Culinary giants Manish Mehrotra, Prateek Sadhu dazzle with 12-course tasting menu

Manish Mehrotra, celebrated as the leading figure of ‘Progressive Indian Cuisine,’ and Prateek Sadhu, the rising star known for his acclaimed stint at Mumbai’s Masque, have joined forces to create a culinary masterpiece. Their collaboration at Indian Accent, held briefly in Mumbai and New Delhi, showcased a 12-course tasting menu that not only delighted the senses but also educated the palate.

The menu began with a fascinating dish called ‘sundarkala,’ presented as fine threads in a ‘sinki’ broth with Ladakhi sausages. These noodles, made from finger millet flour (mandua atta) from Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, were complemented by a Nepali soup made from preserved and fermented radish roots. This innovative combination, both invigorating and visually stunning, set the tone for the meal.

One of the standout dishes was Sadhu’s ‘Dirty Toast,’ an open sandwich topped with minimally cooked Himachali trout on whole wheat bread known as ‘khambir,’ traditionally eaten with butter tea in Ladakh. This inventive twist elevated a simple dish to new heights.

The vegetarian tasting menu opened with a slice of ‘tadgola,’ the fleshy fruit of the sugar palm tree, served in a pool of raw mango ‘panna’ with Panna pakodis, paying homage to the famous paneer pakodas of Ludhiana’s Sardar Panna Singh. Non-vegetarians enjoyed a sliver of hamachi, or yellowtail, in place of the tadgola, though even meat lovers would have appreciated the ice apple.

Another delightful surprise was the ‘askalu,’ a festive dish from Kullu compared to idlis. Made with fermented rice flour slurry and cooked in a stone utensil, these Himachali donuts had a crispy exterior and soft interior. Mehrotra paired them with his beloved ‘Calcutta biryani aloo’ and a mind-blowing ‘beetroot dahi vada,’ both bursting with umami.

The dish that stole the show was the ghee lamb, featuring tender meat from lamb shanks paired with sunchokes and ‘dal kachori.’ The vegetarians were treated to pooris stuffed with ‘sattu’ and a flavorful tawa green jackfruit, mustard, and coconut. The combination of ghee lamb and dal kachori was divine, and the vegetarian option received enthusiastic approval.

Dessert was a triumph with an avant-garde interpretation of ‘shufta,’ a Kashmiri delicacy of dry fruits and fried paneer squares, paired with a delectable pineapple and ragi cake. The meal’s surprises, from Mickey Mouse-shaped roasted mini papads to byadgi chilli sauce with lemon crab and dried shrimps, left a lasting impression.

Mehrotra and Sadhu’s collaboration demonstrated the extraordinary talent of master chefs. Sadhu, who relocated to a Himalayan village to open his restaurant Naar, has already received 380 reservation requests before opening. Patrons fly in from Chennai and Bengaluru for his five-hour meals, while locals prepare to accommodate the influx of visitors.

This remarkable collaboration not only highlighted the chefs’ skills but also inspired a new generation of culinary enthusiasts. With their inventive and artful dishes, Mehrotra and Sadhu have set a high bar in the world of fine dining.