Hyderabad | Chef Vicky Ratnani on pots and pans and going hyper-local

Chef Vicky Ratnani on pots and pans and going hyper-local

As we discuss and debate what metal my cooking utensils should be made of, Chef Vicky Ratnani approaches the choice from a practical point of view. His first preference is cast iron rather than non-stick; his reason is, “Cast iron lasts longer. In non-stick cookware, once the Teflon wears off, the utensil is nearly useless. The colour that meat and fish get from searing on cast iron is no match; it lends a colour that enhances the look of the food. For Western cooking, I like using steel pots, especially for sauces. Having worked abroad for many years, my experience is that stainless steel is the most hygienic metal, easy to clean and a good conductor or heat.”

As a chef, Vicky is familiar with traditional cookware like lagan (cooking utensil that has a spherical bottom with a broad-rimmed opening). Even though he has had no experience with it, he says, “When I returned to India, I started incorporating India into my global menu, especially for my pop-ups. Since I always worked in Western kitchens and never in Indian kitchens, I hardly needed traditional Indian utensils. However, I discovered the joy of cooking in a lagan eight years ago and I can vouch for it. No other utensil can capture the flavour of bhuna masala as a lagan. Also, it is hard to burn food in a lagan.” 

Vicky adds that in a lagan the temperature distribution of food and the Maillard reaction of the sauce, gravy or curry enhances the overall flavour. “The heat stays for a longer time when slow cooked and the caramelisation of spices enhances the look and finish.”

Vicky would rather not enter into a discussion of nutrition, because “that’s not my area of expertise. I stick to cooking food.”

Having worked abroad, does he believe Indian food has been reduced to curry and naan abroad? “I don’t think so. I think it is a game of demand and supply. There is a demand for the gravies and naan and then there are many people who are willing to make it available. Hyper-local cuisines face a problem. It is not a problem of supply or availability of ingredients. We have to ask the question ‘Is there enough demand for someone to start a dedicated place for regional cuisine?’‘

He believes that the only way to promote micro cuisines is by creating awareness. Aiming to popularise Sindhi cuisine, he says, “People from smaller communities must come and showcase their food.”  His word for advice for hyper-local cuisines: “Test the market.”

His love for travel helps him explore ingredients and flavours which he incorporates into his food. As a food purist, even though Vicky does dishes like Lobster Rogan Josh, Sindhi Lamb Tacos or a Curd Rice Arancini, he avoids labelling his food as ‘fusion.’ He says, To be the best fusion, one needs to be an expert in the cuisines he/she is fusing. It is important to understand the flavours and what can be paired together. Otherwise fusion can lead to confusion.”