World Tapas Day: How to serve a dish with flavours that complement each other

On World Tapas Day today, a city-based chef shows us how to serve up winning dish combinations as well as a recipe to try

What makes a good tapas spread? We believe it’s the company you share it with. But for an expert opinion, chef Jesse Blake, the culinary director of Akina in Bandra, explains that it is important to serve flavours that complement each other. “Also ensure that the dishes are light and easy to eat,” he adds.

Snack platter

Tapas is a brief spread of Spanish dishes, mostly savoury, served with cocktails. And there is no rule about jumping cuisines. The contemporary Japanese eatery serves a range of bites as part of their Izakaya Social Club menu that celebrates this Spanish concept and Asian flavours. “To adapt tapas to Japanese cuisine, we have incorporated a variety of flavour profiles including sweet, savoury, and spicy elements,” Blake notes, adding that when serving tapas, ensure a balance of the three tastes for any cuisine, along with different textures. For instance, a Mumbaikar’s classic spread can include sev puri-inspired canapés for a savoury and spicy dish, vada pav sliders for an easy snack to handle, and jalebi with fafda to wrap up on a sweet note. City-styled tapas done!

Blake tells us about his own tapas pairings with offerings like fried potato terrine, prawn toast okonomiyaki, Tokyo wing yakitori, and a range of dumplings, gyozas and skewers to complete an eclectic, Japanese-inspired finger food spread that offers something for everyone.

Rock corn and water chestnut nori taquitos

Ingredients
>>2 nori sheets >>Vegetable oil for deep frying >>1 cup sushi rice, cooked >>Aji amarillo mayo (spicy mayo) >>2 spring onions, thinly sliced for the fried corn and water chestnut mix: >>1/2 cup corn kernels >>1/2 cup water chestnuts, diced >>Salt to taste >>Oil for frying

Jesse Blake

Method
Heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan for frying. Take a nori sheet and carefully mould it into a taco shell shape. Deep fry the nori taco shell until crispy and golden brown. Set aside on a paper towel to drain excess oil. In a separate pan, heat oil and add the corn kernels and diced water chestnuts. Fry them until they turn slightly golden and crispy. Season with salt and remove from heat. Take the cooked sushi rice and spread it as a base inside the nori taco shell. Top the rice with the fried corn and water chestnut mix. Drizzle Aji Amarillo mayo and garnish with thinly sliced spring onions. Serve hot as a snack.

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