Chef Maitreya Sen - The Indian chef who fell in love with Italian food

Chef Maitreya Sen, Chef de Cuisine at La Cucina, Hyatt Regency, Kolkata  

“Let me first say one thing,” says Chef Maitreya Sen when we meet him in La Cucina, Hyatt Regency’s authentic Italian restaurant: “I am not an Italian but I have a passion to cook Italian food.”

It may sound like a paradox – an Indian chef surrounded by influences of the great cuisine of Bengal who falls in love with the joyous tastes and flavours of Italy, but it’s evident that Italian food has become a part of Chef Sen’s heart and soul.

Maitreya gained his first experience of Italian gastronomy in hotels, including 16 years at the upmarket Taj, when he often found himself working alongside Italian colleagues.

“I gained almost all my knowledge from them and that was what gave me the passion for this type of cuisine,” he tells us. “From when I first started cooking at a junior level I always had a dream to, if possible, become an Italian chef and I’m happy to say I turned my dream into a reality. I feel that Italian cooking is in my blood.”

Chef Sen and his team at La Cucina

At the Hyatt Regency where Kolkata born Maitreya has worked since its opening in 2002, the management could have employed an Italian chef to oversee their flagship dining destination, La Cucina. Instead they recognised that they had a unique asset in their incandescent chef. They decided to send him for a month’s training in the country itself under Michelin-star chef Davide of Il Sole di Ranco, at his family-run relais in Milan. It turned out to be a wise investment La Cucina is now the most popular Italian restaurant in town.

“It was a very small property near to Lake Maggiore – a beautiful place,” remembers Chef Sen of Il Sole. “The restaurant had a 60 years’ heritage, starting as a hotel in 1957, and the kitchen had never changed since then with big hotplates and old stoves. But the experience was something I shall cherish all my life.

“Chef Davide was very welcoming and kind. The biggest problem is that he rarely speaks English and doesn’t understand that much and I have tried to learn Italian but I don’t have much time. As you can imagine we had a lot of fun – I used to ask him ‘Chef, what is this?’ He would look at me, say something in Italian and then I would look at him! Luckily the waiter, Fabio knew a lot of English and used to interpret for us. But I learned so much. After that experience I shifted to Milan where the hotel supplier moved me round speciality restaurants – Tuscan, Sicilian - all kinds. The chefs in each were really happy to show me around their kitchens and how they cooked various dishes. It was the first time anyone had travelled from this part of the world to learn about their cooking. I also visited all the markets in Milan: fish and vegetable markets and cheese and wine shops so I gained a complete picture of the Italian food.”

On his return to the Hyatt, Maitreya was able to make new changes to the menu to reflect the truly authentic north Italian cooking. The flavours and ingredients are simple yet the results are a revelation to the taste buds. One of the most important innovations was to introduce homemade pasta. “I learned from Chef Davide that pasta is the most important thing in Italian food,” says Maitreya. “You get pasta in all restaurants but it is the kind of commercialised readymade pasta that you could cook at home. I learned you should go deeper into the traditions of Italian food, to get to the ‘mama’s’ and grandmothers’ style of cooking; the ones who used to make the fettucinne, the gnocci, the pasta and the dumplings in the traditional kitchen. So I am still implementing this – I have a small machine to make all types of pasta: the capeli d’angelo, fusilli, fettucine, angelo, ravioli and so on, and it tastes completely different from the dried variety.”

 

With homemade pasta, a wood fired stove for fresh pizzas, risottos, dolcis, Italian aperitivos and wines, La Cucina has become a corner of Italy – Lombardy to be precise.  Working with a team of seven chefs, all trained in Italian cuisine, dishes use a few simple but fresh basic ingredients. Chef Sen recommended some of his favourites learned during his time spent in Italy. For pasta de cecco we had the Crema di asparagi con parmigiano e paprika: a creamy asparagus orzo with parmesan, breadcrumbs and paprika. The asparagus dish is a very simple recipe using just a few ingredients,” said Maitreya. “This is the kind of asparagus we get in the market, not like the European one. We just blanch it for around 80-90 seconds, make a simple sauce with unsalted butter, juice of the lemon, some herbs, parsley and basil and a little salt – you can also have white wine if you like - and add the sauce to the asparagus.” The result was fresh, light and refreshing. The Ravioli Carbonara we had for second course, he explained, was a recipe from chef Davide’s great grandfather. Made with a simple reduction of the cream, crushed peppers, onions and pancetta bacon, the hidden egg yolk bursts out in a golden pool across the plate when you cut into it. The Tiramisu dolce which completed our dining experience contained no egg however. Maitreya told us many of his customers are strict vegetarians, but the layered dessert soaked in coffee with sweet Mascarpone cheese was a credit to its Venetian origins.

