What: Superfoods Fiesta Menu
Where: 54/1/2A Hazra Road (opposite Hazra Law College)
When: Till Nov 30
Meal for two: Rs 800-plus

The sweetness of prunes and the tartness of aged cheddar on a fragrant stem of rosemary make up the Prune and Rosemary Soldiers. “They stand in a spicy Harissa sauce, made from roasted red pepper, spices, garlic and olive oil, and slightly sweetened by orange reduction,” said Sambit Banik, chef and owner, Spice Kraft. The superfood here is the prune, packed with antioxidants and is a time-honoured constipation remedy.

t2 pick: The Bok Choy Infused Kokum Sol Kadhi is a winter special. Not many know that bok choy is a superfood packed with nutrients and has only 12 calories per 100g. The leafy vegetable finds a place in this stock of sol kadhi made with coconut and kokum (a friend of the superfoods and found largely in the Konkan region). “Throw in some glass noodles, blanched and tossed with a little ghee, a new superfood according to many, and you have a fine Asian + Indian fusion,” said Sambit, who earned his degree from Le Cordon Bleu.

The Apple Stuffed Chicken Escalopes (thin flattened chicken rolled into roulades) are stuffed with chicken mince and plenty of apple juice reduction. Soft chicken, crunchy apple and a drizzle of tangy Spiced Brandy Glaze, and you have a main course item that your doctor won’t say no to! Because an apple a day...

Gurjali Steak Au Pouvre with Whipped Feta Herb de Provence: Your local gurjali fish (also known as Indian salmon) is baked in the oven and crusted with black peppercorns. A quenelle of creamy feta lies on the side strewn with Herb de Provence, a mix of marjoram, oregano, rosemary, thyme, fresh parsley and bay leaves. “The tartness of the feta and the peppery fish make it a bouquet of flavours,” said Sambit, for whom this festival is a way to spread awareness about local superfoods easily available in the bazaar, in this case the gurjali.

Save the best for the last. This Creamy Ricotta and White Wine Poached Strawberry Cassata is a layered cake. “The best way to cook superfoods is to leave them untouched as much as possible. Too much innovation can hamper their original properties,” said Sambit, which explains the strawberries that are simply poached in white wine.

Brown Rice Khichda with Mutton Paaya and a shot of Nihari: “This winter-special item takes you to the small eateries in Calcutta where I have had some of my best meals,” said Sambit. Mutton khichda is a traditional Muslim dish made with rice, dal and pieces of shredded mutton. Here the white rice is replaced with brown rice, which is rich in fibre. A large piece of  paaya or goat leg shank, and a shot of Nihari or mutton stew comes along.

Text: Karo Christine Kumar
Pictures: Rashbehari Das