Cooking classes, cookbooks, restaurant consultant… Asha Khatau has done it all. A psychology graduate who began cooking after she got married, Khatau began teaching a little over 15 years ago. “I have grown from teaching 5-6 recipes to five people to teaching over 100 people in sessions that last more than two hours,” she says. “It has taken me round the globe and given me new ideas and experiences. These 18 years of teaching have taught me to handle a big crowd while creating that perfect dish.”
On her blog, she describes cooking as both art and science. When asked to explain that, she says, “Cooking is an art because it requires talent to make and present the food artistically so that it pleases the eyes and dazzles the mind! It is a science because if a dish is made with scientific rules and measures, it is bound to be perfect.”
Khatau, who will be in Coimbatore next week, focuses primarily on vegetarian dishes. She is well known for finding vegetarian substitutes for non-vegetarian dishes. “It requires a lot of exploration and experimentation,” she says. The first time she did this was a Mushroom pate in place of chicken liver. For her vegetarian shawarma, “I use the same ingredients for marinating but, instead of lamb or chicken, I use paneer and onions. It’s been a great hit.” The success of her cooking classes led her to start writing to reach out to more people. “Here, I have to keep in mind the requirements of people all over the world,” she says, “and the latest trends in food. The style needs to be user-friendly style so that the reader is able to easily replicate the dish.” She is very particular about giving the exact proportions and a tried-and-tested method.
This eye for detail extends to shopping as well. Asked about her shopping style, she says, “I definitely have an agenda when I go shopping for ingredients. I look for the best quality product, never mind the price.” So what was her most expensive buy? “Fresh truffles”. And the cheapest was “salt”. Then she changes it to “fresh herbs”.
Talk of shopping and I can’t resist asking about memorable places. “Local markets”, she says and then adds, “One of the best is the Or Tor Kor in Bangkok where all the chefs shop for local ingredients. It’s so clean and well organised.” And the least memorable? “The general super markets.”
Social media has helped widen her reach. She’s on Facebook, WhatsApp groups, and Instagram. She has YouTube videos but “though these have helped me reach out to more people, I have not yet ventured into online classes.”
Going back to her writing, her first book, Vegetarian Cuisines of the World , won the Best Vegetarian Book in the World at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. This came as a surprise to her as “one morning, I received an email from publisher saying that a dealer in London had sent the book to the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Paris and that it had won. I could not believe this had happened to me. These awards are known to be the Oscars in books category.” This was only the beginning and Khatau went on win awards for her research in vegetarian recipes.
Given how the world is convulsing over eating healthy today, what is her opinion? Balance seems to be her mantra. “Enjoy everything in a balanced way. Food is one of life’s greatest joys but there should be limits and it should be balanced with physical activity. Healthy eating is to have three balanced meals a day that have protein, carbs and dairy along with three small snacks or fruit and a beverage. All this should be combined with regular exercise.”
High Fives
Must-haves in your kitchen: Measuring spoons and cups, Rubber spatula, electric food processor, weighing scale, Good knives set
Favourite markets: Crawford market, Mumbai; Or Tor Kor market, Bangkok; Farmers Market, Riverside California; Covered Market, Istanbul; Global Village, Dubai
Favourite cuisines: Indian, Thai, Japanese, Mexican, Lebanese
Favourite dishes: Tiramisu, Seven-Layered Mexican Dip; Red Thai Curry, Vegetarian Shawarma; Appetiser Torte
Favourite gadgets: Good quality liquidiser, Electric steamer, Induction stove, Sandwich grill, Magic bullet
In the city
On The Go and Arttdinox present a culinary journey with Asha Khatau, in which she will teach nine vegetarian Indian and international recipes. Limited seats
April 19 from 10.30 am to 2.00 pm
On The Go, 167 Race Course
Ticket of ₹2000 per head available at On The Go
Call 04224520116 for more details