The married father of one 12-year-old daughter, Maitreya now has another dream – to travel back to Italy at least two or three more times in his life. And when he does he hopes to take his family with him: “My daughter has also grown a palate for this type of food,” he says with a smile. It’s not surprising!

Out and about in Kolkata - Famous Places and Good Value Eateries

Famous Places and Good Value Eateries

The Best Momos in Town

 We were told we must visit The Blue Poppy Restaurant to sample the cheapest and best momos in town. At the time we weren’t sure what a momo was, but discovered it’s a Nepalese dumpling with meat, vegetable or cheese filling either steamed or fried made with a white flour water dough and served with garlic chilli or sesame sauce.

The Blue Poppy is on the second floor of Sikkim House which is hidden away without any clues as to its location whatsoever, at Middleton Row just off the Park Street area. The ground floor has a tourist office with information about Sikkim, very useful if you want to get a pass to visit the neighbouring state. Bearing in mind the fact that we entered the restaurant at 3.45pm and it was due to close at 4pm, the waiters were surprisingly friendly (and very speedy). Even if the room was a bit like a comprehensive school classroom with plastic furniture, it was also clean and hygienic (always a plus) - and we soon cheered up when we saw the prices.

Food on the menu includes Tibetan, Bhutanese, Nepali, Chinese and Indian. We ordered chicken steamed and pan fried vegetable momos with Chinese noodles. Within a matter of minutes, the delectable dumplings were revealed in all their glory.  There are several different types; Kothays for example are a type of steamed momo, lightly fried on the bottom; Phalays are rolled like a stuffed paratha with a choice of fillings. Thukpas and Tibetan flat noodle soup and Bhutanese food including Datchi – a chilli cheese stew, plus Pork shyapta were also on offer. The chilli and garlic sauces were hot and spicy and the momos delicious. Undoubtedly the restaurant is an ideal venue for hard up students (or food critics) as the portions are huge and tasty. And, incredibly cheap - including a bottle of Pepsi, the total cost came to 300rupees (about £3).

In fact for us first timers, visiting the Blue Poppy was a truly momo-entous occasion.

Arsalan – best Biryani ever!

We visited Arsalan on our last visit to Kolkata and it is one of our favourite restaurants in the city where you can get really good, fresh Indian food. The restaurant at 191 Marina Garden Court, Park Street serves Mughlai and North Indian cuisine but it’s also renowned for its biryanis and for its succulent kababs. The restaurant is always packed and you have to wait for a table before being called by name. There’s also a serving area for street food where perfectly spiced kababs sizzle on an open grill and there’s a never-ending queue of people to sample them.  The perfectly flavoured and un-oily biryanis are delicous - especially the mutton and special chicken which have double serving of meat and egg.  The place is rightly famous for its kababs with Murg bara kebab, murg reshmi kabab and murg makkh malai well recommended.  Chicken tikka butter masala with butter naan is said to be tasty. Phirniis is good and Murgh Chatpata is spicy. And a meal for two costs around 500 rupees – yes folks – that’s around £5!

Here’s a list of other good value restaurants recommended by our tour guide Ritwick (and us):

Bengali food:

Bhojohori Manna - 18/1A Hindustan Road, Near Rash Behari Avenue – cost 400 for two people approx.

Muglai:

Anokha Bagicha -  173 Park Street, Near Park Circus, 7 Point Crossing

Zeeshan - 17 Syed Amir Ali Ave, Park Circus Area – cost 300 for two people +VAT and service charges.

Italian, Mexican, Thai, North Indian, Continental: KK’s Fusion – 89 C, Narkeldanga Main Road, Swabhumi Complex (almost opposite the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Salt Lake City), EM Bypass – cost around 1200 for two people +VAT and service charges.

Italian:

Spaghetti Kitchen – 4^th Floor, Forum Mall, Elgin Road – cost around 2000 for two people + VAT.

La Cucina 

– The Hyatt Regency Hotel, Salt Lake City (the best Italian in Kolkata!!)

- cost from 1450 per person for three courses

              

Out and about in Kolkata - The Indian Coffee House

Famous places and good-value eateries

The Indian Coffee House

 While we were in Kolkata we paid a visit to the famous Indian Coffee House on College Street to drink in the atmosphere and a murky cup of coffee.

The Indian Coffee House – a historical meeting place of the city’s more bohemian citizens - lies close to the university. True to its academic setting, the surrounding streets are full of stalls with teetering piles of academic papers, manuscripts, text books
and large volumes. Who says no-one reads any more!

