12122024-LSTC-01.qxd 12/11/2024 11:58 PM Page 1 c m y b ANG LEE TO BE HONOURED Acclaimed filmmaker Ang Lee will be honoured with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the 77th Annual Directors Guild of America Awards, set to take place on February 8, 2025. Academy Award-winning director Lee is behind masterpieces such as Brokeback Mountain and Life of Pi. TRIBUNE On display Life Hollywood star Pamela Anderson’s iconic fiery red swimsuit from Baywatch, which she wore between 1992 and 1997, will be displayed at an exhibition at London’s Design Museum. CHANDIGARH | THURSDAY | 12 DECEMBER 2024 Vadouvan, the French-ified curry powder, is a culinary bridge between the eastern and western flavour paradigms Parbina Rashid Curry on, Karl T HE issue with curry is that it has gone so global at times it’s unrecognisable even to the Indian eye. It may take the liquid form, it may appear dry. Once, at a Berlin cafe, when I asked for Currywurst, little did I know that the star ingredient of the dish, after which it was named, would be used just for garnishing two fresh-out-of-a-packet pork sausages and a dollop of fresh-out-of-a-tin tomato puree. Curry here meant just the curry powder. It was a lesson I learnt at the cost of 15 Euros! So, during its winter menu launch at Olive Cafe and Bar in our own City Beautiful, British chef Karl Whittaker asked me to try out his signature dish, Vadouvan Chicken, which is chicken cooked with French-ified curry powder. I decided to trust him for two reasons. First, Karl is from York, UK, hence familiar with curry, though the British variety does not match up to our desi fiery type. Still, it’s curry as we know it. Two, if it survived two successive seasons in the land of butter chicken and tandoori chicken, it had to have some substance. When Karl’s Vadouvan Chicken arrived, it was a surprise alright. Pieces of chicken hooked on a skewer and delicately balanced over a bowl that contained cauliflower couscous and roasted beans, it looked like a culinary bridge between the eastern and western flavour paradigms. It looked familiar, yet exotic. “I have always loved this spice and greatly appreciated how a different cuisine can interpret ingredients otherwise unfamiliar to them. The combination of I have always loved flavour and history realVadouvan. The ly drew me to it,” he said, combination of flavour to set us off on the trajectory of vadouvan and its and history really drew origin. Vadouvan origime to it. nated in French-occuKARL WHITTAKER pied Pondicherry (now Puducherry), when the earthy blend of Indian spices acquired the refined edge of French cuisine. With 10 to 12 ingredients, including onion, garlic, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, mustard seed, thyme, coriander, fenugreek and red pepper, vadouvan has a really unique flavour profile. When the French went back, they took along with them the vadouvan recipe. However, one major difference between French and Indian vadouvan is the use of onion and garlic. The French use these liberally. So, does vadouvan symbolise the transformation of local ingredients under the influence of foreign tastes, or should we call it simply existential instability which is integral to this genre — curry? The answer may lie in the fact that colonisation not only played a critical role in transporting Indian food out of India, it also reclassified classic dishes of its adopted country. Indian food changed during its course of travel and in turn, changed itself along the way. Coming back to the tasting session, the aroma was heady, the chicken pieces were tender, with a supersavoury blast of spice. Subtle, unlike our strong curry masala. The cauliflower couscous was delicate and refreshing while the roasted beans added crunch to the mix. The combo was just right—Indian-ness wedded to French refinement. My appreciating nod made Karl happy; happy enough to share his secret. “I use onion and garlic for my vadouvan. I add them in my butter and confit them with spices for hours. Another addition that sets mine apart is the use of orange skin, which is cleaned of any bitter pith and left to cook. It complements the flavour.” Karl is not a novice when it comes to playing with vadouvan. As a sous chef at Le Cochon Aveugle in York, he gave a twist to the classic French dish Sole Meunière by using vadouvan-spiced butter. “Vadouvan really does seem to follow me around,” he said with a sheepish grin. During his stint in Italy though, Karl had to somehow distance himself from his beloved spice. As the head chef at Badia A Coltibuono in Italy, he had little scope to experiment with vadouvan. “Italian curries are somewhat similar to the creamy, tame variety found in the UK. In fact, curry in Italy is a little misunderstood. Italian cuisine by and large relies on the