KITCHEN KIN
G
rowing up in a family that ran a hotel in Kashmir, Aditya Bal watched his maternal grandmother rustle up delicious meals with passion. After a successful modeling career spanning eight years and a short stint in Bollywood, he decided to head to Goa to pursue what he did best: cooking. A chance meeting with NDTV Good Times gave his culinary skills a new direction and today he is the channel’s anchor-chef on ‘Chakh Le India’.
" we CAN'T
Aditya’s wanderlust for local and most celebrated cuisines from across India took him to places including the bustling Punjab towns, the cultural Bengal hubs and the bohemian Goa spots. The mouth-watering results were ‘Amritsari Paneer Bhurji’, ‘Kosha Mangsho’, ‘Goan Prawn and Mango Ambotik’, ‘Malabari Prawn Curry’ and ‘Moru Sambhar’. His book, ‘Chakh Le India’ has simple recipes that promise to celebrate a delectable feast that is wonderfully Indian. He spoke to Parul Pratap Shirazi about his unapologetic love for food and his eagerness to explore this wonderful space. Parul Pratap Shirazi (PPS): Is there any specific cuisine you veer towards? Aditya Bal (AB): At present, I’m going through a confused phase, because I cook different things. Personally, I like to keep things simple, but sometimes I tend to get into the complexities as well. Food can be very complex, especially when there are many flavours and myriad combinations of those flavours. I like simple food and regular Indian cuisine is perfect for me.
fathom molecular gastronomy in INDIAN cuisine !" Model-turned-foodie-turned-chef, Aditya Bal has worn many hats. His introduction to his book ‘Chakh Le India’ is an endearing synopsis of a man who loves food so much that he decided he might as well make a career out of it! 76
PPS: So is Kashmiri food, the cuisine you grew up eating, very complex or simple? AB: People presume Kashmiri food is simple in flavours but complex to create. I disagree. It needs the right CaLDRON February 2014