Food is not the same anymore!!

Today I ask you to... Reimagine Food!

Pepper would agree that we the crazy ones are passionate about food. The base of our passion coming from the hotel school, where we learned the basics about food, culinary techniques, concepts and similar terms. We read books, went through practical cooking classes. All these factors came together and gave our perspective of food at that early stage.
But it was later that I started working in professional kitchens that i realised the perspective that I had built was based on books written many decades ago. And I had started to envision, learn and write about food was based on those old texts.
Since last 20 years more emphasis has been given to link food closely to science(chemistry/physics of food)
Chefs around the world are going much ahead in creating newer techniques and aesthetics of doing food. And in order to learn them I needed to open my mind. Study not just cuisine but science behind the cuisine and create my own culinary aesthetic. It is time that we go byond the 'Authentic' and recreate it in a way I would love to have it. Combining the best of cooking techniques with the best of ingredients and creating food which redefines it's identity. Putting my identity on the plate. Let's not follow the pattern, open our paradigms and think different(apple). As old way of doing things is indeed the OLD way of doing things.
But does that mean what was done before was wrong? Not at all, that was right for that time and will continue to appeal many. I would still like my butter chicken with garlic naan. But how can I make the butter chicken even better? shall I cook the chicken sous vide or shall I use plum tomatoes for my sauce? That is for me to work on and conclude what is the best(for me)?
Coz I believe, food is not the same anymore!!

DILLI 6

"I asked my soul, what is Delhi" She replied: "The world is the body and Delhi its soul."

Asadullah Khan Ghalib (19th century poet)

By Delhi, Ghalib meant what is now called Old Delhi, one of the most fascinating part of the capital city of India. I have been visiting the city since my childhood and have been captivated by the distinct identity, culture and traditions of the area. It is perhaps this distinct identity and culture which has implored people to refer to it as "the Walled City," a city in itself.

I come from a family of vegetarians. And my grandfather being the best vegetarian cook ever known to me. He was a very good story teller as well. I have heard many stories about his days in old Delhi and the legendary chaats of Sita ram bazaar from him. But it was only when I was working in Delhi and had planned a street food festival in my restaurant I decided to research on the where is the best street food in Delhi. I took help of my Kulfi supplier (whose family was in the business for the last 4 generations). I decided to meet him at his shop in sita ram bazaar, Dilli 6

It was a cold delhi afternoon, I boarded the metro from the Rajiv chowk station (Connaught place, heart of New Delhi). Took Rs.6 ticket to Chawri Bazaar metro station and here I was in metro station 4 storeys below the ground level. I wondered why they have dug up soo deep. As I stepped out of the station I realised why!!

I was in the busy, dusty, narrow, noisy bylanes of old delhi. Hustle bustle of walled city can mesmerise any one. The area is identified by extremely small shops, congested streets and dilapidated buildings. Over the years, there has hardly been any difference in the typography of the area except over the recent past when the area has witnessed a spurt in modernism, thanks to the Metro rail project, which has connected the Walled City to the more modern and cosmopolitan part of Delhi.

Thanks to the Metro rail project, it is particularly trouble-free to reach Chandni Chowk now. There is a perceptible change in the economy of the walled street because of the Metro Rail project. For the first time, old delhi is directly connected with the cosmopolitan section of the city.

Built in 1650 AD as an accompaniment to Red Fort, Chandni Chowk was designed by Jahanara, daughter of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. The story goes that on a moonlit night, the new complex and the river canal, which used to flow through Chandni Chowk lay shimmering; and as a result it acquired the name of Chandni Chowk.

Out side the station I asked for directions and moved towards Sita ram bazaar. Went upto Subedar Kulfi wala where Bobby (proprietor) was waiting for me. After the compulsory tea, he made me sample some of the best kulfis he does like the mango kulfi(inside a real mango skin), chikoo and orange(similarly done). According to him he loved doing business in this part of the city as people here were very fond of eating food(only vegetarian) and knew their tastes very well.

 People who would start their day with halwa poori and imarti. Have diferrent chaats throughout the day and matra kulcha in the evening before heading home. Heavy eaters, the size of their stomachs showed true Global-isation.

He then guided me to an old shop in sita ram bazaar, the guy sold gol gappa nad bhalla papri chat. I must say the gol gappa I had there were the best ever.rustic, thick, semolina pastyry shells, typically homemade, stuffed with boiled potatoes, tiny chickpeas and tamarind chutney and then dipped in the tangy water with raw tamarind were a revelation. Then I sampled the bhalla papri chaat a there, oohhh that was just awesome. I noticed that he was adding spicy sweet potato and a strange black spice mix. I asked him what was tis black spice mix to which he replied that he does not know. It was made by his father and his father never told him the recipe. I wondered what if his father could not whisper the recipe in his son’s years on his death bed. The special spice mix will be lost forever. That was very strange but I realised what it took in this day and age for an old man to keep his stature in the family.

