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CHEF'S CORNER

Food on the boom

The New Year will see a major rise in customers going in for international cuisines and of course, simplified Indian food

A really happily busy year is past now. But there is hardly any time to relax. The food business is booming and food lovers are happy eating out in style.

Will the happy days continue in 2007? Let's analyse what's in store. India is attracting a lot of multi-national tourists. Maximum travellers to India are likely to be from the U.S., European Union and Japan. Major destinations are likely to be the Metros.

Spending power is pretty good considering the rupee value against major currencies.

So where do all these facts lead us in determining the future food trends?

We can arguably say that we shall see an upsurge in international cuisines. The restaurants serving Italian, German and Spanish food shall see the number of their customers on the rise.

Japanese sushi bars shall see better prospects in major cities provided they ensure quality supply of fresh seafood. Authentic restaurants dealing in health and wellness food as a speciality are almost a sure hit.

Analysing the ever-increasing number of travellers from the U.S. chef-driven steakhouses are going to be very busy outlets. So will be the Tapas bars. Fast food outlets shall continue making quick bucks!

Indian food reigns

Indian restaurants shall see happening times ahead, mainly in tourist destinations.

Another major change this year shall be the simplified Indian food.

Indian food will have to break away from chefs' secret recipes and mysterious cooking to entice maximum travellers.

Some of the dishes will have to be modified slightly to accommodate the palate of foreign travellers.

Pre-cooked and packed food is likely to see a rise in sales. Chinese cuisine shall remain more or less unchanged.

Exotic tropical fruits shall see a rise in their market share.

Let's start the new year with a very popular recipe:

Rice with vegetables and seafood (Paella)

Ingredients (serves 8)

2/3 of a glass of oil
2 mugs of rice
5 mugs of fish bouillon
1/4 kg of prawns
1 medium squid
1 kg of black cockles and/or 1/2 kg of small clams
1/4 kg of cod (ask in the market for some fish bones)
1 green pepper
1 fresh red pepper, cooked, or tinned pepper
1 small tin of green peas
1 onion (70 grams)
2 fresh medium tomatoes, peeled and deseeded
Some blossom of raw saffron
Less than half of garlic cloves
1 small sprig of parsley
Salt to taste

Method

Half the oil in a pan, and then add the onion cut into very small pieces and fry it for about five minutes. Next, add the peeled and deseeded tomatoes, cut into pieces.

Lightly fry for another five minutes, crushing the tomatoes with the edge of a palette knife.

When ready, strain (smash) and pour into the paellera (Paella-pan).

In a separate pot, place only the fish bones (keeping the fish apart) and the prawn shells. Add cold water, bring it to boil.

Wash the cockles and the mussels well in water and salt, place them in another pot and bring to boil. The moment the shells are opened, remove the pot from the heat and remove the empty shells (without the flesh inside) and keep the ones with the flesh.

Take both the boiling liquids and pour through a fine sieve.

Add the remaining oil to the paellera where rice is to be cooked (remember there is something already in there). Place the paellera on a low and even heat. If using green pepper, cut it into squares of three cm.

Add to the paellera and fry lightly. Then add the squid, previously cut in long strips of 1/2 cm. wide and four cm. long, or in rings. Next, add the fish that should be cut into small pieces and finally add the rice to the pan.

Stir with a wooden spoon and take care not to let it brown.

Add some salt, and finally, add the sieved liquid, which has to be hot but not boiling. If necessary, add some hot water to make up to the five mugs (that is the amount of liquid necessary for the rice to be cooked).

Shake the paellera but only by the handle so the fluid is well distributed.

Meanwhile, in a mortar, pound a little garlic, the parsley and the saffron with a pestle, together with a pinch of salt to avoid slipping, and at the end, add a couple of tbsp. of warm water.

Pour the mixture over the rice and shake the paellera again by the handle or spread the contents with a spoon all over the surface.

Now add the bodies of the prawns, and when the liquid is half cooked, add the red pepper in strips, the cockles and mussels, the green peas and the red sausage.

It normally takes about 20 minutes to cook from the moment you add the liquid, depending on the sort of rice used.

Once the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed, remove the paellera from the heat, place on a wet cloth, leaving it to rest for about five minutes.

For an attractive appearance, serve with lemon slices arranged around the border, or squeeze a few drops of lemon into the paella.

RAKESH KUMAR

(The author is Executive Chef Crowne Plaza . He can be emailed at chefrk@crowneplazadelhi.com)

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