‘Red’ is the new black in Bangkok’s gastronomic world. Rejecting the cookie-cutter look of most Indian restaurants, this new eatery has been turning up the heat with chef Gagan Anand changing the way the world views the sub-continent’s culinary fare.
Formerly of The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower’s Zodiac Grill in Mumbai – arguably one of India’s best restaurantsand considered one of the finest in the world – Anand doesn’t confine himself to the boundaries of North Indian cuisine, an erroneous restriction in the menus of most Indian restaurantseverywhere. And while he looks for and finds inspiration in all 26 of India’s distinct regional cuisines, he doesn’t stop there either, instead combining traditional regional recipes with fine dining techniques and a Mediterranean philosophy.
Begin your culinary adventure with scrumptious Salmon Paturi, salmon marinated in home-grown mustard, wrapped in banana leaf and char-grilled, which is Anand’s twist on the classic Bengali recipe, Hilsa Paturi. Both salmon, and hilsa which is native to Bengal, are seawater fish that swim upriver to spawn, infusing their flesh with a complex flavour profile.
With a starter like that, a selection of Red’s excellent kebabs is only a natural progression. The pick of the lot is Paneer Tikka Achari, cubes of firm home-made cheese, marinated in pickle and barbecued, sweet at first with spicy after notes; Murgh Kasturi Kebab, saffron-marinated cubes of tender chicken, that leave you wanting more; Ajwain Fish, fish morsels flavoured with caraway seeds and grilled in a tandoor oven, the spice a perfect foil for the firm fish. End your kebab odyssey with the heavenly Murgh Malai Tikka, chicken marinated in cream and barbecued.
Still not convinced about the Red revolution? Maybe something from the “Red Pastas and Risottos” list, will convince you. Go the whole hog and order the Hariyali Penne Aur Samundar Ki Pariyan, penne with cilantro, walnut pesto and herbed prawns, mussels and crabmeat, or lipsmackingly good fettuccini tossed with the tomato curry and minced lamb kebabs.Anand also gets experimental with risotto, bringing to a boil in his cauldron of flavours, traditional Indian kichdree (kedgree to the English) and risotto in a combination that surprises and satisfies.
By Gavin Nazareth
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Courtesy of lifestyleandtravel.com
