Chef Seema Dalvi - Magical Mumbai Flavours: A Passionate Food Love Story

Chef Seema Dalvi

Magical Mumbai Flavours

A Passionate Food Love Story

Copyright Chef Seema Dalvi 2022

The right of Chef Seema Dalvi to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781398460522 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781398460539 (Hardback)

ISBN 9781398460546 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published 2022

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AA

Acknowledgements

Where should I start with this?

My first acknowledgement is to my soulmate, Krish, who always stands next to me, understands me, is there for me and never gives up on me. Thank you, Krish, for your love, support, advice and everything you do.

My mum, the best cook in the world who let me help her in the kitchen from a very early age. You always have been encouraging, even though my chapatis were wonky, my noodles had too much oil and my daal had too much water when I was learning how to cook.

My dad who always tried and tasted anything and everything I cooked without any hesitation and praised me like anything. I still miss your pilau, though!

My nan who was the best chef in the world and whose presence I always feel around me when I am cooking her dishes.

Aai (mother-in-law) who accepted me the way I was and taught me a lot of Maharashtrian dishes, especially the fish dishes. I do miss you and miss our conversations. I wish I could show you what your daughter-in-law has achieved during this world pandemic.

My children Aarya and Aadhritt who have been real cheerleaders for me and have always been there for their mum. I am so proud of you both.

My sisters-in-law who are my best friends too. Thank you for all your advice and support.

Michael Shepherd from Just by Michael for photography and creative suggestions.

Marie Diamond You have been a guiding angel for me. Thank you for your advice throughout.

Simon and Carla Thank you both for being a huge part of my journey and for all your support. You both mean a lot to me.

Moo, Debbie, Elizabeth, Julia, Becky and Julie for all your support regarding this book and Dalvis Restaurant.

About This Book

This cookery book showcases my journey through my established yet ever-improving culinary skills and the love affair that led me to cultural fusion. I humbly invite you to embark on this journey and let me take you through recipes I have created and also recreated with lots of love, passion and emotion.

I fell in love with Indian cooking at a very young age. The aroma, the seasoning, the masalas, the smell of lightly browned onions, roasted whole spices, and the sputtering sound of cumin seeds, alongside the whistles from the pressure cooker, have always been inviting.

My skills and knowledge have been gratefully acquired from my nan, mother, aunties, friends and their mums, neighbours and my in-laws. I now feel ready to pass the knowledge and the skills to my readers, to my fellow chefs (by passion or by profession) and to those who just love and enjoy the rituals of cooking.

This cookery book is written by someone who has lived and worked in a financial city, Mumbai, and the recipes are a true reflection of how traditional dishes are cooked in many parts of India. Most of my recipes are modified to ensure that they are simple to follow and are achievable. Every recipe has step-by-step guidance, tips, tricks and information on substitute ingredients.

Through this book, I have shared not only mouth-watering traditional regional dishes which have been passed on to me through generations of my family, but also a few dishes with an international touch, i.e. Indo-Mexican, Indo-Chinese, Indo-Italian, Indo-French, Indo-Arabic. The fusion dishes I have shared are very popular at Dalvis, my restaurant, and I am sure they will become popular in your house, too.

If you are a first-timer in the kitchen in general or with Indian food in particular, I would say: do not worry if your cooked food doesnt look like the food photo shown in this book or tastes far away from whats expected. You should feel proud of yourself for putting in all the efforts to cook that meal by yourself. If you really have the passion, love, and a driving force to cook Indian food and you love the kitchen world, then you have won half the battle. From my personal experience, I can confidently state that you can never cook good-quality meals if you havent failed in your efforts a few times!

Lastly, this is a must-have cookery book in every kitchen. It doesnt just share good-quality recipes which pair traditional with contemporary ideas and techniques, but also shares the health benefits of many ingredients. This book has recipes from many regions of India and is a true treasure to have.

Happy cooking, everyone!

A Little Bit About Me

I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul.

William Ernest Henley, Invictus

I am Seema, an award-winning chef and owner of Dalvis Restaurant. Im about to take you on my journey from being an underprivileged girl in Mumbai, to a secondary school maths teacher in England, to proudly running my own restaurant Dalvis in Poulton-Le-Fylde, Lancashire, England. Allow me to steer you through and let the journey begin.

I was born Seema Sharma, in Mumbai, India to a middle-class Brahmin family. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly caste and the traditional occupation of the men is the priesthood. The Brahmins have the highest status of the four social classes. Mumbai, a vibrant Indian city, has always had a special place in my heart. It is the city where I still enjoy street food, the city where I found my dance moves and the city where I found the love of my life.