THE GREAT INDIAN KHICHDI

INDIAN

THE

KHICHDI

UDDIPAN CHAKRAVARTHY

RAHUL KARVE

PALASH MITRA

YUGAL KISHOR

PRASHANT CHIPKAR

NIGEL LOBO

SANJAY THAKUR

VIPUL GUPTA

YASH PATEL

NAREN THIMMAIAH

SADAB QURESHI

ASHWANI PATHANIA

ALTAMSH PATEL

SANDEEP GOUNIYAL

JOMON KURIAKOSE

AKSHAY BATRA

SUJAN SARKAR

SHIV NEGI

JAVED AHAMAD

SACHIN MALIK

VARUN KINGER

GANESH

PADDY RAWAL

SHRUTIKA KOLI

MANOJ SHARMA SWETHA KODE

SABEEN FAREED

ABHISHEK GUPTA

AVINASH MARTINS BOBBY GEETHA

MANISH MEHROTRA

ROHIT GHAI

MANPREET DHODY

TRISHA SINGH HENAULT

AMAL FAROOQUE

ALFRED PRASAD

JERSON FERNANDES

JOEL BASUMATARI

VIKESH SINGH

PRADEEP KHULLAR

DANE FERNANDES

MANAV TULI

ANUP PAWAR

KASHMIRI BARKAKATI

NATH

AJAY NEGI

JITIN JOSHI

LOKI MADIREDDI

HUSSAIN SHAHZAD

SAMEER TANEJA

AVIN THALIATH

We begin to speak most when a person so very dear is no longer with us, yet during life, we tend to overlook the achievements and the profound differences the person has made in people’s lives.

You touched the hearts of many, will miss you and your brilliant cuisine.

“one of the most ancient foods in India, yet one that has hardly changed.” - Mohsina Mukadam

Author: Flavel Monteiro

Text © 2022 Flavel Monteiro

Photo Credits - All photographs are copyright

Cover Design & Image: ©Flavel Monteiro and Manav Tuli

Introduction: Edouard Cointreau, Sunjeh Raja, Preet Sanghvi and Priyadarshini Chatterjee

Commissioning Editor: Fabian deCastro

Editorial: Maria Aquino

Design: IZZY and WG

Picture Editor: IZZY Media FZ-LLC

Content Creator: IZZY Media FZ-LLC and WG Magazines

Published by:

izzy

IZZY Publishing Pvt. Ltd. www.wgmagazines.com

Copyright © IZZY Publishing Pvt Ltd. 2022.

IZZY Media FZ-LLC and the author has asserted its right under the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Dine . Feed . Educate

Marking the World Food Day, which is celebrated globally on October 16th each year, Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), and award-winning author Flavel Monteiro, have jointly launched the “Dine. Feed. Educate” initiative to raise funds in support of the education of underprivileged children globally.

Dine. Feed. Educate initiative will feature 7 unique dishes in honor of the UAE’s 7 emirates that are prepared by renowned chefs from 7 restaurants across Dubai.

By ordering the special dish that is curated exclusively for this initiative you will bring hope for a better future for children, their families and their entire community.

Proceeds from the initiative will be directed toward Dubai Cares’ school feeding programs.

ARE YOU READY TO DINE, FEED, EDUCATE?

the iconic one-pot dish

Indian cuisine is all about simplicity. Khichdi is the ultimate culinary celebration of Indian comfort food. In the Hindu culture, it is one of the first solid foods that babies eat. Coming from the Sanskrit word Khiccha, this gastronomic experience showcases rice and lentils in a perfect mix with spices that reflect the culinary history and culture of this iconic one-pot-dish found in kitchens all over India.

The Great Indian Khichdi is a gastronomic journey that will fill your palate with taste sensations from India, from savoury richness to a burst of sweetness; enhanced flavours and aromas provide a sensation of richness and taste. Flavours change from state to state and include variations like Bajra and Moong Khichdi. The Gujarati version is a bowl of lightly spiced kadhi curry. In Karnataka, it is Bisi Bele Bhat, and Ven Pongal is the version in Tamil Nadu. In Himachal Pradesh, this rice dal variation comes with chickpeas and kidney beans. In Bengal there are versions of the traditional khichuri, such as Malai Bhuni Khichuri, Bhog’er Khichuri, Til Khichuri, Khejurer Khichuri and Niramish Khichuri, especially during Durga Puja. A non-vegetarian Keema (minced meat) Khichdi from Andhra Pradesh. Kolmi Ni Khichdi and Bharuchi Vaghareli Khichdi were the Parsis culinary interpretations of khichdi. Khichdi was also the inspiration for the classic Anglo-Indian breakfast dish Kedgeree.

Beyond these first pages, the epigraph and introduction by Edouard Cointreau, Sunjeh Raja, Preet Sanghvi and Priyadarshini Chatterjee. Fifty of the finest culinary professionals from North America to Australia with their take on this humble dish—Manish Mehrotra, Manav Tuli, Alfred Prasad, Rohit Ghai, Sameer Taneja, Amal Farooque, Manpreet Dhody, Shrutika Koli, Swetha Kode, Trisha Singh Henault, Sabeen Fareed, Kashmiri Barkakati Nath, Abhishek Gupta, Ajay Negi, Akshay Batra, Anup Pawar, Ashwani Pathania, Avin Thaliath, Avinash Martins, Bobby Geetha, Dane Fernandes, Hussain Shahzad, Javed Ahamad, Jerson Fernandes, Jitin Joshi, Joel Basumatari, Jomon Kuriakose, Loki Madireddi, Manoj Sharma, Naren Thimmaiah, Ganesh Moolya, Nigel Lobo, Paddy Rawal, Palash Mitra, Pradeep Khullar, Prashant Chipkar, Rahul Karve, Sachin Malik, Sadab Qureshi, Sandeep Gouniyal, Sanjay Thakur, Shiv Negi, Surjan Sarkar, Uddipan Chakravarthy, Varun Kinger, Vikesh Singh, Vipul Gupta, Yash Patel and Yugal Kishor – thank you!

Like to also thank my editorial and creative teams at IZZY and WG. - Flavel Monteiro

“Khichdi is the ultimate comfort food. When I was a graduate student in the US, the Indian students shared their Khichdi with us. It was the best food we had at the time, and we really looked forward to it. It also introduced many of us to quality vegetarian food. I remember the Indians came from India, Singapore, Uganda, and the UK, and they all had the same Khichdi culture. So this book about Khichdi revives really wonderful memories. ”

- Edouard Cointreau

Founder and President - Gourmand World Cookbook Awards

Foods often mirror the history and culture of the country where they were first created, and the popular Khichdi is no exception. In fact, historically, this dish holds the unique position of being one of the most ancient foods in India, yet one that has hardly changed over time.

Growing up, I remember relishing a fiery version of this mellow dish from the south of India: The Bisi Bele Huli Anna with its delectable trimmings of tamarind, jaggery, seasonal veggies, curry leaves, dried coconut, and kapok buds. It is a hot favourite, especially during cold rainy afternoons. The aroma, the flavour, and the bite of spices coupled with the tanginess of tamarind make it a wholesome palate pleaser.

Such is the power of this comfort food that it takes you down memory lane every time you sample it. A take on this fragrant potpourri of rice, lentils, and spices laced with ghee that can be found in Kitchens all over India in its various avatars.

We promise you that even though you may have your own favourite Khichdi version; these dishes will certainly tantalize your taste buds!

- Sunjeh Raja Director and CEO - ICCA

KHICHDI ALAG PAKANA”

On any given day, whether I am joyous or gloomy or simply bored and I think of a companion who is in a way comforting, adjusting, omnipresent and at the same time wholesome, there is no better comparison than the one-pot dish of Khichdi. A simple no-brainer of rice and lentils, add in some masala or veggies, pair it with yoghurt or pickles and this mix is comfort and taste in a bowl.

Indian food is an amalgamation of varied cultures and diversity over the history and comfort food like khichdi holds a special place in our hearts. This ancient yet simplistic dish made out of rice and pulses has many versions of it around the nation, making it one of the most ubiquitous yet underrated dishes of our nation. And why so? May it be a helpless householder a peasant, to babies, a chef or a student overseas who is simply missing home to even our prime minister, our humble khichdi and its varied versions are enjoyed by us all. As we travel across the continent, we find every region having its take on it with different permutations and combinations but still bursting with comforting flavours.

The most interesting thing about khichdi is that every kitchen has its special way of making it and somehow it tastes different in every household. “What pasta is to Italians, Khichdi is to Indians.”

The statement ‘unity in diversity holds for khichdi because, in my opinion, it has no religion. It is enjoyed by the rich and poor, across all castes and cultures in the country, slicing through our deep divides of caste, class and religion.

This risotto of India has so many versions of it both sweet and savoury, that it truly is our gastronomic and culinary soul food. Most Indians will enjoy their share of modern food and dining but at the end of it, come back to their bowl of Khichdi which shouts home to them! While a few years ago if someone asked me for Khichdi, I judged that either the person was sick, having a troubled stomach or someone going on a food detox after some heavy meals over the past few days.

However, this underrated and boring staple is now being modernized and made exciting all around India and the world with our chefs’ different takes on it. So much more, we find live ‘Khichdi’ stations at weddings and events. Just like ‘curry’ has different takes on it around the world, it will be interesting to see how this superfood can be showcased around the world with a fusion of flavours while retaining the core ingredients and philosophy.

Needless to say, the popular Indian saying ‘Apni khichdi alag pakana’- meaning to each their own, holds true in the case of Khichdi for us Indians.

- Preet Sanghvi

THE PORRIDGE OF POSSIBILITIES

- Priyadarshini Chatterjee

Few things can match the warm comfort of a bowl of creamy khichditopped with a generous swirl of ghee. At its simplest, this quintessentially Indian porridge made with rice, lentils and a few spices, is a minimalist, one-pot wonder that makes for a quick, hassle-free but nourishing meal – perfect for busy weeknights or whenever cooking an elaborate meal is out of the question. It is almost as if Khichdi was invented for the fast-paced, modern, urban lifestyle. But khichdihas been around for eons.

Khichdi descended from the ancient Krśarā mentioned in classical Indian texts. An early iteration of the dish, found in the Sushruta Samhita, one of the foundational texts of Ayurveda composed around 7-6th century BC, is made with tandula or rice, and tila or sesame seeds, cooked together and seasoned simply with saindhava lavana or rock salt. The text also mentions an offering of rice and mudga pulse (moong or green gram), cooked together, and offered to propitiate presiding deities of diseases like the goddess Sita-putana. Over time it is this dish of rice and green gram that came to be called Krsara. The 7thcentury physician Vagbhata’s medical treatise Ashtanga Hrdayam recommends Krsara prepared by boiling equal parts of rice and green gram along with salt, ginger and hingu (asafoetida) in 4 times the water for instant oleation.

The dish is not an arbitrary hotchpotch of ingredients but a carefully constructed recipe, rooted in the principles of Ayurvedic pharmacology and materia medica and Ayurveda’s emphasis on pathyaor therapeutic food that’s wholesome and beneficial to the body. The nutraceutical properties of rice and green gram have been extensively extolled in Ayurveda, and these grains are listed in ancient texts as foods that must be consumed regularly. Spices like ginger and asafoetida are, on the other hand, known for their digestive and anti-flatulent properties. Loaded with nutrition and fortified with curative spices, Khichdi is a perfectly balanced meal fashioned to heal and rejuvenate the body.

The Buddha himself, is said to have been treated with a gruel of rice, sesame and green gram when suffering from udaravata or abdominal wind. The Vinaya Pitaka, a section of the Buddhist canonical Tipitaka, mentions a dish called tekatula yagu made with three kinds of grains – tila, tandula and lentils like mugga (green gram), masa (black gram) or kulatha (horsegram), typically spiced with three katuor pungent substances including ginger and two kinds of pepper. Elsewhere in Vinaya Pitaka a variation of the dish calls for cooking the three grains in milk along with ghee, honey and molasses.

Around the third century BC, Chanakya, the legendary ancient Indian polymath, also wrote that the meal of a gentleman consisted of “one prastha of pure rice, prastha of lentils, 1/62 prastha of salt and 1/16 of clarified butter”. Even if it’s not clear if the ingredients were cooked together, it is indeed a possibility.

Over centuries, traders and travelers who came to the subcontinent – be it the 11thcentury Iranian scholar Abu Rayhan al-Biruni or Jean Baptiste Tavernier, the French jewel merchant who visited India 6 times between 1640 and 1685 – have noted khichdi’s ubiquity on the common Indian’s table. While Tavernier called khichdi a

popular evening meal among poor famers, Ibn Batuta, the Moroccan traveler who visited India three centuries earlier, wrote in his accounts, “Munj is boiled with rice, then buttered and eaten. This is what they call Kishri, and on this they breakfast every day.” Russia’s Afanassy Nikitin who documented his travels along the West Coast of 15thcentury India mentions in his writing, albeit with a hint of astonishment, that even horses were fed khichdi made with sugar and ghee in this land.

But khichdi was not only food for the masses – kings and emperors too relied on its restorative properties. The dish was particularly treasured in the royal kitchens of the subcontinent’s Muslim dynasties. From Delhi’s Sultans to Mughal Badshahs, everyone made khichdi a part of their diet. In an account of the adversities endured by Sultan Firuz Shah Tughluq’s army during their retreat from battle through the Rann of Cutch, Shams-i-Siraj Afif’s, the author of Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi, wrote “By the great God, said Sultan Firuz, of things which can be used as food we possess nothing today except one ser of khichri which has been brought for (the young prince) Fath Khan from the house of Bashira.”

Khichdi is a great leveler really, its nourishing succor sought by the rich and poor, kings and peasants alike. Of course, in the subcontinent’s royal kitchens the humble khichdi often received an opulent update with the addition of luxurious ingredients like expensive aromatic spices, saffron, dried fruits and nuts, fresh cream, different kinds of meat and seasonal vegetables.

The Ni’matnama, a quirky book of recondite recipes for food and fragrances, compiled by the Sultans of Mandu, Ghiyath Shah and his son Nasir Shah in the 15thcentury feature khichdi flavoured with fenugreek, cooked in ghee with ground Karhari nuts or flavoured with the juice of preserved fresh ginger and preserved basnuta (linum strictum) flowers.

Mughal Emperor Akbar is said to have a soft spot for an unctuous khichdi prepared with equal measurements of rice, lentils and ghee, while his son Jahangir’s favourite dish, writes KT Achaya in his book The Story of our Food was the “lazizan, which was enriched with ghee, pistachios, raisins and spices.” The 17thcentury text khulāsat-i mākūlāt u mashrūbātfeatures a recipe for slow-cooked khichdi of rice and moong dal cooked in ghee and spiced with fried garlic, onion rings, fresh ginger and aromatic spices like cumin and cinnamon to give the dish a fine dining update. The simple Khichdi earned permanent spot in Aurangzeb’s austere diet – perked up with dry fruits and nuts, Aurangzeb’s favourite khichdi came to be known as Alamgir. Interestingly, royal presents comprising a mixture of gold and silver coins, (perhaps representing lentils and rice respectively) with all kinds of precious stones and pearls came to be called Khichdi in the Mughal court.

A particularly extravagant rendition of the dish was prepared at the dastarkhwan of Nasir-ud-din Shah, erstwhile king of Oudh. Awadh’s chefs were famous for their riddle dishes and one such dish trumped up by Nasir-ud-din’s ingenious khansamas was a decadent, khichdi made entirely of almonds and pistachios, adroitly sliced to mimic grains of rice and lentils respectively, and cooked on a leisurely flame in equal or double the amount of ghee.

British colonists too were quick to develop a taste for khichdi. However, in the memsahibs’ kitchens where Indian and Western mingled to create a hybrid cuisine, the dish soon morphed into the fabled Kedgeree - a quirky medley of rice, lentils, flaked fish and boiled eggs jazzed with butter, cream and curry powder. Kedgeree is undoubtedly one of the most iconic dishes born out of the Anglo-Indian encounter, and is said to have been a favourite of Queen Victoria too.

In fact, what makes Khichdi a worthy representative of Indian food, is not only it antiquity or popularity, but its ability to absorb diverse influences, ingredients and flavours, whims and fancies, constantly evolve to suit varied palates and remain richer for it – quite like the land it belongs to.

Khichdi might have started out as convalescent fare or humble everyday food, but over the course of its journey spanning millennia, it morphed into a whole culinary genre steeped in diversity. There’s no one way to make Khichdi - it has the range of a soprano. It could come in varied textures and consistencies, be minimalist or opulent, mildly flavoured or boldly spiced, chockful with vegetables or laden with meat. It could be an innocuous sickbed gruel and morph into a sapid, luxurious delicacy the other. Khichdi is a veritable shapeshifter – a porridge of a million possibilities!

Across the country, every region has its distinctive iterations of the rice and lentil dish –from the Gujarati Panchmela khichdi made with a mix of five lentils to Karnataka’s Bisi belle Bhaat with a motley crew of vegetables and flavoured with a complex blend of spices, Maharashtra’s piquant valchi khichdi made with val of field beans, and finished

with a garnish of roasted groundnuts and grated coconut to the meat-laden sola khichdi enriched with fresh creams and spices from the Bohra community of Surat. Besides, there are other hyperlocal versions of the dish that don’t stick to the rice and lentil template either. Take for instance Northern Karnataka Kusubi huggi, a savoury porridge made with the rice and seeds of safflowers or the asur khichdi made with rice and dried mahua flowers pounded into coarse flour, an Adivasi specialty from the Chhotanagpur region. There is khichdi made with millets or broken wheat, and khichdi that have neither rice nor lentils like the Sabudana khichdi, a deeply savoury dish made with sago pearls, peanuts and spices and often eaten during Hindu religious fasts.

In fact, Khichdi’s significance in the country’s culinary culture is also confirmed by its place in the country’s temple cuisine and ritualistic food that’s entrenched in ancient customs. At the famous Jagannatha Temple in Puri, in the Eastern Indian State of Odisha, khichdi or khechudi cooked in claypots, is a mandatory offering made to the deities as part of the daily Sakala Dhupa. In the Hindu month of Pausha, a particularly special khechudi is offered to Jagannatha – the turmeric-tinged Ekabarni is offered to Jagannath. It’s an elaborate dish made with rice, moong and chana daal, a curious mix of vegetables like pointed gourd, radish and teasel gourd, flavoured with ginger, cumin and the juice of indigenous limes, and enriched with freshly shredded coconut. During Durga Puja in Kolkata, thousands queue up at Puja mandaps for a ladleful of sunshineyellow Bhog’er Khichuri – typically made with fragrant, short-grained Gobindobhog rice and sona moong dal that are fried in ghee with whole aromatic spices, ginger and a hint of asafoetida and cooked to a velvety finish.

But the one festival that truly celebrates the dish, across the country, is Makar Sankranti. In Uttar Pradesh and parts of Bihar, in Northern India, Makar Sankranti is also known as Khichdi Parv when the dish is offered to the Sun God and eaten with fervour. The typical Makar Sankranti khichdi, made with rice and black gram is flavoured with warm aromatic spices like cumin, cardamom and cloves, and topped with lashings of fragrant ghee. Down South, in Tamil Nadu, Makara Sankranti coincides with Pongal which is marked with an offering of the eponymous pongal made with newly harvested rice and moong dal. In most households it is customary to make two different kinds of pongal –the ghee-soaked shakkarai pongal livened up with nuts and raisins and the savoury ven pongal tempered with mustard, ginger and asafoetida. Again, in many households in the Kangra region of Himachal Pradesh, rice and black gram khichdi fortified with the quintessential winter fruit amla or Indian gooseberries, is a Makar Sankranti essential. It is the perfect winter warmer.

In Bengal khichdi is the quintessential Monsoon food. A piping hot plate of runny khichuri of rice and masoor dal perked up with onions, paired with maamlet (Bengali omelette) or deep-fried Hilsa and an array of crunchy fritters makes for the quintessential rainyday fare in many Bengali homes. But whatever the season, a bowl of khichdi will always warm the cockled of your heart.

Abhishek Gupta has carved his experience carefully with the prestigious legendary hotel groups like Taj Hotels, the Oberoi Group, Hyatt and Marriott International. With his association with The Leela Hotels & Resorts in Goa, Jaipur, Banglore and Chennai and today he is the executive chef at The Leela Ambience Gurugram Hotel & Residences where his constant urge is to create, surprise his diners, elevate cuisines and excel each day whilst living his dream in the quest for perfection. Elevating his culinary knowledge, skills, and thinking process and making him a young talent of India, Abhishek worked at some of the finest kitchens in the world in Paris, Denmark, Dubai, Sri Lanka, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Japan, Malaysia and Italy. Worked at Noma under Rene Redzepi in Denmark and was fortunate to work with celebrated chefs like Zahie Tellez from Mexico, Juan Pablo from Peru, Ramon Salto of Spain, Adam from Poland, Austrian Dieter Lengauer and Marcus and Dirk Holscher in Germany. In 2012, Abhishek was awarded the prestigious James Beard Foundation Scholarship Award; he later went on to judge Master Chef India, Season 4 Auditions in Kolkata and New Delhi. In 2017, he was recognized as the Top Millennial Chef of India and the Best Chef in Delhi in 2018. He was listed as India’s Top 40 Chefs under 40 in 2020; and in 2022 he was awarded the Most Admired Chef. Abhishek believes in his food philosophy - Respect for produce & its existence is far more important than anything else. One should evolve with time, think creatively, adapt to flavours, learn techniques and curate gastronomy. The focus should be to be able to stitch memorable dining experiences is it in a hotel or a restaurant for all diners.

