5. Peel and chop raw bananas into small pieces. Mix it in the batter.
6. Heat three cups of oil in a frying pan.
7. Fry pakora-sized batter in this hot oil; shape them with your fingers as you drop them into the oil.
8. Let them fry for a minute. Then, with the slotted spoon, turn the pakoras around and let them fry; after a minute turn them back again.
9. Fry until they become golden brown. Take them out of the hot oil and dab the excess oil out.
10. Break the khakra into even bite-sized pieces. Put chutney on the khakra. Place a pakora on the chutney. Garnish with grated radish.
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This little twist was appreciated by both Jasodha Behen and Madhav. After thanking them and wishing everyone good luck, I left with big bags of packed breakfast for my journey ahead. I finally understood what film star Amitabh Bachchan means when he says in his advertisement, ‘Breathe in a bit of Gujarat.’ It was already late afternoon by the time we left the Kendra. It was time to make it to Surat.
DAY 37
11 September / Surat
Also called the diamond city, Surat is known for its flyovers! A lot of people don’t realise that Surat is a hub for all things food. The cosmopolitan population and the street food culture bring together to the city, a unique combination of dishes and experiences.
The people of Surat are a fun loving, enthusiastic and energetic bunch. Interestingly, the street food culture overshadows the restaurant culture here. The celebration of eating on the streets of Surat can be experienced at Kamrej Chowk every weekend. The variety of food available on the streets makes one feel spoilt for choice. One such Surat speciality is the lochu. I decided that the first thing I should eat here is lochu. I stopped at Jalaram to try this speciality. It is a staple breakfast item and is a steamed paste made of gram flour, flavoured with garlic and other spices, served with oil and coriander chutney. It is garnished with onions and sev. It is a combination of warm soft textures. Most of the places that serve lochu run out of this delicious snack a few hours after opening!
After my delicious breakfast, I headed to the factory of Janta Ice Cream. I had heard of all the wonderful things they were doing there. Exotic ice cream flavours are what these people at Janta are famous for. This ice cream company echoes the sentiment of the people of Surat: the eagerness to innovate and use local ingredients to come up with interesting new food. It was shocking to see a green chilli ice cream and more shocking to find a okra ice cream, which was sweet and salty at once. Other flavours included ginger, coriander, lemon and mint. Before adding these flavours to the ice cream base, I was told, they were cooked in ghee and seasoned. I had the opportunity to try a range of flavours that were made there. I took a fancy to the ginger ice cream. I felt like I was using the creamy texture of the ice cream to experience the kick of pungent fresh ginger for the first time.
My experiences were really unique and inspiring. One common factor throughout my journey was that I was getting to meet people who fascinated me with their imagination and sometimes, made me question my own belief system.
One such person was Sanjay Shahu who ran a place called Bhai Bhai Omelette Centre at Nanpura Road. Might sound a bit unusual but this small restaurant had an interesting story behind its name. ‘It is located in between a road that connects a Hindu and a Muslim colony. Years ago, when there used to be rifts in these two colonies, this omelette centre would be a common point to meet up. Hence, Bhai Bhai (bhai, in Hindi, means brother),’ explained Sanjay.
This is no ordinary omelette centre; another selling point is that they have 100 dishes on their menu and each one has egg as the main ingredient. So, starting from soup to starters to main course, you can have all the ‘egg’ that you want.
A few interesting dishes at Bhai Bhai were anda palak, eggs with spinach and cheese. Served with buns on the side was anda rogan josh, the classic mutton curry with egg in it. This was absolutely drool-worthy! I have to mention here that the secret behind all these delicious egg specialities was the generous amount of butter used to cook all of them. They operated every evening between 6:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. and sold 2000 egg preparations every day. So, one could only imagine how tasty all those dishes were. The shop had only two main tawa counters from where main dishes were prepared; such was the precision. Technically, it meant that Sanjay took only 19 seconds to dish out a plate! Wow! Now that’s really fast. I sat down with a family to enjoy a few of Sanjay’s signature egg plates. Noteworthy was the Australian fry, which was made of half-fried eggs, green garlic and cheese. It was called ‘Australian’ because of the colour combination. I also had the egg samosa, which was a masala omelette stuffed with cheese. The coriander-mint chutney served with it made it special.
