs are pricked with the tip of
a small knife. Transfer the pieces to a
platter and tent with foil to keep wa aarm. While the chicken is roasting, m ke
the sauce. Boil the chicken stock in
a medium saucepan over high heat
until it is reduced to 1 cup. Whisk in
the reserved 1 cup of spicy yoghurt
marinade and cook just until heated
through; do not boil or the yoghurt will
separate. Keep the sauce wa aar rrm. To serve, pour the sauce ound
the chicken. Serve with crispy noodles
and lime wedges to squeeze over the
chicken.
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Masaharu Morimotos
Angry chicken
CULINARY CHOPS: Madhur Jafrey is the
culinary force who taught the British how to
make curry. Televisions most-adored veteran
cook, 80-year-old Jafrey currently serves
as a consultant at the Indian restaurant,
Dawat, in Manhattan, where she works
out the menu and maintains a check on the
quality and presentation of the food. With
more than a dozen cookbooks, including the
seminal An Invitation to Indian Cooking ,
and the recent Curry Nation, her forte lies in
simplifying traditional Indian recipes without
compromising on authenticity.
You went to London in 1952 to study at
the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
What made you start cooking during
your time there?
There were very few Indian restaurants
in London at that time and their quality
was poor. I did not know how to cook and
wrote frantically to my mother for simple
recipes. They arrived by airmail and were
mostly three-line recipes that needed
eshing out. I rented a room with a family,
kind enough to let me use their kitchen. I
just did the best with the utensils available.
I remember breaking a Pyrex dish, as I did
not know that a hot dish could not go into
cold water.
I really taught myself, learning through
experimentation. I kept asking for recipes
from home and kept testing them. I grew
up with very good food and could recall
how everything looked and tasted. It seems
like a ridiculous method of learning but
that is how I taught myself.
Youve been hosting cookery shows
on television for over four decades.
What do you think of the current lot of
celebrity chefs?
We were quite serious about teaching
cooking. Now cookery shows are for fun
and games. The chefs are still very
good, but what is required of them
is diferent.
With a plethora of recipe apps
and online food portals gaining
popularity, how do cookbooks hold
their own?
A cookbook has to be well written with
the authors voice shiningthrough it.
The recipes should be clear and logical,
easyto read and follow.
Could you share some of your
earliest food memories?
I think Indian children learn two
tastes that children in the West do
not: the hot and the sour. Sometimes
these are mixed together. In my
memoir Climbing the Mango Trees, I
wrote about climbing mango trees as
a child in New Delhi, to snatch hard,
sour, unripe mangoes and eating them
with a mixture of salt, cumin and chilli
powder very diferent from the
experience of a child in the West.
Do you suggest following
recipes with extreme precision?
How much leeway can a home
cook take?
The order of spices is very important
as some burn easily and some need
to splutter before you proceed. As for
how much leeway you can take, I think
that the rst time you make a dish
you should follow the recipe carefully.
Once you understand it, that is the
I remember breaking a Pyrex dish, as
I did not know that a hot dish could not
go into cold water
Madhur Jaffrey
THE CURRY QUEEN
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Eggplants in a north-
south sauce
olive or canola oil 4 tbsp
asafoetida (hing) powder 1/8 tsp
urad dal 1/2 tsp, skinned
mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
nigella seeds (kalonji) 1/2 tsp
fennel seeds (saunf) 1/2 tsp
onion 1 medium, chopped
garlic cloves 2, nely chopped
Japanese eggplants (see box)
680g, cut crossways into 1-inch
segments, or baby Italian eggplants
(see box) 680g, cut in half
lengthways and then crossways, into
1-inch segments
tomatoes 2 medium, grated
vegetable stock or water 1 cup
salt 1 tsp
cayenne pepper 1/41/2 tsp (try Keya
Pour the oil into a very large
frying pan and set over a medium-
high ame. When hot, put in the
asafoetida and the urad dal. As soon
as the dal turns a shade darker, add
the mustard, cumin, nigella and
fennel seeds, in that order. After a
few seconds, as the mustard seeds
begin to splutter, add the onions. Stir
and fry for a minute. Add the garlic and the eggplants.
Stir well and fry for 45 minutes or
until the onions are a bit browned.
REALLY
REALLY
EASY
time to get casual and play around
with it.
What is your opinion on the Indian
restaurant industry today?
I think that Indian restaurateurs are
following general popular trends, and
doing a modern take on Indian
food, some successfully, and some not
so successfully. Misconceptions about
Indian food among people abroad
still exist: they think that most Indian
food is hot and that it is all curries and
sweet chutneys.
- Khorshed Deboo
Add the grated tomatoes, stock,
salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir to mix
and bring to a boil. Cover, turn the
heat to low, and cook for about 20
minutes or until the eggplants are
tender, stirring now and then.
2.97g, carbs 15.99g, fat 14.24g, sat
fat 2g, fibre 5.62g, salt 0.5g
ABOUT THE DISH
One of our most beloved family dishes, this is a
Hyderabadi-style recipe, where north Indian and south
Indian seasonings are combined. Ive incorporated
tomatoes and onions used in the north instead of
tamarind, which is typically used in the south. Over
the years, I have simplied the recipe. You could use
the long, tender Japanese eggplants or the purple baby
Italian eggplants. Aim to cut them into 1-inch chunks
with as much skin on them as possible so they do not
fall apart. Serve hot with meat or vegetable curries, rice,
and dal or serve it cold, as a salad, with cold meats.
I love it with slices of ham. I wanted a one-pot dish with
very few steps and this is the result.
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Madhur Jaffreys Eggplants
in a north-south sauce
CULINARY CHOPS: Former
MasterChef Australia judge Matt
Moran is one of the most well-known
faces from Down Under. A high-prole
chef with a TV show, ve restaurants
and three bestselling cookbooks to his
credit, Moran brings to his kitchens a
farmers work ethic. He was raised on
a dairy farm and also grows premium
quality lamb in the Central Tablelands
using environmentally conscious methods.
His latest show, From Paddock to
Plate, takes him back to his roots to the
Australian countryside, where he meets
farmers with a passion for produce.
Whats your earliest food memory?
How did your love afair with food
start?
Having grown up on a farm I learnt
the importance of fresh produce from
an early age, but meals and cooking
at home were often quite simple. My
fascination with cooking began when
I started working as an apprentice in
La Belle Helene Restaurant, Roseville
as an apprentice at 15.
What do you like most about being
a chef?
I enjoy the fact that food and
restaurants are continuously evolving.
I enjoy sharing the knowledge I have
gained over the years, whether it is
with an apprentice in the kitchen at
ARIA [his award-winning restaurant
in Sydney] or on TV with shows like
MasterChef and From Paddock to Plate.
Do you see yourself more as a
creative chef or an entrepreneur?
First and foremost I am a chef, but
to be a good chef and restaurateur
you have to be entrepreneurial to
stay ahead of the game, so I guess
I am both.
Your restaurant CHISWICK is
a tribute to the kitchen garden.
What are some of the challenges
of crafting a menu for the
restaurant?
One of the challenges that we had when
we opened CHISWICK was that the
garden wasnt fully mature and we
struggled to keep up with demand.
The garden at CHISWICK is fairly
small and so we cant make an entire
menu from its produce but we use
everything that we grow. The menus
are created around the produce, the
seasons and what is currently growing
in the garden.
Youre known to be a passionate
advocate of local, seasonal
produce. What Aussie produce
plays a starring role most
frequently in your kitchen?
The produce we use changes daily as
we are always looking for the best we
can nd. Some great local produce
that often features on our menus
are Morton Bay bugs at ARIA in
Brisbane and Moran family lamb at
CHISWICK.
Do you think the trend of eating
local is a growing movement or is
it still a niche concern?
I think the demand for eating local is
growing our guests want to know
where the produce has come from and
how it was farmed or grown. The more
local and fresher, the better. I think this
Matt Moran
We use everything that we grow. The
menus are created around the produce,
the seasons and what is currently growing
in the garden
THE LOCAVORE
trend will continue as people become
more concerned with sustainability.
Share with us your experience
of being a MasterChef Australia
judge.
MasterChef was a great experience
for me. Its amazing to see how much
the contestants develop over the show
in terms of condence and food
preparation skills and to see them
becoming more adventurous over time.
TV shows like MasterChef have given
our industry great exposure and have
encouraged more people to seek careers
in restaurants.
Take us through a regular day in
your life.
Every day is diferent depending on
the demands of the restaurants and
any media commitments I might have.
For instance, Monday started of with
a meeting with my Executive Chef and
business partner Peter Sullivan, followed
by a menu tasting, then I was of to a
magazine shoot for a charity I support.
Then it was back to CHISWICK in
Woollahra for a From Paddock to Plate
meeting followed by a presentation at
the Sydney Opera House where we do
all the event catering. A busy day!
What elements of Indian cooking
appeal most to you?
To me its all about the spices and how
they change the avour of the food.
We dont use Indian inuences in our
typical ARIA menus but we recently
served a full Indian banquet for a
wedding with ARIA Catering at the
Sydney Opera House.
Tell us about the meals you enjoy
cooking at home to unwind?
My best meal of the week is a simple
roast lunch with the family on a Sunday.
Baba au calva
Serves 4 2 hours 40 minutes +
standing and baking
A LITTLE EFFORT
THE APPLE AND MUSCATEL
COMPOTE
dates 150g, dried and cut into small
pieces
prunes 200g, dried and cut into small
pieces
green apple 1
cider vinegar 4 tbsp (try American
sherry vinegar 3 tbsp (try Capirete
muscatel or red wine 180ml
water 200ml
cinnamon 1 stick
brown sugar 3 tbsp
THE BABA CAKES
milk 4 tbsp
maple syrup 2 tsp (try Roland available
at gourmet stores)
dried yeast 2 tsp (try Red Star
eggs 3
salt a pinch
butter 3 tbsp, chilled and diced
THE CALVADOS SYRUP
apple juice 300ml
Calvados (apple brandy) or regular
brandy 3 tbsp
caster sugar 12 tbsp
THE ACCOMPANIMENTS
vanilla ice cream a few scoops
frozen raspberries a handful (try
Delishh available at gourmet stores)
Prepare the apple and muscatel
compote in advance and refrigerate
until needed. To make the compote,
place the dates and prunes in a food
processor and mince. Pare, core
and dice the apple. Put the fruits in
a stainless steel pot and add both
vinegars, wine and water. Add the
cinnamon stick and bring to the boil.
Stir in the brown sugar, lower the heat
and simmer until the mixture is thick
and the apples tender. This will take
about 1-1 1/2 hours. Leave to cool, then
refrigera aate ee until nee eeded. To m k the cak s, combine the milk
and maple syrup together in a bowl,
then add the yeast. Keep aside for
10 minutes to activate the yeast. Beat
the eggs lightly using a whisk, then stir
into the yeast mixture. Add salt to the
our, then add our gradually to the
yeast mixture, combining well to avoid
any lumps. Sprinkle diced butter on top
but do not mix in. Cover the bowl with
cling-lm and allow to stand for 1 hour
until the batter has risen. Fold in the
butter. Grease a few small mufn or dariole
(most often used for caramel custard)
moulds with butter, then pour in
enough batter to half-ll the moulds.
Cover and leave for 30 minutes until
the mixture has doubled in size.
Meanwhile, prepare the Calvados
syrup. Put the apple juice, Calvados (or
brandy) and sugar in a pan, and heat
until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 180C and bake
the cakes for 25-30 minutes. Remove
from the oven and leave to cool in the
moulds. Unmould the cooled cakes,
then prick them with a skewer before
soaking them in the Calvados syrup,
then refrige eerate. Serve th soaked cakes with the
apple and muscatel compote, vanilla
ice cream and raspberries. Garnish as
desired.
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If it were your last meal, what
would be on your plate?
I am always thinking about the next
dish or meal, not the last, but if I had to
say something it would be have to be
roast chicken.
- Sona Bahadur
ABOUT THE DISH
This is a take on baba au rhum n ,
a classic French dessert with
yeast cake. This dish uses
apple brandy instead of regular
rum. The soaking syrup
contains Calvados (apple
brandy) and the compote is
also made using apples.
Matt Morans Baba au calva
CULINARY CHOPS: Part of the rst
generation of Indian food writers,
J Inder Singh Kalra, better known as
Jiggs Kalra, is most celebrated for his role in
the revival of the forgotten cuisines of India.
Through his columns, books and television
shows, Kalra has unearthed an impressive
cornucopia of recipes and documented the
history of Indias culinary past. With his
latest venture, Masala Library by
Jiggs Kalra, he is reinventing himself by
playing a delicate balancing act between
modern techniques and classic avours.
How did you get into food writing
and restaurant consultancy at
a time when such careers were
inconceivable?
In 1971, when there was barely any
focus on dining out, I began working on
Platter Chatter, a weekly food column
in The Times of India on restaurant
reviews and food history. I was working
alongside chefs, housewives and regional
culinary legends, documenting the
history and diversity of Indian cuisine.
Undertaking extensive research of this
kind soon culminated in a cooking show
on Doordarshan. Daawat was the rst
show of its kind that focused solely on
the wealth of regional dishes and the
Ayurvedic principles of Indian cooking.
During this time, I was also working
on my rst book, Prashad Cooking
with Indian Masters. Fortied with years
of research, this tome is considered by
many as the bible of Indian cuisine.
But it was only through restaurant
consultancy and organising regional
food festivals for ve-star hotel chains
that I could put my knowledge to
practical use. Today, while I continue to
consult with other restaurants, I work
as a mentor to my son, Zorawar. After
launching Punjab Grill in July 2008,
our newest venture, Masala Library by
Jiggs Kalra, opened last month.
Formal documentation of our
countrys culinary history is tough
to come by. How did you acquire
your vast knowledge on regional
Indian cuisines?
Sadly, Indian cuisine has not been
documented at all. With no written
research to fall back on, I took it upon
myself to conduct extensive research
on Indias lost cuisines and dishes for
my food columns and television show.
One of my most prized nds is the
recipe for the legendary Gilawat ke
kebab from Lucknow. Over the years, I
interacted with numerous nutritionists,
hakims, historians, chefs and
housewives to understand the culinary
traditions of each region and to record
the correct recipes for countless dishes.
You were one of the earliest
advocates of regional Indian
cuisine. How much has it evolved
since you started of on your
culinary journey?
When we started of, there was virtually
no record of Indian cuisine in any
I interacted with nutritionists, hakims,
historians, chefs and housewives to
understand the culinary traditions of each
region and to record the correct recipes
Jiggs Kalra
THE REVIVALIST
Jiggs Kalras
Shahi gilawat
ke kebab
(recipe overleaf)
form. Everyone (chefs, housewives
and khansamas) was using their own
versions of family recipes and there
was no standardisation. Today, I feel,
the cuisine has been recorded to
some extent, through food literature
and food festivals, but there is still a
large gap. As palates become more
rened, it is important for chefs to
bring regional fare into mainstream
dining and ofer traditional Indian
cuisine in a diferent light.
Tell us something about your
newest venture, Masala Library.
Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra is
my magnum opus. The cuisine is
a synthesis of over four decades
of research and exploration across
various Indian kitchens. Progressive
Indian cuisine, kebabs from across
the country and iconic curries are the
three pillars of the menu at Masala
Library by Jiggs Kalra. Even while
exploring contemporary approaches
to food, our aim remains to present
the cuisine simply, preparing dishes
using traditional ingredients as they
have been for so many years. The
food will incorporate some aspects of
molecular gastronomy to enhance the
experience of the dish in terms of the avour and visual appeal and also to
introduce an element of surprise for
the diner. It forms a part of our vision
of presenting the future of Indian
cuisine, or Indian cuisine 2.0.
Is that the way forward for
Indian food?
We feel that this is the right time to
take Indian food to the next level and
position it on a global platform the
way the Italians and Chinese have
been able to do successfully with
their respective cuisines. [At Masala
Library by Jiggs Kalra], we have
deliberately not tried to reinvent the
wheel as far as the ingredients and
recipes go. We hope to present it in
a fresh new avatar, moving away
from the mundane way it has been
presented till date.
- Kainaz Contractor
Shahi gilawat ke kebab
MODERATELY EASY
saffron 2 tsp
warmed milk 2 tbsp
lamb mince 960g, minced thrice
onion 1, nely chopped
ginger 1 tbsp, nely chopped
raw papaya paste 4 tbsp
brown onion paste 1 tbsp, fried
salt to taste
roasted almonds 6 tbsp, chopped
hung curd 6 tbsp
clotted or fresh full-fat cream
4 tbsp (try The Devon Cream Company
gram flour (besan) 10 tbsp
ghee 2 tbsp, for shallow-frying
THE MASALA
black peppercorns 48
cloves 10
green cardamoms 8
black cardamoms 4
cinnamon a 1-inch stick
mace 1/2
nutmeg 1/4

