Secrets From the Kitchen- Fifty Year of Culinary Experience at the India International Centre

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

About the Book Half a century of existence and a lifetime of commitments promoting cultural exchanges, eclectic views and global visions. The India International Centre reflects on the years left behind and reminisces on the evolution of its dining experience. The doors to its kitchen have now been thrown open for the first time, presenting a veritable account of the fireside story-a closely guarded secret since the first platter of its mixed grills, pork chops and treacle tarts made its way to the dining hall in 1962. Rare photographs of people, places and events from the post-Independence era simply add to the flavour.

About the Author Bhikoo Manekshaw’s passion for good food and cooking early grandmother's kitchen. School Cookery, London, she was Consultant at the India Centre (IIC), and later, the & Thyme Restaurant, Delhi. She also Consultant to the West and Raj Bhavan, Bangalore Air, Air Bhicoo has several cook books her credit.

VIJAY Thukral, Executive Chef, been the hospitality industry more than years and since 1988. Trained Food and Food Production he supervises IIC F&B specially contributing IIC special dinners and food festivals.

Foreword Bhicoo Manekshaw who was Caring Clint for the India International Centre (IIC) in the 1971 and gan in the 1980 scented that we should bring out a recipe book to mark the Golden Jubilee of IIC The idea was readily accepted. The book-through recipes-would surrate the history of the IIC the last fifty years because good cuisine has been an aotegral part of the IIC to provide the ideal ambience for exemplars from various cultures to way together for while in order that the sharpnes of insellemal exchange is softened by the gracioumes of good fellowship." It is this that IC sought t accomplish and the Lounge and Duing Rooms became one of the spaces where a leisured exchange could happen. It followed that the Kitchen which was set up would serve quality meals and form a repertoire of North Indian The India International Centre was formally and Continental dishes. The Centre, over the Inaugurated in 1962 by Dr S Radhakrishnan, years, began to introduce Chinese, South Indian then Vice-President of India. However, it was dishes as well as cumines from other parts of registered in 1958 and the Foundation stone was the world. Today our Chefs can produce dishes lad by the present Emperor of Japan while he from Kashmir, Rajasthan as well as from the was Crown Prince in 1960. A galaxy of names- Mediterranean region and Peru!

This book is a delightful compendium of recipes offered over the years, where food and Chattopadhyay, Dr CD Dedimukh and Joseph IICS activities are woven together to create what may be appropriately described as the ICS Culinary Experience.

Preface International Centre I was introduced to Mr. John Lall, then Director of the Centre, by Mr. Dharma Vira, as I had been his catering consultant when he was governor of Karnataka.

A few days after I joined, I had the pleasure of meeting Dr and Mrs C.D. Deshmukh and I asked them if there was any special dish they would like me to cook for them. Both replied amultaneously: Dhan sakh, so a vegetarian dhan sakh was prepared for them.

On the next day, I was in the bakery section of the kitchen, showing the bakery staff how to make dough for French bread When I looked up, there for its excellent tandoori fare such as chicken was Dr Deshmukh, accompanied by the manager. tikka, raan sikandari, mutton seekh kabab; and watching what I was doing. I smiled and asked, South Indian cuisine which includes dosa, idlis How was the dhan sakl? He replied smilingly, that the flavour still lingered in his mouth!

There was an a la carte menu at the Centre started my love affair with the India before I came, I introduced an Indian and Continental du jour. They became very popular as dishes were introduced which were made by famous chefs as well as from the Cordon Bleu The IIC, not to be left behind, also created new dishes; the chefs excelled themselves and won several accolades for their creations This cookery book has some excellent recipes of both Indian and Continental variety There is still a'colomal' touch which has remained with dishes such as the classical mulligatawny soup, fried fish with tartare sauce. roast lamb with mint sauce, prawn thermidor and asparagus Florentine.

Introduction The concept of the India International Centre is the outcome of a conversation between John Rockefeller III and Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, then the vice president of India, in 1958, in Japan. It was proposed then, that an international centre be set up in Delhi along the lines of the International House of Japan. It would be a meeting place of minds; of the East and the West; for 'the deepening of true and thoughtful understanding between peoples and nations'. The Rockefeller Foundation, the Government of India and the Indian universities contributed to the making of the IIC, under the dynamic leadership of its first President, Dr C.D. Deshmukh.

Dr Deshmukh was convinced that unlike the Japanese institution, which was mainly supported by businessmen and journalists, the Centre in Delhi would lean on Indian universities-it would be 'a pooled guesthouse of the universities in the metropolis'.

**Contents and Sample Pages**