Chef Vinod

Crab Papad Rolls from Indique - A big hit at the Varli Food Festival NYC

 Our Chefs getting the crab papad cones ready.

Varli Singh and the chefs at the Varli Food Festival in NYC

L to R: Chef Vikas Khanna, Padma lakshmi, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and Varli Singh. Hmm..Not sure what the joke was, Vikas is laughing away.

 

The Varli Food Festival, an Indian culinary and chef showcase, concluded about three weeks ago on April 5th, 2012 in New York City. I must say that the Varli Festival was very well organized and flawlessly executed. Padma Lakshmi, host of the show Top Chef, and Sanjeev Kapoor, celebrated chef from India, were joined by several other celebrity chefs from around the world. 

It was such a delight to see so many Indian restaurateurs and chefs come under one roof to showcase the cuisine of India. There was wide media coverage for the event from various television channels and newspapers such as The New York Times.

Our crab papad rolls from Indique/Indique Heights turned out to be such a big hit that they were featured in The New York Times, in "Outlook India" and above all Padma loved it... Padma Lakshmi loved it...

The photo below was featured in The New York Times - Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi enjoying the crab papad roll from Indique.

See what "Outlook India" magazine had to say about Indique's crab papad roll at the Varli Food Festival.

"CRAB APPLES - Not that it requries any great skills to catch crab in Manhattan, but curing the meat is a lesson best learned from experience. Masters in the art descended on NYC from the US northeastern seaboard to showcase their skills at the Varli Food Festival. Of those partaking, Padma Laksmi played the bait." - Outlook India

Welcoming Padma Lakshmi

Surfy Rahman greeting Padma Lakshmi 

In conversation with Padma Lakshmi

Being introduced to Executive Chef S.Balamurugan

 Being introduced to Executive Chef Abraham Varghese

Padma Lakshmi enjoying her crab papad roll

She goes in for seconds!

At Junoon restaurant - Surfy Rahman, K.N.Vinod, Walter Rozario, Prasad Chirnomula, & Rajesh Bhardwaj

With Chef /Restaurateur Vikram Vij of Vij's in Vancouver, Canada

With Chefs Maneet Chauhan, Vikram Vij, Jehangir Mehta, K.N.Vinod, and Shipra Khanna.

Ready to get in to the Limousine - for the ride with fellow chefs 

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Restaurateur Surfy Rahman at the Red Carpet walk

L to R : Chef K.N.Vinod, Chef S.Balaurugan,Chef Vikas Khanna, and Chef Abraham Varghese

L to R: Restaurateur Rajesh Bhardwaj, Chef Hemant Mathur, Chef K.N.Vinod, and Restaurateur Surfy Rahman

 

With Chef Floyd Cardoz and Surfy Rahman

With Chef Maneet Chauhan

 

 With  Chef Walter d" Rozario

With Chef Aliya Leekong  

 With Sant Chatwal at the Varli festival.

 

L to R: Chefs K.N.Vinod, Ajay Chopra, Kunal Kapoor, Vicky Ratnani, Shipra Khanna, Varli Singh, Peter Beck, Prasad Chirnomula, Saransh Goila,Romy Hardeep Gill,and Harpal singh Sokhi.

Restaurateur Surfy Rahman and Chef Vicky Ratnani at the Varli festival.

 L to R : Chefs Vikram Vij, Vicky Ratnani, Kunal Kapoor, Ajay Chopra, and Hari Nayak

L to R : chefs K.N.Vinod, Ajay Chopra, and Kunal Kapoor

With a Correspondent from TV Asia, Chefs Prasad Chirnomula, Kunal Kapoor, Ajay Chopra,Sanjeev Kapoor and K.N.Vinod

Some of the photographs - courtesy - Varli food festival

Varli Food Festival 2012 - April 5th - New York

Indique /Indique Heights is proud to be participating at the Varli Food festival in NY. Varli food festival brings together Indian Chefs/Restaurateurs under one roof to promote Indian cuisine. This year's event is hosted by Emmy nominee/top chef host Padma Lakshmi and one of the most celebrated chefs, Sanjeev Kapoor. 

