Science on the Dinner Plate

Tiny bubbles of foam that layer the coconut cake at Koh,by Ian Kittichai,lend it a nice hint of beer.

Tiny bubbles of foam that layer the coconut cake at Koh,by Ian Kittichai,lend it a nice hint of beer. However,the chef has supplemented the alcoholic beverage with the ingredient called lecithin to create the foam effect while keeping the flavour intact. A form of protein found in soy and egg yolks,lecithin is technically a chemical,albeit naturally sourced. But the chef isnt boasting about his unique find to diners because the sub-sect of the culinary arts applied here,molecular gastronomy,isnt widely known among Indian diners and may be misconstrued.

Molecular gastronomy is a food science. It can help enhances the dining experience only if chefs understand its techniques and their relation to texture. Although it has been in use in the West for nearly two decades,it has begun to find takers in India only recently. But many believe it incorporates chemicals,even though most derivatives used in the cuisine salts,algae and gelling agents come from natural elements, says Chef Vineet Bhatia,who uses a few aspects of the food science in his restaurants around the world,including Zia at The Oberoi and F Bar,Lounge and Diner,Mumbai. He recently introduced Mumbai to tomato caviar by adding drops of fresh tomato juice to a vat of warm water mixed with calcium carbonate. The pearls that formed were then garnished with marigold petals and served to guests.

Paul Kini,executive chef at InterContinental Marine Drive,is a fan of Sous Vide vacuuming a bag of meat and then slow cooking it in a hot-water bath,one of the most common techniques of the cuisine. Its a good way to cook chicken because it leaves the texture juicy,soft and tender, he says,adding that because it doesnt come in contact with water,it leaves the meats nutrients intact. But the problem is that it looks pink even after being cooked and people send it back thinking it is raw. So,Kini limits such meats to fillings in wraps and sandwiches.

Apart from the bias,there is also the fact that molecular gastronomy requires a careful understanding of how different ingredients react together,which may explain why a few chefs are employing it. At a wine-tasting event at Four Seasons Hotel,Worli,Chef Clinton Cooper placed a piece of candy on top of the sorbet,which,like Pop Rocks,crackled when they came in contact with the tongue. Cooper also served a Dulce-de-Leche ice-cream that was frozen in less than two minutes using liquid nitrogen. A lot of this cuisine can be dangerous if not used properly, he says,recounting how he had once popped a piece of nitrogen-frozen stra-wberry,which stuck to his cheek.

At Ellipsis,Colaba,Chef Kelvin Cheung uses lecitin for tomatoes,coconuts and Parmesan to air. Much like a foam,it creates stronger molecules of air that trap flavours,releasing them gradually to appease the olfactory senses. But molecular gastronomy isnt my style, says the Canadian chef,who studied some techniques in a culinary school and while working in commercial kitchens.

Also,the cuisine requires specialised equipment such as emulsion circulator and liquid nitrogen units,in addition to the niche ingredients. This can drive up costs. This form of cooking calls for a laboratory, says Kini,adding that it will be hard to have a menu dedicated to molecular gastronomy. Cooper agrees. We only offer these on special occasions,and even then it increases the cost by Rs 3,500-4,000 per head, he says.

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