Famous for their palate-pleasing cuisines, top chefs unravel their wonder recipes and speak about the inspiration behind their signature dishes that act as gastronomical fuel to drive their passion for food By Sharmila Chand
Chef T Sathiya Prakash
Executive Chef
Set’z , DLF Emporio, New Delhi
Chef Sathiya specialises in Kerala, Andhra, Karnataka, Chettinad and Goan cuisines, which he had been cooking for the past two decades. It is difficult for him to choose a favourite cuisine as each one is close to his heart. Yet, with much coaxing, he terms Chettinad as his favourite. He believes in nurturing the authenticity of a cuisine but with a signature stamp of his own. “I like to tweak each of my dish, giving it a personal touch,” he says. Here, he shares mutton chops recipe prepared with his self-made 17-spice Chettinad powder.
Mutton Chops
(four pax)
Ingredients
● Onion: 1 kg
● Tomato: 500 gm
● Ginger: 50 gm
● Garlic: 50 gm
● Lemon juice: 30 ml
● Salt: 25 gm
● Kashmiri chilli
powder: 25 gm
● Dhaniya powder:
50 gm
● Turmeric powder:
20 gm
● Mutton Chop: 1 kg
● 17-spices Chettinad Powder (to taste)
Method
● Mix all the ingredients, except chops, to make a smooth gravy
● Add mutton chops
● Cook for 10 – 15 minutes
● Add 17 spices to this mixture
● Add fresh curry leaf and coriander
● Set it all in a baking dish
● Bake for 5 minutes ● Serve the dish with Appam or Malabar Paratha
Chef Balaji Natarajan
Executive Sous Chef, Park Hyatt, Chennai
Chef Balaji’s favourite style is ‘Charcoal Grilled Food Cooking’. He says, “When I am at the live counter, preparing charcoal grilled food, at the same time chatting with my guests, I am the happiest person. This genre of preparation is a perfect amalgamation of the chef’s showmanship, aromatic flavours of the charcoal, and the crackling sound of food being prepared as a visual delight. Raw Jackfruit Pattie portrays my true passion from this style of cooking.”
Jackfruit Pattie Grilled Jack fruit with chilli, fennel, onion seed and shallots
ingredients
● Raw jackfruit: 400 gm
● Peeled jackfruit seed: 10
● Chopped shallots: 100 gm
● Chopped ginger: 4 gm
● Chopped green chilli: 5 gm
● Chopped garlic: 5 gm
● Ginger-garlic paste: 10 gm
● Fennel seed: 4 gm
● Onion seed: 2 gm
● Red chilli powder: 5 gm
● Coriander powder: 5 gm
● Turmeric powder: 2 gm
● Garam masala: 1 gm
● Coconut powder: 15 gm
● Ghee: 100 ml ● Salt
Method
● Peel raw jackfruit and seed. Boil with a pinch of turmeric and salt. Allow it in mincer machine twice
● In a thick bottom pan, add ghee, fennel seed, onion, ginger, garlic and green chillies
● Sauté it. Add chop shallots. Sauté till it turns transparent. Add ginger-garlic paste and powder masalas
● Add minced jackfruit and seed. Cook it turns into a tight mixture. Add coconut powder
● Portion it in small patties ● Grill in charcoal grill
● Serve with brown rice biryani and chutney
Rahul Gomes Pereira aka Chef Picu
Executive Chef at A Ta Maison and PCO in New Delhi
Flavour Pairing is Chef Picu’s favourite style of cooking. He likes the ingredients of his dish to tell a story. “I don’t follow a set cuisine style, but focus on fresh ingredients. My dish, Peruvian Quinoa, is very light on the palate. It’s an amalgamation of vanilla and truffle, and one can eat it absolutely guilt-free. The mix of red and white quinoa makes it healthy.
Peruvian Quinoa with vanilla and truffle espuma
ingredients
● Red Peruvian quinoa: 25 gm
● White Peruvian quinoa: 25 gm
● Pomegranate: 10 gm
● Asparagus: 10 gm
● Salt and Pepper: To taste
● Cream: 100 ml
● Vanila Pod: 1
● Sugar: 5 gm
● Gelatin: 2 sheets
● Black Truffle: 2 gm
● Olive Oil: 5 ml
Method
● Mix red and white quinoa, pomegranate, asparagus, oil, salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 15 mins
● Infuse the cream on a low heat with the vanilla pod and truffle
● Add sugar and gelatin. Strain into an ISI cream whipper. Charge with 2 N2O cylinders and refrigerate for 15 mins
● Place the quinoa on plate and top it with charged cream mixture
Chef Adrian Mellor
The Leela Palace, New Delhi
Chef Adrian’s favourite style of cooking ranges from simple grilling to pickling, fermenting to sous vide. He says, “I present my dish ‘Kinilaw’ which resonates my style. It is a great appetiser and involves picking fresh produce. My inspiration for the dish has been from popular fish markets in Philippines.”
Kinilaw Filipino-style ceviche
ingredients
● Tuna, yellow tail, or any white fish: 500 gm
● Coconut vinegar: 2 cups
● Ginger diced: 1 piece
● Garlic paste: 1 head
● Red onions: 2
● Hearts of palm chopped: 200 gm
● Green chili peppers: 5
● Salt and pepper
● Lemon juice: ½ cup
● Coconut cream: 1½ cup
● Coriander
● Optional ingredients are avocado and tomato
Method
● Wash the fish in half the vinegar. Drain
● Mix all other ingredients and add the fish. Serve chilled