Celebrated chef, restaurateur, and television personality Vikram Vij is renowned for redefining Indian cuisine in Canada and beyond. Trained in Austria and seasoned at world-class establishments, he opened Vij’s in 1994 in Vancouver, blending bold innovation with deep-rooted tradition.
Known for his signature hospitality — often greeting guests with a cup of chai — Chef Vij has earned global acclaim, multiple Michelin Bib Gourmand honours, and a Lifetime Achievement Award. For DARPAN, he handpicked these recipes from his new 2025 cookbook, My New Indian Kitchen, showcasing his ever-evolving culinary artistry.
There is a wonderful tale behind this royal dessert. Scholars trace its creation centuries ago to a marriage alliance between the royal kingdoms of Krishnanagar and Burdwan, two areas within West Bengal.
Chena poda (baked cottage cheese) is a sweet dish from the state of Orissa, India. The literal meaning of chena poda is burnt cheese; chena is cottage cheese and poda means burnt.
In a heavy, medium saucepan, combine the milk, rice, sugar, ginger and orange zest. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean and add the bean to the saucepan
Ingredients:1 cantaloupe, seeded and pulp scooped out 5 or 6 fresh mint leaves 1 Tb honey pinch of cayenne pepper or sliced red chilli pepper 1 cup plain yogurt and milk/soy milk
