When Indian marries American

Cross-border marriages are often thought to be tough and the blending in of two cultural opposites not as smooth. But there are certain alliances that are smooth, non-gritty and complementary. Then even if this match is not made in heaven but at the hands of a master chef, Vittal Shetty, at the Indian-American junction of cross-delicacies, all that we care is that the blend is tasteful and memorable.

California has nature´s gift of a rich food produce. Almost in the same vein, Californians are also a varied demography--- Americans, Asians, Indians, Latinos --- all coexisting in this beautiful heartland of nature. And the very traits of California may have crept into the cooking prowess of Vittal, Executive Chef at Amber Indian Restaurant located on a swanky stretch Santana Row in San Jose. The chef and the restaurant are both Indian but that does not prevent them from embracing the variety of California, which according to Amber´s owner Vijay Bist, is the Mecca of food.

The creative flair of Vittal has led him to create foods that everyone can identify with. Their Chicken Kebab, a signature Indian delicacy, is flavored with lemongrass, which is commonly an herb used in Thai cooking. Another cherished Indian food, Kofta (flour dumplings dipped in sauce), is made here with sunchoke or the Jerusalum artichoke which is popular in the Mediterranean, French and Italian cuisines. To this, he adds spinach and lotus root and rolls it into balls that float in a curry made of dal (Indian lentil soup).

Indian cuisine is blessed with a plethora of spices. But many Indian eateries have overused this blessing which tarnishes the greatness of Indian food and labels it as too spicy. While the actual food cooked in Indian homes is quite a different story. It is neither intolerably spicy nor oily. Vittal tries to make his food with the delicacy of an Indian housewife. He uses his spices wisely enough to render flavor but not set palettes on fire. And he skillfully alters many recipes to accommodate the western taste buds without going totally off on a tangent. He is equally mindful of his Indian roots. So his scallops are marinated in sambhar masala. "An Indian would not go for it, if it were just pan fried and served with a lemon-butter sauce like in a French restaurant," he says.

The universal appeal of the food is evident. Multiple ethnicities can be seen enjoying a slice of the inventive culinary experience that is Amber. Although a large space, Amber is packed to capacity on weekends, brimming on weekdays and the collective hum of the dinner chitter-chatter rising to the degree of noise drowns the music of Indian ragas and the intermittent fast beat of drums.

Another motivator for Vittal is his insistence on using locally produced foods. "I don´t want to use foods that have travelled half way across the world in cold storages," he says. "I like to use fresh ingredients just the way we do at home." Seasonal vegetables inspire him and find a way into his kitchen even if they do not traditionally belong to the dishes being made. So the zucchini in the tava fry and the asparagus in the upma, vegetables that are neither grown nor found in India, are welcomed here with open arms. Pears produced in abundance in the California summer have taken the form of a salad with pear slices arranged in the shape of a bowl and filled with green leaves, toasted fennel seeds and chatpata cashews for the crunch factor.

Guests on the other hand are charmed by the surprise factor. "Why would people want to come to a restaurant and eat the same aalo-gobi they eat at home and pay $20 for it," says Vittal, talking of his Indian guests. "When I look at aalo-gobi, I think how it can be reinterpreted."

Vittal aims to showcase the Indian culture which is much more vast than it has been projected. Besides North Indian, there are numerous regional cuisines in India that have been consistently ignored. There is more to Indian food than Tandoori chicken and dal makhani. Vittal pays a tribute to the rich and diverse culture of India by featuring regional specialties like poriyal. Their Karavalli shrimp is actually prepared by a method that has travelled all the way from the Konkan coast of India, a region called ´karavar´— hence the name.

Like any other unconventional journey, Vittal´s path is also beset with challenges. He has gotten flack from food puritans. But he has learnt to make his peace with that too. "It is not possible to please everyone," he avers.

His mantra is being "open" and inviting more and more people into a common shared experience. It is not often that an Indian eats steak. But at Amber, they do, because their steak is not beef but all vegetarian and made up of two slices of eggplant stuffed with goat cheese, eggplant and potatoes, in a tangy tomato and onion seeds chutney. It is the largest selling contemporary dish here.

Similarly, Westerners are apprised of never-before-eaten substances via its saffron-mango cheesecake, kulfi with lavender, honey and figs, and chocolate rasmalai terrain, a combination of chocolate mousse and rasmalai-- (an Indian pudding).

What Vittal´s food essentially does is bring about inclusiveness in something totally foreign. And that may just be the secret inedible ingredient that accentuates its taste. There are enough things already to set us apart. But to try one´s hand at something that brings cohesion and builds a bridge becomes something more than just a good meal!

Photo: Pear salad at Amber Indian Restaurant