Comfort for the soul

When I think back to what I've accomplished so far, becoming a chef or  joining the hospitality industry wasn't  something I ever planned to do. I am a trained designer who started a label called 'Grasshopper' 15 years ago.  

Somewhere along the way, I found an interest in cooking and now I'm a chef with experience. The change  from being a designer to a chef was organic though. It was just recently that I stopped designing and took up cooking as a full-time career. It's not that I didn't enjoy it anymore, I just grew out of it I guess.

But there was still aspects of my training that I still use when I prepare something. Simple things like plating the food, putting the ingredients  together, the colours and texture are in  some way related to cooking. I have always been a fan of minimalism. I used that fondness in my clothes and now in cooking. When it comes to food, I like the simplicity that Japanese cuisine holds. I think the way  a dish is presented, the plating style, the isolated flavours and  the fact that it looks so clean is amazing.  

That's probably something I use in my cooking as well. I experimented for about six months before I realised that I could do this on a daily basis. The positive feedbacks helped too. Now I'm a director and chef at Forage. The food we offer here is also quite different from the others in the city.  

My partners, Mayura and Rajesh, are all runners and swimmers. We brought a change in our lifestyle when we took interest in the sport. When I got into competitive running, I changed my outlook towards the way I look and maintain myself. I  stopped having dairy products, processed food and anything that had preservatives. This was something I did for myself, but when  Mayura, Rajesh and I realised that this might be something others like us will also be interested in, we decided to open Forage.  

We need food that is nutritious and gives us enough energy to make it through the day.

That's why the recipe shared today of 'Soupy Lamb' is perfect. This is the kind of food that I like have  on a regular basis. It includes a lot of vegetables, protein and carbs. It's served with millets which is a great source of energy. I like to have food that doesn't weigh me down. This one-pot meal is perfect when you cook it slowly, without using a pressure cooker or on a fast flame.  

If you're someone who likes to keep a track on your health,  follow a balanced diet and go easy on your stomach. Have the Soupy Lamb!

Recipe of  Soupy Lamb

Ingredients

Lamb shoulder cubes, 180 gmsFresh ginger, 1/2 inchGreen chilli, 1Rosemary, 1 sprigPeppercorns, 6 to 7Red wine vinegar, 2 tbspOnion, 1 cubedA bunch of baby spinachLemon, 1/2Olive oil, 2 tbspSalt to taste

Method

Sauté onions and  peppercorns till slightly  caramelised.Add lamb and sauté to  colour.Add ginger, rosemary  and chilli.Pour water to cover the  meat.Add red wine vinegar.Add salt to taste.Cook over low heat till  lamb is tender.Before serving toss in  baby spinach. Serve in  a bowl over millets.Drizzle with extra virgin  oil and lemon.

Himanshu Dimri