Recipes for success: Celebrity Chef Vikas Khanna offers advice and a guide to tasty paneer rosette

Recipes for success: Celebrity Chef Vikas Khanna offers advice and a guide to tasty paneer rosette
Chef Vikas Khanna currently heads Kinara by Vikas Khanna in Dubai. (Supplied)
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Updated 07 June 2023
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Recipes for success: Celebrity Chef Vikas Khanna offers advice and a guide to tasty paneer rosette

Recipes for success: Celebrity Chef Vikas Khanna offers advice and a guide to tasty paneer rosette
  • The chef currently heads Kinara by Vikas Khanna in Dubai
  • He has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants, been a James Beard Award nominee, and written written more than 25 cookbooks

DUBAI: It’s hard enough to attain success ‘just’ as a chef, or author, or poet, or filmmaker. But Vikas Khanna has somehow managed to successfully be all of those things and still find time for philanthropy, effortlessly navigating the realms of creativity and compassion. 

The celebrity Indian chef has worked at Michelin-starred restaurants, been a James Beard Award nominee, written written more than 25 cookbooks, several of which have won awards, has hosted several seasons of “MasterChef India,” “Twist of Taste,” and National Geographic’s “Mega Kitchens.” He has also been a guest on “MasterChef Australia,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” “Beat Bobby Flay,” “Kitchen Nightmares,” and many other shows, and has been featured on the covers of Forbes Life, Good Housekeeping, Men’s Health, GQ and many more. 

He currently heads Kinara by Vikas Khanna in Dubai. Here, he discusses the beauty of bread, why cream is great, and following your heart in the kitchen, and shares a paneer rosette recipe. 

When you started out as a professional, what was the most-common mistake you made when preparing a dish? 

When I first started cooking professionally in South India, I realized that one of the most common mistakes people from my hometown — in the North — make is not roasting spices properly. I struggled with this technique, and also with coconut, which is not commonly used in northern cuisine. It took me years to understand why roasting coconut and spices to that level was necessary for dishes in southern India or Sri Lanka.  

What’s your top tip for amateur chefs?  

It’s important to remember that cooking is a very free form of art — many of the greatest dishes we eat today were actually mistakes. All great chefs understand the power of making mistakes and owning up to them, and constantly working to improve. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. They can lead to new creations. Use recipes as a guideline, but also follow your heart. 

What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish?  

I know some people might be surprised, but I think adding cream can really elevate a dish. I appreciate French cuisine for the way it can transform a dish just by adding butter and cream. It brings a whole new dimension of flavor and richness to your palate, almost like a happiness factor.  

When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food?  

It’s difficult to say, because I believe that people in the business are generally doing their best and criticizing them too much can be unfair — and even unethical. When I go out to eat, I try not to focus too much on the food. Spending time with the people I’m with is more important. One common mistake I see in restaurants is that they wait for all the dishes to be ready before serving them. I think this is a mistake. I believe that it’s more important to prioritize the enjoyment of food and company over following strict rules. 

When you go out to eat, what’s your favorite cuisine? 

It changes constantly. However, since I primarily live in New York, there is one restaurant that I consider to be one of my biggest comfort places: Veselka, which serves Ukrainian cuisine. I have been going there for more than 23 years and I absolutely love the ambience, the staff, and everything that comes out of the kitchen. The food makes me feel like I’m eating a meal cooked by an elderly grandma, and to create that kind of experience in a restaurant is epic. When I was studying, it was the only place that was open at night when I couldn’t sit in a heated room and use free internet. But even after all these years, I’m still absolutely obsessed with their cooking style. 

What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly? 

Whenever I need some comfort and have the desire to totally cut myself off from people, there’s a dish that I turn to. It’s multigrain khichdi, which is a form of Indian risotto. I find it so forgiving, like being in grandma’s house where you can break everything and still won’t be judged. There’s so much comfort in that. For most Indians, the kitchen is not just a place to cook dishes, it’s an emotion. And with this dish, you can add any grains and vegetables you have on hand, add a pinch of spices, take it to the extreme or keep it mild, it won’t judge you.  

What request/behavior by customers most annoys you? 

When people come to the restaurant right when we’re closing. If you really want to enjoy the restaurant, you should come a little earlier and give the staff some breathing space. This allows them to perform better. 

What’s your favorite dish to cook and why?  

