Chef Rishi Desai… “‘MasterChef’ taught me to think hard about cooking. Before the show I wanted to create modern Indian food but didn’t know how. I discovered how through my experience.” Photo by Gary Schafer
Rishi’s first vivid memory of food was when he was young and living in India. He would hang around the kitchen watching his mum create authentic raw spice blends. Rishi would sample them marvelling at their exotic tastes.
He continued to worship food and by five his mum says her young chef had mastered the art of making two-minute noodles. Rishi still worships food and was thrilled when he landed in the state-of-the-art kitchen of one of the world’s most loved food and cooking shows, “MasterChef”. A semi-finalist in last year’s Season 5, public servant Rishi melted hearts with his infectious smile and sheer determination.
“The most important thing I learned on the show was to do more than follow the mechanics of cooking,” says Rishi.
“‘MasterChef’ taught me to think hard about cooking. Before the show I wanted to create modern Indian food but didn’t know how. I discovered how through my experience.”
Fast forward to 2014 and Rishi is the author of “Modern Indian”, which has just been released in the US and the UK. And on the plate are plans to open a fine-dining Indian restaurant in Canberra and pursue more television opportunities.
Let’s be clear. Modern in Rishi’s mind does not mean fusion. It means redefining Indian cuisine by incorporating modern cooking techniques while remaining true to the traditional way dishes are meant to taste.
Many of the book’s 80 recipes also introduce texture to a cuisine that tends to favour “soft” in its breads, rices and even meats.
Rishi’s signature dish, like most other recipes in “Modern Indian”, was trialled in the comfort of his kitchen in Canberra. The book includes easy recipes for making basic spice blends and advises how to use them.
Many dishes are unpredictable and surprisingly delightful. The adventurous coconut milk poached salmon with spiced velouté and caramelised onion purée, is one example. The salmon’s texture is unique because it is cooked at a low 43 degrees. The puree perched on top features all the flavours of a great curry and instead of fluffy white rice, Rishi deep fries wild rice to add crunch.
The book also celebrates the wonders of Indian street food.
“As a student I ate street food every day because it was great tasting and cheap,” Rishi says.
“Many recipes come from families that have been cooking on the streets for generations.”
Street food is what Rishi will dish up this month at The Forage, a collaboration of some of the best in the region’s foodie scene, confident that his recipes will hit the spot at these Canberra mobile food markets.
In addition to famous chai and mango lassi, Rishi will create a chicken vindaloo Kati kabab with green mango chutney. His modern take is to place the roti on eggs in a non-stick pan before the eggs set, to enhance the flavour. He will also serve onion fritters, which bring back fond memories of India when Rishi used to buy them on the street wrapped in newspaper to keep them piping hot.
The idea of The Forage suits Rishi who adores how India combines food with culture, festivities, and gatherings of people enjoying each other and life. It is not the only culture that does so, but India excels here.
And speaking of other cultures… the million dollar question is whether Rishi eats Indian food every day at home. The answer is, no. He mostly cooks Chinese and this week also enjoyed Moroccan.
Rishi will serve street food and sell and sign copies of “Modern Indian” at The Forage, which will be held at the Hustle&Scout Twilight Fashion Markets, Hanger #47, Fairbairn Precinct (8-10 Point Cook Avenue), 2pm-7pm, on September 27.
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