<p>When spicing up a show is not restricted to the dishes cooked by contestants, but also includes the food for thought offered by judges — be it sweet nothings served by celebrity cookbook writer Vikas Khanna, who’s played chef to US President Barack Obama, or criticism that’s hard to swallow from star chef Sanjeev Kapoor — it means another season of Masterchef India.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The New Year began with Season 4 of Masterchef India, in which chefs Sanjeev Kapoor and Vikas Khanna remain as its celebrity cast, and chef Ranveer Brar joins the jury, replacing chef Kunal Kapur.<br /><br />The main theme of this season is to celebrate vegetarianism. So, the show aims to encourage foodies across India to break the traditional mindset about food that’s synonymous with vegetarianism — be it dal makhni, shahi paneer or paneer tikka — and to come up with recipes that are hatke (different).<br /><br />The contestents of the show go to extremes to experiment with greens. So, you have a fusion ravioli being tossed up by a fashion designer, or the humble matar (green peas) getting re-invented in designer recipes, or a deconstructed veggie burger coming from a contestant whose anglicised accent is as puffed up as her hairdo.<br /><br /> Vegetarian dish dal ka dulha from Bihar is made to edge out chaman gatta from Rajasthan; an Italian ravioli with an Indian twist gives tough competition to more of fusion in the form of aloe vera and makai atta baati from Jharkhand.<br /><br />The veggies not only get a facelift, but also boast of a Bollywood twist. Move over palak paneer or dum aloos, the staid staples of a vegan menu. For, taking the centrestage on the show are new gastronomic stars, the Dabangg aloos (inspired by Salman Khan), the Singham savouries and the Tiranga paneer.<br /><br />But, as with most reality shows, this show, too, is sprinkled with melodrama as contestants share their sob stories with as much elan as they toss kesar into a rasmalai. <br /><br />An Amritsar girl dreams to make for the loss her dad suffered while setting up bakeries for her; a boy from Ambala tugs at our heartstrings with his tale of being labelled a loser after he loses his dad at an early age. <br /><br />But, thanks to the judges, these lachrymose-loaded tadkas don’t hijack the show’s purpose — to create innovative dishes.<br /><br />Though, rockstar restaurateur-judge Vikas entices eyeballs with his flirting with the PYTs (pretty young things) and even with older belles, like teasing the mother of a 17-year-old that her beauty is reminiscent of the celluloid Chandini. <br /><br />What ultimately counts for earning the apron inscribed with the Masterchef insignia from the judges are not ingredients imbued into the template to enhance the emotional quotient — not all that coquettish batting of the eyelashes at Vikas, or the flashing of mega-watt smiles at the other judges — but the spices that bring substance to their gourmet spread.<br /><br />This show promotes the theme ‘Veggies’ Day Out’ on Indian reality television with Swaad, Soorat and Soch (spice, style and thoughts). Masterchef India - Season 4 airs on Star Plus.<br /><br /></p>
<p>When spicing up a show is not restricted to the dishes cooked by contestants, but also includes the food for thought offered by judges — be it sweet nothings served by celebrity cookbook writer Vikas Khanna, who’s played chef to US President Barack Obama, or criticism that’s hard to swallow from star chef Sanjeev Kapoor — it means another season of Masterchef India.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The New Year began with Season 4 of Masterchef India, in which chefs Sanjeev Kapoor and Vikas Khanna remain as its celebrity cast, and chef Ranveer Brar joins the jury, replacing chef Kunal Kapur.<br /><br />The main theme of this season is to celebrate vegetarianism. So, the show aims to encourage foodies across India to break the traditional mindset about food that’s synonymous with vegetarianism — be it dal makhni, shahi paneer or paneer tikka — and to come up with recipes that are hatke (different).<br /><br />The contestents of the show go to extremes to experiment with greens. So, you have a fusion ravioli being tossed up by a fashion designer, or the humble matar (green peas) getting re-invented in designer recipes, or a deconstructed veggie burger coming from a contestant whose anglicised accent is as puffed up as her hairdo.<br /><br /> Vegetarian dish dal ka dulha from Bihar is made to edge out chaman gatta from Rajasthan; an Italian ravioli with an Indian twist gives tough competition to more of fusion in the form of aloe vera and makai atta baati from Jharkhand.<br /><br />The veggies not only get a facelift, but also boast of a Bollywood twist. Move over palak paneer or dum aloos, the staid staples of a vegan menu. For, taking the centrestage on the show are new gastronomic stars, the Dabangg aloos (inspired by Salman Khan), the Singham savouries and the Tiranga paneer.<br /><br />But, as with most reality shows, this show, too, is sprinkled with melodrama as contestants share their sob stories with as much elan as they toss kesar into a rasmalai. <br /><br />An Amritsar girl dreams to make for the loss her dad suffered while setting up bakeries for her; a boy from Ambala tugs at our heartstrings with his tale of being labelled a loser after he loses his dad at an early age. <br /><br />But, thanks to the judges, these lachrymose-loaded tadkas don’t hijack the show’s purpose — to create innovative dishes.<br /><br />Though, rockstar restaurateur-judge Vikas entices eyeballs with his flirting with the PYTs (pretty young things) and even with older belles, like teasing the mother of a 17-year-old that her beauty is reminiscent of the celluloid Chandini. <br /><br />What ultimately counts for earning the apron inscribed with the Masterchef insignia from the judges are not ingredients imbued into the template to enhance the emotional quotient — not all that coquettish batting of the eyelashes at Vikas, or the flashing of mega-watt smiles at the other judges — but the spices that bring substance to their gourmet spread.<br /><br />This show promotes the theme ‘Veggies’ Day Out’ on Indian reality television with Swaad, Soorat and Soch (spice, style and thoughts). Masterchef India - Season 4 airs on Star Plus.<br /><br /></p>
