It is more about cleverly assimilating and recreating the dish. “I know that forced culinary marriages can prove to be a disaster. The chefs we spoke to, say that it was about time that our traditional dishes were reinvented to bring together diverse culinary worlds. She says, “I had the good fortune of living with some people who cooked great Rajasthani dishes and this was one of my favourites.Have you ever heard of a red velvet dhokla, a chicken tikka sev puri, avocado pani puri or motichur tarts with elaichi foam? It may sound sacrilegious to food purists, but these are dishes quickly catching the fancy of chefs and foodies across Mumbai. The roasted eggplant is meanwhile seasoned with spices.”Avocado pani puriAvocado pani puriReferred to by different names, the pani puri or gol gappa or puchka is wildly popular across the country and culinary expert Prasad Parab was aware of the implications that come with experimenting with a snack like this. But he understands the debate. He adds, “Spinach is a hard sell since not everyone is fond of it.Baingan ka Bharta RavioliBaingan ka Bharta RavioliChef and owner Monish Rohra was intent on giving the traditional baingan ka bharta a makeover. He explains, “Guacamole has all the ingredients which perfectly merge in pani puri. But that’s where fusion food comes in. But it was a chance he was willing to take.
The dish appears as a red velvet cupcake, but the first bite is enough to put your worries to rest. I am glad I have been able to replicate it, albeit with a twist!”This dish also spawned a hot dog version called the Jungli dog. “While we have received encouraging feedback, we have also had instances where people have not been able to relate to it because they still have their loyalties with the original dhokla. We haven’t received a bad remark on this one as yet!” he beams. “Thankfully, people usually let down their guard after the first bite.The traditional chunda gives way to salsa sauce and jalapenos.Prasad says that the health-conscious will find fewer reasons to feel guilty about after trying this version. So executive chef Ganesh Gaonkar of the Fable knew he had to be cautious while playing with it. Once drained, it is tossed in sweet corn puree and served hot.It was easy for Ganesh to create trial runs with thepla, since he is of the belief that the dish “can never go wrong with anything” and came up with spinach thepla quesadila. “We went through dozens of trials with the chutney.There were a lot of trials that went sofa velvet factory into the making of red velvet dhokla.Although experimental food is being dished out by restaurants for a while now in the city, the recent crop fuses desi and videsi food in a delightful mix. The filling is a spicy traditional bharta which balances the softer flavours of the creamy pasta,” reveals Monish. “The ravioli is cut in squares and cooked in a large saucepan filled with boiling salted water, until al dente.Cooked with oil, salt and red chilly, Lolita insists that textures of the porridge and mutton complement each other dramatically. Unexpectedly, we had another hot dog, Junglee Dog on the menu,” she concludes. “I had a guest who loved his Junglee Maas in a hot dog.
He replaced chunks of potato, chickpeas and ragada with guacamole. It’s topped with a cream cheese and jalapeño spread,” he says, adding that it has received mixed response from his patrons.Initially it was difficult to get patrons to try the dish, reveals the chef. “We have only used the textures of the red velvet. “As a kid I remember eating it with tawa rotis.”Spinach Thepla QuesadilaSpinach Thepla QuesadilaThepla is a mainstay on our tables.” The chef, however, stuck to the traditional chutneys for the snack. We have people coming to the restaurant asking for it,” admits chef Gaurav Gidwani.Red velvet dhoklaOver the past few weeks, red velvet dhokla has received flak on social media by traditionalists for taking experimentation a little too far. Finally we came up with one that has all the flavours like sweet, sour, spicy and tangy,” he admits. It also helps that avocado is getting popular in Mumbai. So, the chef created baingan ka bharta with ravioli to give it a gourmet twist. So it was challenging to put it on the menu since the dish has a connection with the masses,” he adds. He explains, “The ones who are watching their weight are happy that they can indulge in the deep-fried snack without feeling too guilty about it.”Jungli MaasJungli MaasA rustic version of the famous Rajasthani laal maas, Lolita Sarkar experimented with one of her favourite dishes to create the Jungli Maas, which is served with cracked wheat porridge with garlic and saffron.. The tortillas of the quesadillas are replaced with traditional spinach theplas which is stuffed with tomato, salsa, avocado, green peppers, jalapeno and cheddar. So re-imagining Indian foods comes with quite a responsibility,” he admits. “The dish has become a talking point. There was very little reason for us to not experiment with it. Since I wanted something lighter, I turned to cracked wheat porridge and used garlic and saffron,” says the founder of Desi Deli. The pasta dough ingredients are mixed in a food processor and kneaded. “Even as there are variations made within the dhokla, no one has gone really left of centre. “We had to get the flavour profile of the dhokla, and incorporate the textures of the red velvet,” he explains
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