Reviewing year 2010...

Yes, one more year come to close--a year, where my level of frustration didn't know any limits [i.e. no ceiling...]--I got upset at things, at people for end number of times. I got angry too...but limited myself from blabbering when I am angry[no wonder, my BP is not in control]..but then when I couldn't control myself-I had to blast out...but later, I felt sorry, for allowing my emotions to vent out.
I have been pissed off this year, than any other year--to be honest. The year started off well...but till Feb. 28th, 2010. March 1st, 2010, a monday--was really a dark day or "black day" as you may want to call it. My blog was too much for someone--I just saved my ass from being terminated..however, things moved on. Work, sleep, cooking, casual conversations, casual shopping & eating out--all were going on till May 29, 2010, when I cut my finger in an electric slicer at work. I felt really shitty or I was in "deep shit", when that happened to me--barely, I could cook, type, eat or write--n some people just made fun of this pitiful condition---their excuse was to make me laugh, when I was crying out of pain--couldn't sleep at night--fucktards!!
In due course, I recovered..pretty fast though & went to India on vacation for just 20 days.The vacation was ok...but it was nice to see those friends, who just pretended to be friend & bite me from back...& it was nice to see those friends..who I have not seen for a while...& who I never talked to in my life before...& met them after a decade!! Additionally...cooking classique at home..for friends, family & relatives...altogether a different feeling.
But I had to come back to Dubai..& made certain resolutions, with which I abided by & I was successful. Fortunately, I changed my kitchen from breakfast to lobby lounge[at least got to cook something than cutting fruits!!] & in my off time, casual experiments--my inspirations being a handful of famous chefs!!
I have changed my outlook completely--those people who dont fall in my category--doesn't matter. I will just simply avoid them. If someone alleges me of something and if it is not true-I just dont care. I dont want them to be a part of life anymore-fuck off!!! Similarly, if someone's behaviour is not appropriate[or doesn't fall in the level of my acceptance] just get off!!! Life is beautiful without you...Perhaps, I have created enemies like this..but I dont mind.

This year perhaps I tried many languages together, but when it came to actual practice, i.e. speaking to the guests, I mixed it up. For example, saying the word "Da" to German-"Da" is a Russian word for "Yes" & the like. Russian, Italian, French--I seemed to try all...German was difficult for me, except "Spiegeleier", "Ruhreier", "Danke Schon", "Bitte Schon" etc.

I seem to hate those people, who say something & practise the opposite. For example, if I say, "I dont like women" & instead, I am a womaniser...it doesn't make any sense when I say something..right?I found out a couple of these...will keep on finding such tribes...& just kick them off!!And sometimes, the true face of people...who can bite you from behind, but when they interact with you, face-to-face, they pretend they are not complicated at all..

Its good to see the year has come to close---but will 2011 be for good??Honestly, I haven't achieved anything this year---not even a single shit!!Just I am getting frustrated, depressed everyday...just with anxious eyes I am looking at the door...the door of 2011, the one will be opened on January 1st, Saturday.

It is going to be a little fishy on New Year...

"Shid ald akwentans bee firgot,(Should old acquaintance be forgot)
an nivir brocht ti mynd?(and never brought to mind)
Shid ald akwentans bee firgot,(Should old acquaintance be forgot)
an ald lang syn?"(an old long since)
--This is a pretty old song--sung mostly when the clock strikes 12 midnight, ushering in the new year!! A scottish song by tradition[& you can make it out from the archaic form of English], for your sake, I put the english rendition in parenthesis.[You know, when I was writing it, I could hear someone singing the song next to my ears....]
Its Sunday today...December 19th, 2010. We still got 12 days of this year to complete & then move forward to 2011. Yesterday, I was planning a little menu, of what I may serve on New Year...for dinner. Its just a small menu, a very small three course, carrying all European flavours in the plate...& you may guess, it is going to be fishy...really fishy!!!
So here you go....

Creme de carrotte

Bacon bits & orange air

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Poisson Clamart

Pan fried Sea Bass, green pea mousse, Butter-fondant potato, peperonata & sicilian pesto

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Negra Arroz con leche

Wild creamed rice with saffron

Pretty simple..aint it???