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ tbsp butter or ghee or olive oil

¼ tsp jeera

¼ tsp saunf (fennel)

1/8 tsp asafoetida (hing), optional

1 green chili, slit ½ onions, minced/diced ½ tomato, chopped finely

110g pearl barley, soaked in water for 45 minutes

220g mushrooms, diced (button mushroom, oyster, shimeji)

110g sliced shitake mushrooms, diced

7g dhaniya power (coriander)

7g garam masala

4g chilli powder

3g turmeric salt as seasoning

Garnish cilantro, chopped squeeze of lemon Method

Wash the mushroom 2 to 3 times in running water. Keep the water from the soaked mushroom, as it can be used as a cooking liquid. Heat ghee in a medium saucepan and add the cumin seeds. When it starts to sizzle add the saunf, asafoetida and green chili. Stir for 30 seconds to a minute on medium heat. Then add onions and sauté on medium heat till the onions are soft, don’t let the onions brown. Add the tomatoes, and cook until they are soft. Add all mushrooms, and sauté them for a few minutes. Add the mushroom water and do not let the mushroom stick. The water from mushrooms will add flavor to the khichdi. Add the barley and reduce the heat to low, add the remaining mushroom water and add the dhaniya powder, garam masala, chilli powder and turmeric. Cover the saucepan and let it simmer until the barley is cooked. I like the barley to have a little bite to it, so I would cook it for about 20 minutes. If you want the barley to be softer, cook it longer. During cooking, if the khichdi dries up, add water or vegetable stock as needed, half cup at a time. Taste the khichdi and season with salt. Turn off the heat, and add a squeeze of lemon. Add lemon juice only if required, tartness will also come from lemon. Serve hot with garnished with cilantro.

KUMB, SAUNF AND JAU KHICHDI MUSHROOMS, FENNEL AND BARLEY KHICHDI

SINGH

With over 20 years of experience in the culinary field, Ajay Negi started his professional journey in 2001 as a Commis 3 in the main kitchen of Radisson Jalandhar in Punjab. Having developed his passion for cooking at a young age, he honed his skills across several states and regions of India and the Indian Ocean including Udaipur, Jalandhar, New Delhi, Shimla and the Maldives working with hospitality brands like The Oberoi Group, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Hotel Group, Como Hotels & Resorts.

Taking his inspiration from the Uttarakhand region, Ajay’s interests have always been around the art of spice mixes, marinades and dishes prepared in tandoor. After gathering enough knowledge of the traditional Indian style of cooking, he then took an exciting opportunity to be a part of the pre-opening team of Armani hotel in Dubai, overseeing the culinary part at the Indian finedining restaurant Amal. After the successful opening of Amal, Ajay received an offer to head the culinary team of Patiala restaurant by celebrity chef Kunal Kapur in Dubai. In 2015, Ajay joined the team of Taj Dubai in the capacity of Chef De Cuisine for the signature Indian restaurant and designer kitchen, Bombay Brasserie. His innovative approach to cooking and the unique ability to combine traditional Indian flavours with modern and contemporary presentations have since played an essential role in bringing the awareness of Taj excellence to the dining scene in the city. His cooking style is all about balance; Ajay incorporates techniques used in Indian households to create dishes with unique flavours and textures.

Under Ajay’s culinary vision, Bombay Brasserie has been recognised with multiple industry awards and received attention from local and international media putting the restaurant in the top rankings across various platforms.

GLUTEN FREE BAJRA & WATER CHESTNUT KHICHDI

INGREDIENTS

½ cup millet bajra / pearl

¼ cup moong dal

20g water chestnuts, cut into dice

1 medium chopped onion

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 red dry chilli

¼ tsp turmeric

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves salt for seasoning

1 tbsp ghee gold leaf, for garnish

Method

Soak the millet bajara for 8 hours and moong dal separately for an hour.

Boil the millet, moong dal and water chestnut in a pressure cooker until 4 whistles or in a casserole for 2 hours. When cooked keep aside.

In a pan heat oil add the cumin seeds, and once the seeds splutter, add ginger garlic paste after 1-2 minutes, add the onions and cook till they are lightly browned.

Add turmeric, and chilli powder and season with salt. Add the boiled millet mixture and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the chopped coriander leaves and mix well. Add ghee and serve hot.

Garnish with gold leaf.

Enjoy the bajra khichdi with yoghurt, pickle and papad.

BATRA

Born and raised in India, Akshay was influenced by his family, after being inspired by his mother, he started to enjoy the different perspectives of being a chef, a pastry and a chocolate maker. Over the years he began to realize that he had a strong flair for creativity and understanding complex flavours. The support from his family for his career choice made him enjoy what he did and pushed him to take on new challenges. This passionate pastry chef with over 15 years of industry experience completed his Bachelor’s in Hotel Management from the Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration, Manipal, India, he then went on to do his Master’s in Baking and Pastry Arts from the world-renowned Culinary Institute of America. His culinary journey began at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. Over the years he has also worked with Palms Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas and the Taj Group of Hotels, India. In 2015, he relocated to the UAE and was part of the opening team at the Intercontinental Dubai Marina and then went on to work with Atlantis the Palm, Dubai. Currently, the executive pastry chef at Sofitel Dubai The Palm.

For Akshay baking is a science. It requires precision and accuracy in making those sweet treats a mouth-watering masterpiece that brings people back for more. He is cautious and calculated when measuring ingredients. He understands the importance of accuracy in baking and has learnt about proportions and consistency. To him, a dessert needs to have the same variety and balance of textures, flavours, temperatures, colours, shapes and heights as any other dish.

When I think of Khichdi the first thing that comes to my mind is simplicity and flavour. And the main ingredient that comes to my mind is Rice and growing up I always had khichdi with pickled mango. I have incorporated the same elements in a dessert and used Japanese Sushi rice and flavoured it with orange to give it a citrus flavour. This dessert is something easy to make, and delicious and can be served not only in a fancy restaurant or hotel but also in the comfort of your own home.

INGREDIENTS

1ltr cooking cream / 1ltr milk / 200g sushi rice / 70g unsalted butter

1 vanilla bean / 5g orange zest / 200g condensed milk / 70g castor sugar / 70g egg yolks

Tuile batter

175g butter / 175g icing sugar / 145g egg whites / 164g all-purpose flour / 1 drop red color

Orange Fluid Gel

1ltr orange purée or orange juice / 150g neutral glaze / 150g sugar 8g agar agar

Method

Soak the rice in water for 2 hours.

In a saucepan, boil the milk and cream along with the vanilla bean and orange zest.

Once boiled, add the soaked rice and start to cook on a slow flame and stir continuously.

Once the rice is cooked, remove it from the heat.

In a separate bowl combine the sugar, yolk, condensed milk, and butter and mix well. Add this to the warm cooked rice pudding and mix well.

Tuile batter

Cream the butter and icing sugar until it is soft and fluffy. Add the egg whites to the creamed mixture and mix. Add the flour to this mixture along with the red colour and mix well. Spread this mixture over the tuile mat and bake at 180C for 5 to 6 minutes.

Orange fluid gel

Put the orange purée or orange juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the sugar and agar agar to this mixture and bring it to a rolling boil. Cook this mixture until it starts to thicken. Pour in a pan and let it chill overnight.

Next day blend in a mixer with the clear neutral glaze.

Garnish

Put the warm mixture on a pasta plate. Garnish the warm rice pudding with the baked tuile and with fresh wedges of orange, whipped cream, orange fluid gel and some raspberries. Finish it with some gold leaves and mint leaves.

ORANGE RICE PUDDING

ALFRED PRASAD

Born in Wardha (central India) and lived all over the sub-continent, Alfred Prasad expanded his mind to the immense possibilities of eclectic Indian cuisines. As with most chefs, his family played a huge role in his initial culinary orientation. His culinary philosophy, ‘Heritage Health Happiness’ lies at the very core of his cooking. Being artistically inclined and with a penchant for science, he was naturally drawn to the profession he considers a perfect amalgamation of the two. After graduating from Chennai’s Institute of Hotel Management in 1993, he was handpicked to undergo advanced chef training at ITC Maurya, New Delhi, including at their flagship restaurants Dum Pukht and Bukhara In 1996, Alfred headed the kitchens of the legendary Dakshin restaurant, ITC Park Sheraton, Chennai. During this time he worked under legendary chefs such as Manjit Singh Gill, Imtiaz Qureshi, Madan Lal Jaiswal, Praveen Anand and Nisar Waris.

Alfred then moved to London in 1999 and joined Tamarind of Mayfair in London, in 2001 as sous chef and progressed to become executive chef within a year. In 2002, Alfred Prasad earned the honour of being the youngest Indian chef to receive a Michelin star at 29 years of age. He has held the Michelin star for thirteen years along with several other accolades. His culinary philosophy of Heritage, Health and Happiness, lies at the core of his cooking. He is highly lauded for his original take on traditional Indian cuisine. His mouthwatering seasonal menus put a fabulous 21st century spin on age-old dishes; delicately balancing creativity and authenticity. Alfred is very passionate about Food for Good and works closely with organisations that link the pleasure of food with a commitment to the community and the environment.

INGREDIENTS

75g yellow moong lentils

75g red masoor lentils

75g kodo or varagu millet or basmati rice

4 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 tbsp cumin seeds

8 cloves garlic, chopped fine

60g peeled ginger, julienne

3 green chillies, chopped fine

1 large onion, chopped

1 tsp black peppercorns, whole

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 bottle gourd, peeled and diced

1 carrot, diced

60g green beans, cut into ½ cm segments

75g broccoli, cut into small florets

50g green peas, frozen

50g baby spinach or chopped kale

¼ bunch fresh coriander, chopped fine

1 tsp garam masala powder salt for seasoning

1 tsp ghee, optional and omit for vegan option

REJUVENATING KHICHDI

Method

Wash and soak the lentils for roughly 30 minutes; strain and set aside.

Wash and soak the millets for roughly 10 minutes; strain and set aside.

Heat oil in a large, thick-bottomed pot; add cumin seeds and sauté until they darken, add garlic, ginger and green chillies and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the onions and sauté until lightly browned, roughly for 8 to 10 minutes.

Add black peppercorns, and turmeric powder and mix well.

Add the lentils, millets and bottle gourd; stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Add 1-litre water, and salt and stir gently. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover with a lid and simmer for a further 1012 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes or add more water if required – it should be quite soupy at this stage. Once the lentils are cooked, add broccoli, carrots and beans and cook for 3 minutes, then add petit pois (peas) and spinach or kale, mix well and remove from heat.

Add chopped coriander, garam masala, salt and ghee (optional) and mix well.

PATEL

A national award winner, Altamsh Patel is known for his love, commitment and passion for his culinary profession. He has established himself as a critically acclaimed chef and has been honoured with numerous awards and accolades. He has risen from the rank of a management trainee to an executive chef in just 9 years and became one of the youngest executive chefs of a five-star hotel at the age of 28. Altamsh brings along an illustrious 11 years of professional experience in the industry and focuses on the highest quality ingredients, and creativity on the plate prepared with precision and abundant planning and execution. He uses his creativity and expert culinary skills to create recipes that are full of flavour and richness but tingle the taste buds of the connoisseur.

During his career of 11-plus years, he has worked with Taj Group Of Hotels, and The Park Hotels and now leads the culinary team at Oakwood Premier Prestige Bangalore.

He has won most of the awards in the Young Chef category. He was awarded the Young Chef of The Year 2018 Award and Star Chef of India 2019 by the Indian Federation of Culinary Association. He has been actively involved in initiating diverse food fiestas around the globe, conducts various cookery shows on TV and contributed to various renowned magazines and periodicals, He has been part of the judging panel at various culinary events across the country. He is an advisory panel member for a few leading hospitality institutes where he teaches as a guest lecturer and sets up courses on culinary. He has been a mentor to many young chefs who are currently working all over the globe. In 2018, he represented Culinary Team India at World Chefs Congress in Malaysia and is the joint secretary of the Western Indian Culinary Association (WICA).

Pearl millet is bajra in Hindi. It is one of the staple foods in Rajasthan, India. Bajra Khichdi is a variation of the classic khichdi recipe. Inspired by Rajasthan cuisine, it is ideal for winter as it helps in keeping the body warm and is filling for the stomach. Traditionally this dish is made with pearl millet and lentils, but the proportion and choice of lentils differ in each region and according to each family’s preference. This dish can be enjoyed for breakfast or lunch with some curd, yoghurt, ghee and pickles.

Pearl millet is also well known as the miracle millet because of its health benefits as it has got much higher iron content than that present in rice. In addition to this, other facts about pearl millet nutrition are that it is also rich in protein, fiber, and minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Sadly, the majority of people have left out millet from their diet.

This dish is a sheer representation of my love for millet. This version of khichdi is made with pearl millet and green lentil as core ingredients and is garnished with golden fried onions, coriander and tomato dust. I have tried to elevate this humble dish by presenting it in a modern way by showcasing the Indian map on the plate.

RAJASTHANI BAJRA KHICHDI

INGREDIENTS

85g pearl millet (bajra) / 45g green lentils (moong dal) / 5g cumin seeds / 15g ghee, clarified butter / 3g salt / 10g garlic, finely chopped / 20g potatoes, cut in small cubes / 20g tomatoes 20g carrots, cut in cubes / 10g coriander / 5g garam masala powder 5g green chillies, slit / 3g turmeric powder / 8g coriander powder

Tomato dust

Grind sun-dried tomatoes in a food processor.

Coriander dust.

Wash the coriander leaves and dry them using kitchen paper, put in the microwave for 2 minutes, remove and allow it to cool for 5 minutes and grind it in a food processor for 30 seconds.

Method

In a bowl soak the millet for 12 hours in water.

Wash the green lentils, drain the water and keep them aside. In a pressure cooker heat the ghee and add the cumin seeds. Add the chopped garlic, green chillies, garlic, potatoes, carrots and tomatoes for 10 minutes. Add the millet and lentils along with dried spices.Add 5 cups of water, season with salt and bring it to a boil. Cover the pressure cooker with a lid and allow it to cook. Once cooked open the lid and allow it to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

Garnish with golden fried onion, tomato dust and coriander leaves dust.

Serve hot along with fried or roasted papads, pickles and yoghurt.

FAROOQUE

With 11 years in the industry, Amal Farooque was born and raised in Dubai and later shifted to Mumbai which led to her Multi diverse community and sense of culture. Food was an important part of her upbringing and had access to fruits, vegetables, meats and seafood from across international borders. Exposure to Viennoiseries, different types of cheese and spices became a regular part of her life. Hence, the constant love for food and dessert.

Having graduated in finance, Amal trained and worked at some of the premier financial firms but her heart was always with food. In 2011, she launched SugarOverDose (bakes, pastries and desserts), then in 2017, she opened Sliders & Fries a slow fast food place and in 2019, Sage & Olio a gourmet catering and grazing tables in Mumbai. Her philosophy is ‘made from scratch across all three brands, no processed foods as she is a firm believer in supporting local producers and farmers. Her recipes and techniques are quite unique, it’s all about her recipes and techniques.

At home, khichdi is more dry and spiced and made with Ghee. We use basmati rice and mixed dal or masoor dal. It is not wet or gooey. It’s eaten with fried seafood, kadhi or a potato cauliflower sabzi. It’s comfort at its best. Whenever there is leftover khichdi, my mum turns it into an Indian khichdi egg stir-fried rice. No soy or MSG, just more chilies, onions and scrambled eggs added to it and it’s yummy!

MIXED DAL KHICHDI

INGREDIENTS

250g basmati rice 100g mixed dal 10g ghee

1 large onion, randomly sliced 2 tbsp garlic, chopped 1 inch ginger, chopped 4 to 6 green chillies salt for seasoning 450ml water

Method

Wash and soak the basmati rice and mixed dal for 30 minutes.

In a heavy bottom saucepan, heat the ghee and sauté the garlic, onions and ginger. Add in roughly sliced green chilies. Do not brown anything. Add the water and bring to a boil. Season it with salt. Add in the soaked rice and dal mixture. Stir lightly on medium flame. Let the water evaporate completely. Once evaporated, lower the flame, place on top of a tava (an Indian cooking flat pan) and cover the saucepan. Let it cook with its steam or on dum (slow cooking) for 16 to 20 minutes.

Once done, the grains will be fragrant and stand tall in the saucepan.

Serve with a dollop of ghee, yoghurt, fried prawns and potato cauliflower sabzi.

It is to be eaten hot, not warm but hot with your hands. Using a spoon or fork would ruin the whole flavor and experience.

PAWAR

Growing up in a large family that was very close and dining together where friends and family come together to cook, was an essential part of Anup’s childhood. As a result, it wasn’t difficult for him to choose a passion that he would pursue professionally, which would keep his soul and the people around him happy. At 14, he decided to become a chef and enrolled at an upscale hotel management school in India. He received a postgraduate culinary degree at the Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development and was part of the Delhi Management Programme, where they hand-pick 10 chefs per year to be part of the school. He started off working alongside people considered veterans in the kitchen who were trained by French chefs at The Oberoi Mumbai and had the privilege to work with chefs from around the world. This taught him the knowledge that expertise has to be earned, and that nothing in life is achieved easily. One of the most influential chefs who shaped his career is Alain Gobeil, Alain showed him that keeping things simple is a great culinary approach and used to say that ‘being simple is very difficult.

Bringing over a decade’s culinary expertise to his high profile as Director of Culinary at Fairmont The Palm, Dubai, Anup truly believes that the most important thing is to respect ingredients and not to overthink and complicate dishes, menus or concepts. Simplicity and consistency are key to running a successful kitchen. The inspiration behind each dish should be to satisfy all of the senses, from its appealing look, and mouth-watering smell to unforgettable taste – every one of a customer’s senses should be equally satisfied.

This is my take on “The Great Indian Khichdi”, wherein we have taken the unsung heroes of great Indian Cuisine- ancient grains. Unarguably Khichdi is the most versatile dish that has adopted, progressed, reinvented over the centuries and still would keep to evolve in the next future. Every house hold and chef has a story to say about her/his version and would passionately add on their comfort food zone.

On our own version we have combined various ancient grains and then elevated it by serving in a tender coconut, the beauty of this dish is once the hot khichdi melts the malai in the tender coconut and gets submerged as one dish. Then it’s served with various crackers and pickles from across the stretch of the country. Ranging from Rajasthan to Northeast and From Punjab to Chennai. This version of khichdi has all the factors and reasons to be part of one’s most favourite comfort zone food.

ANCIENT GRAIN KHICHDI

INGREDIENTS

50g ghee

5g cumin seeds

10g ginger, chopped

35g onions, chopped

30g tomatoes, chopped

5g turmeric

15g salt

100g rice

100g moong dal (green lentils)

4g sunflower seeds

4g flax seeds

4g red quinoa

4g chai seeds

4g coriander, chopped

15g fresh young coconut malai (flesh)

Method

Wash and soak the rice and moong dal together for 15 minutes. Drain the water and keep it aside.

In a pressure cooker add the soaked dal, turmeric, salt, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, red quinoa and chia seeds to the water

Pressure cook on high heat for 4 to 5 whistles. Once cooked remove from fire and keep aside. In a pan heat the ghee, and crackle cumin seeds in it. Add the chopped ginger, and chopped onions and sauté it. Add the cooked rice and moong dal to the pan and mix until it is combined. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt if require and finish it with chopped coriander.

Garnish it with the fresh malai coconut and serve with papad, pickle and yoghurt on the side.

KUMAR PATHANIA

With over 16 years of experience in culinary (pastry), hef Ashwani Kumar Pathania is an award-winning chef with hands-on experience in hiring, training, and coaching pastry, and baking teams with in-depth knowledge of cake decoration and flaky pastry techniques. He is currently working as a chef instructor- baking and patisserie at ICCA Dubai.

TIL ELAICHI NARIYAL KHICHDI SESAME, CARDAMOM & COCONUT KHICHDI

Hailing from the northern part of India, simple moong dal khichdi has always been an integral part of my diet. Healthy, easily digestible, and delicious, it makes for the perfect convalescent food. However, when one thinks of Khichdi, one often thinks of the savoury version of the dish and often as food that one eats when one is recovering from an illness. As a pastry chef, I wanted to reimagine the humble khichdi as a healthy sweet indulgence and thus created the Til Elaichi Nariyal Khichdi.

Inspired by the confluence of the diverse culture in India, the Til Elaichi Nariyal Khichdi is the perfect blend of highly nutritious ingredients like wild rice and sago pearls that are cooked in creamy milk along with locally sourced cardamom, sesame seeds, fresh coconut, and jaggery. With its fine balance of flavours and textures, Til Elaichi Nariyal Khichdi can be a winsome dessert at the end of a meal. But what elevates this delicious, sweet treat is its immense health benefits. Packed with antioxidants, bone, and immune-strengthening goodness, this traditionally rooted recipe with meticulously chosen ingredients will help you indulge your sweet tooth completely guilt-free.

INGREDIENTS

11ltr full-fat milk

60g wild rice

80g sago pearls, big

3g saffron

15g cardamom powder 50ml water

80g sesame seeds, roasted 100g fresh coconut, grated 200g jaggery

40g sugar

20ml rose water

50g cashew nuts

50g pistachio 40g ghee

Method

Soak the wild rice and sago for two hours.

