Citytv Forums

I just watched Mayur Arora make Chilli chicken on City TV with Dawn Chubai and am absolutely embarrassed and appalled.  As a person of Indian ethnicity who takes pride in the richness and complexity of Indian cooking, to see Mayur use ketchup and cornstarch as the main ingredients in a popular Indian chicken dish is extremely disappointing.  Having previously dined at Maurya Restaurant, it is evident that the intent is to market this eatery as one of high-end Indian dining spots in the Lower Mainland, especially given the menu prices and South Granville location of the establishment.  Mayur’s attempt at offering a traditional Indian dish with an “oriental” twist on City TV was a failure, and infact, reminiscent of substandard mall food court Chinese food.  Aside from the minute amount of turmeric to “colour” the crushed garlic, there were no traditional Indian ingredients use, and the only “oriental” ingredient used was the soya sauce.  Really…this episode does not entice me to re-visit Maurya nor would it appeal to non-Indian patrons who are craving Indian-inspired cuisine.  This episode has made me acutely aware of how he has glamourized cheaply-made food with a beautiful decorated dining area and fancy copper dishes.  I would love to hear thoughts from consistently reputable Indian chefs in Vancouver such as Vij (Vij’s) and any busy restaurant on Main Street’s Indian market.  As for Chinese-inspired Indian cuisine, the Green Lettuce and Chilli Pepper House in Vancouver offer authentic cuisine of this type using real Chinese and Indian ingredients.  I am certain that I am not the only Indian person thinking “what the heck?!” or yelling at the TV as he blundered in referring to ketchup as the “oriental” influence.  Mayur should be ashamed..or simply charge mall food court prices at his restaurant sans Styrofoam containers.

I was looking for information on Simi to see if she was on the show anymore and for some unknown reason came across your comment.  I looked at the recipe and found nothing wrong with it.  Ketchup is a Malaysia/Indonesian sauce and can and has been used in cooking as such (including Chinese), although I am not particularly fond of the warm “Heinz” variety myself.  If you liked it when you went to the restaurant then you shouldn’t blast the chef for cooking what is normal in that part of the world.  I have been to Vij’s, Green Lettuce, Chili Pepper House and Main Street restaurants and the cooking differs vastly as in any Indian restaurants and regions throughout the Indian sub-continent (it isn’t all about Punjabi style cooking as there are many dialects/regions/religions and people with differing customs and cultures).  I happened to have had the best Chinese food (suited to my palate) in India.  I have been to the Chili Pepper House twice I didn’t like it the second time as much as I did the first and I wasn’t too crazy about the Green Lettuce.  Vij’s also is a bit of fusion so therefore not hardcore Indian.  I have been to Rangoli Grill and liked it as well.  Also having been to many Indian restaurants there are the good and bad and you must have notice the differences in all the Indian restaurant you have been to ...I am sure none of them live up to your standards or make them the way your mom does as they don’t mine either.  I believe this is a Chinese inspired Indian dish originating from the Hakka Chinese in India.  The chef is actually bringing forth and educating what is acutally found in India. This is from a person who has ties to Singapore, Malaysia, India, UK, US, Australia and Canada (if I knew anymore countries I'd list them).  Lastly, our parents have always fused foods from the different cultures/countries they have lived in...at least in my household they have.  Cheers!