Home Chefs Of Mumbai- Part 17- Rashmi Ahuja

Back in 70s and before that, most of the people hardly ever went out to a restaurant unless there was an occasion to celebrate. They enjoyed home-cooked food and were happy eating traditional food cooked by their elders at home. They did enjoy food at their friend’s house, (who belonged to another community), but they hardly ever played with ingredients in their own kitchen. Food lovers would pluck out a recipe from magazines and try out a leaf or two, but it was not a regular thing to do. Recipes were passed down within the family members, many of them remained undocumented and were considered as signature cuisine of that community. They never used any measurements, everything was ‘andaaz sey’, pinch of this and a fist of that. They did not taste the food while cooking (because it was first offered to Gods) but could understand the taste by its fragrance. A stew with no salt had different aroma, with less spices, meant it was bland. It was all about experience, they knew the taste of every ingredient and understood the resulting taste. Vegetarian people could cook the tastiest non-vegetarian food because of their experiences of knowing the techniques of cooking.

It was unimaginable for anyone to eat raw beef or raw fish. And then, there came the sophistication at the top end of the food market. Things like Sushi, Rissotto, Cappucino tingled the taste buds. Travelling became easier, people got exposed to strange foods. They shopped for rare ingredients and brought back home. Interest grew, cook-books flooded the market and traditional cooking took a back seat. The new version of food was available, most of them junk version of the real food. 

Indians became adventurous.

But there are still some families,  who have clung to their own traditional cuisine and are discovering the value of home-cooked food, and have realised that our family ate  food that was not only nutritious but also had a scientific reasons for healthy living.

There are some families where three generation of joint family still live in harmony, and all enjoy the food cooked by elders specially like at Rashmi Ahuja’s home.

Rashmi Ahuja was always a home-maker till she entered food reality show at ‘Sanjeev Kapoor ke Kitchen Khiladi’ on Sony TV and was announced as ‘Chef Rashmi Ahuja’ and then she got second chance in life as a participant of ‘India’s Digital Chef’ where she was the finalist. That was the day, at the age of 58 years, she got  her wings to fly. Rashmi believes that cooking is about creating something delicious for someone else. She nourishes the dream of writing a book some day.

Rashmi Ahuja specialises in Vegetarian Sindhi Cuisine and also in Indo-Chinese cuisine. She works only on pre-orders and the rates are fixed according to the availability of the ingredients. A set menu is fixed for Sundays that includes snacks, main course and dessert. Her service spans across western suburbs from Lokhanwalla (Andheri West) to Bandra.

She fondly remembers the taste of Aloo Paratha she had many years ago on her way to Vashnudevi Mata Temple.

“I don't know whether it was the cold season or was it the  taste of that particular Dhaba- that the crispness of Paratha still lingers -and mind you, it was not on a Tava, the half done paratha are roasted in kadai with Amul Butter then flipped on both side till light brown and is served hot with curds, little sugar is added in, it is accompanied by Papad and Achar. That taste I can never bring  it at my home and I still crave for it. “

She also talks about her MIL (now no more) who would prepare ‘Malai Ki Sabji’

“We all used to collect Malai (the cream) from the surface of the milk and make ghee (which we do it no more, because we now use Tetra milk packets). Some times my MIL would make  Malai Ki Sabji instead of preparing ghee. She would take one spoonful of oil.  In a thick bottom pan, sauté 2 or 3 chopped onion for few minutes, add chopped green chilies, chopped ginger, two chopped tomato, salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red Chilli powder and lots of coriander leaves. She would then add one big bowl of Malai, keep the kadai on tava, cover it for 5 mins and the delicious ‘Malai Ki Sabji’ was ready to eat with hot hot Sindhi Phulkas.”

She is happy to share her signature dishes Smokey Veg Galouti Kababs

1. In a heavy bottom pan, add 1tbsp of oil or butter. 

2. Add 1tsp Shahi Jeera and 1tbsp ginger, crushed green chilies. 

3. Add 50gms French beans, 50gms carrots, 50gms peas, 50gms capsicum, 50gms cabbage, 50gms Cauliflower. 

4. Add salt, 1tsp red chillies, 1tsp Garam masala, 1/2tsp jeera powder. 

5. Mix well. 

6. Cook till vegetables are tender. 

7. Add 100gms boiled and mashed potatoes. 

8. Add 4/5 tbsp roasted besan,  2tbsp crushed Kasuri Methi and 1tbsp Coriander leaves. 

9. Remove it in a big bowl. 

10. Make a well in the center. 

11. Keep a smaller bowl in the center.  

12. Put hot charcoal and pour oil. 

13. Cover the bigger bowl, so that smoke is trapped inside. 

14. Keep it for 10 minutes. 

15. Remove the smaller bowl of charcoal. 

16. Mix it well. 

17. Shape into round Tikkis. Shallow fry.

Rashmi Ahuja hopes to train youth who can succeed to follow cooking as a career.

You can follow her You Tube channel at RashmiAhuja

Follow her on Facebook

Follow her Instagram handle at rashmikitchenkhazana.rkk

She cooks on request (pre-order only)