London Diaries: Every Meal Is a Gamble

Three days into a foreign trip, ask any Indian what they miss the most and the answer is usually the same: Ghar ka khana or dal-chawal.

Five months after my husband moved to London for work, he finally arranged a dependant visa for our son and me.

Along with the visa came a looong shopping list of things I should bring from India: Alphonso mangoes, chaklis, appalams, tapioca chips, sharkara upperi and more. The moment we landed, I rushed to check whether the mangoes had survived the flight.

My eight-year-old son was already dreaming of pepperoni pizzas, battered fries and burgers.

My husband, who seemed to have lost at least 10 kg, had only one request: Can you make dal-chawal, papad and achaar for dinner?

I reminded him that I was on holiday and looking forward to some kitchen-off days.

His solution? We'd cook together as a family.

As a vegetarian -- who now occasionally eats eggs and fish -- cooking has often been my survival strategy abroad.

On my trip to Norway, I learned this the hard way. I walked into a McDonald's hoping to eat a veg burger with great hopes, only to discover that a tuna burger was the only non-meat option available.

That's when I understood why my vegetarian friends carried Haldiram snacks and ready-to-eat meals everywhere -- even on an overnight cruise. On that vacation, I realised that even salads and fries came with warnings about animal-derived ingredients.

Suddenly, homemade theplas and aloo parathas wrapped in silver foil started feeling like luxury items.

In all these years, having spent precious foreign currency on culinary adventures abroad, I can confirm that every meal is a gamble -- it can either be delightful and memorable or spectacularly underwhelming.

I've carefully studied menus, selected dishes with great optimism, waited patiently for an hour, and then stared at my plate wondering how an entire country manages to enjoy food that tastes so bland.

My husband would then look at me with equal disappointment and ask me to pick an Indian restaurant for the next meal. And I would pretend to resist the urge of having a satisying meal without complaining.

Call me desi, but I'd happily choose a hot cup of homemade kaapi over a fancy machine-made Costa or Starbucks any day.

When I travel abroad, I always like to look at the bright side of things -- especially the learnings and experiences that come from stepping outside my comfort zone and trying something new, like, when I tried grilled salmon in Kuala Lumpur. It was the first time I ate fish after almost 20 years and I fell in love with it.

Food, I feel, also has a wonderful way of bringing people together.

In Norway, our South American roommate would often chat with me while we cooked in our shared kitchen. He was fascinated that I made dosa batter from scratch and could turn warm milk into fresh curd at home.

"You're not going to bake that dough?" he once asked while watching me make stuffed parathas.

More recently, in London, I offered our Italian host an Alphonso mango. He took one bite, closed his eyes and declared he'd never tasted anything like it before.

This trip to London introduced me to some wonderful local foods.

My son and I fell in love with a mushroom pâté from a London market and brought some home for my husband, who agreed it was exceptional.

For all the money I've spent chasing new flavours abroad, nothing rivals the joy of sitting at home in a comfy tee, eating a hot roti or a ghee-laden paratha with your hands or licking your fingers unapologetically while polishing off a plate of steamed rice with hot sambar, a spoonful of achaar and papad. That's the kind of fine dining I'm happiest to return to.

Of course, when you cook together as a family, the food ends up tasting a lot more special and satisfying

Here's our recipe for the perfectly-cooked Grilled Salmon served with imperfect-looking Mushroom Pâté and Mashed Potatoes, cooked with lots of love.

Grilled Salmon With Mushroom Pâté and Mashed Potatoes

Serves 3

Ingredients

For the mushroom pâté:

• 250 gm mushrooms, finely chopped
• 50 gm salted butter
• 2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 100 gm cream cheese
• 1 tbsp dried herbs, as per your choice, like rosemary, oregano, ground black pepper, chilly flakes (I used rosemary)
• Salt, optional, since the butter and cream cheese have salt too

For the grilled salmon:

• 400 gm salmon fillet, divided into 3 portions
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil + extra for frying the fish
• 1 tsp finely chopped garlic
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp black pepper powder
• ½ tsp paprika or chilly flakes, optional
• ½ tsp dried oregano and/or mixed herbs
• Salt to taste, about ½ tsp

For the mashed potatoes:

• 3-4 large potatoes, boiled, peeled (in a pressure cooker for up to 4 whistles)
• 2 tbsp butter*, either regular, salted or herbed
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp grated cheese, preferably unprocessed
• 2 tsp black pepper powder

Method

For the pâté:

• Heat a frying pan over medium-low heat.
  Add in the salted butter and the garlic.
  Add also the mushrooms and sauté for two minutes.
  Add salt (optional).
  Next add your choice of herbs/spices.
  Add the cream cheese and mix well and take off heat.
  Keep aside warm.

For the mashed potatoes:

• Mash the boiled potatoes while they are still warm.
• Heat the milk and the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, until the butter melts.
  Add in the mashed potatoes and mix well, ensuring there are no lumps.
  Add the grated cheese, black pepper.
  Mix well until it gains a smooth and creamy texture.
  Adjust the consistency with a little extra milk, if required.
• Serve hot.

For the grilled salmon:

• Ideally, use fresh salmon.
  If the salmon is frozen, thaw it and bring to room temperature.
  Pat dry with a paper towel and place on a plate and keep aside.
• In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, black pepper, paprika, oregano, salt.
  Rub the marinade evenly over the salmon and rest for 15-20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a grill pan or non-stick pan over low heat.
  Drizzle some olive oil into the pan.
  Place the salmon skin-side down and cook for 4-5 minutes over low to medium heat. 
  If you prefer, sprinkle additional fresh or dried herbs over the fish for extra flavour.
  Carefully flip the fish and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
  Check if the fish is done by using a fork to see if it flakes easily.
• Take off heat and let it rest for two minutes.
• Serve hot with the warm mushroom pâté and still hot mashed potatoes on the side.

Divya's Note: If you are using salted butter, please check if the pâté needs salt before adding extra salt. Same for the mashed potatoes.

Do not overcook the salmon. For best flavour, the centre should remain moist and tender.

• REDIFF FOOD