Go on a tour of reinventing classic, traditional dishes and discover new combinations this Ramadan with Aakriti Narang and Angela Paljor
Each festival has got its own taste and whiff. And Ramadan smells are curling up our nostrils from the traditional food rows and streetside cafes. But hotels and eateries in town want to make it a pan gourmet affair by recasting or reinventing traditional favourites.
Dates and Rooh Afza may be the traditional way to start your iftaar, the post-sunset meal. But the Masala Trail (TMT) in Janpath gives it an exotic spin. According to Osama Jalali, the shaan-e-iftaar spread begins with Iranian dates and refreshing Rooh Afza orshikanji. “The aim is to offer signature items that would be present in a Muslim household, and hence fruit chaat, assorted pakodas, mini samosas, poori chole, dahi bhalla and gulab jamun have also been included, albeit in bite-sized portions. “Preparation is kept simple, tweaked for a neutral clientele but in the end reminds you of home-made warmth,” he adds.
At the Taj Mahal Hotel, Executive Chef Arun Sundararaj wishes that his guests get the best of both worlds. Says he, “This Ramadan, we are offering both iftaar and suhoor delicacies for our patrons. We have given a unique twist to age-old delicacies like Qubani Ka Meetha mille feuille. Qubani ka Meetha is a traditional festive dessert made from dried apricots but we are using puff pastries to prepare it like a mille feuille, giving the dessert a classic French twist.” However, Taj is also concerned about your health. As Chef Sundararaj continues, “The black currant sheer korma gives a unique twist to the traditional festive dessert. The high vitamin content of black currants combined with the goodness of milk, vermicelli and dried fruits provide necessary nutrition to those who are fasting and are the perfect end to a celebratory meal.”
Talking about the change in the taste of traditional Indian cuisine and the transition of giving it a modern twist, Chef Manish Mehrotra says, “I do not call it a modern Indian rather it is an inventive Indian because for me the traditional flavour has to be absolutely perfect. It is the method of cooking that might need some change. It’s the way we cook our vegetables, some are cooked so much that they are almost mashed and lack texture.”
He adds, “I recently did a trail for a dish in New York. It was a dish with a nice pan seared trout with Kashmiri chilli butter and lotus root in a dry yakhani sauce. The trout we used in New York was ocean trout and not the river trout, yet the texture of the trout was same. It had the crispy skin of the fish with a nice Kashmiri chilli butter and lotus root. The combination was of a crispy fish with a slightly bit of heat and a crunchy lotus root along with a slightly cooling yogurt gravy. The dish is based on traditional flavour, there is no molecular gastronomy in this, nor is there any air or foam but in an absolutely modern way.”
For Chef Saransh Goila, “growing up in a culturally diverse country, Ramadan has always been synonymous with visiting my dearest friends’ home for elaborate dinners filled with delicacies. I believe in balanced meals and good nutrition, when one is fasting on an erratic eating schedule. It is essential to be careful about your health which can be done through the food you eat.” So he has developed healthy khajur ki kheer which has pure ghee, cow’s milk, basmati rice, date puree and a whole bunch of dry fruits. Do not miss out on his sandalwood kebabs with hung yogurt, sandalwood sticks and crumbled paneer to level out the calorie meter.
For those in the habit of going down to GK II for a coffee or a spa, you could try out the baklavas at Baris. Turkish chef Sahin Ibis believes that “this is a beautiful time of the year when the entire family comes together in the evening after a full day of fasting. Baris is offering an iftaar party menu with choices like avocado labneh, Anavut Cigeri, Mercimek Corbasi and Urfa kebab made from traditional Turkish ingredients.” They especially get the spices and herbs from Urfa, Adana and Istanbul in Turkey.
Travellers need not worry as they can savour the tastes and aromas of Ramadan wherever they go. The world’s largest independent airport lounge network, Plaza Premium lounge, is offering a healthy iftaar buffet at its lounges across Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. This buffet has been carefully designed by the executive Chef Ankit Mangla who hopes to meet the aspirations of discerning guests with a clever balance of fibre, proteins and carbohydrates. He is offering Mujaddara chicken rice, fragrant rice with boneless chicken, Arabic al kabsa, spiced chicken and rice, Mithi Sevaiyan with sweet vermicelli, cardamom, raisins and cashews, dates, tea cakes and Umm-alli which is an Arabic date with butter pudding.
The global platter demand is affecting traditional meal spreads in Kuala lumpur too. In addition to the usual chicken or beef porridge, hotelieres are using fish and dried squid as the main ingredients of their comfort food. Diners who enjoy their traditional salads and appetisers will find noteworthy ones such as Kerabu Pucuk Paku Kerang (wild fern shoots and cockles) or somtam (Thai green papaya salad). There are live counters for visitors too.