MANISH MEHROTRA

INDIAN ACCENT NEW DELHI & NEW YORK

Named as the most exciting modern Indian chef in the world today, Manish Mehrotra reinterprets nostalgic Indian dishes with an openness towards global techniques and influences. He offers an inventive approach to Indian cuisine at Indian Accent both in New Delhi and New York. Passionate about his craft, his knowledge of ingredients and their origins is immense, Manish is an inspiration to aspiring young chefs today. Winning several awards including being the only restaurant from India on the World’s 100 Best list since 2015, and every years since 2015 the Best Restaurant in India by Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, Indian Accent is also part of the Time Magazine, 100 Great Destinations in the World.

MUSTARD OIL FRIED SAUSAGE AND BENGALI RICE KITSCHREE

In my opinion, khichdi (or as we call it in Indian Accent, kitschree) is a complete dish, perfectly combining two basic ingredients— rice and dal. It is, or was, India’s comfort food, long before Maggi noodles arrived on our shores. Every community has its own khichdi recipe, but the two basic ingredients do not change. A dish that for too long has been confined to the home kitchen in India, it has been introduced by Indian chefs in London on restaurant menus in modern avatars (kedgeree). In the Indian Accent version, we have created a ‘non-vegetarian kitschree’ by adding the sausage to the traditional dish.

INGREDIENTS Masala mash fritters Rice

75g gobindo bhog rice / 150ml water / 1 tbsp ghee salt for seasoning

Method

Wash the rice at twice, place it in a bowl and cover the rice with just enough water and let it soak for 30 minutes. Boil the rice with ghee and salt. Drain the water, and keep the cooked rice aside.

Dal

60g moong dal, boiled / 150ml water / ¼tsp turmeric powder / salt for seasoning

Method

Boil the moong dal with a little turmeric and salt. The finished dal should not be too thick or too runny. Keep the boiled dal aside.

Kitsch-ree

2 tsp ghee / ½ tsp cumin seeds / 1tsp ginger, chopped ½ tsp garlic, chopped / ½ tsp green chillies, chopped 2tsp tomatoes, deseeded and chopped / ¼ tsp red chilli powder / 2 tsp masala gravy / ½tsp turmeric powder / ¼ tsp garam masala powder / ½ tsp coriander leaves, chopped / 2 tsp salted butter salt for seasoning

Method

Heat ghee in a pan, add cumin seeds and allow it to crackle. Add the chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies. Fry it for a while. Add the masala gravy, chopped tomatoes, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and salt. Pour in the boiled moong dal and add the cooked rice. Mix well and allow it to simmer. Add a little water if you find the khichdi becomes too thick. The finished khichdi should be creamy and runny in consistency. Finish with butter and fresh chopped coriander.

Sausage

1 sausage / ½ tsp mustard oil / 1 tsp raw mango pickle / 2 tsp masala gravy / ½ tsp lime juice

Method

Make closely spaced gashes that penetrate the skin of the sausage. This will prevent the skin from curling when the sausage is cooked. Remove the pith from the mango pieces in the pickle. Purée the mango pickle in a blender and strain to make a smooth paste. Heat mustard oil in a frying pan, add the masala gravy and add the mango pickle paste, let it fry for a while. Toss the sausage into the pan. You can use either whole sausages or cut them into pieces, depending on your preference. Cook till the sausage is done. Finish with lime juice.

Garnish

Roasted papad

Serving

Spoon the kitsch-ree into a pasta bowl, or on to a plate. Place the sausage on top, with masala mash fritters on the side. Garnish with roasted papad of your choice.