THE SMOKING
ghee 1 tbsp
green cardamoms 4, crushed
charcoal 3-4 pieces
Crush the saffron threads with a
pestle or the back of a spoon, soak in
warm milk for 10 minutes and grind into
a paste. Keep aside. To make the masala,
roast all the ingredients together on
a griddle over very low heat for 30
seconds, stirring constantly. Put these
in a mortar, and pound with a pestle
to make a powder. Sift and store in an
airtight container, since this recipe uses
only 2 tsp of the masala.
To make the kebabs, put the mince in
a bowl, add the saffron and milk mixture
and the remaining ingredients, except
gram our and ghee, mix well and keep
aside for 30 minutes. Then add the our,
mix well and leave for 10 minutes.
For the smoking, heat the ghee in
a frying pan, add the crushed green
cardamoms, stir over low heat until
brown, remove and keep aside. Put a
few small pieces of live charcoal in
a small metal bowl, place the bowl
in a large pan and spread the mince
around the bowl. Sprinkle the green
cardamom on the charcoal, pour the
ghee, cover with a lid and smoke for 30
minutes. Uncover, remove the bowl and
divide the smoked mince into 16 equal
portions, make balls and then atten
between the palms into 3/4-inch-thick
round patties. Heat enough ghee on a griddle or a
frying pan, add the patties in batches
and cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes
on each side. Place the patties on a
platter and serve with onions, lemon
wedges and raw mango or coriander
and mint chutney.
ABOUT THE DISH
The Gilawat ke kebab was born
in Lucknow and is meltingly
soft like a hot pt. The Gilawat
ke kebab has three variations
dora, kakori and gilawati.
This dish was almost lost as
there was only one family left
that had mastered these recipes.
Understandably, it was kept a
family secret. Using the best
cuts of meat, a delicate blend
of spices and mincing it no
less than three times helps in
achieving the kebabs delicate
consistency. It was only after
years of persuasion that the
head of the family entrusted
me with his familys culinary
legacy. I spent a considerable
amount of time with the family,
especially the young chef, to
learn the nuances of the dishes
so that I could share them with
the rest of the world. That is how
we were able to showcase this
delicacy at many a food festival
and introduce diners to one of
the nest creations of a culinary
India long forgotten.
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CULINARY CHOPS: Corporate chef
of ITC Hotels across the country,
Manjit Gill oversees the chains entire
culinary portfolio, which includes
brands such as Bukhara, Dum Pukht,
K&K and Royal Vega. The recipient
of a Lifetime Achievement Award
from Indias Ministry of Tourism,
Gill is passionate about the slow food
movement and principles of ancient
Indian gastronomy. As the president
of the Indian Federation of Culinary
Associations, Gill has popularised
Indian culinary excellence across
various global platforms.
Make the mistake of calling a
dish spicy in front of Manjit Gill
and youll earn yourself a gentle but
rm rebuke. Spicy is not a taste.
Yes, Indian dishes are spiced. But the
cloves, cinnamon, ginger, mustard
and pepper we are so fond of add
pungency to the food, he says. He
refers to the six tastes described in
Ayurveda: salty, sweet, pungent,
bitter, astringent and sour tastes
that he insists every good chef must
understand and know how to balance.
The corporate chef of the ITC
chain of hotels espouses the ancient
principles of Indian gastronomy.
These days, he is preoccupied with
what he calls the theory of taste,
an outlook gleaned from over four
decades in the food industry and
in-depth research into Ayurvedic
principles. Indian food is not led by
recipe but by philosophy, he says.
This philosophy is embodied
at the all-vegetarian Royal Vega
restaurant in Chennai, ITCs latest
culinary venture. Meals there begin
with a small sweet dish. The idea of
eating dessert last is very recent. It
actually makes it harder to digest food.
By starting your meal with something
sweet, you bring the stomach
temperature down and increase your
appetite, says Gill.
At the crux of Gills culinary
ethos is a great respect for traditional
community eating practices. Only
then is the food good for health. People
must eat according to the climate
and their natural tastes. Look at the
diferences across the country. Punjabis
eat mustard leaves, but dont cook
with the seeds. In Bengal, mustard
seeds are a staple, but they dont use
the leaves. Diferent regions might
use similar spices too, he adds, but in
completely diferent ways. It is these
nuances that he hopes to instill in the
younger generation of chefs. Culinary
school training is a mere guideline. A
cook needs to understand the produce
and the culture of a place before he can
hope to master its dishes, he says.
Growing up in a Sikh household
in New Delhi, foraging for and eating
local, seasonal produce was a way
of life for the chef, long before they
became buzzwords in culinary circles.
At home, we would use even the shells
of peas, radish leaves and cauliower
stalks. My mother would go out to
open areas and pick up herbs and
cholai and make saag. Now aloe vera is
People must eat according to the climate
and their natural tastes.... Punjabis eat
mustard leaves, but dont cook with the
seeds. In Bengal, mustard seeds are a
staple, but they dont use the leaves
Manjit Gill
THE GASTRONOMIST
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a trend, but it would grow in every
house and wed make parathas,
kheer and sabji from ghee kanwar,
recalls Gill.
Those early lessons in culinary
management, from how to curtail
wastage to being aware of the
wealth of biodiversity in ones own
backyard, have shaped his approach
in the professional sphere, too.
They are the same teachings he
imparts to his workforce of around
160 chefs across the country. We
have so many grains. Why do we
need quinoa and cous cous from
1,000 miles away? he points out.
According to the principles of
Indian gastronomy, the food thats
best for our bodies is what grows
naturally in the climate in which we
live. The veteran chef, a member
of the global slow food movement,
is also a passionate advocate of
responsible consumption: he
sources local sh wherever possible,
and organises workshops for
suppliers to make shing more
sustainable.
Gill is largely dismissive of the
practices and fads he feels the
Indian food industry has aped
from the west. See, molecular
gastronomy is almost on its way
out. Something new will take its
place. At Bukhara, the north Indian
restaurant that ITC launched in
1977, the menu has remained
unchanged for over 30 years,
states Gill. In an industry where
new trends and novel dishes are
prized, this is an extraordinary feat,
underpinned by the conviction of
the corporate chef at the helm of the
brand. Why change for the sake
of changing? Customers want the
classics at Bukhara, he says.
Currently, hes busy working on
a cookbook with recipes based on
Indian gastronomy principles, and
is in the midst of creating a new
ITC property, which will showcase
Indian dishes that bear the inuence
of other cultures across the ages,
such as Arab, Dutch, French,
Portuguese and Chinese. Cultures
Amrud rni
Serves 4-6 1 hour 10 minutes +
refrigerating EASY
basmati rice 1 cup, washed and soaked
in water
full-fat milk 4 cups
sugar 2/3 cups
green cardamom powder 1/2 tsp
ripe guava 1 cup, pulped (preferably
pink guava)
hung curd (see box) 1/4 cup
guava juice 1 1/2 cups
whipped cream 1/2 cup
pine nuts 1/2 cup
gold leaf (varq) to garnish
Drain the soaked rice, then spread
on a tray, cover with a cloth and let
it air-dry for 10-15 minutes. Using a
rolling pin, crush the rice until roughly
broken. Place the milk in a heavy-
bottomed pan, and bring to a boil. Add
the broken rice and cook until the rice
is completely soft, stirring continuously
on low heat.
Now add half of the sugar and
stir until it dissolves. Sprinkle green
cardamom powder and stir gently. In
a separate pan, cook the guava pulp
and remaining sugar until it reaches
a syrup-like consistency. Continue
stirring while cooking the guava pulp.
Reserve 4 tbsp of guava syrup for
serving.
Add the guava syrup into the cooked
rice on a low ame and simmer for 2-3
minutes. Remove from the ame, add
the hung curd and stir until fully mixed.
Allow to cool. Meanwhile, reduce the
guava juice to 1/3 on low heat. Remove
from the heat and refrigerate until
thickened. Gently fold the whipped cream into
the rice mixture and refrigerate. In
a serving glass or cup, put 1 tbsp of
reduced guava syrup, then a scoop of
guava rni. Sprinkle a few pine nuts
on every layer and continue to ll the
glass or cup until 3/4 full by alternating
the guava syrup and rni layers. To
save time, keep one layer each of the rni and the guava syrup.
Add a nal spoonful of guava syrup.
Refrigerate until chilled. Garnish with
sliced guava, gold leaf and pine nuts.
INGREDIENT TIP To make hung
curd, take 1 cup of full-fat yoghurt
and pour it into a muslin cloth.
Quickly tie up the ends of the
cloth to make a parcel and place
over a large sieve. Now place this
sieve over a vessel and refrigerate.
Remove after 2 hours, when the
curd has lost all its water weight,
and transfer the hung curd to a
separate bowl. Use as needed.
ABOUT THE DISH
With pink guavas coming into
season, it is the perfect time to make this amrud rni. It is a spin
on a recipe from the Punjab.
Traditionally, to make rni,
the rice is washed, soaked and
then sundried for some time. It
should be crushed with a belan,
rather than ground in a blender.
This makes a big diference to
the taste and texture. Ive used
hung yoghurt, our indigenous
cream cheese, to add some
saltiness to the dessert.
have intermingled and cuisines have
mixed for thousands of years. True
fusion happens when the imported
knowledge is fused with local ora and
fauna, he explains.
What about blue cheese on naan
and foie gras in parathas? To Gill,
the creations were seeing in many
Indian restaurants today are crazy
experiments. They might taste good,
but if they cant evolve organically,
they wont catch on, he says. The
chef is certain the cuisine and practices
that endure are the ones that have
been tried, tested and perfected over
centuries. People will come back to
their roots, he states.
- Amrita Gupta
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Manjit Gills
Amrud firni
CULINARY CHOPS: Sanjeev Kapoor
was one of the rst Indian chefs to
step out of the kitchen and onto our
telly screens. His cooking show Khana
Khazana has run for nearly two
decades. He has released more than
150 cookbooks, in English, Hindi,
Marathi and Gujarati. With his own
TV channel, brand of cookware, bottled
spices and ready-to-cook mixes, and
several restaurants to his credit, Kapoor,
who has even cooked with Ren
Redzepi at Noma for CNNs Fusion
Journeys, has his ngers in many pies.
He has modelled himself as a chef for
the digital age, with an active website,
Twitter feed, radio show and YouTube
channel, and an app in the pipeline.
In what ways do you feel cooking
shows on TV have changed their
approach since you launched
Khana Khazana two decades ago?
Khana Khazana was the rst of its
kind. I was also not sure what would
work, but stand and stir was the
format. People loved it because of its
simplicity. Nothing much changed for
a long time after that. On my channel
FoodFood, there are instructional
shows as well as reality and travel-
based shows.
How would you describe the
global interest in Indian food
today?
As more Indian chefs travel to other
countries, they are able to showcase
Indian food better. Now people are
moving away from the media-hyped
perception of a curry-eating country.
They are beginning to discover dishes
beyond chicken tikka masala or garlic
naan; and understand regional
Indian cuisine and healthy Indian
food better.
Do Indians take enough pride in
their own cuisine?
Its true, Indians have always
experimented with other cuisines,
as they were well documented and
presented to them in a sophisticated
way. Indian food lacked that marketing
and documentation. That is changing
now. There are several ne dining
Indian restaurants as well as restaurants
specialising in regional cuisine, and
that is a very healthy sign. Now, people
promote temple food and food of the
yesteryears with pride.
What are some of the trends youre
noticing in Indian restaurants and
among Indian chefs today?
Chefs are experimenting with a
variety of ingredients, techniques and
