I Cooked Indian Accent’s Recipes at Home: Here’s What I Learnt

A home chef tries her hand at making some of the recipes in the new Indian Accent Cookbook.

In 2009, when Indian Accent at the Manor hotel opened its doors to Delhi, they were very clear about their vision – they wanted to marry Indian cuisines to flavours of the world.

The depth and variety of India’s regional cuisine has always been richer and more surprising than we think. 

Rohit Khattar, brains behind San Pellegrino (one of Asia’s Top 50 Restaurants), Indian Accent

I couldn’t agree more.

Modern Indian cuisine, I believe, is an adventure on a plate. While the artist (chef) pushes his range, the audience discovers a little about themselves they never knew.

Indian Accent, with super chef Manish Mehrotra at its helm, has been doing just that.

My Experiments With the ‘Indian Accent’ Cookbook

Which is why when a friend passed on their recently released signature cookbook – Indian Accent Restaurant Cookbook – to me, I leapt with excitement!

Was it really possible that the mystical genius created behind closed doors of the Manor’s award winning restaurant could be accomplished in my very own kitchen? I couldn’t wait to find out.

As I flipped through the meticulously curated pages, the tastefully photographed dishes of food made my mouth water.

Many of the recipes, if not all, are from the restaurant’s own menu. A little intimidated at first, I eventually gathered the courage to attempt what no passionate home-chef could ever pass up on: for my loved ones, I was going to cook up an “Indian Accent” treat.

These are the four I picked:

Baked Aubergine Salad With Golden Pine Nuts & Saffron Yogurt

I would give this one a 9 out of 10. An easy-to-follow recipe, everyday home ingredients come together in this one to create an elegant appetiser.

It took about 20 minutes to craft this one – and it is currently my new favourite ‘office-after’ gourmet snack.

Khandvi Ravioli With Mixed Cheese Mash & Khakhra Crisp

Much too intricate and tedious, I’d give this one a 6 out of 10. While the garam masala burre blanc was simply divine and the flavours impressive, the home made khandavi was a bit of a task and took two attempts and about 40 minutes to put together.

Baked Fish With Amritsari Masala Butter & White Bait Papad

After two hours of marinating time and 15 minutes to cook, my oven churned out a masterpiece!

I was already convinced that the flavours would be a no-fail (and I was proved correct), but what truly excited me was the texture post-production: crisp, scrumptious crust on top and succulent, juicy fish right under.

I’d give this one a whopping 9 – and also recommend you push it to the top of your dinner parties!

Besan Laddoo Tart With Mithai Cheesecake & Fresh Fruits

While this involves a fair amount of pre-production (you’ll need to set the tart shells overnight), I was in for a treat just 20 minutes in – that’s how little time it takes to make it!

However, while the cheesecake mixture and mithai cream turned out sublime, the besan laddoo tart shells weren’t as easy to put together as Chef Mehrotra made it sound.

I’d give this one a 7.

Dinner party verdict? With a sigh of disbelief, we concluded that Chef Mehrotra had actually used simple, everyday ingredients to conjure absolute magic!

Takeaways from my ‘Indian Accent’ Adventure

• Master-chef style cooking isn’t for everyone. But if you follow the instructions to the ‘T’, you will be pleasantly surprised.
  
• Complexity is a matter of delight!
  
• Ideal for special occasions – the ones where you want to make a super special impression.
  
• The chef’s “sub-recipe” section is a treasure trove! Cook, freeze and experiment – I’m going to be using some of these to add a zing to my everyday home cooking.
  
• Don’t let the names of the dishes intimidate you. The words just added an element of thrill to what was put out on the dinner table.
  
• Don’t compromise on the quality of ingredients. If you can’t find them at your neighbourhood kirana, look up the closest gourmet grocery store.
  
• Don’t hesitate to ask for help – the process to perfection could be a little demanding for a single person to handle alone.
  

Bon Appetit!

(Nanki Chawla is a former hotelier with over 6 years of experience in food and beverage. Groomed as a restaurant manager by the Taj group of hotels, she is currently pursuing her passion in cooking and loves to innovate and improvise on classic and contemporary food styles.)