The Chick's Affair....New Year's eve

In about 3 weeks, we'll be done with the year 2010 & another year, 2011 will usher in lots of hopes, expectations, love & so on & so forth. Added to all these, we all make the cliched "New year resolution"[barely, of which will be ever followed..!], but we'll keep on filling our stomach with end number of goodies...and when we have foodies around...chefs are always busy in thinking how to tickle their taste buds[I can talk about food..but when eat comes to eating, I am rarely that interested...just some simple food pls!!].

As usual, I am proposing a new menu for the New Year's Eve[it falls on Friday & this year also started on a friday]. I have had too much of Italian fare and now..I will listen to my heart, my soul, who is craving for some simple good French affair, with a touch of Asia. Yes. Pretty much simple for New Year's eve & I dont mind going back to the basics--a good poulet roti, accompaned by sauce de pain. Desser can be something more simple--creme caramel. Whilst for soup------a simple form of puree soup, using winter squash--butternut or pumpkin soup.

I am fully aware that people start craving for the good, old turkey[& I hate turkey], but chicken is much tastier than turkey. Here is this thumbrule for chicken---which is a versatile white meat--who can be overcooked pretty easily, than fish.
Use a good marination--even for grilled chicken. Since, chicken doesn't have any taste of its own, so use herbs,spices--thyme, garlic, rosemary, sage---don't use all..else, it will be too robust for the palate. Use a lot of oil for marination & baste with clarified when you are roasting chicken. It results in a good shine, a crispy skin...& a juicy meat, tasting which you can say nothing but "yummy.."
I dont like stuffing my roast chicken--but its optional for you...from Sage-Chestnut to Apple-Walnut...options are endless. Make sure, you cook for stuffing separately..obviously due to cross-contamination & hygiene factors.
Without beating around the bush, here is my four course menu for the New Year's Eve.

Puree de Citrouille

Puree of Pumpkin, scented with lemon grass & nutmeg foam

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Salade Nicoise ala Chinoise

Pickled eggs, cherry tomato, sesame-crusted tuna & soy-sesame dressing

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Poulet Roti Forestiere

Roasted chicken, wild mushroom fricasse, grilled baby leeks & steamed jasmine rice

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Creme Caramel au citron

Coconut foam

Need a demonstration???I'd love to do it for you....just a call away... :)
Buon Apetito!!!

Inspirations...

I remember cooking at home, since I was a child--I had this innate interest of cooking--for friends, for relatives, family members..always free!!!As I said, becoming a chef, was by chance..per chance...& sheer clash of luck & destiny...
Mostly, my childhood & adulthood trials at home, was comprised of making cakes---I still smell those freshly made cakes...with pure ingredients...with lots of butter...eggs..Ummm...& other times, I remember, my mother told she would leave me, if I dont listen to her.
 I said, "Thats ok..I will cook for myself..." & the moment she left the room[pretending, as if leaving the house...], I went to the kitchen & started cutting potato & gourd, for making a curry...& inevitably, I cut my thumb[I was 4 yrs then].
However, in the years to come, thanks to the cable tv service, I was fortunate to see the weekly culinary shows by Indian celebrity chef, Sanjeev Kapoor. Behind one successful man, people say is an unsuccessful woman--I add, they have 100 stories about themselves. People used to tell Sanjeev Kapoor, earns this much n that much...But I didn't care...I used to like his cooking. My mother is also a great cook...at home. Her cooking has never inspired to be a culinary professional, as it was always limited to Bengali kitchen & sometimes, some fancy Indian-Chinese cuisine.However, being a bengali added to that, our roots are from present-day Bangladesh, food tastes better, when we cook...than by others. A privilege, a gift...whatever you may say.
In the years to come, I was introduced to Discovery Channel[not travel & living then...] & I used to love the show, "Inntimate Escapes", aired everyday, showcasing the resorts & hotels across the Continent & also hinted the culinary masterpieces. The first thing, I tried at home was Pasta, freshly made at home. I was 13 years then & perhaps since then...my journey started in the kitchen, in the kitchen at home, if not in a proper restaurant/professionals' kitchen.I started cooking at home, specially on weekend--mostly, it was Indian-cuisine oriented. In the midst of this, a kitchen disaster--Chicken Do-pyaza[meaning, onions added twice--once in the beginning & in the end]. I forgot to buy yoghurt & I didn't have enough masalas. My mother advised me to use tomato, in place of yoghurt. The end result...well, it was little below disaster & in the end, I had to hog them all...
After joining the hotel management institute, I was introduced to the world of chefs--our topics of discussion were Gordon Ramsay[famous for saying the word "fuck" or "fucking"...], Anthony Bourdain[Famed for Kitchen confidential & No reservations] & a handful of Indian masterchefs, Chef Imtiaz Qureshi being a prime example. During my days of training, I saw Chef Qureshi. In 2005, he was drawing a handsome salary of Rs.800K, per month[I dont know how much truth was added to it, but I believed it!!!]. He neither knew proper english & often it is said, he doesn't know how to write his name. Famous for using profanities, he literally never cared anyone, not even the GM of the hotel. I recollect one story, writing here for your sake. The GM of a certain hotel told him, after tasting the biryani, "Chef, the mutton is not good...", Chef Qureshi after a little thought, "Abey, "and after a profanity in hindi, "you gave me a fucked up goat & you are asking for a better biryani..fuck off..".At the age of 78, with same level of passion, dedication & his love for going around the country & cooking for food festivals....yes, he truly inspires me. A man, with zero education, who even doesn't know how much ginger he is putting in a food, as he would say, "Andaz", by assumption, by taste. I used to observe him from the butchery, where I did my training mostly & secretly observe him. He was also famous in kicking the ass of Executive Chefs & Sous Chefs--wherever he used to go for food festivals. It's so obvious from the Grand Masterchef, having a little flag of India, on his chef's jacket.

