Photo by Aravind Sivaraj

The drumstick is the seed pod of a tree called Moringa oleifera, which is native to the foothills of the Himalayas in Northwest India. It is called Sajna in Hindi, Saragwa in Gujarati, Shojne in Bengali, Munagakaya in Telugu, Shevaga in Marathi and Nuggekai in Kannada. It gives a flavour similar to asparagus to vegetable curries, dal and most famously sambhar, the ubiquitous South Indian lentil broth that we serve proudly with our masala dosa.

As our chef Arvind Kumar revealed last week, much of Indian food hides an ayurvedic secret. The drumstick is no exception, and is well known as a source of Vitamin C, Phosphorus and Calcium. It has antibacterial properties, which means that it is acclaimed for purifying the blood and soothing upset stomachs. Medical research has even suggested that it acts against parasites, and can help immunizations to work.

The wonders of the Moringa tree, however, don’t stop there. Because it grows so quickly, in unfertile soil and hot conditions, it is sometimes the shrubby backbone of rural villages. Beyond the drumstick, its leaves, seeds and roots are also edible. Elsewhere in the world, drumsticks are reputed to held villages to be self-sufficient by providing oil for lamps, wood, paper, liquid fuel and homemade skin treatments.

We’re glad to be able to offer a this genuine flavor of South India, and to pass on its many benefits to our guests.

My mum cooked very nice food, and I was inspired by her. She used to make very nice dum aloo and channa dhal. Having a vegetarian family I became familiar with lots of vegetarian dishes. I also chose to be a chef so I could have my own skills and be independent.

Several qualifications later, and having worked across central India, Arvind set foot in England.

I came to the UK in 2007 and worked for ‘Dilli: the Real Taste of India’ in Manchester. I was a tandoor chef but I also worked in the main kitchen, and did some work in continental cuisine.

Arvind in action, preparing a lamb chop for the tandoor

It turns out Arvind is no stranger to publicity, having previously appeared on BBC radio to discuss tandoori methods. I asked what first interested him in the tandoor in particular.

While I was training in industry in [the Indian state of] Orissa the chef I was working under told me that I had a good hand with the tandoor and that if I chose to be a tandoor chef I’d have a good career. Also I was interested in working abroad, and tandoori cookery was becoming popular internationally.

The tandoor is a thick clay oven. Originally they were insulated with sand and stone, but now they are insulated with fibreglass. This maintains the heat and keeps out moisture – a tandoor should have a dry heat. You have to keep a tandoor above 300 degrees Celsius.

It was time to ask Arvind the million-dollar-question: what he believes is secret of tandoori cooking. To my surprise, he answered without hesitation:

You must be aware of the temperature of the tandoor. You have to follow the right steps. Your main concern is to get a smoky flavour, otherwise there’s no reason to use a tandoor. The meat that is used is marinated twice, for three hours each time. The flavour is imparted almost by osmosis. The cooking process itself takes a minimum of fifteen to twenty minutes, and you must keep basting the meat.

More insights followed when I asked him what he appreciated about Indian cuisine as a whole:

Indian food is based on ayurvedic fundamentals – that’s the secret of Indian cuisine. What we use affects the whole body. Ajwain [carom seed] and fennel seed improves digestion, turmeric is an antiseptic, and ginger improves the immune system. You need to follow the right steps not just to get the right taste but the right effect.

Now the UK exports tandoor ovens to India, I asked Arvind how Indian cuisine is changing at home.

India is developing more and more, and people are getting used to different kinds of foods, and that’s penetrating Indian cuisine. There are lots of changes – a few decades ago, people used clay pots and charcoal for cooking but now modern equipment is everywhere.

On that note, I asked whether Arvind ever misses India.

I miss my mum’s food and my family – I’m not able to celebrate festivals with them. But people appreciate my skills here and I’m able to make a livelihood.