presentations to create new dishes. We
must keep experimenting and coming
up with new ideas rather than sitting
on old recipes or just tweaking them.
One change Ive noticed is that while
avours are kept very Indian, the food
is given a new look to make it match
up to the international standards of
presentation. Also, restaurants these
days are known by the chefs name
and not just the brand alone. They are
the ones in focus. It isnt just the food,
kitchens are also becoming modern
Khana Khazana was the first of its kind.
I was also not sure what would work, but
stand and stir was the format
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Sanjeev Kapoor
THE TV STAR
Sanjeev Kapoors Creamy
chicken in coriander-flavoured
yoghurt and cashew curry
gadgets that were aspirational in
the past are now more afordable and
easily available.
Tell us about the kitchen
equipment thats dearest to you?
I keep travelling the world over for
my work. My wife Alyona knows
that one of the bags on my return
from wherever I go would be full of
cookbooks and kitchen-related gadgets.
I experiment with all of them and
showcase most of them in my various
shows. My Wonderchefs Hurom slow
juicer and non-stick white ceramic
pans are dearest to me.
Describe to us your ideal, fuss-free
meal at home after a long day.
If I manage to get home on time, my
daughters expect me to cook them a
quick meal and I dont mind at all. So,
it would be some chicken preparation
for my younger daughter Kriti and
depending upon the cuisine, other
things will be woven around it. If there
are no requests, my dinner would be
light, a soup followed by a salad.
What new projects are you most
excited about currently?
Currently three books are in the
pipeline, Recipes for Pregnant Women, No
Onion No Garlic and Sanjeev Kapoors
Kitchen Secrets. My company, Indian
Cookery Pvt Ltd (ICPL) has signed
more than 50 restaurants slated to open
in the near future; few, including one in
Jordan and another in Meerut in Uttar
Pradesh, have already opened.
- Amrita Gupta
Creamy chicken in
coriander-avoured
yoghurt and cashew
curry
marinating EASY
chicken 600g, boneless, cut into bite-
sized pieces
yoghurt 250ml, beaten
oil 2 tbsp
cream 125ml
white pepper 1 tsp, ground
green cardamoms 1 tsp, ground
coriander leaves 1 cup
garam masala 1 tsp
THE MARINADE
garlic cloves 4, peeled
ginger 2 thumb-sized pieces, peeled
green cardamoms 1 tsp, ground
salt 1 tsp
THE SPICE PASTE
cashewnuts 1/4 cup
ghee 2 tbsp
oil 4 tbsp
green cardamoms 3
bay leaf 1
cloves 3
onions 2, peeled and chopped
green chillies 4, chopped
red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
coriander 1 tbsp, ground
water 200ml
salt 1 tsp
To prepare the marinade, put the
garlic and ginger into a food processor
with a little water and form into a paste.
Mix half the ginger-garlic paste with
the ground cardamoms and salt. Rub
the paste over the chicken and set
aside for at leas sst 30 minutes. Prepare the pice paste by putting
the cashewnuts into the food
processor. Cover with water, grind into
a paste and set aside. Heat the ghee
and oil together in a pan. Add the
whole green cardamoms, bay leaf and
cloves and saut until the mixture is
fragrant. Add the chopped onions and
saut until brown. Stir in the remaining
ginger-garlic paste, green chillies,
chilli powder, ground coriander and
cashewnut pa aaste. Stir again. Add the w ter and salt and bring to
the boil, stirring continuously until the
mixture is thick. Remove from the pan
and leave to cool. Once cooled, process
the mixture into a pure using a
handheld blender. Using the same pan,
sear the marinated chicken in oil until
brown. Add the pured gravy, then
stir in the yoghurt. Allow the gravy
to cook for 8-10 minutes. Stir in the
cream, followed by the pepper, ground
cardamoms and coriander leaves. Mix
and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Place i iin nn a dish. Spr kle garam masala over the
chicken and garnish as desired. Serve
with steamed rice or sides such as
mango chutney, lime pickle and
yoghurt.
ABOUT THE DISH
Creamy chicken in coriande eer avoured yoghurt and cash w
curry is inspired from a recipe
which was commonly prepared
in the courts of the Mughals.
I had a chance to taste this dish
when I was in Agra. A fellow
chef told me that the roots
of this dish were in the royal
kitchens, and cooks of that era
only made it during special
occasions. I fell in love with th hhe ee avours and back in my kitc n
I tried to replicate a similar dish
adding my touch to it. Since
then, I have made sure to keep
it on the table as a must-try for
special guests.
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eat out
Five iconic cafs, plus a menu of authentic
Finnish dishes to try at home
IN THIS ISSUE
Heritage cafs
across the country,
p 132
Pro vs Punter at Le
Bistro du Parc,
p 143
Eat like a local in
Finland, p 145
Budget and blowout
gu gu gu gu gu gg id i e to to to Melbourne,
p 149
Savour a slice of multicultural
Mumbai at Kyani & Co, p 132
&
Five iconic cafs, plus a menu of authentic
Finnish dishes to try at home
eat away
What better place to measure out your life in coffee spoons or watch the world go by than at a
heritage caf? We find out what makes five iconic eateries across the country as special as they are
the 50s, Bombay boasted of around
took over the reins from his father,
passed away last month. Within the
HOW WE DID IT The ve cafs featured here are vastly diferent in character one is a European-style tearoom, another an Irani bakery.
landmarks is an entrenched local institution, and is considered a must-visit spot for visitors to the city. We have handpicked writers who regularly
visit these cafs to write these reviews. They ofer an insiders perspective and share a slice of the heritage that is so much a part of every visit.
KYANI & CO
MUMBAI
Clockwise from
left: Bun maska
and milky Irani
tea; A weighing
machine is one
of the many
relics at the
caf; Batches
of mutton
patties are
prepared daily;
Writer Rafique
Baghdadi
at Kyani.
Facing page:
Chequered
tablecloths and
black bentwood
chairs
epitomise
quaintness at
Kyani
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The stuff of
LEGENDS
eat out
caf spy
plenty of nostalgia for visitors to
soak up. Its black-and-white ooring,
mirrored walls with glass paintings,
black bentwood chairs, time-softened
tablecloths and high ceilings are all
beloved trademarks of Irani cafs. At
Kyani, there are small details which
together render the place a second
home for its regulars. One shouldnt
miss the old-style posters advertising
homemade ice creams, or the hanging
rope suspended above the stairs at the
entrance (in the absence of a banister,
it serves as a discreet aid for creaky
knees). Comfortingly, the atmosphere
is always the same you will still see
students of Elphinstone and Xaviers,
and on neighbouring tables, elderly
gents. Many came here rst as students
and now nd themselves the veterans.
Ive been coming here for decades.
Kyanis proximity to my college
[Xaviers] and then to the Press Club,
means I invariably drop in around
three times a week. I dont indulge in a
complete meal on every visit, though
they do have an expansive menu. Tea
alone is not enough to bring customers
in fact, many Irani cafs have added
more items to the menu or converted to
beer bars to make ends meet.
Kyani is a place where youre likely
to recognise someone you know at
some other table. Like the regulars,
the staf too comprises familiar faces.
They often know what youll order
before you tell them. The service is
never rushed. In the olden days, people
would share sheets of the newspaper
between tables or listen to the radio at
Irani cafs, and linger over a single cup
of tea and a khari biscuit. For cricket
commentary, there was nowhere else
to go. Nobody asked you how long you
were going to sit there for. At the centre
of town, this was the place to come
and if you were with your ance or
family, it was a decent place to sit.
THE FOOD
Earlier, I would order the akuri
whenever I visited. These days, when I
visit in the afternoons, I like a piece of
cake with some chai. My favourites are
the mawa cake or a slice of plum cake.
Later in the evening, a good choice is
the chicken roll sausage or an omelette,
which I like made with extra chillies.
On occasion, I like to indulge in the
bread pudding here. Its rare to nd
bread pudding as good as this thick,
creamy and moist, it never disappoints.
The kheema seems to be a popular
choice on many tables, but I dont
usually order it. Recent additions to the
menu worth trying include the mutton sali boti and the chicken farcha.
ICONIC DISHES
Of course, it has to be the bun maska,
soft pieces of bread that are slathered
with butter and best enjoyed dipped
in tea. The mawa cake is very popular
here, and you can ask for it in either a
big or small size, depending on your
appetite. Many people take a packet of
khari biscuits home with them after a
visit to Kyani. Younger customers seem
to enjoy the falooda and cocktail jelly.
WHAT TO DRINK
Irani tea has a very particular taste.
The tea at Kyani is typical of any Irani
shop. Its always sweet and milky. Ask
for it to be made stronger if you prefer
it that way.
INSIDER TIP
I dont have a favourite table or a
vantage spot I prefer. An empty seat
with a fan overhead is enough for
me. Make sure to visit in the morning
between 8-10 am or in the afternoon
around 4 pm for the bun maska or brun
maska, a crusty buttered bun. Thats
when the bread is freshest.
DETAILS
Jer Mahal, 657, Dhobi Talao, Marine
Lines, Mumbai. Tel: + 91 22 2201
1492. Timings: 7 am 8.30 pm. Tea
and snacks ` 10 onwards; meals ` 35
onwards.
Quality 9/10
Choice 8/10
Atmosphere 8/10
Value 8/10
Total 33/40
Raque Baghdadi
What do Pandit Nehru, P
Chidambaram and Nikita Kruschev
have in common? All three have
dined at Koshys, the iconic caf on
St Marks Road, which only true-blue
Bangaloreans refer to as their second
home. On one visit, our venerable
Finance Minister, Chidambaram, took
umbrage at a pesky photographer who
was trying to capture his post-prandial
bliss on his Nikon. The resulting
fracas ended in one broken toe for the
Minister and one shattered lens for the
paparazzo.
Of course, Koshys has charm and
atmosphere in spades. Really, what
it ofers is a rafsh elegance and an
ever-so-slightly down-at-heel gentility.
Established in 1940, Koshys, with
its trademark high ceilings, gloomy
wooden panels and grimy ceiling
fans, enjoys the undying loyalty of
its regulars. Many brave an hours
drive through horrendous trafc
from Malleswaram or Jayanagar for
a savoury mutton puf washed down
with a cup of freshly brewed lter
cofee, or grilled chicken liver on toast
with a chilled beer.
Koshys is the quintessential family
business. Santosh and Prem, the
two brothers who run it today, swear
by the systems set in place by their
grandfather, P Oomen Koshy, who
started of with a small bakery in the
1940s. However, a couple of eclectic
selections from the menu, like the
KOSHYS
BENGALURU
Below: Chicken
liver on toast
is a popular
snack; A few
waiters have
been at Koshys
for decades.
Facing page:
Koshys enjoys
the undying
loyalty of its
regulars
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Korean Pork, were inspired by Prems
sojourn in, of all places, Kentucky,
USA (he roomed with a Korean).
Both brothers are unconcerned
by rants on the internet bemoaning
the lack of valet parking and the slow
service at Koshys. Or, for that matter,
the quality of the food. What I say,
why pufs have become so small?
demands a crusty regular who used to
come to Koshys with his grandfather.
Uncle, how old were you when you
rst came here? Prem asks, and on
hearing that the senior citizen was a
mere stripling of ten at the time, jovially
remonstrates, The pufs are exactly
the same size, they only looked big
because you were a small boy then.
THE FOOD
The food at Koshys is best described
as homely, lling and unpretentious.
No nouvelle cuisine with onion
marmalade and delicately pan-seared
whatnots served here. I get the tender
coconut soup, redolent with burnt
garlic, chilli and succulent morsels of
tender coconut, followed by Korean
Fish, perfectly cooked and topped
with a savoury mlange of crushed
peanuts and spring onion. Also try
the Ginger Chicken with Vegetable
noodles and a side order of Roast
Chilli Pork from their Indo-Chinese
section. Hearty trenchermen will enjoy
the earthy simplicity of their rice and
curry section or the intriguingly titled
