Tarla

Tarla on the Hot Seat

1. What inspired you to become a Chef?

My favourite part about being a chef is that you alone are the master of your kitchen, and you direct and manage a passionate team of cooking enthusiasts. You are answerable to every morsel of food that goes out the door, and it is a major responsibility that drives you to do your best. I believe there are a handful of jobs where there is enough freedom to let your creative juices flow and experiment every day. 

2. What is your signature dish? What do people love about it?

Every dish is dear to me and I put my everything into its making, but people find the Chole Bhature really amusing. Chole Bhature, sometimes also known as Chana Bhatura, is one of the most popular Punjabi dishes. Chole stands for spiced tangy chickpea curry and Bhatura is a soft and fluffy fried leavened bread. Each restaurant or Dhaba (eateries on highways) have their own flavours and taste in the chickpea curry. In some places the curry is very spicy, at other places it has a tangy taste and the consistency of the curry also varies from slightly thick to semi-dry and dry.

3. How do you describe your overall cooking philosophy?

Ultimately the single purpose of consuming food is to live longer. All philosophy must not violate that fundamental imperative. Eating healthy deliciously is mine.

4. What’s your take on Indian food?

Indian food like its culture is varied and is quite popular across the world. Indian food is a blend of varied herbs and spices which make every dish quite unique and special. Though most of the countries love Indian food, it is considered to be quite spicy when compared to the other cuisines.

5. When you’re not busy in the kitchen, what hobbies do you indulge in?

I have a dated hobby – knitting. It’s something my maternal grandmother practised as a profession and I guess she passed on that hobby to me. It really is an old-fashioned hobby and can take years to master, but once you do, you can knit gifts on your own and see that happiness on someone’s face after receiving a hand-made gift that’s both practical and beautiful – it’s something else!