TV chef Cyrus Todiwala cooks up a storm with pork
TV chef Cyrus Todiwala cooks up a storm with pork
Red Tractor pork was the focus of a special event for a group of caterers recently, as celebrity TV chef Cyrus Todiwala prepared some of his signature pork-based dishes during a live cooking demonstration at his famous London restaurant.
TV Chef Cyrus Todiwala.
The event, which was organised by BPEX, aimed to highlight pork’s versatility and cost-effectiveness and a range of pork cuts.
A traditional Indian pork mince and rice dish, incorporating red chillies, coriander, cumin and chilli powder was the first meal prepared by Cyrus. The cost-effective dish, which used two kilos of rice to half a kilo of pork mince, provides caterers with a recipe that can meet tight budgets, while delivering a flavoursome and nutritious meal to customers.
Thinly sliced collar of pork was also on the menu; a good alternative to the loin, the cost-effective cut was combined with cashew nuts, coconut and a range of spices to produce a creamy curry – perfect for caterers looking to add interest to menus.
Cyrus also prepared a flavourful pork-based Vindaloo, a succulent pork Kofta dish and Kheema Ghotala, a curried pork mince with a delicious scrambled egg filling.
BPEX foodservice trade manager, Tony Goodger, said: “As Cyrus so clearly demonstrates, cuts of assured pork taken from the forequarter, such as collar, belly and shoulder, tend to be hugely under-rated but they can be used to create delicious dishes that will hit the spot for customers and offer excellent value for money for caterers.
Pork on the menu.
“Pork mince in particular can be adapted to suit a wide variety of dishes; it can be mixed with vegetables, pulses and spices and aromatics to produce competitively priced authentic Indian dishes which are ideal for adding interest to menus and encouraging increased uptake of meals.”
Speaking at the event, Jayne Rose, sales director for a national catering butcher, said: “Cyrus has been a valued customer for over 10 years and the dishes he has demonstrated today have all been wonderful. The chefs in the audience are from a range of different backgrounds; from hotel caterers to independent restaurants, it has been great to see so many people inspired to go back to their kitchens and cook with pork.”
National Chef of the Year 2013, Hayden Groves, attended the event. He said: “Pork is an extremely versatile meat for caterers to work with; using the ‘nose to tail’ philosophy makes it a cost-effective protein for caterers to include on menus.
“Cyrus’ incredible knowledge of lesser known pig breeds is impressive. By using forequarter cuts such as collar and shoulder, which produce succulent, tender meat when cooked slowly, he has shown how to produce some of the greatest pork-based Indian style dishes very cost-effectively.”
