Home Chefs Of Mumbai – Part 36 – Malavika Unni

Lockdown. First there was shock, then boredom. Mumbai has never been inert, even in worst of disaster times. Come rains, riots, bomb blasts - Mumbai has seen it all and survived.  Mumbaikar can never sit at home, idle. But now, there was no choice. This was pandemic and a forced isolation. Everybody under house arrest.

But luckily, food scene did not suffer. In fact, food took the centre stage, it was the only commodity that was available. But it had to be cooked at home. No restaurants, no street food was available. Everybody was cooking at home. Those who could not cook, learnt, and those who were not able to, had neighbours and well wishers who cooked for them.

 And thus, there was rise of home chefs...Saviours specially for the seniors and for the sick.

 Food community of India is very strong. They support each other with guidance and appreciation. City was closed. So what? They could still communicate via social media. There were Webinars, Zoom meetings and Insta-lives. The food community became stronger. ‘The FBAI’ headed by Sam and Saloni Malkani kept everybody united, (like always) encourage them. Every year, under normal circumstance, all the food community met under one roof to celebrate ‘HomeChef Matter’ But this year, there was virtual celebrations in collaboration with Vikhroli Cucina (Godrej Group). 30+ home-chefs across India created innovative recipes from the comfort of their home kitchen and awards were given to many Home Chefs across India.

Malavika Unni is one such baker to have bagged this award. 

Malavika Unni (of goana_bakes fame) has been baking professionally since last seven years. She considers herself an accidental baker! She never entered the kitchen while growing up unless asked to help since she was more of a workaholic. But her mom however is a excellent cook/ baker so that definitely made her a foodie.  “I feel that you need to enjoy your food to understand it!.” she says

Her interest in baking actually started during her pregnancy years.  Due medical reasons she had to quit her full-time job and she found herself restless on being house bound. “So I can now relate to how many people have turned to baking during this lockdown!!” she says. During her pregnancy she used to crave for Christmas cakes. She had moved to Mumbai from Kerala after marriage and other than her work life, she didn't know much about the city. She asked around for some traditional Christmas cakes but failed to find one. So she decided to make it on her own.  

Starting point was easy with her mother's cookbooks and the internet. She baked more for family and friends, she gained the confidence to expand.  But before starting it formally,  she wanted to gain some professional education.  So she went to the Academy of Pastry Arts for a short term course covering French pastry, cake decor and plated desserts. 

Apart from seasonal cakes, Malavika Unni specialises in celebration cakes customised for any occasions -  weddings, birthdays, anniversaries etc. Most of her cakes are as per design and she is very artistic and innovative. 

She believes strongly in her cakes as being authentic as can be “The cake world has two sides ..the baking/taste part and the decoration. I believe that there should a right balance in both. It should be a treat to the eye as well as  to palate! It is also important to understand the client and ensure that their requirements and expectations are met properly.” 

She got recognised for her work this year when she bagged the e-award for ‘Home Chefs Bakers Award’ 

“I was pretty shocked actually..wasn't expecting it to be honest. Its also humbling to be recognised by your peers.” She says when asked about what was her reaction on receiving this award.

She savours the fond memories of Christmas Cakes that she received every Christmas in her home town. “My first memory of cake is the Christmas fruit cake or plum cake as we used to refer to it. Based in Kerala, my father had friend who would send across a Christmas hamper every year with home grown spices, cashew and a plum cake. This was a simple cake with no icing or decorations but the memory of this perfect spiced cake filled with fruits and nut is still a vivid memory. Funnily enough this cake was also the reason behind my entry into the baking world.” 

Malavika is happy to her share her Egg Free/Alcohol Free Xmas Cake

1. Soak the fruits overnight in fruit juice. If you haven't soaked, you can boil fruits with the juice for 5 mins and let it cool.

2. For soaking use 1 ¾ cup mixed Dry Fruits. You can use a combination of sultanas, seedless raisins,currants & candied citrus peels. If you are using dates/apricots/ figs etc; chop it into small pieces.