Start boiling the milk, add the rice and sago and cook till the rice is 90% done and the sago looks translucent. Add saffron, rose water, and cardamom, and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the roasted sesame seeds, grated fresh coconut, and jaggery dissolved in water (jaggery syrup) and cook for further 3 minutes. Add the roasted nuts and cook for a minute more till the khichdi looks semi-dry and sticky.

Once cooked, transfer the sweet khichdi into the bowl and let it set. It can be served cold or warm.

Before serving, garnish the bowl with saffron strands, dried rose petals, silver leaves, coconut, and pistachio.

THALIATH

Avin Thaliath is one such name all pastry chefs and chocolatiers reckon with. An educationist at heart, the talented chef’s mission is to spread joy with his insights and motivate others to find solace in this beautiful form of art. Currently serving as the co-founder and director of Academics at Lavonne Academy of Baking Science and Pastry Arts, India, Avin’s desire and ambition to set up a specialized baking school in India, came true when Lavonne was born.

Hailing from Kerala, Avin’s mother played a pivotal role in shaping his career and largely influenced him to dive into the culinary world. He was awarded a bronze medal in 2004 during his Bachelor of Hotel Management degree from Bangalore University. He further stimulated his field of interest, by taking up an advanced level program in Chocolatier and Sugar at Feves the Choco Creation of Pastry Fine Arts, Malaysia. He also holds the credit of being a Golden Certificate Awardee of the Vatel Scholarship, Nimes, France. After his studies in France, Avin also interned under Antonio Texeira before working with Le Granier A Pain, Paris, Paris Mamamia, Institut Vatel, Nimes and Rhone Valley, France. After his stint in France, he worked with The Taj Hotels and The Orchid Hotels.

Rising as a skilled dignitary in his field, Avin steered the grounds of academic prowess as the author of several academic journals, books, and monographs and has presented award-winning papers at top-level industry summits. He also served as an assistant professor at the prestigious Christ University, Bangalore, India and has been associated with WorldSkills Org, since 2016 and has been representing India with skills from across the country at a global level. As someone who believes learning never stops, he completed his PhD in oenology studies and was on The Harun list of the most enterprising entrepreneurs of India. He will launch his book “The Science in the Art of Baking”, which he has been working on for the past 10 years. The book is Pandora’s box packed with years of experience coming together and the study and research of each element. As one of the finest pastry chefs that India has ever produced and this book will talk about the nitty-gritty of baking for every enthusiast who wants to enter the industry.

HERBAL KHICHDI

INGREDIENTS

15g olive oil

15g onions, chopped fine

15g ginger, chopped fine

½ green chilli, chopped

15g garlic, chopped fine

5g turmeric

2 ½ g black pepper 500ml water

7 ½ g cumin powder

7 ½ g coriander powder

7 ½ g curry powder

5g hing

125g soaked basmati rice

250g soaked moong dal 15g salt to taste 125g broccoli or cauliflower 125g spinach

125g of coriander or parsley

1 betel leaf

1 carrot, chopped salt for seasoning

Method

In a pan heat the olive oil, add the onions and ginger, add the garlic and sauté.

Add the green chillies and then add the spices; turmeric, and black pepper. Add a dash of water so that the spices do not burn. Add the cumin and coriander powder and let it cook on low heat. Add the hing and mix well.

Add the rice and moong dal and mix. Add water, season with salt and mix.

Add all the vegetables now and the betel leaf and add water if required. Cover the pan and let it simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes

Garnish with some chopped green chilies.

MARTINS

Starting his culinary education at the Swiss Asian School of hotel management in Ooty, India. Avinash Martins then graduated from the Oberoi Centre for Learning & Development. He went on to work with Oberoi in all the metro cities and resorts in India. He was instrumental in starting the fine dining restaurant 360° at The Oberoi New Delhi. He then went on an international journey where he did stints on cruise ships and airlines and trained at some of the finest restaurants with Georges Blanc in Lyon France, Gary Danko in Hawaii and Thomas Keller in Napa Valley, California. Back in Goa, Avinash decided to set up a restaurant in Benaulim. The cuisine he features is a reflection of a modern approach to Goan cuisine and his take on global plates. The food is accented globally, whilst keeping the soul local. He uses a lot of local fresh and seasonal produce, reviving old recipes and cooking techniques. The vision is to take his mother’s cuisine global.

KHICHDI - MY WAY

This recipe stems from the inspiration of traditional Goan cuisine. The thought process behind this recipe was to bring together two humble, home-style dishes and create a marriage of warm, comforting flavours. Khichdi can be found in many different forms in households throughout India, and my recipe takes this simple home-style dish and incorporates flavours and ingredients which are unconventional, yet pair beautifully with each other. At my restaurant Cavatina, we pride ourselves on cooking and supporting local, fresh and seasonal produce, and our menu shifts with the season in harmony with what Mother Nature has to offer throughout the year. My team and I live by the ethos of having a ‘local heart, global soul’, and this dish is a prime example of the same. I’ve incorporated the use of Italian risotto rice as a substitute for our Indian varieties, and have also paired it with the flavours of a Caldin; a staple of many Hindu Goan households, consisting of coconut turmeric-based sauce, usually made with a medley of vegetables or seafood such as prawns. This recipe truly speaks to me as having Goan flavours at its core but using global cooking techniques to bring together a contemporary avatar to our country’s most humble dish.

INGREDIENTS

Kichidi base

3tbsp ghee / 6 curry leaves / 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 green chilli, slit / 1 medium size tomato, finely chopped ¼ tsp turmeric powder / ½ tsp salt / ½ moong or toor dal 1ltr water / 1g hing (asafoetida)

Since this is an unconventional way of cooking khichdi, we will be making a dal base first, and incorporate cooked risotto rice and a caldin sauce later. For this recipe, you will need half a cup of cooked arborio or any risotto rice.

Method

Add the moong or toor dal to a pot. Rinse them and drain the water completely. Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker or pot on medium heat. Sauté the ginger until fragrant for about 30 to 60 seconds then add the hing. Add the onions and green chillies until the onions are softened and turn translucent. Then add the turmeric, tomatoes and any other diced vegetables you’d like and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. If you are using prawns, then marinate the prawns with salt, pepper, garlic and some olive oil; and grill them separately. These will be placed on top of the khichdi. Once the vegetables are sautéed, add in the soaked dal and sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in 2 to 3 cups of water (you want the dal to be on the thicker side as it will be loosened up with risotto rice and the stock). Stir well and taste the water and season with salt if required. If cooking in a pot, bring water to a boil on a high flame. Then reduce the flame to medium-low, and continue to cook. Leave the pot uncovered or partially covered ensuring that the froth doesn’t overflow. Make sure to add in more hot boiling water as needed until the lentils are fully softcooked.

Caldin sauce

10 curry leaves / 4 pcs ginger, ¼ inch / 6 cherry tomatoes ½ tbsp turmeric powder / 2 green chillies, chopped / 250ml vegetable stock or water / 250ml coconut milk / salt for seasoning / 1tbsp butter to finish

Method

In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil and add the curry leaves and ginger. Sauté until fragrant and then add in the chopped green chillies and cherry tomato halves and lightly sauté. Add in the turmeric and stir for 30 seconds before adding one cup of vegetable stock or water, and bring to a boil. Then simmer for a couple of minutes before adding in the coconut milk. Season the sauce with salt and bring to a boil once again, before simmering again for 5 to 6 minutes to achieve a thicker consistency. Once cooled, strain the sauce for a smooth velvety consistency.

Vegetables and seafood

This recipe goes perfectly with any sort of vegetables you’d like and equally goes well with some grilled prawns. If you’re planning on using seafood, 6 to 8 medium-sized prawns are sufficient for this recipe.

Assembly

In a pan, sauté some finely chopped onion and garlic until fragrant and add in the cooked arborio rice. Sauté for a couple of minutes before adding in the khichdi base, and loosening up the mix with a few tablespoons of vegetable stock or water if required. Once incorporated, finish the risotto and dal mixture with the strained caldin sauce, and add in as little or as much as you’d like, depending on how strong a flavour of the caldin you’d like. Adjust the final seasonings with salt and finish the khichdi with a generous tbsp of butter.

Serve on a shallow plate, place the grilled prawns on top and garnish with a few red amaranth leaves and micro greens.

GEETHA

Born in Kerala, India, Bobby Geetha is highly passionate, dedicated and committed to a profession he loves the most. With 16 years of hands-on managerial experience in high-end 5-star luxury hotel kitchens, he incorporates western techniques into his cuisine.

Specialized in fine dining, smart casual, brasserie concept, café, ghost kitchens outlets and product development for FMCG factories. Booby creates bespoke packages based on clients’ needs, from menu design to staff training and provides chef consultant services for all sizes, from small intimate events and restaurants to those on a much bigger scale.

A highly rated finalist in BBC’s Master Chef UK Professional, this calm and professional chef got his degree in hospitality and hotel administration in Kovalam, Kerala. He then went on to complete his hospitality management at Cornell University in New York. Upon his returned to Kerala, he worked for Taj Hotels Resorts and Places as a management trainee and then moved to the kitchen as chef de partie. In 2009, he moved to the UK and worked with some of Europe’s Michelin-starred culinary greats. In 2018, he won the Gold for Hospitality Chef Excellence and the semi-finalist in National Chef of the year the United Kingdom. Author of five cookbooks on fine dining Indian cuisine series and the founder of finediningindian.com website on next-generation Indian cuisine.

RICE AVOCADO KICHARI PAYASAM Method

INGREDIENTS

100g avocado, cut and diced

50g long grain rice

20g moong dal, (optional) 250ml almond milk

7g dark chocolate, grated 3 strawberries, sliced 25g sugar

1g Himalayan salt

1 lime

2g cardamom powder

30g plant-based butter

75ml coconut milk

100ml water

Garnish

3 mint leaves

3 dried rose petals 3 viola flower

In a pan, cook the rice using almond milk, and cook until the rice is soft but not mushy. Remove and store it in the fridge.

In a thick bottom pan add hot water, and add the cooked rice to the water. When the rice is hot and when half the water is absorbed then add the diced avocado. Keep it on low flame and add the coconut milk and allow it to reduce.

While it’s simmering add the sugar, Himalayan salt and cardamom powder. Mix it and allow it to simmer on a very slow flame. Add the plant-based butter at the finishing stage.

Before plating, add some grated lemon zest into the payasam for some refreshing taste.

Plating

Use a round white plate with a well in the middle. Pour payasam in the middle of the plate into a round shape. Arrange sliced strawberries on top of the payasam on the righthand side.

On the left-hand side of the payasam grate some lemon zest. Put the grated dark chocolate on top of the sliced strawberries. Garnish it by arranging mint leaves, rose petals and viola flowers.

Having graduated with a degree in Tourism and Hotel Management from Madurai Kamraj University, and armed with a diploma in Chef Management from the Academy of Culinary Education (ACE) in Goa. Dane Fernandes is the executive chef at the JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar where he will be responsible for curating culinary experiences, overseeing food quality, sourcing fresh and local ingredients, supervising chefs and continuing to concentrate on creating high guest satisfaction through indigenous menu curation and personalisation among other tasks.

Passionate about honing his techniques and skills while being a service-driven chef who utilises his experience and expertise to promote operational excellence. He is proficient in culinary art, menu development and catering.

Dane’s versatility combined with leadership skills and the ability to remain calm in a chaotic environment ensures he has all the makings for success.

In 2017, this spirited chef spent a year as the chef de cuisine of Banquets and Events where he oversaw kitchen operations in commercial and private kitchens before moving into his role as the executive chef at The St. Regis Mumbai. His portfolio includes training at some of the country’s top hotel chains – The Oberoi and The Hilton Towers, Mumbai; The Grand Hyatt Hotel, Mumbai; and Cidade de Goa, Goa.

Food often tends to reflect the history and culture of the land where it was born. One of the most ancient foods of Indian cuisine- “Khichdi” finds its universal appeal in every corner of India, with variations yet one that has hardly changed regardless of time and taste. British- India’s most celebrated dish kedgeree is a prime example of coalescence. A recipe derived from the Sanskrit k’ysara becomes Indian Khichdi and gradually transmutes into anglicized kedgeree, a blend of dal (pulses) and rice that replaces dal with flaked fish, reduces the spices, with the addition of hard-boiled eggs, to birth kedgeree-a staple in British homes till date.

To create my version of this classic, I combine corn and creamed corn subtracting the staple rice and dal to concoct a healthier, creamier version of kedgeree, stylizing comfort into a delicacy. The use of aromatics and spices elevates the experience creating an all-around explosion for all your senses. Bringing to your plate a little bit of India in all its glory.

CORN KHICHDI

INGREDIENTS

6 tender corn cobs, grated 400g creamed corn

1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

1 bay leaf (tej patta)

2 pods cardamom (elachi)

1 cinnamon stick (dalchini)

3 cloves (lavang)

1 tsp cumin (jeera)

2g hing (asafoetida)

½ tsp mustard seeds

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

3 green chillies, slit

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tomato, finely chopped

¼ tsp turmeric (haldi)

½ tsp kashmiri red chilli powder (lal mirch powder)

2 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped

½ tsp garam masala salt for seasoning 400ml milk

Method

In a pan, heat the ghee and add the bay leaf, cardamom pods, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, and a pinch of hing and sauté until aromatic. Add the onions followed by the green chilies and ginger garlic paste, add the tomato and sauté until they turn soft and mushy. Add the corn and creamed corn and cook for a minute. Now add ¼ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp chilli powder, ½ tsp garam masala and 1 tsp salt and cook on a low flame. Pour in the milk, cover and cook on a medium flame. To prepare the tempering, heat ghee in a separate pan and add mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida and one green chili and two to three garlic cloves, once it begins to crackle temper your kedgeree and serve hot. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Born in Mumbai, India, Ganesh Moolya’s parents played an important part in shaping his initial interest in cooking. Working with a passionate chef Shadev Mehta, Ganesh was inspired to work with him in the kitchen and this became a part of his foundational training. Having graduated from Srinivas College of hotel administration and management in 2007 from Mangalore, Ganesh also did an ACF-certified chef course from the US while working on cruise ships. He started developing recipes at a very young age and worked in various departments of the kitchen.

He began his career with ITC Grand Maratha by Sheraton and then joined Grand Hyatt Mumbai where he learnt the professional aspects of hospitality and culinary advancement. He then moved to Miami where he worked with the Royal Caribbean Cruises and explored international standards of food and kitchen management. He returned to Mumbai to join the Royal Orchid Hotel and later joined the preopening team of Country Inn & Suites by Carlson. Doing a stint in Saudi Arabia, Ganesh headed back home to join HTG (Home Town Galleria) and then got an opportunity from Radisson to work with Country Inn & Suites in Jammu where he is the executive chef.

MOONG DAL KHICHDI

INGREDIENTS

Soaking the lentils and rice

70g moong dal (split and husked)

70g cup rice (regular short or medium-grained rice or basmati) water as required

Spices

2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter or any neutral oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

70g onions, finely chopped

70g tomatoes, chopped ½ tsp green chillies, chopped

1 tsp ginger, grated and finely chopped

¼ tsp turmeric powder

2g asafoetida

250 ml water salt for seasoning

Method

Rinse and wash the moong dal and rice together. Let it soak in water for 30 minutes and drain all the water and set aside.

In a frying pan on medium heat add the ghee or oil. Add the cumin seeds, once the cumin splutters then add the onions and sauté until translucent. Add the tomatoes, green chillies and ginger. Add the turmeric and asafoetida and mix. Once the tomatoes are soft add the moong dal and rice to the pan. Stir and add water. Mix well and season it with salt.

Transfer all to a pressure cooker and let I cook for 8 to 9 minutes or 7 to 8 whistles. Remove from the heat and let it rest until you can open the lid.

If the khichdi is thick, add some hot water, mix well and let it simmer for a few minutes on low heat until you get the right consistency.

When serving, drizzle 1 to 2 teaspoons of ghee and serve it with yoghurt and a salad.

Hussain Shahzad brings his signature blend of curiosity, high energy and global experience as executive chef at Hunger Inc. Hospitality Pvt Ltd, (The Bombay Canteen & O Pedro). Passionate about cooking since a young age, Hussain grew up in Chennai where his tryst with the kitchen began with a simple omelette sandwich. His love for food grew over the years with sessions in the kitchen after school, cooking up fun evening snacks for his younger brother. This led him on the path of gastronomy, and he joined the Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration in Manipal, Karnataka, in 2005. After graduating, he worked with The Oberoi Group of Hotels as a senior kitchen executive at Frangipani, Mumbai, before moving to New York in early 2014. He spent a year at Eleven Madison Park, the famed New York restaurant, where he developed and refined his culinary techniques. Coupled with his passion for food is his love for adventure – and this took Hussain on a culinary journey across several countries including Portugal, USA and Turkey, with a brief stint as personal chef to tennis star Roger Federer. Hussain had a deep yearning to return to India and in late 2015, he joined The Bombay Canteen as a sous chef. Having played a significant role in the success of The Bombay Canteen, it was but natural for Hussain to helm the company’s next restaurant venture - O Pedro, which opened in Mumbai in October 2017. He made a significant contribution to the success of opening and driving concepts at O Pedro. In February 2020, the O Pedro team led by Hussain took to New York City, Goa’s unique cuisine peppered with its Portuguese influences, with the fourth restaurant-in-residence programme at Intersect by Lexus. After serving as executive chef of O Pedro successfully for four years, he moved into the role of executive chef, of Hunger Inc to oversee both The Bombay Canteen and O Pedro. Blending traditions, techniques and flavours is what Hussain imbibed from his mentor – the late Floyd Cardoz. His food philosophy is simple – showcase local produce using contemporary culinary techniques that inspire future generations of chefs to cook smarter. He constantly strives to explore seasonal ingredients and extract the best possible flavours and marry them with technique to present quirk and mischief on a plate.

For me, the Khichdi inspires all kinds of emotions! I remember, my mother would prepare this slow-cooked, home-style preparation made with rice, lentils and broken wheat, delicately seasoned with chunks of meat that are silky and soft, that falls off the bone. At home, we would make the Bohri Khichdi not more than twice a year, only during festivals or on special occasions. As kids, we would anxiously wait for that time of the year when everyone in the family would come together to make this special dish. Traditionally the process of making it is quite long and intensive, it would start with the older members of the family mixing all the ingredients followed by the entire family pitching in, to help mix, grind and pound all the ingredients together until it would be perfectly cooked to form a thick sticky and succulent porridge-like texture. Cooking the perfect Khichdi is not just about having the right ingredients, but also using the right technique to prepare it.

BOHRI KHICHDA

INGREDIENTS

1 kg mutton boneless

60g ghee

1 tbsp red chilli powder

3 tsp turmeric

3 tbsp ginger garlic paste

125g mixed dal soaked (urad, toor, pink masoor, chana, yellow mung dal)

250g broken half wheat or full wheat, husk removed. 6-7 green chillies salt for seasoning

Method

Marinate the mutton with salt and reserve.

In a pressure cooker heat ghee on a medium flame, add ginger garlic paste and sauté until it is cooked. Add in the red chili powder and 2 tsp of turmeric powder reserving 1 tsp for the dal and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on a medium flame stirring constantly. Finally, add in the salted mutton with 250ml of water and cook on a slow flame in the pressure cooker for 20 to 25 minutes or till the mutton is tender.

In a separate saucepan combine the lentils with the remaining 1 tsp of turmeric powder and salt, bring that to a boil and cook till soft and mushy.

Remove the mutton from the pressure cooker and reserve for later, add the wheat to the pressure cooker and cover with water, add more if required or if the water dries out. Add the green chilies and cook on a low flame till soft and mushy. Once the wheat is cooked and soft enough not chewy. Combine the dal mix and the mutton, and start to mash it till you find it thick and homogenous.

Note: Always depressurize the pressure cooker before opening, wait for steam to escape and resist the urge to look in immediately.

Serving

60g fried onions

2 tbsp mint, chopped

2 tbsp ghee

¼ tsp garam masala powder

1 inch pcs ginger, julienned

2 lime wedges

Method

Garnish with fried onions, mint leaves, ginger julienne and a dash of garam masala powder. Heat the ghee on a high flame and pour it over. Squeeze fresh lime over it and enjoy.

With over 11 years working in various Indian restaurants in Singapore, Javed Ahamad has refined his skills after hours of arduous training and cooking. He is credited with introducing a variety of firsts to the Singapore market – including Singapore’s first Indian-style champagne brunch, the first Ayurveda-based menu and a variety of other themed menus.

After an extended period of learning and mastering his creations in India, Javed started his Singapore journey with Rang Mahal at Pan Pacific. He was later one of the initial chefs at the Song of India before taking over his current role at Punjab Grill. Recognized twice as the Asian Cuisine Chef of the Year by the World Gourmet Summit Awards, Javed trained and worked with some of the best chefs in the business like Frank Fuller, Vineet Bhatia, Jiggs Kalra, Milind Somani, and Gurpreet Singh. Life is an ever-changing journey of learning and creating for Javed, his constant thirst for learning and perfecting has landed him a variety of accolades starting with his winning the Gold Award for Nestle Star Young Chef of the Year in 2001 with awards along the way from the restaurant association of Singapore, Sphere Culinary Challenge.

