Overnight success!

Phorum Pandya Nasrin Modak Siddiqi Jane Borges and Anju MaskeriOne would think that food tastes best when itrsquos most fresh However there are many dishes that actually taste better the next morning or after that Therersquos a scientific explanation for foods that develop more fully over time A report from BBC Science Focus says that when your stew or curry is sitting on the shelf in your fridge itrsquos getting more fullbodied by the minute because the ingredients are marinating and breaking down to create more flavour Six chefs from different communities pick their favouriteslsquoWe soak cooked rice to ferment overnightrsquoWhat Poita bhaat AssameseBy Gitika Saikia home chefWe all have faced the situation of having leftover rice that doesnrsquot taste the best the next day Home chef Gitika Saikia known for promoting the unknown cuisine of the Northeast especially Assam where she hails from makes it a reason to make poita bhaat ldquoThis dish is the more humble version of panta bhaat of Bengali cuisine Back in our land it is usually made by farmers who believe in zero wastage and also donrsquot have the time to cook every dayrdquo Saikia explains This dish is made in the summer months so eaters can benefit from its cooling effects on the body ldquoThe dish is also great to eat when the digestive system goes for a toss and one needs a lighter meal option but not when one has a cold or in the cold seasonrdquo she addsGitika Saikia home chef says poita bhaat works well when the digestive system goes for a toss Since itrsquos cooking for the body avoid it in winterCooked rice is soaked overnight and the foam forming on the top is removed and replaced with fresh water ldquoThis dish is never made with fresh rice Farmers add salt mustard oil fresh onions and lots of green chillies In the cities we add mashed potatoes called alu pitikardquo says Saikia Another dish she recommends is the maas or petu bhoja ldquoThis is made with fish mainly katla or rohu where we use all the leftover discarded parts of it including the gizzards Little oil is added as the intestine and gizzards give out fat and oil We add mustard oil onions freshly chopped green chillies or dry red chillies This is cooked with leftover rice I like to eat it the next day as it has that punch of umamirdquo The method is rather simple Soak a cup of cooked rice in two cups of water overnight Throw away the foam on top the next day Add clean water Temper with few drops of mustard oil onions green chillies and salt Accompaniments are smoked small fish alu pitika or crispy fried baby potatoes and a spicy chutneylsquoYesterdayrsquos bajra jowar rotla are given a masala kickrsquoWhat Lasan ma vagharelo rotlo GujaratiBy Pinky ChandanDixit of Soam BabulnathA chef at Soam prepares the lasan ma vagharelo rotlo PicsPradeep DhivarNo wastage is practised in almost every Indian kitchen and making best out of ldquowasterdquo or ldquoleftoverrdquo is a rather Gujarati trait says Pinky ChandanDixit of Soam Breach Candy She gives us the example of vagharelo rotlo which is tempered bajra or jowar rotlas Some even make it using leftover rotis ldquoRotlas are thicker than chapattis and they are inedible the next day as they become chewy We crumble it into pieces and saute it generously with ghee green garlic and onions This tastes delicious in the winters we prefer bajra rotla in the summersrdquoAccording to her Gujarati cuisine largely follows the use of seasonal ingredients and foods that aid digestion In her motherrsquos home they also use leftover rice to make pakodas ldquoWe mix masala and besan in rice and fry them into crunchy bhajias Another dish is the khakra papad We make a crumble and give it a good toss with peanuts jeera and curry leaves and mix it with some crushed papad This has a chivda variant made using poha toordquolsquoThe ambade slowly soften and melt in your mouth the next dayrsquoWhat Ambadyachi kadi MangaloreanBy Shireen Sequeira chef and bloggerThe dish is prepared when hog plums are in season between July and September which is also when Mangalore receives generous showers of rainShireen Sequeira who has been documenting Catholic Mangalorean cuisine on her blog Ruchik Randhapmdashmeaning delicious cooking in Konkanimdashfor the last 13 years says that most gravies from this coastal region taste even more delicious the next day In fact pork dishes such as bafat and kaleez ankiti Mangalorean sorpotel are on top of the listOne of her favourites though is the ambadyachi kadi hog plums curry Hog plums are also known as Indian mombin Spanish plums wild mango and golden apples but they are neither plums nor mangoes or apples Sequeira informs They actually belong to the cashew family The Indian variety spondias pinnata is just one of the 17 species that are native to the Neotropics and tropical AsiaShireen SequeiraldquoMy mother used to make this curry especially around the Monthi festh feast of the Nativity of Mother Mary that falls on September 8 as hog plums are available abundantly during this seasonrdquo she says adding ldquoI remember being given the task of lightly bruising the hog plums with a mortar and pestle before being added to the curryrdquoUsually the dish is prepared when hog plums are in season between July and September which is also when Mangalore and the coast receive generous showers of rain ldquoIn the earlier days it used to be prepared at least two to three times during the whole season as seafood was scarce during the monsoon because fishing boats did not venture out into the sea and women had to make do with seasonal or preserved vegetables to prepare mealsrdquoIn Sequeirarsquos recipe shared on her blog wwwruchikrandhapcom the hog plums are first cooked with water and salt before powdered jaggery is added to it This is then left overnight to allow the hog plums to absorb the flavours before it is mixed with roasted ground masalas to make a delicious gravy ldquoMy version of the recipe is how it