‘I love the spices, aroma, simplicity and delicate flavours of Indian food’: Diana Chan, winner of MasterChef Australia 2017

Diana Chan has curated five dishes for Marriott Bonvoy on Wheels.

Recently, Marriott Bonvoy on Wheels, Marriott International’s delivery programme, collaborated with Master Chef Diana Chan. As a part of this association, Chef Diana curated five dishes which will be available at the JW Marriott hotels in Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Chandigarh, Kolkata and Bengaluru till July 2022. In an exclusive interview with Moneycontrol, Chef Diana talks about the association, her love for typical desi Indian food, winning MasterChef Australia and more. Excerpts:

Tell us about the new menu…

The menu showcases five dishes which I have carefully selected and personally trained the in-house chefs to prepare. The dishes available are inspired from my Malaysian background infused with some Australian ingredients. It will be available for three months from the start of April 2022.

You won 'MasterChef Australia' in 2017 - what was the most unforgettable aspect of the MasterChef journey for you?

I will never forget the moment that I lifted up the trophy. It was electric. I also loved my semi-final challenge. I had a gut feeling inside of me, beaming with confidence and all I wanted to do was deliver. I felt like a crazy woman on a mission (laughs)!

What do you keep in mind when creating any dish? Which aspect do you give most priority to - flavour, texture, taste?

For me it’s all about balance of flavours. Sure, texture and visuals play a big role too. After all, we do eat with our eyes. I love food that is visually appealing but more so it has to taste good. I’m also huge on the quality of ingredients. I want to know that my protein and vegetables are good quality and have been sustainably sourced.

What do you love the most about Indian food?

I love Indian food because it evokes a memory for me. It’s nostalgic for me. Growing up in Malaysia, Indian food is incredibly popular. I love the spices and the aroma from curries and the simplicity and delicate flavours in rotis. It’s a very broad and interesting cuisine with so much left to explore.

You have said before that you like savoury dishes more than deserts… What is the most important aspect one should keep in mind when cooking savoury dishes?

Balance of flavours. It takes years to master cooking. Understanding the fundamentals and the basics before being too adventurous is the most important rule in cooking. I love being able to improvise on dishes and changing ingredients which react in a similar way and using what’s in season.

For vegetarians, what is the quickest main course recipe you'd recommend?

Tadka dal and rice. I love it. I tend to add in extra veggies when cooking tadka dal to bulk it up a little. All done in 30 minutes.

For non-vegetarians, which is the quickest main course recipe you'd recommend?

A perfectly seasoned and well-cooked steak with Greek Salad and Truffle Dijon. It’s our go-to in my household.