Make room for legume
Pindi
chana is being replaced by chorizo matar and cream-laden rajma curry is making
way for rajma risotto.
A bean here
and a chickpea there is the maximum space legumes are usually rewarded in
contemporary restaurant menus. Limited to salads and side dishes so far, beans
and lentils are slowly emerging as a major force to reckon with in the
gastronomic sphere. This not only entails staid dishes turning into healthier
protein-rich options, but also greater variety for vegetarians to choose from —
a world beyond the predictable kaali dal, baked beans or sambhar.
Staple Makeover
With more and more people turning vegetarian and expecting healthy yet tasty options to feast on, legumes are being given greater leg room in
high-end kitchens.
Chefs are realising that they have cooked soya and paneer in every p o s s i b l e way, and they need to think beyond the staple.
Chef Manish Mehrotra feels that even though vegetarian dishes are being less frowned upon, it is still a challenge to do something beyond the usual. “A dal invariably means dal makhni, chickpea stands for chana masala and paneer variations take up the remaining space on the menu. That’s why one has to look at legumes to jazz up the veggie scene,” he says. At his end, Manish has given some popular legume dishes a modern makeover. He has turned chhaunki matar, a popular green pea dish, into a chorizo or sausage-like dish; garnished moong dal with chopped exotic herbs and spices; and loaded soups with beans of different kinds.
Texture Treat
Food preparation is at its experimental best. That’s why chef Shamsul Wahid turned to legumes to add flavour to his regular creations and bring in newer textures and colours to existing dishes. “Lentils can be cooked in different ways to give the texture you want — crunchy, solid or soggy. Since lentils don’t have too distinct a flavour, they don’t drastically alter the overall taste of the dish. Most importantly, legumes usually bring a satiating effect, a sense of fullness to a dish,” he quips. So, his lamb shanks, bacon soups and smoked chicken salads are high on chickpeas.
Chef Jiten Singh adds that the easy availability of some very exotic beans and lentils is also making them popular with chefs. Lemongrass-scented moong dal and Tuscany bean broth are his signature
and popular offerings now.
Healthy High
One more driving factor for l e g u m e s ’ popularity is the fact that they are rich sources of protein for vegetarians and a healthier alternative to starchladen foods like potatoes. Chef Nira Singh uses legumes extensively at her French eatery in Delhi. She says, “Beans give a better body to a dish. They are also high sources of proteins. That’s why they are regularly used now in stews, risottos and even burgers.” Chef Saby Gorai uses a variety of beans — Italian, Spanish, white butter, black eyed and red beans — and chickpeas to give his ragout, salads and dips a healthy, tasty and wholesome spin.
With cuisines like Tex-Mex gaining foothold in India and Mediterranean becoming more and more popular, the usage of legumes is only going to ‘sprout’ it seems!
Staple Makeover
With more and more people turning vegetarian and expecting healthy yet tasty options to feast on, legumes are being given greater leg room in
high-end kitchens.
Chefs are realising that they have cooked soya and paneer in every p o s s i b l e way, and they need to think beyond the staple.
Chef Manish Mehrotra feels that even though vegetarian dishes are being less frowned upon, it is still a challenge to do something beyond the usual. “A dal invariably means dal makhni, chickpea stands for chana masala and paneer variations take up the remaining space on the menu. That’s why one has to look at legumes to jazz up the veggie scene,” he says. At his end, Manish has given some popular legume dishes a modern makeover. He has turned chhaunki matar, a popular green pea dish, into a chorizo or sausage-like dish; garnished moong dal with chopped exotic herbs and spices; and loaded soups with beans of different kinds.
Texture Treat
Food preparation is at its experimental best. That’s why chef Shamsul Wahid turned to legumes to add flavour to his regular creations and bring in newer textures and colours to existing dishes. “Lentils can be cooked in different ways to give the texture you want — crunchy, solid or soggy. Since lentils don’t have too distinct a flavour, they don’t drastically alter the overall taste of the dish. Most importantly, legumes usually bring a satiating effect, a sense of fullness to a dish,” he quips. So, his lamb shanks, bacon soups and smoked chicken salads are high on chickpeas.
Chef Jiten Singh adds that the easy availability of some very exotic beans and lentils is also making them popular with chefs. Lemongrass-scented moong dal and Tuscany bean broth are his signature
and popular offerings now.
Healthy High
One more driving factor for l e g u m e s ’ popularity is the fact that they are rich sources of protein for vegetarians and a healthier alternative to starchladen foods like potatoes. Chef Nira Singh uses legumes extensively at her French eatery in Delhi. She says, “Beans give a better body to a dish. They are also high sources of proteins. That’s why they are regularly used now in stews, risottos and even burgers.” Chef Saby Gorai uses a variety of beans — Italian, Spanish, white butter, black eyed and red beans — and chickpeas to give his ragout, salads and dips a healthy, tasty and wholesome spin.
With cuisines like Tex-Mex gaining foothold in India and Mediterranean becoming more and more popular, the usage of legumes is only going to ‘sprout’ it seems!
Amin
Ali TL130224
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