Though, we gaze at the salary they earn a month, we often overlook, how much passion, talent they possess & how much time they spent to reach this position, for example, Gordon Ramsay. A soccer player, before taking up Culinary as a profession, now almost rules the Culinary empire. At any given time, he is a rich chef, in the chefdom. With having so many restaurants around the world, even in Dubai[which Anthony Bourdain, will say a "Fucking desert"]. I heard he used to stay at work, round the clock, sleeping only 4-6 hrs a day...rest of the day at work. Using the word "Fucking" or "Fuck"everytime, may not be an inspiration, but yes, his dedication, his passion, his excellence & creativity will definitely inspire...hardtime, bigtime!!!!

In spite of being a british, one of the elegant gentleman in the Chefdom, can be Gary Rhodes[I am sure, he swears very rare]. Known for his simplicity, he inspires me to keep food simple, yet having difference amongst others [that doesn't mean cooking shit!!!].

I am not a bigtime fan of molecular gastronomy[and Ferran Adria no more uses this term], which is solely based on chemicals--but if we discard the chemical factor, how about using the techniques. Thomas Keller definitely rules the Chefdom in USA. With three star restaurants, he is simply amazing. Its difficult to put him in words, but his techniques are simply par excellence. If all the chefs are using the same chemical as Chef Ferran is using...it is like going out with the same old girl friend...over & over again....

Inspirations are never limited in the world of culinary...for me..I am my own inspiration at the end of the day..especially the days, when I was least motivated--frustrated, depressed, overworked..tired  ...& over-stressed. I just think of those days..when I did 17 hours a day...worked with consistency, with no signs of being tired...Yes, I worked excellent sometimes, then fallen down..rested for a while & then bounced back again. Yes...I did it all....and there were days, when I was just cooking for the sake of guests & nothing helped me to boost up my spirits....and I can foresee the days...when people will see me as their inspiration...

Mother of all nourishment...Soups...

This blog is not a culinary school, or whatever, who will teach you what soup is, how is it made of & lots of fundas related to soups. So lets make it clear that Soup is the mother of all nourishment, provided its made with time, with patience, with right ingredients & served in right temperature....
It is winter now in the Northern Hemisphere & a good soup is a real comfort, like the same comfort you get in the arms of your lover.Broadly, classified as thick, thin & regional soups, the warm soups are always special during winter, whilst during summers one would definitely prefer light soups & cold soups--examples can be Gazpacho, Minestrone, Broths & a lot of variations. The calling for winter is more hearty, thick soups, can be Cream soups, Puree soups, Bisques and the likes!!

I vaguely remember, my childhood experience of having soup at home & in the restaurants. At home, it was a meal for me during fever, generally consisted of potatoes, beans, eggs & peppered water. Since, we used to frequent to Chinese restaurants, the soups would generally be & not limited to Sweet Corn soup with Chicken & I always used to make it palatable, by adding a generous portion of Tomato Ketchup--yes, that was my condiment for everything...perhaps, I despised it when it came to desserts.

