At the launch of her second book on India and Bhutan's culinary delights, Australia's finest chef Christine Manfield tells Shrabasti Mallik that she likes to learn about local flavours through shops and local markets
If you are a food lover and you also have a penchant for travel then you will probably know where to get the best tunde kebab in lucknow, the best sondesh in Kolkata, the best butter masala dosa in Hyderabad or the best of any local cuisine in that area. It took Christine Manfield a few trips to India to fall in love with the landscape and in her words what she describes in her words, “the versatility of the flavours and colours that one can discover at every turn.”
India, particularly, fascinated her and she has been coming back to the country after her first visit in about 20 years ago. In the time she has written a book called Tasting India and it was just recently that she released her second book (and her 10th) on the country (and Bhutan) titled A Personal Guide to India & Bhutan.
Manfield is a world renowned chef, traveller, restauranteur and author all rolled into one. She loves to travel with her eyes and told us that India and Bhutan captivate her in a multitude of ways. Travel is essential because it opens up horizons and fosters respect and is a direct way to understanding ones culture. “So, for me it is an easy conversation to start,” she said at the launch.
Her experience in Bhutan in the past few months, prior to writing the book, has been an amazing one in terms of discovering some amazing food. She recalled, “On my most recent visit 14 months ago, I met a couple of passionate food lovers who were very well travelled. They cooked me the most elegant array of utterly delicious regional dishes that I did not know existed. It was a revelation and that increased my respect for Bhutanese culture and cuisine even more. It wasn't the kind of stuff that you were going to see on a day-to-day basis by sort of travelling there. Its what I always say, if you are a food lover and want to know the local delights of a particular place, get yourself invited to someone’s house for a home cooked dinner.”
Unlike many who relate a place with high end eating joints and renowned restaurants, Manfield goes in search of authenticity. On her visits, she hits the local markets because, according to her, “That is the heartbeat of a city.”
She believes that India in itself is a compelling adventure because it engages all the senses. “It is a place where street food in itself is a cause for celebration. And that is what I enjoy doing the most — getting on the street and getting down and dirty with the locals, in terms of food, and really getting to the core of the matter.
Manfield confessed that she has had the most sensory and enduring love affair with the country for the past 20 years. “Its chaotic, incredible beautiful and thrilling, and has got the most enriching food history of just about anywhere in the world,” she pointed out.
Speaking on the sidelines of the book, she explained that it is the energy, diversity and the explosion she has tried to capture and experience in this book. Her interest is to encourage culinary tourism at its best and she is convinced that there is no better place to begin that other than India. She wants to motivate people to step outside their own comfort zone to make those brave choices and to travel to places that are different and not to be afraid and get off the beaten track and off the tourist radar.
“This book is not about just tourism. Its not a regular tourist experience I am talking about. I want people to know about a place through its food its local roots,” she said. The focus of her tours, which she conducts twice a year, is on experiential travel and culinary tourism. “Because it is about delighting the senses and really discovering the treasures that are within the boundaries of the country,” she explained.
“As a country, India is compelling and drives you insane at times but there are so many things to see and food to savour. Plus the generosity and the hospitality that the people have here is amazing and that is why I have been regularly bringing travellers here for a fairly long time,” she added.
There was a lot that she wanted to share about the book and her tours in the many bylanes of the country. We asked her about the time she took to put all her thoughts together and she said that a book generally takes her about five years to compile but the research is an ongoing process. “If I hear of anything new that I have not seen before, I check it out and then decide whether the place is worth a revisit,” she added.
She was pretty keen on serving us her version of out Indian chaat which she prepared for us. She took regular puffs and put a mashed mixture of green peas, mint, pepper and salt. Then she piped some creamy goat cheese on the top and finished it with a cheese dressing. “You can also us your papri as the base,” she gave a tip. Then there was her favourite almond coconut cake, and needless to say, it was delicious. She also gave us some cookies to savour from an Australian brand called Byron Bay. “The company has completed 25 years and I developed a new flavour for them. It’s called passionfruit,” she said, serving it to us in a bowl.
The most interesting answer that she gave was when she was asked about her favourite place. Her’s was a straight answer, “I don’t ever pick a favourite.” She however told us of the misconception that she has to dispel during her trips across the country. “People think that since I am white skinned, I can’t cook with spice. Which is very strange because I cook Indian food with a lot of spices,” she said.
The opening lines of her book best rounds up her experience India is not a destination, it is am experience.