The Dish: World-renowned chef Floyd Cardoz

Chef Floyd Cardoz is known worldwide for his inventive take on Indian cuisine. Growing up in Mumbai, he planned on a medical career until a love of food put him on a different path. After attending hotel management schools in India and Europe he headed to New York and made his name with the highly-acclaimed modern Indian restaurant, Tabla. 

His newest venues span the globe. Pao Walla offers casual modern Indian in New York's SoHo. The Bombay Canteen in Mumbai brings his unique take on the cooking of his homeland back to where it all began.

Here are some of Cardoz's signature recipes: 

Shrimp curry with cauliflower

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds head-on shrimp (21-25 count)

Sea salt

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 ½ cups thinly sliced onions

5 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 tablespoon turmeric

1 ½ tablespoons cumin seeds, ground

1 teaspoon black peppercorns, finely ground

1 serrano chile, sliced lengthwise in half

1 tablespoon tamarind paste

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

3 cups cauliflower florets

One and half 13.5 fluid ounce cans Chaokoh-brand coconut milk (stir well before measuring)

Directions

1. Remove the heads and shells from the shrimp, reserving both. Devein the shrimp and rinse them well. Season the shrimp with salt and refrigerate.

2. Place the shrimp heads and shells in a medium saucepan, add cold water to cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced to 3 cups, 25 to 30 minutes. Strain the stock and set aside.

3. Heat the oil in a 4-to-6-quart pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, turmeric, cumin and pepper and cook until the garlic is lightly colored and the spices are fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Add the reserved stock, the chile, tamarind paste, and vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and coconut milk and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Season with salt. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until the cauliflower is just beginning to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.

5. Stir in the shrimp and cook until the shrimp are firm, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and discard the serrano, if desired. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot. 

Grilled pineapple

Ingredients

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1 vanilla bean, preferably Tahitian, split lengthwise in half

One 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

1 ripe pineapple

½ cup ghee, melted

1 tablespoon black peppercorns, coarsely ground

Directions

1. Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat, add the split vanilla bean and sliced ginger, cover, and let stand for 30 minutes.

2. Remove the lid from the pan and let the syrup cool to room temperature. Prepare a high-heat grill.

3. While the grill is heating, peel the pineapple. Slice into ½-inch-thick rounds and cut out the core from each slice. Alternatively, quarter the pineapple lengthwise, cut the core out from each quarter, and slice the pineapple lengthwise into ½-inch thick wedges.

4. Brush the pineapple slices with the ghee. Grill until marked but still firm, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the slices to a large serving dish, arranging them in a single layer. Sprinkle over the pepper. Strain the syrup and pour it over the pineapple. Let stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving. The pineapple can be store in its syrup in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. 

Bacon and chorizo biryani

Ingredients

200 gms bacon lardons

½   piece cinnamon stick

3 cloves

2 cups diced onions

2 cups diced tomatoes

1 dry bay leaves

A generous pinch salt

1 ½ cup basmati rice,

6 cippolini onions roasted in the skin, peeled and halved

6 fingerling potatoes Roasted in an oven or boiled in salted water

300 gms chorizo

3 cups boiling chicken stock

2 scallions white and green sliced thin 

Directions

1. Place a large staub or on moderate heat and add the bacon. Cook until bacon is rendered about 8 minutes (this step can be done in advance.) Add the cinnamon and cloves. Cook about 1 minute, or until the spices are fragrant. 

2. Add the onion, scallion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add the bay leaves and tomatoes, heat through, and season. While the onions are cooking put the rice in a large bowl and fill the bowl with cold water from the tap. 

3. Swish the grains around gently with your hand, and then pour off the water. Wash the rice about 10 more times in this way, until the washing water loses its murkiness and remains clear. Drain the rice in a sieve.

4. Combine the chorizo and pearl onions potatoes in the pot with the onions and tomatoes. Add the chicken stock and bring up to a boil. Season the rice and the scallion, cover and place in oven at 375 degrees. Cook for 30 minutes.

Pan-roasted broccoli with lime, honey and chili flakes

Ingredients

2 large or 4 small heads broccoli, ends trimmed

3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon chile flakes

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Directions

1. Cut the stems off the broccoli just below the florets. Use a paring knife to remove the stems' tough skin. Cut the peeled stems into ¼-inch-thick coins. Separate the broccoli heads into spears; try to cut them so that each one has at least one long flat side that will lie flat on the pan bottom.

2. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and the broccoli, increase the heat to high, and cook, stirring, until the broccoli is bright green and slightly tender, 2 to 3 minutes. (It is important not to crowd the pan, or the broccoli will steam rather than brown. It's fine to do this in two batches or to use two pans if necessary; use 2 tablespoons oil per batch). Season the broccoli with salt and pepper.

3. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the chile flakes. (If cooking in two batches, keep the first batch warm in a very low oven while you cook the remaining broccoli). 

4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the honey and lime juice. When the broccoli is cooked, pour the honey mixture over it and toss to coat. Serve hot.