KASMIRI GUCCHI MUSHROOM KHICHDI

INGREDIENTS

10 to 12 Kashmiri dry morels, soak in water and chopped fine 5 pieces

20g button mushrooms

200g sameza basmati rice

100g yellow moong dal

1 onion, chopped fine

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp whole cumin

2g asafoetida salt for seasoning

Method

Clean, wash and soak the basmati rice and moong dal for 15 minutes.

Add the basmati rice and moong dal to a pressure cooker along with 1 litre of water. Add the turmeric, and asafoetida and season with salt. Cook on high heat for 5 whistles. Heat the oil in a saucepan, and add cumin seeds, once the cumin seeds splutter add the onion and sauté until it is light golden colour. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook on medium heat.

Add the mushrooms, Kashmiri morel water and chopped morels. Cook for 5 minutes on low heat and add the basmati rice and moong dal mixture to it. Let it cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Check for consistency and remove from the heat.

Served it hot with low-fat yoghurt.

Jerson Fernandes exemplifies the time-tested passion for his culinary expertise. Following his graduation, the executive chef of Novotel Mumbai, Juhu Beach started his journey as a management trainee with Accor - Novotel Hyderabad and Novotel Hyderabad International Convention Centre, India. With confidence and resilience, he then whole-heartedly embraced opportunities, spanning the P&O cruises, Taj Hotels, Accor, Berggruen (Keys) hotels, Ritz Carlton and the Marriott Hotels. With his meticulous approach to pairing ingredients and technical precision; he strives to elevate the brand identity through an authentic dining experience that is also visually inspiring. The power of his intention is seen in the heart of his innovation; of executing Goa’s first Vegan-friendly cocktail bar at Novotel Goa Dona Sylvia Resort Hotel, in a manner that encouraged an embracing of plant-based lifestyles. He has been recognized with several culinary awards for his talent - from the Young Chef Category: the Youngest Most Talented Sous Chef in the Middle East for the Marriott Hotel in 2011 to The Most Creative Budding Chef of India in 2014 to The emerging Executive Chef of the Year Award 2018, The Best Executive Chef of 2019 Award and in 2020, securing the Guinness World Records Certificate for the largest display, of 493 bread varieties achieved by the Culinary Academy of India, Hyderabad.

OATS KHICHDI

INGREDIENTS

100g quick-cooking oats 100g moong dal, split and skinned ½ tsp cumin seeds ¼ tsp turmeric powder

¼ tbsp red chilli powder 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 medium tomato, finely chopped ¾ tsp ginger, finely chopped ½ tsp green chillies, chopped salt for seasoning ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil 500ml water

Garnish ½ tbsp coriander leaves, chopped Method

Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds, let them crackle.

Add the chopped onions and cook until translucent, add ginger and green chillies, and cook for a few more seconds.

Add the turmeric powder and red chilli powder, followed by tomatoes and let them cook until tender.

Add the rinsed moong dal along with oats and sauté for a few seconds. Add water and season with salt.

Cook until the oats and dal are cooked.

Serve hot and garnish with chopped coriander leaves or green chillies, accompanied with yoghurt, onion slices and roasted papad.

JOSHI

Originally from India. Jitin Joshi trained at the renowned Oberoi School in Delhi, graduating from the Kitchen Management programme in 1999 and bagging the Ishran Devi Gold Medal for topping the class, before beginning his culinary career in Jaipur.

In 2001, he moved to London to work at the Capital Hotel, with Eric Chavot. He rose the ranks quickly showcasing his skill in French cooking and in particular, pastry. Jitin then moved to take the role of head pastry chef at Gordon Ramsay’s Maze, under Jason Atherton. Post a decade in French kitchens, Jitin wanted to apply his learnings to Indian cuisine and took on the role of executive chef at Mayfair’s Benares, with Atul Kochhar where he led the team to win a Michelin star in 2007. The Craft Guild of Chefs, UK crowned him the Ethnic Chef of the year, in 2009. Finding comfort in the combination of French cooking techniques with Indian flavours, he relocated to Dubai in 2011 to lead the kitchen at the Amal restaurant within the Armani Hotel. He was then appointed executive chef of Atmosphere, the world’s highest restaurant located on the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa, and then undertook a pre-opening role of executive chef of the first Taj Hotel in UAE. Jitin was the coach of Team India at the prestigious Bocuse d’Or in 2016 in Singapore.

In 2018, Jitin relocated back to London to join hands with JKS Restaurants as executive chef of the critically acclaimed Michelin-Starred restaurant Gymkhana in Mayfair.

He recently launched his brand under the name Rogan Joshi and currently doing various collaborations and pop-ups across the globe along with ‘Finish at Home’ meal kits across the UK.

This simple one-pot meal is more than just comfort food in the Joshi household. Unlike most of the khichdi recipes that call for rice and yellow lentils, this one is made with rice and split black lentils (urd daal).

A very interesting and lesser-known ritual is ‘the worship of the crow’ which happens only once a year during Makar Sankranti. Makar Sankranti is dedicated to the sun god ‘Surya’ and marks the arrival of spring. Sweet treats are prepared the night before and come morning, kids can be seen on rooftops calling out to crows to offer them these goodies.

“kaale kaale, badpua khale” Oh! Clever black one, come and enjoy these sweets.

In the kitchens, it is a tradition to make something with black lentils (probably an ode to the crows). In the Joshi household, it would be this khichdi, or vadas, or a beydi roti (bread filled with a black lentil paste).

KHICHDI (ALMORA, UTTARAKHAND)

INGREDIENTS

200g basmati rice

200g split black lentils

800ml water

2tbsp ghee

1 bay leaf

2tbsp cumin seeds

4 cloves

1 black cardamom

½ inch cinnamon stick

¼ tsp asafoetida

1tbsp ginger, finely chopped

1tsp turmeric powder

1tsp rock salt

Method

Wash and soak the rice and daal separately for 20 minutes. Drain and discard the water. Heat the ghee in a medium-sized pressure cooker. Add the whole spices and let them sizzle for 30 seconds. Add the asafoetida, turmeric powder and ginger. Sauté for a minute and then add the soaked rice and lentils. Then add double the water and season with salt.

Close the lid, and let it whistle twice on a medium flame; switch it off and let the pressure release naturally.

Serve the khichdi with these accompaniments either ghee or aloo tamatar rasa (tomato and potato broth) or mooli (radish) or achaar (pickle) or dahi (yoghurt) or raita.

BASUMATARI

At 5, Joel Basumatari’s culinary journey began, when he managed to get himself lost in a kitchen of a famous hotel. Years later, he went on to work at the Oberoi’s in Mumbai and at hotels in London but, his heart has always been in his native Nagaland and went on to open his restaurant Smokey Joe’s in Dimapur.

As the founder of the Nagaland chapter, Joel started working through Slow Food with the local communities in northeastern India. Slow food is about preserving the culture, tradition and indigenous values that the forefathers have taught them. The food they eat is the identity of their civilization – it traces their roots and where they come from. The interesting thing is that Joel went there to teach them how to use and understand flavours, but it turned out to be a reciprocal exchange and learned lots of new things. With his cooking, he now uses a lot of bamboo shoots and smoked pork with fermented soya beans, which are very popular ingredients in northeastern cuisine. The local ingredients all have unique flavours such as coriander, sweet potatoes, black rice, fermented taro balls, perilla seeds, and karkadé. He makes his salads using indigenous greens like Centella, edible ferns, heart-shaped bean leaves and even mushrooms. The ingredients in the Northeast are pretty much the same everywhere, but how it is cooked varies from community to community and from generation to generation. Joel believes that north eastern cuisine needs some innovation since people think of Nagaland and think of a place where you only get meat and he wants to break that stereotype. Nagaland, and the Northeast, have a lot of vegetarian dishes to offer, and it is not about ‘chowmomo’, as most people think. Every indigenous tribe has its cuisine. It’s not just about pork with bamboo shoots.

GALHO HERBAL RICE BROTH

INGREDIENTS

400g gajo (herbal leaves)

300g local rice

2tbsp kezai dui (indigenous Naga salt)

Method

Wash the rice thoroughly with water and bring it to boil in a pan half filled with water along with kezai dui salt.

Let the rice cook to about 70%.

Wash the gajo (herbal leaves) and put them in a pan with the rice and mix thoroughly. Ensure to continuously stir the rice and the leaves so they are incorporated evenly.

The dish is done when it has a porridge-like consistency.

Kezai dui (indigenous Naga salt) is added in the galho as it helps to retain the colour of the vegetable.

To complement the galho, people usually accompany the dish with sides like meat innards and chutney.

This dish is similar to congee (a type of rice porridge popular in many Asian countries).

KURIAKOSE

Born and raised in South India; Jomon Kuriakose completed his bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management from Sarosh Institute of Hotel Administration, Mangalore University. After graduating, Jomon was offered his first role with Speciality Restaurant Pvt Ltd, one of India’s leading restaurant groups, as chef de partie at Sigree. In 2008, Jomon moved to London and took up the role of chef de partie at Bombay Palace, where he was able to develop his culinary skills with Indian cuisine and AngloIndian dining. In 2012, Jomon was appointed senior chef de partie at Cinnamon, a modern Indian restaurant in London merging eastern spices with western culinary styles. Here under the guidance of Executive Chef and CEO Vivek Singh, he quickly progressed to the ranks of a sous chef. And in 2017, he joined Baluchi at the Lalit London as chef de cuisine.

Besides his culinary skills, Jomon has always been at the forefront of supporting needy people worldwide, and in 2019, he undertook a skydiving charity challenge organised by the British Malayali Charity Foundation (BMCF). This was to raise funds to facilitate the studies of financially unsound nursing students from India. With the Covid-19 impact, the BMCF issued a ‘Covid Support Appeal’ and Jomon has stepped forward to join hands with the British Malayali Charity Foundation to support the suffering fraternity in South India due to the unprecedented situation resulting from the Covid lockdown. Jomon has been a pioneer in teaching and has successfully trained and motivated several students in the hospitality industry. In July 2021, he came up with the idea of organising a virtual cookery class with food plating demonstrations. He has earmarked a whole day for this challenge, and the participants were able to learn about the food preparation and presentation.

One of the best dishes I still admire from my childhood. It is one of the comfort foods of Kerala. It is healthy, tasty and simple. It is a treasure recipe which calls for simple ingredients but taste so heavenly. Green gram is a super food for weight loss and is loaded with vitamins. The pappad can be deep fried or roasted on low flame.

GREEN GRAM COCONUT KANJI

INGREDIENTS

200g green gram, soak overnight 100g rice, preferably Kerala rice

2tbsp coconut oil

1tsp fenugreek seeds

1tsp mustard seeds

1 string of curry leaves 2 dried red chillies ½ onion, chopped 100g shallots, chopped 200g fresh grated coconut 400ml thick coconut milk salt for seasoning Method

In a pressure cooker, cook the rice and green gram until 2 to 3 whistles. Keep the mix semi-solid and strain the excess water.

In a pan, add coconut oil, when it’s heated add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and wait until both crackle, then add the curry leaves and dry red chillies.

Add chopped onion and sauté until slightly brown.

Add the grated coconut and sauté on low heat but don’t let it brown. Once the coconut started extracting its flavours add the cooked rice and green gram mixture and bring it to a boil. Add coconut milk, and adjust the seasonings with salt.

Serve it with roasted papad, pickle or pickled shallots.

BARKAKATI NATH

Kashmiri B Nath belongs to the land of the blue hills and red river - Assam, situated in the North East of India. The verdant surrounding has influenced and inspired her from a young age.

Food and its cultural context have always interested her and she has taken her regional cuisine all across to country popularising the beauty of its simplicity, hosting food festivals and pop-ups in various star hotels. She strongly believes that food connects people and helps us to celebrate diversity. Traditional food according to her must be taken forward and adapted to our times to reap its rich culinary heritage. Presently she resides in Guwahati, besides being a successful foodpreneur, writing and researching Assamese food, she also writes a culinary column for the local daily, Assam Tribune.

While Khichdi stirs feelings of comfort, this common one-pot dish is also the food of the God in the North East. Khichdi is offered to Durga Maa along with fruits and sweets and cooked at the temple kitchens. A large pot of lentils and rice that is simmered for hours along with spices is offered to Maa before being shared by her devotees. Every year this sacred dish is looked forward to with feverish anticipation, for the flavours can never be replicated in the home kitchen. At times, it is also accompanied by a labdra (a medley of seasonal vegetables) cooked in ghee, sans onion or garlic. Although Khichdi cooking has gone through many transformations over time, one characteristic that has always remained is the use of ghee in the dish.

At Kamakhya Devalaya, one of the most revered ShaktiPeeth, animal sacrifice continues to be a part of the daily ritual, therefore the bhogis non-vegetarian. It is mentioned in the Puranas that Mother Kamakhya is said to be “Sago-Tusto”, ‘Sago’ meaning goat and ‘Tusto’ meaning ‘satisfied’, goat meat is a part of the Bhog, offered at the temple. However, meat rarely occurs in the Khichdi cooked in homes or community celebrations and is limited to Kamakhya Temple and Ugratara Temple.

Khichdi at home is almost always accompanied by a side of fritters, and papadam. I’m a recipe that is most commonly prepared at our homes.

NORTH EAST

INGREDIENTS

210g joha rice

210g dhuli moong dal

1 tsp grated ginger

2 to 3 tej patta (bay leaf)

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin powder

2 tbsp ghee

1 tsp salt

210g seasonal vegetables - carrots, pumpkin and potatoes, cubed

2 dry red chillies

Method

Wash the rice and lentil separately. Drain and keep aside.

Heat a deep casserole, add the lentil and 400ml of water, along with the tej patta. Bring to a boil and lower heat, simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the lentil is partially cooked. Add the vegetables and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes.

Add the rice and stir to mix, bring to a boil and stir occasionally so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the turmeric and salt and stir again. Continue to cook until the rice and lentils are cooked and turn soft. You may have to add some water if it becomes too dry. Turn off the heat and cover the pot and keep it aside.

Heat another pan with the ghee and add the dry chillies, cumin seeds and cumin powder.

Sizzle for a minute and pour this over the cooked khichdi, stir well to mix in. Serve hot with a side of eggplant fritters and pickles.

MADIREDDI

Born in Mysore, India and brought up in Chennai, Loki’s heart has always been in food. His earliest food memory is from when he was about 6 years old, cooking crabs with his grandmother in his backyard. Loki had a fatal fall from the third floor when he was 8 years old and while recovering at home over several months’ food and cooking became his obsession. Due to family pressures, Loki pursued his education in Information technology and only became a full-time chef post his stint on a popular TV cooking show called Masterchef, Australia in 2018. Since the show, Loki has done several food pop-ups and collaborations in Australia, India and Bali. From foraging the Himalayas to creating food in some of the best-known hotels in the world, Loki believes in slow cooking and using spices with a generous dose of love. Through the pandemic, Loki has been focused on plantbased cooking and has also been doing Sattvic meals in Melbourne as part of a body reset program. Apart from cooking Loki is passionate about creating a platform for next-gen culinary creators. With this idea in mind, Loki co-founded Trust the Loki Fellowship, a culinary scholarship program that backs individuals with an inspiring food dream. The Fellowship has received over 1000+ applications since 2019 and the finalists have gone on to create amazing careers in the world of food.

TRUFFLE & MUSHROOM KHICHDI

Khichdi has always been Loki’s comfort food. With a bunch of condiments to mix and match Loki has fond memories of his maternal grandmother cooking khichdi at home. Loki grew up in the railway colony in Chennai and would often find himself at neighbours’ homes having a spoonful of khichdi - each house had a different take, a different flavour profile. Loki has taken those memories to create this Khichdi and added the Melbourne winter flavours of mushroom and truffle oil to give it that extra richness and body. The red rice or Matta rice gives it that extra nutrition and the condiments add to the Thali experience. The condiments include pappad, spiced yoghurt with curry leaf tempura, a sprout salad and soft-boiled eggs with caramelised onion and tomato.

INGREDIENTS

150g red matta broken rice / 50g red lentil (masoor dal) / 25g yellow split gram (moong dal)

25g yellow split pigeon peas (toor dal) / 1 tsp cumin seeds / 1 garlic cloves / salt for seasoning

25g onions, chopped / ½ inch ginger / 25g tomato, chopped / 2 Swiss brown mushrooms, sliced / 2 shitake mushrooms, sliced / 50g green peas / 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice / 1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp truffle oil / 5g tsp asafoetida / 2 tbsp ghee (preferably Bengali ghee) / ½ tsp turmeric powder

5g coriander leaves, chopped / 10g roasted cashews

Spice powder

1 tsp cumin seeds / 1 tbsp coriander seeds / 1 red dry Kashmiri chilli / 1 green fresh chilli / 4 curry leaves / 1 bay leaf / 1 inch cinnamon stick / 2 cloves / 2 cardamom / 2 tbsp shredded coconut

10g tsp fenugreek seeds / ½ tsp sesame seeds / ½ tsp poppy seeds / ½ tsp black pepper

Method

Roast the spice powder ingredients on low heat till fragrant and blend to a fine powder. Wash the rice under running water and place it in the pressure cooker.

Roast all the lentils slightly and add them to the rice. Add 600 ml of water and cook for 3 whistles on medium heat.

In a heavy-bottomed non-stick pan, add the olive oil, cumin, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, and asafoetida and sauté them. Add the onions, and tomatoes and sauté them till they are caramelised (add water if it dries up). Add the sliced mushrooms & peas and roast them till brown.

Add the cooked rice and lentils to the caramelised mushrooms and peas. In a cup add the masala powder, salt and 200 ml of water and make a paste. Add the paste, ghee and lemon juice to the rice and lentils and mix them well until combined. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, roasted cashews and truffle oil.

MANAV TULI

Manav Tuli draws from a wealth of experience over the past 18 years in some of the finest kitchens of London and India to create a menu of bold, inspiring renditions of much-loved Indian favourites. Manav began his culinary career in the southwestern coastal state of Kerala, where he gained a firm foundational knowledge of southern Indian culture and its cuisine. He then embarked upon an exciting opportunity at luxury hotel group The Oberoi in the princely state of Rajasthan, where he refined his technique and learned to adapt to a new style of Indian cuisine given the region’s dry and arid climate. After a short stint in The Oberoi Mumbai, Manav ventured out into the world to discover international cuisines, starting in the resort island of Mauritius and finally landing in the gastronomic capital of London. In London, Manav worked his way up the culinary ladder, first joining Chutney Mary Chelsea in 2011 as Sous Chef, before opening Chutney Mary St. James as Head Chef in 2015. Manav then went on to open modern Indian restaurant Tamarind in 2019, where it was the first Indian restaurant in London to be awarded with a Michelin star. Manav is passionate about re-connecting with his roots no matter where he is in the world, and enjoys learning about ancient Indian scriptures, mythology, symbols and rituals in his free time.

FISH MAW & LIVER

KHICHDI

This dish has been inspired by Hong Kong. Last year I had gone to a local fish farm, was inspired to how they used each part of the fish. I was impressed and started using farmed sea bass maw (stomach) to make a different kind of keema pav. The same inspiration I have used to make a “fish maw and liver khichdi”.

INGREDIENTS

100g basmati rice / 50g moong dal / 2 tbsp cumin seeds 50g urad dal, split / 2 garlic cloves / ½ green chilli / 1pc ginger, 1 inch / 2 tbsp coriander leaves / 50g red onions, chopped / 50g tomatoes, chopped / 1g asafoetida / ½ tsp turmeric powder / salt for seasoning

Keema

3 tbsp mustard oil / 1 bay leaf / ½ tsp fennel seeds / ¾ tsp garam masala powder / 2 cinnamon sticks / 1 green cardamom 100g red onions, chopped / 50g tomatoes, chopped / 100g fresh sea bass maw, minced and chopped / 100g sea bass liver 100g sea bass meat, diced / ½ tbsp ginger paste / ½ tbsp garlic paste 1 green chilli, slit / 1 tsp turmeric powder / 1 tsp Kashmir chilli powder / 1 tsp cumin powder / 1 tsp coriander powder / 2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped / ¼ lemon

Method

Wash the rice and the lentils 3 times under running water and let it soak for 2 hours.

In a thick bottom pan on medium flame, heat ghee and when hot add the cumin seeds and asafoetida. When cumin crackles add the chopped onion and sauté until golden. Add the chopped garlic, ginger, green chilli, turmeric powder and saute for a few minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and salt. When tomatoes are almost mashed, drain the rice and lentils and add them to the pan with enough water to cover it properly. Let it come to a boil and then simmer until the rice and lentil are almost mashed. Check to see if more water is required. If water is required then add a little hot water. Ensure that the base is not too watery.

While the rice and lentils is cooking, heat mustard oil in a separate pan. Add the whole spices – fennel seeds, bay leaf, green cardamom, cinnamon and let them crackle. Add the chopped onions and sauté until lightly golden. Add the ginger and garlic paste followed with the dry spices (except the garam masala powder) and sauté for a few minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, salt, green chilli and sauté well until the tomatoes are cooked well and the mixture starts to leave oil on the sides. Add the fish maw and sauté for 5 minutes, followed by the fish liver. Sauté at a high flame mixing continuously until the water is evaporated. Add the sea bass meat and stir it in for a few minutes until the sea bass is cooked. Remove off the fire and add the chopped coriander and garam masala. Stir well and squeeze the lime.