It was only natural that after having all this, I come up with something that could beat all ‘egg’spectations. Since they didn’t have a modern fusion dish made out of eggs, I helped them to add the Indian Devilled Eggs on their menu.
INDIAN DEVILLED EGGS
(Stuffed hard boiled eggs.)
Ingredients
6-8 boiled eggs
¼ cup garlic mayonnaise
2 green chillies, minced
2 tbsp fresh coriander (dhania patti), finely chopped
½ tsp garam masala
2 tsp raw mango, finely chopped
1 teaspoon or more of lime juice
Salt to taste
Method
1. Shell the boiled eggs and cut each egg into two, lengthwise. Separate the egg whites and the yolks. Reserve the yolks.
2. Combine the mayonnaise and the yolk. Stir them together with a fork. Once the mixture is roughly combined, throw in the rest of the ingredients.
3. Taste the mixture and then adjust salt and lime juice.
4. Arrange the white halves on a serving platter and place or pipe spoonful of the yolk mixture into the whites.
5. Serve chilled, or at room temperature.
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The beauty of travelling by road, without an itinerary, never knowing what’s going to happen on the next curve, who you are going to meet, especially in India where water, food and people change every 100 km, enforces a change in the way one perceives life. I like to call myself a ‘Sadak Chef.’ This incredible Indian journey has taught me to overcome all my fears. There comes a moment when you start living in the present as you relish and truly feel the air you breathe in, feel the wind chasing you. That is a sign that you’ve attained the ‘soul of a true traveller.’
Nasik, bordering Gujarat and Maharashtra, was where I was headed to next. My destination was the famous Sula Vineyards, to meet Ajoy Shaw, the chief winemaker there.
DAY 38
12 September / Nasik
The 230 km stretch from Surat to Nasik is one of the most scenic highways that connect both states. Nasik is in the northwest of Maharashtra and is part of a golden triangle connecting Mumbai, Pune and Nasik. It is famous for its wine and has been deemed the wine capital of India over the last decade. Nasik is a very fertile belt with the ideal climatic conditions for the growth of vegetables and fruits.
I made my way to Sula Vineyards. This belt is famous for its grapes. The valley’s first commercial winery, Sula Vineyards, established in 1999, is one of the biggest in India, covering 160 acres. Their most widely-produced variety of white wine is the Sauvignon Blanc.
Here, I met the Chief Winemaker, Mr. Ajoy Shaw, at Sula Vineyards. For someone who is not familiar with wine, it can be explained as the fermented grape juice that is filtered and bottled. Mr. Shaw said that India has the potential to produce wines that can compete with their European counterparts, and that it was only a matter of time. Some of the French varieties of grapes used here are Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon. I was lucky to see the barrels where the wine was stored and left to age; I also had the opportunity to do a small tasting class with the master himself. For those of us who are not familiar with the at-times complicated steps to tasting wine, I was
enlightened about the correct way. Mr. Shaw mentioned that wine is meant to be sipped and enjoyed, not gulped! It is important to hold the glass up to the light and measure the clarity of wine. Then, the glass should be swirled and the aromas should be captured by deeply inhaling into the glass. Then, after sipping on the wine, you extend the mouth and absorb the flavours of the wine. It is important that you allow the wine to stay on your palate for a few delayed seconds.
The range of wines at Sula is quite wide, what is also interesting is that they make sparkling wine as well, which I had the opportunity to taste. They apply what they refer to as a ‘champagne method’ to produce this wine. However, they cannot label it as ‘champagne’ due to strict laws that protect the integrity of champagne from France. Sula is also popular for their wine tour; I hopped on a bicycle and rode around the vineyard. After the tasting session with Mr. Shaw, it was time for me to don the chef’s hat. Cooking with wine is not a new phenomenon, but incorporating wine in the cooking of Indian food was my new local challenge. I set out to make a Tomato, Dried Fenugreek & Wine Rice using the Sula Chenin Blanc.
TOMATO, DRIED FENUGREEK & WINE RICE
(Rice cooked with fenugreek leaves and Chenin Blanc.)
