Food: Kunal Vijayakar, Maria Goretti on why community cuisine is important

Maria Goretti. Pics/Sameer Markande

"Tell him I'm waiting with a sharp knife," says a mock-stern Maria Goretti, sitting at It Happened In New York, as we inform her that Kunal Vijayakar is running late. But once he arrives, the knives are out of the window. They give each other a high-five for shared love of Kheema Pao from Good Luck Café, both salivate over the Kashmiri Wazwan of Aab Gosht and Gushtaba and concur that their community cuisine - East Indian and Pathare Prabhu, respectively - needs to be preserved. We feel like a fly on the wall as we watch the famous television personalities and cookbook authors - Maria has penned From My Kitchen To Yours (recently bagged the national award at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards) and Kunal has curated recipes from his travels in Made In India - catch up over a hearty Sunday lunch.

Kunal: One of our first meetings was for Alyque Padamsee's play, Roshni (1995). Maria and Arshad [Warsi] were dancing; Boman [Irani] was acting for the first time. Arshad had a trident and he had to throw it in the wings...
Maria: Yes! Boman was standing in the wings and the trident hit his head. He still has a mark. Kunal would also invite us over for these lovely dinners. Why did you stop hosting them?
Kunal: I'm single, and live alone. I've almost shut my kitchen since my trusted, old domestic help passed away. She was with me for 41 years. But I remember enjoying some great biryani at your house, back when Arshad was just about to sign his first film. Does he still cook?
Maria: Oh yes. He makes an awesome slow-cooked Raan Biryani.

Krutika: Do you believe cookbooks are a draw in times of Internet recipes?
Maria: Yes. While I might look up the Internet to learn a technique, I love the feel of the pages, and cooking from them.
Kunal: Especially Maria's book. I've even tried a couple of recipes when we were in Alibaug with Cyrus [Broacha] and his family. I know of people who've cooked recipes from my book too. Thankfully, they worked. Phew!

(Watermelon & Chevre Salad, Pork Ribs, Piripiri Spiced Prawns and Chorizo arrive)
Kunal: Oh, the chorizo is lovely! (digs into the salad). The saltiness of feta goes so well with the watermelon, and the pine nuts are crunchy.
Maria: For my kids, Zeke and Zene, I make a sandwich version with watermelon discs, cream cheese and rocket leaves. It's healthy and interesting.
Kunal: Do you cook East Indian food at home? You should open a bar! An intimate space with only four dishes every evening - curry, sorpotel, rice and bread.
Maria: That's a beautiful idea. But I am not good with business (laughs). I think I should do pop-ups. They are a great way to introduce people to community cuisines.

Kunal: It's important to preserve the wealth of recipes, or they'll be lost.
Maria: Like Poha Kaanfat; it's a dish I tried last when my grandmother was alive. It's named after the tender meat behind a goat's ear, which would be used in a mutton gravy, and mixed with soaked poha. They would serve it as a starter with drinks. I also remember my paternal grandmother making kheema pattice at home from scratch, including the puff pastry.

Kunal Vijayakar and Maria Goretti bond over a hearty lunch at It Happened In New York in Bandra

Kunal: We lived in Chowpatty and my grandparents would experiment with exotic dishes like Smoked Fish and Stuffed Chicken from recipe books. What's lacking in Mumbai is the non-vegetarian street fare, which is only restricted to old areas like Mohammad Ali Road. There was a restaurant called Grant House at Crawford Market, which would make Maharashtrian-style kheema, which wasn't green in colour.
Maria: The green colour reminds me… Arshad is very particular about the green paya. I made it using bottle masala, and he dismissed it completely! I feel Northeastern cuisine is lacking in Mumbai. Maybe, because it is difficult to replicate here.
Kunal: Water makes a difference too.
Maria: That's why, I end up buying readymade stuff from my travels. Like, I bought curry masalas and rice powder to make string hoppers from Sri Lanka.
Kunal: Oh, me too. Also, Mumbai's eating habits have changed. Back in the day, men would only talk about money, cars, sex and maybe, cricket. Now they talk about food too. Television has played a huge role in people's eating habits.
Maria: Totally! Thanks to Masterchef, Zeke always has an opinion on my food. He will take a bite and go, 'I think it should be a little less dry…'

(We move on to dessert)
Maria: (tries Bourbon Infused Belgian Chocolate Ice Cream) I think they've just used bourbon flavouring, not alcohol. Here, try mango ice cream.
Kunal: Thanks but I'll stick to chocolate. I love mango in aamras. That too Payri, not Alphonso.