Chef’s Specials: Taking a leaf off the five-star menu

These are the men behind some of the best fine dining experiences at some of the highest-profile hotels in Nepal. Day in and day out, these cuisinertists create sophisticated delicacies, and patrons happily pay good money to enjoy the menu they have composed.

Off duty, though, the storyline varies. In the comfort of their homes and away from their industrial kitchen, we asked them which is their go-to dish.It turns out they have some simple, easy and equally tasty recipes up their chef’s jacket as well. Ones they frequently savor with their own friends and family. The Week brings details of these dishes to you straight from the executive chefs themselves.

“It all boils down to the ingredients,” says Budathoki. He has been at the helm of The Dwarika’s menu for more than a decade now and he reveals that the consistent quality and trademark taste of his dishes goes back to the ingredients. He regularly recreates the menu of the luxury hotel using local, organic and seasonable ingredients. It’s a practice that he advocates in his home as well. Even though working six days does not give him enough time to run his family kitchen, he shares that he enjoys sharing new dishes with his family.

A case in point: the stuffed vegetable zucchinis. The chef claims that even an amateur can successfully attempt this dish and impress their guests at various get-togethers and parties. Here he helps simplify the process.

Stuffed Vegetable Zucchini

Ingredients

Zucchini   100/200g
Onions    20g
Garlic   5g
Tomato   10g
Corn/carrots   optional
Oil       25ml
Salt/pepper   to taste

Methodology

•   First of all, cut the zucchini in half and clean out its seed.
•   Heat the pan and pout some oil in it.
•   Sauté the onion and garlic until their colors begin to rise.
•   Add the diced tomatoes and stir them till they become gravy like.
•   Sprinkle in some pepper or salt according to your taste. You can also add carrots or boiled corns as well as herbs like rosemary or thyme.
•   Then finally, deep-fry or steam the zucchini as per your preference.
•   Once the zucchinis are cooked, stuff the vegetable mixture with a spoon.

Wason is new in town. It has only been a little more than five months that he decided to leave Delhi and embark on a new culinary journey at Radisson. With a career spanning over 22 years and work experience from the likes of Taj Hotel and The Grand, he reveals he is thoroughly enjoying helping the guests at the luxury hotel indulge their palates. Initially, though, the glamour of five-star hotels was a distant dream for the executive chef.

“Growing up in a middle class family, we found such high-fly establishments somewhat intimidating. However, at the same time, I was attracted by its allure. It’s one of the things that made me want to become a chef,” he says.

At the same time though, Wason is well aware of the rigorous hard work that goes behind the scene and he isn’t complaining, though. He reveals that most of his efforts are directed to making the original flavors of his ingredients sing. Preserving the purity of his food’s taste has apparently always been his priority.

Here, he helps us do the same with a simple recipe, the one he believes to be a phenomenal dry snack.

Salt ‘n’ Pepper Prawns

Ingredients

Salt    2 tbsp
Freshly ground pepper   2 tbsp
Five spice powder   1 tbsp
Castor sugar   1 tbsp
Vegetable oil    3 tbsp
Medium size whole prawns    6
Corn flour    2 cups
Onion, finely chopped   1 tbsp
Garlic, finely chopped   1 tbsp
Green chilies, sliced   2
Spring onions, sliced   4
Coriander, chopped   (optional)
Lime, quartered   1

Methodology

•   Combine salt, pepper and five-spice powders with sugar and mix them well. Then set them aside.
•   In a deep-fry pan, bring the oil to 180 degrees Celsius. (Medium hot)
•   Dust the prawns with corn flour and fry them for one minute until the prawns are just cooked. Make sure the oil remains at a constant high heat.
•   Remove the prawns and place them on a kitchen paper to absorb the oil.
•   Heat another pan and add a little oil for the onion, garlic, ginger, chili and spring onions. Cook them until you can smell they become fragrant.
•   Now add the prawns. Also sprinkle the salt, pepper, sugar and the five-spice mixture on it. Corianders are optional. Make sure you coat the prawns well with the mixture.
•   Remove the prawns and serve them with lime.