Historic Colaba bungalow opens its doors to Chef Vicky Ratnani's glo-cal menu

Karan Joharrsquos diner ndash Neuma recently transpired into a hotbed of transcontinental dishes Housed in Garden Chalet a 19thcentury colonial bungalow in Colaba the bistro has joined hands with the culinary maestro Chef Vicky Ratnani In a weeklong cameo the Sindhi chef is set to present his contemporary menu with the lsquoBites Beyond Bordersrsquo PopUp at the restaurantVicky a prominent culinary figure in the Indian gastronomy scene is renowned for his innovative approach to cooking An intrepid traveller he has a knack for crafting newage food stories in an oldschool style Notably he is the brother of the acclaimed celebrity photographer Dabboo Ratnani and the familys creative genes extend beyond bordersHis culinary odyssey commenced shortly after he completed his studies at the Institute of Hotel Management Mumbai in 1992 Today he is a household name and his distinctive cooking style continues to inspire food enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike In an exclusive interaction with this writer chef Vicky takes us through his glocal globallocal culinary mashups to entice Mumbairsquos paletteChilled Asparagus Soup and Saffron Tres LechesGlobalinspired local cuisinelsquoBites Beyond Bordersrsquo as the name suggests represents food without any boundaries This is not a themed menu bound by one kind of cuisine or one style of cooking ldquoRather its an open forum where Ive featured different dishes and flavours from all across the world With techniques like smoking pickling compressing fermentation and infusing plenty of Indian flavours ndash this menu is a gourmet explosionrsquoThe ability to cook a culinary storm like this is what Vicky finds truly liberating Complimenting his style is Neumas unique setting that effortlessly switches from a gothic English villa to a tropical island At any given time ndash this eatery can don the look of a finedine French restaurant to a Californian eatery or even a brewery Parallelly thatrsquos how versatile my menu is with an eclectic blend of ingredients and methodsWhat are the global elements on the menu we ask He responds ldquoWell we have infused flavours all the way from Jamaica and Southeast Asia To amplify them we have resorted to techniques like smoking the pork belly and the chicken over mango wood and charcoal Mango wood lends a fruity aroma imparting a tropical note to the meat that sets it apart from traditional wood typesrdquoFurthermore the dual use of both wood and charcoal allows for a balanced combination of smokiness and consistent heat creating a harmonious blend of textures The use of mango wood and charcoal not only contributes to the flavour but also presents an ecoconscious approach to cooking as it makes use of sustainable resourcesCompressed Melon amp Charred Pineapple Chaat with Haus AvocadoSpeaking of techniques he regales us over another culinary method he is fond of ldquoI like to compress watermelons One can do it by marinating melon balls and then compressing them in vacuum bags This process concentrates the flavours into bitesized pieces that are succinct in flavoursrdquoThe chefrsquos team has also incorporated Ancho Poblano Chilies which are mega chilies dipped in tomato sauce While itrsquos a Mexican cuisine the chefs team has introduced a unique twist by incorporating Indian masalas into the fillings Additionally the menu features the vibrant flavours of Kerala brought to life with tropical ingredients such as Sichuan peppercorns pineapple juice lime leaves and lemongrassOf Italian Gnocchi Sindhi Lamb Shanks and Indian chaatChef Vicky takes a pioneering approach to Gnocchi ndash the traditional Italian dumplings made with potatoes in tomato puree ldquoSo gnocchi is my version of the Indian aloo tamatar In the wake of the Covid19 lockdown this crosscultural concept came to life while toying with everyday ingredients to craft elevated restaurantstyle feastsrdquoWith potatoes being the central item this dish requires minimal ingredients An Italian Gnocchi essentially has a soft pillowy texture with an earthy flavour of sauces and ingredients ldquoBut the way I serve it is very similar to ghar ka aloo tamatar by soaking potatoes in a creamy blend of tomato and basil sauce And thatrsquos how it becomes a fusion affairrdquoNext on the menu is lamb shanks which is a typical Sindhi mutton curry ldquoWe love to it eat on Sundays Its a typical homemade recipe but for this popup we have innovated with a New Zealand lamb shank The spices used here are typically Sindhi cooking with the slow braising method in an oven to give it a brown texturerdquoFollowing in the offerings was the Compressed Melon and Charred Pineapple Chaat with Haus Avocado True to its name it was a flavour explosion waiting to happen Chef Vicky paid homage to Indias famous chaat by crafting this dish with a guacamole base infused with a blend of Indian flavours including chilies chaat masala black salt and amchoor The base was topped with compressed melon along with pineapple diverse chutneys Karela and banana chips from Italy which enticed the taste buds with each biteLobster in Cafreal Butter and Grape amp Celery GaspachoTracing Sindhi culinary secretsImagine the art of slow cooking where you neatly sear the meat in a scorching hot pan Next you infuse it with an array of aromatic spices and then let it simmer in a sumptuous slowcooked broth ldquoThats how the magic happens ndash and that is how I prepare my Sindhi mutton curry I take the time to craft a rich stock and thats the secretrdquo he revealsldquoIn fact I first prepare the curry without the meat preserving all its flavours I pour it into a bowl and freeze it in an ice tray Later when Im ready to serve I bring that savoury stock back into play and this time I add the meat So in essence my curry is a symphony thats performed twice ensuring an exquisite depth of flavoursProudly embracing his Sindhi heritage as a badge of honour he believes in the power of conversations ldquoSindhi cuisine has always been there but people donrsquot know much about it There is a growing community of home cooks who are proudly shining a light on this remarkable heritage Every opportunity I get I make it a point to showcase the rich tapestry of Sindhi food preserving and sharing its unique flavours with the worldThrough his endeavours he has witnessed a transformation where people are not only rediscovering Sindhi cuisine roots but are also embracing the flavours from the north ldquoThis journey is a continuous and everevolving process one that brings people closer to our heritagerdquoChef recommendsldquoThere are quite a few highlight dishes on this menu but I like the Gnocchi aloo tamatar for sure because its something you will not find in any other restaurant Next would be the Asian Sea Bass in the coconut and pineapple emulsion as it happens to be one of my favourite dishesrdquoTop 2 Sindhi haunts in Mumbai1 Jhama Sweets Chembur ndash Serves the best gulab jamuns and sindhi barfi2 Gopalrsquos mutton and chicken Chembur ndash Sindhi dhabastyle food