Kitchen Adventures 6 - Cherina Gamadia and Bhuke Plate

Cherina Gamadia 

Yes, I have Cherina Gamadia’s resume. I also have her statement.

But, as always, I’m going to do this my way.

For the record, I’ve never met Cherina. Chef Avinash Naha told me about her during his stint at the Intercontinental in Mahabalipuram.

We were in the same city (Chennai) when she visited him for a couple of days and if talking on the phone is counted, we’ve met several times. 

On birthdays and at times when I need to have intense discussions about the stunning Parsi Gara embroidery. Like pen-pals. 

I feel like I know her and understand her passion for creating food with love. Like she does at Bhuke Plate.

Qualifying from Institute of Hotel Management-Aurangabad, an affiliate of University of Hudderfield, UK, this young lady trained and worked at five-star hotels across India for 6 years. The urge to work on her own took over, and she is currently the Chef and Owner of Bhuke Plate, Mumbai, specializing in Mediterranean cuisine.

“Not many people are familiar with Mediterranean cuisine and, its health benefits,” she says. “So, through Bhuke Plate, I’m creating an awareness and giving people a unique experience.”  

Cherina’s first love, though, is her mother-cuisine – Parsi food.

OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) could be her middle name. She has a reason for this.

“I am a one-woman army. Planning daily menus, ingredientshopping, kitchen set up, all my basic mise en place needs to be in order before I even start my flame,” Cherina says.  

Brainwave

The recipe she is sharing with us today, though is not of Mediterranean origin. It belongs, in part to her Parsi ancestry and is her version of her paternal grandmother, Silloo Gamadia’s classic recipe called Parsi Prawn Patio.

“A labour of love: this dish needs patience like most good things in life,” the smile on Cherina’s face shows promise. She’s used her grandmother’s ‘khattu mitthu’ recipe with a kick of spice in several ways, quite different from what it was originally served as - an accompaniment to plain dal and rice.

The twist came when she realized that she could not lay her hands on the aged Navsari Cane Vinegar.

“I rummaged around and noticed this bottle of beautifully aged Balsamic Vinegar from Modena, Italy.”

Brainwave happened.

“Theory class flashbacks hit me, and I realized that Balsamic Vinegar, also a dark cask aged vinegar, although from grapes may just save the day!”

To her delight, Cherina found that Balsamic Vinegar tasted a lot like Navsari Vinegar.

Food is always the universal thread that bonds humanity.  

Khatto Mittho Prawn Patio

Ingredients

• ½ kg Cleaned, Deveined Prawns
• 4 pcs large Chopped Onions
• 2 pcs large Chopped Tomatoes
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 20 pcs Curry Leaves
• 1 tbsp Red Chilli Powder (reduce as per your spice tolerance)
• ½ tbsp Turmeric/Haldi Powder
• 3 tbsp Jaggery
• 3 tbsp Parsi Sugar Cane Vinegar/ Balmasic Vinegar
• ½ Cup Vegetable Oil
• Salt as per taste

 Method

• Marinate the prawn in a quarter of the Red Chilli Powder and the Turmeric/Haldi Powder and salt as per your taste and set aside to marinate while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• In kadhai heat the oil and add the onions and cook till a nice deep brown colour on low flame.
• Next add the ginger garlic paste and cook.
• Add the tomatoes and cook for a minute or so.
• Next add the remaining Red Chilli Powder and the Turmeric/Haldi Powder, curry leaves and salt as per your taste.
• At this stage if you feel it is sticking at the bottom add a half cup or so water and keep stirring and cooking till the oil separated.
• Add the jaggery which can be dissolved in the vinegar and cook on a high flame.
• Finally add your marinated prawns and cook for two minutes or so till the prawns are cooked.
• Check for seasoning and serve with a hot plate of plain dal and steamed white rice.

Chefs Tips

• Marinating the prawns for a few hours is recommended.
• Use a heavy bottom pan or a thick kadhai and cook the onions on a slow flame till nice and brown to get this almost caramelized onion taste.
• Do not brown the onions on a high flame or else the end result will have a very distinctive charred aroma which is undesirable.
• Dissolve the jaggery in the vinegar so it distributes evenly when added to the dish.
• When making for the first time add a little of the jaggery & vinegar mixture as per your taste initially and then adjust accordingly.
• Vegetarians can try this recipe with aubergine. Cut it in cubes, marinate (just like the prawns), deep fry. 
• Add it to the masala in the end.