Healthy and tasty

Chef Mahesh Padala believes in keeping his cooking style simple and authentic. His conviction comes from the simplicity of homemade food, which he learnt at an early age.

His favorite childhood dishes were his grandmother’s ‘Garelu’ (lentil vadas) and country chicken curry. Not surprisingly, he attributes his prowess at blending spices expertly to his grandmother, who was the reason for the chef’s interest in the culinary arts.

After completed a craft course in food production by the government of India in the year 2002, he has had an interesting culinary journey over the years, which first started in 2003 at Taj Residency in Vishakhapatnam.

He later moved on to The Hyderabad Marriott Hotel and Convention Center and Courtyard by Marriott, Hyderabad, in 2009 as a line cook and moved on to become the youngest and the first Indian chef to win the prestigious Marriott Global Chef of the Year in 2010.

He later played a key role in setting up Momo Café in Courtyard Marriott, Hyderabad. His role was further enhanced when he moved to the Jaipur Marriott to be the property’s chef de cuisine, where he also got an opportunity to be the acting executive chef.

He was recently appointed as the executive Chef at Bengaluru Marriott Hotel, Whitefield. Owing to this robust training from a young age, he doesn’t believe in incorporating too many ingredients.

The chef takes delight in cooking sea food and European cuisine and his signature dish is ‘The Grilled Salmon’, which is now served at Marriott’s M Café and Alto Vino.

Grilled Salmon with Fennel and Orange Salad, Citrus Butter Emulsion - Recipe

Ingredients

n Salmon fillet - 160 gm

n Carrot - 30 gm

n Black olives - 5 gm

n Haricot Beans - 40 gm

n Asparagus - 20 gm

n Olive oil - 10 ml

n Salt  to taste

n Crushed pepper- 2-3 gm

n Butter -10 gms

n Italian lemon - 1

n Zucchini - 20 gm

n Garlic - 5 gm

n Basil - 3 gm

For fennel and orange salad

n Fennel shaving - 15 gm

n Balsamic vinegar - 2 ml

n Orange segments - 10 gm

n Cherry tomatoes - 2-3 gm

n Olive oil- 1 tsp

Method

n Marinate the salmon with salt and pepper. Grill it on hot skillet until the salmon is cooked.

n String the haricot beans, cut zucchini and asparagus and blanch it.

n Next wrap the asparagus with zucchini and keep it aside and also mix fennel shaving, orange segments and cherry tomatoes and make a salad.

n Heat butter in a pan, put chopped onion. Saute and cook till translucent. Pour white wine and reduce it to a certain concentration. Add stock and add butter for emulsion, finally finish it with Italian lemon juice and seasoning.

n Heat a little butter, toss the blanched vegetable and arrange it on a plate and then put the salmon and fennel salad, black olive dust and drizzle it with little sauce.

n Garnish it well and serve it hot.