E-Paper
Romancing The Chicks : A cookbook for a bookworm
This cookbook is not just for food lovers but also those who find it beautiful to let themselves loose in stories. In between the tales of the author’s everyday life are simple ways to cook good food.
As someone who has been to the kitchen to not just cook but even hear the many stories behind each recipe, this book unfolds like a childhood memory. Chef Mandaar makes the eyes feast first and follows the rule of the game well. From the images of raw pumpkins and peas to the freshly baked Warm Orange Soufflé and well-set Jamun Panna Cotta, there’s an image with most of the recipes to lure you to try them out. Wondering about the difficulties of cooking? Don’t for the procedures make the recipes appear simple like a pre-school lesson.
The episodes from the author’s life narrating instances of his “tailing a milkman on a scooter” and the chapters such as the one named — The Flavour War make way for the recipes. This unusual pattern exactly engrosses not just a food lover but even a bookworm.
Come to the title, which is another example of the author’s wit. The chicks are not just on the cover but also inside, as the name of one of the sections and a chapter too. The Green Chickpea Dip and Chholiya Kebab are the recipes in this section that highlight the now lesser-known high protein-high choliya (green chickpea).
In the times of Kolaveri, he whipped up Kolaveri Pancakes and to encourage the love of sharing he suggests Fudge, which thicken on the plate and melt in the mouth. In the chef’s words, let the appetite never end!
