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Top chef
Andy Varma should have joined the other contestants for XXXMints Can
You Handle the Heat Challenge for National Curry Week at ExCel,
London recently but instead was suddenly called over to Mumbai for
discussions with Kingfisher Airlines.
Little did he
know that he was to miss 'Curry Hell' (one of the dishes) in London
only to be caught up in the living hell of the Mumbai terrorist
attacks in which nearly 180 people died.
"It
was a crazy week!," said Andy. "I almost got killed
in Mumbai & came back with a dead colleague (Andreas Liveras).
Boy am I glad to be alive! "
By way of
small compensation it seems, Andy, who is Corporate Chef of the
Gourmet Restaurant Group, has been announced the winner of National
Curry Week's 'New 60 Year Dish Competition 2008'.
Just one
month ago Gourmet Restaurant Group owned chain, Tiffinbites, was
named 'Most Innovative Indian Restaurant' at the British Curry
Awards, the group behind Tiffinbites, Vama and Bombay Bicycle Club
has done it again.
The award was
inspired by the 60th anniversary of Britain's favourite curry,
Chicken Tikka Masala. The challenge was to create a new dish that
would prove to be just as popular in another 60 years time.
With 26 years
of experience, Andy, who opened the King's Road restaurant, Vama, in
1998 with his brother Arjun, was keen to step up to the challenge.
His dish, Palak aur methi Murghi, clearly hit the spot with the
judges who commented that Andy's entry was "well
balanced&ldots;simple and healthy".
Commenting on
his win Andy says, "The standard of entries was clearly very
high so I'm especially pleased to have received this award. As a
business, the Gourmet Restaurant Group is committed to good quality,
authentic and healthy Indian food, so this win demonstrates an
appetite for delicious and waistline-friendly dishes and a move away
from 'classically British' curries."
The winning
recipe is&ldots;.
Palak
aur methi Murgi (Garlic & ginger flavoured Spinach &
Fenugreek Chicken)
Ingredients
Cooked
chicken breast 400 gm
Cooked Onion
Tomato gravy ¼ cup
Spinach puree
½ cup
Salt to taste
Fresh
fenugreek & spinach 50 gm ea - roughly chopped
White pepper
to taste
Red chili
powder - A pinch
Ginger 10 gm
Garlic 5 gm
Oil 3 tbl
Ginger Julian
- A pinch
Garam Masala
1 tsp
Coriander
leaves 10 gm
Method
1. Cut cooked
chicken pieces into dices
2. Cook
onions & tomato with oil, turmeric, green chili and Garam Masala
and keep aside
3. Blanch the
spinach and puree in a blender with some garlic & ginger. In a
pan heat some oil and sauté the spinach puree and the fresh
spinach& fenugreek & keep aside
4. Heat oil
in a pan. Add garlic, & ginger and sauté. Add the chicken
and the tomato-onion gravy and sauté for 5 minutes.
5. Add the
spinach and blend into the curry
6. Add all
spices and sauté for 1 minute
7. Garnish
with ginger julian & fresh coriander
8. Serve with
Butter naan
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