This chef was part of the PM’s trip to Germany and cooked Aleppey fish curry in Hanover

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign jaunts are colourful affairs and go beyond international politics and trade pacts. His speeches, fashion statements and culinary experiences all make for spicy talking points. His presence at Hanover Messe, the mega trade fair in Germany last month, also became an occasion to showcase Indian cuisines.

The theme of this year’s India participation was ‘Make in India’ and it was decided that a presentation of Indian cuisine experience to the visitors would tie in nicely with the theme. The Experience India Society partnered with the nodal agency, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, for this culinary expedition.

Chef from Bangalore

Chefs from four leading five-star hotel chains made the trip to Germany and on the Taj team was Chef Vasanth, who heads the kitchen at the award-winning Karavalli at Gateway Hotel, Bangalore.  “It was a big honour and I was part of the team entrusted with creating the South Indian experience,” he says. For the inaugural dinner for 2000 guests Chef Vasanth served Meen Varuval with beans and carrot poriyal, Kozhi vartha curry with idiappam and Alambu arupu (mushrooms in a coconut spice mix) and Vatana usal. There was also a series of lunches, breakfasts and high teas to be cooked for the VIPs and the Aleppey fish curry, a Karavalli signature, was one of the dishes served.

Keeping it authentic

“It was a superb opportunity to give a high-profile audience a taste of India and we were determined to keep it authentic,” says Chef Vasanth. So, the team of chefs carried nearly everything they needed from Karnataka’s byadgi chillies to green mangoes for the Aleppey fish curry and an array of papads and crisps.

Curry in a German kitchen

“We went prepared with the spices, but imagine my consternation when I realised the grinders that we take for granted in the Karavalli kitchen were nowhere in sight,” Chef Vasanth says. So he went about using a blender to grind spices for 2000 portions of mushrooms in a coconut spice mix!

A thumbs-up for South Indian food

The dishes they put out, according to Chef Vasanth were a big hit with everyone. “In fact, the German chefs we shared a kitchen with polished off a few dozen portions of Meen Varuval before it could go out,” he says.

Serving the PM

Of course, no fish curry for Mr Modi. “But we did get to serve him idlis and aloo bonda for breakfast,” says the chef.

A precious memento

The Indian chefs got special jackets for this culinary expedition. They are smart chef coats with the Indian flag emblazoned on the collar. “I’ll always treasure this,” says Chef Vasanth, who is preparing for the 25^th year celebrations of Karavalli next month.