Yelumalai Pork, the Nadan Kerala
Beef Fry or the sh and chips.
ICONIC DISHES
Sunday morning specials include
their famed appams with seductively
soft centres surrounded by crisp, frilly
edges, served with piping hot mutton
or vegetable stew. Get there early to try
it before it runs out.
WHAT TO DRINK
Dont miss the cofee here its
superb. The decoction is made from
freshly roasted beans (no chicory)
distilled in a huge brass lter manned
by a professional with 35 years on the
job. From the bar menu, stick to a peg
of your favourite tipple with soda, water
or at a stretch, Coke. Some regulars
order iced tea with a rum or vodka
on the side, which they combine in
mysterious ways. The Bloody Mary
here is made with fresh tomato juice,
lingering grace notes of pepper,
lime and celery, and comes highly
recommended.
INSIDER TIP
If youre a Bangalorean of 30 years
standing, you may be invited to sample
the staf menu with boiled rice, ery
sh curry, veggie thoran, rasam and
maybe a spot of beef fry, but dont
count on it.
DETAILS
39, St Marks Road, Bengaluru. Tel:
+91 80 2221 5030. Timings: 9 am
11 pm. Starters ` 20 onwards; mains
` 110 onwards; beverages ` 30
onwards.
Quality 7/10
Choice 8/10
Atmosphere 9/10
Value 8/10
Total 32/40
Ajit Saldanha
Delhi, with its chequered past, has
been destroyed and rebuilt more than
seven times. Indian Cofee House
at Connaught Place will hopefully
register a survival and rebirth rate that
is even better.
In 1957, it began as a genteel outlet
in Janpath, with liveried and turbaned
waiters looking like chaprasis at Burra
Sahibs daftar. Then, suddenly, it fell
on bad days. There was a strike by the
workers that brought it to the verge of
closure till a cooperative union formed
by the Indian Cofee Board under
the auspices of Price Rise Resistant
Movement rescued it. The Cofee
House was relocated atop the Theatre
Communications Building. This was
in the mid-60s. Surprising as it may
seem, many of the regulars at the
Indian Cofee House date back to
that vintage.
For an eventful decade, this was
the most preferred rendezvous of
painters and poets, journalists and
revolutionaries residing in the capital
or visiting. I recall encountering artist
MF Husain, socialist leader Dr Ram
Manohar Lohia and former Prime
Minister Chandra Shekhar, then a
young turk, sipping cofee or treating it
to fawning admirers.
Then the Emergency struck. It was
said in hushed whispers that Sanjay
Gandhi didnt approve of the rif-raf
conspiring over tepid cofee cups to
overthrow his mothers regime. A glitzy
new restaurant, The Rambles, came up
overnight to replace the ousted cofee
house. In less than two years Mrs G
and her son were swept out, but Indian
Cofee House couldnt reclaim its
perch. Sympathetic politicians ensured
that it was resettled on the terrace
of Mohan Singh Place, its current
location. And this is where it has been
weathering many storms for over three
decades. Iconic most certainly, but
like most monuments in the city, in a
pathetic state of disrepair.
As you walk up the stairs and enter
INDIAN COFFEE
HOUSE
NEW DELHI
Below: Writer
Ajit Saldanha
(seated) with
proprietor
Prem Koshy
at the coveted
table by
the window;
Parking
spaces are
at a premium
outside
Koshys.
Facing page:
Ranvir Singh,
one of the
waiters at
Indian Coffee
House, serves
a long-time
patron
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the Cofee House, you see persons past
their prime seated with newspapers
serving as tablecloths, and young
couples who cant aford any place
more expensive to hang out holding
hands for a couple of hours. Yes, the
promising poets and writers from the
backwaters still come here, though
none who have struck fame even in
small measure are sighted easily. But
for me, and many others, the charms of
Indian Cofee House can never fade.
THE FOOD
Most patrons order vada or dosa,
and on our visit, we are no diferent.
The vada is outstanding hot from the kadhai crisp on the
exterior and soft inside with tiny
bits of onion. So is the sambar that
accompanies it, characterised by just
a hint of asafoetida and mustard-
chilli tempering, with a largish piece
of gourd as the vegetable element.
The dosa is good, not paper-thin but
pleasantly crisp. However, the masala
lling is below par (to be fair, with
onion prices sky-rocketing, how much
can you extract from potato mash?)
and the coconut chutney is
nothing to write home about.
The idlis are most disappointing:
they are cold and not at all ufy.
There was a time, many moons
ago, when we lunched here on
omelette and slice. We cant
resist the temptation to order this
combo and are pleased to note
that its lling and tasty without
any pretensions. As we push
the plate away the waiter turns
up with another old favourite,
vegetable cutlets. The crumbed
dish, a breakfast staple on trains,
has a spicy lling of carrots and
beans and is very good value
for money. There is much more
on the menu to tempt us the
mutton cutlet and palak pakora to
name a few.
ICONIC DISHES
Dosa, vada with sambar,
vegetable cutlets.
WHAT TO DRINK
Filter cofee, Rooh Afza.
INSIDER TIP
My favourite table is the one in the
ramshackle hall facing the entrance.
Visit in the morning when the vada is
hotter and the sambar thicker! Also ask
for the mutton cutlet you will need
to wait for half an hour as its made
fresh, but its worth it. Arjun Singh, my
favourite waiter, has a great sense of
institutional history. He has served in
three branches outside Delhi and sleeps
on the premises. Bijendra, who mans
the cash counter, accommodates those
who spend their lives at Cofee House,
even if all they order is a cup of cofee.
DETAILS
Mohan Singh Place, Baba Kharak
Singh Marg, Near Hanuman Mandir,
Connaught Place, New Delhi. Tel: + 91
11 2334 2994. Timings: 9 am 9 pm.
Cofee and snacks ` 8 onwards.
Quality 7/10
Choice 8/10
Atmosphere 7/10
Value 9/10
Total 31/40
Pushpesh Pant
In 1927, a Swiss couple called Joseph
and Frieda Flury decided to give
Calcutta a tearoom on the lines of
the famous Sprngli Cafe in Zurich,
bringing a bit of home to a thriving
cosmopolitan city. Their elegantly
appointed caf on Park Street was
where the famous and well-heeled of
Calcutta could indulge in an appetising
breakfast, an afternoon cuppa or a
takeaway.
Joseph Flury was an outstanding
confectioner. I remember my sixth
birthday surprise an exquisite dream
sequence with marzipan gures and
delicate sugarwork, in the form of a
cake. For many, this was the place
where romance blossomed, liaisons
were made and broken, deals were
struck. Over the decades, the timeless
Flurys became the most reliable place
to get a x of comfort food.
In 1965, Joseph Flury retired and
sold his iconic institution to the Apeejay
Surrendra Group (owners of The Park
chain of hotels), with the promise that
the integrity of the brand would remain
intact. And for over 30 years it stayed
much the same, give or take a few
changes in the staf.
In 2004, the caf was given a
makeover. Refurbished in chocolate
and pink, she became a younger and
more vibrant version of her dowager
self to align with the times. The menu
was rejigged, incorporating more
healthy options and specic dietary
requirements like gluten-free, sugar-
free, dairy-free and eggless items. After
Chef Vikas Kumar came on board in
2010, some innovative desserts and
savouries were added to the repertoire.
The new eggless Trufe and Forest
Fruit Cakes are much in demand. The
Misti Doi Cheesecake, Puf of Paturi
Maach (banana leaf-steamed sh) and
Kosha Mangsho (sauted mutton),
give a touch of Bengal to the legacy of
British afternoon tea. Flurys remains an
integral slice of the City of Joy, and
I hear there are plans of expansion to
other cities in the near future.
FLURYS
KOLKATA
Clockwise
from below:
Most patrons
come to Indian
Coffee House
for the brew;
Crisp dosa
is a common
breakfast
order; The filter
coffee is worth
trying; Writer
Pushpesh Pant
enjoys a plate
of vada.
Facing page:
Flurys in
its vibrant,
refurbished
avatar
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THE FOOD
The menu is comprehensive. Breakfast
is available throughout the day and
theres an extensive selection of
quiches, pufs, patties, and toasted,
club or grilled sandwiches. Ciabatta
sandwiches and paninis are recent
introductions, along with onion rings,
French fries and hash browns. On my
recent visit, I get the classic breakfast
(English, of course): watermelon
juice, two fried eggs done easy, crisp
slivers of bacon, grilled tomatoes,
unforgettable chicken sausages,
mediocre hash browns, toast with
butter, and tea. We also order a luscious
spread of breads. There are plain and
chocolate croissants, a peach Danish,
cinnamon rolls, mufns, whole wheat
bread, garlic toast and baguettes, served
with preserves and butter. I cant resist
treating myself to my all-time favourite
breakfast dish of beans on toast. At
Flurys, its a pretty large helping
thats easily enough for two, with
shards of raw red onion, little gems of
chopped green chillies and wrinkles
of grated cheese on the side. A truly
soggy delight! A teatime treat from
the heritage section of the menu is the
classic, wafer-thin chicken and mustard
sandwiches. It always takes me back in
time to my school days, when we would
pool our resources for over a week to
have a high tea.
ICONIC DISHES
Try the breakfast, sandwiches and
Darjeeling tea. The pastries here
shouldnt be missed. Make sure to try
old favourites like the rum balls. They
are to die for, with a tiny hint of rum
adding just the right tipsy touch to the
smothering of creamy chocolate joy.
The Baba cake is another classic, and
remains absolutely melt-in-the-mouth
today. Sylvana and Tosca cakes are still
there for the taking too. Coupes and
sundaes have been on the menu for
decades. Must-try indulgences include
the Peach Melba, Pear Belle Helene
and the Double Chocolate Sundae.
WHAT TO DRINK
Try their selection of delectable teas
and special cofees, including the much
sought after Flurys Viennese and the
famous chilled cofee, Sprngli, which
has been on the menu since 1927. And
theres genuine ice cream soda the
real deal, not poured out of a bottle.
INSIDER TIP
Get there early, especially on weekends,
or prepare to wait in a very long queue.
DETAILS
18, Park Street, Kolkata. Tel: +91 33
4000 7453. Timings: 7.30 am 10 pm.
Drinks ` 120 onwards; breakfast ` 275
onwards; sandwiches ` 50 onwards;
baked treats ` 45 onwards.
Quality 8/10
Choice 8/10
Atmosphere 7/10
Value 7/10
Total 30/40
Rakhi Purnima Dasgupta
Infantaria is a landmark on the
Baga-Calangute tourist strip. First-
time visitors to Goa and seasoned
beachcombers alike arrive in droves,
and tend to linger. On most days,
theres a long wait for a table. The
eatery is alive and buzzing, with a
cheery atmosphere thats welcoming
to all ages. Its a casual space: at the
entrance is a display counter that
showcases local snacks and other
desserts. Between granite-topped tables
INFANTARIA
GOA
Clockwise from
top: Tender
coconut white
chocolate
gateau is a
speciality
at Flurys;
Croissants
are a popular
treat; Bite-
sized French
macarons;
Writer Rakhi
Purnima
Dasgupta with
a selection
of pastries.
Facing page:
Infantarias
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(theyre easy to wipe down in a rush)
and plastic chairs with an antique
wrought-iron look, theres an actual
well, decorated with blue and white
chipped tiles. A usually congested
stairway leads to the upper oor that
is very popular at dinnertime, as live
bands play here ve times a week.
The cafs owner, Maria Santana
Lobo (who named her restaurant after
Infant Jesus), started Infantaria in
1992. Back in the 70s, Lobos mother
ran the home as a simple boarding
place, and in its earliest avatar, the
restaurant catered to the lodgers.
Lobo would help her mother prepare
simple Goan meals, many of which
have been retained on the Infantaria
menu today. Its no surprise, then,
that the place enjoys a reputation for
serving authentic home-style fare. By
2002, her daughter Maria Goretti had
taken over the operations, ably assisted
by her husband Joel Fernandes. The
small eatery blossomed into a casual
all-day diner. Goretti and Fernandes
were keen to develop new dishes, and
today sumptuous breakfasts and fusion
meals with a strong emphasis on Italian
avours are also served. Now, late
breakfasts are popular with the crowd,
but many people just drop in for cofee.
On several tables, youll see groups
nursing cappuccinos or a couple of
beers (Fernandes has hit upon a novel