Ingredients (for the rice)
1 cup basmati rice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin (jeera)
½ cup dry white wine (preferred Chenin Blanc)
4 fresh tomatoes, pureed
1 tsp red chilli powder
¼ tsp turmeric (haldi) powder
½ tsp garam masala
1½ tsp roasted cumin (bhuna jeera) powder
2 tbsp dry roasted fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
Salt to taste
Method (for the rice)
1. Soak the basmati rice in water for 20-30 minutes. Thereafter, strain and keep it aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a pan.
3. Add the cumin when the oil is hot and let it crackle.
4. Add the strained rice and stir for two minutes.
5. Add the white wine and raise the flame to high. Let it reduce for two to three minutes. Add tomato purée, red chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, cumin powder, dried fenugreek and salt. Cook for two minutes.
6. Add one and half cups of water. Put the lid on and cook on low flame for 12-15 minutes.
7. Keep the pan aside thereafter. Uncover the lid after half an hour of resting it.
Ingredients (for the sauce)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
6 cloves garlic (lasun), finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
10-12 button mushrooms
¼ cup corn kernels
¼ cup dry white wine (preferred Chenin Blanc)
6-8 cherry tomatoes
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp chilli flakes
5-6 fresh basil (tulsi) leaves, torn
1 tsp freshly cracked peppercorns (sabut kali mirch)
Salt to taste
Method (for the sauce)
1. Add the olive oil and butter to the pan.
2. When hot, add the garlic and onion and cook till translucent.
3. Add the mushrooms and corn kernels. Cook on high flame for two minutes.
4. Add the wine and let it reduce for three to four minutes.
5. Add the cherry tomatoes, oregano, chilli flakes, salt and torn basil.
6. Cook for two minutes. Now, add freshly cracked pepper and serve with rice.
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Over the lunch that I had cooked, I discussed how regional Indian dishes, like kebabs, curries, and biryanis can be paired with wine. After a pleasant lunch on the lawns, it was time to move on to Pune, 200 km away from Nasik.
DAY 39
13 September / Pune
Pune is a young city that prides in the large number of medical and management schools. This has earned the city the title of Oxford of the East. Pune not only has a strong pub culture, it is firmly rooted in tradition, resulting in it being a place of incredible mixes. My first stop was Good Luck café. Dating back to 1935, Good Luck café was the best place to understand the vibe of the city. The place had an unassuming décor and patrons that cut across all sections of the society, from cab drivers, to Bollywood stars, and unknown TV show hosts, like yours truly, all find their ways frequently to this small quaint eatery on Ferguson College Road.
Pune is a young city that prides in the large number of medical and management schools. This has earned the city the title of Oxford of the East. Pune not only has a strong pub culture, it is firmly rooted in tradition, resulting in it being a place of incredible mixes. My first stop was Good Luck café. Dating back to 1935, Good Luck café was the best place to understand the vibe of the city. The place had an unassuming décor and patrons that cut across all sections of the society, from cab drivers, to Bollywood stars, and unknown TV show hosts, like yours truly, all find their ways frequently to this small quaint eatery on Ferguson College Road.
Abbas Bhai, the current owner, spoke highly of the bun maska (bun and butter) and the chai (tea), which lived up to my expectation. The bun was soft, sweet and buttery. The anda (egg) chutney was a new experience for me. On probing about the recipe, the answer I got was unexpected and definitely movie-worthy. The special recipe was called Formula 44, inspired by a Naseeruddin Shah movie from the nineties. The chef who invented this dish, Mr. Arab, definitely had a strong Bollywood influence over him.
My next halt was at Bedekar Tea Stall at Narayan Peth. It was the city’s most popular place to sample the Maharashtrian speciality called puneri missal. Missal literally means mixture with three main components: the tarri, or gravy, is a thin broth made of Maharashtrian spices and red chillies; the ussal is a mixture of sprouted lentils and the garnish, which is fancy in its own right, is made up of onions, sev, potato, coriander and poha (a kind of flat rice flake). The tea stall is run by a small family, who unlike some other places in Pune, have been consistent with taste and quality over the years. Kudos to the Bedekar family!
The missal is served with a slice of bread, instead of the standard pav (bun) accompaniment served across the rest of Maharashtra. Even after studying for three years in Maharashtra, I wasn’t a big fan of missal. However, the experience at Bedekar changed my opinion of the dish and how it is made. Apart from puneri missal, you must also try the gulkand (sweet preserve of rose petals) and coconut laddus there.