When the khichdi is ready, spoon it in a bowl and a big spoon full of the keema on top of it.

Indian Accent offers an inventive approach to Indian cuisine. Its path-breaking menu has been designed by Manish Mehrotra. He reinterprets nostalgic Indian dishes with an openness towards global techniques and influences. Manish has been called the most exciting modern Indian chef in the world today. Having started his career in Mumbai as part of Ananda Solomon’s team at the Thai Pavilion of the Taj Hotels, he joined Old World Hospitality in 2000. Flooring the guests at Oriental Octopus with his culinary skills and charm, he has since spent about eighteen years with Old World Hospitality, opening several restaurants while travelling the world.

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 and accolades including being the only restaurant from India on the World’s 100 Best lists since 2015, and every year 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 and the ‘No. 1 Chef In India’ by The Economic Times and American Express.

KITSCH-REE

In my opinion, khichdi (or as we call it in Indian Accent, kitsch-ree) is a complete dish, perfectly combining two basic ingredients—rice and dal. Every community has its 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 kitsch-ree’ (Mustard Oil fried Sausage, Masala Mash Fritters and Bengali Rice Kitschree by adding the sausage to the traditional dish. Use a good, meaty sausage for this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1 masala mash fritters

Rice

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

Dal

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

Kitsch-ree

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

Sausage

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

Garnish

Papad pieces, roasted as garnish Method

Rice

Use the Gobindo bhog variety of rice, which is popular in Bengal. Wash the rice at least twice. Place in a bowl and cover with just enough water to top the rice. Soak for 30 minutes. Boil with ghee and salt. Drain the water, and keep the cooked rice aside.

Dal

Boil 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

Heat ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds. Allow to crackle. Add chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies. Fry for a while. Add 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 to simmer. Add a little water if you find the khichdi becoming too thick. The finished khichdi should be creamy and runny in consistency. Finish with butter and freshly chopped coriander.

Sausage

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. Puree mango pickle in a blender and strain to make a smooth paste. Heat mustard oil in a frying pan. Add masala gravy. Add mango pickle paste. 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.

Serving Spoon the kitsch-ree into a pasta bowl, or onto a plate. Place the sausage on top, with masala mash fritters on the side. Garnish with roasted papad of your choice. is evaporated. Add the sea bass meat and stir it in for a few minutes until the sea bass is cooked. Remove from the fire and add the chopped coriander and garam masala. Stir well and squeeze the lime.

When the khichdi is ready, spoon it into a bowl and spoon a big spoon full of the keema on top of it.

Growing up in Chandni Chowk, the oldest part of Delhi was a big influence on Manoj Sharma’s career. His mother’s cooking, the street food in the neighbourhood and living next to the Khari Baoli, the largest spice market in India - these are the reasons that food has been always in Manoj’s mind since childhood.

During his first year of university, Manoj felt his passion is food and he needed to find his career somewhere with cooking. So, he decided to get into cooking school and from there he never looked back. He was lucky enough to get an opportunity to work with some of the finest chefs – Vineet Bhatia, Vivek Singh and Jiggs Karla. These names were part of his culinary journey, his first job with Jiggs Kalra in Delhi, and it was life-changing for him. Jiggs’ passion for Indian cuisine and knowledge was immense.

In 2006, Manoj moved to London and started the next chapter of his culinary journey starting with the iconic Chutney Mary restaurant and their boutique restaurants Amaya and Viraswamy in London. From there, he moved to Rasoi, London to work with Vineet Bhatia and then to another iconic London restaurant Cinnamon Club with Vivek Singh.

Manoj’s journey continued and in 2014, he moved to France for a new challenge in his life. He opened a beautiful Iranian Café concept in Paris, MG Road and it was a great success. Within 8 months, he managed to open the second concept and named it Desi Road. From there he moved to open a completely new concept Shirvan Café Metisse which was based on the spice route and silk route journey with a two-Michelin star chef. In 2018, he managed to achieve his long dream to open his very own Korean Canteen Seoul Mama in Paris with his wife who is from South Korea. Today, Manoj has two Korean restaurants and his first Indian Restaurant Jugaad in Paris.

The journey continues, and Manoj is super excited to open a few more places in the coming future.

This is my tribute to this great dish with some beautiful French touch. I have tried to keep the flavours very mild and showcase the beauty of the white asparagus, a wonderful vegetable now in the season in France. This dish really showcases my cooking style which is original with its roots but with some French touch.

WHITE ASPARAGUS AND COCONUT KHICHDI WITH BROWN BUTTER EMULSION

INGREDIENTS

2tbsp oil / 50g butter / 400g white asparagus

100g moong dal / 1 shallot, sliced / 10g ginger, chopped / 300g basmati rice / 400g vegetable stock / 100ml coconut milk / 200g grated coconut / 150g yoghurt / 1 tsp cumin seeds / ½ tsp hing / salt for seasoning

Method

Peel the asparagus and cut the half stem into small dices and the asparagus tips keep it for finishing.

Blanche the asparagus in the salted water and keep them crunchy.

Heat oil in the stockpot. Add the cumin seeds, and hing and sauté. Add the sliced shallots and cook until they are translucent. Add the chopped ginger and green chillies, and sauté for another 2 minutes.

Add the basmati rice and moong lentil (washed and soaked) and stir for a while. Add the stock and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer.

Add the coconut milk when the rice is half cooked and cook the rice till the time it is done. Stir in the grated coconut. Check for the seasoning.

Brown butter emulsion

100g butter / 100g liquid cream / 1 tsp lecithin of soya

Method

Heat the butter in a pan. Keep stirring the butter until it reaches a nice golden colour and it starts smelling like roasted nuts. Now add the cream and lecithin powder and mix with a hand blender to obtain nice foam. When ready to serve add the butter and yoghurt to the khichdi and mix well it will make the texture fluffy and light.

Before plating the dish add the dice of blanched asparagus to the khichdi and mix well and serve to the plate with grilled asparagus tips. Add the brown butter foam on the sides of the plates and some crunchy chips of the peel of asparagus.

Heading the creative and recipe design department at I’M Wholesome, Manpreet Dhody was an experienced food manager in the hospitality industry. A postgraduate from the Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development in Delhi, Manpreet started off her career as an assistant F&B manager at The Oberoi Mumbai where she worked under Vineet Bhatia and later she went on to become the deputy manager. After a great run at The Oberoi, she moved on to Foodhall Cookery studio as the head chef where she played a pioneering role in establishing the studio and positioning it as an experimental kitchen and a contemporary venue for cooking classes and workshops, be it for home cooks or amateur chefs. The pandemic only made her realize that there was a major gap in the gifting sector, where people could actually gift food rather than buying things off the shelves. She wanted to create food that was more personal and offer something to everybody for all kinds of occasions such as birthdays, intimate parties, hi-teas, etc. Food makes everybody happy and this is how Manpreet wishes to empower people, educate and inspire people when it comes to servicing their guests. The idea of not shying away from teaching people what they cook, share recipes and to educate people that the brands they use will eventually create a community around them. I’M Wholesome was created for Manpreet to realize that what she brings to the table through the industry experience she has gained over the years with making the brand personal and close to her heart. Her brand made her realize that brands don’t make people, people make brands and that is why she calls it I’M Wholesome since she believes one needs to believe in the whole idea that you are awesome enough to start a brand.

THECHA PARMESAN KHICHDI

INGREDIENTS

Thecha

100g green chillies, chopped 100g coriander, chopped 20g garlic, chopped

10g cumin seeds, chopped

10g white sesame

10g peanuts, chopped

2 tbsp cooking oil

½ tsp hing

35 ml apple cider vinegar

35 ml lemon juice

15g jaggery, grated salt for seasoning

Method

Add some oil to a pan. Add the cumin, white sesame, cumin seeds, garlic, peanuts and hing. Cook until the garlic starts to turn light golden brown. Add the green chillies and cook on a high flame until the chillies have blistered. Add the coriander and cook on a high flame until all of the water has evaporated and the oil has separated. Reduce the flame. In a separate bowl, mix the juice of the lemon, and apple cider vinegar and season with salt. Cook on a high flame until the apple cider vinegar has cooked through. Take it off the heat and allow it to cool. Once cool, blend until it resembles a coarse paste and set aside.

Khichdi

100g Arborio rice or glutinous rice

1ltr water

200ml vegetable stock

15g garlic, chopped

10g cumin seeds 40g salted butter 50g thecha or as required 80g parmesan cheese, grated for garnish 100g fresh cream salt and pepper for seasoning 5g micro herbs, as garnish

Method

In a medium pan, sauté the garlic in butter for 2 minutes or until it turns a light golden colour, add in the cumin seeds and cook for a minute. Add the rice and sauté till the rice is slightly toasted, for approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add about 100ml of water and sauté on a medium-high flame for 2 minutes. Once the rice has absorbed the stock, add in another 100ml of vegetable stock and cook on a low flame for 5 to 8 minutes. Check if the rice has cooked through by tasting it. If it isn’t cooked, add another half cup of 100ml of water to cook through. Lower the flame, and add cream and the thecha mixture. Cook for another minute or two. Adjust the spice and consistency as per your preference. Season with salt and pepper, and fold in with parmesan cheese. Serve hot garnished with more thecha and edible micro herbs.

THIMMAIAH

Naren Thimmaiah has been the face of the Iconic Karavalli for over two decades. Naren joined the Taj group of hotels after completing his graduation in Commerce and subsequent graduation in Hotel Management. Being the face of Karavalli he has successfully nurtured and charted the course for the iconic restaurant to complete thirtyone wonderful years of existence, the popularity growing with each day evident by the numerous recognitions the restaurant has received over the past decade. He takes pride in singling out “maintaining the consistent quality of the product offered and holding the team together’’ above anything else when it comes to rating his own achievement.

Naren holds the distinction of participating in the World Gourmet Summit held at Singapore in the year 2005. In its history from inception, Naren Thimmaiah holds the distinction of being the fourth to attend this prestigious event representing India. He is popular on TV Shows, regular contributor on food and lifestyle magazines, serves on the Board of Studies of Christ University and Srinivas University apart from many Hotel Management institutes, and advises on the Food Panel of Master Chef India.

Naren is very involved in the refining of the menu at the Karavalli, by constantly learning, and showcasing the dishes from various communities; he travels often, trying out the various fares of eateries and homes along the South West coast of India.

My take on The Great Indian Khichdi has to be our very own Bisibele Bath in Karnataka. This is a typical example of variations of a great dish across the country suiting local palate, eating habits and available ingredients of the region.

Bisibele Bath is a flavoursome, slightly tangy and spicy meal made with vegetables, lentils and rice. It is said to have originated in the Mysore Palace. It is served hot and sometimes eaten with chutney, boondi or potato chips. Bisibele Bath is good to have any time of the day for breakfast, lunch or dinner. This one-dish meal is the most popular comfort food in Karnataka.

BISIBELE BATH

INGREDIENTS

1kg rice

1 coconut, grated

50g red chillies

20g jeera

50g coriander

10g cinnamon stick

5g cloves

10g methi seeds

50g refined oil

500g toor dal

200g beans

200g carrots

200g cauliflower

200g onions

200g green peppers

20g mustard seeds

5g turmeric powder

50g tamarind

20g curry leaves

50g coriander leaves

10g asafoetida

Method

Wash the rice and toor dal. In a pot cook the rice and toor dal until it is done.

Broil the red chillies, jeera, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves, methi seeds and grated coconut in a pan with little oil until slightly brown. Remove from the heat, let it cool and make a fine paste in the blender.

Heat oil in a pan and make a tadka by using mustard seeds and curry leaves add diced vegetables, little water and turmeric powder. Cook for a few minutes until the vegetables turn tender, add the prepared coconut paste, cook for a few minutes, then add the cooked dal and rice.

Simmer for some time and mix it well, adjust the seasoning, and finish with a little asafoetida and green coriander leaves.

LOBO

Nigel Lobo’s career started in his late teens. Finishing his Diploma in Kitchen Management from the famed Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development (OCLD). He trained at Miramar under Paco Perez and at Compartir with Mateu Casanas in Spain; in Australia with Ben Shewry at Attica, with Thomas Bühner in Germany at La Vie and a local tapas bar in Valladolid-La Tahona under Jose. Nigel trained to run a restaurant, organise the logistics of service and supplies, price the menu in each segment, portion the plates, train staff, and overall run a successful chain of restaurants. As the group executive chef for Stars-n-Bars, UAE, before this, he was the executive chef and group culinary administrator at the Royal Orchid Hospitality Group where he took care of various standalone restaurants serving different cuisines and catering to different market segments. He was also the chef de cuisine at The Eloquent Elephant at the Taj in Business Bay, Dubai.

A khichdi is a complete dish. This is because the combination of rice and dal contains essential amino acids the body cannot produce. Lentils and other legumes contain ‘lysine’ an amino acid that is missing in rice. Rice and other grains are high in the sulphur based amino acids which are missing from legumes.

This version of Khichdi inspired from the Southern coast of India combines Basmati rice with Chana Dal or split chickpea lentils cooked with curry leaves. The khichdi has an earthy flavor added with the addition of beetroot and then finished with the addition of coconut to add texture, give it a slight nutty and sweet flavour.

BEETROOT COCONUT KHICHDI

INGREDIENTS

250g basmati rice

250g chana dal

10g mustard leaves

30g green chillies

20g garlic, finely chopped

20g ginger, finely chopped

100g onions

150g beetroot, shredded

20g red chilli powder

20g turmeric powder

20g curry leaves

50g coconut, grated salt as seasoning

3 red chillies

Method

Soak the rice and channa dal in water for 20 minutes.

In a pan, heat oil. Add the mustard seeds, after it starts crackling add curry leaves, whole red chillies, garlic and green chillies. Add the chopped onions and lightly brown them. Add the ginger and masala in it and sauté it well. Add the grated beetroot and allow it to cook well.

Drain the water from the rice and channa dal and add it to the pan. Cook it until it is very soft.

Plating

2 chioggia beetroots, diced 100g sugar

100g vinegar

10g coconut shavings

2 lemon wedges

10g curry leaves

Slice the chioggia beetroot on a mandolin and cut with a round cutter. Pickle the beetroots in vinegar and sugar.

On the plate, place the khichdi first and garnish it with beetroot and coconut shaves. Finish with pickled and fresh beetroot.

RAWAL

A native of Mumbai, India, who migrated to the U.S. in 2001, has been in the hospitality, restaurant, quick service, and food service management business for more than three decades. A qualified and experienced manager and chef with knowledge of 6 international cuisines. Paddy Rawal started the Bombay Grill and Mumbai in Michigan, before venturing into Raaga in Santa Fe, and OM in Los Ranchos, New Mexico, in 2011 and his current takeaway concept Raaga Go is up and running. All his restaurants received positive reviews in local and national publications and online sites, and they were a regular participant in community events and local fundraisers such as Dining with the Masters, Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta, the ART feast, the Santa Fe Film Festival, Edible Art Tour which benefits art programs in Santa Fe Public Schools, The Santa Fe Conservation Trust and the Souper Bowl soup competition which raises funds for The Food Depot.

In 2014, Paddy released his first cookbook, The Raaga Cookbook: Modern Indian Cuisine. A year later, he wrote another internationally acclaimed cookbook, “Curry Korma & Kebab”: A Culinary Journey of India. Paddy received a shout-out on live TV by daytime talkshow host Kelly Ripa, who vacationed in Santa Fe with her husband Mark Consuelos and enjoyed a meal at Raaga. The following week, Kelly Ripa raved about Paddy, his cookbook, and their experience at Raaga.

In 2018, Raaga-Go opened in Santa Fe and it has been the talk of the town. With the diversity of diners and the awareness the locals have about various ethnic cuisines, Paddy can be more experimental with his menu, adding a contemporary flair to traditional Indian cuisine. He plans to open satellite units in and around New Mexico. In addition, he is looking to branch out into packaging his brand of sauces.

A contestant on the Food Network show “Chopped” and in 2021 competed on the “Beat Bobby Flay” show and beat the king of flavours.

This is my mother’s family recipe, given to her by her mother. My mother was born in Allahabad, the birth city of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India. My grandparents lived two doors from the Nehru’s and were invited to their haveli on many occasions for bada khana.

KHURDI-KHICHRI

INGREDIENTS

1kg goat meat, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 tbsp ghee

1ltr water

2 tbsp flour

50g fresh mint, chopped

Spice rub

2 tbsp garlic, chopped

1 tbsp jalapeno, chopped

1 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped Salt for seasoning

Temper

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp garlic

1 cinnamon stick

4 cloves

4 green cardamoms

Method

Rub the meat with the spice rub and set aside for an hour.

Combine the flour and water, and add the meat. Cook in a cast iron pot on slow to medium heat, until it is fully cooked.

Add the fresh mint and stir gently.

In a separate pot, heat oil, and add the tempered ingredients till brown. Add the meat and cover with a lid over medium heat for 8 minutes.

Khichri

460g rice

60g red lentils

60g split green lentils

1 tsp turmeric salt

100g yellow onion, finely chopped

Method

In a medium-sized pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil, add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the rice and sauté for 3 minutes. Add 1 litre of water and let the meat cook. Cook until the water has evaporated. Serve the Khudri Khichri hot.

PALASH MITRA

Palash Mitra is a technically gifted chef as well as a family man with a cheeky sense of humour. His deep understanding of the culture and history of the Indian subcontinent brings this with sincerity to his cooking, expertly weaving the subtle narratives of South Asian cuisine. He takes a thoughtful approach to food, believing it has just as much to do with emotions and nostalgia as technical skill.

Palash swears there are no secrets to his dishes. Growing up across the eastern Indian states of Bengal and Gujarat, the traditional flavours of the region are in his bones. He learnt to cook alongside the best: his mother and grandmother. This inspired him to attend culinary school and earn a degree in Nutrition and Catering Technology. Upon graduation, he spent four years in the kitchen at The Oberoi Rajvilas. Here, Palash honed his expertise with tandoor ovens which is a trademark for the robust, elemental dishes of the Punjab region of northern India and eastern Pakistan. But a brief stint at Kandahar in 2003 at The Oberoi New Delhi’s Northwest Frontier Specialty kitchen was most influential in what and how he wanted to cook in the future. Since then, he has spent a lot of time road-tripping through Punjab’s highway towns, eating at dhabas and working in their kitchens for free.

He built his reputation at Vivek Singh’s Cinnamon Club, Scarfes Bar at The Rosewood Hotel and the Gymkhana in London, as well as Hong Kong’s Veda. In true Palash fashion, he left a legacy of elevating South Asian cuisine far beyond people’s expectations, but he felt that he wasn’t quite doing it justice. He applies precise and a technical technique-driven approach, an attempt to westernise Indian fare but was concerned that food was losing its identity. He was worried that he was bastardising the cuisine and producing food that was unreliable and not authentic.

MASOOR DAL AUR KATHAL KI KHICHRI

INGREDIENTS

200g masoor dal

200g raw kathal (jackfruit)

200g uncooked rice

20g fresh ginger root, crushed in a blender

20g garlic, crushed in a blender

10g turmeric powder

20g hing

50g peanuts with skin on

½ cube chicken stock

10g salt

10g sugar

50 ml refined oil

10ml desi ghee

½ lemon, juice

1 green chilli, slit lengthwise

50g shallots, chopped

50g tomatoes, chopped

1 bay leaf

1.7ltr water

Equipment

5ltr pressure cooker

Method

Wash and soak the rice and dal together in cold water for 30 minutes.

Peel the hard skin off the jackfruit and dice the flesh and seeds (if in the pods) into ½ inch dice. Rinse well under running water. Add the ginger and garlic paste; and half the ground turmeric, salt, and sugar. Leave aside 30 minutes.

Drain the rice and dal in a colander after 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in the pressure cooker to medium heat. Add the bay leaf, hing, slit green chili, shallots and tomatoes.

When the shallots turn slightly translucent, add in the marinated jackfruit and fry until golden. Once golden, lower the heat and simmer. Add the rice and dal, mix all the ingredients and top it with water (you may need more or less 1.7 litres of water, depending on the size of your pressure cooker).

Add the remaining salt, sugar, turmeric, peanuts, and stock cube.

Bring the khichri mix to a slow boil and stir, making sure that the dal is not stuck to the bottom of the cooker. Once it comes to a boil, cover it with the lid and let it cook over simmering heat for at least three whistles.

If using a pressure cooker without a whistle, wait at least until it has been cooking for 15 to 20 minutes. Usually, the khichri will be cooked after the three whistles. If there are still some undercooked ingredients, cook for a further 10 minutes over a slow flame.

Serving

Spoon the khichri onto a plate. Squeeze the lemon over it and finish with the ghee.

With a passion for great food and since joining as executive chef at Mint Leaf of London, Pradeep Khullar has spent time behind the scenes developing innovative menus to freshen Dubai’s Indian fine dining scene. His cooking style is innovative and explores modern variations of Indian cuisine with his wealth of knowledge and refined skills. Having worked for notable restaurants throughout the last decade both in India and Dubai. His expertise has truly upped the dining experience at the popular Dubai International Financial Centre venue. At least once a year, Pradeep takes a trip overseas to continue his culinary education and expand his vast culinary and life experiences. He has infused flavours from his global travels into his dishes at Mint Leaf of London. His culinary repertoire includes milestones such as being awarded the prestigious ‘Chef of the Year’ title in 2020. Other significant achievements entail awards for ‘Best Modern Indian’, as well as contributing to the success of Indian Accent being featured in Asia’s Top 50 restaurants.

