Forget pakoras, try baby corn bezule and panko crumbed prawns this monsoon, Chef Prem Kumar Pogakula tells Iknoor Kaur
It is natural to crave for hot pakoras and masala chai when the view from your window is misty and water seeps through the mesh and sprinkles on your face. In this rainy season, everyone feels lazy since there’s hardly any inspiration to move out the house. But the culinary club of The Imperial came up with a reason to get people together. The four-year-old club presented their ‘monsoon specials’ with Executive Sous Chef Prem Kumar Pogakula.
To our surprise, in not more than one and a half hour, right from baby corn and prawns to paneer and chocolate, the chef managed to produce seven such dishes that we wouldn’t have even thought of.
The women present at the event were engrossed and the chef was the hero of the day. Baby corn bezule, hot sweet corn fried chaat with peanuts, peri-peri & panko crumbed prawns and warm deep fried milk chocolate & toffee chocolates were a few of the dishes he prepared.
He shelled out the most common ingredients from his decorated shelf, like old home-made rotis and cornflakes and produced exotic snacks. The plus point was the additional inputs every one sitting in room got. The chef emphasised on the use of right kind of knife. He said it is the most crucial element of cutting down cooking time. He also insisted on the use of kitchen towels as it is more hygienic. In addition, chef Prem enlightened us on how to skin a prawn and showed us the art of folding samosas.
Giving tips on how to bring out the juices in all forms of meats, he said that after marinating anything, it should be kept in the fridge for a day for better aroma and flavour. Prem shared an interesting story with us about how the microwave started. He said, “In World War II, a cook accidentally left raw meat near a rod which emitted high amounts of radiation. When he realised, he came back and saw that half of the meat was cooked. That is when people grasped that radiation can cook, which led to the microwave.”
All the ladies in the room jumped to their feet with excitement when Prem prepared spun sugar, popularly known as angel’s hair. His intricacy and perfect timing inspired many. With a live kitchen, lavish buffet and knick-knacks being served every now and then, the affair was simple but chic.