Experience this Indo-Japanese culinary jam in Mumbai this weekend

A Delhi-based restaurant introduces Mumbaikars to their Indo-Japanese fare. Chef-partner Adwait Anantwar shares the secrets of the culinary style, its key elements, plus, a recipe to try

How did INJA come about? What was the key to its creation?
Adwait Anantwar: The idea for INJA was to create a space that brings together the harmony and styles of Indian and Japanese cuisine. By that, I do not mean tuna kebabs or butter chicken sushi. It is far more complex than that.

So, how does one deconstruct this experience?
AA: While working in Dubai, I was introduced to Nikkei cuisine. Now, this is a cuisine that emerged when Japanese migrants to Peru assimilated the local food and styles and created something new. Now, if two diverse cultures can create that, why not India and Japan?

Palak paneer sarada

Are there fundamental similarities in the food?
AA: Indian cuisine is quite complex. It uses many elements that drive flavour. Japanese cuisine, on the other hand, is minimalistic and ingredient-driven. For instance, a mutton curry in India would be dominated by the spices, heat and flavour in the curry. In Japan, the focus would be on the meat and the vegetables even.

How do you accomplish that?
AA: We have dishes such as the lobster rasam chawanmushi or the butter scallops panta bhaat that showcase this balance. For instance, we make the palak paneer not as a curry, but use the components differently.

Adwait Anantwar

What can patrons expect?
AA: I often tell people to not come in with expectations but with an open mind. We have collaborated to curate a special 7-course culinary offering.

Any particular favourites for our readers?
AA: Personally, I love the buttered scallops panta bhaat. The panta bhaat is a dish of leftover and fermented rice that is often served as breakfast in Bengal. Similarly, Japanese have a tradition of serving Gohan Nato – fermented soybeans and cooked rice. Both culinary traditions have similar practises; fermented, leftover rice and served at breakfast. That is the perfect example. 

On: August 24 and 25; 7pm to 8.30 pm, 9.30 pm to 11 pm 
At: Sesame-Hyatt Centric Juhu, Juhu Tara Road, Santacruz West. 
Call: 8657884964 (to register)

Shiso leaf Banarasi chaat (serves 4)

INGREDIENTS
>> 3 tempura fry shiso leaves
>> 25 gm red cherry tomatoes
>> 25 gm yellow cherry tomatoes >> 20 gm pomelo
>> 10 gm avocado >> 1 gm Maldon salt >> 25 gm tamarind pulp >> 2 gm black puff rice
>> 1 gm jhakiya seeds >> 1 gm edible flowers >> 20 gm fresh coriander >> 30 gm tempura flour >> 30 ml neutral oil
>> 5 ml light soy >> 7 ml mirin

METHOD
Dehydrate the tomatoes, and roughly chop them. In a bowl, soak dried tamarind in water until soft. Strain the pulp and mix with soy, mirin and yuzu juice. Season with salt and sugar as required. In another bowl, blanch the coriander. Add some oil and blitz it till bright green. Peel the pomelo and leave it in a strainer in the chiller to remove excess juice drippings. Meanwhile, add ice cold water to tempura flour to make a thin batter. Heat oil in a pan. Gently dip the shiso leaves in the batter, and fry them until they are crisp.

Wash the black rice and boil it until the starch is activated. In a pan, heat oil until it is smoking hot. Dip the rice in the oil till it is puffed. Follow the same method with jhakiya seeds. In a mixing bowl, add dehydrated cherry tomatoes, cilantro oil and mix well with tamarind ponzu. Toss in some pomelo. Finely dice avocado, and add it to the mix. Sprinkle puffed rice and jhakiya seeds above this plating. Serve them with fried shiso leaves.

Also Read: Heritage cookbooks: How Mumbaikars are documenting Pre-Independence recipes in the modern era

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