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10:32 PM, June 28, 2021 / LAST MODIFIED: 10:40 PM, June 28, 2021
Former home cook Kishwar Chowdhury is now a strong contender for the title of “MasterChef Australia”. Photo courtesy: MasterChef Australia
Star Digital Report
An Indian media outlet has recently mentioned Kishwar Chowdhury, a MasterChef Australia contestant of Bangladesh origin, as an "Indian contestant".
Kishwar, a home cook who lit up the culinary scene with her representation of Bangladeshi cuisine on the globally recognised television programme, has secured a place among the top contestants and emerged as a strong contender for the title.
India Times, a news platform, recently published an article titled "Indian Contestant's 'Grainy' Kulfi Had MasterChef Judges On The Fence, But Internet Was All Praises".
In a recent episode of MasterChef Australia, Kishwar prepared 'Persian Vanilla and Roses', a vanilla and pepper kulfi with pistachio sable, white chocolate discs, rose-ice granita and vanilla iced henna art, blending French baking techniques with kulfi flavours and henna art in the mouthwatering dessert dish.
The judges were wowed with the preparations and delivery she made with the dish, but somehow found the kulfi to be grainy.
Later, netizens on Twitter came to her rescue, mentioning that kulfi is supposed to be grainy in the first place.
Kishwar has so far presented an array of delicious recipes in the competition, ranging from Bangladeshi street snacks to fine dining from the Bengali kitchen, including phuchka-chotpoti, maach-er jhol, alongside Middle Eastern and western dishes.
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Kishwar Chowdhury lit up the culinary world with her representation of Bangladeshi cuisine in globally recognised television programme, MasterChef Australia. Having secured a place among the top 10 of the competition as of writing this article, she is a strong contender for the title. The talented cook takes some time off from the rigorous competition for an exclusive interview with The Daily Star, where she talks about her roots, motivations, and dreams.
Elita Karim
When did you decide to apply for MasterChef Australia?
I applied for MasterChef Australia during lockdown last year. My son was on my back until I handed in my application, and the rest is history!
You have very strong roots here in Bangladesh. In fact, your family is quite well known and well respected in Melbourne amongst the Bangladeshi diaspora. What do you think of the reactions that you are getting from your friends and family in Bangladesh and Australia?
My father moved to Australia about 50 years ago as a student and met my mother there. I was born and brought up here in Australia. I moved to Dhaka and lived there for five years for work. My in-laws are based in Dhaka and I used to travel there four to five times a year pre-Covid. Therefore, living and working in Bangladesh played a role in shaping me. What do I think of the reactions? Pretty overwhelming.
It is common knowledge that you have always liked cooking. However, when did you actually begin to cook like a professional in your kitchen?
I just cook. I always had a knack to put flavours and combinations together, being inspired by the ingredients that were available to me. I drew inspiration from my travels, places I have eaten in, and just listened to my heart. If I could not buy some food, I would learn to make it. From fresh pasta and crystal dumplings to smoked duck and crab curry -- I spent a lot of time in my home in Dhaka making dishes I would regularly eat in Melbourne and when I wanted a good deshi meal, I would go to my in-laws. My mother and father in law really spoiled me. They would buy the best Elish (with the roe) and save the biggest pieces for me. They still do.
What was the most challenging dish that you had to prepare in the MasterChef kitchen till now? In addition, which one was the easiest?
I cannot tell you because they haven't aired that particular segment yet, you'll have to keep watching!
Tell us about one dish that you would like to prepare for the judges, if given the opportunity and unlimited resources.
Something that I can eat on repeat forever is my haleem, but given unlimited time and resources, I would make my smoked pastrami. It takes 10 days to brine and for the tendons to break down in the beef, before being cold smoked for at least 16 hours. It is a slow, and very worthwhile labour of love.
It is great to see that you are not only presenting fine dining from the Bengali kitchen, but also spicy snacks from the streets of our universities and workplaces! What kind of street foods of Dhaka (or elsewhere) did you grow up eating and do you plan to present most of them at the MasterChef Kitchen?
Melbourne did not have a huge street food scene – It did, however, have some fast food, food trucks, and food festivals. I looked forward to canteen food like sausage rolls, lamingtons, and ovaltinies. But when I would visit Dhaka during winter holidays, I loved all the snack food from Town Hall and Puran Dhaka.
There were these little orange containers with dried ginger and little toy lanterns filled with colourful candied fennel. At my grandparents' house, I loved laal shak (red spinach), green mangoes, fresh steamed peas, phuchka, khatta, and naan. To be honest, I do not have any plans to cook or not cook anything in the MasterChef kitchen. I am a versatile cook with affinity for all different cuisines, like any metropolitan person. When I do cook Bengali food though, I get a sense of pride. I think that shows.
