Grand Executive Chef of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel unearths India's culinary secrets

order to get back to the roots of Indian cooking. In the hope that indigenous ingredients and traditional methods will be reinstated into kitchens in the cities, Hemant has set up a number of food events in his restaurant. Guests will have the opportunity to choose four different dishes offering a selection of specialities from a temple kitchen. "The mandate of all five of the shrines is to serve simple, affordable food that is slow-cooked and conducive to the climate of the region," said Hemant. The shrine dishes are usually seasonal in order to accommodate the different natural ingredients available. The Vaisno Devi temple, in the hills of Jammu, serves the rajma bean, which has been found to be better digested at higher altitudes. Eating it in the cities is likely to make you feel sluggish. Temple cooking encompasses the environment in order to maintain and sustain the health of the community.