Chota packet, bada dhamaka: Decoding the essence of amuse-bouche as an appetiser

Inspired by the French from the nouvelle cuisine movement of the 1970s the amusebouche or amusegueule is on a mission to distract patrons while they wait for the first course It doesnrsquot announce its presence on the menu it comes as a complimentary surprise from the chefrsquos selection The small bitesized hors drsquooeuvre is meant to prolong hospitality and excite and stir the palateChef Raji Gupta plates an amusebouche platter at her studio in AndheriAlessio Banchero Italian Chef de Cuisine at Celini Grand Hyatt Mumbai explains ldquoThe purpose of serving an amusebouche at the beginning of a course is multifold Firstly it serves as a warm welcome and kickstarts a surprising gastronomic experience that sets the tone for the remainder of the dinner Call it a delicious distraction while guests wait for their main courses keeping their taste buds engaged and anticipation high It stimulates the appetite by satisfying initial hunger and prepares the palate for the diverse flavours and textures to followrdquoIndian tadka PicsShadab KhanHe points out that it is not a palate cleansermdasha separate course served between main courses or before dessertmdash adding ldquoBoth amusebouche and palate cleanser contribute to enhancing the overall dining experience but they serve different roles in a multicourse meal A palate cleanser is typically a light mildly flavoured dish or sorbet that removes any tastes lingering from previous courses allowing diners to fully appreciate the flavours of the next dishrdquo Over the years amusebouche has become a playground for chefs to showcase their cooking prowess and skill From a humble piece of bread with mustard to molecular gastronomy creations it has taken many rebirths In India it has been taken a step ahead giving it a menu of its ownTofu Miso SaladChef Anees Khan of Star Anise Patisserie amp Cafeacute says traditionally they have always served small portions of chaats dahi bhalla papads achaars etc long before the word amusebouche came to the table ldquoThese unexpected small treats by the chef meant to amuse onersquos palate have started getting big attention from both the diner and the chefrdquo he says adding ldquoChefs painstakingly create these and diners never cease to express their admiration Fine dining restaurants have taken this term to a new level using molecular techniques Think pani puri shots dahi vada with chutney foam crispy fried noodles dhokla with chutney caviar Thai shrimp salad devilled eggs tomato basil bruschetta watermelon feta cheese salmon bites gazpacho shooters and cheese drizzled with honey Some of our popular amusebouches are mini dimsums feta on watermelon squares with melon caviar mini baked vada pavs and tandoori devilled eggsrdquoBeetroot paan PicsAnurag AhireDepending on culinary style and cultural preferences the notion of amusebouche may be altered and presented in numerous ways in restaurants While the name itself isnrsquot generally used the idea of providing little gratis appetisers or palate teasers is common in Indian cuisinemdashthese may include bitesized nibbles chaat little tasters of regional delicacies or new chef creations ldquoThese appetising bits are frequently served on a small plate or in a creative presentation and their goal is to excite the taste senses highlight the chefrsquos skills and create a memorable start to the dining experiencerdquo Banchero concludesShikha MutrejaChef Raji Gupta founder of Beyond Dining catering agrees how amusebouche has taken on a different meaning in India ldquoThey are treated as hors drsquooeuvres served before a meal They pass off as bites nibbles mezzes and platters I have catered for events where my entire menu is a curation of amusebouchesrdquo Gupta confesses At her studio in Andheri she makes us sample Taste of Japan a tofu miso salad with seaweed smoked salmon bites and India tadka to a mango jalapeno and pineapple salad mixed in coconut milkmdashall served on quirky small plates ldquoFrom precise chopping to texture marination and temperature a small amusebouche will have at least three to four elements Here we donrsquot stick to the original 30 gm limit eitherrdquo she sharesAnees KhanSombir Choudhary of Raahi Neo Bar in Bengaluru says ldquoAn amusebouche can be served on a small plate a spoon a shot glass or even passed around as a pickup on trays ldquoThey have also become a miniature version of a traditional dish In India amusebouche is generally passed off as a small dish but these two are completely differentrdquo he clarifiesShikha Mutreja chef and owner at Myhomebistro a boutique catering company in Malad that specialises in sitdown course meals says ldquoAmusebouche is a way to tickle your palate at the beginning of a course meal The idea behind this course is to get your palate going literally taking it for a ride We are a country blessed with a lot of flavours and textures that do a great job of tickling our palate Many chefs are doing very innovative takes on chaat keeping true to the textures and flavoursrdquoAlessio BancheroTypically her fivecourse meal starts with an amusebouche of beetroot paan sourdough blini with mango and smoked salmon cucumber tartare with four avatars of lemon parmesan biscuit with cherry tomatoes avo emulsion and roquet pesto ldquoTo be honestrdquo says Mutreja ldquooriginally it could be as simple as bread accompanied with butter and mustard a nobrainer course But then you put in a lot of thought as you do with all the other courses that come with the meal This is the course where a chef can show off his or her skillsrdquoMango Monaco mozzarella bites baby greens by Sombir ChoudharyIngredients1 packet salted crackers100 gm green peasSalt to taste1 piece raw mango10 gm red chilli powder3 gm mustard seeds5 gm turmeric powder2 gm cumin2 gm coriander powder10 gm mayonnaise23 gm of stems of garden cress microgreens20 ml olive oilSalt to tasteFrom left Tandoori devilled egg mini chicken and spinach Wellington muhammara cucumber sesame bites PicsShadab KhanMethodBlanche the green peas in hot water for three minutes and cool them down in ice water Take a blender add the green peas salt and olive oil and blend them together Add garlic if needed Blend it into a smooth paste Peel and grate the raw mango Heat oil in a pan and add the raw mango Add mustard seeds and all the spices and cook till the mango is soft Add a splash of water if needed Take the salted cracker and pipe the green pea hummus on it Then spoon the raw mango chutney Pipe the mayonnaise and finish by garnishing the dish with microgreensAmusebouche but notHead chef at Masque Varun Totlani says he doesnrsquot like referring to his courses as amusebouches ldquoWe celebrate Indian cuisine on our menu and India doesnrsquot have a concept of amusebouche Having said that we never dive right into our meal We will break papad mix some kachumbari or onions in masala and bite on it firstInspired by masala papad we make a blue corn papad like a Mexican tortilla with spices To this we add a little onion jam with Indian masalas and a corn mousse with charred and fermented baby corn A twobite snack we serve this with a water chestnut pakoda We keep it attached to its stem and only fry the water chestnut partrdquo says Totlani