It’s a pleasant place to wander, without too much street hassle, with a mix of architecture and buildings, some of which are sprouting their very own trees. After having to ask for directions several times, we discovered our destination on a gloomy looking building on a corner of Bankim Chatterjee Street.

The Coffee House was first established to commemorate the visit of the prince consort to Calcutta in 1890 when it was named Albert Hall, but is now run as a co-operative by its employees who share ownership. After its opening the place became a breeding ground for intellectuals, patriots, and activists who met to discuss politics and the arts before the Indian Coffee Board turned the premises into a formal coffee house in 1944. Sadly, nowadays the customers are more ordinary folk: students, pensioners and a few intrepid tourists drinking (a trifle gingerly) from less than white cups.

A dingy set of stairs, lined with buckets lead up to the second floor. Judging by the red stained splashes on the wall, they’re used as spittoons for paan chewing customers with a bad aim. A clattering din and echoing chatter emanates from the interior which is packed with canteen tables and chairs. Fans whir on high ceilings above an art deco balcony. The walls are sepia and a full length picture of Rabindranath Tagore is hung reverentially at one end of the room. Waiters wear a distinctive (if grubby), uniforms with fan-like hats. Behind a door a peek at the kitchen reveals that it would not have looked out of place in a Victorian workhouse with grimy butler sinks piled high with dishes and cups.

The paper menu which has possibly been used to mop the table since 1944 offers an eclectic selection including Onion Pakoras, Chicken Cutlets, Egg items, Mutton and Fish fry, an extra 2 oz milk or cream can be ordered to enhance the muddy coffee which comes both hot and cold or filter. Prices are around 35rupees for a chicken sandwich and 25rupees for a hot coffee with cream. Our coffee tasted a lot like dishwater (I’m told the Darjeeling leaf tea would have been a wiser choice). But, who cares - you don’t visit The Indian Coffee House for the quality of its coffee. The place is a legend!

Dessert Recipe by Michelin Chef Dominic Chapman

Lemon Tart

The Pastry

720g Butter

300g Icing Sugar

2g Salt

8 Egg Yolks

100ml Water

1kg Plain Flour

Method: 

Cream butter and sugar together, add salt and egg yolks slowly. Add water and finally flour. 

Let rest for 1 hour before use.

The Filling

36 Eggs

1500g Sugar

800ml Lemon Juice

4 Lemon Zest

1 litre Cream

Method: 

Mix sugar with eggs, add rest of ingredients.

The Tarts

Blind bake tarts’ bases at 150°C for 30 minutes. Make sure pastry is cooked. Fill tarts with filling and cook at 100°C for 45 minutes.

A Visit to Oh! Calcutta and Mainland China – From the Sublime to the Sublime

The people of Kolkata are used to fine dining with many world-class restaurants to choose from. Until recently however, the traditional Bengali food in restaurants was rare, mainly because most Bengalis didn’t believe that the homemade flavour of traditional dishes could be reproduced outside the home.

Then, along came Oh! Calcutta and changed this perception once and for all. Its founder, Anjan Chatterjee, went on to revolutionise the face of dining, not only for a city, but for the whole Indian nation. Having turned Bengali food into five-star cuisine he created Mainland China; the largest chain of fine dining eateries in the country and added a clutch of themed restaurants and franchises into the mix including Hakas, Flame and Grill, Sigri, Machaan and Sweet Bengal.

With this history in mind the Curry Life team was only too delighted to go on a mission to three of Mr Chatterjee’s iconic restaurants in Kolkata to sample some of the finest cuisine in the city.

 

Oh! Calcutta

There are two branches of Oh! Calcutta in Kolkata; one is in the premises of Anjan Chatterjee’s first restaurant, Only Fish, at Lala Lajpat Rai Sarani and the other is at the top of the Forum Shopping Mall, on Elgin Road.  At first, the contemporary blandness of the mall on doesn’t seem a likely backdrop for a speciality restaurant but once through the doors of Oh! Calcutta, the visitor enters a far different world of mellow wood and polished surfaces that conjure up the atmosphere of the club culture of the British Raj with a hint of Mughal mystery. A line drawing of the Victoria Monument informs the theme and is echoed, along with other Kolkatan monuments, on individually painted plates and coasters.

The interior is splendidly post-colonial and posh. Greeted by friendly staff and the head chef, we spent a heavenly hour being served with a connoisseur’s selection of mouth-wateringly delicious starters, main courses, puddings and traditional Bengali drinks.

