Celebrity chef Gary Mehegan
When celebrity Australian chef Gary Mehegan visited Delhi in collaboration with Konosh for a masterclass session, Firstpost caught up with the chef to talk about cooking, his love of Indian cinema and Aamir Khan . For him, India is colorful chaos. He believes that Indians have a great sense of humor and warmth.
Edited excerpt from the interview:
how much do you love india
i simply love india. I have been coming to his nine cities since 2010, mainly Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Jaipur, Chennai, Kochi, Kohima and Nagaland.
What do you like about different places with different cultures and foods?
India is colorful chaos. Quite the opposite of life in quiet Australia. Australia is very different. When I come to India, I always try to absorb the diverse culture which is very impressive for someone from outside.My first visit was like cultural waves, chaos and food. We are from her city of 3.6 million and he had 22 million when I was based in Kolkata. It was a fascinating shock to me because there was absolutely no need to stage anything, even when I was shooting. Your view of India is also very addictive and fascinating. Indian people have a great sense of humor and are warm. People are happy to help you. I find it very easy to be with people here. Indians love to discuss food more than any other place on this planet. There is a healthy debate about which part of India a particular dish came from. Even when I’m visiting my home, my family is arguing about food, where it came from, this shouldn’t be eaten, this should have been added, how much spice should be added, etc. See the
Everyone has a traditional recipe from their grandmother or state. I actually tasted 4 or 5 Biryanis Check out what they really added from Hyderabad. I also love the diverse conversations about Indian food. Recipes always have a story behind them.
India’s best food…
Ever since my first visit to India, I love Indian South Indian food, especially the rice platter. Dosa, idli and Appam. They are very light for the tummy but very tasty.I love cooking with curry leaves, lime and tamarind. Add fresh flavor to your dishes.I love fish moire, chicken fry and mule (semolina) shrimp. In particular, mule I love shrimp because they are crispy and juicy.
What Indian food did you make for your Australian friend?
i cooked padi chart When Pani Puri Chicken curry with coriander and mint.was butter chicken on the table and some Racha Paratha.
About the diverse tastes of India…
As a chef, I’m always looking for flavors, so when I’m in Nagaland, it’s all about smoked pork and the fermentation process is amazing. I learned how to cook spiders and earthworms and learned from Naga cooking. Naga life is a different kind of life and that’s what appeals to me. So it’s not one thing, it’s the whole experience of cooking and absorbing ideas from different places. As a chef, you are always looking for inspiration. For example, I met a young chef in Nagaland who showed me around the market. For example, I’ve tasted fermented mustard green paste and it tasted like Australian veggie mite. It has a sour taste and can be spread on toast like a Bombay sandwich instead of coriander chutney.
You must be watching Hindi movies, what is your favorite movie?
I’m not a Bollywood faction, but an Indian-Australian actor starred in a movie called Save your Legs. I simply loved Aamir Khan’s Dangal about her two female wrestlers. It’s beautiful to see two girls fighting for their right to wrestle with the support of her father.
Read all the breaking news, trending news and entertainment news here. follow us on facebook twitter and Instagram
