I've started to understand importance of Indian spices: Mehigan

"MasterChef Australia" star Gary Mehigan says he has started to "understand the importance of spices and blends of spices in Indian cuisine".

The globally renowned English-Australian chef, TV show host and restaurateur often visits India for his work commitments like his latest project "Masters of Taste with Gary Mehigan".

For the series, he came to India to meet the top chefs in the country to get inspired and learn from, and get a close look at some of their recipes, styles and techniques. The show, a part of FOX Life's brand refresh 'Never Stop', went on air on Monday.

"It's a show about meeting some of the best chefs and cooks in India, learning from them, being inspired by them, and then taking inspiration and cooking for some celebrity guests in my studio. Lots of chatting and eating, and I suppose it's different because it's from my perspective," Mehigan said in a statement.

He added: "My visit coincided with the start of all the wonderful winter greens so I discovered lots of new ingredients. Hara chana, ponk, fresh toor dal, moras bhaji and lal maas all of which were delicious.

"I have also started to really understand the importance of spices and blends of spices in Indian cuisine. Not just to add flavour but in a historical, cultural and medicinal sense."

Known popularly for shows like "Far Flung with Gary Mehigan", the chef says his new show is a "mix of travel, extraordinary food and a lot of surprises".

"It was my personal journey as well. I travelled to Mumbai and Delhi to understand distinct food cultures and concepts of dining in these regions. I am amazed how the Indian gourmet czars work with such finesse and make use of modern and cutting-edge techniques to create magic on plates for their customers," he added.

--IANS

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