The ragi dosa of Hyderabad tops my current list of favourite Indian dishes: Diana Chan

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For someone, who gave up a well-paying job of a chartered accountant to be a chef, being crowned 2017 MasterChef Australia was paramount. For, she knew that the coveted trophy will not only open avenues for her in the culinary world, but would also justify her career choice. But little did Malaysia-born Diana Chan know that her thrilling, one-point victory in the grand finale of the popular TV show will make her a household name in India.And recently when she was in Hyderabad as part of a four-city India tour to deliver a masterclass, the 31-year-old was quite elated to talk about her experience. Her eyes lit up as she spoke about her love for dosas, the Hyderabadi dishes she tried and why she chose to became a chef. Excerpts:
How well do you connect with Indian food?
I’m not unfamiliar with Indian cuisine. We get a lot of Indian dishes in Australia, and I’ve tried preparing many of them in my kitchen as well. I love how different flavours play out in Indian cuisine.
What are your favourite Indian dishes?
Dishes like dosa, rotis and rasam are some of my favourites. I have had dosa even before coming to India but this time, I wanted to try as many varieties of the dish as possible. I think I like the rava dosa best. I also tried different varieties such as the plain dosa, paper dosa and so on. The latest addition to my favourite’s list is the ragi dosa of Hyderabad. It was something I didn’t try in any of my previous trips to India.
Did you try any of the signature dishes of Hyderabad?
The non-veg cuisine is amazing in Hyderabad, especially the mutton dishes. I tried the Hyderabadi biryani as well and I loved how the flavours are used in it. I also tried fish tawa fry and dal makhani.
In your masterclass, what all did you prepare for the Hyderabadis apart from your signature dishes such as sweet potato churros and pumpkin ravioli, to name a few?
It was a four course meal. The entre was a choice between tofu with sesame dressing and Asian mushrooms dressed in soy. And of course, there were non-veg options such as smoked chicken with sesame dressing as well. The main course was saffron potato dumplings with rasam broth, and for the non-vegetarians we had the sea bass. For dessert, we prepared something which we named as ‘Tea Time’. It was chamomile-white chocolate mousse with chamomile crumps and honey on it. I love the flavour of chamomile.
You were a chartered accountant before becoming a chef, how did the transition take place?
It all began in the family. I am the youngest of three kids and all of us grew up watching and tasting the assorted cuisine that my parents used to cook. My sister is a chef now and my brother cooks well too. Actually, to put it correctly, mine is a family that loves to eat. We just love eating (laughs). And to eat good food, one must cook some. And thankfully, we turned out to be good at it.
Today, your passion for culinary arts is not confined to the kitchen alone as you’re also a food columnist. How are you enjoying your new role?
I’ve realised that cooking and writing about it are two different things. You can tell someone what you just prepared in your kitchen or record it in a video but to explain it through words, one needs a different set of skills. It’s so difficult to put whatever you’re trying to say about food in words that more often than not, I fail in doing it. Unless of course, you’re super expressive.
Apart from writing, you’re also spreading awareness about mental health. Your celebrity status must definitely help the cause...
Being a celebrity definitely adds more weight to the things I say. More than just doing the right thing, the issue of mental health and the need to spread awareness about it are very personal to me. I have lost a couple of very close friends due to mental health issues. We don’t address the issue of mental health as much as we should. I believe it’s important to open up and erase the stigma around it.