Timeless food of the North
Chef Ajay Chopra re-discovers authentic gastronomic delights from north India through ‘Northern Flavours’ on Living Foodz
India’s premium foodtainment channel, Living Foodz, launched a new show, ‘Northern Flavours’, which celebrates authentic recipes and cooking styles from this region of the subcontinent. The show explores hidden regional recipes from Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttaranchal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. Through ‘Northern Flavours’, Living Foodz is introducing acclaimed culinarian Chef Ajay Chopra on their channel for the first time!
“North Indian food has been shaped primarily by the traveller. The region has witnessed a constant movement of people, including armies, trading communities saints and fakirs, who have all taken ingredients and flavours far and wide. More recently, refugees from Pakistan carried the sanjha chulha (village kitchens of rural Punjab) to many parts of North India, adding another interesting layer to an already hybrid cuisine. The trucker community too, primarily Punjabis, have spawned the quintessential highway dhabas across the region. Overall, the food is a wonderfully rich mixture of multiple cultural influences and it is with great excitement and pride that I look forward to its launch”, says an excited Chef Ajay Chopra.
North Indian cuisine, characterised by its rich, aromatic flavours, includes several spices. Dishes such as Bhel Ka Sharbat and Cha Gosht are regional favourites, and will be brought into the mainstream for the first time. “We are excited to bring Chef Ajay Chopra on board with the launch of ‘Northern Flavours’. Through this show, we aim to bring the hidden dishes of North India in to the limelight because we believe that they appeal to a global palette. The show will ignite a sense of nostalgia among viewers from these states who once cooked these scrumptious dishes.” says Amit Nair, Business Head, Living Foodz.
Chef Ajay will intersperse the show with interesting anecdotes behind the delectable dishes. For example, how Murg Shikasta Hariprasada, a delicacy from Uttar Pradesh, was specially created by Begam Akhtar who was in love with Maharaja Hari Singh and could find no other way to express her feelings for him. When Maharaja Hari Singh visited the city, she ordered this dish for him, which was symbolic of her broken heart. (‘Shikasta’ means ‘defeated’).
On Northern Flavours, Chef Ajay Chopra will recreate other such dishes such as Bhoot ka Halwa, from Rajasthan, Besan ki Kheer” and “Aloo Wadiyan” from Punjab, Dal ka Dulha & Potol Mithai from Bihar and Sikandari Raan from Delhi.
Join Chef Ajay Chopra every Monday and Tuesday at 2 PM as he takes you on a journey of the culinary secrets of north India! Repeat telecast of the episodes will air every Monday & Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.