3. 1 cup Apple Juice/ Orange juice (you can use fresh or ready packed juice)

4. Reserve 1/4 cup of juice to adjust the batter consistency.

5. Preheat the oven @ 180 C, and line a 6 or 7 inch tin with parchment paper on the base as well as the sides.

6. Just before making the cake, drain the fruits and keep aside. Grind together 1 Clove, a small piece of Cinnamon and 2 Cardamoms with a tsp of Sugar and keep aside.

7. Sift together 200gms all purpose flour, ½ tsp Baking powder, ½ tsp Soda Bicarbonate.

8. add Spice powder (prepared in step 6).

9. Whisk the 85gms softened Butter and 1 cup Brown Sugar till light & fluffy. 

10. Add ½ cup whisked Yogurt & ½ tsp Vanilla essence and mix well. Batter might look curdled at this point, but it comes together after adding the flour. 

11. Fold in the sifted flour in two batches.

12. Coat the drained fruits with 1 tbsp flour before adding to the batter. Fold in the drained fruits.

13. If the batter feels too thick, you can add a bit of juice to bring it to a dropping consistency.

14. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake in the preheated oven till a tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Bake for first 10 mins at 180 and then bring down temp to 150 degrees. 

15. The timing can vary from 25-45 mins, depending on the size of the tin used 

16. Cool the cake completely before slicing. 

17. You can store the cake in at room temp for 2/3 days. If you are living in a very hot or humid place, you may refrigerate the cake after 2 days.

You can order on her Watsapp on 9022220342  

Follow her Insta handle at @goana_bakes to see her beautiful and innovative creations

Make Koki To Celebrate #IndianBreadsDay

Nowadays when ever I see the food pictures on social media, there are different types of bread that people are baking...sour dough bread, Pav, Focaccia, garlic bread, multigrain bread...there is so much variety out there. 

But during my growing up days, I don't remember eating such kind of breads at home. We did have slice bread to go with egg omelette during breakfast, or vegetable sandwiches and toasts during evening snacks or sometimes we did have Pav to go with mutton curry, but we hardly ever baked anything in the oven at home, Most of the food was cooked over stove or on log of wood. (Ok I am not that ancient) but breakfast was always cooked at home and we had variety of food everyday, many times it was left overs reincarnated into another dish like rice churned out as masala rice, then we had khichdi, puri bhaji or koki. 

Koki or Loli is the traditional flat bread that is cooked in almost every Sindhi home. 

It is flaky, crispy, chewy and can be kept for over 24 hours and still be relished. (Its a good bread to take for picnics or for long train journeys) Moreover, it pairs with all kinds of accompaniments like papad, curds, pickle, chai, and also with left over mutton of the previous night. You can rightly call it masala biscuit.

The main ingredients used is wheat flour, salt, ghee and water. To make it tasty, you could add finely chopped onions, chilies, coriander leaves and crushed pomegranate seeds. Lots of ghee is used during kneading the flour, and the dough is tight. A thick patty is made of the dough and roasted on griddle for it to be flaky and then it is rolled again into round, thick, flat disc.It is roasted using ghee on both sides till it is crisp and brown. 

Its a favourite amongst all my friends and they often ask me the recipe. So here it is step_by_step. Do visit my You tube link to watch the koki into making. 

link is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE-ebdJ2U7c 

Sharing my recipe of Koki...a #Sindhicuisine to Celebrate #IndianBreadsDay with my foodie friends.

Home Chefs Of Mumbai – Part 35 - Nayana Mehta

Is snacking on small meals every two hours a good idea? 

It depends on what we are eating. If we are eating healthy every two hours, like nuts, fruits, salads for health reasons, it would work for few weeks. But we cannot go on forever with this kind of diet. Of course small meals have their advantages, firstly, there are hardly any gaps to feel hungry, and secondly, eating so often might boost our metabolism, but where is the time for the tummy to rest? Hardly has it finished digesting one course of food and there is another course, and there is no pause. Poor tummy is working full time. Also, we are all the time thinking of food and planning the next meal. So the brain is also thinking of food all the time.