In Punjab, bread is a staple food, and I take pride in my expertise in cooking Indian breads. It’s an art that requires a great deal of technical skill. Most of our breads are unleavened, made with just wholewheat flour and water. The challenge lies in making them moist, fluffy, and well-seasoned. I find it amazing how bread-making can be so intricate. I learned to make breads from my grandmother, who would pack them for me when I left home for college. Her breads would stay moist for days. I would ask her how she did it, and she would simply reply, “It’s just love.” 

What’s the most difficult dish for you to get right?  

In Kinara, we have a dish of lamb chops that we minimally season to allow the meat flavor to shine. We serve it with papaya chutney, which has a sweet and sour taste, and sweet potato puree. The secret to this dish is in the cooking and resting of the meat, which can make or break the dish within a few fractions of seconds. Lamb chops are very delicate, which adds to the difficulty. 

As a head chef, what are you like?  

I don’t like to shout, especially not during service. However, I have a bad habit of not speaking up when I should. Sometimes, after the dinner service, I write a long email with feedback and suggestions. People have asked me to wait until the morning to send it, but I feel that it’s important to address issues as soon as possible. We can’t take our customers for granted. They’re spending their hard-earned money, and we need to give them the best experience possible. And as an ambassador of Indian culture, I feel a responsibility to represent it well.  

 

Chef Vikas’ paneer rosette  

INGREDIENTS: 

For paneer rosette 

150g cottage cheese; 10g ginger and garlic paste; 10g deghi mirch powder; 4g turmeric powder; 10 ml mustard oil; 4g salt 

For red cabbage poriyal sauce 

100g red cabbage; 40g fresh grated coconut; 4g mustard seeds; 20 ml cooking oil; 4 curry leaves; 5g ginger; 1 green chili; 10 ml lime juice; 2g lecithin; 6g salt 

For rhubarb pickle 

60g fresh rhubarb; 10 ml cooking oil; 5g fennel seeds; 4g onion seeds; 5g cumin seeds; 5g salt; 15g sugar; 15 ml white vinegar 

For garnish 

10 ml coriander oil; 5 red-vein sorel leaves ; 5g toasted white and black sesame seeds 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. Slice the cottage cheese using a 2mm-thick round cutter. Cut the slices again across the center to make a halfmoon shape. Use the ginger and garlic paste, deghi mirch, turmeric, mustard oil and salt to make a marinade. 

2. Overlap the cottage cheese slices like a trail. Cover in marinade and roll from one end to the other. It should look like a small rose. Keep it in the chiller so that it holds its shape. 

3. For red cabbage poriyal: Slice the cabbage and keep it aside. Fine chop the ginger and green chilies. Add oil to a pan, heat and add the mustard seeds and curry leaf. Once the mustard seeds start crackling, add the chopped ginger and green chilies. Then add the cabbage and sauté until it wilts. Add grated coconut and adjust the seasoning. Finally, add lime juice and mix. Place in a mixer and blend until smooth. Strain and keep to one side. 

4. For rhubarb pickle: Cut the rhubarb into lengths of one inch. Heat oil in a pan. Add fennel seeds, onion seeds and cumin seeds. Once they start crackling, add the rhubarb. When the rhubarb starts sweating add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a quick boil. Remove and place in a dry container. Store at room temperature. 

5. For the garnish: Add coriander oil to a pot and blanch red-vein sorrel leaves for 10 seconds then immediately transfer to ice-cold water. Squeeze all the water out and blend with neutral oil. Strain through a muslin cloth drop by drop and do not disturb the mix. 

6. Place the red-vein sorrel leaves in cold water.  

7. Put the paneer in a preheated oven for 12 mins at 180 Celsius. Coat the edges with black and white sesame seeds. Use a hand blender to blend the red cabbage poriyal sauce with lecithin to make it foamy. 

8. In the serving bowl, pour six tablespoons of sauce, and place the paneer rosette in the center. Place the rhubarb pickle to the side and drizzle it with coriander oil. Finally, use the red-vein sorrel leaves as garnish. 

 


Where We Are Going Today: IOTA Coffee Shop in Riyadh

To check out their latest offering, visit them on Instagram @iota.sa
To check out their latest offering, visit them on Instagram @iota.sa
Updated 05 December 2023
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Where We Are Going Today: IOTA Coffee Shop in Riyadh

To check out their latest offering, visit them on Instagram @iota.sa

If you see a matcha specialty cafe in Riyadh with a long line of customers, it is most likely IOTA, located on Al-Sail Al-Kabeer street in Al-Ghadir district.

Matcha has replaced coffee as a morning drink for many locals, evident in the increased number of matcha specialty cafes and other outlets including matcha drinks on their menus.