The day ended with me trying to figure out what ‘Cad B’ was. The outlet we visited was Ice Cream Magic at Kothrud which was close to famous universities like the Film and Television Institute of India. Popular among college students, this dessert-drink is a thick chocolate shake. They sell it for Rs. 40, and I did not shy away from indulging in this sinful treat.
DAY 40
14 September / Pune
The next day, I decided to visit Aarava Crafts, makers of traditional terracotta handicrafts. Ganesh Chaturthi was around the corner and I tried my hands at making terracotta idols of Lord Ganesha. My guide was Mrs. Swarnarekha who explained the delicate art to me, ‘Simply put, terra means earth and cotta means baked.’ She drew a parallel between food and the art of terracotta. She explained that just like how we knead dough, clay also requires the same patience and skill to form its final shape. I tried my hand at a few idols, and knew I was no Michelangelo. However, I really enjoyed being a part of the process. As a gesture of gratitude, I decided to churn some funky new age golgappas (popular street snack consisting of a round, hollow puff pastry filled with spiced mashed potato, flavoured water, tamarind chutney, onion and chickpeas) for the skilful workers at Aarava Crafts. Instead of the traditional filling, it was filled with a fruit chaat tossed in yoghurt and the spicy water was replaced with some spiced-up fresh pomegranate juice. After eating they agreed cooking is an art too.
After my mid-day fling with terracotta, I went to meet an old friend and mentor, Chef Shailendra, at the famous Stone Water Grill. He is a molecular gastronomy expert and a TV show
host himself and his skill and reputation precede him. I watched him deconstruct a watermelon and feta salad into the simple elements of molecular gastronomy. He explained how the process was not chemical and allowed chefs to experiment with textures and aesthetics of plate presentation. What was most exciting about my time with him was the beetrootbased dessert that he made. He used crushed waffles, nitro-frozen poached beetroot, charred meringue, and dehydrated oranges to make this dessert and called it the beetroot ice cream platter.
It is always inspiring to be around chefs from different walks of life, the traditional and the modern, by the roadside or in the tasting room. I am truly lucky to be able to experience this journey with so many wonderful people.
DAY 41
From Pune I headed to a place that had its three ‘S’s—sun, sand, and the sea—intact. Goa, here I come.
DAY 42
16 September / Panjim
It took us more than a day to reach Goa, India’s smallest state by area. Part of the Konkan region, it is a very popular tourist destination for both Indians and foreigners. Interestingly, it is also India’s richest state owing to the super successful tourism industry. Old Goa represents what remains of the former Portuguese Colony. The cuisine is a curious combination of Western influence and exotic Eastern ingredients. From coconut-based curries to fresh seafood, Goa showcases its Konkan style, while also bringing to the table traditional Portuguese dishes with heavy local influences.
My first experience in Goa was a little challenge I had set up for myself. Living in Delhi all my life I had always driven a car, but for those of you who know Goa, you would also know that the way to get around there is a scooter! It was my turn today to get on one and give it a go. My producer very graciously came to my assistance. After half an hour, and a slightly twisted wrist, I could proudly say that I was finally a biker!
I decided to take a small personal vacation within Goa (perks of being a TV show host) by taking a ferry from Panaji to Old Goa. It was my first ferry ride and I was smiling the whole way there. I visited the Basilica of Bom Jesus, one of the most popular churches in Old Goa. Being within its premises literally takes one back in time. Then, I took a jet ski to Fisherman’s Wharf to sample their seafood specialities. This restaurant is on the banks of the Sal River. I must warn you beforehand; never visit this place for dinner without a reservation; it is popular! The restaurant serves authentic Goan food, with the tempting option of the ‘Fresh Catch of the Day’ preparations. That includes prawns, lobsters, red snapper and black pomfret. The ambience is what makes this restaurant special. The seafood display is very elaborate and is placed right at the entrance of the restaurant and is visually stunning. I chose to eat Flaming Prawn Balchao, which had generous amounts of palm vinegar, feni (spirit produced exclusively in Goa), ginger and tomatoes. I ate my meal in the company of a very cool Canadian couple. If they ever read this book, I want them to know that I would love to see them again!
India on My Platter Page 9