Anyways, that is the latest fad followed by most of the youth. Otherwise, normally its always heavy breakfast and lunch, evening snack and then light dinner. People who feast on evening snack, skip dinner to stay fit. Snacking has always been the interesting part of our diet. We go to park for an evening stroll to lose some weight but stop to snack on street food. Not sure if the tummy complains at these surprise treats but we are happy to taste some tasty, spicy small meals. Sometimes we overeat, its like we will order Pani Puri, followed by a plate of Samosas and then an ice cream. If we still eat dinner with family (as per rule) then we are sure to have sleepless nights. To enjoy any kind of food, it should be done in moderation. Snacking too.

Mrs Nayana Mehta prepares some of the tastiest, healthy snacks at home.

Mrs Nayana Mehta (of Mammies Munchies fame) is a passionate cook. Her passion started at the age of 14years while studying and helping her mom with household chores. She was always eager to know and learn about making various food dishes. Life and responsibilities has engaged most of her life, leaving her little time to pursue her own interests. After many years of busy life, cooking delicious food for close family and friends, she realised that she wanted to do something of her own, something more that would give her immense joy, 

“I have learnt all the traditional dishes from my mother and I am still learning from every senior person I meet and also from my own children. Life is an amazing journey when you are learning constantly. And right now, at the age of 65 I am finally fulfilling my dream. My children have been my guiding light and force.” She  asserts.

Mrs Nayana Mehta specialises in traditional Indian sweets, snacks and pickles.

She loves to make pickles and find it very de-stressing and therapeutic. “My mother  ke hath se bana hua ‘Methi Keri ka Aachar’  was unforgettable. That’s where my journey of making pickles started at a very young age.” She says, her favourite till date is ‘Peru ki Subji’ and ‘Ghari (Surati)’ in sweets.

Her favourite food memories dates back from her ‘Rajasthan Tourism Hotel’ near Gujarat-Rajathan border at having tasted the most delicious Rajasthani Mix Lentil Dal. 

Nayana makes all types of amazing soft Dhoklas. She would like to share recipe for the 

‘Split Moong Dal Dhoklas’ .

1. Soak Dal for 3-4 hours. 

2. Remove water and grind it coarsely. 

3. Add Ginger, green Chilli paste, salt, Cumin seeds

4. Add a pinch of Baking soda , 1tsp of Lemon and 1/2 tsp Sugar. 

5. Mix it well. 

6. Steam it for 15 -18 mins. 

7. Check once done . 

8. Remove from steamer. 

9. Add tadka of 1tsp Oil, Mustard seeds, Sesame seeds and Curry leaves. 

10. Garnish with fresh Coconut and finely chopped Coriander. 

11. Relish hot, healthy and delicious Dhoklas with ‘coriander and mint’ Chutney.

Follow her Insta handle @maamis_munchies

Contact her on WatsApp at 99676 43344

Home Chefs Of Mumbai – Part 34 – Aparmita Sapru

Diet is the topic almost everybody talks about it, but so few really understand it. Some say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but for some skipping breakfast is significantly common, specially for those late risers. (If they wake up at 11am then what should be the lunch hour?, Is it better to eat brunch? ) People who work late nights have no proper timings for having their meals. The gaps between lunch and dinner are filled up with snacks like chips, biscuits, chocolates and other savouries. People who are always on the move prefer street food like Samosas, Pakoras, Batawadas. Some people fill their tummy with endless cups of tea. Many people eat their meals while watching TV or while reading messages on social media. In fact, children are encouraged to watch TV while eating so that their attention is diverted from food and too distracted to fuss over differently looking veggies.

There is not much attention given to the food they eat.

Only those people will enjoy their meal, who can relish the flavour with every bite, eat slowly and pay attention to what they are eating. Enjoying food means not just eating, it is also about relishing its  textures, aroma, presentations. Moreover, emotions play a very important part in our diet. Eating behavior is a complex process which is influenced by physiological, socio-economic and psychosocial factors. If we don’t pay attention to what we eat, and lead a sedentary life style, the result is the common heath problems that we may face in later years of our life.

Good food should be enjoyed, that which is healthy, that which is nutritious and delicious..

Home chef Aparmita Sapru shares some wonderful food stories that she has grown up with.

Aparmita Sapru (of The Shikara Fame) is born into a Kashmiri pandit family and grown up with the flavours & aromas of ' Dum Aaloo, Roganjosh, Kabargah, Methi Chaaman & Pheerni - to name a few. In her home, the finesse of cooking was discussed from the size of the potatoes to be used for cooking, to the temperature they should be fried at, to the technique of bhunoing the Roganjosh, food was expected to be cooked in perfection with a lot of love and patience added to it.

