When you step into the kitchen of santoor player Rahul Sharma and his wife Barkha’s sea-facing Bandra home, don’t be surprised by the melange of ingredients — sauces, marinades and what have you that greet you. For the charming couple are foodies.
“We’ve also being travelling a lot and we enjoy picking up what catches our fancy. Though we’re not big eaters, we enjoy a variety of cuisines,” he reveals.
On weekends and when the mood takes him away from his recording and composing, he loves to get into the kitchen. “Barkha loves it when I do so. I don’t make Indian food — I won’t want to torture her with my attempts to cook it,” he laughs, adding, “But yes, Sundays are for Italian fare; I make that best,” he smiles.
He shares a few pages out of his cooking diary with DNA
Penne Arrabiata
Ingredients:
Olive oil — 1/3 cup
Onion — 1 cup, chopped
Fresh garlic, minced — 1 1/2 tsp
Fresh tomatoes, crushed — 3 cups
Tomato puree—1 cup
Red cooking wine — 1/4 cup
Basil, dried — 1/2 tsp
Oregano, dried — 1/2 tsp
Thyme, dried — 1/8 tsp
Black pepper — 1/4 tsp
Crushed red pepper—1/2 tsp
Salt — 1/2 tsp
Penne pasta, dry — 1 pound
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Directions:
First mince the garlic. Heat olive oil in a heavy oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook 10 minutes or until onions are soft, stirring frequently. Now, add garlic and cook one more minute stirring. Add remaining ingredients, stir and bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Now, boil some water in a pot. Cook penne according to package directions. Drain well and transfer to a serving dish. Ladle sauce over the pasta. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Mushroom Risotto
Ingredients:
Arborio/Carnaroli Rice (I use Riso Gallo) — 250g
Mushrooms (chopped) — 250g
Parmesan cheese — 150g
Garlic paste — 1tsp
Butter — 1tbsp
Chilli flakes — 1tsp
Saffron (soaked in hot stock) — ½ tsp
Vegetable stock — 1000ml
Olive oil — 50ml
Dry white wine — 250 ml
Preparation:
Sauté garlic and chopped mushrooms in butter. Add white wine and the rice, and cook on low flame. When the wine evaporates, add the vegetable stock and continue cooking on slow flame till the stock gets absorbed. Stir in the stock. Risotto must be cooked soft and moist.
Serve hot with chilli flakes and grated Parmesan cheese.