Starters of soft and tender portions of fish including steamed Hilsa in mustard flavour sauce known as the Bhapa Illish and a tasty local fish, Smoked Bekti, were accompanied by Daab Chingri - prawns cooked in tender coconut morsels, meltingly tender Pabda sourced in Kolkata and fish and lentil dumplings in a thin broth. Main courses were preceded by a sorbet flavoured with Gondhorai, a type of strongly flavoured lemon. (At this point in the proceedings some of the group thought we had reached the pudding stage but, unbelievably, the delights had just started).

As we loosened our belts, a sample of main courses followed in quick succession with robust and homemade tastes tempered by milder nuances from the West. Innovative flavours included Alu Posto – a vegetarian delicacy made with poppy seeds, Mutton Rezalla, Mochar Chop served with a delicate banana flower cutlet, Kosha Mangsho – lamb in a thick, spicy sauce, Lucknowi Biryani and Prawn Malai curry. Digestion was aided by an authentic Bengali drink – Aam Porar Shorbet – tangy and sweetly flavoured, made from young mango fruit. Desserts included baked Sandesh and Mishti Doi (sweetened yoghurt with Batasha), plus in-house specials like Rossogolla and Bhapa Sondesh (steamed sweet derived from hung milk), Daber Payesh (Kheer with tender coconut), with a surprise treat in store at the culmination of the gourmet extravaganza – Mishti Paan (Betel Leaf with sweet stuffing), presumably served to sweeten the receipt.

Mainland China

 

 

 

It was a slightly heavier (yet undaunted), group that set out the following day on our second gastronomic journey to Mainland China at Gurusaday in Dutta Road, Calcutta near the Birla Industrial and Technological Museum.

A suave building of glass, black bricks and gold door furniture, the venue exudes exclusivity. Inside, the atmosphere is that of a busy diner with hints of China apparent in the wooden screens and trellises, vases and paintings. A buffet lines one wall from which you can choose any food you like from the major provinces of China from the light Hunan dishes to the more spicy Szechwan offerings. Especially renowned for its sublime Chinese Dim Sum, there is a tempting selection of steamed and fried dumplings with crisp fried dishes and wonderful seafood as well as meals cooked in a heavier sauces with specialities including Shanghai Roast Leg of Lamb with pancakes, roasted, stuffed Chinese cabbage, slices of fish with aniseed and mountain chilli, Roast Duck with Packchoy, Peking Duck and Chicken in Shaoxiang Wine and a wide range of rice and noodle dishes.

 

Flame and Grill

 

Forever forwards and onwards (or outwards!) - our next stop was the Flame and Grill at South City Mall where the intoxicating aroma of grilled kebabs of prawns, vegetables, mutton and chicken or Gosht Seekh Kebabs rises to meet the salivating diner. Seating 96 diners, the 3,000 feet square restaurant has a cheerful, homely atmosphere created by an orange glow from flame red walls and offers a unique dining experience that ensures you never have to rush your meal because the food is always hot.

Each table of six is set around an inset open grill or sigree in which thick aluminium beakers are inserted containing burning charcoal. Sizzling skewers of meat; chicken or mutton or Gosht Seekh Kebabs, jumbo prawns and vegetarian kebabs are laid on top. These are supplemented by an unlimited buffet with Biryanis, Dal Makhani, chicken or mutton and Paneers offered alongside salads and vegetarian options, plus a range of desserts and drinks.

Having dined so sumptuously in three of his world class restaurants, it’s apparent that the essence of Anjan’s success is in the creation of cuisines that take inspiration from traditional cooking and are then brought it bang up to date in exciting and innovative restaurants. Above all, Anjan is an entrepreneur with an ability to tap into the markets that serve the growing Indian middle class. With his latest ventures creating excitement across India - Mr Anjan Chatterjee’s dining revolution continues. Viva la revolution!

Taste of Britain Curry Festival takes British curry and Michelin star chef to Kolkata

Ever since Curry Life’s Taste of Britain Curry Festival launched at the 5-star Hyatt Regency Hotel, Kolkata on 23^rd August 2013 it seems diners can’t get enough of curries with a quintessentially British taste. 

The Taste of Britain Curry festival has previously had considerable success in Kolkata – in 2010 at Hotel Hindustan International, customers arrived in their droves for a taste of British curry cuisine. Nevertheless, it is something of a challenge for chefs to impress Bengali diners who are passionate about food and are used to cooking things in a certain way.

Over the course of the ten-day festival our five top curry chefs selected from across the UK are showcasing over 70 signature dishes with a flavour of Great Britain. The dream team of chefs includes Allam Shah Ullah of Sheffield Cutler’s Spice; Jamal Ahmed of the Shozna restaurant in Rochester; Tofozzul Miah from Bayleaf, Barnet in North London and Salim Ahmed Siddique from Raj Bari, Yarm in Stockton on Tees.  At the helm is Chef Partha Mittra, legendary chef at the Snooty Mehmaan restaurant in Faringdon, Oxfordshire.