“Over the years, I imbibed the same love and passion for the cuisine. Also being an art curator, I can safely say that cooking is as cathartic as Art!” she admits

Having perfected a lot of Kashmiri delicacies, she frequently started inviting friends and family over for meals and was encouraged to start professionally, as authentic Kashmiri Cuisine is rare, almost non- existent outside of Kashmir.

Aparmita specialises in Kashmiri Cuisine. Food combinations, styles of cooking & unique food combinations is what makes Kashmiri Cuisine different. ' The Shikara' was conceived as an attempt to bring Kashmiri food straight from the 'Dastarkhwaana of Kashmir' to your plate!

North Indian cuisine has also been a part of her journey so has also been added as part of the menu. Best of both the worlds is what you shall get on her menu!

Sarson oil, ghee, saunth, saunf powder, heeng, yogurt and Kashmiri garam masala form the heart and soul of the cuisine, varying in terms of quan and timing, depending upon the dish being cooked. Almost all her dishes are garnished with a  dash of Kashmiri garam masala to give it that extra zing!

“I crave my mom's Pheerni.. Thick, creamy, with a velvety texture , light flavour of scented kewra water and that yummy out of the world taste! That is what I crave. The first taste of good food actually started from home.” Says Aparmita. “Mom was an excellent cook. Apart from Kashmiri cuisine, we had samosas , UP ki dal kachoris, gujiyas, matthis, pineapple pastries, puddings,dahi gujiyas, Rajasthani gattas, keema pao, all kinds of food! So, my eureka moments were with mom's cooking.. She used to cook an amazing variety of dishes!”

Aparmita Sapru is happy to share her Rajma Recipe

1. Take 1 cup Rajma. 

2. .Add 3 glasses water, 1tbsp mustard oil, salt and 1tsp turmeric. 

3. Pressure cook Rajma till tender. 

4. Heat ghee/ mustard oil in a pan. 

5. Add a pinch of asafoetida, 2-3 cloves, 1tsp cumin seeds, 1inch ginger and 1tsp garlic. 

6. Once garlic is fried, add 2 medium size onions. 

7. Fry till golden brown. 

8. Add 2 finely chopped tomatoes. 

9. Cook till the mixture gives off ghee from all sides.  

10. Add 1tsp red chilli powder. 

11. Add the mix to the boiled rajma. 

12. Add 1tbsp whisked curd and cook till the mixture is homogeneous. 

13. Add a dash of kashmiri garam masala . 

14. Add fresh coriander and green chillies. 

15. Rajma is ready to be served.

Aparmita Sapru can be reached on her Watsapp No is : 6262843699

Follow her Insta handle @the_shikara

Also via mail : theshikaraforu@gmail.com

Home Chefs Of Mumbai – Part 33 - Sonali and Sandhya Vyas

When you migrate overseas, what you miss the most is the food you are used to eating...your own city food...and also your mom home cooked food.

  In India, we love spicy and Masaledar food and find the food of our adopted country different. We find it bland, if there is zero Mirchi. We don’t appreciate noodles for lunch everyday, eating food cooked in Olive oil instead of desi ghee. It is all about getting used to it. 

 Children who never helped in the kitchen back home, will make endless calls to their parents, asking for traditional recipes. When their parents go visiting them, they will send long list of Indian food delicacies to get for them...which will include spices, papads, theplas and even paan. Parent on their trip are busy in the kitchen cooking Desi food for their kin, leaving less time to exploring foreign lands.

 The taste of India is what they miss the most and parents know it

 Home chef Sandhya and Sonali Vyas make yummiest savouries that people miss the most 

Sandhya and Sonali Vyas (of One For All fame) are the mother-daughter duo behind the brand. 

Sandhya has been running kitchen since 25years. She started as a tiffin service catering to various households and office going people. Steadily she saw the menu expanding as people started asking for more. “My passion and everyone's acceptance and love for my food are the triggers that motivate me and keep me going.” Says Sandhya.

