'We Talked About Food & Spices': When Sanjeev Kapoor Cooked for PM Modi

Picture Courtesy: Twitter/Narendra ModiCliched as it may seem for chefs to love their spices, Sanjeev Kapoor revealed that it was actually the topic of an interesting discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he recently created a special a meal for him in Abu Dhabi.During PM Modi's trip to Abu Dhabi in August, Chef Kapoor was flown in specially to prepare a vegetarian meal for him. "I spent over an hour with the prime minister and we were only talking about food and spices and the treatment through spices. It was interesting to discuss with him the correct use of spices and how they can change the taste of your food," Kapoor told IANS when he was recently in the capital."He told me the story of someone he knows, who had a heart issue and doctors said nothing could be done to cure it. Then he was advised to empty a capsule, fill it with freshly ground red chilli and have it. Mr. Modi said that the man never had a problem after that," said the chef, recalling his hour-long conversation with the prime minister.The right combination of spices is the trick to dish out the best food, Kapoor said. "For me, when I'm cooking with Indian food, spices are very important. The use of spices makes Indian food unique," Kapoor said.He said a combination of cumin, clove, pepper and cardamom is his favourite from his spice-box and, barring cumin, he can even use the other three in his desserts.  "All these spices - cumin, clove, pepper and cardamom - are so diverse that they create beautiful flavours. One can accentuate pepper, underlay it with cloves, with a hint of cumin and cardamom," said Kapoor as his senses came all alive while speaking of spices.It is only Indian food that can take as little as two or three spices to as many as 20 in the same dish, unlike any other cuisine in the world, Kapoor added. His chain of restaurants, Yellow Chilli, would soon be hitting the Gulf markets in Dubai, Saudi Arabia and other places within the next four months, he added.