Mumbai food: Learn to make fresh cheese at Chennai chef's workshop

Fried Okra Cream Cheese Crostini

Over the last six months, chef Aditya Raghavan consulted with cheese maker Aqdas Tatli to develop recipes for The Buffalo Cheese Company, a new outing in Kalyan. Soon, Raghavan will stock buffalo milk cheese varieties like mozzarella, cream cheese, mascarpone and ricotta at SoBo stores.

Fried Okra Cream Cheese Crostini

If you're keen to learn how to make them yourself, sign up for Raghavan aka chef Addie's cheesemaking workshop this Saturday. The 34-year-old, also the main chef and curator at Chennai's The Farm, a concept restaurant that sells nine varieties of cheese, will give you a lowdown on the four fresh cheese varieties.

Chef Aditya Raghavan

"All these cheeses can be made at home. For instance, mascarpone is an Italian drained cheese made by splitting cream with the action of an acid, like citric acid. The resulting creamy cheese is thick and high in fat, making it an essential ingredient in Italian desserts like tiramisu, or in creamy sauces for pasta. Mozzarella will play a key role in the class, as it is one of the tougher cheeses to make," says Raghavan, who will provide mozzarella-making starter kits to guests.

He will also teach a variety of cheese-based dishes like Caprese (an Italian salad featuring fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil), Ricotta Gnudi (gnocchi) in brown butter-sage-lemon sauce, Fried Okra and Curry Leaves Cream Cheese Crostini and the classic Cream Cheese Tart.