is traditionally made using basic spices such as long dried red chillies bedgi variety coriander cumin and mustard seeds peppercorns peppercorn garlic onion and coconut Another version uses black gram or urad dal and fenugreek seedsrdquoHog plumsBy the end of it the curry develops a fine balance of sweet sour spicy and salty flavours It is best enjoyed with kozo Mangalorersquos classic red unpolished boiled rice ldquoWhat gets leftover tastes great the next dayrdquoItrsquos the hog plums or ambade that make the dish taste better with time ldquoThe ambade are fleshy and firm on the first day slowly soften and melt in your mouth the next as they absorb the flavours of the curry We would relish the gravy by sucking the juice out of the fibres of the hog plums The taste is simply tantalising as the traditional way of making it is by leaving it overnight in the earthen pot that it is cooked in and gently simmering it before being served againrdquolsquoMade to beat the biting coldrsquoWhat Aloo bari LucknowiBy Chef Shadab Qureshi Jyran SofitelThis popular dish from the kitchens of Lucknow is made with spiced lentil dal dumplings often made at home dried on the terrace and stored for yearround use It is noted that similar baris are made in most parts of north India and each one has its own version of preparation Chef Shadab Qureshi Chef de Cuisine Jyran Sofitel in Mumbai who hails from the city of Nawabs says ldquoMostly made during winters to beat the biting cold the bari is made by mixing various lentils and new potatoes available this time of the year Some prefer just plain urad dal ones Frying it in ghee gives it a distinct taste Often made for dinner it is relished as the next dayrsquos lunch because it tastes even better then The flavours come together to provide a rich wholesome tasterdquoIngredients500 gm potatoes250 gm bari wadi split lentil nuggets1 large onion finely chopped or grated150 gm fresh tomatoeschopped25 gm ginger chopped20 gm garlic chopped150 ml oil or ghee1 tsp cumin seeds5 gm asafoetida1 tsp turmeric2 tsp coriander powder1 12 tsp red chilli powderSalt to tasteChopped coriander for garnishMethodPeel and cut the potatoes into large squares Fry the baris if they are large break them into smaller pieces in oil for a minute or two Keep aside Heat little oil in a pan add cumin seeds and asafoetida when it splutters add onions ginger and garlic until the onions are browned Add all the spices and salt fry for a minute donrsquot let the spices burn Add tomatoes and stirfry on medium heat until the oil separates Add the potatoes and baris and let the masala coat well Simmer until potatoes are tender Turn off the heat and add coriander leaves Serve hot with paratha and ricelsquoNever overcook the fishrsquoWhat Surmai haldoni Konkani MuslimBy Mumtaz Kazi home chefHome chef Mumtaz Kazi says the flesh of surmai is firm and hence preferredldquoThere cannot be a better fish than surmai seer fish for haldoni a spicytangy fishrdquo Andheribased home chef Mumtaz Kazi tells us ldquoThe flesh of surmai is firm and hence it is preferred but you can also choose other fish or prawns for the same The next day the haldoni absorbs the juices of the fish which makes it tastier Also the consistency thickens which lends it an intense tastes Once we get fish from the market we add a little salt to it and let it sit for 1015 minutes and then we wash it This enhances the taste of fish and it doesnrsquot taste alni saltless Also every fish has a different cooking time according to the firmness of their meat Never overcook the fish as it will breakSurmai haldoniIngredients4 slices of surmai4 tbs Kokani fish masala4 to 5 cloves garlicSmall piece of fresh coconutFew sprigs of fresh corianderGrind the above masala into a fine paste and keepFew sprigs of curry leavesMilk of fresh coconut2 pieces kokum1 tsp fenugreek seeds2 to 3 tbs oilMethodAdd oil to a kadai and heat then add curry leaves few seeds of fenugreek Once it starts sputtering add above ground masala fry for a few minutes now add fish and cook for 23 minutes until you see oil on the side Now add two cups of water or as required cook further for 15 to 20 minutes Before removing from the flame add coconut milk bring to a boil and remove from the flame Garnish with fresh coriander tastes best with steamed ricelsquoThe two snacks are the highlight of Thadri festivalrsquoWhat Besan koki and mitho lolo SindhiBy Renu Sachdev home chefHome chef Renu Sachdev who runs Ulike food service in Ulhasnagar has fond memories of tucking into mitho lolo a sweet flatbread and besan koki a savoury floured cake as a child The two Sindhi delicacies are often prepared during Thadri a community festival which falls in the month of August a day before Janamashtami The word thadri essentially means lsquocoldrsquo in the Sindhi language and is dedicated to Shitala Devi the goddess who is believed to cure poxes sores ghouls pustules and diseasesMitho lololdquoThe preparation of these meals begin a day in advance and the food is eaten the next day because we do not cook on the day of the festivalrdquo says Sachdev While the masaledar koki is made using gram flour whole wheat flour salt carom seeds desi ghee onion green chilli and coriander mitho lolo contains whole wheat flour sugar and jaggery syrupBesan kokildquoBoth these dishes are snacky items and are the highlights of the meal They taste progressively betterrdquo While besan koki has a shelf life of three days mitho lolo stays fresh for upto a week She says time gives the flavours in the dishes a chance to meld so the ingredients marry a little longer and continue to evolve which elevates the tasteHome chef Renu Sachdev who runs Ulike food service in Ulhasnagar says longevity of both snacks makes them ideal for long haulsIts longevity also makes it an ideal snack for long hauls ldquoPeople prepare it when they want to go long road trips They are the way to go when needing a little pick me up or a healthy filling lunch onthegordquo