Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Cinema Plus | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Photo: R. ASHOK

Expert at ease Chef No.1

“Cooking is secondary. Primarily, I relish any food that fills my plate,” he laughs.

His TV show “Khana Khazana’” may have catapulted him to new heights of popularity and projected the cooking talent in him. But Sanjeev’s flair for cooking was always there: even when he was topping in academics. He hunted for a course that would offer him a creative inviolability. And he discovered Hotel Management, at a time when it was not considered a good career option.

But over time, lifestyle changes and health consciousness helped to spread the message of good food far and wide.

Quiz Sanjeev on whether the popular demand for low-calorie food is a challenge for cooks. “Certainly not,” he asserts.

“In fact, it has triggered the cooks to try out new dishes that go easy on the tongue and easier on the stomach. There is a lot that needs to be done from old style of low-fat cooking and fuse it with new methods.”

The globetrotter has exposed his palate to a whole host of international recipes and picked up the best to customise for his audience.

“Lot of exotic spices add a special flavour to Indian food. I make sure I collect them wherever I go.” His kitchen store has recently been piled up with lemon grass from Thailand, olives from Spain and Baharat from the Middle East.

Cooking is not just about grilling, marinating and frying. If you are ready to get to hallow precincts of kitchen, the first lesson you got to learn is peeling and scrapping. Thank the inorganic fertilisers and pesticides that layer the vegetables and fruits, making toxicity outfox nutrients.

“Peel or scrap the skin of vegetables whenever possible,” is Sanjeev’s advice to health-conscious eaters. But if you are particular about devouring the micro nutrients in the vegetable skin, you are left with just a solitary option: “to go for organic ones.”

Along with his finger-licking fare, Sanjeev offers food for thought on every show. In his recent shows, he has been promoting organic farming. “Only when you patronise organic vegetables will the cost of their production come down. More you buy them, cheaper they become.”

For a person who is religiously stuck with experimentation and innovation in his shows, bringing out a healthy amalgamation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food has become customary.

Non-vegetarianism reminds Sanjeev of his flight journey along with popular lyricist Javed Akthar.

“The air hostess offered us roti and vegetable curry for dinner. As she placed the plate on Javed’s table, he frantically pushed it away, saying “hey, take these away. I’m a pure non-vegetarian.” The hostess gave a queer look and went away. Javed turned to me and said: “isn’t this how vegetarians turn finicky when a non-veg dish is placed before them? I wanted to try out how it feels to be dramatic in denying food”.”

Anupa Das, who assists Sanjeev with his preparations during culinary shows, excitedly shares Sanjeev’s knack of choosing the ingredients.

“He makes sure none of the ingredient seems exotic for the audience.

He picks up the ones that are easily available in that area. That’s why his shows always have a regional flavour,” says Ms. Das, who’s been associated with Khazana catering unit of Sanjeev for three years.

If certain ingredients need an exotic spice, he suggests a suitable replacement with locally available ones, as he did at a show conducted in the city by Aura women’s forum.

“That’s because there is no better substitute for home food,” he says, as he blends the steaming tomato and onion pulp with care. “Everyone knows mom’s food is the best with the amount of love and affection that is poured in while cooking.

Many a times, I have found out, hotel foods don’t come anywhere near the taste of home-made fare.”

For the avid followers of his style of cooking, there is a couple of delectable news – one, his new book christened ‘Cakes and bakes’ would add a new (read simple) dimension to making of fluffy, bakery-like cakes. Second, he plans to start a catering institute.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail