Chef Shipra Khanna, as she is popularly known as, won the MasterChef India title in the second season (2012) which went on to transform her life and career.
She is a content Creator, Author of many cookbooks, TV personality, Global Icon and an inspiration to Millions and more following on social media . Chef Shipra Khanna is the first ever Glamorous Chef In the world Today.
Recently she won, ‘Mahatma Gandhi Leadership Award ‘ at the British Parliament In LONDON, in 2019 for propagating Indian cuisine across the globe!
Read on as Chef Shipra Khanna shares her journey from being a housewife, mother of two to win the MasterChef India Season 2 in 2012 to become a celebrity icon.
Namita Nayyar
You got married at an incredibly young age. From being a housewife taking care of family, especially your daughter, you beat out twelve other contestants to win the second season of MasterChef India in 2012. Share a brief account of the series of events that lead to your participation.
Shipra Khanna
Life is full of ups and downs, but it was resilience and faith that kept me alive and moving ahead! Keeping my head on my shoulders and believing in myself is what has helped me to make my passion(cooking) into my profession and with support and love of family, friends, and fans I’m being able to fight for what I believe in!
Namita Nayyar
it was your mother who sent in an application to MasterChef India on her behalf. A sign of great belief in you. Throw some light.
Shipra Khanna
Mothers are the best motivational and emotional pillars we all have in our lives and I am lucky to have mine motivating and supporting me at every stage of my life!
Mothers know their children better than anyone & My mother’s instinct worked as she’s seen me create new recipes and admired my cooking even though she herself cooks outstandingly well, she applied for me on MasterChef season 2.
Her belief in me made me believe more and more in myself!
FULL INTERVIEW ON NEXT PAGE!
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar, President womenfitness.org and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2021 Women Fitness Org
Namita Nayyar
Your specialty is Indian food with a modern flair, and every dish you make – from saffron rice to papaya-glazed chicken – is a testament to what our national cuisine is all about. What excites you most about Indian cooking.
Shipra Khanna
Indian cuisine is by far the best cuisines in the world When it comes to the ingredients used in our daily Indian cooking, each having medicinal properties and health benefits! Ayurveda has a big influence on our Indian cuisine; hence Indian Cuisine is healthy & delicious as well! The ingredients, spices, flavours, and preparation methods everything included so I use my roots of Indian cooking with international cuisine and make menus for my Pop Ups across the globe and got the honour of receiving ‘Mahatma Gandhi Leadership Award ‘ at the British Parliament In LONDON, in 2019 for propagating Indian cuisine across the globe!
Namita Nayyar
There is an increasing bent towards international cuisine in recent times especially among the youth. How do you go about coping with the increasing pressure of high demand for pizza, pasta, etc.
Shipra Khanna
Well, the youth today is well versed with new cuisines and flavours thanks to digitization which has made the world a smaller place! The best and the worst part of being in a food related profession, is that it is ever evolving, of course to make it better and have your signature in the food that you sevre ! In my menus I do keep innovative and signature recipes which are incredibly challenging yet fun because it helps you push the boundaries and test your skills as well! When you make your passion your profession, your work doesn’t seem like work anymore! The pandemic has taught us a lot and now I am stressing on healthy food with my Calendar 2021 themed “Health Unlimited”
Namita Nayyar
You are considered the most glamourous Indian chef. Share your diet routine. Foods & diet you go by the day to stay nourished. Supplements you take.
Shipra Khanna
I am a foodie and I love to eat, also because my profession calls for it (that’s the excuse I always give)! Having said that I balance it with exercise. A Balanced diet with naturally found fresh and seasonal ingredients is my mantra for good health!
Love creating new healthy recipes, you can catch them on YouTube channel Shipra’s kitchen. During the lockdown I’ve made health shots and now my calendar 2021 is themed ‘Heath unlimited ‘with ingredients with Health benefits! 12 easily available ingredients that I’ve chosen along with their benefits, which is a daily reminder to us to focus on ” Health Unlimited”
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar, President womenfitness.org and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2021 Women Fitness Org
Namita Nayyar
Foods you try to keep to minimum.
Shipra Khanna
Potato chips, as I cannot stop at one!
Namita Nayyar
You have actively participated in Ted Talks on food-related subjects, particularly on child nutrition. Do share the significance of good nutrition to kids for mothers of today who have started believing in food of convenience.
Shipra Khanna
As a chef and a responsible individual, I always emphasise on health and right nutrition especially for growing kids as they need to be given the right nutrition at early age, which helps their mind and body to grow well so they are ready to face this competitive world and make use of every opportunity available to them and I would say they have whole load of opportunities which digitisation has brought about! By adding naturally found healthy ingredients and camouflaging it in the dishes that kids like it the best way to feed nutritious diets to the new Gen fussy kids!! Spinach, broccoli, leafy veggies, salads, fruits being a part of the daily diet!
