Taste Migrated.

   The last time my French friend Jean Jack Radi came to India, he got serious addiction to Indian food. I still remember he used to talk at length about the variety of Indian cuisines and the parallel intoxication he achieves out of it. Though we had professional relationship but a thing or two about this man, almost my father s age  tempted me to befriend him outside the professional sphere. I was a bachelor then but my love for food kept me at close affair with my kitchen. I invited him for a lunch party at home the next day. Radi warmly accepted the invitation and said he would join me with a bottle of Bordeaux Rose Wine. I smiled back at him indicating that it would be a perfect party. The next day  as we say became a history. I made him my special Hyderabadi Dum Biriyani and mint Raita. We started with the bottle of wine and never ending conversation that lasted even longer than the food and dessert. 

                                              Six months from then I m in France now. Sitting at my apart-hotel room. Yes its Radi s country and my friend Radi wants the same party to be repeated in Paris, 8000 km away from my Indian civilization. He spoke to me over the phone and said that much has gone into his taste buds but not the taste that he had in India. It was a matter of pride for me to hear this from a French who are considered to be passionate about their own culture of food and drinks. I obliged to his request and invited him for a weekend dinner party with his wife at my apart-hotel room in Paris.

                 

My apart-hotel room has a fully furnished kitchen with the best crockery. So cooking wont be a trouble. But the ingredients to cook the Indian spicy food is a far away dream.  No ! its really not a dream. It is dream come true moment. Thanks to Kitchens of India. The "heat and eat" concept makes your life easy and comfortable at places where you cannot manage the luxury of you kitchen. The delightful range of Indian dishes are skilfully prepared to perfection and brought to you in a ready to eat format by the Master Chefs of ITC. It is a legacy passed from generations.

                            The gourmet products from kitchens of India can migrate the Indian culinary delights across oceans and continents to keep you at home away away from home. I was introduced to the heritage product Kitchens of India by a friend of mine who has been away from India for a decade but never away from Indian taste. I am thankful that his advice came as a bliss.I know Radi loves aromatic sensations of Indian spices and herbs. I know he would have spoken at length about the Indian food to his wife. I will not let his passion dry down. I know I am going to make a new charmer of Indian delicacy.

For the weekend dinner party I have planed Bordeaux Rose wine at room temperature ( The french love to have their wines maintained at room temperatures ) with roasted peanuts and cashew nuts. The main course would consist of Mirch Ka Salan and Chicken chettinad with Basmati Rice. Mirch Ka salan is an extravagant delicacy made from succulent green chillies, delicately cooked in thick gravy of roasted peanuts, almonds and sesame seeds.  Chicken Chettinad has succulent chunks of tender chicken in a spicy paste of curry leaves and freshly ground pepper showcasing the distinctive tastes of Dakshin. This gravy has a Dravidian signature effect to it. My dessert for the night would be Jodhpuri Moong dal Halwa. This sweet dish cooked in Ghee with liberal use of dry fruits is surely gonna be a great afters after a spicy main course.

                    

      The ambiance is going to play a major role. My drawing room has large glass windows opening to River Seine. The serene flow of river Seine at night will be blended with Sufi music and Indian classical instrumental music. This imagination of food and ambiance is already driving me crazy. I dont know what mystical effects it would have on Mr. & Mrs Radi.  Come Saturday evening I m waiting finger crossed with my virtual Master Chefs of ITC and Kitchens of India.