He is the only chef in the world who has worked for 50 years for a single organization the Landmark Taj Mahal Hotel Mumbai as Director Food Production in charge of the entire Western & Southern Region across India.
MASALA BHAT (Spicy Vegetable Rice)
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
- Basmati Rice: 500 gms
- Water: 1.1litre
- Sliced Onions: 150 gms
- Green Chillies: 4 nos
- Garlic Cloves: 3 nos
- Potato Cubes: 30 gms
- Aubergine Cubes: 30gms
- Cauliflower florets : 100gms
- Oil: 2 table spoons
- Cardamom: 5 nos
- Cinnamon Stick: 1 nos
- Cumin Seeds: 8gms
- Cloves: 4nos
- Curry leaves: 10 nos
- Bay Leaves: 3 nos
- Turmeric Powder: 5gms
- Red Chilli powder: 8gms
- Coriander Powder: 10gms
- Freshly grated Coconut: 70gms
- Green Peas: 60gms
- Fried Cashew nuts: 20gms
- Salt: to taste
- Chopped Coriander Leaves: 10gms
METHOD
- Pre-soak rice for 30 minute, once done wash under cold running water.
2. Heat oil in a dry pan crackle the whole spices i.e. cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves & curry leaves.
3. Once the whole spices start to crackle, add in sliced onions and sauté them on a medium flame till they turn golden brown in colour.
4. Reduce the flame to slow and add in the whole green chillies & chopped garlic, followed by the powdered spices i.e. turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder. Continue to stir and cook on a low flame.
5. Add in the fresh grated coconut stir well for even distribution with the spice mix. Cook on low flame for 4-5 minutes.
6. Mix in the vegetables i.e. peas, potatoes, aubergine and cauliflower.
7. Add in 100 ml of water and continue to cook on a medium flame.
8. Bring mix to a boil and then simmer. Continue till the vegetables are half cooked.
9. Add in the pre washed rice mix well followed by the remaining water. Stir gently till rice is evenly distributed in the pan and mix with the vegetables. At this stage, add salt to taste. Mix gently.
10. Reduce the flame to low. Seal the pot with silver foil and place a lid on top to prevent steam from escaping.
11. Cook the rice for 20 minutes on very low flame. After 20 minutes, open remove the lid and the foil. Gently open the rice.
12. Portion the rice in a serving dish and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and fried cashew nuts.
About Chef Arora:
Legendary Chef Satish Arora presently sits on the board of DSI Foods London besides being the Culinary Director for Mahec by Satish Arora which is an award winning fine dining Indian Restaurant at the famous Le Meridien hotel in Dubai. Chef Arora began his culinary journey with flagship Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai. Chef Arora is the only chef in the world, to work for five decades for a single hotel chain “Taj Group of Hotels”. It is on record that he was the youngest Executive Chef ever of the Taj Mahal Hotel Mumbai at the age of 26 in 1973 and later became Chef Culinaire & Director Food Production. An ambassador of Indian food he represented our country and promoted Indian cuisine globally. Not only did he contribute immensely to the hospitality industry within India but revolutionized the skies with his culinary charisma when he took over the responsibility of the then Taj Air Caterers which is now TajSats. Singapore Airlines took him on their International Culinary Panel. He was rubbing shoulders with the likes of Gordon Ramsay, George Blanc. He was on their panel for nine years.
Legends like him seldom hang their apron. Soon after completing 50 years with The Taj Group Chef Arora was approached by DSI Food Ltd a travel & retail food manufacturer from U.K and appointed as their honorary Board of Directors. He is internationally regarded for defining and promoting Indian cuisine globally. Arora has catered to royalty and dignitaries across the globe.
Born in Jalandhar Punjab in 1947, Chef Arora did his schooling in New Delhi. He later pursued diploma in catering from the IHM Pusa, in 1966. He also completed specialization course in Kitchen Planning & Production from IHM Pusa in 1967. He comes from an Army background family and against his father’s wish he chose to join hotel industry, and the rest is history.
Chef Arora remained steadfast in his brand loyalty and earned positions in the hierarchy through hard work. No sooner appointed as executive chef at Taj Mahal Mumbai in 1973, he went to Europe to promote Goan food as Taj was opening a hotel in Goa. In 1975, he was sent to Far East to promote Indian cuisine there. In 1990, he prepared meals for Queen Elizabeth and the entire Royalty for the President of India’s banquet in London. Again in 1991; he cooked for Prince Charles’ banquet for Indian industrialists, in London.
Chef Arora won Gold Medal in Culinary Olympics in Japan in 1987 organised by the prestigious Okura Hotel. He was declared one among the world’s 20 best chefs by a German Food Magazine in 1991. In 1994, his contribution to the culinary field was recognized through an award given by Late Padma Shri Thangam Philip. In 2005, he was named in the Hall of Fame by the Indian Federation of Culinary Association (IFCA). In 2007, he received the lifetime achievement award from Curry Club India in London, a medal from Swiss Press Club, lifetime achievement award by Hotel Purchasing Manager’s Forum (HPMF) and lifetime achievement award from FoodFood channel. He was also awarded life time achievements award from Indian Culinary forum (ICF) by the hands of former union minister Shashi Tharoor.
Among the many dignitaries whom Chef Arora has catered to are Bill Clinton, former US President; Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth of England; John Major, former UK PM, American astronaut Neil Armstrong. Smt.Indira Gandhi, former PM of India. He was also appointed chef to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Prime Minister of India, for two years. He has travelled extensively on board with former PM on several occasions. Arora also catered to His Highness Prince Aga Khan, film personalities like Dharmendra, Amrish Puri and Yash Chopra. He designed menu for Bollywodd film actress Mumtaz’s wedding, Bobby Deol’s wedding and Shatrughan Sinha’s wedding to name a few. He also catered to leading cricketers that includes Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar. The list is endless. He headed many prestigious events that includes in charge of the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) meals in Goa, in charge of SAARC heads of Governments Catering in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1998.
Chef Arora has recently launched his range of Ready to Eat Indian ready meals across 700 stores nationwide of Sainsburys high street retailer in U.K
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
