Lower Parel gets a new gourmet kitchen and studio

The taxi drives at a slow pace due to the bustling traffic and dodges pedestrians who overflow onto the street on a warm Wednesday morning The industrial area in Gandhi Nagar behind Palladium mall is a chaotic sceneChef and founder of Gourmet Kitchen and Studio at Lower Parel Harsh Sodhan launched his workshops this January PicsBipin KokateBut once I step into the 500square feet Gourmet Kitchen and Studio which launched in December last year the yellow and golden walls and beaded curtains greet me Comprising a long kitchen on the ground floor and the workshop space on the mezzanine the studio is 41yearold Harsh Sodhans dream come trueAn IT professional Sodhan bid goodbye to the corporate life to embrace his passion ndash food Having seen his mother run a successful Gujarati food catering service for 30 years the food business happened spontaneouslyTrio of Hummus comes in crispy edible spoonsAround 2010 I had started experimenting with fusion foods and friends and family often asked me to rustle up a dish or two when they were hosting a party Two years ago I started taking orders and in January I introduced the workshops here he says while checking if preparations for the food tasting are on trackThe tastingAnd they are as the first dish Trio of Hummus piped on edible lavash spoons is placed on the table While the classic chickpea hummus is smooth tangy and topped with olive the Harissa hummus is a spicy contemporary version The pesto hummus is comforting nutty and we reach out for one morePaanflavoured mousse is served in a Calcutta paanSodhans menu specialises in bitesize foods and Caramelised Onions and Herbed Cream Cheese in Filo Cups are proof that they are a hot seller Crispy flourbased cups filled with sweet and sauteacuteed chopped onions turn into a savoury mouthful with the toppingTo break the monotony his team presents a White Chocolate Pina Colada Mousse Being a dessert lover Im happy to be interrupted with a sweet dish during any course of a meal Fancylooking served on a black ceramic spoon and garnished with a piece of pineapple the creambased mousse is light fluffy and I wonder why no one has married the two distinct forms beforeBut the next one is the innovative best In a Calcutta Sada Paan Sodhan has filled a creamy paanflavoured vanilla mousse mdash theres the crunchy feenugreek seeds and roasted coriander seedsCaramelised onions and herbed cream cheese in filo cups taste scrumptiousBack to starters Pav Bhaji Cones stare at me allure me and I oblige The savoury pastry cone crumbles in the mouth flakes settle on clothes and the pav bhaji oozes onto the palate It reminds me of the roadside pav bhaji as all pav bhajis must taste mdash rustic spicy and butteryHandson experienceTo taste the main course mdash Paneer Makhani Lasagna and Roasted Baby Potatoes in Asparagus Mousse mdash I must cook it under Sodhans guidance I don a blue apron and look around the shelves mdash bottles of all shapes and sizes stand in a file and pots and pans sit neatly in their cabinets Cooking in a chefs kitchen is different from your home kitchen Everything here is larger than life but I am comforted when he hands me a small pan to get started withHis team has prepared the tomato puree spices and Kashmiri chilli paste Under his guidance I take a pan and add the chilli paste and sauteacute it on a medium flame You must let the chillies roast well Uncooked chillies leave a dry pungent aftertaste explains the chef as he hands me a bowl of blended spices see recipe to add to the pan When you see oily formation on the mixture you know its cooked he adds as the fragrance of cumin seeds fills the kitchenNext I add the puree and cream and salt to taste stirring the mixture continuously Throughout Sodhan shares nuggets on cooking With the gravy in place he recommends adding a spoon of oil while boiling pasta sheets to ensure they dont stick togetherMeanwhile I mash a bar of paneer in a bowl and add mixed herbs chilli flakes salt and pepper for the filling I prefer rolling lasagna as it is easier to serve and eat adds the foodie as he cuts a boiled lasagna sheet into two He puts a layer of the crumbled paneer and rolls each of them I ape his move We layer the baking dish with the puree and place the rolls Voila its ready for the ovenWhile it cooks we wash the potatoes on an aluminum tray mix it with oregano and drizzle olive oil on it It is put in the oven for roasting We take two large spoons of cream cheese and beat it To this we mix pureed asparagus and blend it in The smell of the makhani lasagna is overpowering and my stomach growls in delightI want my food to embrace the eaters with all the five senses It should look pretty people should like the texture when they touch it it should smell tempting taste delicious as they hear the food crunch in their mouth says Sodhan who conducts workshops including baking bread for 1012 participants on cooking stationsWhen we sit down to eat the food is like he promised ndash captivating on all fronts The lasagna has the spicy Indian tadka of Kashmiri chillies though sobered by the cream The potatoes are earthy rustic and the green asparagus mousse is fresh salty and leaves us scraping our plates