idea of giving special spirit packages).
The staf has been trained to make a
variety of baked treats by a German
dessert chef.
THE FOOD
I often drop in for a cappuccino,
croissant or a well-made hot chocolate,
and sometimes for the lling Infantaria
breakfast, but this time I decide to
try out a mix of Goan and fusion
dishes for lunch. We start with the
Bruschetta al Pomodori e Mozarella,
crunchy pieces of bread topped with
a garlicky tomato concasse and a
generous helping of mozzarella. We
also get the all-time favourite Prawn
Cocktail. The cocktail sauce in the
prawn cocktail is infused with brandy,
and they get the balance of ingredients
just right. The Roast Pork is a good
choice. Its perfectly spiced and truly
Goan, with its onion and capsicum
juliennes. The Swiss alla Infantaria, a
tenderloin steak, caters more to foreign
tastebuds. Its cheese and mushroom
stufng is disappointingly bland.
The cheesecakes at Infantaria come
highly recommended. Try the lemon
cheesecake, sandwiched with tart layers
of lemon pulp.
ICONIC DISHES
Infantaria excels at serving wholesome
fare without any fancy presentation.
Maria Santanas Chicken Cafreal and
Roast Pork are both bestsellers. The
seafood platter is another hot favourite.
The Infantaria special breakfast tides
over many a late riser who troops in
closer to lunchtime.
WHAT TO DRINK
Generally, beer and cofee are common
choices. Many patrons opt for
cappuccinos, caf mochas or caf lattes.
INSIDER TIP
The caf is normally packed for late
breakfast, lunch and early dinner before
the crowd goes party hopping. So time
your visits depending on whether you
would like the place abuzz with activity
or peaceably quiet. Of course, in peak
season youll most likely need to jostle
for a table at any hour. Look out for
waiter Paul DSouza, who has been
with the restaurant for over four years
and knows the place well. His smile
competes with that of afable fellow
stafer Dotor (a Portuguese term of
respect). Its not his real name in
fact, many have forgotten what his real
name is, but he has earned it.
DETAILS
Calangute-Baga Junction, Calangute,
Goa. Tel: + 91 832 3291 290.
Timings: 7.30 am midnight. Snacks
` 60 onwards; mains ` ` 240 onwards; `
desserts ` 50 onwards; beverages ` ` 40 `
onwards.
Quality 7/10
Choice 9/10
Atmosphere 8/10
Value 7/10
Total 31/40
Odette Mascarenhas
eat out
caf spy
Infantaria receives a steady
stream of customers at all times
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Writer Odette
Mascarenhas
at Infantaria
Chicken patties are a
favourite teatime snack
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Does your average diner agree with what the restaurant professionals think?Good Food reader
Shivani Mehra and food writer Anoothi Vishal review Le Bistro du Parc in New Delhi and come
away with mixed reactions
vs
LE BISTRO DU PARC
The newly opened Le Bistro du Parc brings Paris
relaxed bistro culture to the capital. The venture
is a collaboration between bistronomy specialist
Naina de Bois-Juzan and Olive Bar & Kitchens
AD Singh. The eatery serves up time-tested home-
style French dishes with an experimental twist,
made using seasonal Indian fruits, vegetables
and produce. Some of the signature dishes on the
menu are savoury millefeuille made with goats
cheese, slow-cooked red peppers and an infused
sauce of virgin almonds; and French toast served
with cont garlic, sundried tomatoes and olives on
a cont lemon sauce. The dessert menu includes
poached pears with almond biscuits, lemon
tart topped with meringue and dark chocolate
mousse.
A-57, 58, 59 Moolchand Market, Defence
Colony, New Delhi. Tel: +91 11 4678 0080. Daily
noon 3 pm, 7 pm 11.30 pm. Average spend for
two: ` 2,000 plus taxes (without alcohol).
Pushy table turning? No
Regular water offered? Yes
Veggie options? A wide selection
THE PRO
Anoothi Vishal is a
food and wine critic
and travel writer whose
columns appear in some
of the countrys leading
publications. She is
also a cuisine curator,
interested in cooking
and promoting Indian
community cuisines.
THE SERVICE
Not super prompt.
Those accustomed to
much formality may nd
something missing. But
in my view, this is exactly
how service should be:
attentive but not intrusive.
Our waiters are chatty and
well informed they know
what they are serving,
and when they dont know
certain details, such as
the provenance of some
ingredients, they check
and come back to you. The
owner, Naina, pitches in on
the busy afternoon, which
adds to the casual charm
of the place.
FIRST SS IMPR PP ESSI SS ON II S NN
We are lucky to grab the only free
table when we arrive at Le Bistro
du Parc on a Saturday afternoon.
Its a small, no-frills caf, somewhat
cluttered with cheek-by-jowl tables.
The owner of the bistro, Naina de
Bois-Juzan, is perched on a stool
by the bar sipping something cool
and tall, pausing to chat with all
her diners.
The caf offers a limited, and
frequently changing, home-style
menu that is chalked out on at
least three large blackboards. The
waiters need to keep moving them
to the tables for better visibility,
but its a quirk I nd endearing and
easy to forgive.
Le Bistro du Parc is charmingly
Provenal, with its rustic wooden
tables, chalkboard menus, and
glass bottle vases of handpicked
owers. From the navy and yellow
theme that runs through the
restaurant, to the exposed ducting,
and stacks of clean, white crockery,
the restaurants dcor spells bistro-
chic. We visit on a weeknight, and
owner Naina de Bois-Juzan, busily
moving from table to table, is a
welcome sight.
While the servers are
knowledgeable about the
menu, they are unable to
offer recommendations.
We have to remind our
waiter to bring us our
drinks and the bread
basket, and encounter
a long wait between
each course. They seem
adequately staffed, and
given the small size of
this establishment, we are
surprised by the delays.
The owners hands-on
approach makes up for
the chaos, and when we
send back an overly salty
dish, she doesnt charge
us for it.
THE RESTAURANT
THEPU PP NTER
Shivani Mehra heads
a digital media agency
in New Delhi. She is a
social media enthusiast,
loves music and outdoor
festivals and is an avid
home cook.
THE FOOD
For starters, I try the Pan-Fried Calamari with red chilli coulis, with delicious bits
of potato and garlic thrown in. The seafood is perfectly cooked though I nd
the portions a trie small for a home-style place like this. I also try the Pork
Rillettes, somewhat like a pt, except that the meat is shredded and slow-
cooked in fat. This is a lovely, rustic preparation and I scoop it up with bits of
the baguette on my table. The bread, sourced from L Opera, a bakery in New
Delhi, is perfectly crisp outside and soft inside.
There is a short by-the-glass wine list scribbled on one of the blackboards.
While I dont much care for Lucas lychee wine, with its big, sweet, fruity nose, I
like my Antares Sauvignon Blanc well enough for a hot afternoon. The rillettes,
bread and wine could be your perfect bistro meal.
But I am glad that I order the mains: I try an unusual savoury French toast
served with vegetables. The kitchens attention to detail is evident in the quality
of the brioche and the lavish smear of butter. But the dish of the day is the sea
bass, with its perfectly crisp skin and aky esh that falls apart at the touch of
the knife. Still, my companion does nd a bit of bone in the llet and remarks
how this would have been unpardonable in a MasterChef kitchen. Finally, the
Valrhona Mousse is just the right ending to this meal served not fancily but in
homely scoops on the plate.
THE VERDICT
Quite an affordable
place by Delhi standards,
especially for the quality
of food it offers. This
is a bistro many of us
can imagine running
ourselves: charming,
informal, tiny but buzzing
with a personality of its
own. The seating is not
too comfortable, but if
you have been to one
of those tiny bistros in
France, you will feel right
at home, even if you can
hear every bit of the
conversation at the next
table.
THE BILL
Anoothis meal for two
including two starters, two main
courses and a dessert is ` 1,900 `
(excluding alcohol).
FOOD: 8/10
ATMOSPHERE: 9/10
SERVICE: 9/10
TOTAL: 26/30
GO AGAIN?
I will denitely visit again. Soon.
Both the Monsoon Menu and Specials of the Day feature a good variety.
For starters, I opt for the Pan-Fried Calamari and Chicken Liver Parfait. The
calamari is succulent in a tangy sauce, though the cherry tomatoes in the dish
are a little sour and overcooked. The Chicken Liver Parfait served with onion
marmalade is creamy and perfectly balanced.
My experience falters at the next course, though. I get the Grilled Lamb with
Green Vegetables, and ask for the lamb to be cooked to medium doneness, so
Im surprised to nd it slightly tough and chewy. The green vegetables
a small serving of peas and snap peas are bland and unexciting. I also try the
Marinated Chicken with Roasted Courgette, served with an overwhelmingly
salty tapenade. After a few valiant forkfuls, my dining companion decides to
send it back. Undoubtedly, the high point of the meal is dessert. I order the rich,
sinful Chocolate Mousse. Its drowned in a strawberry coulis and topped with
pomegranate seeds: the perfect
combination of tart and sweet. The
Saffron Crme Brle has a shiny
crackle on top, and a sweet, creamy
centre. We end the night with
perfectly brewed espressos.
Shivanis meal for two
including two starters, two main
courses, two desserts, one soft
drink and two espressos is
` 3,000 (excluding alcohol).
FOOD: 7.5/10
ATMOSPHERE:
7.5/10
SERVICE: 5/10
TOTAL: 20/30
GO AGAIN?
Yes, its worth a second visit,
even if only for coffee and
dessert.
Le Bistro du Parc aims to
introduce bistronomy,
or offer traditional
French dishes with a
modern twist in a casual
environment. It appears
to be off to a promising
start. The ingredients
are fresh and local, the
dishes are authentically
Provenal, the prices are
very reasonable, and the
restaurant is packed with
a lively crowd. If
it can maintain
consistency,
quality and
service, it is
sure to be a
local favourite.
Want to review a restaurant?
For a chance to become Good Foods
next punter, email a 200-word review
of any restaurant youve visited,
with the heading Pro vs Punter, to
bbcgoodfood@wwm.co.in with your
contact details. You could be the
lucky one!
Tarte Au Citron
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eat out
restaurant reviews
FINLAND
Rustic Finnish cuisine makes the most of the countrys plentiful fresh produce,
which includes tart lingonberries, grains, mushrooms and fish
Words APARNA PEDNEKAR Photographs JUHO KUVA Recipes ILJA BJRS
eat likealocal
O
verowing baskets
of ame-coloured
chanterelle mushrooms,
mountains of tart and
juicy lingonberries, freshly smoked
Baltic herring, deep-fried sardines
stufed in rustic loaves of bread, crpes
oozing blueberry jam the kauppatori,
or market square, at Helsinki is a
sensory smorgasbord. Chowing down
on fries at Hesburger (Finlands largest
burger chain) one day and warming
up to a Karelian rice pastry (a thin rye
crust lled with creamy rice) the next,
it doesnt take long to get into a Finnish
foodie groove.
One word liberally tossed
around all over Finland is makkara
(sausage). Tampere in the south has
mustamakkara (black sausage made a
of pigs blood, traditionally eaten with
lingonberry sauce); Turku on the
southwest coast has rusinamakkara
(raisin sausage). Stick a makkara inside
a soft, fried bun with cucumber salad
and pickles, and you have porilainen,
Finlands favourite fast food.
Reindeer meat is popular in the
northern part of the country. In
Lapland, you can enjoy poronkristys
(sauted reindeer) served on a bed of
mashed potatoes, washed down with
a few mugs of locally brewed Lapin
Kulta beer. In urban areas like Helsinki,
youre more likely to nd restaurants
serving parts of the animal such as
heart and tongue in sashimi-like slices.
Fish is beloved across regions.
Often eaten with boiled potatoes, it
tastes best when smoked or grilled.
Salted whitesh, salmon, lamprey and
herring are eaten raw on slices of bread,
as snacks or meals. Creamy salmon
soup is well liked, as is soup made of
smaller sh like vendace, a freshwater
white sh and perch, especially in the
summer months.
Common vegetables include
beetroot, rutabaga (Swedish turnip)
and nettle (a substitute for spinach),
cooked in cold-pressed rapeseed or
olive oil. Mushrooms, too, are popular,
and they grow in abundance all over
Finland between August and October.
Rye bread, with its typically sour