What : Varli Food Festival

When : April 5, 2012

Time : 5 PM to 10 PM

Where : Metropolitan Museum , 
125 West 18th Street
(between 6th and 7th Avenue)
 New York, NY 10011

Hosted by : Padma Lakshmi and Chef Sanjeev Kapoor

Participating : Over 6o restaurants/ Celebrity Chefs and Restaurateurs

For further details click here :

                                                         Chef Sanjeev Kapoor 

                                                                Padma Lakshmi

 top row - (L to R) - chef Vikas Khanna, Chef Maneet Chauhan bottom row : (Lto R) chef Jehangir Mehta   and Varli Singh

top L to R : Chef Hari Nayak, Varli Singh, Chef Walter Rozario, Bottom : Restaurateur Surfy Rahman, Chef Alia leekong, Restaurateur Rajesh Bhardwaj

 L to R : Chef Prasad Chirnomula, Yours truly, Restaurateur Surfy Rahman and Chef Hemant Mathur.

   

Kerala Shrimp Curry

Kerala "God's Own Country"

 

Kerala located on the south west of India with the Arabian Sea in the west, and the eastern Ghats in the east and networked by 44 rivers, Kerala enjoys unique geographical features that have made it one of the most sought after tourist destinations in the world.  A long shoreline with serene beaches, tranquil stretches of emerald backwaters, lush hill stations and exotic wildlife. . Sprawling plantations and paddy fields. Ayurvedic health holidays.  Magical festivals and above all exotic cuisine...  

Source : Kerala Tourism 

Photos : K.N.Vinod

  

Having my roots from Kerala we grew up eating a lot of seafood. Here is a recipe for a simple Kerala Shrimp Curry. Every household in Kerala lays claim to its own recipe for shrimp curry. At my house we make shrimp curry with  "Tamarind" ,  "Kodampuli," with raw green mangoes,with tomatoes and so on....Since Mangoes are in season these days, thought of making a shrimp curry with raw green mangoes. My elder sister Saroja is visiting me from India and told her to help me with this - so that I could handle the camera ...

 It is typical in Kerala to cook shrimp or fish curry in earthenware pots. I have one with me which my mom had gotten with her during one of her trips.  If you don't have one - and I guess most of you won't - do not worry too much about it. Use any cooking utensil of your choicee.

• Shrimp (small - 1 1/2 lbs
• Red Chilly powder - 1 tablespoon
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon 
• Coriander powder - 2 table spoon
• Ginger and garlic paste -1/2 teaspoon
• Chopped ginger - 1/2 teaspoon
• Whole green chilly - ( split into two ) - 2-3
• Curry leaves - a small sprig
• Raw green Mango ( med size) - 1 no diced.
• Coconut Milk - 1 cup
• Water - 1 1/2 cups
• Salt - to taste
• Shallot - 4 nos. finely sliced
• Oil * - to fry the sliced shallots

 * In Kerala - coconut oil is used to fry the shallots. You can use any oil - vegetable oil, olive oil, or any oil of your choice.

1. In the earthenware container, marinate shrimps with red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric, ginger- garlic paste, chopped ginger, curry leaves, slit green chilly and a few drops of coconut or vegetable oil. Set aside for 15 - 20 minutes.
2. Add raw diced mango, add water and cook for a few minutes till the mango pieces and the shrimp are almost done.
3. Add coconut milk and stir well and simmer for a few minutes.
4. In a separate frying pan or a small karahi/wok - heat oil and fry the shallots to a golden brown color along with a few curry leaves and pour it over the shrimp curry - cover with a lid. Serve hot with plain rice.  

Caution  : Do not overcook the shrimps. As an alternate way - you can add the shrimps once the green mangoes are half done.

Photo below : Kodampuli / Kudampuli - 

Botanical name - GARCINIA GUMMI- GUTTA 

Kodampuli when it ripens turns yellow. The seed is removed and  are salted and dried in the sun where they turn black in color. They can be stored for a very long time. 

The dried black Kodampuli is usually soaked in warm water and used in order to wash away all the impurities during the drying process and also to make it soft before adding it to curries. If you are not able to get "Kodampuli" you can substitute it with Kokum available in Indian grocery stores. 

See below dried " Kodampuli"