Recipes of the heart and home

Ask him about his favourite local Omani dish and he promptly says, “Shuwa, a slow cooked Omani goat or lamb dish. Its slow-cooked tenderness reminds me of Indian slow-cooking traditions. I also love the halwa.”

While shuwa or other Omani dishes don’t feature on the Aangan menu, Ghai insists on using as many local ingredients as possible, allowing the food to be authentic in Indian and Omani flavours.

Was Muscat ready for robust Indian tastes or did he have to tone down spice levels? “When I approach a new location, I try to find a fine balance for spice levels. While I occasionally make tweaks on special request, I don’t change recipes drastically,” he says.

Picking his favourites from the Aangan menu, Ghai chooses food that reminds him of home. “I personally love aloo tikki and keema pao. But I’m a simple man, so my go-to comfort meal after a long day is dal-chawal—it’s soothing and soul satisfying,” he says with a wide smile. Pity, the humble dal-chawal is not on the menu.

Sago Vada

Ingredients

• Sago: 350 gm

• Potato: 150 gm

• Coriander: 20 gm

• Green chilli: 10 gm

• Beetroot: 250 gm

• Ginger: 10 gm

• Cumin: 10 gm

• Roasted peanut: 75 gm

• Salt to taste

Method

• Soaked sago in fresh water for 15 minutes

• Mix soaked sago with mashed potatoes, fresh coriander leaves, chopped green chilli, roasted cumin, roasted peanuts, and salt

• Make round patties of the mix

• Deep fry till golden and crispy

“The journey to becoming a chef was less about a defined goal and more about following my passion for Indian flavours.” Rohit Ghai