Taking the Heat

HAVING entered the industry in 1979, Nagaraj says her job requires managerial skills but it helps that she enjoys interacting with people. ‘‘Women can have babies and still manage both home and a career,’’ she says. ‘‘But no one is saying I can do this and you can’t. There’s enough for both to work well together.’’

Does the language in the kitchen bother her? ‘‘Does the heat? Again, it’s a way of life. Don’t you hear the same language on the streets?’’ Today, a chef can no longer remain at the back of the house, and no one knows this better than Nagaraj. Her speciality is Continental cuisine.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken
INGREDIENTS
2 chicken breasts
30 gm grated Parmesan cheese
10 gm breadcrumbs
25 gm shredded spinach
6 thin slices of tomato
15 ml balsamic vinaigrette
12 ml olive oil
1 egg white
50 gm cooked linguini
20 gm tomato basil sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
Dip seasoned chicken breasts in beaten egg white and then coat with Parmesan cheese and bread crumb mix.

Heat olive oil in a pan and place the breaded chicken breast in it. Turn after three minutes and let the chicken cook on a low flame till golden brown on both sides. (If needed, finish cooking in the oven for four to five minutes.)

Place fresh spinach on the left side of a plate. Place the tomato slices on the spinach and sprinkle balsamic vinaigrette on both. Toss the linguini in tomato sauce. Place the cooked chicken breasts on tomatoes. Serve with linguini in tomato sauce (on the right side of the plate).

MANISHA BHASIN
Executive Chef
Marriott, New Delhi

An industry veteran of 18 years, Bhasin says the atmosphere in star kitchens has vastly improved. In 2003, she was awarded a certificate of culinary excellence by the Marriott Hotels Worldwide, for which she was chosen from among 4,000 professionals. She was the only Asian to make the grade.

Balancing her career and home (she has two children) with little fuss, she says, ‘‘The rule that chefs don’t cook at home applies to me too.’’

Bhasin’s speciality is Western food and her passion is presentation.

Cumin and Tomato Marinated Lamb Chops
INGREDIENTS
8 lamb chops
1/2 tsp roasted cumin
1/2 cup tomato purée
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/4 cup freshly chopped coriander
1/2 tsp crushed black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste

METHOD
Make the marinade with all ingredients except the chops. Clean the bones and marinate the lamb chops for two to three hours. Heat a hot plate or tava, and sear each side. It takes about eight to 10 minutes. Serve with home fries and a breadcrumb-thyme relish.

JULIA CARMEN DE SA
Executive Chef
Taj Residency, Bangalore

DE SA says she drifted into hotel management school but 17 years later, she’s clearly hooked. ‘‘You can’t be a chef by thinking it’s just a job,’’ she says. De Sa puts in nine to 16 hours a day and thrives on challenge.

Her rule of thumb is to be honest with the guest, especially when she’s ‘‘goofed up’’. A Goan, her speciality is coastal food and fusion. Today’s chef must have fantastic PR and the confidence that every dish is par excellence, she says.

As for the abuses flying across the kitchen—‘‘It’s shop talk, and if you don’t join in, it’s an offence,’’ she says, chuckling. The petite De Sa also says that it’s always easy to get work out of her staff. ‘‘They never say no to a woman!’’

Valencian Prawn Salad
INGREDIENTS
75 gm King prawn
50 gm diced avocado
5 gm green olives
5 gm black olives
10 gm onion rings
20 gm fresh orange juice
30 ml olive oil
2 gm mint leaf
3 gm salt
2 gm crushed pepper
100 ml fish stock

METHOD
Slowly heat the fish stock and poach the prawn for two to three minutes. Remove the prawn and keep in cold water. Mix the orange juice, olive oil, mint, salt and pepper to make the dressing. Arrange the prawn, olives, avocado and onion in an iceberg lettuce ‘cup’. Drizzle the orange-mint dressing over it. It goes very well with garlic bread and makes for a light meal.

MARY TSANG
Food & Beverages Director
Leela Palace, Bangalore

Tsang, who has been in the industry for 23 years, says she still feels 18. She says it’s best to keep a cool head in her profession. Especially since people are likely to ‘‘go off like firecrackers’’ here. ‘‘I let them step outside and yell it out of their system,’’ she says.

A native of Australia, she has had 250 staff working under her at a time, and chose not to become a chef because it was too hot in the kitchen. Handling complaints and problems is easy for Tsang because ‘‘guests and staff talk to me without their guard on. They’re usually a lot more aggressive and agitated when talking to a male person in a less than ideal situation.’’ As for balancing her career and family, she agrees it’s difficult. ‘‘That’s why it has been good being single. Otherwise, it’s not psychologically healthy to feel guilty all the time for not making it to the birthdays, etc.’’

CC Kazi
INGREDIENTS
30 ml Tequila
60 ml cranberry juice
1 tsp lime juice

METHOD
Shake with ice and strain into a glass.

It’s very appetising as a pre-dinner drink, without being too alcoholic.