Fusion of baul music and Japanese cuisine

Kolkata, Aug 10 (PTI) In a unique fusion of baul music and Japanese cuisine, eminent Japanese-born baul singer Maki Kazumi Baul performed today as internationally famed Japanese chef Jajo rustled up culinary dishes of sushi and dimsum varieties. "Music defies barriers, music defies language and religion. Baul music, which is old for a few hundred years, can be understood everywhere with its soul-stirring tunes," famed baul singer Maki Kazumi Baul from Japan said. "Music is such a flexible art form why not blending Indian folk music with Japanese dialect which can be termed as fusion in another form," Kazumi, who had been living in this country for years, said. Kazumi said, "The song - 'manush janmo....' - which dwells on how one is blessed being born as human being in this world can both be sung in a swanky hotel as well as in an 'akhara' or train compartment or village 'haat' as the motto of baul music is to reach more and more people." Japanese chef Chej Jajo, who prepared fusion dishes like Hilsa Uramaki, blending Hilsa with the very traditional Japanese rice, seasame seeds and Japanese mayo, said as steamed Hilsa gelled well with the Japanese ingredients, the musical notes blended in the same way. Besides the very innovative Hilsa Uramaki (tempura hilsa fish with wasabi in an upside rice roll), Shumao or Shaomai, Jiaozi were other delicacies prepared by Jajo, originally hailing from Myanmar and worked with ITC group in past. The Japanese chef prepared the delicacies as the Japanese born baul performed at Sonnet Hotel and these dishes will be available till August 19.