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar, President womenfitness.org and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2021 Women Fitness Org
Namita Nayyar
Share the recipe in detail that led on to your final win in the MasterChef season 2. Where did the ideas land and the support of your fans?
Shipra Khanna
As they say each drop fills in to make the ocean, so there were many wins to reach the finals on MasterChef, so here is my winning recipe !! I am truly grateful to all the people, fans, friends, family who have supported me and helped me get where I am today ,so I try and do my best to never disappoint them !
Shipra’s MasterChef Winner Recipe
Bahara Nasheen
(Amritsari Smoked Salmon)
Ingredients:
For the Marinade
- 1 piece Salmon (cut into a rectangular fillet)
- To taste Salt
- ½ tsp Red Chilli powder
- ½ tsp Garlic paste
- ½ tsp Ginger paste
- 1 nos. Lemon (juice extracted)
- 1 tbsp Oil
- ¼ tsp Ajwain
- For the Creamed Potatoes
- 1 cup Fresh Cream
- To taste Salt
- 1 tbsp Kasuri Methi (lightly roasted)
- 4 cloves Garlic (crushed)
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 2 nos. Potatoes (peeled & sliced)
- ½ cup Processed Cheese (grated)
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese (grated)
- 1/3 cup Breadcrumbs
For Smoking
- 1 piece Charcoal
- 2 cloves Garlic (crushed)
- 2 tbsp Oil
- For the Crust
- 2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese (grated)
- 1 tbsp Parsley (finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp Breadcrumbs
- For the Vegetables
- 1 nos. Green Zucchini (cut into triangles & blanched)
- 1 nos. Yellow Zucchini (cut into triangles & blanched)
- 1 tbsp Butter
- To taste Salt
- To taste Black Pepper powder
- For the Beurre Blanc sauce
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1 nos. Onion (sliced)
- 1 clove Garlic (crushed)
- 1 cup Fish Stock
- ½ cup White Wine
- 2 tbsp Butter (chilled)
- A few strands Saffron (lightly roasted)
- 2 tbsp Pine Nuts (toasted & finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp Fresh Cream
- For the Oven-dried Tomatoes
- 2 nos. Tomatoes (quartered)
- 1 tbsp Oil
- To taste Salt
- To taste Black Pepper powder
For Garnish
- 1 nos. Red Capsicum (julienned & soaked in ice water)
- 1 nos. Yellow Capsicum (julienned & soaked in ice water)
- 1 nos. Green Capsicum (julienned & soaked in ice water)
Instructions:
- In a mixing bowl, combine salmon with marinade ingredients and keep aside to marinate.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together the cream, salt, kasoori methi and garlic. Grease a baking tray/ casserole with butter. Preheat an oven to 200ºC.
- In the greased baking tray/casserole, arrange half the potato slices in an even layer. Spoon half the cream mixture over this and sprinkle over with half the processed cheese and half the parmesan cheese. Top with remaining potatoes and cream mixture. Combine the remaining processed and parmesan cheese with breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the top. Bake in the preheated oven till done.
- For smoking, heat the charcoal on a flame till red hot and place in a small bowl. Place the bowl in the centre of the bowl containing marinated fish. Put the crushed garlic on the coal, spoon over with a few drops of oil and when coal smokes, immediately cover the bowl and keep aside for 10 minutes.
- Heat remaining oil in a frying pan and pan-sear the marinated smoked fish, turning regularly till half done. Remove from flame and keep aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the parmesan with parsley and breadcrumbs for crust. Dab the pan-seared fish with this mixture, place on a greased baking tray and bake in the same oven for 3 minutes till crust
becomes crisp and golden. When done, remove and keep aside. - Heat butter in a frying pan, add blanched green and yellow zucchini with salt and pepper and sauté on a high flame till zucchini is hot. Remove from flame and keep aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp butter in a frying pan, add onions and garlic and sauté till onion turns translucent. Add in fish stock and white wine and boil the mixture till it reduces to half.
- When sauce reduces to half, remove from flame, add chilled butter and stir till butter dissolves and sauce becomes thick and creamy. Also mix in saffron, pine nuts and cream and keep aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine quartered tomatoes with oil, salt and pepper. Spread out on a greased baking tray and bake in the same oven for 5 to 7 minutes till tomatoes have dried a bit. When done, remove from oven and peel off the skin.
- To serve, spoon some creamed potatoes in the centre of a round dinner plate. Place a few pieces of oven-dried tomatoes on it and top with a piece of fish. Mix the red, yellow and green capsicum juliennes
and place some on top of the fish. Pour the sauce into a Chinese soup spoon and place next to the fish. Spoon the tossed zucchini on the other side and serve hot.
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This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar, President womenfitness.org and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2021 Women Fitness Org