Dosas and idlis not the end of South Indian cuisine : Chef Hari Nayak
New Delhi: South Indian cuisine is "very underrated" and goes much beyond idlis and dosas, says New York-based Indian chef Hari Nayak, who he is also working hard to dispel misconceptions about Indian food in general in the West.
"South Indian (style of) cooking is very underrated. People think that South Indian dishes are just dosas and idlis. But I grew up eating fish and other non-vegetarian food items -- apart from the vegetarian ones," Nayak, who grew up in Udupi in Karnataka, told IANS during a brief visit to the national capital.
"I would like to build a concept around it and make it more exciting to people (of North India) so that they can try something which is also Indian food and is tasty and healthy. For instance, we use coconut milk instead of cream. It is lighter and healthier," added the restaurateur.
There is the same misconception about Indian food in New York and other parts of the US and the UK as well.
"If we talk about Indian food, it's all about Punjabi 'khana' in the West. If I open a South Indian restaurant serving just Kerala or Goan food, the Westerner would come and ask for naan, chicken tikka masala and dal makhani. That's what they are exposed to.
"If I don't serve that, they won't come back. They would say, 'This is not an Indian restaurant'. So, misconceptions are there."
Chefs like him and the others, he says, are trying to change the thought process of "what a Westerner thinks about Indian food".
"We are working hard to change the perception of Indian food -- that it not greasy, not always curry-based. There is so much more to Indian food than that. Hopefully, in the next 10 years, Indian regional food items apart from Punjabi will be enjoyed by Westerners as well," said Nayak, who shares a strong bond with popular chef Vikas Khanna.
Would he blame Indian chefs for emphasising more on North Indian cuisine in the West?
"In the early 1960s, when Indian cuisine started getting popular in the West, chefs focused only on that (North Indian food). Nobody tried to do something different. Since the last 30-40 years, chefs have been serving the same things, so people have preconceived notions about Indian food.
"I think Indian chefs are to be blamed -- but that's what was selling. After all, it's business. Even now, if you go to a Kerala restaurant, you will still find naan, rotis, chana masala and tandoori chicken on the menu because they don't want people to walk out.
"There are Chettinad restaurants in New York but the last two pages of the menu are dedicated to North Indian food. It's unfortunate," said Nayak, who moved to the US over two decades ago.
How does he plan to bring about change?
"It won't happen overnight. I do a lot of pop-up events. I use scallops, an ingredient which is familiar to the Western palate, and I make Indian food with that. I never use North Indian flavours much. That's how I create awareness," he said.
Nayak was here for the launch of The Trial, which is a blend of chefs, entrepreneurs and innovative food concepts. It is a delivery cum dine-in kitchen concept on Golf Course Road, Gurugram.
"We are at a nascent stage. If somebody comes in with a concept that's interesting to me, then I will help," he said.
"The chef can interact with about 15 customers at a time at The Trial, which is counter style. Serving just 15 people is not enough to sustain a business. So, there is a delivery model too," said Nayak, who plans to launch his own restaurant in Bengaluru soon.
Before that, he will unveil his book -- "Spice Trail" -- which has "100 modern global recipes to excite and inspire home cooks".
"I have written five books for the Western market, but my new book is for the Indian market. It will release in the beginning of 2018," he said.
"It will teach home cooks to prepare food by adding new ingredients to their pantry... ingredients that are available in supermarkets. Using them while cooking will make their everyday food more exciting," he added.
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3 Indians arrested in Canada for shooting outside home
Ottawa (PTI): Three Indian nationals have been arrested by Canadian police on an anti-extortion patrol and charged after bullets were fired at a home.
Harjot Singh (21), Taranveer Singh (19) and Dayajeet Singh Billing (21) face one count each of discharging a firearm, and all have been remanded in custody until Thursday, the Surrey Police Service (SPS) said in a statement on Monday.
The suspects were arrested by patrol officers after an early morning report of shots fired and a small fire outside a home in Surrey's Crescent Beach neighbourhood, the LakelandToday reported.
On February 1, 2026, the SPS members were patrolling in Surrey’s Crescent Beach neighbourhood when reports came in of shots being fired and a small fire outside a residence near Crescent Road and 132 Street.
The three accused were arrested by SPS officers a short time later, the statement said.
SPS’s Major Crime Section took over the investigation, and the three men have now been charged with Criminal Code offences, it said.
All three have been charged with one count each of discharging a firearm into a place contrary to section 244.2(1)(a) of the Criminal Code.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be forthcoming. All three have been remanded in custody until February 5, 2026.
The SPS has confirmed they are all foreign nationals and has engaged the Canada Border Services Agency, it said.
One of the suspects suffered injuries, including two black eyes, the media report said.
Surrey police Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton said on Monday that the suspect had refused to comply with instructions to get out of the ride-share vehicle and started to "actively resist."
"As we were trained, he was taken to the ground and safely handcuffed," said Houghton.
A second suspect with a black eye was also injured in the arrest after refusing to comply, Houghton said.
The arresting officers were part of Project Assurance, an initiative that patrols neighbourhoods that have been targeted by extortion violence.
Houghton said the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is also involved because the men are foreign nationals, and the trio may face additional charges.
It's not clear if the men are in the country on tourist visas, a study permit, or a work permit, but Houghton said CBSA has started its own investigation into the men's status.
Surrey has seen a number of shootings at homes and businesses over the last several months, but there's been an escalation since the new year.