Matcha is believed to be a great substitute for coffee as it contains more caffeine and powerful antioxidants. The matcha powder used at IOTA is premium ceremonial from Japan, handpicked and shaded between three to four weeks.

The famous ice matcha drink there retails at SR24 ($6.40), similar to the price of matcha drinks offered in Starbucks and local cafes in the Kingdom.

IOTA also sells its matcha powder along with the matcha essential kit, including a whisk and bowl.

Their matcha powder can be used to make authentic Japanese matcha tea, mixed in your morning oatmeal or bowl of granola for added benefit, or used in baked goods.

The cafe also offers a variety of cold and hot drinks, which sell at SR8 ($2.13) for a cup of tea, and SR24 ($6.40) for cloudy, a specialty hot coffee drink.

Other popular drinks include their drip hot coffee, iced cloudy, iced espresso and iced latte.

Plant-based milk options are available and include coconut milk, almond milk and soya milk.

IOTA also offers a variety of baked goods — and you never know what you might find there on a visit. Last winter, they served fresh custard and raspberry profiteroles, and beating the heat wave in August, IOTA put affogato to the menu — a shot of espresso added to a scoop of ice cream. They also serve matcha affogato.

IOTA opens daily from 6:30 a.m. to midnight from Sunday to Thursday, and from 7:30 a.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

They deliver through the Chefz app.

To check out their latest offerings, visit them on Instagram @iota.sa.

 

 


Where We Are Going Today: Lof Bakery in Alkhobar

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Updated 01 December 2023
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Where We Are Going Today: Lof Bakery in Alkhobar

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  • The bakery offers low-carb options and sandwiches, including a halloumi pesto and a mushroom melt

If you are looking to buy a loaf of freshly-baked, good quality sourdough bread in Alkhobar, head on over to Lof, a brunch spot situated in the middle of the City Walk.

It is believed that the ancient Egyptians were the first to create sourdough bread and in recent years it has become a staple in many households across the Kingdom for its health benefits. The sourdough loaf at Lof is made in-house by a master baker and perfectly sliced so it is ready to eat. While the SR35 ($9) price tag is a bit steep in comparison to loafs of bread at the local supermarket, it is certainly worth the dough.

It is ideal to use as a base for mashed avocados, to spread cheese on or any other topping of choice.

Lof also has an extensive menu that consists of a variety of quiches which go for SR25 each, and egg-lovers will be delighted to know that they will expertly prepare your eggs whichever way you prefer for around SR50. Add-ons are available and the staff are knowledgeable and helpful.

They also have decent coffees and pastries in the display case so you could either indulge at the cafe or take some goodies home to snack on later.

The bakery offers low-carb options and sandwiches, including a halloumi pesto and a mushroom melt.

Lof opens daily from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. from Sunday to Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to midnight from Thursday to Saturday, and from noon until midnight on Fridays.

They also deliver via Jahez or The Chefz apps.

To check out their latest offering, visit them on instagram @Lof.ksa.

 


Where We Are Going Today: Vapiano Italian restaurant in Jeddah

Where We Are Going Today: Vapiano Italian restaurant in Jeddah
Updated 30 November 2023
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Where We Are Going Today: Vapiano Italian restaurant in Jeddah

Where We Are Going Today: Vapiano Italian restaurant in Jeddah

Chefs at the Vapiano Italian restaurant in Jeddah want their culinary creations to be a feast for customers’ eyes.

So much so, that the eatery’s open kitchen concept allows diners to watch them prepare meals.

And as part of the service, restaurant chefs will customize dishes to suit clients’ food preferences.

Located in the city’s Red Sea Mall, guests are given a chip card on arrival that enables them to place orders directly with the chefs.

A choice of salads includes the ceci e melograno featuring roasted sweet potato, roasted cauliflower, chickpeas, kale, baby spinach, pomegranate seeds, and pumpkin. Another option is pumpkin or tomato soup.

Starters include grilled lemon chicken skewers served with rocket and a garlic and herb dip, and creamy burrata cheese accompanied by artichoke pesto, marinated tomatoes, and basil pesto.

For pasta lovers the menu offers classic dishes such as pomodoro — spaghetti coated in a homemade tomato sauce of sun-ripened tomatoes and aromatic basil. The ratatouille combines penne pasta and fresh Mediterranean vegetables tossed in tomato sauce, and pizzas range from BBQ chicken to pepperoni.

Tiramisu, or mascarpone cream and strawberries, make up some of the desserts.

Go on Instagram at @vapianoksa for more details.


