Home grown

An accessible connotation amid a farmer and the chef always conveys the best on the plate. Today chefs in India are concerned about what prospect generations will eat and soon it will transform from what’s obtainable in stores. If we have virtuous taste we have a vigorous ecology… as the markets will react as they continually do!! Farming is also an interest for a lot of chefs and they grow fantastic produce.

All of Alila Fort Bishangarh’s generic vegetables are organically grown in house where Rajat Chandna, executive sous Chef,  liaises closely with farmers and has a separate section in the menu,  which changes as per season and they are not bound by common vegetables which are available through the year. Chefs at Alila Fort spends a lot of time in understanding what kind of temperature, season etc. is required for seeds to grow and then ensuring that it’s done so that they manage to get what they want. “I visit farmers market regularly to meet local farmers and visit farms to create a bond among us to and to motivate growers,” shares Rajat. Food at Alila Fort Bishangarh emphasis on the wholesome vitality and nourishment depending upon the local harvest. Millets are a very integral part of the menu concept.

“For example winters bring this amazing therapeutically tuber called turmeric. Anointing the fish with turmeric & mathania chillies imparts hyper local accentuation with anti-microbial properties to it and makes for a perfect wellness preparation,” he adds.

All in all, Alila Fort believes in working with what is in season and is available and prefers going back to roots and working with local farmers and if there is any particular ingredient that really works well, they include it in their recipes.

SMOKED GUAVA GAZPACHO (VEGETARIAN SOUP)
INGREDIENTS:

• Guava juice: 500 ml
• Tomato juice: 150 ml
• Salt: to taste
• Tabasco: 5 ml
• Cherry vinegar: 50 ml
• Olive oil: 20 ml
• Coal: 50 ml
• Clove: 20 gm
• Ghee: 20 gm
• Green cardamom: 20 gm

METHOD:

• In a mixing bowl, mix juices along with the salt, tabasco, cherry vinegar and olive oil and blend them together using wish or hand blender.
• Take a steel bowl in the centre of the soup and pull churning coal in it.
• Put some cloves and cardamom and pour melted ghee on the live coal.
• Cover the bowl with sliver foil and leave it for 5 min so that the soup takes all the flavour from smoke.
• Remove the coal bowl and keep the soup in fridge and serve chilled.

WILD MUSHROOMS & CARAMELISED ONIONS NACHNI FLAT BREAD

INGREDIENTS

• Nachni leavened Flat Bread: 60 Gms
• Peanuts: 2 tbsp        
• Sesame: 2 tbsp.
• Mathania Chilly: 3 no’s    
• Coconut Oil: 2 tbsp.
• Tomatoes: 1no.    
• Onions Caramelised: 1 no.
• Confit Garlic Cloves: 4 no.        
• Sea Salt: to taste
• Wild Basil: 6 leaves.
• Button Mushrooms slices: 50Gms    
• Cepes slices: 50 Gms    
• Olive Oil: 2 tbsp.
• Amaranth leaves: 15 leaves
• Toasted Flaxseeds: 1tsp.
• Home creamed Ricotta: 1/2cup   

METHOD

• Ground peanuts & sesame with mathania chillies & coconut oil
• Toss mushrooms & tomatoes in olive oil.
• Bake the bread for two minutes.
• Smear the paste on the flat bread.
• Top it up with mushrooms, tomatoes & ricotta.
• Bake at 180 c for 6 minutes.
• Top up the flat bread with basil & olive oil dressed garden leaves.
• Cut & sprinkle with sea salt & toasted flaxseeds.

HARA CHOLIYA, GREEN PEAS & WASABI HUMMUS
INGREDIENTS

• Green Peas: 80 Gms
• Green Grams: 100 Gms
• Radish: 1/2
• White Sesame Paste: 2 tsp.
• Garlic: 2 cloves
• Lime Juice: 2 lemons
• Roasted Jeera: 1tspn
• Olive Oil: 1 cup
• Khakhra Crisps: 1 dis

METHOD

• Wash & soak peas & green grams.
• Blend it with garlic, olive oil, and sesame & lemon juice.
• Finish with salt & lime juice.
• Serve with cured radish & khakhra crisp.

SILBATTA KEBAB
INGREDIENTS

• Lamb meat: 400 Gms
• Onions: 3
• Garlic: 1 pod
• Ginger: ½ knot
• Red mathania chillies: 10
• Yoghurt: 2 cups
• Mustard Oil: ½ cup
• Ghee: 4 tbsp.
• Chana daal: 1/3 cup
• Roasted cashew paste: 4 tbsp.
• Brown onion paste: 4 tbsp.
• Coriander powder: 1 tbsp.
• Bay leaves: 1
• Mace: 2
• Fennel: 1 tbsp.
• Black cardamom: 4
• Green cardamom: 6
• Laung: 2
• Salt: as per taste

METHOD

• Wash Lamb morsels.
• Heat Mustard Oil & crackle Whole spices.
• Add Lamb, onions, red chillies, ginger garlic paste & sauté slowly.
• After 30 minutes, add coriander powder, daal & stock.
• Add yoghurt, salt, ghee & seal cook the meat.
• Remove from dum after one hour & remove the lid.
• Cook on high flame till the meat dries.
• Allow to cool & pound the mass in pestle mortar. (Remove whole spices)
• Add the cashew & brown onion paste.
• Adjust the seasoning, smoke this meat mass with coal & laung.
• Form small patties & shallow fry in Ghee on both sides.
• Serve with herb chutney.

MATHANIA & FRESH TURMERIC CURED SALMON
INGREDIENTS

• Salmon fresh: 275 Gms
• Demerara Sugar: 30 Gms
• Olive Oil: 30 Gms
• Fresh Turmeric paste: 10 Gms
• Burnt Pound Mathania Chilli: 2
• Lime Juice: 2

METHOD

• In a bowl, whisk Sugar, Salt & Olive Oil. Add Turmeric paste & Mathania Chillies, and add Lime Juice. Marinate the Fish with the marinade and cover it for two days.
• Serve it with the Organic Garden Salad of House Greens, Tomatoes, and Cucumber &Caper Berries.
• Add 4- 5 thin crisps of overnight left Rajgira Methi Roti crisps.

5 GRAINS RISOTTO
INGREDIENTS

• Barley: 40 Gms
• Jowar: 40 Gms
• Pearl Barley: 40 Gms
• Southern short grain rice: 40 Gms
• Black gram: 30 Gms    
• Mustard seeds: 30 Gms    
• Fennel seeds: 30 Gms    
• Radish leaves: 30 Gms    
• Coriander fresh: 30 Gms
• Garlic: 1tsp.    
• Onions: 2 tbsp.    
• Green chillies: 2 Nos
• Lime: 1 No
• Parmesan cheese: 1.5 tbsp.    
• White butter: 30 Gms    
• Olive oil: 2 tbsp.
• Sunflower seeds: 1tsp.    
• Pumpkin seeds: 1 tsp.   

METHOD

• Soak & boil the grains.
• In a pan, heat olive oil, crackle mustard & fennel seeds.
• Add slivered garlic, sweat onions & add thyme sprig.
• Add the grains & coat with fat.
• Add a teaspoon of cider vinegar, chopped green chilly with 4 cups stock.
• Let the ingredients simmer.
• Add coarsely chopped radish leaves & cover for 3 minutes.
• Fold in home churned white butter, parmesan & coriander roots.
• Finish with lime, sprinkle toasted seeds & serve.