The centuries-old English enthusiasm for Indian flavours, Arvind suggested, is maturing. Thanks to globalisation, a diverse set of culinary traditions has become a part of everyday life in the UK. At the same time, the growing interest in gastronomy – in the ever-increasing number of restaurants in this country and the comfort of our homes – means that diners increasingly recognise and seek out authenticity:

One thing English people like is authenticity – they like modern cuisine, modern Indian cuisine, but they like authentic cooking methods and real flavours.

This, Arvind insisted, is what drew him to the Chilli Pickle:

Our head chef [Alun Sperring] is crazy about Indian food – he cooks from the heart. He wants to show people what real Indian food is, and he did his research before he went into business. I like the honesty of the business – we use real Indian ingredients and proper methods.

I asked what he would say to our customers:

We’re here to stay, so try something new and we’ll show you the genuine flavour of Indian cuisine.

Our time was coming to a close, and Arvind was gearing up for a busy night in front of the tandoor. It was time for one last question – what are his plans for the future?

I’d like to work as an executive chef, but I’d also like to develop some new dishes and train new chefs. I’d like to move beyond restaurants eventually and develop my repertoire of dishes so that everyone will know about them.

Although regular visits Eastwards have been one of the pleasures of owning an Indian restaurant, this is the first time we will have visited as a family. With this in mind, we’ll be using Bangalore as a base. Its altitude and style of life means we’ll escape some of the heat and bustle of the Indian summer. At the same time, as a very cosmopolitan city, we’ll be able to enjoy the mix of traditional culture and cosmopolitan buzz that Bangalore has to offer. Another family connection – the Uncle of one of our chefs at the Chilli Pickle – means that we also have an indispensible guide. Being a very successful restaurateur, we’ll be able to get an insight into the local food scene. This is essential because, naturally, the trip is centred around food and while Bangalore is home to many great restaurants, there are also street cafes, late night kebab shops and hawker’s stands to be explored.

Even though we may only manage to skim the surface of Bangalorean food culture, the famous vegetarian cuisine of Mysore beckons. As the next major city to Bangalore in the state of Karnataka, it’s famous for its canteen-style cafes. Next stop will be Bandipur near the border of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. We’ll be staying in an Eco Lodge on perimeter of Bandipur National Park, fingers crossed Stanley will get to see a Tiger (from a distance!). From there we’ll make a beeline for the coast and Mangalore. Coming from Brighton, we can’t wait to try some of the local offerings including Masala Crab and Fish Rava Fry.

Further up the coast, we’re looking forward to sampling vegetarian thalis as served by local Shivalli Brahmins. This Hindu sect is based in the area and have very particular practices surrounding their exemplary vegetarian cuisine – including serving their meals on a banana leaf. While we might not be able to bring this particular custom back to the Chilli Pickle, we certainly expect to have found the inspiration for some exciting new vegetarian dishes by the time we escape into the hills of Coorg. A part of the steaming Western Ghats, we’ll be able to escape the heat of the plains and take some time to relax surrounded by coffee plantations. We’ll also try some of the pork dishes that have made the area famous.

We’ve been looking forward to sampling the very fiery local cuisine of Andhra Pradesh, and when we cross the border we’ll head straight to Hyderabad. Local versions of biryani and haleem are particular attractions in a cuisine strongly influenced by India’s Mughal rulers and trade with the Middle East. We’ll also be visiting Rajesh Chopra, regional manager of the nationally-renowned BJN group of restaurants, and we look forward to an inside view on where the industry is going. After a final browse through the heaving bazaars of the old town, we’ll board a sleeper train from Hyderabad to Bangalore. Besides the convenience of arriving refreshed, this gives us a chance to try India’s famous rail cuisine.

We’re excited about our first family excursion to a country that’s very special to us, and look forward to another culinary adventure.

The diary of our owners, husband and wife team Alun and Dawn Sperring, on the road in India next month, accompanied by their son Stanley.

Exclusive interviews with our chefs on life behind the pass, and a chance to gain some of the secrets of Indian cuisine.

Sneak previews of new dishes that will be appearing on our menu, and the inspiration and techniques behind them.

An in-depth look into essential Indian cuisines, dishes, ingredients and methods, drawing on the expertise of our skilled chefs.

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