Sonali loved baking and was always interested in trying out baking treats during various occasions. “Over time I realised this is something I want to grow and dive deep into it. Little did I know back then that my hobby will become my profession.” Says Sonali

Having been born and brought up in Mumbai like every Mumbaikar, the mother-daughter duo have a soft corner for street food and and the varied range of cuisines at restaurants. 

“It would be injustice to name just one item or one place. We are in awe for the specialities of every food joint as each has its own uniqueness, it could be Amar Pav bhaji or mithibai Wada pav or Ramu Dosa or WTC pasta or Elco chat to yautcha or hakkasan or suzettte  and the list goes on.”

They specialise in Theplas and are happy to reach them out to people to ease their work and at the same time not miss out on home food. Their Theplas are super thin and not to oily. They can be frozen and stored for upto 3 months without any change in taste. All that needs to be done is heat on gas or microwave it for few seconds before you can have them. For confectionaries, its their range of eggless brownies range that are freshly baked at all times.

‘Our brand name also defines our passion to cater to everyone and vision to be One ForAll. It gives us immense happiness to have a range of Savouries and Confectionaries that appeal to every palate.” They confirm 

They still have the clear memory of the food they had loved when they travelled to Delhi. “This would be either 2006 or 2007 when we on our encounter Delhi by road and we came across this dhaba that we stopped by for breakfast. The paratha platter served there was incredibly delicious! Since then to now we haven't come across a dish like that!”

Sonali  Vyas is happy to share the recipe of  Eggless ChocoChip Cookies.

1. Beat 1/4cup unsalted butter and ¼ cup sugar in a bowl till pale and light. 

2. Sieve ¾ cup All purpose flour plus1/2tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt. 

3. Add 1/2tsp Vanilla essence. 

4. Mix well with spatula. 

5. Add 1/4cup chocochips. 

6. Mix it well. 

7. Form small balls out of dough. 

8. Line the baking tray with butter paper. 

9. Pre heat oven at 180°C and bake for 15 mins . 

10. Cool the cookies. 

11. They are ready to eat. 

Call, Whats app,  dm 9870053098, 9920243098 

Follow their Instagram handle @Oneforall_mumbai 

Virtual Harvest Tour and ‘Cook-Along’ with Nancy Silverton.

Pandemic has certainly changed the way we are learning things. I mean, err, I could never imagine walking through pistachio farms without actually visiting the place. Moreover, getting US visa is such a pain, specially the interview at the embassy, worse than interrogation at the police station.(if you are single, there are some silly questions asked) then travelling for more than 18 hours to reach the place, Anyways, long story short, this virtual tour seems much more adaptable.

So here I was, literally transported to Los Angeles via Zoom and sailed through 40 acres of Bledsoc farms watching the pistachio harvest, wash-dry process, packing and deliveries. The care was taken during collecting the pistachio, and those that fell in the mud were not picked up. The pistachios looked full and fresh, most of them smiled through gaps (I wonder how they taste? because many times, I get pistachios that taste awful, soft and rubbery, from having travelled for many days) 

Pistachios are packed with proteins, antioxidants and fibre. They are low in calories and good for blood sugar balance. They offer several health benefits, especially for the heart, gut and waistline. I mainly pop just few, a small mouthful, too lazy to break open the shells( specially the ones that needs a crusher). I have used pistachio in making dips, or in Indian sweets, kheer or falooda, and love that green Pista Mithai from Pune. But I have never used pistachio in cooking.

So watching Nancy Silverton cook cauliflower with pistachio paste was new concept for me. The surprising thing was that she took whole cauliflower with its stem intact in the large pot containing salty water and boiled it. The cauliflower will float, and the leaves will stick out of the water. Cooked for about 7 minutes. Using tongs, flipped the cauliflower so the leaves were submerged and cook for another 3 minutes. (In India, we never do that, we have to track down the worms hiding within florets, we would break apart the cauliflower and then set to cook) but that was not advisable in Nancy Silverton’s cooking. She said it would not taste the same.

I learnt an interesting recipe of cauliflower called Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Pistachio Crumble and Green Onion Crème Fraiche 

After boiling the cauliflower in salty water, she brought to her working table , allowed it to cool to room temperature, wiped it dry and added olive oil to every crevice of the florets and sprinkled kosher salt. 

