Nakul Anand, ITC’s divisional chief executive - hotels division.
Tell us about your favourite dish.
This is difficult to answer; it would have to be tandoori chicken — slow cooked on charcoal, subtly flavoured in traditional Indian marinade, accompanied by onion seed flavoured naan, fresh mint chutney and pickled shallots.
Another favourite is Liang Mian Huang; Cantonese style pan-fried noodles with oriental vegetables, sliced meats and shiitake mushroom, flavoured with soya, ginger and garlic.
Your favourite dish at restaurants, in India and abroad?
In India, I enjoy the dish John Dory, served at West View — The Grill Room (ITC’s The Sonar) in Kolkata. Having a bespoke five-course, whisky-paired dinner at Admiral Dunn’s private castle, Aberdeen, was a great experience too.
Tell us about a memorable meal you had.
Pasta stuffed with ricotta, walnut and aubergine, followed by a lamb picatta flavoured with sage, at Georgio’s in London.
Which cuisine do you love?
Pan-Indian cuisines. The cuisines of India are so varied, diverse and incredible, what with Bengal’s myriad flavours, pungent Andhra cuisine, Punjabi home cooking, and more.
Describe a memory related to food.
Eating with my family at the iconic restaurants of Connaught Place, New Delhi, in the 1970’s.
What’s a comfort food at home
Soup, chicken, fresh salad with no dressing
| FAVOURITE RECIPE
SADHGI QORMA |
A very uncomplicated preparation which does not fall into the category of refined Qorma, Qaliya or Salan. In simple words, Sadhgi Korma can be termed ghar ka khana. No specific cuts of meats are used in the process, it is an instant preparation. Take some sliced onions, saute until light brown. Add finely chopped ginger and garlic, cut into halves, saute well. Add cut lamb, curd, salt, red chilli powder, some water and saute together. Once this mixture is dark brown, add coriander powder and enough water for the required gravy.
Powder a mixture of bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves and green cardamom separately. Once done, add roasted channa powder and refined flour and mix well. Add water to make a paste. Pour this thickening paste and mix well with the other ingredients. Stir continuously so no lumps are formed. Once done, switch off the gas, add saffron, and voila!