KAFFIR LIME

KHICHDI

INGREDIENTS

300g koshihikari rice

30g desi ghee

6 kaffir lime leaves

5g moong dal

10g lemon grass

5g turmeric powder

20g massaman curry powder

salt for seasoning

3g coriander seeds, crushed

5g cumin seeds, crushed

10g green coriander, chopped

5g green chillies, chopped

3g asafoetida powder

Method

Wash and soak the koshihikari rice and moong dal for 1 hour.

In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat ghee and add cumin and coriander seeds. Add the kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, and green chillies and sauté for 10 seconds. Add the massaman curry powder, asafoetida, and turmeric and season with salt. Keep stirring to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.

Drain the water from the rice and moong dal and add it to the pan. Stir until everything is properly mixed. Add 1 litre of water, stir and cover the lid. Let it simmer on low heat for an hour or till the rice and dal is mushy. Finish with chopped coriander and serve hot with ghee on the top.

PRASHANT CHIPKAR

Born in Goa, India, Prashant grew up in a family where the entire family was associated with the F&B industry. It was his early influences that led him to become a chef, his aunt had a hotel at Mahabaleshwar, a hill station in India. During holidays he would visit her and shadow her during her daily routine which included managing the hotel’s restaurant, this sparked his interest to pursue a course in hotel management.

Working with Vineet Bhatia, Hari Nayak and Hemant Oberoi, some of the best Indian chefs in the business, Prashant honed his culinary skills and learnt a lot about techniques, understanding flavours, thinking independently and how to run a quality kitchen. His culinary philosophy is all about taking traditional dishes, fusing them with modern techniques and flavours or taking popular non-Indian dishes and infusing them with Indian flavours to enhance the flavour or simplify them is what he strives for.

TRUFFLE KHICHDI

INGREDIENTS

200g button mushrooms, diced

80g Arborio rice

30g shallots

15g garlic

15g ginger

30g coriander roots

10g white wine

10g truffle paste

10ml olive oil

20ml cooking cream

5ml truffle oil

15g brown onions

5g truffle perlage

10g cream cheese

3g fresh truffle

Method

Par boil the risotto rice and keep it aside.

Place a heavy bottom pan on medium heat and sauté the shallots, garlic and ginger. Add the mushrooms and sauté well. De-glaze the pan with white wine and let it reduce. Add in the arborio rice, and cooking cream, season with salt and let it simmer away for five minutes.

Finish the khichdi with a generous sprinkle of brown onions, a dollop of truffle perlage and grate fresh truffle on the top.

KARVE

Currently working as a sous chef at JW Marriott Sahar, Mumbai, Rahul Karve is a member of the Western Indian Culinary Association (WICA), Indian Federation of Culinary Association (IFCA) and World’s Association of Chef’s Societies. He has worked with brands such as Taj, Marriott, Hyatt and Sahara Star. In 2021, he was awarded the “Best young chef of the year” by FCBA, Rising Star of the Year 2021 by IHC, London and an excellent speaker by Toastmasters Club USA. He has also performed on Zee Television and Sahyadri Doordarshan to do food presentations and he aims to maintain sustainability in the kitchen with organic ingredients. He aspired to have his name in the Guinness Book of World Records.

EDAMAME AND BAJRA KHICHDI

INGREDIENTS

80g bajra seeds

80g edamame beans

20g sea salt

1g cloves

1g mace

15ml olive oil

2g asafoetida

3g cumin powder

350ml water

Method

In a pot with water, soak the bajra seeds and edamame together for 4 hours.

Drain the soaked mixture and coarsely grind it for 15 seconds.

Place a pressure cooker on medium heat, add oil and let it heat.

Add the clove, mace, asafoetida and sauté. Add water and let it boil. This helps the water to adopt the function of a stock.

Add the coarse mixture of beans and bajra seeds to it. Remove after 3 whistles.

GHAI

ROHIT

Originally from Madhya Pradesh and born into a Punjabi family, Rohit Ghai’s love affair with food began in his mother’s kitchen. He went on to study Indian cuisine at the Institute of Hotel Management in New Delhi, before perfecting his craft at some of the most esteemed hotel groups across the country, including the Oberoi Hotels as well as The Taj Hotels and Resorts.

After moving to the UK, Rohit worked in some of the leading Indian restaurants such as Benares, Trishna, Gymkhana, Hoppers, Jamavar, and Verandah in Copenhagen and Bombay Bustle.

Continually striving for excellence, Ghai was invited by the Government of India, as one of an elite group of chefs to attend the World Food 2017 event which was inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With precise cooking techniques and innovative dishes, he went on to open Kutir in late 2018 in Chelsea. During the 2020 pandemic, Ghai began to do online Masterclasses, sharing his expert approach to Indian cuisine. In 2021, he went on to open Iksha 360 in Doha and is awaiting the opening of a new restaurant Manthan, in Mayfair.

MUSHROOM AND TRUFFLE KHICHADI

As a child, I would demand that my mum make me khichdi almost every day for lunch. Those were simpler days! Khichdi is a very simple, peasant dish in my home region, but I have given it a more sophisticated touch. At Kutir, I serve a version made with wild mushrooms and fresh truffle, which has become one of my signature dishes and is very popular. Here, I have adapted it so you can make it at home.

INGREDIENTS

200g basmati rice / 300g toor dal (yellow split peas) ½ tsp grated ginger / 1g asafoetida / 1 green chilli, slit down one side / 100g onions, chopped / 100g tomatoes, chopped 1g turmeric, ground / salt for seasoning

Mushrooms

2 tbsp vegetable oil / 500g mushrooms (a mix of wild or cultivated), chopped / 1 tsp cumin seeds / 100g onions, finely chopped / 1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste / ¼ tbsp

turmeric, ground / 1 tbsp coriander, ground / ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder / ½ tsp garam masala / 100g tomatoes, chopped

Garnish

1 tsp truffle oil / 2 tsp fresh black truffle, shaved or grated / 1 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

Method

Wash the rice and lentils at least three times in fresh water, then drain well and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan set on medium heat, and add the bay leaf and cumin seeds. Cook for 1 minute, then add the grated ginger and cook until fragrant. Add the asafoetida, followed by the onions and green chilli, and cook for about 5 minutes until the onions have softened.

Add the tomatoes, turmeric and a large pinch of salt and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the drained rice and lentils and give it a good stir. Add 750ml water for a thick consistency, or, if you prefer a looser, porridge-like khichdi, add 1 litre of water. Stir once, check for seasoning, then leave to simmer, giving the mixture the occasional stir, while you cook the mushrooms. If the mixture begins to stick, add a little more water.

To cook the mushrooms, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms in batches with a large pinch of salt and cook until they are golden brown all over and most of the moisture has evaporated. Meanwhile, place another frying pan over medium heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the cumin seeds and once they begin to crackle, add the onions and cook until they are caramelised, crisp and golden brown. Add the ginger and garlic paste, and cook for a few minutes. Add the turmeric, coriander, chilli powder and garam masala. Cook gently for 4 to 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes until they are soft. Add the caramelised mushrooms, give everything a good mix and remove from the heat.

By this time the khichdi should be ready – it should take 20 to 25 minutes. Taste a spoonful of the rice and lentils to ensure they’re cooked through.

Serving

Divide the rice between bowls and top with the mushroom mixture. Drizzle with truffle oil, generously cover with shaved or grated truffle and garnish with coriander.

FAREED

SABEEN

An innovative Patissier, certified and trained in hospitality, commercial cookery and patisserie, Chef Sabeen Fareed has been working with ICCA DUBAI as a chef instructor - baking and patisserie for the past 9 years.

MASALA KHICHDI AND SIGDI TANDOORI KHICHDI

The use of a tandoor or sigdi transforms the humble Khichdi into Masala Khichdi and Sigdi Tandoori Khichdi which is packed with oodles of flavour and aroma making it a befitting dish to be served for a lavish feast. Khichdi is a regular in our daily diet. With three or close to four generations belonging to the same household, khichdi is bound to be there as one of the staples on the table. The reason for bringing forward these recipes is simply because it is a reminiscence of what we have grown up with. The signature way of it is being slowly cooked on a sigri, over charcoal, (transmitting its aromatics into the food), in the homes of our grandparents. The leftover classic khichri would then be transformed into either a masala khichdi the next day, or dry spices and herbs were added to the classic, to make crunchy fritters, the next day as a tea-time snack. Khichdi is usually accompanied by its so-called “friends”. My Dadi used to say; “Khichrikehai dost chaar, dahipaapar chutney achaar.” (Khichri has four friends: curd, pappad, chutney and pickle.) This one-pot wonder is a true food legacy, that will grace the dinner tables of generations to come.

INGREDIENTS

200g short-grain rice / 150g green split gram / 600ml water / 1 ½ tsp salt / ½ tsp turmeric powder / 4 to 5 garlic cloves, sliced / 1 tsp ginger, chopped / butter or ghee as required for finishing / 50ml olive oil

Method

Wash and soak the rice and lentil for 1 to 2 hours. Add the rice and lentils to a medium saucepan along with the water required to soak them. Top with an additional 600ml of water, and the remaining ingredients. Turn the flame on and bring to a boil, slow cook the khichdi for an

hour till it is completely cooked and mushy, and the desired thickness is reached. Keep stirring the khichdi from time to time to get the mushy texture. Check the seasoning and adjust. Mix in and finish with the butter as required. Serve the khichdi with dahi pakora curry or any curry as desired and along with accompaniments such as papadum, mixed pickle, coriander chutney and yogurt.

Tempering

50ml oil / 1 tbsp butter / 1 tsp cumin seeds / 4 garlic cloves, sliced / 10 curry leaves / 2 green chillies, chopped / 2 dry red chillies / 1 big onion, sliced / 1 big tomato, sliced / 1 tsp cumin powder / 1 tsp coriander powder / ¼ tsp turmeric powder / 2 tsp haleem spice mix / salt for seasoning

Method

Place a saucepan on medium heat and add oil and butter, add in the cumin seeds and curry leaves, till they splutter. Add in the garlic, green and red chillies, and onion and sauté, till the onion is slightly caramelized. Add in the tomatoes and all dry spices and mix and cook till cooked through and oil is on the surface. Check the seasoning. Temper the classic khichdi with this masala. Simmer the khichdi for 10 to 15 minutes, till the flavours are blended well. Finish with butter as required and other ingredients and accompaniments such papadum, mixed pickle, coriander chutney and yoghurt.

Chicken marinade

50ml oil / 250g chicken thigh/breast, boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized cubes / 75g yoghurt / 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste / ½ tsp kasuri methi / 2 tsp tandoori masala / ½ tsp garam masala / ½ tsp cumin powder / ½ tsp coriander powder / salt for seasoning / red colour, as required

Tandoori masala sauce

1 tbsp butter / 1 small onion, sliced / 1 medium tomato, chopped 1 tbsp cashew nut paste / 2 tsp tomato paste / 2 tsp chicken tikka spice mix / ½ tsp kasuri methi / ½ tsp cumin powder / ½ tsp coriander powder / ½ tsp garam masala powder / salt for seasoning / red colour, as required

Garnish

½ bunch fresh coriander leaves / 1 tbsp ginger, julienne / 2 tbsp fried onions / 2 lemon wedges

Method

Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients, and bake in the oven at 180C, till the chicken is cooked for 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside.

Sauce

In a saucepan, heat the butter on medium flame, Add in the onions and sauté till softened. Add in the cashew paste and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the tomatoes, tomato paste, and dry spices and mix well, till the spices become aromatic. Let it cool and then puree the sauce until a smooth consistency is achieved. Add the chicken pieces to the sauce and slow cook for 15 to 20 minutes, till it is done. Check and adjust the seasoning. Use the tandoori chicken masala to flavour the classic khichdi. Simmer the sigri tandoori khichdi for 10 to 15 minutes till the flavours are blended well. In the end, ignite a piece of coal and place it in a small stainless-steel bowl and place it in the khichdi, add 2 tablespoons of oil on top of the coal to release smoke. Close the lid of the khichdi tightly to trap the smoke. (This is to replicate the aroma of the coal, in the food, when cooked on a sigri.)

Top with the remaining ingredients and serve with the accompaniments such as papadum, mixed pickle, coriander chutney and yoghurt.

MALIK

Born and raised in Haryana, India, Sachin Malik enjoys experimenting with new flavours with a special talent for fusion cooking. Having worked in some of the best kitchens in India, Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain for over 15 years exposed him to diverse cuisines where he developed cooking skills, food hygiene and inspections, and planning and developing menus and recipes. This experience also allowed him to demonstrate his ability to train line cooks with product utilization and cooking techniques. This passionate chef has a strong palate which has been recognized to come up with signature dishes and his cooking skills have never disappointed his employers.

Khichdi is a popular and traditional staple in Haryana, especially in rural areas. Haryanvi khichdi is made from pearl millet and mung dal which is pounded in an unkhal (mortar). It is often eaten by mixing it with warm ghee or lassi (buttermilk).

INGREDIENTS

250g basmati rice

250g chana dal

10g mustard leaves

30g green chillies

20g garlic, finely chopped

20g ginger, finely chopped 100g onions

150g beetroot, shredded

20g red chilli powder

20g turmeric powder

20g curry leaves

50g coconut, grated salt as seasoning 3 red chillies

Method

Soak the rice and channa dal in water for 20 minutes.

In a pan, heat oil. Add the mustard seeds, after it starts crackling add curry leaves, whole red chillies, garlic and green chillies. Add the chopped onions and lightly brown them. Add the ginger and masala in it and sauté it well. Add the grated beetroot and allow it to cook well.

Drain the water from the rice and channa dal and add it to the pan. Cook it until it is very soft.

Plating

2 chioggia beetroots, diced

100g sugar

100g vinegar

10g coconut shavings

2 lemon wedges

10g curry leaves

Slice the chioggia beetroot on a mandolin and cut with a round cutter. Pickle the beetroots in vinegar and sugar.

On the plate, place the khichdi first and garnish it with beetroot and coconut shaves. Finish with pickled and fresh beetroot.

SADAB

Born in Lucknow, India, in a family of chefs. Sadab Qureshi has been inspired and motivated by the work his ancestors were doing for a long time in India. His father would help and guide him with his culinary tasks after school hours and this was one of the main reasons that Sadab decided that he was going to be a chef like his father and started his career in the hospitality industry. In 2000, after high school, Sadab’s career began in a small restaurant in the Northern provinces of Lucknow, India. Starting as a commis, his passion for robust flavours, spices and displayed the ability to beautifully balance flavour profiles with South-Asian cuisine. His flair for cooking gained international prominence as he worked his way forwards from Delhi to Dubai in 2007. Following this, to dive deeper into the craft of Indian cuisine, he revisited New Delhi in 2010 before returning to Abu Dhabi in 2012 equipped with adequate knowledge. The next five years saw him take on senior roles in acclaimed hotels in India, including Taj Lands’ End and the Westin, where managed the Awadhi, Rajasthan, Punjab and Kashmiri food festivals.

INGREDIENTS

20g white rice

40g moong dal

10g clarified butter (ghee)

2 bay leaves

2 green cardamoms

1 cinnamon stick

2 cloves

1g cumin seeds

1g asafoetida

1 green chilli

5g green peas

10g tomatoes, chopped

10g carrots, chopped

3g turmeric powder

2g red chilli powder

5g cumin powder

5g ginger, chopped

5g coriander leaves, chopped

Salt for seasoning

30g spinach, chopped

10g green bean

15g cauliflower, chopped

VEGETABLE MASALA

KHICHDI

Method

Place the rice and moong dal in a bowl. Rinse with water a couple of times. Drain and keep aside.

In a saucepan, heat the clarified butter. Grind all the spices to powder and add them to the ghee. Sauté till the spices become fragrant. Add ginger and sauté. Add the tomatoes, and chilies and sauté for a minute or two. Add all the vegetables along with the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and asafoetida and season with salt and sauté. If you would like to add heat to the khichdi, add half a teaspoon of red chilli powder. Add the rice and moong dal and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Add half a liter of water as the water will give the khichdi the right consistency. If you prefer to have a liquid consistency for the khichdi then increase the amount of water. Serve the vegetable khichdi with a teaspoon of clarified butter and with raita, pickle or plain curd on the side.

Originally from Delhi, India, this is where Sameer Taneja first developed an interest in food, and received his degree in culinary arts from Mangalore, on India’s South-West coast. Before moving to the UK in 2003 he worked at The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur, consistently ranked amongst the top hotels in the world by Trip Advisor and Condé Nast. As the executive chef at Benares, London’s trailblazing Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in Mayfair. Using his classical training in French and Indian cuisine and 20 years of experience working alongside some of the world’s best chefs, Sameer’s culinary style pairs highquality British ingredients with authentic Indian spices and techniques. Under his leadership, Benares regained its star in the 2021 Michelin Guide to Great Britain and Ireland and has successfully retained it for a consecutive year.

Sameer has worked with luminaries such as Pascal Proyart of One-O-One Restaurant, Michel and Alain Roux at Waterside Inn, Joel Antunes of Brasserie Joel and Pierre Koffmann of Koffmann’s. He has also cooked at many prestigious events including; St. Moritz Gourmet Food Festival alongside Claude Bosi, Angela Hartnett and Nathan Outlaw; and the official birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, whilst representing Benares Madrid. Following this, Sameer joined Benares London as Head Chef from 2012 until 2015, before launching his restaurant venture, the much-lauded Talli Joe in Covent Garden, which offered Indian tapas and innovative cocktails. Following its closure, Sameer returned to Benares as Executive Chef in the summer of 2019.

TANDOORI POACHED

EGG

An overcooked mush of rice and lentils, which indeed is the most satisfying bowl of deliciousness, is made with two major ingredients: love and care, and obviously rice, lentils, and aromatic spices. Paying homage to this simplistic dish, enjoy my version with summer vegetables and tandoori poached egg. Definitely a star on my summer menu.

INGREDIENTS

Base

150g short grain rice / 150g yellow moong lentils / 1 tbsp clarified butter (ghee) / 1g turmeric / 1g salt / 1.2ltr water

Method

Mix and wash rice and lentils in cold water. Let it soak for an hour. Pressure cook all the ingredients for 5 to 10 min or till they are mushy. Keep aside.

Tempering

2 tbsp clarified butter (ghee) / 1 tsp cumin seeds / 1 medium white onion, finely chopped / 1 tbsp ginger, finely chopped 1 tsp green chilli, finely chopped / 1 large or 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped / ¼ tsp turmeric powder / 1 tsp garam masala / 1 tsp coriander powder / salt for seasoning

Method

In a large saucepan heat the ghee, and add cumin. When the cumin splutters add the onions, green chilli and ginger. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onions become translucent. Add the powdered spices except for the garam masala. Sauté for 10 seconds and add chopped tomatoes. Cook for another 5 minutes or until tomatoes is soft. Season with salt. Now add this tempering to the base and stir on low flame for a minute. Finish with adding the garam masala.

Green pea purée

200g frozen green peas / 1 tbsp salt / 1ltr water / ½ lemon, juice

Method

Place a large pan of salted water to boil. Add the frozen peas and wait till the water starts boiling again approximately for 3 to 4 minutes. Strain the peas, blitz to a fine purée, and add the lemon juice. Add the purée to the tempered khichdi. Mix with a spatula, don’t let it boil to avoid decolouration.

Summer vegetables

8 morel mushrooms, washed / 8 wild garlic leaves with flowers / 20g unsalted butter / 4 tbsp garden green peas, blanched and shelled / 8 refreshed and split sugar snaps, string removed blanched / 1g Maldon sea salt

Method

Sauté all the vegetables in melted butter for a minute and set aside.

Tandoori poached eggs

4 free-range eggs / 80ml white wine vinegar / 1ltr cold water

Method

Bring water to a boil and add the vinegar. Turn the simmer down. Crack the eggs one at a time into a small bowl and gently tip into simmering water. Lightly poach for 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a kitchen towel. Place on a tray and set aside.

Tandoori marinade

40g Greek yogurt / 20ml sunflower oil / 10ml smoked oil (optional) / 1 clove, grated / 1 x 1 inch ginger, peeled and grated

1g Kashmiri chilli powder / 1g gram masala / 1 tbsp lemon juice 1g black pepper, crushed / 1g kauri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed / salt for seasoning

Method

Wisk everything together. Divide the marinade into 4 parts. Lightly apply on the poached eggs with soft hands or a brush. Grill on high heat oven at 200C for 2 minutes.

Assemble

Divide the green pea khichdi into 4 equal parts and spoon it into the bowl or pasta plate. Place the tandoori poached eggs in the centre. Divide the sautéed vegetables into 4 equal parts and place them around the eggs.

Garnish with green pea tendril shoots, fresh mint and wild garlic flowers. Enjoy the summer vegetable khichdi with baked or fried papadums and pickle of your choice.

GOUNIYAL

SANDEEP

Based in British Columbia, Canada, Sandeep Gouniyal comes with over 14 years of extensive culinary experience in the hospitality industry. After completing his Bachelor in Science – Hospitality Administration and Management from the Punjab Technical University, Sandeep went on to work with ITC Hotels, The Oberoi Hotels, The Leela Palaces & Resorts, Delhi Chilli Restaurant in Singapore, Anya Hotels & Resorts in Gurgaon and The Curry House at Hotel Intercontinental in Doha.