Meanwhile, adjust the oven rack to the lowest position. Preheat the oven to 374°F (190°C). 

Pistachio Paste was prepared  

In a small sauce pot, combine 1/4cup olive oil, ¼ cup pistachios, 3 garlic clove, smashed, and lemon zest, peeled with peeler and cook over medium heat until the garlic is light golden brown, and the nuts are toasted. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. 

In a food processor, add the mixture, 2tbsp fresh oregano, 1tsp thyme and ½ tsp salt. Pulse the mixture until the lemon zest is broken down and the nuts are chopped. Mixture will be like a chunky paste. 

Green Onion Crème Fraiche: 

1⁄2 cup / 120 g crème fraiche
1⁄4 cup / 30 g scallions, minced
1⁄4 cup / 30 g shallots, minced
1 garlic, grated with Microplane® 2 tsp / 6 g kosher salt
1⁄2 lemon, juiced 

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients, combine and set aside. 

Pistachio Topping preparation 

3 tbsp / 20 g extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp / 3 g flaky sea salt, such as Maldon sea salt 3 tbsp / 20 g pistachios, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp /3 g Micro Cilantro 

Assembly: 

Spread the pistachio paste evenly over the cauliflower. Place into the oven and roast for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and some spots have a slight char. 

Place on a plate or wooden board. Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle flaky sea salt, chopped pistachios and Micro Cilantro. 

Serve with a side of the Green Onion Crème Fraiche. 

To taste, we have to make it ourselves, but I am sure it will taste awsome.

But that was not all...

There was also Pistachio Macaroon Tart 

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 347 °F (175 °C). 

In the bowl of a food processor, add flour, sugar, cornstarch, salt and pistachios. Run the processor until the pistachios are ground up. Add the butter and pulse on and off until the dough comes together. Keep it in fridge for an hour

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 13 3⁄4 inch x 4 1⁄3 inch (35 cm x 11 cm) rectangle, 1⁄4 inch (6.5 mm) thick. In a 13 3⁄4 inch x 4 1⁄3 inch (35cm x 11 cm) tart pan, place the dough and press along the edges to form the dough to the pan. 

Bake until lightly browned, about 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool.

Pistachio Topping: 

Put ¼ cup sugar, 1tbsp honey, 1tsp orange blossom water, 15gms egg white, 1tsp vanilla, 1’4 tsp baking powder, and 1/4tsp salt in a medium bowl. Stir with a rubber spatula to thoroughly combine. Add ½ cup pistachios and stir to coat the nuts in the syrup. 

Macaroon Filling: 

In the bowl of a food processor, grind 100gms nuts with ½ cup sugar, until it is a fine meal consistency. Add the ½ cup flour, remaining 1cup sugar, and pulse to combine. Pour in 2 egg whites and process until it is a smooth paste. Add  1 egg whites and pulse on and off until completely combined. Transfer the nut mixture into a large bowl. 

In a small saucepan, over medium high heat, begin to melt the 128gms of unsalted butter. Using a small paring knife, split the ½ vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the back of the knife. Add the scrapped seeds and the bean to the butter. After a few minutes the butter will begin to foam and darken. Swirl the pan to promote even browning taking care it does not burn. Continue to cook about 5-7 more minutes until the bubbles subside and the liquid is dark brown with a nutty and toasty aroma. Remove the vanilla bean. 

Slowly pour the brown butter into the nut mixture, whisking continuously. 

Pour the mixture into the tart pan over the dough. Bake for 8 minutes. 

Remove the tart pan from the oven and quickly distribute the nut topping on top. Return the tart back to the oven and finish baking for about 15-20 minutes until the nut topping is golden brown, rotating the tart halfway to ensure even browning. Remove the tart form the oven and set it aside to cool to room temperature.

To serve, pour the remaining powdered sugar for dusting into a fine mesh sieve and tap the sieve over the tart to dust it lightly. Gently push the removable bottom to lift the tart out. Using a long offset spatula, gently slide the tart from the metal bottom onto a long platter or wooden board. 

The minus point of having this cook along session is that to get the real taste, we have to cook it in your own home and not sure if it will taste the same.

