The story of any culinary delight begins much before it reaches the table. It might be centuries old or one that originated in the maker's kitchen. It can be an enticing fable or a tale of struggle. But, it is almost always these tales that add flavour to the dish.
Chef Anil Mohan's book 'My Culinary Journey with Taj Hotels' is a collection of recipes, garnished with anecdotes from his life. It carries the sweetness, spice and sourness of a three-decade-long journey through the tables of The Taj Hotels.
Reading this cookbook is like falling for the perfectly round 'Makki Ke Jamun'. Just like the sweet dumpling, it rolls smoothly. Well, to know how to make 'Makki ke Jamun', turn to page 106.
Anil Mohan treats his culinary space as a repository of socio-cultural and personal notes. He touches upon five popular cuisines and is careful not to dive into recipes without context or history.
When he explores Kerala cuisine, he notes its geographical and demographic influences and its interactions with Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch, and British traders. In introducing Avial — a combination of vegetables stewed in yoghurt — Mohan narrates a myth about how it was invented by Bhima, the Pandava prince. He also admits how one could find many regional variations of Kerala’s culinary star, the Karimeen curry.
On Tamil cuisine, Mohan refers to Sangham literature. The recipes are mostly chicken in delectable yellow and green shades, then the Mooru Kozhambu and Poriyal.
When he moves to Andhra, he poses the often-asked Chicken 65 question. Who coined the name? Theories are aplenty. The dish was invented by AM Buhari and the chicken was cut into 65 pieces, some say. Others claim it was marinated for 65 days. Another claim 65 was just a serial number on the menu.
The Mangalore spread is about "the greatest traditions left behind by grandmothers". It is baked in the warmth of home and tradition. Mohan introduces dishes like khus khus payasam, raw banana sukka, and Kane rava fry, not to mention the Neer dosa.
He then moves on to the royal delicacies of Mewar. “Maans” appear frequently in the Mewar scene, in varied roles, and every single one stands out.
Just like his recipes, the book too has many flavours blending seamlessly to form a rich dish. There is a sweet tale about his love for choco bars and a tangy one about how his daughter once got hold of a loaded gun. He writes about his encounters with Vijay Mallya and a chef named Jimmy Chu.
Grab a copy if you want recipes with precision and stories with depth.
Book: My Culinary Journey with Taj Hotels
Author: Anil Mohan
Publisher: IndiePress
Price: Rs 899; pages 123
