Chef Manu Chandra suggests 17 homegrown ingredients that can up the quotient of any plate
I think as one matures as a chef, intrinsically it becomes easier to look around oneself to be inspired and innovate rather than looking too far. Something similar has been happening with me despite my years working abroad and at some stellar restaurants at that. The depth and variety of what is available in our country is often overlooked by the restauranting ethos and instead most embrace hard-to-find western ingredients in the development of their menus and offerings.
While it would be unfair to say that some chefs haven't already attempted and been trying to champion Indian ingredients, I still feel that we have a very long way to go and being able to develop our brand of adopted cuisines (much like France, America, Australia have done).
Here's a list of 17 of perhaps hundreds of relatively unseen or underestimated ingredients, which I feel would add a lot of spunk to any menu, cuisine notwithstanding. Bon appetite.
1. Bathua: A seemingly wild growing green always found in certain parts of North India. Bathua is a fantastic replacement for spinach, which has always been associated with contamination. It's delicious, earthy and lends itself to many applications.
2. Kachampoli: Almost never heard of outside of Coorg, this is India's answer to Balsamic Vinegar even though it's neither sweet nor made with grapes. Watch it transform a non-vegetarian dish with it's deep dark colour and lip-smacking tang.
3. Singhara: This absolutely delicious water vegetable is barely seen on any menu. Peeled and sliced, it would make the most wonderful salad.
4. Makhana: Lotus seeds that have been dried are an incredible way to thicken sauces and gravies after frying and powdering. It's a great snack too, albeit a little heavy.
5. Bhetki: Despite the battle between the sea fish vs the fresh water fish lovers, the glorious Bhetki stands out as an outstanding fish. Its suppleness is a close second to the phenomenally expensive and imported varieties of bass. I would pass up a John Dory for a good Bhetki any day.
6. Melon seeds: So used are we to seeing pine nuts on menus, that we often forget how delicious roasted melon seeds can be. I've found them equally enticing on pastas, salads and even desserts. A must try.
7. Bhut Jhalokia: Also known as the Naga chili, I find myself reading more about this in foreign media than seeing it in our own restaurants. It's got a kick that will make most people chuck out the imported bottles of hot sauce.
8. Gondhoraj lemon: By far one of my favorite citrus flavours, the perfumey fragrance from this north-eastern lemon can convert the simplest dish into a stunner. Infuse it in a little vodka, or try a sorbet with it. A lemon tart with some zest and juice from the gondhoraj can give key lime pies a run for its money.
9. Kalimpong Cheese: Almost Gouda like, this cheese from Sikkim probably has a very small production, but can fool the finest of gourmets. Watch it transform the most humble bake or a simple chili cheese toast, if you can get your hands on it, that is.
10. Rhododendron: Literally the rose tree, these beautiful flowers from the hills of Nainital and around, make for the most amazing drinks and coolers. Instead of lapping up artificial green apple syrups in martinis, it would be fabulous to see bartenders adapt to this refreshingly different ingredient.
11. Kashundhi: Bengali cuisine would be unimaginable without this. This sharp and well- rounded mustard still remains within the confines of Bengali cuisine. Try it in dressings, as a condiment on steaks and fish, or even a sandwich spread and English mustard may not seem so attractive after all.
12. Jaggery: For a country that almost knew no refined sugar, the jump to white sugar and caramel-coloured refined sugar seem odd. Jaggery in its many forms still makes for an excellent sweetener for confections and puddings. Some practice will get you stunning results.
13. Mustard and sesame oils: So here we are, a nation with a rich enough history of our own oils with arguably as many health benefits as some other oils; yet we look at the olive for gourmet reasons. Not true. Both sesame and mustard oils have amazing flavour characteristics and make some great dressings, sautes, marinades etc. Pick up a bottle of each for your kitchens today.
14. Aam Ada: This ginger root which has the most keen palates confused owing to its distinctively green mango flavour can be an amazing addition to soups, broths and relishes. It's again seen in very isolated cuisines, but I'm sure can gain a following as much as lemongrass if marketed well.
15. Indian Vanilla Bean: Many people will be unaware that some excellent Vanilla grows in the hills of Chikmaglur and Coorg and any place with coffee plantations. Substitute the sub par artificial essence with some caviar from a vanilla bean and watch a dessert move a step closer to Nirvana.
16. Golden Apple: As children one almost looked forward to apple season (yes, we ate seasonally as early as 20 years ago) for those incredibly juicy and sweet Golden Apples from Himachal. Today I'm hard pressed to find them. Instead I can easily settle for pretty, waxy and tasteless imported green and red apples. Eat an apple pie made from golden apples, and a whole generation may rethink the apple (edible) completely.
17. Gulkand: A stalwart of the pan shop, gulkand in all its rosy and sweet avatar can be an amazing ingredient. It's mellow yet lucid on the palate. Try it with cheesecake or with nuts and honey on warm almond cookies.
saadia.dhailey@timesgroup.com
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