Food is an essential part of every celebration and when Anandabazar Patrika celebrated the completion of its hundred years on July 9, the food invariably had to be that much special. The menu was a celebration of local ingredients blending in complete harmony with international flavours. “When challenged to curate a unique dining experience for such a prestigious centenary event for its distinguished guests, we had to break our boundaries into creating dishes and flavour combinations that would resonate throughout the city and be remembered in times to come. With a ‘Think Global, Eat Local’ concept, we wanted to showcase the enormous possibilities and potential of our nation’s produce and its resources as it is the way forward,” said Pappu Singh, executive chef, The Oberoi Grand Kolkata. Here’s getting you a taste of the spread that was laid out for the esteemed guests.
Chef Pappu Singh
Scrambled Rohu: Twice-cooked rohu fish, deboned and scrambled with Indian spices, onions and macedoine potatoes (potatoes cut in 1/4-inch cubes and cooked in a classic French style). The sweetness of the fish was delicately juxtaposed with the warmth of the Indian spices.
Salmon Mousse and Mushroom Pâté: This dish holds a very special place in French cuisine. Here the classic French hors d’oeuvre was made using silky smooth salmon and dill herb mousse. There was also a vegetarian version made from wild mushroom and port wine mousse.
Aged Leg of Mutton: Leg of aged mutton whole roasted on the bone and served sliced with aromatic mutton jus reduction flavoured with Indian garam masala. The mutton was cooked till tender and juicy and almost fell off the bone. The jus, usually a classic Western preparation, got a kick from Indian spices.
Cous Cous with Crushed Vadi: This simple dish was a combination of steamed granules of rolled durum wheat semolina tossed with fried lentil dumplings. Durum wheat semolina is a major component in most pasta dishes and fried lentil dumplings are an Indian specialty, known as ‘bori’ in Bengali. The dish is an artistic fusion of Indian and Italian staples.
Orzo Rice: This dish had us surprised, because what looked like rice was actually short-cut pasta resembling long rice grains, cooked with potato and cauliflower florets.
Bay of Bengal Bekti in Cocktail Sauce: This fresh fish was simmered with delicate herbs and tossed in Marie Rose sauce comprising home-made mayonnaise and tomato ketchup, that lent a creamy and tangy coating to the fish. It was garnished with fresh green peppercorn and plump green grapes for added heat and sweetness.
Black Hash Potatoes: Hash browns are a quintessential English breakfast item, but the chefs at The Oberoi Grand added a Mughlai touch to the dish by steepening it in blackened spices, dum-style.
Portobello Roast: Italian portobello mushroom roasted whole with Indian spices and served with mushroom umami broth. Mushrooms are primarily a part of South East Asian and French cooking but to add a kebab-style touch to it is what made the dish stand out.
Quiche: A good quiche is one that’s crisp and flaky on the outside and has a delish well-seasoned rich filling on the inside. These bite-sized French tart crusts were filled with savoury custard, Parmesan and freshwater shrimp, and left the diners amazed with the balance of flavours.
Pictures: B. Halder