aftertaste, is a Finnish staple. There are
also a variety of atbreads called rieska.
Finns love their cofee through the
day. Cofee-time snacks include pulla,
a not-too-sweet, cardamom-avoured
bun and a cinnamon roll made of
pulla dough called korvapuusti (which i
translates into a slap on the ear, for its
characteristic spiral, rolled shape).
On Sundays or festive occasions,
Finnish homes are lled with the
aromas of home-cooked classics
such as macaroni stew, hearty ham
roasts, or karjalanpaisti (Karelian
stew), a hot pot prepared with a mix
of meats, potatoes and onions. These
are served with pickled beetroot,
mushrooms, cucumber or jams
made of lingonberries, cloudberries
or rowanberries. Berries, which are
plentifully available, are also used in
most Finnish desserts.
Chef and
restaurateur
Ilja Bjrs owns
Juuri Keittio &
Baari (Kitchen
& Bar), in the
heart of Helsinki.
Translated
to roots in
Finnish, Juuri
has pioneered
the concept of
sapas, or Finnish s
appetisers, a
menu of little
bites that includes
sausages with
vodka mustard
and terrine of
reindeer liver with
berry jelly.
Horn of plenty (wild
mushroom) soup
p y ( p
MODERATELY EASY
Finns traditionally eat soups made of
forest mushrooms in autumn, with
toasted rye bread on the side. The puff
pastry in this recipe is a slightly more
sophisticated accompaniment.
onion 1/2, chopped
garlic clove 1/2, chopped
butter 150g r
mixed mushrooms (chanterelles,
shiitake, button and porcini) 200g
salt, sugar and white pepper to r
season
soy sauce 1 tsp
white wine 2-4 tbsp
chicken or vegetable stock 1l k
cream 1 cup
espresso 1/2 cup
sparkling water 1/2 cup r
THE PUFF PASTRY
kale leaves 2, parboiled and chopped
(try Trikaya available at gourmet stores)
butter 20g, melted r
black pepper to season r
puff pastry sheets 2, cut into 10x10-cm
pieces (available at your local bakery or
try Jus Rol available at gourmet stores)
goats cheese 4 tbsp (try President
egg 1, beaten
pumpkin seeds a handful (try Tong
eat away
nland
Horn of plenty soup
Freshly picked
blueberries are
used in a variety of
Finnish desserts
Cabbage rolls with
pumpkin pure and
lingonberry compote
The Finnish capital, Helsinki,
is also a major port
To make the puff pastry, fry the kale
leaves in melted butter. Season with
black pepper and cool. Place the puff
pastry sheets on a baking tray lined
with parchment paper and ll half
of each sheet with 1 tbsp of kale and
goats cheese. With some water or
oil, fold over the sheet and prick the
borders with a fork. Brush the puffs
with egg, sprinkle over pumpkin seeds
and bake at 200C for 10 minutes. Soften half the onions and garlic
with 100g of butter in a pan. Add the
mushrooms and fry until soft. Season
with salt, a small pinch of sugar, white
pepper, soy sauce and white wine.
Add the stock and bring to the boil.
Boil for 10 minutes and add cream and
espresso. Boil for 5 minutes, and cool
slightly. Combine in a blender with the
remaining 50g of butter. Add sparkling
water and serve with puff pastry.
Cabbage rolls
Serves 2 1 hour + boiling and cooking
EASY
Cabbage rolls served with berry sauce
are traditional to southern Finland.
Meat and grain are popular fillings.
cabbage leaves 8
minced lamb 150g
olive oil 2 tbsp
salt, black pepper and cumin powder
to taste
paprika 1 tsp (try Keya available at
gourmet stores)
whole barley 100g
brown sugar syrup 100ml
THE PUMPKIN PURE
pumpkin 1 small, chopped
butter 50g
white pepper and salt to season
THE LINGONBERRY COMPOTE
lingonberries (you can use
gooseberries or dried cranberries
instead) 100g
red onion 1/2, sliced into thin rings
sugar 1 cup
salt to taste
white vinegar 1/4 cup
white wine 1/2 cup
Parboil the chopped pumpkin in
salted water. Drain and mix in a blender
with a small amount of the boiled water
and the butter. Season well. Boil the berries with onions and
sugar. Season with a few pinches of
salt, white vinegar and white wine. Boil
for a aa few minutes and allow to cool. P rboil the cabbage leaves until
they are soft. Fry the minced lamb and
season with salt, black pepper, cumin
powder and paprika. Parboil the barley
grains and chop 2 cabbage leaves. Add
to the lamb bb mixture. Place 1 t sp of this mixture on each
cabbage leaf. Roll tightly to cover
the mixture and turn the sides of the
cabbage in. Place the rolls in an oven
dish and cover halfway with water. Pour the brown sugar syrup evenly
over the rolls. Bake for 35 minutes at
200C. Moisten occasionally with the
syrup water. Serve with pumpkin pure
and lingonberry compote.
Apple pie
Serves 6 45 minutes + baking
EASY
Seasonal berry and fruit pies are very
popular in Finland. This version, without
a base or a crust, is easy to make.
butter 200g
sugar 200g
eggs 4
wheat flour 200g
baking powder 3g
apples 5-10, cores removed, sliced
cinnamon 1 tbsp
sugar 1 tbsp
vanilla 1 tsp to season + extra
full-fat cream 250ml
soured cream 150ml (try Impero
powdered sugar 2 tbsp
With an electric whisk, beat the
butter and sugar together until it
reaches a foam-like consistency. Add
the eggs one by one. Add the our with
the baking powder and mix using a
spatula. Transfer the mixture to a well-
buttered oven dish.
Season the apple slices with the
MINI GUIDE TO HELSINKI
The capital of Finland is also its largest city. A beguiling
combination of the historic and the modern, it has
contemporary urban charm with world-class restaurants,
boutiques and design studios, as well as architectural
grandeur with Swedish and Russian inuences. It is
surrounded by a stunning archipelago, where residents
have summer homes and cruises. While winters in Helsinki
can be romantic, theyre also extreme, with temperatures
dipping to -5 to -7 C. In the summer months of July and
August, the sun rises at 3 am and sets at 10 pm!
EAT
All of Helsinkis ve Michelin-starred restaurants are
within walking distance of each other in the city centre.
If you dont fancy a swanky meal, you can still pick from a
range of affordable ravintolas (local restaurants). At Atelje
Finne (Tel: +358 10 2818242), the charming renovated
studio of a city sculptor, you can lunch on cured beef with
pickled forest mushrooms, lamb belly roll with aubergines
and liquorice crme brle.
The city foodscape is ripe with Asian inuences;
Japanese, Korean, Thai and Nepalese restaurants
are popular. For a glamorous dinner, head to Yume
(ravintolayume.). Besides their succulent veal cheek and
whitesh ceviche, cooking your own food (lamb, beef, tofu
etc) on hot lava stones is an experience youll enjoy.
STAY
The award-winning, three-star Hotelli Helka (helka.
) is centrally located with stylish modern suites and
apartments, chic Finnish dcor, a hearty breakfast buffet
and very friendly staff. Finnair shuttle buses ply every
20 minutes from Helsinki airport to the city railway station
and Helka is just a short walk away from there. Single
room rates start at 140.
DO
Go mushroom picking! You dont have to venture too
far from the city and apart from the poisonous false
morel, which is highly toxic if eaten raw, youre unlikely
to land up with poisonous varieties of fungi. But if youd
like to play it safe, take a guided tour of Nuuksio National
Park, which is a 40-minute drive from the capital. A half-
day tour includes mushroom and berry picking, apart
from hikes and canoeing trips. Visit feelthenature. for
details.
GETTING THERE
Finnair ies to Helsinki from New Delhi and Mumbai.
Rates start at approximately ` 56,500 for a return trip.
A single entry Schengen visa costs approximately ` 5,000.
eat away
nland
eat away
nland
cinnamon, sugar and vanilla. Put the apple slices on top of
the pie mix, gently pushing them inwards. Bake in the oven
at 190C for about 30 minutes, or until the pastry is properly
cooked. Whisk the full-fat cream, soured cream, powdered
sugar and some more vanilla until it reaches a foam-like
consistency. Serve on top of the baked pie.
MENU DECODER
GRAAVIKALA A traditional Finnish snack made of
salmon or whitesh cured with salt, which can be bought
at any market.
KIISSELI A fruit soup traditionally eaten during
Christmas. It is made of fresh fruits, berries and dried
fruit, seasoned with cinnamon and cloves and served
with whipped cream or rice porridge.
MANNAPUURO A semolina and milk porridge that is
a popular breakfast dish.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
Tipping isnt customary in Finland. However, you can
round the bill off, especially at upmarket restaurants.
If youre invited to a Finnish home, take your shoes
off at the door. It is considered rude to dust a home with
snow brought in from outdoors.
While sharing a shot of vodka with Finnish friends,
remember that kippis is the Finnish word for raising
a toast.
Fresh salmon is
smoked by the water
Apple pie
Bonding over an
al fresco meal
city break
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BLOWOUT
BUDGET and BLOWOUT guide to
Melbourne
Cumulus Inc (Tel: +61 3 9650 1445; cumulusinc.
com.au) located on artsy Flinders Lane doesnt exactly
qualify for the budget tag. However, you can make the
most of their sharing menu and plan a group lunch here.
Prop yourself on the bar stools facing the open kitchen
while you nibble on grilled octopus, smoked paprika and
aioli (10 AUD), or fried smoked mussels and gribiche on e
toast (6 AUD), and a cracked wheat and freekeh salad h
with preserved lemons and barberries (12 AUD).
Before trawling the bohemian Fitzroy district, drop
in for great food at Huxtable (Tel: +61 3 9419 5101).
From their small bites, choose the XO Bun with Crab,
Jalapeos and Thai Basil Mayo (6.50 AUD), and
Tempura Eggplant Prawn Fritter with Shiso (5.50
AUD). From the sharing menu, the Stir-fried Squid
with Rice Noodles, Dried Chilli, Curry Leaves and
Oyster Sauce (21 AUD), is delicious. Wash everything
down with a glass of sparkling Huxta Bubbles (9 AUD).
With its quirky vintage dcor and relaxed Mexican
vibe, Yellow Bird Caf (Tel: +61 3 9533 8983;
yellowbird.com.au) on Chapel Road is a hipster
hangout. Arrive late and stay on till 1 am, nursing the
house specials: Yellow Bloody Hot Bloody Mary (14
AUD), and Gary Ribald, which is Carlton draught beer
with an espresso shot and sugar (8 AUD), or wash down
the famous Death Benedict (15 AUD) from their all-day
breakfast menu with a shot of tequila Blu (5 AUD).
Stroll around Melbournes buzzing Central
Business District. Flinders Lane and Collins Street
are dotted with French crperies and soup shops,
vintage stores, indie designers and street art. Stop at the
Switchboard Caf (220, Collins Street), a hole-in-
the-wall nook that operates out of an old switchboard
cupboard, for a long macchiato and scamorza toastie.
Take the tram to the historic Victoria Market for fresh
organic produce and artisanal foods (qvm.com.au).
Cut down lodging costs in Melbourne by staying at
a same-gender or mixed-gender dorm at the award-
winning Greenhouse Backpacker (Tel: +61 3 9639 r
6400; greenhousebackpacker.com.au) for 37 AUD
per night. A private single room will set you back by
approximately 70 AUD per night. Located in the heart
of the city, perks include free Wi-Fi, a community
kitchen and friendly staf.
Grossi Florentino (Tel: +61 3 9662
1811; grossi.com.au) is a Melbourne
institution known as much for its food
as for its mural-lined glamour. Their
prix xe ve-course meal (140 AUD per e
person) or eight-course meal (195 AUD
per person) includes Yellowsh Tuna,
Smoked Quail and Foie Gras Terrine,
Risotto Venere and Suckling Pig.
In addition to a stunning view, Chef
Shannon Bennetts three-hat restaurant
Vue De Monde (vuedemonde.com.au)
on the Rialtos 55th oor also celebrates
indigenous produce. The Gastronomes
Menu (200-250 AUD) features Salt
Cured Wallaby, Blackmore Wagyu with
Beetroot and Trufe and Smoked Eel
with White Chocolate and Caviar.
The warm ambience bolstered by a
2,500-strong wine list makes Ru-Co Bar
(Tel: +61 3 9653 4831) at The Grand
Hyatt the perfect setting for a drink.
Enjoy a cognac in the courtyard or call
ahead to book the private area by the
replace. Bar nibbles include venison
tartar, quail eggs and trufe peaches.
Vintage champagne starts at 215 AUD.
Spend a weekend at Mornington
Peninsula, an hours drive away from
Melbournes CBD. Peppers Moonah
Links (Tel: +61 3 5988 2000), a top golf
resort, ofers horseback winery tours and
visits to artisanal food establishments.
Pick up a bottle of the Morello Cherry
Balsamic Vinegar as a souvenir after a
meal at Maxs (maxsrestaurant.com.au).
The Windsor (Tel: +61 3 9633 r
6000; thehotelwindsor.com.au), one
