Come 15 August and Independence Day themed food fests flood the calendar. The routine is familiar — tri-colour dishes, tri-colour decor etc. This year, as India enters its 70th year of Independence Taj Krishna seeks to present the nationalist spirit with a difference, by hosting a food fest to reflect the party held at the Taj Palace Mumbai on the night of 14 August, of 1947, when India became independent.
The fest threw up quite a few surprises. We are told that with rationed food supply and limited ingredients a set menu was prepared for the special guests that night. The menu didnt have dal, roti chawal — ín fact the special spread had nothing Indian in it. As most of the guests were French nationals; it was an international menu without a dessert or a vegetarian dish.
Now, as a tribute to that special feast, the food fest in Taj Krishna Hyderabad replicates the original three-course menu and adds a few vegetarian and non-vegetarian Indian dishes and a dessert.
The meal begins with a Consomme al Indienne, a cardamom enhanced clarified soup. Clarified is different from clear and chef Nitin Mathur who is heading the fest explains the process of clarifying the clear soup. “It involves method of simmering and needs ingredients as unusual as egg shell.”
The chef has included an almond cream soup for vegetarians. He says, “The idea is to include everyone in the celebration and not leave out anyone.”The next course, the starters, included three types of marinated cottage cheese cooked over charcoal.
For the main course, salmon rolls were served over a bed of fresh sauted vegetables and mashed potatoes. The salmon rolls appear small in size but are quite filling. For those avoiding fish, there is a delectable chicken souffle with steamed vegetables waiting to be gobbled.
The veg counterpart is Champignons vol-au-vents (truffle and wild mushroom with paprika and cheese). There is stuffed spinach crepe with Makhani gravy as well.
“A little tweak here and there to the original menu is done, to adjust to modern taste and preference. But the rest remains the same. For example the dessert Vacherin de peaches liberation is too sweet for my taste with meringue, but I have replicated the dessert as per the menu,” says Chef Nitin.
The fest is on for lunch and dinner at Encounters, Taj Krishna till August 15.