Darpan Recipes: The Art of Abhishek Roy

In our final instalment with Chef Abhishek Roy, we are featuring two dishes that are light, incredibly flavourful and evoke tastes and images of summer. Known for his home-style cooking, Roy’s tantalizing cuisine continues to create a buzz among foodies in the Lower Mainland. His restaurant Atithi (“honoured guest”) showcases one-of-a-kind authentic Indian cuisine, which Roy aims to keep simple but rich in taste. This chef extraordinaire only uses fresh, local ingredients and Ocean Wise seafood.

P3 Salad – Papaya, Pomegranate and Peanut

One medium-size green papaya, thinly sliced
Roasted peanuts – one hand full
Pomegranate seeds – one hand full
Lemon juice – to taste
Sugar – to taste
Salt – to taste
Chopped cilantro – few twigs

Wash the thinly cut green papaya with chilled water and drain the water.
Mix lemon juice, salt and sugar together with chilled papaya.
When you are ready to serve, just add peanuts and pomegranate seeds – garnish with chopped cilantro.
Serves 4

Tossed Lotus Stem & Calamari with Fresh Coconut

Lotus root – one medium size
Calamari – 8–9 tubes sliced
½ tsp chopped ginger
One pinch – onion seeds
¼ cup – chopped onion
¼ cup – chopped tomato
½ tsp – coriander powder
½ tsp – turmeric powder
Salt – to taste
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh grated coconut

Cut and boil the lotus stem with little salt. Keep a side after draining the water.
Thinly slice the calamari tubes. If you like tentacles, use them as well.
Take a sauté pan and heat up the oil and start with onion seeds. Once they start to crackle, add chopped onions. Sauté for about 2 minutes in medium flame/heat, then add tomato and ginger.
Keep stirring, as the mixture starts drying up, add turmeric and coriander powders. Raise the flame/heat a little higher and add calamari.
Once the calamari is cooked, go ahead and mix with the lotus roots and fresh coconut. Just toss it lightly and add salt to taste.
You can always use freshly, squeezed lemon juice to finish.
Serves 4