The idea of creating fusion dishes is no stranger to us. Throughout the lockdown, one has witnessed a plethora of such creations. However, only some of them have gone well with the food lovers. With a similar motivation to offer their patrons a new experience, Executive Chef at Café De’Lan, Tej Wardhan Saini, infuses the European and Indian palates to bring to the table some of the most delectable dishes.
The chef has been actively involved in giving a modern touch to Indian food with his innovative recipes and knowledge of ingredients. Knowing the contrasting tastes of Indian and European consumers, he believes that the trick lies in achieving a balance between the two. While some dishes like the Naples style pizza have been kept in its original form, some others like biryani are served with a seafood twist. With newer and better ideas taking shape each day, Chef Tej envisions a culmination of progressive Indian cuisine with contemporary European flavours.
Naples style Pizza
The main difference between the pizza of Rome and Naples comes from the dough. In Naples, it is made with flour, yeast, water and salt whereas in Rome they add olive oil which means they can stretch the dough to be thinner. While both incorporate a thin pizza crust, the texture of the two is very different. Neapolitan pizza has a very thin crust at the base, with dough that puffs up around the sides and provides for a very airy crust.
Q6. A fusion dish that you’re very proud of and what’s the taste like?
Well, it’s a dish which is coming soon on our new menu. It’s a Malabar sabzi quesadilla with a spicy pico di gallo salsa. It is our very own Indian take on the famous Mexican dish. The crisp Malabar paratha filled with exotic korma veggies and layered with cheddar cheese is the perfect start to any meal.
