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EDITOR’S LETTER
CONTENTS
ingredients
ingredients
NEWS
FROM AROUND THE UK
REGULARS
of
04
Ie
Ingred
nts
Remember, keep the cooking light, keep
but are also very universal and perfect to
the dishes less spicy and less sauce-based
quench that thirst during the heat. The
and in turn introduce some salads, have
coolers range in flavour from kokum crush
more stir-fried, steamed and braised items,
(kokum crush with jeera sweetened with
but more than anything, give more promiDemerara sugar) to sandalwood lassi
nence to your tandoori and grilled items.
(yoghurt churned with real sandalwood
We all know that that our shops and suessence) and even watermelon with tulsi
permarkets are filled with all kind of ingreseed (watermelon with a tinge of black salt
dients from across the globe the year round,
and lime).”
but that just isn’t the same as you would
Exciting producE
get in the UK with its locally grown proRenowned chef Cyrus Todiwala of Café
duce that comes in abundance and packed
Spice Namasté states: “Seasonal specials
with flavour during our sunshine months.
have been a part of my restaurant from
Just take a peek at some of the wonderful
the very beginning that we opened. It
fare you can get your hands on: spring
brings a change, offers new challamb, asparagus, new potatoes,
lenges and brings a fresh feel
radish, peas, mange tout, marto the menu each time. With
row, beetroot, pumpkin –
the onset of summer, you
and those irresistible and
get exciting vegetables,
succulent tomatoes!
Remember, keep
fruits and other produce
When it comes to fish
the cooking light, keep
from all across the UK.
– white fish being prefthe dishes less spicy and
More varied seafood
erable in the summer
less sauce based and in
can be added on to the
– and shellfish, there’s
turn introduce some salads,
menu too and people’s
mackerel,
salmon,
moods are definitely
plaice, John Dory, sarhave more stir fried,
better. Longer days are
dine, lobster, crab, scalsteamed and braised
great too.”
lop and more. Fruit is in
items
As for Todiwala’s perits element come summer,
sonal summer favourites,
with peaches, raspberries,
he notes: “I love seafood and
strawberries, cherries, plums,
there are some fabulous ingredients
figs, and of course, some lovely
for soups in the market. Fresh herbs and
mangoes from India and Pakistan. So
sprouts. Spices have a more varied use
there’s no excuse to not make use of all that
and not as widely utilised as the winter
is naturally for the taking and enhancing
months. But I still favour using cassia,
your menu with it.
star anise and loads of mint and coriander
“As a chef or restaurateur, you have a
when it comes to herbs.”
duty of care towards your clientele,” says
Though for various reasons not every
chef-patron Manoj Vasaikar of Indian Zing,
establishment can alter their à la carte
Indian Zest and Indian Zilla. “So rather
menu on a seasonal basis – although do
than giving them the same dishes all the
make an effort to add specials – cheftime, give them something that they can
patron Yogesh Datta of The Painted Heron
enjoy and is appropriate for the time of
and Bangalore Express makes a point of
the year. Instead, give them lightly cooked
having a seasonal menu, and has just initems as opposed to overpowering and rotroduced a spring tasting menu. “I use as
bust bhuna dishes and heavy kormas with
much of the seasonal ingredients as I can,”
lots of masala in the warm months.”
says Datta. “With asparagus, I will make
The other thing Vasaikar stresses is the
a south Indian stew. Broad beans, which
importance of drinks.
go well with lamb, I’ll also use as part of a
“Every year,” he notes, “I have my
three bean curry, which has red beans and
Summer Coolers season, whereby I will
black eye beans. I always have some kind
have a range of refreshing Indian-style
of a dry potato side dish on my menu and >
drinks that have a uniquely Indian touch
“
BUSINESS PROFILE
33
The chilli pickle
REVIEWS
With seasonal ingredients always being imperative in cooking,
there’s plenty to enjoy with fresh and juicy produce during the
summer. Humayun Hussain looks at what’s in store
T
he importance of
seasonal
ingredients is
more prevalent now than
ever. Whilst
the past decade or so has
seen more emphasis on seasonality
and local produce, people are no