We then carried on to Hauz Qazi where we tried a chaat which is not seen in new delhi. Kalami vada- deep fried gram flour discs loaded with, sweet yoghurt, tamarind chutney, mint chutney, kala masala and spiced shakarkandi. Unique.

Our last stop was the matra kulcha wala around the corner at hauz qazi. Boiled dried peas tossed with onion, tamarind, ginger, green chillies, and kala masala and served with kulcha bread.(this was my grand fathers favourite) I missed him with every bite I had. I was truly delicious. The meal was rounded up with 2 helpings of banta(LEMONADE).

After all that I had it was impossible to try anything more. But bobby wanted me to try more stuff that dilli 6 had to offer. But then sense prevailed and I said bye to bobby. Until next time.. to visit the non vegetarian paradise of Dilli 6!

 Bon appetit!

The prep list and the murphy's law

I have gone through some major changes in my life in the past couple of months. Some of my friends will know for sure what i am talking about here. I was lost, but I wasn't afraid. It was like following a fool proof recipe to the "e" where in the scope of improvisation is quite limited or none, and more so you already know how the end result is going to look, taste and feel like. The only improvisation that you can actually do is in the presentation part. Fortunately or unfortunately, thats my forte. As always, this time it is very crucial as well.

I was away for a bit and my friend "salt" had kept the kitcherie alive by injecting the special marinades time and again.Wanting to write again after some time is a bit of a challange for a Chef. Just that you get sucked into so many of the everyday chores that keeps you busy. Everyday chores here will be new menu planning, costing it, marketting activities, photoshoots, training, presentations, execution and follow ups, top it up with occassional out door caterings. They are quite some fun too. Your life is pretty much exciting and juicier as a Chef, or we like to make it sound like that, whatever be the reason, its quite amazing being one and being able to live upto it.

"Salt" can give you a fairer idea with his all time favorite sayings that "Chefs never sleep, they take rest, Chefs never eat, they taste......." and my personal favorite one "Chefs never COME.. they ARRIVE!!" And I know a lot of CHEFS who live by this statement.

Recently I did an outdoor catering event. It was pretty high profile event considering the fact that the host was one of the richest in UAE and comes under forbes list of te richest entrepreneurs. Trust me, outdoor caterings are always fun, there are always unavoidable last minute things which will go wrong and then the key is to change gears and make the sticky situation into a caramel toffee and use it to benefit. I had been negotiating with the host on all the planning, menu, set up and everything majorly. Last moment requests were happily accomodated. Now, the degree of happiness varies when you get these last moment changes on a weekend and you know that there wont be any supplies till the begining of the week. All said and done, as usual my new enthusiastic assistant Chef or the Sous Chef as we call in kitchense, made a couple of extremely well defined checklists to be checked off. Cooking was done in the degree of fondness for teh food. Each Chef I have ever seen is passionate about certain dishes which he calls his speciality, I usually prefer them to freely do those particular dish as the level of confidence is higher and there is always this sense of competition amongst the cooks to cook better than the other one. Althogh, I do make sure that they follow a certain recipe and I am aware that wht dish will it come out to be. Its good to be unpredictable, but in Kitchen trust me you love to be predictable!!!

Coming back to the checklists, it was perfect. everything looked so good on paper, but then I had this deja vu moment where I knew that no matter what you follow or do, MURPHY's LAW prevails. Something will go wrong! In this case the other day, I checked everything but we manged to loose out the dessert garnish, the siphone gun won't work there and to deal with a sudden request to organize a live bar be cue for 50 people, while you are away from your set up by 80 odd kilometers! Its like fighting the battle on a foreign turf with no ammunition.
But then, there I was equipped with two other CHEFS in the team, and as our training or talim  goes, we never say no. So, somehow we managed to pull off a great night for th hosts. They awere all merrily happy considering the fact we were serving food a'la zafran fine dine style and drinks till 4 AM.
The team was physically and mentally exhausted after 17 hrs or work for some and 12 -13 hrs  of work for some others, the function got over, but its still not over for us. We need to unwind, repack and come to the base, unload, cleaup and then you plan for the next day and if you may, get some sleep.
All this pain goes and becomes a satisfying smile with the host turning and telling you how godly good the food was. Well, not that I didnt know it was good, but still you wait all evening to listen to those golden words of gratitude. Isn't this very similar to being in the entertainment industry? We are still no superstars.. but for me that day the entire team was a super star!
The star on the menu that night was the "seared malai scallops with zafrani jhinge" went very well with figs and berry chutney. Rumali rotis were another attarction, its old claasy and still works to draw crowds, just like the gran torino car.

As I see the busy weekend pass by and sail into a relaxed sunday (now you know, where the bolg came from) other things are catching up the prioirty on the list which I need to check off. And time and again.. Muphy's law will prevail... or rather hope not.

Adios...
Pepper

Young, Unique and Passionate.

Young, Unique and Passionate. Passion is one thing i find common in my breed of Chefs. Young and Passionate are the most apt words to describe them. We are young but does that mean we lack experience?? Maybe.. Maybe not. i believe lack of experience helps us to be innovative. Young, Unique and Passionate.