By Leigh O’Connor.
Helly Raichura’s story is just as interesting as her food. In a past life, this Chef from Gujarat in India was an HR advisor for an IT company – until she quit her job to pursue her love of cooking, offering intimate dinners out of her home.
Guests had to enter through her laundry and so ‘Enter via Laundry’ was born. There Helly created shared meals that took guests on a culinary journey through regional India.
One of the first Chefs to introduce and popularise regional Indian cuisine in Australia, Helly quickly gained a following and appeared on MasterChef to much acclaim.
Preserving India’s culture through cuisine and showcasing its regionality on a plate is her passion. She now has a permanent venue for ‘Enter via Laundry’ in the inner city of Melbourne where never losing sight of her Indian heritage, she creates menus that educate guests in the history and seasonality of each dish.
Now she invites foodies to embark on a Chef’s journey through India’s rich culinary history with her new book ‘The Food of Bharat’.
This is not only a cookbook, it is also a deep exploration of Indian history and culture:
"I wanted to restore and build upon our understanding of Indian cuisine,” Helly explains. "To eliminate long-standing stereotypes and ignite a sense of pride in my children for their heritage, which is so ancient and versatile.”
The book is divided into five historical periods – the Pre- and Post-Verdic era, the Trade and Migration Age, the Mughal invasion, the British and European colonial era and modern Indian cuisine, with recipes from Helly’s restaurant.
Bharat is the oldest known name for the subcontinent we now call India. From the importance of ghee to the adopted flavours of tomato and chilli, ‘The Food of Bharat’ demonstrates a different side to the food of India and challenges the idea of what Indian cuisine is.
We have three recipes for you to recreate at home:
Christmas and Easter are prominent festivals celebrated by the Syrian Christian community in India, with a spread of dishes that use spices, produce and techniques popular in Malabar cooking. One of the most popular festive dishes is a roast duck made with flavourful spices.
"Pasanda is a popular dish prepared by flattening meat with a meat mallet, marinating it and then cooking it with spices. This version is closer to the authentic original dish in its technique. I’ve found that kangaroo striploin works well for this preparation and I serve it with parsnip, rose and riberries, as well as a kangaroo tail sauce."
"I had this chilli pork in Kolkata on my visit there, where we ate at one of these old Chinese establishments called Tung Nam. Among the noodles, rice, fried chicken in thick sauce, wontons and soup, this pork dish with spring onion stood out with the spicy, fatty pork capturing the breath of the wok.
"As Indians today continue to modify Chinese food into a near-unrecognisable state, I love that some of the old institutions cling to authentic recipes. This is my attempt to recreate that dish.”
In this astounding cookbook, Helly brings to life the diverse cultures and practices of India, charting a course through thousands of years of history.