This year, the festival sees an even more radical approach. Our team also includes Michelin star chef Dominic Chapman of The Royal Oak Paley Street in Berkshire who is championing the cause of traditional British foods. This could be described as a bit of a challenge. Consider this - after more than 200 years of rule by the British Raj, two of the relatively few Anglo culinary traditions adopted by the Indians were fish rissoles and salted beef tongue. From India on the other hand, the British gained their favourite food ever – curry!

Dominic, who recently gave a Masterclass about obtaining a Michelin star at Curry Life’s Chefs seminar, has the singular accolade of once being headhunted by celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal. After working with the great man for several years, Dominic went on to achieve even greater success at The Royal Oak Paley Street a 17th- century pub in Maidenhead, co-owned by Nick Parkinson, son of the well-loved TV personality Michael Parkinson.

This is Dominic’s first trip to India and he sees it as a great opportunity to learn more about Indian food and cooking; working alongside some of the best curry chefs in the business. He's also looking forward to getting out and about in Kolkata to find out more about the street foods and markets in the city.

At the press launch attended by the UK Deputy High Commissioner in Eastern India, Sanjay Wadvani, curious members of the media not only had the chance to test Anglo Indian fusion cuisine such as Chicken Tikka Masala and Lamb Pasanda, they were also served (if it’s not an oxymoron) British Scotch eggs and Lemon Tart.  Let me point out that this was no ordinary Scotch egg – it was a true Michelin star of an egg (quail in fact), slightly runny and surrounded by melt in the mouth minced lamb and crisp breadcrumbs.

Other Anglo Indian signature dishes cooked by the chefs included Shepherd’s Manpasand Pie, Lamb Chops with plum and coriander sauce and Bengal Lancers Shrimp Curry.

Having satisfied the appetites of members of the media, the festival launched on Friday 23^rd August in Hyatt’s prestigious Waterside Restaurant, attended by General Manager Britta Leick-Milde. Chief Guest Stephen Brice, Deputy Head of Mission & Consul Business Development (aka James Bond), cut the ribbon and the festival was underway.  Diners at the Hyatt have been suitably impressed ever since. We’ll let you know how the festival pans out (if you’ll excuse the pun), with recipes and photos.

The Taste of Britain Festival is taking place at The Hyatt Regency Hotel, JA-1, Sector III, Salt Lake City, Kolkata, WB 700098, India

Phone:+91 33 2335 1234

In Search of Pizza in Glorious Venezia!

On the recent Taste of Britain Curry Festival in Slovenia, we took a cultural trip to Venice to savour its wonderful architecture, scenic waterways, romantic atmosphere … and pizza.

 

Venice is not renowned for pizza; in fact it’s not even a typical Venetian dish, but a trip to Italy’s most romantic city wouldn’t be complete without sampling the food so loved all over the world. And we were hungry!

 

Pizza actually originated in the south of Italy, in Naples, when resourceful inhabitants decided to jazz up their leavened or unleavened flatbreads by adding garlic, lard, salt or cheese and, (after they were introduced into the country in 1548), tomatoes.

 

Today, pizza making is a profitable business – Italians eat over three billion of them a year. But according to recent reports, native Italians are shunning the traditional role of pizzaiaoili or pizza maker because of the long hours and hard work involved. Instead, the gap is being filled by the country’s immigrant workers who have more motivation and many of the cooks in Italy’s 25,000 pizzerias now hail from Egypt, Bangladesh or even the Ukraine.

 

Whatever nationality, we found there were still plenty of chefs to man the hundreds of takeaways, pizzerias or simple hole-in-the-wall outlets that form part of almost every street and piazza of Venice. Wandering from the station, through narrow streets, lined with shops, window boxes and washing, our stomachs were set rumbling by fragrant smells emanating from wood burning stoves. Inside shops pizzaioili stretched uncooked balls of leavened dough by hand or with a rolling pin, sometimes performing air acrobatics with the discs for the entertainment of passers-by.  The pizzas were gargantuan, in raised Neapolitan style or flat Roman, smothered in gorgonzola or mozzarella with artichokes and musky chorizo they adorned shop windows and tempted with their smiling rings of thinly sliced peppers and onions.  

 

As we were in the most beautiful city in the world we put our hunger on hold to admire the wonder of our surroundings. They were stunning. Venice is an island within islands – 118 of them to be precise - separated by canals and joined by 409 bridges. Not so many years ago the whole city was sinking and there were fears it would eventually disappear into the marshy lagoon in which it was built. Now, thanks to a ban on the Artesian wells which supplied local industry, the world famous buildings and precious art works are safe and visited by thousands of tourists every year.

