It is all about the ingredients

INTERVIEW WITH A CHEF. Yaspal Singh Bhandari, the executive chef of Aangan Restaurant at Nakumatt Oasis Mall, boast of 10 years of cooking Indian food. He let us in on his cooking secrets.

What are your favourite foods/tastes/flavours?
I love chicken and fish, Indian spices and their flavours.

What are your favourite utensils?
A non-sticking pan makes cooking easy and less messy.

What is the most useful piece of kitchen design and equipment?
A kitchen with a range or gas burners, a kitchen hood and a vent axia for ventilation.

What is your favourite meal time?
Dinner time. This is when I can enjoy a meal and reflect on the day.

How do you decide on what to cook?
Well, I cook according to the menu through I’m flexible and at times guests may ask me to do a particular dish in a way that they prefer. I try to rise to the occasion and I have yet to disappoint anybody.

What inspires you?
My family has always been my greatest inspiration.

What is your favourite drink?
Fresh juices, fruit punch and milk shake.

What are your likes and dislikes?
I like all manner of music and dislike over consumption of alcohol.

How can you inspire others to enjoy great food and cooking?
I suggest that they keep an open mind and learn how to become open minded about what they eat and prepare.Bear in mind that you pay for what you get, so don’t go to a greasy spoon and expect a five star meal. You have to enjoy cooking it otherwise, there is no need to bother.

How did you become a chef?
It was my dream to become a chef. Ever since I was young, I always had a fascination for the kitchen and it came as no surprise to my family that I ended up becoming a chef.

Name your top ten ingredients.
Ginger, garlic, fresh coriander, green fenugreek, turmeric powder, curry patta (curry leaves), cardamom, coriander powder, green chilies, bay leaf and tamarind.

What are your top tips?
It is imperative to always have proper mise-en-place in place. This allows one to adequately prepare and plan ahead. It also cuts down on time and greatly enhances efficiency in the kitchen. Quality raw materials are another essential asset without them, one cannot produce quality food. Carefully balancing the flavours is also very necessary and ensures that one will have consistency of the final product.

Do you ever eat junk food?
I’m not that fond of junk food and I try to avoid it as much as possible. But I’m not beyond temptation. Now and again I indulge myself to the nines.

What are your thoughts about cooking for children?
The food must be attractive and appetising as well as being appealing to the eye. Children are very impressionable and something unattractive can be a turnoff for life. Curries must be mild and portions should be reasonable in keeping with their age and nutrition ought to be taken into account.

What advice do you have for budding Ugandan chefs?
Love your profession and be proud to be a chef and above all be devoted to your boss and be honest and avoid being a jua kali operator. Accidents occur and when they do, admit them and rectify the problem. Do not let your pride become the better of you.

What advice do you have for the domestic cook in the home?
Hygiene is not an issue of debate. It sina qua non and a dirty cook in the home is a total liability. At the same time, the domestic cook should have a good idea about the likes and dislikes of the family. Do not impose your taste on them, though you are free to make suggestions. Be flexible and avoid confrontational situations. Remember, you work for them and they call the shots and they pay your salary.

What is your most popular items at Aangan Restaurant?
Chicken lollipops, tandoori chicken, goats ribs and chicken tikka masala.

================================================

The chef’s recipe
Aangan butter chicken
Cook in butter, with aromatic spices, cream and almonds, this mild dish will be enjoyed by everyone.
Ingredients
Serves 4 -6
• 150 ml/2/3 cups plain yogurt
• 50g ½ cup ground almonds
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 crushed bay leaves
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground garam masala
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 1 teaspoon ginger pulp
• 1 teaspoon garlic pulp
• 4-6 pureed or grated tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 kg chicken, skinned, boned and cubed
• 75g or 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon or more cooking oil
• 2 to 3 medium sliced onions
• 2 tablespoons or more of chopped cilantro (coriander)
• 4 tablespoons cream
• Cilantro sprigs

Method
i) Put the yogurt, ground almonds and all the dry spices, ginger, garlic, tomatoes and salt into a mixing bowl and blend together thoroughly.
ii) Put the chicken into a large bowl and pour over the yogurt mixture and set aside.
iii) Melt together the butter and oil in a medium wok or deep round bottom frying pan and add the onions and fry about 3 minutes..
iv) Add the chicken mixture and stir fry for 7-10 minutes.
v) Stir in about half of the cilantro and mix well.
vi) Pour over the cream and stir in well. Bring to a boil and serve garnished with the remaining chopped cilantro and cilantro sprigs.