But chalo, we did learn something new…. If you are making, please invite me..especially..since you learnt it after reading on my blog…I will wait till then… :)

Home Chefs Of Mumbai – Part 32 – Dhani and Naina Goregoankar

Back then, on a regular normal day, home cooked food was mostly a combination of traditional assorted vegetables, dhal, salad, raita, rice, chappati, papad, pickle, sweet dish and a home-prepared drink. Non-veg would include meat/fish. It was a complete healthy meal of different flavours. Thali is what we know it as in India  

But this  full course meal is common all over the world.  A traditional multi-course dinner in Japan is called Kaiseki which is analogous to Western haute cuisine.  Combinations of cheese with variety of Olives are served as platters  

The multi course meals is all about contrast of flavours and an accumulation of different components — it includes proteins, grains, legumes, vegetables and meat  It is also all about the collection of skills and technique used in such preparation that makes it so interesting  

Sadly, the concept of thali has reduced in many homes with the inclusion of  foreign cuisine and rise of diet conscious people who just stick to no oil, no fries, no spices, no sweets. The food habits have changed to eating small meals every two hours.  Although full course meals are served on special occasions and are enjoyed by everybody, but, it all depends on elders of the family on how they can drift away the family members from easy meals that can be prepared in minutes.  

Dhani and Naina Goregaonkar serve really interesting thalis on their menu. 

Dhani Goregaonkar (of The Paisley Experience fame) has her roots in Alibaug through several generations. Her great grandfather N.K Mhatre (or Anna, as fondly addressed in anecdotes) was a pioneering individual in the poultry industry. She never had a chance to meet him, but his legacy, his evergreen reputation, has had her impressed even as a kid. When she started a business along with her Mom Naina Goregaonkar, a little part of her strive to be like him, in every step. Dhani is at present pursuing her studies at IHM, in Dadar. During this pandemic, she has been very active in cooking(along with her Mom) and delivers food across Mumbai city during week-ends. 

“My love for food, I think, is hereditary. I haven’t come across a single family member who isn’t passionate about food, be it cooking or eating. Growing up, I’d watch my Neeya (grandmom ) and even mom prepare everyday food, but it wasn’t really everyday food. When cooking for a family, as obsessed with food as ours, everyday food just doesn’t cut it. The process of cooking fascinated me. It’s like chemistry, but without the equations that I don’t understand to this day.” 

Dhani specialises in serving traditional food, native to the Pachkalshis of Mumbai and Alibaug. The SKP (Somvanshi Kshatriya Pathare), also referred to as Pachkalshis, share links of history and cuisine with the Pathare Prabhus, although there is some difference in their use of spices and cooking techniques.

“I simply cannot imagine coming to Alibaug and eating any other cuisine.   My vacations in Alibaug were made of playing out in the sun, climbing trees and eating Kalwan or fried fish prepared from the catch the Kolin brought in that day, of course with a side of rice. And this is the nostalgia and experience our menu brings to you.” She says with confidence when she talks about her traditional cooking techniques.   

Naina and Dhani Goregoankar (the mother-daughter duo) see Paisley Experience, in the future as an organisation that gives back as much as it gets from its surroundings; a larger, sustainable business that employs more locals and supports and promotes the local suppliers of Alibaug.    

They are happy to share their traditional recipe Pinapple Curry (Anansaachi Aamti)

1. Heat 2 tbsp ghee. 

2. Tamper 1tsp cumin seeds, 7/8 curry leaves and slit 4/5 green chillies. 

3. Add 2 medium chopped onions and sauté till translucent. 

4. Add fresh pineapple (chopped in triangles). 

5. Add 1 cup jaggery and half cup water. 

6. Cover it for 5 mins to tenderise the pineapple. 

7. Now grind the grated 2 tbsp coconut and 2tbsp rice flour into a fine a paste. 

8. Add ½ tsp turmeric powder, 2/3 tsp pachkalshi special masala, 1tsp coriander-cumin seeds powder and the coconut paste. 

9. Add another cup of water and stir continuously. 

10. Add 1 ½ cups coconut milk and season it with salt. 

11. Squeeze the juice of a whole lemon. 

12. Garnish it with coriander leaves. 

13. Enjoy the hot aamti with roti or rice.

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