of the worlds oldest hotels, pre-dating
icons like The Ritz in Paris, Singapores
Rafes and Waldorf Astoria in NYC,
is truly grand. Book the high-ceilinged
deluxe roomwith an attached marble
bathroom, lounge area and a king-sized
bed for 315 AUD per night.
Melbournes eateries boast a relaxed vibe, while dishing
up cutting-edge cuisine from around the world
Words APARNA PEDNEKAR
Melbourne is a
multicultural melting
pot. Influenced by over
140 different cultures,
the citys vibrant food
scene, from street-
side cafes to its
hatted restaurants, is
sure to impress you
with its diversity.
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In this section
DIY edible gift
hamper p 151
Wines for special
occasions p 153
Smart ways to improve your kitchen skills
Words KAINAZ CONTRACTOR Photograph SHREYA GUPTA
COOK LIKE A PRO
masterclass
A
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RAVIOLI TRAY
Fresh homemade ravioli is always
impressive. All you have to do is knead
some dough, roll it out, spoon over
some stufng, slap on another sheet
of dough and cut into ravioli. Simple
enough in theory, right? But its a tricky
process: you could end up with oddly
shaped ravioli, some bulging with more
lling than the others, and some that
break open during cooking.
While making pasta from scratch
can be quite labour-intensive, with
the right tools you can be out of the
kitchen within minutes. Ravioli trays
such as Imperias take the toil out of
pasta-making by turning out perfectly
symmetrical and uniform ravioli with
half the efort. The little wells ensure
that each pocket of ravioli gets the same
amount of lling (we like prosciutto
with cheese and spinach with ricotta).
The rolling pin, when rolled over
the tray in one swift movement,
simultaneously seals and cuts the
ravioli into neat pasta pockets. The
pre-crinkled and serrated edges of
the tray give the ravioli its signature
uted design. Apart from wells with
the classic square shape, the tray is also
available in fun star and heart shapes.
Try Imperia Raviolamp available
at ebay.in nn and pastama aachine.in for ` 1,400 o wards. Unbr nded
trays are also available for ` 800
onwards at cookware stores such
as Saria Stove Depot, Mumbai and
INA Market, New Delhi.
Kalamata olive
tapenade
Blend 100g pitted kalamata olives,
50g capers, 25g peeled, crushed
garlic cloves, 10ml extra virgin olive
oil and 25g anchovies together in
a liquidiser until smooth. Store the
tapenade in an airtight jar. It can be
refrigerated for up to a month.
Sundried tomato and
cashew pesto
Blend 1 cup sundried tomatoes,
10-12 cashewnuts, 1 garlic clove,
2 tbsp parmesan and 2 tbsp extra
virgin olive oil together in a liquidiser
until smooth. Store the pesto in an
airtight jar. It can be refrigerated for up
to a month.
fibre 1g, salt 0.2g
Cheese and chilli straws
Makes 15 straws 45 minutes EASY
Mix 1/2 cup grated processed
cheese and 1 tbsp chilli powder
together and keep aside. Combine
1/2 egg and 2 tbsp milk to make an k
egg wash. Place 1 puff pastry sheet on
a chopping board and brush it evenly
with the egg wash. Sprinkle the cheese
mixture on top of the pastry uniformly.
Place a parchment paper on top of
the cheese mixture so that it is fully
covered.
Lightly roll the pastry with a rolling
pin so that the cheese mixture gets
stuck to the pastry. Remove the
parchment paper carefully. Cut the
pastry into 2cm strips from top to
bottom. Twist each pastry strip and
place on a greased baking tray.
Bake at 190C for 20-25 minutes
until golden and crisp. Cool and store in
airtight container for up to 10 days.
Oatmeal cookies
Makes 15-20 1 hour + refrigeration
EASY
Preheat the oven to 150C. Mix
150g flour, 200g oats, 100g chopped
raisins, a pinch of salt and a pinch of
cinnamon together until evenly mixed
and keep aside. Whisk 180g unsalted
butter with r 175g brown sugar and r
50g caster sugar until smooth, r
preferably with an electric beater. Add
2 eggs, one at a time, and beat well.
Add the our mixture to the butter
mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon until
fully combined to form a dough. Cover
the dough with foil and refrigerate for
an hour. Place a sheet of parchment
paper on a clean surface and dust it
with some our. Remove the dough
from the fridge and place it on the
dusted paper. Using a rolling pin, atten
the dough into a 1/2-cm-thick sheet.
Cut using a 7cm round cookie cutter
and place the cookies on a greased
baking tray.
Bring together all the trimmings, roll
into another sheet of dough and cut
with the cookie cutter.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes until
light golden, then allow to cool. The
cookies can be stored in an airtight
container for up to two weeks.
Makes 151 hour EASY
Mix 160g butter and 160g peanut
butter together until smooth. Add
160g powdered sugar and mix until r
well combined. Fold in 200g flour and r
mix till it forms a dough. Divide the
dough into 15 portions and roll into
individual balls.
Grease a baking tray with oil.
Preheat the oven to 160C. Flatten
the balls lightly and place on the tray,
making sure to keep them evenly
spaced. Sprinkle 2 tbsp brown sugar
evenly over the cookies.
Bake in the oven for about 20
minutes until golden brown, then allow
to cool. The cookies can be stored in an
airtight container for up to two weeks.
Why not gift charmingly packagedhomemade edibles in your hampers this Diwali?
Recipes AMIT PAMNANI Photograph JOY MANAVATH
its a wrap!
masterclass
diy
VEG IT
By leaving
out the
anchovies
Kalamata
olive tapenade
Sundried tomato
and cashew pesto
Oatmeal cookies,
Cheese and
chilli straws
W
ine is more than
just a casual tipple.
Its a splendid
choice to open on
or gift for a special occasion. The
wine most commonly associated with
celebrations is champagne and
with good reason. Its sophisticated
taste and efervescence adds sparkle
to almost any moment. For instance,
what better way to celebrate your
daughters 21st birthday than by
opening a bottle from the year she
was born? A special occasion calls for
vintage (champagne made from an
exceptional, single harvest rather than
the usual blend) or a prestige cuve
high quality champagne that has been
carefully blended and aged extensively.
If champagne is not for you, a
worthy alternative is a really special
red or white wine. Thanks to their
depth, complexity and ageing
potential, connoisseurs prefer top-
end wines from Bordeaux (such as
Chteau Margaux, Latour, Late
and Haut-Brion) and Burgundy
(Domaine de la Romane Conti).
Other wine-producing countries also
have their special wines Italy has its
super Tuscans and Barolos from the
Piedmont region. In the New World,
America has its cult Californian wines
such as Opus One and Australia has
the premium Penfolds Grange wines.
Unfortunately, in India, wines cost
far more than they should, owing to
the high taxes imposed on them. This
makes celebratory wines prohibitively
expensive and also hard to come by. But
there are several excellent wines you
could buy that are worth the investment
youll make on them. Here are my
recommendations:
Ruma Singh picks out eight impressive wines for special occasions
10-MINUTE WINE GUIDE
Celebration wines
Champagne Cristal 2005, France
(` 29,514 onwards, available at La Dolce
Vita, Kurla, Mumbai and Buddy Retail,
T3 duty free, Delhi airport)
Cristal is the champagne of choice for
celebrities. It has gorgeous apple, peach
and acacia aromas with notes of vanilla.
Have it with caviar and Melba toast.
Alter Ego de Palmer, 5eme Cru
Bordeaux, 2010, France ( ` 16,630 onwards, available at The Cellar,
Emporio Mall, New Delhi)
This wine has notes of blackberry
and plum, ne tannins and a nuanced
nish. The 2010 vintage is considered
particularly good. Goes well with game.
Dom Prignon 2004, France
(` 20,000, available at Juben Wines and
Shah Wines, Mumbai)
Dom Prignon is one of the most
recognised labels in the champagne
world. Critics consider the 2004 vintage
to be exceptional. Pair with strawberries
or lobster.
Il Poggione Brunello di
Montalcino 2007, Italy (` 7,726,
available online at winekart.com)
Brunellos are among the best Italian
reds and this ones a steal at this
price. This vintage of Il Poggione has
a voluptuous mouthfeel and silky
tannins. Save for a special day.
Maison Albert Bichot, Echezeaux
Grand Cru Rouge Domaine Du Clos
Frantin 2010, France (` 23,726,
available at T3 duty free, Delhi airport)
A Burgundy Pinot Noir with red berries
on the nose and chocolate on the palate.
Pair with risotto, red meat and cheese. It
can be cellared until 2022 or even longer.
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Ruma Singh is a
lifestyle writer and
has been the only
woman president of
the Bangalore Wine
Club. She writes,
tweets and blogs
about wine, food
and travel.
Champagne Billecart-Salmon Ros,
France (` 13,620, available online at
winekart.com)
One of the worlds top ros champagnes,
this has touches of citrus and raspberry
on the palate and a mouthwatering
nish. Perfect as an aperitif, or with
smoked salmon and sushi.
Chteau Cos dEstournel 2007, 2eme
Cru Class, France (` 29,145 onwards,
available at Drops, Bengaluru)
Many Bordeaux are terribly pricey,
but some gems, like the opulent Cos
dEstournel, are relatively less expensive.
Pair with steak, veal and lamb. Can be
cellared until 2040.
Champagne Bollinger Grande Anne
2002, France (` 15,359 onwards,
available at Buddy Retail, T3 duty free,
Delhi airport)
This strong, condent champagne
from Bollinger has peach, apricot and
toast on the palate with a long nish.
Pair with lobster, veal and cheese.
STARTERS, SNACKS AND SOUPS
40 Broad beans and feta
cheese toasts
145 Horn of plenty soup
94 Lobster bisque
106 Patatas bravas
14 Sherried pumpkin
soup
38 Spiced lentil and
ginger soup
MAINS
Egg
102 Baked pancakes with
spinach, cream and
gruyre
35 Mini spinach and
cottage cheese
frittatas
70 Potato and green
garlic ravioli with
fava beans
Meat
147 Cabbage rolls
14 Cheats pancetta and
arugula risotto
28 Pasta e fagioli
35 Pasta with ham and
minty pea pesto
34 Pork schnitzel with
garlicky green beans
124 Shahi gilawat ke
kebab
14 Sherried chicken and
ham bake
Poultry
116 Angry chicken
33 Budin Azteca
110 Chicken Zodiac
130 Creamy chicken in
coriander-avoured
yoghurt and cashew
curry
90 Crispy skin duck with
plum sauce
39 Paprika chicken
ciabattas
14 Sticky chicken with
sherry and dates
38 Thai shredded
chicken and bean
salad
Fish and seafood
44 Crunchy sh ngers
59 Jal pari pulao
84 John Dory seared
in Indian pastry with
pearl onion, pumpkin
and lentil curry
86 Meen kulambu
64 Nonna Fangittas
tuna
29 Rawas with mustard
and caper sauce
68 Vegetable Thai
red curry
Vegetarian
98 Asparagus biryani
75 Beetroot and plums
35 Black bean
chimichurri salad
24 Cauliower
vinaigrette
118 Eggplants in a north-
south sauce
74 Forever beets and
lacto plums
42 Fresh tomato and
zucchini penne
30 Halloumi and
roasted red pepper
stacks
80 Khandvi ravioli
36 Linguine with fresh
puttanesca sauce
41 Moroccan roasted
vegetables with
tahini dressing
96 Risotto con funghi misti
31 Sichuan pepper
noodles
43 Spiced chickpea and
potato fry-up
32 Vegetable jalfrezi
24 Warm cauliower salad
7 Watermelon rind gravy
SIDES AND SAUCES
120 Apple and muscatel
compote
52 Bourbon sauce
120 Calvados syrup
30 Chilli jam
38 Coconut dressing
102 Cream and cheese
sauce
80 Garam masala cream
sauce
107 Garlic aioli
30 Hummus
151 Kalamata olive
tapenade
147 Lingonberry
compote
90 Plum sauce
147 Pumpkin pure
110 Shallot jus
107 Spicy tomato sauce
116 Spicy yoghurt
marinade
151 Sundried tomato and
cashew pesto
DESSERTS, BREAKFASTS AND
BAKING
49 Aatoon cheesecake
147 Apple pie
120 Baba au calva
151 Cheese and chilli
straws
76 Frangelico tiramisu
48 Imarti with coconut
ice cream
52 Kala jamun bread
pudding
48 Lemongrass panna
cotta kheer
60 Lemon tart
53 Motichoor and
cardamom mousse
151 Oatmeal cookies
50 Ras malai and
saffron mousse with
pistachio sponge
51 Shrikhand red velvet
sponge
112 Torta di cioccolato
JAIN
13 Almond and coffee
brittle
126 Amrud rni
13 Cashew and kafr
lime brittle
48 Kheer
13 Oats, sesame seed
and axseeds brittle
26 Orange rind and
cinnamon-scented
panjeeri
13 Peanut and smoked
paprika brittle
151 Peanut butter
cookies
13 Pistachio and rose
petals brittle
104 Tarte tatin
13 Walnut, cranberry
and orange brittle
DRINKS
25 Bloody Mary
25 Margarita
25 Mojito
25 Tom Collins
15 Winter Pimms punch
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Recipe index VEGETARIAN READY UNDER 30 MINUTES LOW FAT
13
Framroze Court, Phalke Road,

