My first memory of food was helping my mother in the kitchen. I was the youngest of four siblings and since my mother didn't have a house help, I volunteered to help her out in whatever way I could.
Since I am the youngest, I also had the privilege of being pampered with the best of food. It goes without saying that I helped in making those delicious dishes too. That's when I knew that I had to become a chef when I grow up. It's been 22 years since I have entered his field professionally.
I have worked in Singapore and Dubai and one of my main interests was to introduce Indian cuisines to the people there. I have done the same in places like South Korea and South Africa, among others.
However, I wouldn't say that Indian cuisine is my speciality. Mediterranean is what I love preparing.
I trained under a wonderful Italian chef who taught me everything I know about the region and its dishes.
I still remember the very first dish that I made. It changed my life completely.
I was working in the vegetarian section of a kitchen where the head chef would lay out a table with all the leftovers from the fridge and ask the new joinees to prepare something out of it. I chose artichoke.
I soaked it in water and vinegar and when it opened up, I scooped the heart of the vegetable. I decided to add some stuffing to it and that's when I found some minced vegetables at the table. I used that with a bit of rosemary powder, cheese and bread crumbs. Once I baked it, I presented the dish to the head chef. He was surprised to see the creation and decided to put me in charge of a section.
I've always been sceptical about making crème brulee though. It's a very simple dessert but it needs your constant attention.
Everything has to be planned in advance so that the assembly line to make the dish is perfect.
Having said that, the one thing that I am happy to make is the 'Galouti Kebab', the recipe of which I am sharing today. I have used ginger garlic paste, 'ghee' and maize powder for this particular recipe.
It's a great dish that anyone can enjoy with some soft bread to give it the 'oomph' factor. It's perfect for this pre-monsoon weather too!
Chef Kasiviswanathan, Executive Chef of Radisson Blu Atria
(As told to Anila Kurian)
Galouti Kebab
Ingredients
Mutton kheema, 1 kg
Unripe papaya paste, 4 tbsp
Onion paste, 3 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste, 2 tbsp
Cardamom powder, 1 tsp
Yellow chilli powder, 1 tsp
Chana (gram) powder, 2 tbsp
Garam masala powder, ½ tsp
Maize powder, ½ tsp
Coriander powder, 1 tsp
Salt as per taste
Oil, 3 tbsp
Ghee, 150 ml
Method
Wash the mutton kheema with water.
Marinate the kheema with the unripe papaya paste, onion paste, ginger garlic paste, maize powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder, yellow chilli powder, chana powder, cardamom powder, salt and keep it refrigerator for an hour.
Take out the kheema mix out of the refrigerator and make medium-sized 'tikkis' out of the mixture.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the 'tikkis' on very low heat for 15 to 20 minutes on each side.
Make sure the kheema is cooked well and both sides of the kebab gets golden brown in colour.
Once the kebabs are perfectly cooked, transfer them to a serving platter.
Eat this Galouti kebab in the Lucknow style with the 'paratha' along with mint chutney and raw papaya chutney.
My first memory of food was helping my mother in the kitchen. I was the youngest of four siblings and since my mother didn’t have a house help, I volunteered to help her out in whatever way I could.
Since I am the youngest, I also had the privilege of being pampered with the best of food. It goes without saying that I helped in making those delicious dishes too. That’s when I knew that I had to become a chef when I grow up. It’s been 22 years since I have entered his field professionally.
I have worked in Singapore and Dubai and one of my main interests was to introduce Indian cuisines to the people there. I have done the same in places like South Korea and South Africa, among others.
However, I wouldn’t say that Indian cuisine is my speciality. Mediterranean is what I love preparing.
I trained under a wonderful Italian chef who taught me everything I know about the region and its dishes.
I still remember the very first dish that I made. It changed my life completely.
I was working in the vegetarian section of a kitchen where the head chef would lay out a table with all the leftovers from the fridge and ask the new joinees to prepare something out of it. I chose artichoke.
I soaked it in water and vinegar and when it opened up, I scooped the heart of the vegetable. I decided to add some stuffing to it and that’s when I found some minced vegetables at the table. I used that with a bit of rosemary powder, cheese and bread crumbs. Once I baked it, I presented the dish to the head chef. He was surprised to see the creation and decided to put me in charge of a section.
I’ve always been sceptical about making crème brulee though. It’s a very simple dessert but it needs your constant attention.
Everything has to be planned in advance so that the assembly line to make the dish is perfect.
Having said that, the one thing that I am happy to make is the 'Galouti Kebab’, the recipe of which I am sharing today. I have used ginger garlic paste, 'ghee’ and maize powder for this particular recipe.
It’s a great dish that anyone can enjoy with some soft bread to give it the 'oomph’ factor. It’s perfect for this pre-monsoon weather too!
Chef Kasiviswanathan, Executive Chef of Radisson Blu Atria
(As told to Anila Kurian)
Galouti Kebab
Ingredients
Mutton kheema, 1 kg
Unripe papaya paste, 4 tbsp
Onion paste, 3 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste, 2 tbsp
Cardamom powder, 1 tsp
Yellow chilli powder, 1 tsp
Chana (gram) powder, 2 tbsp
Garam masala powder, ' tsp
Maize powder, ' tsp
Coriander powder, 1 tsp
Salt as per taste
Oil, 3 tbsp
Ghee, 150 ml
Method
Wash the mutton kheema with water.
Marinate the kheema with the unripe papaya paste, onion paste, ginger garlic paste, maize powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder, yellow chilli powder, chana powder, cardamom powder, salt and keep it refrigerator for an hour.
Take out the kheema mix out of the refrigerator and make medium-sized 'tikkis’ out of the mixture.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the 'tikkis’ on very low heat for 15 to 20 minutes on each side.
Make sure the kheema is cooked well and both sides of the kebab gets golden brown in colour.
Once the kebabs are perfectly cooked, transfer them to a serving platter.
Eat this Galouti kebab in the Lucknow style with the 'paratha’ along with mint chutney and raw papaya chutney.