Chef Patron of the highly acclaimed Benares restaurant in London, Atul Kochhar rose to fame as one the first Indian chefs to win a coveted Michelin star.Chef Kochhar, a British based chef, restaurateur and television personality, is one of the most critically acclaimed chefs in Britain for his take on modern Indian cuisine.
With a focus on combining his heritage and love of British ingredients, Chef Kochhar’s innovative modern Indian cuisine successfully redefined the perception of Indian cooking in Britain, leading to his second Michelin star in 2007, an accolade which he has retained at Benares ever since. With regular return trips to his native country, he ensures that his creative dishes constantly evolve and continue to surprise and delight the senses. He has had the honour to cook for Prince Charles at St. James’ Palace and was invited to meet Her Majesty The Queen.
Chef Kochhar appears on television shows including Masterchef Goes Large and Great British Menu. He is also a regular guest on BBC’s Saturday Kitchen and in 2010 launched his own series: Atul’s Spice Kitchen: Malaysia.
Spinach koftas are filled with paneer and served floating on a saffron coloured, velvety gravy. It also stands for shaam, or dusk, as represented by the darker shades of the spinach, while the paleness of the paneer symbolizes savera or dawn.
Chef Prasad exploits the meaty and robust quality of aubergines in this striking vegetarian recipe, using the vegetable to wrap up a gently spiced and aromatic quinoa, paneer and crunchy vegetable filling. A perfect mix of textures and flavours, this recipe could easily be multiplied to feed a crowd.
This recipe is perfect for a summertime dinner party. Star anise and fennel seeds are widely available, while chaat masala can be bought from Indian grocery stores and online. This dessert requires overnight freezing so make sure you start it in plenty of time.
