TOP 5 Favourite Indian dishes @ MasterChef this season

Team L&M

The journey in the latest edition of MasterChef Australia on Disney+ Hotstar Premium has been a thrilling one with Season 13 featuring talented home cooks spreading magic in the kitchen while they battle it out in tough challenges. With traditional flavours being the king, this season has witnessed delectable Indian dishes being presented to the judges. Hence, a few of our favourite dishes including those from the corner of our street have made it big on this reputed international stage. Here’s bringing you five such desi dishes created by the talented contestants in MasterChef Australia 13 – streaming new episodes only on Disney+ Hotstar Premium – that have bowled us over!

Chhole and Kadhai Paneer

As it turns out, two super desi curries that most Indian households are privy to – chhole and kadhai paneer – are also a super hit on MasterChef Australia. Delhi-born Australia contestant Depinder Chhibber who has wowed the judges on multiple occasions in the competition, cooked these curries rich with Indian spices and served it to the judges with cauliflower parantha, pickle, stir-fried rice and fried okra chips. Judges Jock Zonfrillo, Melissa Leong and Andy Allen were thoroughly impressed and the dish was the showstopper of the episode.

Puchkas

While many would argue that this is the best Indian street food, puchkas definitely hold a special place in the hearts of numerous Indians. Known by various names, right from panipuri to gol gappas, these tiny round snacks burst like a bomb of flavours in your mouth. Kishwar Chowdhury, a contestant with Bangladeshi roots, presented the judges with a plate of puchkas that were made with a twist. In the Invention Test Challenge, Kishwar reinvented the use of potatoes in the puchkas by using it to emulate different pastries.

Khichuri and Begun Bhorta (Khichdi & Baingan Bharta)

Another dish by Kishwar that contained flavours that are also eaten in India was Khichuri & begun bhorta, also known as Khichdi & baingan bharta (smoked eggplant). She served it with maach bhaja (pan seared spiced bream) and niramish (Bengali 5 spiced vegetables), once again putting dishes containing authentic Indian flavours on the grand stage. The judges were so happy that they joked about being ready to be Kishwar’s kid so they could have this every day.

Tandoori Chicken, Naan & Lassi

Depinder cooked a wholesome Punjabi meal of tandoori chicken, naan, chutney, charred cabbage, chillies and smoked lassi in the MasterChef Kitchen. The dish looked as mouth-watering as it sounds, and helped Depinder sweep the judges off their feet in the cooking over fire immunity challenge.

Chicken Biryani

Another dish that is loved by many and cooked in different ways across the country is Biryani. Once again, Depinder chose to give the judges a taste of the highly popular dish by serving them a chicken biryani with coriander and mint chutney, and pickled onions. She even cooked with a smoking technique to give the biryani a different depth of flavour!