The roasted eggplant is meanwhile seasoned with spices

”Baingan ka Bharta RavioliChef and owner Monish Rohra was intent on giving the traditional baingan ka bharta a makeover. “We had to get the flavour profile of the dhokla, and incorporate the textures of the red velvet,” he explains. So, the chef created baingan ka bharta with ravioli to give it a gourmet twist.There were a lot of trials that went into the making of red velvet dhokla. Once drained, it is tossed in sweet corn puree and served hot. The dish appears as a red velvet cupcake, but the first bite is enough to put your worries to rest. But he understands the debate. “The ravioli is cut in squares and cooked in a large saucepan filled with boiling salted water, until al dente. The traditional chunda gives way to salsa sauce and jalapenos. So executive chef Ganesh Gaonkar of the Fable knew he had to be cautious while playing with it. Unexpectedly, we had another hot dog, Junglee Dog on the menu,” she concludes. But that’s where fusion food comes in.Prasad says that the health-conscious will find fewer reasons to feel guilty about after trying this version.” The chef, however, stuck to the traditional chutneys for the snack. We haven’t received a bad remark on this one as yet!” he beams. It’s topped with a cream cheese and jalapeño spread,” he says, adding that it has received mixed response from his patrons. We have people coming to the restaurant asking for it,” admits chef Gaurav Gidwani. “I had a guest who loved his Junglee Maas in a hot dog.”Spinach Thepla QuesadilaThepla is a mainstay on our tables.

But it was a chance he was willing to take.”Avocado pani puriReferred to by different names, the pani puri or gol gappa or puchka is wildly popular across the country and culinary expert Prasad Parab was aware of the implications that come with experimenting with a snack like this. So re-imagining Indian foods comes with quite a responsibility,” he admits. It also helps that avocado is getting popular in Mumbai. The pasta dough ingredients are mixed in a food processor and kneaded. Although experimental food is being dished out by restaurants for a while now in the city, the recent crop fuses desi and videsi food in a delightful mix. He explains, “Guacamole has all the ingredients which perfectly merge in pani puri. There was very little reason for us to not experiment with it. He replaced chunks of potato, chickpeas and ragada with guacamole. “We went through dozens of trials with the chutney. He adds, “Spinach is a hard sell since not everyone is fond of it. Since I wanted something lighter, I turned to cracked wheat porridge and used garlic and saffron,” says the founder of Desi Deli. The tortillas of the quesadillas are replaced with traditional spinach theplas which is stuffed with tomato, salsa, avocado, green peppers, jalapeno and cheddar.Jungli MaasA rustic version of the famous Rajasthani laal maas, Lolita Sarkar experimented with one of her favourite dishes to create the Jungli Maas, which is served with cracked wheat porridge with garlic and saffron. So it was challenging to put it on the menu since the dish has a connection with the masses,” he adds.

The roasted eggplant is meanwhile seasoned with spices. It was easy for Ganesh to create trial runs with thepla, since he is of the belief that the dish “can never go wrong with anything” and came up with spinach thepla quesadila. He explains, “The ones who are watching their weight are happy that they can indulge in the deep-fried snack without feeling too guilty about it. “We have only used the textures of the red velvet. She says, “I had the good fortune of living with some people who cooked great Rajasthani dishes and this was one of my favourites. “I know that forced culinary marriages can China curtain velvet suppliers prove to be a disaster. “Even as there are variations made within the dhokla, no one has gone really left of centre. The filling is a spicy traditional bharta which balances the softer flavours of the creamy pasta,” reveals Monish. It is more about cleverly assimilating and recreating the dish. Red velvet dhoklaOver the past few weeks, red velvet dhokla has received flak on social media by traditionalists for taking experimentation a little too far. I am glad I have been able to replicate it, albeit with a twist!”This dish also spawned a hot dog version called the Jungli dog. The chefs we spoke to, say that it was about time that our traditional dishes were reinvented to bring together diverse culinary worlds. “The dish has become a talking point. “Thankfully, people usually let down their guard after the first bite. Finally we came up with one that has all the flavours like sweet, sour, spicy and tangy,” he admits. “As a kid I remember eating it with tawa rotis. “While we have received encouraging feedback, we have also had instances where people have not been able to relate to it because they still have their loyalties with the original dhokla. Cooked with oil, salt and red chilly, Lolita insists that textures of the porridge and mutton complement each other dramatically. Initially it was difficult to get patrons to try the dish, reveals the chef..Mumbai: Have you ever heard of a red velvet dhokla, a chicken tikka sev puri, avocado pani puri or motichur tarts with elaichi foam? It may sound sacrilegious to food purists, but these are dishes quickly catching the fancy of chefs and foodies across Mumbai