\n<\/p>\n
The cuisine passed down through India\u2019s real-life royal families is also surprisingly humble, Singh shared.<\/p>\n
When he cooked with the late Arvind Singh of the kingdom of Mewar at his palace in Udaipur, for example, they made an okra dish by \u201csmoking and reducing tomatoes with garlic and very subtle herbs, and filling the okra with it, and steaming it in buttermilk\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Singh was taken aback by how delicate it was. \u201cYou don\u2019t find this dish on any menu anywhere in the globe or in Indian cuisine. I thought, \u2018Wow.\u2019 The tomatoes were being grated by hand. You’ve never heard of grating tomatoes, have you? They were treating the ingredients gently to get the best out of them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although Singh has studied all aspects of Indian cuisine from street food to palace feasts, he\u2019s still learning as he goes, he said. He\u2019s also inspired by his travels. \u201cI think Singapore sits at the top, because I love the culture here. I love the mixed nationalities. I love the eating out. The culture of people going out and eating is, I think, very obvious, compared to any other place. I’ve met so many people here, and they associate with great food, which is what I love.\u201d<\/p>\n
When he\u2019s not in the kitchen, he\u2019s motoring, climbing, jet skiing and dune bashing. \u201cIt keeps me always on my feet. I always love to bring 10,000 volts of energy into my kitchen,\u201d he said. And, \u201cFor me, everybody is a celebrity. I think that sort of energy drives me.\u201d<\/p>\n