The Persian way

Culinary delights

Keeping the audience engaged at a live cooking demonstration is a task of its own, especially when there is a large crowd who have come together to see the signature style of a chef. Foodhall, 1 MG Mall, recently witnessed such an occasion when Chef Abhijit Saha exhibited a perfect blend of humour and culinary skills to those gathered there.

The highlight of the day was the masterclass on Persian delights which were authentic and sumptuously rich in spices. Persian cuisine has always been popular for its fresh herbs, tender meat, fruits such as pomegranate, raisins a hint of saffron, cinnamon and rose petals to give an aroma of the cuisine’s rich tradition. Chef Abhijit weaved the magic by presenting 4 different dishes namely ‘Borani-e-Esfenaj’, a spinach mezze platter served with ‘labneh’, ‘chicken Jujeh kebab’ with ‘Javaher Polov’ (Persian jewel rice), ‘kabab koobideh’- minced meat kababs served with ‘salad-e-khiar-o anar’ (cucumber and pomegranate salad) and a cheese and egg dip, and the most popular among the crowd – the ‘Baklava’ with fig and honey.

     “I have always been closely associated with the cuisines of the Mediterranean- West Asia (Lebanon, Turkey, Persia and Syria). I also have a special affinity towards Persian
cuisine as it has influenced the Indian cuisine a lot,” he says.

His unique way to keep the demonstration lively and fun was to engage the crowd by calling out volunteers to share the platform and assist him to prepare all 4 dishes. In no time, all the 4 items were perfectly dished out for the audience to taste and relish while taking home with them the Iranian treasure — the simple recipes of the dishes.    

      Explaining the cuisine he says, “Persian cuisine has a lot of history. They are influential and are known for their rice dishes, mild spices, the use of saffron and a combination of grilled meat — ‘kababs’. They also have great breads like the tandoori, ‘barbari’, ‘sheermal’ and the fermented ones are the famous dishes from Persia which have now travelled across the world.”

      Mentioning the popularity of Persian cuisine among Bengalureans, he says, “Though there are just a few restaurants here that serve this cuisine, nevertheless it has a natural sense of binding with the Indian taste. So, anybody who tastes this cuisine in India will like it. It is milder but flavourful.”

The food culture in Bengaluru he says is a booming one, where one can see a lot of new restaurants opening every day. From stand-alone restaurants to microbreweries, one can find whatever they search for.

     “There is a lot of opportunity for young chefs in the City,” he says.