2 minute read
NITATI RAO
NIYATI RAO
MUMBAI
Born and raised in the dream city of Mumbai, India, Niyati Rao was privileged to have the opportunity to travel and be exposed to many different cultures of the world. She was a very curious child who had a natural inclination toward art, literature, and history. Throughout her youth, she simply loved painting and cooking elaborate family meals with her mother, who is a “brilliant cook.” It is safe to say that this is where she found her calling. However, it was simply her hard work that drove her to secure acceptance at IHM Mumbai, a top hotel management institute in India. In her last year of study, she was chosen by the Taj Group of hotels for a prestigious two-year culinary management training program. At the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai, she had the fortune to work at the prestigious French fine dining restaurant, The Zodiac Grill, but ultimately moved on to fulfill her goal of becoming one of the chefs at Wasabi by Morimoto. After experiencing her next opportunity, to work alongside Hemant Oberoi as a sous chef, she was off to what many believe to be the current culinary capital of the world, Spain. Here, she was trained at Azurmendi by Aneko Axta—the three Michelin star restaurant. Coming from a family of gastronomes where everything revolved around food, her cuisine is inspired by her life, memories, and people with whom she has interacted. It is designed to trigger memories of a time, place, or person.
NORI BUTTER BABY LOBSTER TAILS AND GREEN MANGO SALSA WITH PHALSA BERRY GRANITA
INGREDIENTS
3 lobster tails 40g butter 2g nori 15ml cooking sake 10g muskmelon 20g raw mango 10g green tomatoes 10g fresh palm heart 10g white onions 5g cane sugar ¼ tsp salt ½ tbsp sesame oil
Phalsa granite
80g phalsa berries 25ml orange juice 1 green lime ¼ tsp black salt 1 tbsp sugar
Method
Obtain lobster tails by peeling the blanched whole lobsters with shell and cooling in an ice bath. Keep aside. Heat the butter and add the cut strips of nori let it heat slowly, let the butter brown set aside overnight. Remove and strain the butter from the nori. Cut small cubes of the mango, green tomato, sweet white onion and the fresh palm heart. Toss all together in some salt, cane sugar and toasted sesame oil. Can squeeze some lemon juice as well. Blend the phalsa berries, orange juice, green lime juice, black salt and sugar. Strain this mixture, lay on a tray and freeze, with a fork every 20 minutes keep stirring this mixture to make the granita. Store in a container. To assemble lightly poach the lobster tails in the nori butter and splash with sake in the end, serve on the chilled salsa with fresh muskmelon discs. Add some chilly oil on the side for the extra hit (optional) Serve with the phalsa granita separately. This is a dish dedicated to the tropical summer. With all the ingredients only available in these few weeks of the season, to bring something fresh, cooling and vibrant. With notes of fruitiness. Like a day at the beach.