 

 

The city is made for strolling and part of the joy of a visit to Venice is in soaking up the atmosphere. Eventually, and inevitably, we wound our way into the breathtaking Piazza San Marco, or St Mark’s Square. Flanked by the Basilica di San Marco, a great dome shaped church and the Doge’s Palace, the Square is also populated by thousands of tame pigeons which provide hours of amusement for tourists (and chefs). In the famous Caffé Florian, established in 1720, we paid the equivalent of a small ransom for a coffee but it was worth it to take in the delights of the piazza, listen to the small orchestra play, and watch the elegance of the aperitivo or promenade taken by Italians to see and be seen.

 

At the evocatively named Bridge of Sighs under which prisoners used to go on their way to and from the courts and prisons, the Grand Canal opened out before us. The busiest waterway in the city has all the movement, light and colour of a Canaletto painting. Three bridges cross the Grand Canal, the most famous being the Rialto built in 1588 with its double row of shops selling souvenirs, gold and Venetian carnival masks. A gondola ride, particularly a serenaded one, would have been the ultimate in romance but was, sadly, matched in price. The next best thing, a traghetto; is a similar vessel but one in which passengers have to stand, balancing precariously as they cross the waterway. A cheaper and more stable option is humble waterbus, or vaporetto which takes passengers on a fascinating journey away from the tourist hot spots along the back routes of the city.

 

At the Bacaro lounge in San Marco, gondoliers join the chic and trendy to eat, piatto del giorno (or plate of the day) priced from ten euros.  If we hadn’t had our sights set on pizza, more, typical Venetian recipes served in traditional restaurants include Sarde in Saor – sweet and sour sardines or Risotto di Zucca; risotto with pumpkins, onion and parmesan cheese. The local pasta is bigoli; a thick and coarse spaghetti sometimes black when mixed with squid ink, seasoned with fish or game sauces.

 

As for pizza, there were endless possibilities. In the Arte della Pizza, a hole in the wall restaurant off the Strada Nova, a huge pizza cost around six euros; or at Ae Oche in the Santa Croce area, we could have chosen from 90 types of wood-fired pizzas. All’Anfora on Lista Bari offered a plethora of traditional pizzas loaded with local tasty produce. Near the Rialto Bridge, the Muro restaurant specialised in calzone, and cicchetti (tapas) while the Antica Birraria la Corte on Calle S Bernando, a former bull fight pen, served up traditional pizzas with arugula, bresaola – a salted, seasoned aged beef - and Grana Padana.

 

Unfortunately, all we can only imagine how wonderful all these were. In desperation we satiated our hunger at a rather touristy restaurant behind St Mark’s Square where the immigrant pizza makers served up a bland Capricciosa pizza, and a coke at five euros a can. After feasting our eyes on so many varieties, it was, admittedly, a slight anticlimax. But eating the world’s most popular food in its home country and in the most beautiful city in the world was an experience to be savoured forever and anyway, now that the city’s no longer sinking, there’ll always be a next time.

 

The Curry Life Team stayed at Hotel Park, Ljubljana Tabor 9, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Phone:+386 1 300 25 00

 

 

 

Ljubljana - the small but perfectly formed capital of Slovenia

The Curry Life Taste of Britain Festival travelled to Ljubljana in Slovenia to introduce its inhabitants to British-Asian cuisine. Here we take a look at the city famous for dragons; architecture and a type of sausage called Krajska Klobasa, and discover that the best things come in small packages...

Set in the centre of scenic Slovenia, Ljubljana is a fairytale city of humpbacked bridges, fabulous statues, dreamy fountains and ornate monuments. According to legend, the town was founded after the Greek mythological hero, Jason, slayed its resident dragon. Today, with dragons firmly banished to statues and coats of arms, Ljubljana is a romantic and picturesque place where culture is celebrated and life is bohemian.

With a population of just 270,000, the city is “made to the measure of man,” so is small enough to explore on foot. Alternatively, tourists can follow the example of many of its residents by cycling or taking the city bus through the historic streets to visit a host of accessible landmarks, art galleries, museums, cafés, bars and restaurants.

Lying between Vienna and Venice on important transport routes through Europe, Ljubljana has seen more than its fair share of turmoil over the centuries. Hit by devastating earthquakes in 1511 and 1895 and ruled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire and France, it was occupied by the Italians and Germans in the twentieth century. At the end of the Second World War, the city was surrounded by a barbed wire fence for three years, later becoming part of the post-war creation of the socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Somewhere in between the two wars, one man informed the character and buildings of the city to make it rank as one of the 20^th century’s greatest total works of art: the architect, Jože Plečnik whose work re-designing the walkways and squares, renovating bridges and buildings, was carried on by his pupils and gave the city its distinctive appearance that blends classical with new.