MY KHICHADI

Khichdi means a healthy mixture of soaked moong beans or lentils and rice (broken rice) and your choice of cleansing vegetables like carrots, green peas, cauliflower, beans or any other seasonal vegetables with flavourful mild Indian spices.

It’s delicious and healthy and what I love about this dish is how satisfied I feel after eating it, without feeling too heavy. It gives me energy and stamina all day. For centuries, khichdi has been known as comfort food as well as, for its gentle cleansing and detoxing properties, which over time it brings a balance and wellness to the body.

It is considered one of the most healing meals in Ayurveda as it’s very nourishing and easy to digest, it generally does not create any abdominal discomfort, like gas or bloating.

INGREDIENTS

100g broken rice

1 ½ tbsp moong dal

1 ½ tbsp toor dal

1 big onion

4 garlic cloves, chopped fine

1 x 1 inch pcs ginger, chopped fine

1 green chilli, slit 10g coriander roots

1 big tomato

¼ tsp turmeric powder salt for seasoning

Seasoning

1 tbsp either olive oil or coconut oil or ghee

1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

1 tsp mustard seeds

5 to 6 curry leaves

Method

Chop the onion, tomato and keep it ready.

Wash and soak the broken rice and dal together for half an hour. Pressure cook with 600ml of water and a little salt. (Since it is a khichdi, even if there is more water the khichdi will be mushy). Heat oil or ghee in a pan, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and curry leaves. When the cumin and mustard seeds sizzle, add the chopped onion, garlic, ginger and green chilli. Sauté until the onion browns lightly. Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder and season with salt. Cook until tomato turn soft and mushy.

Add the cooked mixture to the onion tomato mixture. Add 300ml of warm water and mix everything well.

Cook on low heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until everything gets blended well. Season with salt, taste the khichdi and add more salt if required.

Drizzle a teaspoon of ghee and serve it piping hot with pickle, papad, raita or plain curd.

SANJAY THAKUR

Born to the Himalayan soil or known as Shimla Himachal Pradesh, there was no doubt that Sanjay Thakur would be anything but a chef since his dad is a chef who has always been an influence. After finishing his studies at the Food Craft Institute Chandigarh, Sanjay decided to move to Melbourne, Australia where he managed to get a chance to work under some of the best properties and events, starting at the Langham hotel and then moving to the Crown Casino, Nobu, Vue de Monde, Bellucci’s and the opportunity at Australian Open and Melbourne Cup. He then joined Etihad Airways as an in-flight chef.

Having represented India twice at the Culinary Olympics and later also got selected to represent UAE at the San Pellegrino Young Chef for the Middle East and Africa. In 2013, Sanjay started an initiative Himalayan Soil, to bring foraging to India and explaining young children the importance of adopting sustainable practices in kitchens. This initiative is connected with over 15 universities. Taking this message further afield, he did awareness popups at Triyagyoni, in the Everest region and it was awarded the Guinness world record for the World’s Highest Pop Up experience.

GUCCHI AUR BICHU

BUTTI KI KHICHDI

Gucchi aur bichu butti ki khichdi - Morel with Himalayan sting nettle and red rice is inspired by my dad’s creation of Panchkuti Khichdi by blending in the Himalayan soil to it. Ingredients are widely grown across the Himalayas and known by many names but we call it Bichhu Butti and bring in the exotic representation of Himachal morels which takes us on a magical journey of Himalayan soil flavours.

INGREDIENTS

30g gucchi mushroom (morel) / 500g sting nettle / 30g yellow moong dal / 30g green moong dal / 30g chana dal / 30g masoor dal / 30g arhar dal / 30g Himalaya red rice (jattu rice) / 10g cumin seeds / 30g bajra seeds / 3g mustard seeds / 40g onions, chopped / 10g turmeric / 5g garam masala / 3g hing / 25ml apple cider / 10g garlic, chopped / 5g garlic, fried / 2g ginger paste / 1ltr vegetable stock / salt for seasoning / 5l lemon juice

Method

Mix the lentils and rice in a bowl. Wash under running water and let it soak in lukewarm water for 6 hours. Drain out the water and add the turmeric to the stock. Add the lentils and rice to the stock and cook over medium heat.

In a pan, add ghee, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and red chilli and let it sizzle. Add hing, garlic, ginger, and onions and sauté for a few minutes until the onions are translucent. Season with salt and add the Kashmiri chilli powder. Add the sauté to the lentils and rice and deglaze the pan with the apple cider vinegar. Divide the mix into 2 portions and keep aside.

Pickling

50ml white vinegar / 20ml water / 40g sugar / 2g whole black peppercorns / 10g salt / 5g allspice / 1 cinnamon stick / 2g mustard seeds

Garnish

5g pickled radish / 5g pickled beetroot / 2g micro greens

Method

Mix all the ingredients in a pot and bring them to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes and add the vegetables. Seal in an air-tight container for 12 hours.

Lentil gucchi tuile

10g mix lentil purée / 5g flour / 10g butter / 3g gucchi mushroom paste

Method

Blend the lentil purée, gucchi paste, butter and flour into a thick paste and strain. Put in the desired mould and bake at 180C for 6 minutes.

Sting Nettle

Use gloves to clean the leaves. Add it to a pot on medium heat with water salt, and lemon juice and blanch the leaves.

In a pot boil 100ml of vegetable stock and add the blanched leaves to the vegetable stock. Let it chill and blend it to make a purée.

Portion it and keep the required amount for the tuile. With the balance portion, add it to the cooked lentils and rice mix and simmer for 10 minutes.

Gucchi

Clean the gucchi properly and ensure there is no dust. Soak it in lukewarm water.

Cook the gucchi lightly in stock purée and keep aside a few pieces for garnish.

Use the second portion of lentils rice mix and add the gucchi purée and let it simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Keep it warm.

Assemble

On a plate, add the khichdi at the bottom and the morels on the top. Place the pickled beetroot and radish. Garnish with micro greens and add the tuile. Serve hot.

With over 17 years of experience in operations at worldrenowned Hotel chains, preparing a wide variety of unique multi-cuisine dishes, Shiv Negi is now working as a chef instructor - in hot and cold kitchens at ICCA Dubai.

WILD RICE & PUY LENTIL KHICHDI

An aromatic and tangy medley of wild rice and puy lentils, this dish is a modern take on the classic Moong dal Khichdi.

This aromatic potpourri of rice, lentils and spices, every region in India has its take on this mellow dish. The reason behind Khichdi emerging as a global superfood is that this versatile dish lends itself to diverse occasions: from serving as an infant’s first meal to a dish for recuperating patients to a wholesome meal, and more. Personally, having lived in the northern part of India, I have always enjoyed the simple moong dal khichdi. Not only is this one-pot dish soothing but it’s equally delicious and reminds me of my grandparents. My modern take on the rustic dish is inspired by my grandmother who whipped up a version of the rustic dish using locally available ingredients like wild rice and puy lentils to soothe an upset stomach during her sojourn in France. On her return to India, she often made this new version which soon became a family favourite and a regular fixture at family gatherings. My version which is a tangier, spicier version is not only a celebration of the versatile Khichdi but also an homage to my memory of my grandmother’s dish, and every time I cook or eat this dish, it never fails to take me down memory lane.

INGREDIENTS

80g wild rice

80g puy lentils

3 tsp ghee

½ tsp turmeric salt for seasoning

800ml water

1 tsp cumin

1 bay leaf

2g asafoetida

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 medium tomato, finely chopped ½ tsp chilli powder

¼ tsp garam masala

2tbsp coriander, chopped

Method

In a large bowl, rinse and soak the wild rice and puy lentils for 30 minutes.

Boil the rice and puy lentils until it turns soft.

In a large kadai (wok), heat the ghee; add the cumin, bay leaf, and a pinch of asafoetida.

Sauté on a low flame until the spices turn aromatic. Add the onions, ginger and garlic paste and sauté well. Add the tomato and cook until the tomato turns soft and mushy. Keep the flame low and add all the dry spices and sauté until the spices release their flavour. Add the cooked puy lentils and soaked wild rice. Add water and mix well, adjusting consistency as required. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until it is done. Add the coriander and garnish with baby broccoli and roasted cauliflower.

Enjoy the wild rice and puy lentils with pickle and curd.

Armed with a diploma in Hotel Administration and Food Technology from Sophia Polytechnic, Shrutika Koli started her culinary career in 2005 at the Taj Mahal Palace as a Taj Management trainee. Later she extended her skills to Taj’s luxury residence property — Taj Wellington Mews and swiftly moved up to being the chef in charge of the Taj Wellington Mews, working on multiple cuisines. She has a flair for both Indian and international cuisine. She makes food predominantly in the continental style at work and Maharashtrian cuisine at home. She believes “Women are natural multitaskers which give them an added advantage in this particular field”. The F&B industry today has been glamourized but hard work, perseverance and creativity are what this industry is all about.

THREE GRAIN

KHICHDI

As khichdi is a dish enjoyed all over India as a comfort dish. My ‘Three Grain Khichdi’ is inspired by the short grain fragrant Ambemohar rice which grows at the foothills of the Western Ghats. The three lentils are used to uplift the nutritive value of the dish which gives the body a balance of various vitamins, iron, magnesium, and fibre and is good to lower blood pressure, glowing skin, promoting weight loss, providing a healthy heart and boosting the immune system.

INGREDIENTS

60g ambemohar rice

40g green moong dal

40g yellow moong dal

20g matki sprouts

50ml ghee

2g hing (asafoetida)

2g curry leaves, fried

10g green chillies, chopped

5g garlic, finely chopped

5g turmeric powder

2g whole jeera

2g salt

10g coriander leaves, chopped

2g mustard seeds

Method

Wash the rice and soak it in water for 20 minutes.

In a pressure cooker, add ghee and temper the jeera and mustard seeds. Once they have sputtered and released their flavour add the asafoetida and garlic.

Cook the garlic until golden and add green chilies.

Add curry leaves and turmeric powder and continue cooking the tadka.

Wash and soak the dal and sprouts. Add to the tadka, add adequate water and seal the pressure cooker. Allow cooking for two whistles. Once cooked add the soaked rice and water, seal the pressure cooker and cook further until the rice is tender and absorbed the flavours of the dal.

Add the coriander and adjust the seasoning if required and you can add some more ghee to your liking.

Place in a nice deep bowl and garnish with the curry leaves and coriander.

SUJAN SARKAR

Chef and creator of two nationally recognized modern Indian restaurant brands in the United States. Sujan Sarkar continues to explore, understand, and reimagine what the future of Indian cuisine can be by experimenting and stretching the boundaries of traditional Indian menus.

His first U.S. restaurant concept, ROOH, opened in early 2017 in San Francisco and is a critically acclaimed restaurant. After gaining popularity on the west coast, Sarkar opened his first Indian gastro bar called BAAR BAAR in New York. Since then, ROOH has opened most recently, in Palo Alto. Sarkar has received multiple awards including Times of India Chef of the Year (2016) and Elite Magazine’s International Chef of the Year. He holds an impressive culinary background—in late 2014, Sarkar launched the now famously recognized Trèsind in Dubai. After working for more than a decade with Michelin-starred restaurants in London, Sarkar became head chef at Automat London in 2007. He later assisted with the opening of Almada in Mayfair—making it one of the most exclusive hideouts for celebrities—and carried out his nitro experiments with food at Temple & Shian Events at the Whistling Shop. After working as the chef de cuisine at flagship restaurants of the renowned Olive Bar and Kitchen in Delhi and Bombay for over three years, he opened India’s first artisanal cocktail bar called EK BAR in 2015.

MILLET, MOONG DAL AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH KHICHDI

INGREDIENTS

Millet khichdi

100g fox tail millet / 50g pearl millet / 100g tomatoes, chopped / 50g finger millet / 100g moong dal / 50g onions, chopped / 20g ginger, chopped / 10g coriander leaves, chopped / 3g green chillies / 10g desi ghee (clarified butter) / 5g turmeric powder / 2g red chilli powder / 3g cumin seeds / salt for seasoning

Method

In a skillet, dry roast the moong dal on medium heat until it is golden in colour. Wash the roasted moong dal under running cold water and then soak it for 30 minutes. Wash and soak all the millets individually for 2 hours. Par boil all the millets and the moong dal in turmeric water individually and cool it down.

In a heavy bottom pan or skillet on medium heat, heat the ghee and temper it with cumin seeds. Add the onions, green chillies, and ginger and sweat it until it is translucent. Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and tomatoes and cook on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes. Add the parboiled millet and lentils. Add hot water as needed. Season with salt. Adjust the consistency by adding water little by little and cook for another 15 minutes on low heat. Finish the khichdi with chopped coriander leaves.

Roasted masala squash

300g butternut squash / 3g red chilli paste / 3g coriander powder / 10g ginger garlic paste / 2g nigella seeds / 1g cinnamon powder / 2g green chillies, chopped / 2g curry leaves, chopped / 10ml mustard oil / 1g black pepper, crushed / salt or seasoning

Method

Peel and cut the butternut squash into rectangles (4x2Cms) or wedges, with a thin needle or knife tip - dock the squash to make some pores. Make a marinade with the remaining ingredients and season with salt. Marinate the squash and let it rest for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180C and roast for 8 minutes until tender.

Black rice papad

500g soaked black rice / 150g potato starch / 7.5g salt

Method

Cook the soaked black rice with salt in boiling water until it is soft. Add the potato starch to the cooked rice and blend it till smooth paste adjust the consistency by adding little water if required. Spread the blended paste on a Silpat mat and dry it overnight in a dehydrator at 65C. Rest the rice crisp for 8 hours. Take the required amount of rice crisp and fry it at 210C and place it on a paper towel.

Coriander oil

500g fresh coriander leaves / 250ml salad oil

Method

Quick blanch the coriander leaves in boiling water for 10 seconds and soak them in ice-cold water. Drain and squeeze out the blanched leaves until dry. Spread the leaves in a Silpat mat and dehydrator for 4 hours or until dry. Blend the dried leaves with oil at 65C for 20 minutes. Rest it overnight and pass it through a coffee filter.

Plating

Spoon the khichri onto a plate. Place two pieces of roasted squash on top. Place the black rice papad on top of the butternut squash. Drizzle a teaspoon of coriander oil on the side and garnish it with some coriander cress.

Initially, with no support from her family, Swetha Kode’s passion for the culinary arts started at a young age, her dedication and passion convinced her parents who then supported her to join the César Ritz Colleges, Switzerland to do her Master’s in European Cuisine. With over 11 years of experience, at 25 Swetha became the youngest female executive chef in India and now heads the bakery and confectionery for the Compass Group India, a Fortune 500 Global company. She honed her culinary skills at some of the prestigious organizations such as the Ritz Carlton Qatar Doha, and the Future Group India. With accolades to her name, Swetha has won the Indian Achievers award, the Women of Significance award and the Indian young chef women achiever award.

DAL KHICHDI

INGREDIENTS

200g rice

200g dal

2g turmeric

20g carrot

20g cauliflower

20g frozen green peas

1ltr water

7.5g salt

3tbsp ghee

4g cumin seeds

2g curry leaves

Garnish

½ dry red chilli

1g curry leaves

Method

Wash the rice and dal under running water.

Pressure cook the rice, dal, turmeric, diced carrot, cauliflowers, green peas and water together.

Once done, add salt and mix it all.

In a pan, heat the ghee and add the cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add the curry leaves and dry red chilli.

Add the tempering to the cooked mixture and garnish with curry leaves and dry red chilli.

Serve hot.

SINGH HENAULT

Born and brought up in Delhi, India, Trisha Singh Henault is the executive pastry chef at the newly opened hotel 25hours, Dubai. She´s been recognized as one of the best chefs under 30 by Caterer Middle East and has been nominated for the Marriott Awards of Excellence. Her passion for flavour pairings, and play of textures with a well-balanced complexity in her work, makes her one of the most creative chefs in the Middle East. She believes in keeping up with the current trends of pastry yet keeping her individuality in it.

COCONUT DULCE KHICHDI WITH JAGGERY TUILE

Khichdi, for an Indian, has various recipe adaptations and as one moves across the country, from north-south or east-west, the richly diverse cultures and food goes hand in hand. Khichdi, which I and almost every individual in every Indian household have grown up eating, brings back endless memories. For me, it´s the memories of my mother making the simple yet delicious and wholesome one-pot dish. The aroma of the cumin in the clarified butter and the tadka is used to fill the soul of our home. This recipe creation is very dear to my heart. Being away from home to pursue my dreams, for the past years and today as the executive pastry chef, I want to dedicate this recipe to my mother, a dessert version of the khichdi. Textures and a balance of sweetness are very important when I develop a recipe. Here, jaggery tuile represents the papad, a staple accompaniment to the traditional khichdi. With this recipe, you will enjoy the crispness of the caramelized sugar from dulce once baked, and the creaminess under it.

INGREDIENTS

10g clarified butter

14g almond flakes

8g dried coconut flakes

75g basmati rice

56g moong dal

275g coconut purée

88g caramelized condensed milk

Method

Rinse the rice and lentils 3 times in water to remove the impurities and excess starch. Then soak it in water for 30 minutes.

After, drain the water and reserve the rice and lentils in a bowl.

Heat the clarified butter in a heavy-bottomed pot on medium heat. Add almond flakes and dried coconut flakes, and sauté until light golden brown. Add the reserved rice lentil mixture, sauté for 2 minutes, add coconut puree and mix well. Reduce to low heat, simmer covered, undisturbed for 15 minutes until the rice and lentils have absorbed the coconut purée till semi-tender. Adjust the amount of liquid if needed. Remove the cover and cook for further 5 minutes, mixing constantly to evaporate the remaining liquid. Remove from the heat, add caramelized condensed milk and mix well. Take a cast iron pan or an oven-safe baking dish of your choice. Fill the dish 3/4 with the above-prepared mixture and bake at 180C for 15 minutes. Garnish and enjoy it warm!

Tip: You can add the caramelized condensed milk at the base before adding the coconut dulce khichdi if you like it sweeter.

Charming simplicity embellished with a stylish spirit, Uddipan Chakravarthy stands proud as the Culinary and Operations at President, Mumbai – IHCl selections. Toying with the fine line between tradition and innovation, Uddipan experiments with new flavours and has a flair for inventive cooking, retaining simplicity at the core of every meal that he designs. He has also been instrumental in launching the flagship – Qmin Shop at President, Mumbai and then across locations. With over 26 years of culinary expertise, Uddipan spearheaded the food and beverage concepts at some of the most popular restaurants in the country namely Trattoria, Thai Pavilion and The Konkan Café (President, Mumbai) and Kabab-e-Bahar (Taj Banjara, Hyderabad) Paranda (Taj Yeshwantpur Bangalore) to name a few. A prominent culinary maestro, amongst the new generation of chefs of Indian origin; his food philosophy lies in building around quality ingredients, drawing inspiration from the rhyme of seasons and food styling. He has had the honour of preparing a feast for many Heads of State and prominent celebrities. Uddipan takes inspiration from India’s vast regional culinary offerings. While travel is a source of inspiration for him, stories and feedback from guests and books also motivate him to try new things. He believes that one needs to keep being inspired to keep creating and hence should not be restricted to a singular source. Whenever he travels, the local market is his favourite place to go to for a better understanding of the pulse of the city.

Though Uddipan is an expert at global and regional cuisines, European Cuisine and Asian cuisine are closest to his heart. With close to two decades with the Indian Hotels Company Limited, he has been relentless investing, innovating and exploring unique concepts to take President, Mumbai to newer heights as a culinary destination.

Being an unparalleled yet humble dish of every puja, khichuri still varies from family to family. I’ve learnt to cook this from my mother. Her recipe was quite basic with just rice, lentils and potatoes and we loved to devour it after every puja. Over the years, however, I’ve tweaked her recipe and here is how I cook Bhoger Khichuri.

BHOGER KHICHUDI (THE TEMPLE FOOD)

INGREDIENTS

200g small grain rice (Gobindo bhog rice) / 200g split yellow lentil / ½ cauliflower head, roughly chopped / 1 tbsp ginger paste / 200g green peas, frozen or fresh / 2 large boiled potatoes, chopped into 6 pieces / 1 aubergine, cut in long strip / ¼ small sweet pumpkin / 50g fresh coconut, diced and sautéed in ghee / 2 tbsp mustard / 4 tbsp ghee / 100ml water / 600ml water, to soak the rice and lentils)

Whole spices

1 large bay leaf / 2 dry red chilies / 2 black cardamoms / 2 cloves / 1 cinnamon stick

Powdered spices

1 tsp garam masala / ½ tsp turmeric / 2 tsp salt

Method

Step one

Heat a large pot and add the moong dal and roast it over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Remove the roasted dal and add the rice to the same pot. Roast the rice for 2 minutes and transfer it to the roasted dal bowl. Soak the roasted dal and rice mix in 2 cups water.

Step two

In the same pan, add 1 teaspoon of mustard oil and sauté the cauliflower until it is light brown for about 3 minutes. Remove and keep aside.

