‘Indian cuisine blows my mind’
QGive us your top tips to alleviate the monotony of everyday food and meal planning. How can we add a twist to time-honoured classics of Indian cuisine?
Simplify! We all suffer from time poverty, so we need to give ourselves a break. Do not take on too many new recipes at once. Experiment with the classics by playing around with textures, colours and flavours and have fun. I have added a cauliflower steak or roast pumpkin to my favourite South Indian curry.
It looks and tastes amazing.
Q
What are your favourite hacks to save time in the kitchen?
I make my spice mixes in advance and have them ready to go. Just two tablespoons of my seafood masala, a few fresh ingredients and I have a wonderful fish curry. I keep a range of healthy pickles and condiments in the fridge for that extra hit of flavour. When cooking for yourself or the family, double the quantity. Freeze the leftovers and serve it a couple of weeks later. This can be a lifesaver when there are days when you just do not have time to cook.
Q
A few tips and suggestions on how to incorporate Western techniques and tricks in Indian cooking please!
This is simple. When I studied French cuisine, we were taught the ‘5 Mother Sauces’ which are the foundation for many sauces used in French cooking. The diversity of Indian cuisine blows my mind. The quality of meat and
produce is incredible in India. It is about utilising techniques like grilling to highlight that produce. There is a myriad curries in India, and each has a unique flavour. I utilise these curries to enhance the produce, either as a sauce, gravy or marinade but keep it light, so the produce shines.
Q
A few lines on the new cookbook and on the kind of recipes the readers can look forward to.
Each recipe is introduced with an anecdote about the inspiration for the dish. I initially prepared the entire menu for my restaurant Antares while sitting at my desk in Melbourne. After exploring Goa and discovering its unique cuisine with a Portuguese influence and the fresh produce available, I eventually scrapped the menu and started afresh. One of the recipes in my book, Baked Cauliflower with Pineapple Sansav (a savoury preparation of a fruit (mango/pineapple) with a mustard flavour) is my take on one of those discoveries.
When cooking for yourself or the family, double the quantity. Freeze the leftovers and serve it a couple of weeks later. This can be a lifesaver when there are days when you just do not have time to cook
— Sarah Todd,
chef