When Slovenia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, Ljubljana shook off all vestiges of its Soviet past to become a young and modern centre. But history is still integral to the overall experience of the city; a walk through the Old Town takes you from the medieval squares of Mestin and Gornji Trg, past the elegant, Baroque facades created after the first earthquake, to the walls and postern gates of the Roman city of Emona, west of the town centre.

 

Sightseeing is a relaxed and pleasant affair in Ljubljana – after all, it was awarded the title of the world’s “most honest city” by Readers Digest. The vast and leafy Tivoli Park and Botanic Gardens stretch right into the centre and the River Ljubljanica offers the opportunity for leisurely strolls along its banks lined with trendy cafés and restaurants. Boat trips take the traveller under the city’s famous bridges; the art noveau Dragon Bridge guarded by four detailed dragon statues; the Cobblers Bridge, named for the cobblers’ workshops that used to occupy it, and the Triple Bridge, with its pedestrian walkways on either side of the original stone structure. 

Dominating the entire city is the medieval Ljubljana Castle, open daily and accessible by a funicular railway, tourist road train or on foot. Boasting a jail, Gothic chapel and ubiquitous dragon, tourists can climb a tower to view the city and surrounding alps or visit the Virtual museum to experience a three dimensional world.

Museum attractions include the Museum of Modern Art, the National Gallery and Museum of Slovenia. There are also numerous street markets with jazz and blues shops, bookshops and antiques – the Central Market in Vodnikov Trg. sells fruit, vegetables and herbs with Slovenian specialities including proscuitto and potica cake. In Ljubljana Old Town, five squares blend into each other to form one long shopping mall with antiques, handmade Idria lace and souvenirs. Downtown, the city teems with trendy cafés, bars and high class restaurants offering cuisine ranging from typical Slovenian fare to the fresh fish including calamari, John Dory, Scorpion fish or crab in the romantic setting of Ribca Bistro, or more intrepid diners may want to sample a horse burger at the Hot Horse restaurant. Nightlife entertainment usually goes on into the small hours with jazz, rock and electronic venues.

With Lake Bled just a one and a half hours drive and the Adriatic coast within 30km, the city is a gateway to the beautiful landscapes and exciting terrain of the rest of Slovenia, with the mysterious Ljubljana Marshes natural park, the Karst subterranean limestone caverns, lakes, forests and Alpine landscapes to explore.

 

The Curry Life team stayed at Hotel Park - Tabor 9, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Phone:+386 1 300 25 00

 

 

 

Recipe for Bekti Paturi

Bekti Paturi – a typical Bengali preparation of fresh bekti (fish) and mustard

Serves 1

Ingredients

For Paturi

180 grams            Baby bekti fillet

30 grams              Yellow mustard seeds

30 grams              Black mustard seeds

10 grams              Green chilli

2 grams                                Black onion seeds

30 grams              Natural yoghurt

5 grams                                Turmeric powder

10 grams              Salt

1                              Banana leaf

Method

For bekti paturi

Soak both the mustard seeds and green chilli in water for about 20 minutes – strain the water and make a paste of the seeds

Mix the paste with the onion seed, turmeric, yoghurt and salt

Marinate the bekti fillet with the mixture and keep aside for 30 minutes

Lightly heat the banana leaf on an open flame (this makes it soft and pliable) put the marinated fish on top and wrap it

Steam for 10 minutes

Serve with steamed brown rice or basmati rice

The Magnificent Seven: They Came, They Cooked, They Conquered!

 

 

They may sound as if they’ve stepped out of a Spaghetti Western but the ‘Magnificent Seven’ who took Slovenia by storm at the recent Taste of Britain festival were no gun slinging cowboys – they were an elite posse of chefs – and they were armed with curry powder.

Mohammed Azad from Cafe Saffron in Shrewsbury, Shah Ansar Ali from Bengal Paradise, Suhel Ahmed from Aroma Spice in Hampstead, Syeduz Zaman Kamran from India Lounge in Wigan, Juber Ahmed from Fetcham Tandoori in Surrey, Allam Shah Ullah from Cutlers Spice in Sheffield, and Kaysar Ahmed from Zeera Restaurant in Potters Bar, were selected from hundreds of chefs to showcase the best of British Indian cuisine in Europe.

They were then jetted over to sub zero temperatures in Slovenia, accompanied by some of the restaurant owners.

And, despite having to contend with some of the heaviest snowfalls Slovenia’s capital city of Ljubljana had seen for years, diners not only thronged to the festival to sample the chefs’ curry dishes ... they kept coming back for more.