Where We Are Going Today: ‘MiSora’ - Japanese fusion food in Jeddah

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Updated 29 November 2023
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Where We Are Going Today: ‘MiSora’ - Japanese fusion food in Jeddah

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  • Abrahams told Arab News: “From the kitchen to the table, from the preparation to the presentation, our dishes will exude the traditions of Japan and I am confident that the locals will notice”

Following its recent grand opening, MiSora has become the latest addition to a growing list of restaurants in Jeddah offering Japanese fusion food.

Located on Prince Sultan Road in the city’s Al-Rawdah district, the fine-dining eatery has placed its focus on serving authentic Japanese cuisine.

Dishes include traditional sashimi and specialty rolls prepared with a regional approach, fresh ingredients, and eye-catching presentations.

Head chef Rafiq Abrahams has worked under the wings of top Middle East chefs such as Shane Macneill and Colin Clague.

Abrahams told Arab News: “From the kitchen to the table, from the preparation to the presentation, our dishes will exude the traditions of Japan and I am confident that the locals will notice.”

The restaurant’s interior creates a relaxing ambiance enhanced by attentive staff, while its menu contains seafood options including prawn tempura, duck and king crab salads, and sashimi salmon.

As well as lamb cuttles, there is a range of desserts such as banoffee, and five types of petit fours, and diners can sample drinks such as a Pink Lady and You’re So Beautiful, or speciality coffees.

For updates and more information, go to Instagram at @misora_sa.

 

 


Where We Are Going Today: Raoul’s Restaurant at VIA Riyadh

The Steak au Poivre is one of their top dishes and a staple in French cuisine, served with pommes frites. (Raoul's Instagram)
The Steak au Poivre is one of their top dishes and a staple in French cuisine, served with pommes frites. (Raoul's Instagram)
Updated 24 November 2023
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Where We Are Going Today: Raoul’s Restaurant at VIA Riyadh

The Steak au Poivre is one of their top dishes and a staple in French cuisine, served with pommes frites. (Raoul's Instagram)
  • The artichoke vinaigrette with Raoul’s dressing is a classic, and the decadent seared foie gras is also worth trying

Raoul’s is an internationally-acclaimed restaurant that serves quintessentially French food. It is perhaps most famous for its New York outlet’s limited-edition burger au poivre, which the late, well-respected food writer Josh Ozersky once proclaimed “the best burger in America.” Raoul’s timeless bistro menu has now made it one of VIA Riyadh’s gems.

The restaurant is the perfect spot for special occasions with its lovely outdoor dining area, sophisticated ambience and VIA Riyadh’s colorful floral projections. Indoors, the décor is classic French-style bistro (although the prices are significantly higher than that image implies).

To kick off the meal, the ruby beetroot salad with sheep-milk feta, cucumber, and vinaigrette is a lovely way to tempt your taste buds, incorporating both sweet and savory flavors.

The artichoke vinaigrette with Raoul’s dressing is a classic, and the decadent seared foie gras is also worth trying. The latter is paired with a surette à la pomme that offsets its inherent slightly bitter edge and topped with pickled red onions that add a layer of complexity.

For seafood lovers, the shrimp remoulade with wild arugula and horseradish is filled with tangy flavor, and — for mains — we would recommend the roasted sea bass, served with artichoke confit and saffron beurre blanc sauce, adding new flavors to the delicious fresh bass, which is seared to give it a crisp exterior.

Of course, if you are visiting Raoul’s, then it’s worth sampling that famous burger au poivre. It’s perfectly juicy, well-seasoned, topped with Saint-André cheese, and lives up to its unofficial title, elevating a fast-food classic.

Another of the restaurant’s top dishes is the steak au poivre — a staple of French cuisine. The steak is marinated and cooked to perfection, justifying its high price. It pairs surprisingly well with the tang of Kir Raoul’s — a sparkling non-alcoholic wine with homemade cherry essence.

When it comes to beverages, the Pink Promise is a great choice for a unique flavorful drink. It is made with hibiscus brewed tea, soursop juice, rose, cardamom, and fresh lime.

The staff are extremely hospitable, welcoming, and happy to discuss menu items or substitutions. Raoul’s is open daily from 1pm to 12:30 p.m. and from 2pm to 12:30 p.m. on Fridays, serving luxurious brunches — including French- and Arabic-inspired dishes such as shakshouka, lamb merguez socca crepes, and souffle pancakes — as well as lunches.

Raoul’s is yet another of VIA Riyadh’s new luxury dining experiences that is absolutely worth trying.