An Indian chef is bridging cultures between India and China by introducing authentic flavors from his home country to diners in Beijing, expanding customers' understanding of Indian cuisine far beyond just curry.
Rabiul Baksh is the founder and head chef of Dastaan, an Indian restaurant chain in the Chinese capital. Before launching the business in 2021, he honed his culinary skills at several high-end hotels across China.
The name "Dastaan," meaning "story" in Persian, reflects his vision of delivering memorable food that will get people talking. From serving Old Delhi specialties to street snacks that are enjoyed in Mumbai, the chef hopes to generate a true taste experience that creates a buzz in Beijing.
Baksh said one the eatery's signature dishes is the Old Delhi-style butter chicken, which is also one of India's most famous dishes.
"We call it Purani Delhi Wali Murgh Makhni. It's like slow cooked chicken, which is cooked in the tandoori oven. And the gravy base was like tomato and cashew nut (based) gravy. So, it's a bit of sweet and sour, and bit of spicy even," he said.
One of Baksh's main aims is to encourage Chinese diners to be more adventurous and to showcase a range of dishes that many people may not be aware of.
"For the local people, they thought Indian cuisine means like only curry, but this is not true, honestly. One of our most famous street snacks, we call Pani Puri," he said.
As one of India's most iconic street snacks, Pani Puri delivers an explosion of flavors through its delicate crispy shells. At Dastaan, Baksh fills them with seasoned mashed potato, then crowns each with dual-flavor combination of spicy and sweet.
In addition, Baksh noted there are many other Indian favorites that are also proving a hit with Chinese guests.
"Instead of curry, we have also kebab. It's a one of the most popular Indian barbecues you can see, we cooked in the tandoori even. We have something different called biryani, which is slow cooked Indian rice," Baksh said.
Baksh pours his heart into every dish, and the variety of offerings has helped the business expand rapidly. In just four years, he has opened four branches across Beijing, each with a unique positioning and innovative flavors.
While recounting his entrepreneurial journey, he also shared his love for Chinese cuisine, showing a universal love for all good food.
"I can proudly say one of my favorite Chinese dishes is hot and sour shredded potato. This always gives me a kick. Put this dish with the white rice, I can eat a lot. I think most foreigners also they love it," Baksh said.
Beijing-based Indian chef weaves culinary bridge between India, China
