MasterChef India 9 winners Ajinkya and Vikram Gandhe are coping and learning

Hailing from Nagpur brothers Ajinkya Gandhe and Vikram Gandhe transitioned from running a local bakery to becoming national culinary champions after winning MasterChef India season 9 They reintroduced Maharashtrian flavours with innovative modern twists and at every stage they proved their expertise through teamwork In conversation with midday Ajinkya and Vikram not only share their signature recipe with us but also discuss the secret that helped them outclass professionally trained chefsExcerpts from the interviewVikram has a background in commerce and Ajinkya studied architecture so how did the precision of balance sheets and blueprints translate into baking and winning MasterChefVikram I think architecture especially designing has helped us a lot in conceptualising and ideating the dish Food is considered art on a plate In architecture it was all about a concept or an art translated into a blueprint Detailing and precision are things Irsquove learned by making blueprints Everything comes around in life which played a major role in our MasterChef kitchen journeyAjinkya We have a passion for food and we enjoy trying new things We kept learning to bake And since I like to eat a lot of desserts my interest in baking kept me goingRass Omlet Chavanmushi mdash the Gandhe Brothersrsquo winning dishHow are you both handling the transition from being local bakers to national TV celebritiesV We are still coping and learning because we have received immense love not just from India but from outside India as wellYou two beat Chef Kunal Kapur in the potato chain challenge with 11 links Was that the moment you realised you werenrsquot just participants anymoreA It was a very memorable moment for us in the MasterChef kitchen because we were challenging the legends in the kitchen So at that time we thought now we are the serious contenders in this kitchen but it started during the second and third week challenges and we received immunityYou both won without formal culinary schooling What is the one selftaught secret that helped you outclass professionally trained chefsA The one hack is just to keep on observing things around you One can learn from anyone and anywhere in the country I take mental notes wherever I go even if it is to a small street paani puri vendor I started my cooking journey from home My daadi and maami ke nuskhe helped me a lot I kept challenging myself in every situationWhatrsquos the one Gandhe Brothersrsquo signature dish that summarises your entire MasterChef journey on a single plateV If Ajinkya and I have to make a signature dish it would be called Blast of Flavours You will taste sourness sweetness some spice and saltA I think wersquove already made that in the kitchen mdash Bhaarat ki meethi hawa because that dish combines ingredients from different parts of our country on the plate Malaiyo has different names all over India In some parts itrsquos also called Nimish Makhan Malai That dish gained our confidence in the kitchen especially after the spoon tap Wersquore immensely proud of that dish because it represented usSignature dish Bhaarat Ki Meethi HawaRoasted Moong Dal Halwa The BaseSoak 1 cup moong dal for 4 hours grind to a coarse paste In a heavy pan heat 1 cup ghee Add dal and stir constantly on low heat until it turns goldenbrown and grainy Add 1 cup hot milk and saffron strands Stir until absorbed Add 1 cup sugar and 12 tsp cardamom powder Cook until the ghee separates and the halwa is glossy Keep warmThe Saffron Malaiyo The CloudMix 1 cup chilled fullfat milk 12 cup heavy cream and 2 tbsp powdered sugar Chill the mixture in the freezer for 15 minutes For the froth add saffroninfused milk Use an electric whisker or a hand frother to beat the mixture vigorously until a thick stable foam forms on the surface Carefully scoop off only the light foam into a chilled bowlNow assembleRs 25 lakhsWinning amount of lsquoMasterChef Indiarsquo