But there was not only food on offer; visitors were also able to experience a unique programme of events ranging from spectacular banquets to traditional Bangladeshi dancing and cookery demonstrations which took place throughout the week.

The Taste of Britain Curry Festival was organised by Curry Life, the British Embassy Ljubljana UK Trade and Investment and Hotel Park with the aim of promoting the curry industry, chefs and restaurants in Slovenia and Central Europe.

The launch took place on 21 February with a two-day trade exhibition at the prestigious Cankarjev Dom. Industry icons such as Eurofoods, Kingfisher Beer Europe, East End Foods Plc and The Authentic Food Company were able to showcase their wares and meet key wholesalers, restaurateurs and distributors. Delegates attending from ten European countries including Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Serbia and Croatia, had a unique opportunity to forge links and explore possibilities for future trade and development.

The day of networking was followed by an exclusive Evening Reception hosted by HE the British Ambassador in Slovenia, Andrew Page, when invited guests could mingle in a more relaxed atmosphere before sampling a wonderful banquet of more than 50 fusion dishes prepared by the seven master chefs.

Speaking at the Press Launch led by Festival Organisers Syed Belal Ahmed and Syed Nahas Pasha, the British Ambassador HE Andrew Page and Urša Malovrh, Manager of Hotel Park, Mr Ahmed recognised that the festival had been only possible with the support of the Ambassador and his team and the owners and staff of Hotel Park.

He said he had fallen in love with Ljubljana after the festival in 2012 when the team was given such a warm welcome: “Last year’s event had such an impressive response from the city and beyond I think people realised what they were missing out on,” he said. “There is huge potential for ethnic food in Slovenia and I hope this event will initiate more curry houses over here.”

HE Andrew Page also remarked how the success of last year’s festival inspired him and his team to work with Central European network countries to bring buyers from further afield. “There is a lot of potential for British companies to get a foothold in these untapped markets,” he said. He reminded the audience that 60 years ago when the recipe for Coronation Chicken was created to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s accession to the throne, curry was almost unknown. “Now, two thirds of people in Britain who go out for a meal go for a curry,” he said.

Urša Malovrh manager of Hotel Park commented on how pleased Hotel Park was to host the Taste of Britain Curry Festival once more: “We were amazed at how popular and successful the festival was last year – people came from all over the country and even from other countries, to try a taste of curry,” she said.

Currying Favour at Hotel Park

 

The festival relocated to Hotel Park until 27 February where diners were able to sample a buffets and a la carte dinners cooked by the Magnificent Seven. Dishes included signature dishes of Naga Chicken Balti, Spicy beef cutlet, Dal Gosht and Allo Chop, not forgetting the British favourites of Chicken Tikka Masala and Balti. Many VIP guests attended such as the Indian Ambassador in Ljubljana and his family who commented on the variety and quality of cuisine on offer.

The chefs also took part in various cookery demonstrations including one for teachers and pupils of the British school. Having created something of a media sensation, they were feted by local and national press and TV.

But it wasn’t all hard work – the intrepid seven also had a chance to grab a quick sightseeing tour of Zagreb in Croatia and Venice in Italy as well as taking in some of the local attractions in the beautiful capital city itself and, of course, shopping.

At the end of the festival it was apparent that Slovenians had taken the chefs to their hearts. But did they think Indian food was something that could become more popular in the country?

“Yes, I like spicy food and this curry is special,” said Marko, a visitor from Ljubljana. “At the moment there are only two Indian restaurants in Ljubljana and I would really like to see more opening up. We like to try different foods and it would be good if we could try a selection of everything.”

“We’ve tried green or red Thai curries before but we have never experienced food this hot – but it’s really good!,”added his companion.

“I have eaten curry before in the UK and I loved it,” commented Bojan who had stopped off at the hotel on his way to Maribor, “So to find it here in Ljubljana was a big surprise. For me, anything that may help bring curry to Slovenia should be encouraged and embraced.”

Jana Verk, Head of UK Trade and Investment at the British Embassy who played a key role in organising the events said she was absolutely delighted as to how the festival had gone: “All the hard work has paid off. The chefs have performed magnificently and it has been a pleasure to work with such a friendly and enthusiastic team,” she said. “I hope that events such as this will help to bring more ethnic food to Slovenia.”

“It was great to showcase our cuisine to such appreciative customers,” said Allam Shah Ullah, chef of Sheffield’s Cutlers Spice. “We’ve received a fantastic reception and we’re all extremely proud to  have been selected to represent Bangladeshi and Indian food in Europe. Who knows? Maybe soon curry will be as popular in Slovenia as it is in the UK.”