World travel, a vegetarian childhood and a passion for fresh ingredients are what have led Chef Pankaj Pradhan to great success with his year-old vegetarian restaurant, Red Lentil. With a charming smile and a booming laugh, Chef Pankaj makes things at the restaurant seem easy and fun, but he is all business when it comes to his cooking.

Within bright green and red walls, exposed brick and wood floors lies a cuisine all its own. With influences varying from Mexican and Latin to Jewish and Indian, the menu at Red Lentil shows the expanse of options available to local vegetarians and this is what the chef says keeps him on his toes. He believes the key to success at his first restaurant is keeping the menu fresh and honest, with daily specials that he says he never offers more than once.

Colleen Thompson: Where did it all begin for you?

Chef Pankaj: I'm from India, grew up in Calcutta which is on the east coast and went to boarding school in New Delhi which is in the north. I always had the passion for cooking. After undergrad, I took a test to get free education. I got into the best culinary school in India (Institute of Advanced Management). I graduated and then got a job on Carnival Cruise Lines as head chef. Did that for three years, went to 40 different countries. This gave me a passion about cooking on a wider spectrum. I hated the cooking on the cruise. Some days I made 200 pounds of prime rib or sirloin steak. Awful. But I went to Mexico every week almost. I love everything relating to South American food, without the meat of course. I would get off the boat and someone would make me fresh guacamole, right there. You know, with the stone. I just loved the way they made it.

But, I tried to be an A plus student but sometimes I just got A's (laughs). I went to Paris for a year and learned at Le Cordon Bleu. There I learned a lot about wine, food and beverage and hospitality. I also was exposed to learning French cuisine. After that, a friend sponsored me to come to New York. He already had a restaurant in Manhattan and that gave me a reason to come to the U.S.

CT: When did you decide on a vegetarian lifestyle and cooking that way at Red Lentil?

CP: I grew up vegetarian. My whole family is vegetarian back home. I will occasionally eat fish, very rarely. But only now because I live coastal and I know where it comes from. What do they say, "you are what you eat?" I just did something I was. It made sense.

CT: There are not a whole lot of options in this area for vegetarian restaurant, except a few in the city. How do you deal with competition?

CP: My concept is broader than anyone elses. I don't care about competition. You try your best to make a nice place with a starch, carbs, protein and grains. That's hard sometimes to gather proteins without using meat.

CT: Can you explain veganism and how you work that out on your menu?

CP: Well vegan is anything not related to animal product. Honey comes from bees, so you can't eat that, you see? You learn how to play around with your ingredients and seasoning. Vegetarian and vegan are so much better in California because they have so much produce and organic products. Here is more difficult and more limited. We often have to go to New Bedford and Fall River. There is a huge farm. They have everything you want. They can grow Japanese Wasabi if you want. It might cost $200 a pound, but they will do it.

CT: Also, the menu indicates which items are vegetarian, vegan, raw and which contain nuts or are gluten-free. Is this something you are passionate about as well?

CP: I went to Minneapolis recently for a gluten free/intolerance conference. There were three speakers. One was a Chicago doctor who had the experiences with his own mom. She didn't realize her allergy, and he diagnosed her himself. In three months, she went from near death to walking on the street. It was incredible. I also went to a vegan raw festival. I'm not a raw guy but I am curious. Consuming raw can change your whole immune system. I just don't believe I was meant to be in the woods.

CT: Outside of Red Lentil, what is your life like?

CP: I like to go out to eat a lot. And I like to watch movies; I'm a big movie guy. I have two six-year-old boys, twins, and I spend two days with them a week. I'm a single dad. I like to travel a lot too.

CT: Will you visit your family anytime soon?

CP: I am visiting my family in India on December 15 for a month. In the meantime, I'm setting up the kitchen for that month and I'm a little nervous.

CT: Why's that?

CP: I won't be here. As the chef, I have the eagle's eye. I can see anything.

CT: You can call though.

CP: Oh sure, I can call. But it's not the same.

Recipe for Gobi Manchurian  

Yield: 4 portions   Ingredients:  

6 tomatoes '

1 yellow onion

1 each red and green bell peppers

2 stalks of celery

2 jalapenos

1 ginger root

1/2 bunch parsley

1/2 bunch cilantro

1 carrot

4 cloves fresh garlic

5 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp gluten free tamari

2 tbsp molasses

2 tbsp each of cumin powder, coriander powder and paprika

1.5 cups chickpea flour

1 whole head of cauliflower cut into florets  

Roast the tomatoes in a 450 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, making sure to brush with oil before roasting. Once roasted, let the tomatoes sit for a couple minutes at room temperature. Take all fresh ingredients, including the tomatoes, and put into food processor. Puree well and place into separate bowl. Set aside. Take the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, put the mixture into the pan and let it cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stirring is important to discourage the mixture from sticking to the pan. After the mixture has cooked about 30 minutes, remove from heat and cool.  

Take the cauliflower florets and place them in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle 1.5 cups of chickpea flour onto florets. Add enough water to make a thick batter consistency. Always start with less water, that way you can build the batter up. Salt and pepper to taste. Make sure all cauliflower is coated with the batter. Deep fry in fryer until light golden brown in color.  

Take a saute pan with a little olive oil and bring to medium heat. Add a handful of diced onions and bell peppers. Add a couple teaspoons of tomato mixture and the fried cauliflower and toss together in pan to coat florets evenly.  

Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro and serve hot.