Change, and the essence of India at Flour

The essence of India is subtly definable in Chef Yogi’s cuisine at Flour, as he takes you on an epicurean journey round the subcontinent. No one quite does it like him. We are to embrace change, keep an open mind, open heart and immerse in his Parivartan Adya (change, today) menu.

Dinner begins with pappadam and two dips – chilli with lavender and honey and a yoghurt one with chives. The chilli dip is mild and lovely. I sip a fruity, tart and spiced juice to cleanse the palate. Gooseberry and raspberry juices tinged with honey, with rosebuds for aroma, then pepper and cinnamon.

Papdi Chat translates into “a snack” kind of an Indian hors d’oeuvre. Mashed potato, circled prettily by berries and date drops, mint pearls and coriander water, and a thin flour butter disc are served. We put the disc over the potato ensemble, crack it gently and sweet, tart and fragrant bursts land on the palate.

Lucknow in north India gives us Pigeon Tandoori and Kebab. Amazingly the skinny pigeon leg with Tunisian harissa marinade, ras el hanout spice and apricot, and a drizzle of chilli, yields meaty, delicate bites. The kebab is of pulled grilled pigeon, chocolate and figs chutney – delicious.

Ker Sangri — French beans, asparagus, raspberry puree, Greek cheese, curd, cherry tomatoes.We are in Rajasthan in north west India for the nurturing Ker Sangri, of French beans, white asparagus, raspberry puree, homemade curd, tamarind drops, cherry tomatoes and Greek cheese. Healthy, crunchy vegetables, balanced flavours.

Golda Chingri offers a cold-water river prawn from Bengal, springy, firm and sweet, charcoal roasted with chilli butter. The sweet prawn tastes like a lobster. We grind a mix of seven spices in a mortar and pestle, and sprinkle tiny pinches on the prawn, at Yogi’s intimation. In his words, too much spice is poisonous.

Mente Kadubu is about panfried gnocchi, baby spinach, fried fenugreek leaves, gruyere cheese, whose origins are attributed to Bangalore. The gruyere overwhelms the gnocchi with its saltiness and aroma.

Then we are in Bombay for Paplate: chargrilled baby pomfret filleted and deboned at tableside and served with a green vegetable sauce, with curry leaves and roasted mustard seeds. The sauce is a little tart, with some chilli heat. It’s fish to love with the flavourful sauce.

Mango Lassi with caviar is not a drink. “You’te going to eat this,” said Yogi. It’s creamy harum mango with yogurt at the base, then topped with Persian caviar. It nestles in the mango, savoury amidst sweetness.

In the Valiya Chemmeen Moilee, the spiny lobster tail with chilli butter, and the rich Kerala moilee sauce (a seafood sauce) was superb. Add to that the flaky and crispy paratha, and the beetroot thoran, and my heart is full.

Enter the Wazwan course of rogan josh (from Kashmir)  pilaf, sorel sauce and the thinly layered potato pave. The rogan josh has tender lamb in a gently spiced stew, not in the rich curry sauce we know. The pilaf is so pleasing, fluffy rice in saffron, textured with crunchy nuts, sultanas and chopped dates. In contrast is the delicate potato pave in the dill, fenugreek and baby spinach sauce.

In the Shahi Tukda it’s  brioche soaked in vanilla and cream. Butter fried, brulee, apricot puree, orange blossom drizzle, vanilla cream. It’s sheer bliss sinking into this, and the vanilla cream too.

Shavings of macadamia on date palm jaggery and puree with chocolate ends a truly fabulous dinner. Well-tuned, even paced that leaves you comfortably full.

Chef Yogi (Yogesh Upadhya) passionately shares about the food as it’s served in this elegant Michelin selected restaurant.

Flour is at 12 & 14 Jalan Kamuning, off Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur. WhatsApp 012 960 0053, email flour@ynwgroup.com.my.