Former home cook Kishwar Chowdhury is now a strong contender for the title of “MasterChef Australia”. Photo courtesy: MasterChef Australia
Star Digital Report
An Indian media outlet has recently mentioned Kishwar Chowdhury, a MasterChef Australia contestant of Bangladesh origin, as an "Indian contestant".
Kishwar, a home cook who lit up the culinary scene with her representation of Bangladeshi cuisine on the globally recognised television programme, has secured a place among the top contestants and emerged as a strong contender for the title.
India Times, a news platform, recently published an article titled "Indian Contestant's 'Grainy' Kulfi Had MasterChef Judges On The Fence, But Internet Was All Praises".
In a recent episode of MasterChef Australia, Kishwar prepared 'Persian Vanilla and Roses', a vanilla and pepper kulfi with pistachio sable, white chocolate discs, rose-ice granita and vanilla iced henna art, blending French baking techniques with kulfi flavours and henna art in the mouthwatering dessert dish.
The judges were wowed with the preparations and delivery she made with the dish, but somehow found the kulfi to be grainy.
Later, netizens on Twitter came to her rescue, mentioning that kulfi is supposed to be grainy in the first place.
Kishwar has so far presented an array of delicious recipes in the competition, ranging from Bangladeshi street snacks to fine dining from the Bengali kitchen, including phuchka-chotpoti, maach-er jhol, alongside Middle Eastern and western dishes.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kishwar Chowdhury lit up the culinary world with her representation of Bangladeshi cuisine in globally recognised television programme, MasterChef Australia. Having secured a place among the top 10 of the competition as of writing this article, she is a strong contender for the title. The talented cook takes some time off from the rigorous competition for an exclusive interview with The Daily Star, where she talks about her roots, motivations, and dreams.
When did you decide to apply for MasterChef Australia?
I applied for MasterChef Australia during lockdown last year. My son was on my back until I handed in my application, and the rest is history!
You have very strong roots here in Bangladesh. In fact, your family is quite well known and well respected in Melbourne amongst the Bangladeshi diaspora. What do you think of the reactions that you are getting from your friends and family in Bangladesh and Australia?
My father moved to Australia about 50 years ago as a student and met my mother there. I was born and brought up here in Australia. I moved to Dhaka and lived there for five years for work. My in-laws are based in Dhaka and I used to travel there four to five times a year pre-Covid. Therefore, living and working in Bangladesh played a role in shaping me. What do I think of the reactions? Pretty overwhelming.
It is common knowledge that you have always liked cooking. However, when did you actually begin to cook like a professional in your kitchen?
I just cook. I always had a knack to put flavours and combinations together, being inspired by the ingredients that were available to me. I drew inspiration from my travels, places I have eaten in, and just listened to my heart. If I could not buy some food, I would learn to make it. From fresh pasta and crystal dumplings to smoked duck and crab curry -- I spent a lot of time in my home in Dhaka making dishes I would regularly eat in Melbourne and when I wanted a good deshi meal, I would go to my in-laws. My mother and father in law really spoiled me. They would buy the best Elish (with the roe) and save the biggest pieces for me. They still do.
What was the most challenging dish that you had to prepare in the MasterChef kitchen till now? In addition, which one was the easiest?
I cannot tell you because they haven't aired that particular segment yet, you'll have to keep watching!
Tell us about one dish that you would like to prepare for the judges, if given the opportunity and unlimited resources.
Something that I can eat on repeat forever is my haleem, but given unlimited time and resources, I would make my smoked pastrami. It takes 10 days to brine and for the tendons to break down in the beef, before being cold smoked for at least 16 hours. It is a slow, and very worthwhile labour of love.
It is great to see that you are not only presenting fine dining from the Bengali kitchen, but also spicy snacks from the streets of our universities and workplaces! What kind of street foods of Dhaka (or elsewhere) did you grow up eating and do you plan to present most of them at the MasterChef Kitchen?
Melbourne did not have a huge street food scene – It did, however, have some fast food, food trucks, and food festivals. I looked forward to canteen food like sausage rolls, lamingtons, and ovaltinies. But when I would visit Dhaka during winter holidays, I loved all the snack food from Town Hall and Puran Dhaka.
There were these little orange containers with dried ginger and little toy lanterns filled with colourful candied fennel. At my grandparents' house, I loved laal shak (red spinach), green mangoes, fresh steamed peas, phuchka, khatta, and naan. To be honest, I do not have any plans to cook or not cook anything in the MasterChef kitchen. I am a versatile cook with affinity for all different cuisines, like any metropolitan person. When I do cook Bengali food though, I get a sense of pride. I think that shows.
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