World on my plate

A few weeks ago Chef Manuel Olveira launched Vamos Brunch at La Loca Maria Bandra Vamos means Letrsquos go in Spanish and it features Olveirarsquos favourite dish Mariarsquos Benedict which is poached eggs served on an English muffin with hollandaise poached salmon and hold your forkmdashoscietra caviar Russian Sturgeon roe native to the Caspian Sea No standalone restaurant in the city serves caviar on their breakfast menu and it costs Olveira a whopping R10000 per 30 g The salmon too is Norwegian and costs Rs 1990 per kg The dish is Rs 1650 This means more often than not Olveira bears the cost of the caviar ldquoWe want to serve our guests the best Theyrsquoll remember us once they get used to caviar because thatrsquos where they first had itrdquoChef Manuel Olveira wants to serve his guests the best even if it means he has to take up some of the cost of the expensive imported ingredientsNothing comes close to the rich flavour firm texture and flakiness of the salmon from Norway which can be attributed to the cold clean waters there ldquoOscietra caviar is highly sought after renowned for its nutty creamy flavour Together the distinct flavours elevate the simplicity of eggs benedict by creating a luxurious multilayered flavour experiencerdquo Olveira addsSourcing however isnrsquot always easy At Lyla BKC for instance Chef Beena Norhona sources the Mexican ancho pasillo arbol and guajillo chillies for the lamb birria quesatacos from an importer in China because one cannot import directly from Mexico ldquoYou need direct contacts and import licence which arenrsquot easy Of course we look for local produce as much as possible but being a speciality restaurant certain ingredients cannot be compromised Mexican chillies offer a wide range of flavour profilesmdashfrom spicy to tangy to fruity each bringing a distinct character to the dish For instance the ancho is sweet smoky and mildly spicy with flavours reminiscent of raisins coffee and chocolate In contrast the pasilla is earthy and rich with berries chocolate and liquorice notes The guajillo is tangy and sweet with a mild heat featuring flavours of green tea berries and smoky undertones In contrast the arbol is hot with a clean straightforward heat and a slightly nutty flavourrdquo she adds These are often out of stock so to stay consistent on the menu Norhona needs to order them in advance and store them properlyThe okra for Avatararsquos Okra thecha comes from a supplier in DubaiAt The Table Colaba Will Aghajanian imports Belgian endives NZ Haas avocado truffles caviar New Zealand lamb and Italian Carnaroli rice for risotto because there isnrsquot a quality Indian equivalent or because using the indigenous original is integral to the dish ldquoThe local lamb is a suckling goat so if one wants to use actual lamb it is the imported one They are different in flavour toordquo he addsChef Sarfaraz Ahmed says while many ingredients are available locally there is a massive difference in the quality standard of the imported variantsrsquo colour flavour and sizeAt Akina Chef Rahul Punjabi calls for yukari shiso seeds from Aichi Prefecture of Japan at Rs 1730 per kg These are roasted and ground to be used as a seasoning for sesame cucumbers Chukka wakame R2500 per kg and kai sou seaweed from Ariake sea fisheries in Japan R2200 per kg are used in the seaweed salad ldquoThe chukka wakame comes in fresh and the kai sou is an algae that we rehydrate It gives a soft snap to the salad The taste and texture of seaweed depend on the mineral content of the ocean water The microorganisms krill school fish and predatory fish all work together like one living organism giving ocean water in Japan a unique umami that transfers onto the seaweed The chukka wakame that we source comes packaged in the original ocean water maintaining the unique flavour It is a subtle taste that Japanophiles can appreciaterdquo says PunjabiSarfaraz AhmedSimilarly the best quality shiso grows in Japan and the farmers there believe in using all parts of the plant ldquoOn our research trips to Japan we noticed the chef using yukari as a garnish for nigiri and the flavour and crunch were lovely Taking inspiration we chose to source yukari and use it as an umami crunch for our dishrdquo Sandhita is a warm salad at Avatara with broccolini a mix of kale and broccoli that they source from Chiang Mai Thailand at R1500 per kg It adds a crunch to the salad and pairs perfectly with baby carrots lending its mellow taste with slightly bitter notes and a bit of sweetness and crunchWill AghajanianFor Carnivalrsquos kohlrabi taco Jerusalem artichoke comes from Holland at R1800 per kg A native of North America artichokes are cultivated in Europe and are in great demand Served as the first course as a part of their 14course degustation menu artichoke is served as a mere garnish as fried chips but it lends a smoky flavour and crispy texture to go perfectly with the yoghurt cremieux For their tandoori portobello steak the portobello mushroom comes from France Chef Sarfaraz Ahmed Carnival By TresInd Santacruz and TresInd BKC says their restaurants struggle to find highgrade quality produce from India ldquoWe have tried sourcing the mushrooms locally however being native to Europe and specifically in France the cremini mushroom are our best bet for its meaty texture and umami flavour to cater to the vegetarian audience looking for a rich experiencerdquo he addsWakame and Rahul PunjabiExotic ingredients arenrsquot the only thing that is imported For vegetarian restaurant Avatara Head Chef Sanket Joshi imports parsnip from Holland at R1400 per kg for a dish called Vrihi Although it is grown in India some of the best parsnip comes from Europe where it grows on hills The cold climates help develop their sweet flavour Also our topical climate makes it challenging to grow the root vegetable yearround in India ldquoParsnip has lovely nutty and earthy peppery notes When caramelised it gives tartness and an umami flavour It goes very well in pandra rassa originally a nonveg delicacy thus making it as close in flavour as the originalrdquo says JoshiBUFF CARPACCIO and ESQUITESFor Alpahara an okra chilli thecha the okramdashthough available locallymdashis imported from Dubai Joshi saw a massive difference in the quality standard of the ingredientsrsquo colour flavour and size ldquoInterestingly one source in Dubai matched the description we aimed to achieve Okra has a subtle and grassy flavour and thecha is the exact opposite giving a robust punch of flavoursrdquo says JoshiAt Bandra Born Chef Gresham Fernandes too imports a host of ingredients including meats belgian pork smoked and fresh salmon duck soy sake mirin and grana ldquoItrsquos crucial in maintaining the quality of our dishes with the best ingredients For instance I prefer using soy from Japan because they have a 1000year legacy of excellence The same applies for the other ingredients we import These choices ensure that every dish we serve meets the highest standards honouring the culinary traditions wersquove built uponrdquo Fernandes addsJason HudanishAt POMPA Chef Jason Hudanish imports chipotle morita chilli a darker spicier version of dried chipotle used in different dishes and salsa or marinades We use these in esquite or elote where the chipotle aioli containing morita creates a spicy smokey flavour The dish is topped with shaved corn and more morita powder and dorito mix which also has morita In buff carpaccio we generously apply morita powder and oil to raw thinly shaved buff finished by chipotle aioli giving it a creamy texture The Al pastor paneer taco a new addition to the menu is topped with roasted tomato chipotle salsa giving that heat and smokiness from the morita chilli Itrsquos a great spin on an al pastor style typically done with porkrdquo he adds