Aditya Raghavan, 35, loves pork. It is a protein he is comfortable cooking with, he has eaten different preparations of it across the country and now, he wants to celebrate it by creating an eight-course meal starring the meat
The Naga Chutney is made with dried fish, galangal leaves and pork liver
Aditya Raghavan, 35, loves pork. It is a protein he is comfortable cooking with, he has eaten different preparations of it across the country and now, he wants to celebrate it by creating an eight-course meal starring the meat.
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Aditya
The Pandi Degustation thus, will feature different parts of the pig — belly, shoulder, liver, and feet. He has sourced the recipes from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Sikkim, Nagaland and Meghalaya and Goa.
“Pork is a meat that’s cherished by many people but only in small pockets. I want to popularise it. We keep looking towards cuisines like Japanese, Korean and Chinese without realising that we have so much to explore in our own backyard. For instance: do you know that dried fish is used in chutneys in certain parts of the country?” he says. This typical Naga Chutney made of galangal leaves, dried fish and liver will be part of the menu; he will turn it into a pate.
Raghavan intends to add his own twists to recipes he has gained from friends and chefs, and his own travels across the country.
On the menu are a few staples, Coorgi Pandi curry, the Khasi speciality Jadoh (rice and pork, sometimes cooked in pig’s blood) and a paya soup made by Anglo-Indians in Tiruchirapalli. “The food will be traditional but not served thali-style. I want each plate to be an experience and every dish to be a highlighted. Each course will be a meal on its own,” he says, adding that he wants the menu to be a surprise. And yes, there will also be dessert.
Raghavan is a cheesemaker, dairy consultant and gastronomy tour guide who shuttles between India and Canada. It was in Canada that he had two pop ups that focused on Indian food titled This Too Is Indian Food. He will be spending 18 weeks in India, travelling and learning about Indian food and possibly, creating innovative dining experiences. This is his first food pop up in the country.
“This is not meant for a person who has eaten only a pulled pork slider but someone who is interested in the meat,” he adds. He intends to source the pork from Pune, Mumbai and if possible, Sri Lanka.
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