freshness and purity of the produce, not the technique of cooking. In fact, covering a particular ingredient in spice and cooking it until soft does not appeal to the Italians,” he elaborated. Now that Italians and their aversion for curry is behind him and Chandigarh has given his experiments the thumbs-up, he is all kicked up, “Vadouvan will feature in my future projects in other incarnations.” Carry on Karl. This city could do a fresh French connection. Le Corbusier would approve! PHOTOS: RAVI KUMAR SILVER SPOON For a cause TRAGEDY KING’S TIMELESS LEGACY Dilip Kumar, the ‘Tragedy King’ of Indian cinema, continues to be remembered for his unmatched contributions to Bollywood. Born on December 11, 1922, as Muhammad Yusuf Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, he ruled the silver screen with his impeccable acting skills, emotional depth and charisma. Dilip Kumar’s career spanned over five decades and he played the lead role in about 60 films. On his birth anniversary, here’s a trip down memory lane to revisit some of the most iconic roles. Salim, a role that required both regal dignity and emotional depth. The song, Jab Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya, continues to resonate in the hearts of Bollywood fans worldwide. Mughal-e-Azam NUANCED PORTRAYAL: Ganga Jamuna (1961) In Ganga Jamuna, Dilip Kumar played the role of Gangaram, a man caught between two worlds—the rural heartland and urban struggles. His nuanced portrayal of a man torn by loyalty to his brother and the law was a masterpiece of the 1960s. Karma LOVE TRIANGLE: Andaz (1949) In Andaz, Dilip Kumar shared the screen with Nargis and Raj Kapoor. The film not only showcased his powerful acting range but also introduced him as the Tragedy King to the world. His portrayal of a man caught in a love triangle was heart-wrenching. INTENSE PERFORMANCE: Shakti (1982) In Shakti, Dilip Kumar starred alongside Amitabh Bachchan in a gripping tale of fatherson conflict. The emotional struggle between the two, compounded by intense performances from both stars, is one of the defining moments in Kumar’s career. ICONIC ROLE: ‘Devdas’ (1955) No list of Dilip Kumar’s most iconic roles would be complete without Devdas. Based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel, Kumar’s portrayal of the self-destructive, tragic hero struck a chord with audiences. WIDE RANGE: Karma (1986) Karma saw him in a role showcasing his actionpacked avatar while retaining his classic gravitas. The film combined action with drama, and Dilip Kumar’s portrayal of a tough warrior was another testament to his acting range. Andaz CLASSIC TALE: Naya Daur (1957) In Naya Daur, Dilip Kumar showcased his versatility by playing a man who fights against the forces of modernisation threatening traditional ways of life. His powerful portrayal of a man caught between the old and new made this film one of the defining movies of the 1950s. EMOTIONAL DEPTH: Mughal-e-Azam (1960) In Mughal-e-Azam, Dilip Kumar played Prince Nandita Das supports Sheena Chohan’s campaign on Human Rights Day DEPTH AND CHARM: Saudagar (1991) Saudagar was a film where Dilip Kumar and Raj Kumar came together after years to portray old foes whose rivalry transcends generations. As the elder statesman of Bollywood, Kumar delivered a performance that was both commanding and reflective, proving that even in his later years, he could hold audiences spellbound with his depth and charm. — ANI Naya Daur c m y b Saudagar On Human Rights Day, acclaimed actress and filmmaker Nandita Das said the right Don’t Discriminate is the only way to create a peaceful world. Nandita said, “The right Don’t Discriminate is the only way we can create a peaceful and just world. It’s what makes us human— that’s what makes us compassionate—that’s when we care about the world we live in. When we discriminate we create the other, we become fearful of the other, we become unjust and we justify violence.” Apart from Nandita, Sonakshi Sinha, Anushka Sen and Ruchi Narain helped actress Sheena Chohan launch her new campaign, Read Me My Rights, which asks artistes to read and post online the right that is most important to them from the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights. Those who joined the movement include Preety Zinta, Raveena Tandon, Sonu Sood, Imtiaz Ali, Guneet Monga, Sanjana Sanghi and many more. Preety Zinta and Guneet Monga chose to spread awareness about Women’s Rights, including the right Don’t Discriminate, Sonu Sood chose the Right to Food and Shelter, Raveena Tandon chose the Right to a Fair and Free World, Imtiaz Ali chose Freedom of Thought, Sanjana Sanghi chose the Right to Play and Tisca Chopra chose The Right to Life, read a statement. — IANS CHEF’S SPECIAL: Vadouvan Chicken with cauliflower couscous and roasted beans