Occupation: Owner of Indian Foods Co. (952-593-3000,
www.indianfoodsco.com)
How did you get your start? I was a corporate
lawyer, and I didn't want to be cut off from Indian culture. In 1988, I pioneered sales of
Shamiana Indian food products. We eventually sold it, and the company later closed. I'm no
longer a lawyer. I now sell Indian frozen foods by Deep in New Jersey to such stores as
Lunds, Cub Foods, Rainbow Foods and Kowalski's. I also started offering cooking classes
three years ago. It's always fun to get people involved in Indian cooking.
What's your cooking philosophy? It's about enjoying
the seasonal food that's available.
What is the dish you are most proud of? When I'm
entertaining, I like to serve thali, an Indian platter. There will be lentil, curry and
vegetable dishes served with rice or bread and chutney. The tastes and smells should
mingle, and the dishes should look good together. That's how we judge good Indian food.
What's your favorite restaurant? The Loring Pasta
Bar in Dinkytown. I like the ambience, and I think the menu is eclectic and creative. And
I like that it's not part of a chain.
Who in the food business do you most admire? My
uncle, Ajit Kerkar. He created the Taj group of hotels in India and is one of the
reasons I got into the food business. He ran hotels all over the world and put Indian
restaurants in all of them. He helped put Indian food on the map.
What's the most bizarre food you've ever eaten? I'm
quite adventurous, and I don't mind tasting most things. However, I keep seeing animal
tongue sold at Russian markets, but I haven't tried it yet.
What's in your refrigerator at home? I don't stock
up on much, but I always have yogurt on hand. I always have a very empty refrigerator
because I buy from the farmers' market every weekend. I prefer the St. Paul market but
usually end up at the Minneapolis one because it's closer to home.
What's your favorite junk food? Bhel puri.
It's Indian street food that's got rice, lentils, noodles, peanuts and wheat cracker. We
put boiled potatoes and onions in it and a lot of different chutneys. And then we put
cilantro on top.
Where is home to you? Minneapolis.
-
Nancy Ngo