Post-joining the hotel management thing, I learnt to make soups, when I tasted the Consomme--a basic, difficult & easy thin soup!!!! Apart from seafood bisque, creme de tomate, puree de lentils, Zuppa Minestrone & a hell lot of soups. During our culinary classes, in the college, a three course menu, would mostly feature a soup. By now, I may perfect the consistency of a cream soup, or a puree soup, but then, it was difficult for me to get the right consistency.Sometimes too thick...& sometimes too thin & all sorts of game.

I am not a fan of a soup, bigtime!!! But yes, in a chilly winter I get some comfort, if I am served with a hearty Cream of Chicken Soup or the coffee influenced "Cappuccino of Mushroom Soup", or whatever. The soup I hate the most can be broths--I may have a longtime affair with Italian[I wonder, till when it will last], but I dont like Minestrone--its both red [comes from tomato] & green[comes from the addition of pesto] version.By the way, every region has got their own minestrone. Seafoods are my alltime favorite--if served a soup with generous portion of seafood & cooked rightly, I wont definitely say no...

Making a good soup at home is not a big deal...really no big deal. All you need are the ingredients in the pure form, and a good mood, about which I will talk later.
I am sharing one of my favorite recipes of soups, it is "Cappuccino of Mushrooms & Mung beans"--because it is nourishing, healthy & perfect for a chilly evening....
All you need to make around 4 portions
Mushroom-100 gm[mix wild mushrooms, to get an earthy flavour]
Oil-20 ml
Mung beans[husk removed]-50 gm
Onion-50 gm
Garlic-2 cloves
Bay leaves- 1 no
Leek-1/2 of a stick
Celery-1/2 stick
Black peppercorns-a few
Carrot-1/2, peeled
Seasoning- as required
Cream-50 ml
Vegetable Stock/Chicken Stock/Hot water- 200 ml
Frozen butter- 25 gm
How to make the soup..
1.Wash the lentils & soak them for 1/2 hour to 1 hr. Quarter the mushrooms & saute them in oil with half of the leek, celery, onion & garlic--all finely chopped, till there is a nice, earthy aroma. Season & keep aside.
2. Meanwhile, boil the lentils with the left over of onion, leek, celery, garlic & also pop-in the carrot, rougly chopped-in stock/water--whatever using.
3. Make a sachet of bayleaf, with blackpepper corns & drop in the boiling lentils & remove after the lentil is boiled & discard.
4. Add in the mushrooms & cook till it becomes soft & make a fine puree afterwards. Adjust with additional stock/water if required & check the seasoning also.
5. Finish with cream & frozen butter & use a hand blender for making the foam--reserve the foam separately.
6.Once ready to serve, pour the soups in soup cups/bowls/espresso cups & garnish with the foam & serve with breadsticks...

Addl. Notes:
You can use butter beans, goes pretty well..or red lentils.

Now you may ask why I said, you need to have a good mood. Well, Beethoven got the answer, "Only the pure in heart can make a good soup. .. :)"
Bon Apetit!!!

My seven months stint in Chennai...

"At last the Sun rises in South..."
This is what I wrote when I got an employment opportunity in ITC Chola Sheraton, in Chennai--a populous city of South India. I remember visiting Chennai first [the then Madras] in 1997 with my father on our way to Bangalore-we stayed there for 6-7 hours & then proceeded to Bangalore--we explored only a few places in our stay of the limited time, like the Marina Beach, few restaurants etc.

***

Again I visited Chennai in early 2008, for some interviews, however, stayed there for 2 days & visited only a few places--Ramakrishna Math in Mylapore, Chennai and Vivekanandar Illam[House of Swami Vivekananda], apart from the beach. However, in this short visit, what striked me the most was that people dont speak much Hindi. So I had to communicate with people using broken english, & some time tits & bits of Hindi.

