What the funk!

Mumbai: Have you ever heard of a red velvet dhokla, a chicken tikka sev puri, avocado pani puri or motichur tarts with elaichi foam? It may sound sacrilegious to food purists, but these are dishes quickly catching the fancy of chefs and foodies across Mumbai. 

Although experimental food is being dished out by restaurants for a while now in the city, the recent crop fuses desi and videsi food in a delightful mix. The chefs we spoke to, say that it was about time that our traditional dishes were reinvented to bring together diverse culinary worlds. 

Red velvet dhokla

Over the past few weeks, red velvet dhokla has received flak on social media by traditionalists for taking experimentation a little too far. “The dish has become a talking point. We have people coming to the restaurant asking for it,” admits chef Gaurav Gidwani. But he understands the debate. “Even as there are variations made within the dhokla, no one has gone really left of centre. So it was challenging to put it on the menu since the dish has a connection with the masses,” he adds.

There were a lot of trials that went into the making of red velvet dhokla. “We had to get the flavour profile of the dhokla, and incorporate the textures of the red velvet,” he explains. The dish appears as a red velvet cupcake, but the first bite is enough to put your worries to rest. “We have only used the textures of the red velvet. It’s topped with a cream cheese and jalapeño spread,” he says, adding that it has received mixed response from his patrons. “While we have received encouraging feedback, we have also had instances where people have not been able to relate to it because they still have their loyalties with the original dhokla.”

Avocado pani puri

Referred to by different names, the pani puri or gol gappa or puchka is wildly popular across the country and culinary expert Prasad Parab was aware of the implications that come with experimenting with a snack like this. But it was a chance he was willing to take. He replaced chunks of potato, chickpeas and ragada with guacamole. He explains, “Guacamole has all the ingredients which perfectly merge in pani puri. There was very little reason for us to not experiment with it. It also helps that avocado is getting popular in Mumbai.” The chef, however, stuck to the traditional chutneys for the snack. “We went through dozens of trials with the chutney. Finally we came up with one that has all the flavours like sweet, sour, spicy and tangy,” he admits.

Prasad says that the health-conscious will find fewer reasons to feel guilty about after trying this version. He explains, “The ones who are watching their weight are happy that they can indulge in the deep-fried snack without feeling too guilty about it.”

Spinach Thepla Quesadila

Thepla is a mainstay on our tables. So executive chef Ganesh Gaonkar of the Fable knew he had to be cautious while playing with it. “I know that forced culinary marriages can prove to be a disaster. So re-imagining Indian foods comes with quite a responsibility,” he admits. 

It was easy for Ganesh to create trial runs with thepla, since he is of the belief that the dish “can never go wrong with anything” and came up with spinach thepla quesadila. The tortillas of the quesadillas are replaced with traditional spinach theplas which is stuffed with tomato, salsa, avocado, green peppers, jalapeno and cheddar. 

The traditional chunda gives way to salsa sauce and jalapenos. He adds, “Spinach is a hard sell since not everyone is fond of it. But that’s where fusion food comes in. It is more about cleverly assimilating and recreating the dish.”

Baingan ka Bharta Ravioli

Chef and owner Monish Rohra was intent on giving the traditional baingan ka bharta a makeover. So, the chef created baingan ka bharta with ravioli to give it a gourmet twist. The pasta dough ingredients are mixed in a food processor and kneaded. The roasted eggplant is meanwhile seasoned with spices. “The ravioli is cut in squares and cooked in a large saucepan filled with boiling salted water, until al dente. Once drained, it is tossed in sweet corn puree and served hot. The filling is a spicy traditional bharta which balances the softer flavours of the creamy pasta,” reveals Monish. 

Initially it was difficult to get patrons to try the dish, reveals the chef. “Thankfully, people usually let down their guard after the first bite. We haven’t received a bad remark on this one as yet!” he beams.

Jungli Maas

A rustic version of the famous Rajasthani laal maas, Lolita Sarkar experimented with one of her favourite dishes to create the Jungli Maas, which is served with cracked wheat porridge with garlic and saffron. “As a kid I remember eating it with tawa rotis. Since I wanted something lighter, I turned to cracked wheat porridge and used garlic and saffron,” says the founder of Desi Deli. 

Cooked with oil, salt and red chilly, Lolita insists that textures of the porridge and mutton complement each other dramatically. She says, “I had the good fortune of living with some people who cooked great Rajasthani dishes and this was one of my favourites. I am glad I have been able to replicate it, albeit with a twist!”

This dish also spawned a hot dog version called the Jungli dog. “I had a guest who loved his Junglee Maas in a hot dog. Unexpectedly, we had another hot dog, Junglee Dog on the menu,” she concludes.