A taste of diplomacy: Swedish chef creates culinary magic in Delhi | Delhi News

The kitchen of the Embassy of Sweden was filled with the aroma of Swedish flavours as the country’s first female Michelin star chef Titti Qvarnström dished out some Swedish fare, marrying it with Indian ingredients, during her masterclass. From hasselback potatoes to yellow pea soup, the masterclass gave a sneak peek into the traditional food of the country. To mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Sweden, chef Titti curated a menu inspired by the 1948 Nobel Banquet dinner served 75 years ago.

Chef Titti Qvarnström was in Delhi to curate the menu and cook for the Sweden-India Nobel Memorial Gala Dinner, which was held at the Ambassador’s residence recently to celebrate 75 years of Sweden-India relationship. Talking about her culinary experience in Delhi, she said, “My culinary experience in India has been very interesting. I enjoy how Indian cooks build up flavours. There are many layers of flavours to a dish, that’s quite a contrast to how Swedish food is prepared. I visited the Khari Baoli spice market and have stocked up on various spices that I’ll take back to Sweden, like black cardamom, cinnamon and masalas for curries.”

“We want to show our friends in India that diplomacy comes in many ways – food is one of them. The dishes made by the chef today can easily be recreated in Indian homes,” says Jan Thesleff, Ambassador of Sweden, who was delighted tasting the fusion food prepared in his kitchen.
Here’s a low down on all things Swedish cooked by chef Titti:
Cheese quiche (Västerbottenpaj)
This savoury dish is fashioned with a buttery pastry crust and filled with a mixture of grated cheddar cheese, cream, and eggs.

Hasselback Potatoes (Hasselbackpotatis)
To prepare this dish, the chef carefully sliced each potato halfway, crafting thin and uniform cuts. The potatoes were baked to achieve a crispy exterior and tender interior, then fried to perfection. They were served with sour cream, seaweed caviar, and a dill leaf.

Yellow Pea Soup (Ärtssoppa)
Traditionally, Ärtssoppa, a classic Swedish soup made from dried yellow peas, is reserved for Thursdays. Dried peas, onions, cloves, bay leaves, carrots, garlic and thyme are simmered in a pot until the peas turn tender. The taste is enhanced with a pinch of salt and two tablespoons of vinegar. The soup is typically accompanied by a spoonful of sweet mustard sauce and is often enjoyed with flaggpunsch (Swedish punsch liqueur).

Pancakes with strawberry jam (Hirspannkakor med jordgubbssylt)
To celebrate the International Year of Millets, the pancake was made combining Swedish wheat flour and the nutritious pearl millet flour and finger millet from India. The pancakes were cooked in butter and served with sweet strawberry jam.