Indian food gradually making way on to UK, US platters: Chefs

Chef Sriram Aylur, who is the master chef at Quilon at Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences in London, says the British capital was very "open to experimentation" and hence the Indian cuisine has been embraced with extended plates.

"Initially, getting people to do away with their preconceived notions of Indian cuisine came across as an obstacle. The challenge lay in getting them to experience our ethnic Indian cuisine in a fine dining format.

"But, I have been in luck, as London is very open to experimentation. And, we have received immense recognition and support from our guests for over 18 years now," says Aylur, a Michelin starred chef.

Similar challenges were faced by Chef Srijith Gopinathan from the American kitchens of Taj Campton Place in San Francisco, who says there is still a long way to go for Indian cuisine to become "mainstream" in the Western world, but admitted that the US platter is experiencing a "gradual change".

To introduce Indian food to the American society, Gopinathan, the only Indian-American chef to have earned two Michelin stars, indulged in "a bit of a give and take" to create a refined version of Californian-Indian cuisine.

"It is a bit of a give and take situation here, given that Indian food is still not considered to be a mainstream.

"That's where I step in. We provide a good weaving of both cuisines and take full advantage of the fact that some of the best ingredients in the world lie at our disposal in California," he says. 

According to him, the key lay in starting with ingredients and preparations familiar to American palate and then gradually introducing the new or uncommon ones in small quantities.

"We initially tailor and customise the food to suit their tastes, however, at the same time also ensure that we do not lose out on much of its authenticity," he told PTI.

One of the most popular Indian dishes that have impressed the foreign palates is the Kerala fish curry, which, both Aylur and Gopinathan say, is extremely popular with visitors at their respective restaurants.

Unlike the food that is available across India, Aylur says, Indian food in its authentic form is "not heavy, greasy or over-spiced" and therefore, to make it suitable for British tastes, a slight tweaking in the chili levels does the magic.

"Real Indian dishes are not heavy, greasy or over-spiced, as is commonly believed by people, unless these are dishes from the royal kitchen. Similarly, South Indian food also uses minimal cream, butter and spices.

"The only ingredient that normally requires tweaking is chilli, which does not result in too much alteration of the dishes," he says.

Apart from the Kerala fish curry, traditional Indian

recipes like Mangalore Chicken curry, Malabar biryani, and

Bibinca are also well enjoyed by the European masses.

Butter chicken is an additional favourite in the USA.

Both the chefs, who are in India to curate a signature gastronomic experience, will present their culinary skills in the form of a four-course meal at The Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai and the Taj Mahal Hotel in Delhi.

The proceeds from one of the evenings will be donated to the Taj Public Services Welfare Trust, an initiative to offer assistance to the families of martyred soldiers, provide rehabilitation and vocational training to differently-abled and injured veterans, as well as identify the most impactful means of improving their quality of life.