Step three

Heat the same pot and add the remaining vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of ghee. Add the whole spices and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the powdered spices and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the soaked roasted rice and dal. Sauté this mix and let this cook on low heat for 2 minutes. Add water, and stir. Let this cook on low-medium heat for 2 minutes (stir every minute). Finally add peas, cauliflower, potatoes, ghee, and mix. Add 100 ml of water, mix and cover the pot. Let this cook for 10 minutes over low-medium heat (stir every minute and check for the doneness of rice and dal).

Once the khichuri is cooked, mix the diced coconut, add some ghee on top, and lightly mix in. Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy.

KINGER

VARUN

Born and brought up in Bangalore, India, Varun Kinger’ wit and charm has a duality that is reminiscent of natural Indian spices and a heady cocktail of flavours, some still undefined. The initial explosive burst of personality and flair is followed through with his wild imaginations, delicately layered with sensual middle notes, being excitable, entertaining, inviting, spontaneous and devilish.

Varun started to cook at a tender age of 12, he always saw his grandmother and mother in the kitchen and for them the expression of love was food. It was always that every ceremony was around food and family gets together around food. His growing up with this belief and his world started growing. The horizons of families became much wider and all he wanted to do was to bring the world together, maybe for a moment. He loves cooking for several reasons that sometimes it’s difficult to dissect the whole beast and see some of its parts. His culinary process is made up of the process of making food, eye of the hurricane where the real sense of power comes from maintaining control in a situation that seems too large to be dealt with, and remaining calm and collected while delegating tasks in the exact order they need to be executed in. Balancing becomes a sort of spiritual ascension as turmoil is replaced by focus. Food, which he not sure how to convey the love he has for the products he receives and seeing that they’re used in a manner that fits something provided by earth. For him, it’s a soulful, religious connection to food, Just the fact that one eats to live makes him feel that his profession is sacred. It is followed with plating where there is no sense of accomplishment that he has felt that compares to finishing a plate exactly the way he wants to, all elements balanced, and you get that moment to look at it objectively. And lastly, sensuality as he doesn’t think there is anything one can do that connects more to another person than preparing their food. It requires an immense measure of trust, and work becomes a part of another living breathing person. This quite a bit, and this is what defines Varun as a chef and he love for the culinary arts.

TRUFFLE KHICHDI

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp vegetable oil / ½ tsp cumin seeds / 1 bay leaf / ½ tsp ginger, grated / 1 small onion, chopped / 1 green chilli, slit 1 tomato, small, deseeded and chopped / 1 pinch of turmeric / salt for seasoning / 200g basmati rice / 300g yellow lentils / 1g asafoetida

Mushrooms

500g mushrooms, chopped / 2 tbsp vegetable oil / 150g onions, finely sliced / 200g tomatoes, chopped / 1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste / ¼ tsp turmeric / 1 tbsp coriander, ground / ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder / ½ tsp garam masala

1 tsp cumin seeds / salt for seasoning

Garnish

1 tsp truffle oil / 2g truffle, shaved or grated / 2g coriander leaves

Method

Wash the rice and lentils at least three times in fresh water and drain well.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the bay leaf and cumin seeds. Cook for 1 minute, then add the grated ginger and cook until fragrant. Add the asafoetida, followed by the onion and green chilli, then cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the tomato, turmeric and a large pinch of salt and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the drained rice and lentils and give everything a good stir. Add 750ml of water for a thick consistency, or if you prefer a looser, porridge-like khichdi, add 1 litre of water. Stir once, check for seasoning and then leave to simmer while you cook the mushrooms. Occasionally stir the mixture, if it begins to stick, add a little more water

To cook the mushrooms, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms with a large pinch of salt and cook until the mushrooms are golden brown all over and most of the moisture has evaporated.

Place another frying pan over medium heat with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the cumin seeds and once they begin to sputter and crackle, add the onion and cook until caramelised, crisp and golden brown.

Add the ginger and garlic paste to the onions, and cook for a few minutes. Add the turmeric, coriander, chilli powder, garam masala and cumin seeds. Cook gently for 4 to 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes until they break down. Add the caramelised mushrooms, give everything a good mix and remove from the heat.

By this time the khichdi should be ready, taste a spoonful of the rice and lentils to ensure they’re cooked through. To serve, stir the mushroom mixture into the rice and divide it between bowls. Drizzle with truffle oil, generously cover with shaved or grated truffle and garnish with coriander. Serve with poppadums, chutneys and pickles on the side if desired.

VIKESH

A keen believer in cooking from the heart and enjoying the best tastes of the season, Vikesh started his culinary career working in the kitchens of Taj Hari Mahal Hotel in Jodhpur, and later joined The Oberoi Amarvilas in Agra. Since then, there was no looking back as he moved to Dubai to work at Madinat Jumeirah and refine his skills along the way.

In 2008, Vikesh worked with Michel Roux Jr. at Le Gavroche and learned the art of balancing creative brilliance with technical excellence. Time did not matter because he was hungry to learn and experienced an unparalleled quest for knowledge and creative expression. And now with over 18 years of experience in the industry, he oversees the culinary operations at Address Dubai Marina. His menus at the Address Dubai Marina feel both nostalgic and thoroughly modern. Every dish he believes is a labour of love as he takes the choicest of raw ingredients and crafts them as per the guests’ moods. His restaurants serves freshly prepared dishes that are recognizable and it creates that home-from-home feel.

METHI (FENUGREEK) KHICHDI

Laced with a distinct aroma, spellbinding flavour and a host of health-benefiting properties, local kitchens of India have embraced this humble ingredient. Methi khichdi is protein-packed and rich in calcium and iron. According to Ayurveda, moong dal is tridoshic and can balance any disturbances in the body by naturally detoxifying the whole system.

INGREDIENTS

100g rice, washed and soaked for an hour

2 tbsp ghee

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp asafoetida

200g methi leaves, finely chopped

50g green peas

½ tbsp black pepper powder

1 tbsp turmeric powder

50g yellow moong dal, washed and soaked for an hour

50g paneer, cubes pink Himalayan salt for seasoning 1ltr water

Method

In a pressure cooker add ghee. Add the cumin seeds and asafoetida. Then add the fenugreek leaves and peas followed by rice, dal and water. Add the turmeric, salt, and black pepper and pressure cook for 4 whistles. Release the steam naturally and check the consistency as per your desired level. Add small cubes of paneer. Serve hot with a dollop of ghee, salad, papad and pickle.

“To me, an empty plate is not much different from a blank canvas. Indeed, food & art have many similarities - the right mix of colours & textures, a keen eye for detail, a sense of proportions & balance and so on. It is rightly said that you eat with your eyes first. So my philosophy has always been to be true to the roots of Indian cuisine, yet move it forward and make it more widely accepted & appreciated by presenting it in a contemporary manner.” -Vipul Gupta, Creative Culinary Head, Moghul Caterers

Over the last 17 years, Vipul Gupta has carved out a unique niche for himself. His vision of recognizing cooking as an art form and chefs as artists are evident in the way he presents Indian cuisine.

Vipul has been at the helm of critically acclaimed restaurants in top-notch hotel brands such as Hyatt Andaz and ITC hotels in India. While the critics were left impressed with his culinary skills and his deep knowledge of Indian cuisine through extensive research, the ever-full restaurants were a testament to Vipul’s keen ability to recognize the pulse of the diners. It is no wonder that Vipul has been the recipient of nearly every major food award and recognition, including the sought-after James Beard Foundation Chef of the Month Award. He has also represented India and Indian cuisine at various global culinary forums.

Vipul brings to Moghul Caterers his wide experience and his knowledge of what works for discerning guests. Using the best and the freshest ingredients, his goal is to present authentic Indian dishes with a fresh approach. He believes that food is an integral part of any celebration, however big or small, and is a reflection of the hosts. To this end, he aims at crafting customized menus after a thorough conversation with all clients, to not only meet but also surpass their and their guests’ expectations.

ANCIENT MILLET KHICHDI BEET RAITA AND SMOKED POPPADUM

INGREDIENTS

Khichdi

250g barnyard millets / 125g yellow moong dal / 125g red malka dal / 125g millets 2 tbsp desi ghee / ½ tsp cumin seeds / ½ tsp ginger, crushed / 2 onions, sliced 2 green chillies, chopped / 50g carrots, diced / 50g green peas 50g boiled potato, diced / salt for seasoning / ¼ tsp turmeric powder / ¼ tsp red chili powder / ½ lemon, juice

25g coriander, chopped

Smoked raita

400g beaten curd / 20g coriander, chopped / 2 tbsp fresh beetroot paste / ¼ tsp cumin powder, roasted / salt for seasoning

Poppadum

5 masala papads / charcoal for smoking

Method

Wash and soak the barnyard millets for 15 minutes and proso millets for 2 hours, and boil them together until it is 80 per cent cooked. Strain and leave it to rest. Wash and soak the lentils together for about 30 minutes and boil until it is fully cooked, season with salt and turmeric while boiling.

Heat the desi ghee in a heavy bottom pot, add the cumin, let it crackle then add ginger, green chillies and sliced onion and sauté until light brown. Add the boiled lentils and millets, add 100 ml pre-boiled water, add all the powdered spices and vegetables and cook on a low flame until millets and lentils are blended well together. Mix up all the ingredients for the raita. Roast the poppadums and smoke them with live charcoal and a covered top. Finish the khichdi with desi ghee and chopped cilantro, and serve hot with beet raita and smoked poppadums.

PATEL

Born and raised in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Yash Patel graduated from the Chennais Amirta International Institute of Hotel Management, Bengaluru. Inspiration came from the stories, the history of Indian food and seeing people cook which got Yash involved with cooking. As a child, he was always intrigued by food, especially Indian sweets. He would accompany his mother and grandmother in the kitchen while they were preparing food. It was around when he was 12 that he started to make sweets on his own, the first dish he made was kheer for a family function which everyone loved it. From then on it was experimenting with food, trying out different ingredients, and being creative and innovative. As he grew older, he started to gain knowledge about food and that ignited his passion further. Everyone in his family was in business while he was into food. He worked in several restaurants and cafés to gain handson experience and loved every second of it.

As an aspiring chef, Yash’s vision is to promote Indian cuisine, making people aware of how good Indian food is and help people understand the way it is prepared. At the same time to further educate himself with cooking methods, ingredients, flavours and the nutritional values of Indian cuisine.

FADA KHICHDI

Khichdi has been considered a symbol of national unity and diversity in India, with these values, the food’s popularity remains at the top of the most popular dishes in India. Eaten by both the rich and poor, khichdi holds immense ritualistic importance in a variety of Hindu festivals. It is served to a gamut of people during Durga Puja Bhog and Bhandara and is also relished during Makar Sankranti celebrations.

I have prepared a Gujarati version of khichdi “Fada khichdi” which is well-known in several regions of the state. This dish is inspired by my grandmother. Here I use broken wheat instead of short-grain rice, along with moong dal, vegetables, spices and ghee.

INGREDIENTS

250g fada (daliya, broken wheat)

125g moong dal

4 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

2 tsp mustard

2 tsp cumin (jeera)

2g pinch hing (asafoetida)

2 dried red chillies

5 curry leaves

½ tsp turmeric

1 Kashmiri red chilli powder

1 tsp garam masala

2 tsp salt

2 carrots, chopped

1 potato, chopped

4 tbsp peas (matar)

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 tsp ginger paste

1200ml water

4 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped

Method

Wash the daliya (broken wheat) and moong dal under running water and let them soak in water for 10 minutes.

In a pressure cooker on medium heat add the ghee, mustard, cumin, hing, dried red chilli and curry leaves until it splutters. Drain off the water from the soaked daliya and moong dal and add it to the tempering. Sauté for 2 minutes or until it turns aromatic.

Reduce the flame on low and add the turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala, and salt and sauté for a minute, making sure the spices are well combined. Add the carrots, potato, peas, tomato and ginger paste and sauté for a minute without breaking the vegetables. Add 600ml water and give a good stir. Pressure cook for 3 whistles or until daliya is cooked completely.

Garnish with the coriander leaves, mix well and season with salt.

Serve the fada ni khichdi hot with raita and pickle.

YUGAL KISHOR

Yugal Kishor is the guru behind some of Dubai’s most delicious dishes – and now he’s flying the flag for the best pub grub at Reform Social & Grill. Having mastered everything from traditional Indian delicacies to a pretty French patisserie, Kishor took the reigns at the city’s original gastropub in 2019. And, while his nearly 20-year career in the kitchen reads like a who’s who of global cuisines, Yugal insists it’s the beginning of his story that’s the key ingredient to his success. Yugal began cooking at the age of seven with his mother and grandmother, rustling up authentic Indian dishes and flavours. One of his earliest memories is going to the market with them to select ingredients and helping stir the pot when they got home. It’s where his love affair with food began.

Inspired by those fond memories and with an extensive list of inherited recipes under his belt, Yugal undertook a three-year diploma in The Ashok, a deluxe Delhi hotel. From there, he progressed to cooking for state banquets hosted by India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, before moving to Dubai in 2009 in the hope of making his mark on the city’s flourishing food scene. Yugal initially worked with brands including French Bakery, London Dairy and Stoke House and cooked for events including the Rugby Sevens and Formula 1. His skills and passion grew massively in the UAE and he became eager to prove himself in elite restaurants. The opportunity to do just that arrived in 2016 when Yugal joined Gates Hospitality at Publique, further honing his skills and producing high-quality, innovative dishes. However, it was joining Reform that Yugal calls the pinnacle of his career despite the daunting task of leading a restaurant with a beloved reputation.

HIMALAYAN BEAN AND RISOTTO KHICHDI

INGREDIENTS

150g risotto rice / 400ml vegetable stock / 40g red kidney beans, cooked / 50g black lentils, cooked / 40g black eyed beans, cooked / 15g ginger and garlic paste / 30g desi ghee / 3g turmeric powder / 5g salt

Method

Wash the risotto rice under running water and soak for 15 minutes and drain.

Heat the desi ghee in a cooker and add the risotto, sauté for 2 minutes and add the turmeric, salt, ginger and garlic paste, cooked beans, and vegetable stock and mix well. Cover until the risotto is cooked.

45g desi ghee / 6g cumin seed / 1 bay leaf / 2g hing 90g red onions, chopped / 120g tomatoes, chopped / 15g ginger and garlic paste / 8g turmeric powder / 5g garam masala powder / 5g chili powder / salt for seasoning / 8g truffle paste / 250ml vegetable stock / 5 ml truffle oil / 8g coriander, chopped / 5g gremolata

Method

Heat the ghee in a large pan and add cumin, bay leaf and hing. Sauté on low heat until the spices turn aromatic. Add the onions, ginger and garlic paste and sauté. Add the tomatoes and sauté until the tomato turns soft and mushy. Reduce the heat and add the turmeric, chilli powder, and garam masala, season with salt and sauté until spices turn aromatic. Add the cooked risotto and bean mix, add the vegetable stock and mix well adjusting consistency as required. Add truffle paste and cover for the next 5 minutes on very low heat until the flavours are absorbed well. Finish with truffle oil and chopped coriander. Transfer to a serving dish and garnished with crispy gremolata, Greek yoghurt, lemon pickled, poppadum crisp, pepper and pea shoots. Drizzle some melted desi ghee

Gremolata

20g garlic, chopped / 20g lemon zest / 40g parsley, chopped

Method

Deep fry everything and transfer everything on a paper napkin and season well with salt and pepper.

The recipes are presented in a clear and easy-to-follow way, with ingredients, methods, preparations and photographs of the dishes.

All measures are level unless otherwise stated.

Centimeter - cm

Deciliter - dl

Fluid Ounce – fl oz

Gram - g

Kilogram - kg Liter - l

Milligram - mg

Milliliter - ml

Ounce – oz Pound - lb

Quarts - qt

Tablespoon - tbsp

Teaspoon - tsp

Conversions

1 teaspoon (tsp) = 5 ml / 5 g

3 teaspoons (tsp) = 1 tbsp / 15 ml / 15 g

1 tablespoon (tbsp) = 15 ml / 15 g

15 tablespoons (tbsp) = 1 cup / 225 ml

1 cup = 8 fluid oz / 237 ml

1 pint = 2 cups = 473 ml

1 quart = 4 cups = 0.95 liters

1 ounce = 28 grams

1 pound = 454 grams

1 stick butter = ¼ cup

1 deciliter (dl) = 100ml

1 stick = 1 inch

Weight

1 gram = 0.035 ounces

100 grams = 3.5 ounces

500 grams – 1.1 pounds

1 kilogram = 35 ounces

Volume

5 milliliter = 1 teaspoon

15 milliliter = 1 tablespoon

240 milliliter = 1 cup or 8 fluid ounces

1 liter = 34 fluid ounces

Liquid measures

8 fluid ounces = 1 cup = ½ pint = ¼ quart

16 fluid ounces = 2 cup = 1pint = ½ quart

Temperature

Conversion from Fahrenheit to Celsius: C = (F - 32) / 1.8

Conversion from Celsius to Fahrenheit: F = C x 1.8 + 32

20C = 68F

120C = 250F

160C = 320F

180C = 350F

205C = 400F

220C = 425F

LENTILS, CEREALS AND SPICES NAMES IN HINDI AND ENGLISH

Sabut – Lentils (which are whole)

Dal or Dhal – Split Lentils

Dhuli – Split and Husked/Skinned Lentils

Kala Channa – Bengal Gram Whole

Urad Chilka – Black Gram Split

Kubli Channa – White Chick Peas

Moong Dal – Green Gram Masoor Dal – Pink Lentils Mutter – Peas

Dalia – Broken Wheat

Maida – All-Purpose Flour Chawal – Rice

Bajra – Pearl Millet

Jowar – Sorghum Mundal – Finger Millet Kangni – Foxtail Millet

Hing – Asafoetida

Tej Patta – Bay Leaf

Badi Elaichi – Black Cardamom Kali Miri – Black Peppercorns Shimla Mirch – Capsicum Or Bell Peppers Dalchini – Cinnamon Laung – Cloves

Sabut Dhaniya – Coriander Seed Jeera – Cumin

Kari Patta – Curry Leaf

Saunf – Fennel Seed Methi – Fenugreek Leaf Kasuri Methi – Fenugreek Leaves

Methi Dana – Fenugreek Seed Garam Masala – Garam Masala Kokam – Garcinia Indica

Lasson – Garlic Adarak – Ginger

Sonth – Dried Ginger Hari Mirch – Green Chilli Pepper

Sarson – Yellow Mustard Seed

Javitri – Mace

Anardana – Pomegranate Seed Lal Mirch – Red Chilli Pepper Kesar – Saffron

Til – Sesame Seed Chakra Phool – Star Anise Imli – Tamarind

Haldi – Ground Turmeric Sukhi Haldi – Dry Turmeric Safed Mirch – White Peppercorns

photo

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The 2021 Specialized Cookbook Publisher - Best In The World by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, award-winning author and publisher Flavel Monteiro is been in the hospitality and F & B industry since 1991. His foray into publishing came when he purchased a franchise to publish the Millionaire Magazine in Scandinavia, and did a Filipino magazine. It was in 2014 when Flavel launched WG Magazine, designed to promote the top culinary experiences around the world. Then in 2018, he partnered with Michelin-Starred Chef Alfredo Russo to launch EX.IT—Extraordinary Italian.

2020 was a culinary book year for Flavel, releasing two print books in February, an eBook Come Together - The World’s Finest Chefs on Easter Sunday 12 April 2020 to put smiles on people’s faces and support chefs around the world. The eBook went on to receive the 2020 Spring Harvest Award by Gourmand World Cookbook.

Flavel then went on to publish and co-author the first-ever eBook Home Comforts in July 2020 with The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and later went on to author Cuisinero - Taste The Philippines, elevating Filipino cuisine and all proceeds donated to the Philippine International Aid to support the education of children. The eBook went on to receive the 2020 Summer Harvest Award by Gourmand World Cookbook.

In June 2020, Flavel published and co-authored the first eBook Home Comforts: Simple Lockdown Recipes From The World’s Best Chefs And Bartenders with The World’s 50 Best Restaurants & Bars , the eBook then went on to win the 2020 Autumn Harvest by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

In October 2020, he released The Best Of Dubai: A Dining Experiences as an eBook and in print with the support of Dubai Tourism, the book went on to receive the 2020 Winter Harvest Award by Gourmand World Cookbook.

In 2021, Flavel received 6 awards Best In The World by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards - the 2021 Specialized Cookbook Publisher, 2 of the books Thought Process placed at number 1, Come Together - The World’s Finest Chefs placed at number 2 and The Best of Dubai and Cuisinero are placed at number 3 Best in The World by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

For Expo 2020 Dubai (01 Otober 2021 to 31 March 2021), dubbed as the chefs whisperer, Flavel curated a list of 70 plus of the most famous names in the culinary world and put together a one-off meal for 30 discerning guests at a custom-made site at Expo 2020 Dubai.

In 2022, Flavel published Back To Our Roots: Recipes From The Holistic Kitchen with Vikas Khanna, The Best of Dubai Gastronomy and Rising Flavours: A Real Taste Of Arabia. At the 2022 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, Flavel received 4 awards for Back To Our Roots: Recipes From The Holistic Kitchen, The Best of Dubai and Come Together for India in different categories for the Best in The World by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

A recipient of the 2019 Independent Publishers Award for his book Coffee - Absolute Gastronomy (for the first time in 23 years a book from the Middle East was given this award) and was awarded the 2019 Best Book In The World by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards for the category coffee. His book Legacy also received the 2019 Best Book In The World by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.