***

After my career Sun rose in South, I had to relocate to Chennai...Aah...Chennai..home for pure dosas & medu vadas [& I like them so much.... ]. Since my accommodation[provided by the company] was close to my work, so I never had to spend more than 10 minutes walking to the work. However, the demerit was, if some guy is not on duty because of some reasons, I was being called for & no matter how long shift it is going to be. I have had longest shifts there--from 7AM till 12 midnight..& the following day from 7 am again...again some other week, 6 am till 10:30 pm...across the week...n sometimes, 12 midnight till 3 pm...throughout 1-2 weeks. Since, it was a proper western kitchen, I had the hands-on experience of making brown sauce, demi glace--in bulk. Also bolognese & many other stuff. I used to prefer morning shift, since I wanted to make the foods for the lunch buffet...n then back home..by evening. Sometimes, a small trip to Mylapore for the Giri trading bookstore followed by a visit to Ramakrishna Ashrama.On the ekadashi days, I tried either to take a day off or morning shift, so that I could attend the Ramanam in Ramakrishna Mission & the lovely halwa at the end of the Ramanam distributed amongst devotees as prasad.

During my employment there, I met a few good people, one of them being N. Thangapandi--who was my colleague, roommate & a good friend--with who I shared all my stories.Again, working with someone who was too complex for me...the exe. chef. He is one of the tough guys I have ever worked with & on the other hand, he can also stab you from behind. Anthony Bourdain said, "This industry makes assholes--which is our chief export...". He is so true...Long shifts were customary here, with working with high fever [Fortunately, I have never taken a single sick leave for the past 2 years of my employment-good God's grace!!!] or sometimes, being called over to shift, when another colleague messed up some guest's food, whose preference I knew better than anyone else. This was a pain....

I remember, another guest, who was really a hard nut to crack--A german guest, if I can recall, who started abusing when he got his lamb steak well-done. "I want it bloody rare....", he said, "I want beef--not interested in lamb, pork or wutever....". I said, "Ok...it will be done...tomorrow for sure..."
It was a testing day for me...& successfully I passed in that examination & since then people used to tell me, "Chef, your best friend has checked in again...", whenever he used to come back to stay in our hotel. Once I served him black angus beef, as usual cooked rare, he was so happy that he praised me to skies & offered, if I could join him for a steakhouse, if he plans to open one. I was definitely flattered!!!

In between, I did so many overtimes & a couple of months without a single weekly day off, I was too tired & wanted to visit my hometown, accumulating all my day offs, comp offs for about a week. I gave a surprise visit to my mom & it was on her birthday!!!! And she assumed that I resigned from my job & came back to kolkata...Poor Gaurav.

Going back to Chennai after vacation was painful, as it was becoming difficult for me to adjust there, since I was not in a mood & this heightened when the Exe. Chef told me, in front of everyone, "I can run this bloody continental kitchen, without you...". My contribution to this hotel is over--I'd rather search for jobs elsewhere--such thoughts were lingering over & over again,when he once told me again, "You dont know anything...", I kept quiet. It is his chance to speak & my only option was to listen to him...I was trying for opportunity overseas.

Again I visited the coastal regions, taking all the pending weekly offs, specially, Rameswaram, Kanyakumari & Trivandram--after which my birthday was celebrated by the kitchen employees. It was really fun, when I was bathed with cream, cake, milk & eggs.....

The first offer came from Crowne Plaza, Bahrain, offering a meagre position & meagre salary too. I was interested but the chef over there, was getting too crazy....I was wondering, how crazy will he be, when I actually join him....I started trying for Ritz Carlton, Dubai...& when I got the Visa for Dubai, the Exe. Chef of Crowne plaza, started calling me...but I didn't pick up the phone. He wanted me to join him asap--I told him bluntly, "Every company has some rules, which I should abide by--I need to serve 30 days notice to my present employer. For some quick gain, I cannot ditch my present employer. What if I do the same thing to him??", he never bothered to revert back.

My resignation was like a slap on the executive chef's face, who didn't think that I would be able to leave his company--"Well, I cannot stop you from going...", was his only response, when he signed my resignation. When I gave resignation for the first time, for Crowne Plaza, he refused saying, "You have bright future in this company..." & wutever, so called excuses.
I left Chennai on October 14th, for which I bought tickets 3 months before, considering I'd visit home for Diwali. Well, the planning came to work. Yes, I cried when I left Chennai, specially, the places I would miss--it gave me an opportunity to visit Tirupati twice, explore the Southern coastal regions, my frequent trips to Mylapore..the pure south indian foods, a colleague, who used to supply my joint, when I was too tired & too much bored...

"After you complete 24, you will go to the place of your choice", was the prediction by Nadi astrologers. And I moved to Dubai after I completed. Co-incidence?Destiny?I have always worked near the coast/sea..Mumbai, Chennai & now Dubai. Next???? God knows.... :)