JOIN USI’ve spent over 19 years in the food industry and not for once I felt that I belonged to any other sector. Food is not my hobby turned into profession. It’s my passion. For a small town boy from Patna, it was an odd path to choose. I still remember how much I loved watching my mother cook authentic dishes. I would sit with her all day and learn culinary tricks that made her dishes extraordinary.
While growing up, I developed an interest in cooking and somewhere I knew that this is the industry I would love to be in. So, I did a three-year diploma in Hotel Management Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition from IISM Ranchi, Bihar.
After completing the course, I joined Taj Bengal, Kolkata, as a commis. I spent over three years at Taj learning about authentic Indian and Continental cuisines and basic hygiene process. To pursue my food dream further; I moved to the USA in May 1999 to work with Carnival Cruise Lines. The place served approx. 10,000 meals every day and I was handling sections like roast, sauce and fish. I gained more experience working at couple of other restaurants before I joined a newly opened restaurant as a restaurant in charge. I came back to India in 2008 and worked with Sarovar Hotels and Resorts as executive chef in different states in India. At present, I am working with Oysters Beach, Gurgaon, as an executive chef.
My journey has been marked with spectacular experiences. Food industry requires a lot of diligence and hard work and I’ve loved giving it my heart and soul. There is not even a day I would trade with anything else. My journey as a chef was marked by success because of the support and love of my parents. Though my mother was not a professional culinary expert, the love and care she poured in her dishes made me fall in love with cooking.
The recipe I am sharing is packed with health goodness and delightful. Kids don’t prefer eating beetroots. When served in a form of scrumptious halwa, you will not have to wait for them to gorge it.
Recipe: Beetroot Halwa
Ingredients
* Beetroot – 800gm
* Toned Milk – 1.3l
* Sugar – 200gm
* Green Cardamom – 5pcs
* Desi Ghee – 100gm
* Khoya – 100gm
Garnish
* Almonds – 10pcs
* Pistachios – 15pcs
Method
* Peel all the beetroots and soak it in room emperature water.
* Grate the beetroots and keep it aside.
* Take a non-stick skillet and keep it on medium flame.
* Add ghee and green cardamom to the hot pan and wait till the cardamom cracks.
* Now add grated beetroots to the hot pan and still it for about 10 minutes.
* Add boiled milk to the beetroot and cook till all the liquid is absorbed.
* Add sugar and khoya to the mixture and cook again till the mixture becomes thick and moisture is evaporated.
* The consistency of the mixture should reach a semi liquid state.
* Turn off the heat and serve hot in a dish.
* Garnish it with blanched sliced almonds and sliced pistachios.
(As told to Shilpa Raina)