Dadar (E)
Tel: +91 22 2415 5017
Sant
Shop 1, Sahina Apartments,
Pali Market,
Bandra (W)
Tel: +91 22 4006 0020
Saria Stove Depot
26, Lohar Chawl, Kalbadevi
Tel: +91 22 2208 2314
Spencers HyperMarket
1406A/28A, Malad (W)
Tel: +91 22 4268 6130
Tutto Bene Delicatessen
Spencers Hyper Market,
Ground oor, Located in
Inorbit Mall, Malad (W)
Tel: +91 98234 85988
PUNE
Dorabjee & Co Pvt Ltd
B-1, Moledina Road, Camp Cantonment
Tel: +91 20 2605 2883
Natures Basket
Mansur Ali Tower,

3, Galaxy Society,
Max Mueller Lane,
Dhole Patil Road
Tel: +91 20 2616 0540
Shop No. 155/1A, Kumar Crystal

Aundh
Tel: +91 20 2588 9530
Providore
GF 104, Anand Park, Baner
Road, Aundh
Tel: +91 20 6560 1551
Tutto Bene Delicatessen

Shop 1, Princeton Flair,
Lane 8, Koregaon Park
Tel: +91 20 6607 7193

G 14 Sacred World Mall, Wanowrie
Tel: +91 20 2680 6933
Gourmet Websites
Farm2kitchen
farm2kitchen.com
Foodesto
foodesto.com
Gourmet Company
gourmetco.in
Houseproud
houseproud.in
Local Banya
localbanya.com
Olive Tree Trading
olivetreetrading.com
Pesca Fresh
pescafresh.com
Zansaar
zansaar.com
MUMBAI
Country of Origin
Maneesha Building, 69/A, Napean Sea
Road, Malabar Hill
Tel: +91 22 2364 2221
Dolce Vita
Ground oor, Grand Galleria, High
Street Phoenix, Phoenix Mills,
Lower Parel
Tel: +91 22 2496 4307
Food Bazaar
Innity Mall, Raheja Classic,
New Link Road, Andheri (W)
Tel: +91 22 6758 3090
Foodhall
Palladium, High Street Phoenix,
Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel
Tel: +91 22 3026 4581
Garden Fresh
391/7, Circle House, Bhaudaji Road,
Kings Circle, Matunga
Tel: + 91 22 2403 5345
Gourmet West
Westside, Army and Navy Building,
148 MG Road, Kala Ghoda
Tel: +91 22 6636 0499
Hypercity
Ground Floor, Malad (W)
Tel: +91 22 4050 1300
Lallu & brothers
Shop 1&2, Pali Market,
Pali Hill Road, Pali Hill,
Bandra (W)
Tel: +91 22 2640 9295
Natures Basket
227, Samarth Vaibhav Building,

Adarsh Nagar, Lokhandwala,
Andheri (W)
Tel: +91 22 2630 0766
Plot no. 29, 56 Hill Road,

Bandra (W)
Tel: +91 22 2642 5050
Opp. Mahalaxmi Temple ,

Warden Road, Mahalaxmi
Tel: +91 22 2352 6775
Patel stores
Near Mehboob Studio,
Krishnachandra Marg, Bandra (W)
Tel: +91 22 2655 8909
Ratna stores
Haware Parekh, Sion-Trombay Road,
Opposite Union Park, Chembur
Tel: +91 22 2520 3389
Regal Plus
1, Lourdes Haven,
10/A, Pali Naka,
Bandra (W)
Tel: + 91 22 2604 1204/ 2604 1208/
2646 5070
Reliance Fresh
Crystal Paradise Mall, DuttaJi

Salavi Road, Off Veera Desai Road,
Opp. Janaki Centre, Link Road,
Andheri (W)
Tel: +91 22 2674 3750
BENGALURU
Foodhall
1, MG Mall, 4th oor,
Trinity Circle, Opposite Vivanta
by Taj, Ulsoor
Tel: +91 80 2208 6533
Foodworld Gourmet
No 88, Shariff Bhatia Towers,
MG Road
Tel: +91 80 4147 4789
Natures Basket
755, 80 Foot Road, 4th Block, Next to
Costa Coffee, Koramangala
Tel: +91 80 4131 7401
CHENNAI
Amma Nana
Chamiers Road, opp Park Sheraton
Hotel, Nandanam
Tel: +91 44 2435 0596
Mercado
64, Rukmani Road, Kalakshetra
Colony, Besant Nagar
Tel: +91 44 2817 3965
Nuts n Spices
75, Mahatma Gandhi Road,
Nungambakkam
Tel: +91 44 2826 8180, 4203 9351
HYDERABAD
Natures Basket
Urmila Towers, Road No. 10,
Opp. Rainbow Hospital, Banjara Hills
Tel: +91 40 2335 5399
NEW DELHI
A- Mart
A-1, Mahipalpur Extension, NH-8
Tel: +91 11 2678 9999
Ahuja Vegetable Store
Shop 37, INA Market
Tel: +91 11 2464 4116
Allied Fruits and Florists
58-B, Khan Market, Lodhi Road
Tel: +91 11 2464 2509
Ashok General Store
113, Main Market, Opposite Dilli Haat,
INA Market
Tel: +91 11 2461 7561
Dubden Green
4-A, Near Electric Sub Station,
Shahpur Jat
Tel: +91 11 3290 5310,
+91 98101 31343
Flanders Dairy The Cheese Ball
31 Meharchand Market, Lodhi Road
Tel: +91 11 2465 3789
Foodhall
DLF Promenade, 1st oor, Vasant Kunj
Tel: +91 11 4532 9620
Fortune Gourmet
144/9, Ground oor, Kishangarh,
Vasant Kunj
Tel: +91 11 6564 2270/ 98688 99956
Gogias
280, Main road, INA Market
Tel: +91 11 2462 4809/ 2464 4618
INA Market
Aurobindo Marg, INA Colony, Opposite
Dilli Haat
Le Marche
58, Basant Lok, Vasant Vihar,
Near Priya Cinema
Tel: +91 11 4323 2100/4166 9111
Masters Bakers
G-33, Usha Chambers, Community
Centre, Ashok Vihar
Tel: +91 11 2741 9061/ 2743 0734
Modern Bazaar
18-B, Community Centre, Basant Lok,
Vasant Vihar
Tel: +91 11 4166 9777
Natures Basket

Ground oor, D /15,
Between BP Petrol Pump
and Defence Colony yover
Tel: +91 11 4669 8777

46, Basant Lok, Vasant Vihar,
Ground oor & basement
Tel: +91 11 4057 1919
Palkit Impex
C-82, Basement, Shivalik,
Malviya Nagar
Tel: +91 11 2667 3437
Passion Cheese
Select Citywalk Mall,
District Centre, Saket
Tel: +91 11 4059 9916
Pigpo
9 Jor Bagh Market
Tel: +91 11 2461 1723/ 2462 6930
Steak House
13/8 Jor Bagh Market
Tel: +91 11 2461 1008/ 2461 1129
The French Farmer
Tel: Call Roger Langbour
+91 98101 66196, +91 11 2635 9701
Yamato Ya The Japanese Store
B-6/9, Safdarjung Enclave,
Near Deer Park
Tel: +91 11 4165 0164
GURGAON
Kims Mart
DT Mega Mall, LG 36, Gurgaon
Tel: +91 124 256 2189
Natures Basket
S-201, 2nd oor,
Ambience Mall,
Ambience Island, NH-8
Tel: +91 124 466 5753
KOLKATA
Afraa Deli
City Centre, Salt Lake
Tel: +91 33 2358 1111
Gourmet Gallery
27/9C, Chandi Ghosh Road,
Regent Park
Tel: +91 33 2381 8510
Where to find everything from saffron to Sichuan peppers Shop talk
spotlight
nimrat kaur
Nimrat Kaur
What is your earliest food memory?
My earliest food memories revolve
around all the food prepared by my
dadi. She used to make the best churi
pieces of makki ki roti, crumbled along
with warm jaggery and a dollop of
pure ghee.
How often do you cook?
I hardly ever cook nowadays, I must
admit. My hectic schedule keeps me
busy so I tend to eat out very often.
However I do make breakfast for myself.
What is the most prized kitchen tool
you own?
My cappuccino machine. The gadget is
best used to make the foamed milk for
a mug of frothy cappuccino.
Whats your cooking style relaxed
and easy or kitchen Nazi?
Extremely relaxed and laidback. But I
am very particular about my kitchen
counter it has to be spotlessly clean
at all times. I cannot stand a chaotic,
messy kitchen.
One dish youll never touch?
I am always open to experimenting
with food. I would try all kinds of food,
so there isnt any particular dish I
wouldnt touch.
Your dream party guest list would
include...
Anthony Bourdain, denitely! Id also
invite my mother, George Clooney
Nimrat Kaurs been making waves with her recent film, the much
acclaimed The Lunchbox. The 31-year-old began her career as a
theatre artiste in 2009, acting in plays such as All About Women,
Baghdad Wedding and Red Sparrow, and went on to star in a slew of
TV commercials and an indie film called Peddlers. Here, she tells us
about her fondness for simple, home-cooked food and the dishes
shed love to see in her lunchbox
My life on a plate
and Meryl Streep. While Bourdain
would chat with my mother, Id make
conversation with George Clooney and
get him drunk as Meryl Streep watches.
If you had to cook a romantic meal,
what would be on the menu?
Lots and lots of love!
Your most beloved restaurant?
It has to be 5 The Restaurant
in Santacruz in Mumbai. Its
unpretentious, but serves delicious
Italian and Continental food.
If you had to spend a day with any
one chef, who would it be?
Anthony Bourdain, hands down! Ive
read his books too.
Your pet culinary peeve?
I despise peeling garlic.
During the filming of The Lunchbox,
which dishes in the dabba were your
favourites?
This is a tough one. Well, Id pick the
little aubergines and perhaps the
stuffed karela, tied with strings and
then fried to perfection.
What is your signature dish?
Rajma. Ive mastered cooking it on my
own, though the recipe is my nanis.
Whats in your ideal lunchbox?
Lots of homemade food my beloved
boondi raita, nanis rajma, my mothers
mutton biryani and some chilled
sevaiyyan loaded with dry fruit.
Your favourite food moment from a
movie?
The scene from Chocolat where
Juliette Binoche, who runs a chocolate
shop, offers a cup of hot chocolate to
Johnny Depp, whom she meets after a
year. He smiles and tells her she nally
guessed his favourite chocolate.
My ideal lunchbox would include
boondi raita, nanis rajma, my
mothers mutton biryani and some
chilled sevaiyyan
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Nimrat Kaur loves her
mothers mutton biryani

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estyle journalist. She has worked with

Mid Day and y Conde

, and her articles have appeared in Vogue,

and l Femina. Pednekars rst book, Strike@36, a

a culinary tour of Finland in Eat Like a Local on p 145.

the acclaimed lm, The Lunchbox. Kaur, who has appeared

in several television commercials, is best recognised as the

Cadbury advertisement. She serves up details on her passi

for food in My Life on a Plate on p 156.

currently working on her next one. Mascarenhas, who

s compiled the Goa edition of the

Times Food Guide,

preserve the states authentic recipes. She reminisces

about Calangutes landmark eatery, Infantaria, on p 140.

comedy by organising frequent shows in India, and also

Framroze Court, Phalke Road,

Mansur Ali Tower,

Shop No. 155/1A, Kumar Crystal

227, Samarth Vaibhav Building,

Plot no. 29, 56 Hill Road,

Opp. Mahalaxmi Temple ,

Crystal Paradise Mall, DuttaJi

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