Potato is classified as a starchy vegetable because it contains a higher amount of carbohydrates than non-starchy vegetables like broccoli or beans. Think twice before you peel your potatoes as the skin contains both fibre and nutrients, so it is worth keeping them on (it also grants your potatoes a crunchier texture if roasting them). Some of the key nutrients contained in potatoes include Vitamins C and B, potassium and manganese. Potatoes do not contain gluten, which makes them an easily accessible and filling option for those who suffer from coeliac disease or intolerances. An interesting fact that you may not know about this tuber, is that it was the first vegetable to be grown outside of our beloved earth and aboard Space Shuttle Columbia as early as 1995.*
Colonialism and the Spread of the Potato
Potatoes are native to South America (specifically, Peru) and the crop was spread worldwide as a result of Spain’s aggressive colonial pursuits spanning nearly four centuries in length (beginning with Columbus in 1492 and ending in the 1800s). Once the potato reached European shores, it became a staple that replaced wheat and grains. The potato became so intrinsic for some European diets that its shortages brought on famine, suffering and death in Ireland during the Potato Famine of 1845. The British took the crop and spread it during their colonial conquest of the world.
It is hard to believe that potatoes were only very recently introduced to the Indian diet by way of the Portuguese and Dutch colonists, who brought the crop to western parts of India. It was the British, through the East Indian British Company, that promoted and even incentivised potato farming and consumption amongst the rural communities. The company even exempted it from transit taxes to encourage its cultivation. Like all things colonial, the intention behind propagating the crop was a self-serving one; failures in rice or wheat crops would compromise the health of labourers serving the Empire, and an unhealthy or undernourished workforce resulted in less output.**
The efforts of the colonialists to spread the potato across India were fruitful, and it seamlessly integrated into the regional cuisines of India, adopting the flare, fire and pazaz characterised by Indian cooking.
Our Favourite Potato Dishes
When it comes to preparing vegetables, almost any kind can be paired with potato to make a delicious dish. Below are a few of our favourite pairings:
Other famous dishes containing potato including potato as a key ingredient are:
*Kohli, D [23 June 2022] ‘How the Potato Came to India and Conquered Our Loves’ <https://www.cntraveller.in/story/how-the-potato-changed-from-a-novelty-to-our-daily-tuber-kolkata/>
** Atlas Obscura [9 April 2019] ‘In India, the British Hyped Potatoes to Justify Colonialism’ <https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/potato-history-india>
]]>If I have to love anything about winter (believe me as a child of the heat I have to search hard for things to love), it would be the insatiable desire to eat my way to a state of warmth and comfort. Oh, and woolly cardigans as well as sleeping snuggled under blankets. Whilst summer meals can be quick, light, fresh and breezy much like the season itself, eating during winter is almost a sacred ritual from the act of preparing to dishing out.
From an evolutionary perspective and in the natural world, winter is a time of dormancy or hibernation; storing whatever energy we can from the reduced hours of daylight, trying to keep ourselves warm against the harsh cold and staying put. From a culinary perspective, the cold season is a great time for hearty stews, steaming soups, slow-cooked curries, anything-with-a-side-of-potatoes and mulled wines. You will notice that your body craves different foods during the colder months and for many, carbohydrates can be the ultimate comfort but you can rely on other sources as well.
Thermogenesis - Production of Heat
At a very basic level, the food we consume is used by our bodies as fuel for energy and nutrients. “Thermogenesis is essentially the energy “cost” it takes to break down your food, digest it, and turn it into fuel”.* Certain foods take longer to digest, burn more calories and therefore raise our body temperature and make us feel warmer, which is exactly what we need during these times when inflation is causing pain to our pockets.**
In Indian cuisine, it is the use of spices that brings warmth to a particular dish and produces that thermogenic effect. Some of the spices below are commonly used in western baking to achieve a similar purpose.
Warming Spices
Cardamom (Green) - India is a large producer of this fragrant spice which happens to be the second most expensive spice in the world, after saffron. However, not a lot is exported due to domestic demand. The largest exporter of cardamom is Guatemala. Cardamom has a sweet, beautiful aromatic perfume and is used in India to flavour both sweet and savoury dishes. It is used by the Finns in a bread called pulla; In the Middle East it used to flavour sweet dishes, tea and coffee. In South East Asia it is used to treat infections in teeth and gums. It is also used to break up kidney and gall stones. It is heavily relied upon in traditional medicines – Ayurveda and Chinese medicine. Here is a fun fact for you, 7 pods = 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom.
Cardamom (Black) - This variation has a strong and smoky flavour and aids with digestion, which in turn, warms up the body. Unlike its green sibling, black cardamom is used as a whole due to its dominating flavour so the seeds remain cocooned in the pod so as not to release too much of its intensity.
Cinnamon - Cassia is used to flavour baked goods, candies and meat. In India it is used in many curry recipes and is also used to flavour Pilafs and Biryanis with an aromatic essence. A warming way to start a cold winter’s day is with a dash of cinnamon on top of your morning porridge, banana smoothie or toast slathered with nut butter.
Cloves - A very aromatic spice perfuming everything with which it comes into contact and is antibacterial and antifungal and in nature. Many Ayurvedic toothpastes use clove as an ingredient and I remember my mum telling me to suck on a clove to freshen my breath rather than mint or gum.
Coriander - The coriander plant possesses both healing and cooling properties, depending on what part of the plant is being used. The leaves are considered to be cooling however the seeds have a warm, nutty and citrus-like aroma and assist with digestion. When my tummy feels out of sorts, I make a quick concoction of Cumin, Coriander and Fennel tea by boiling equal amounts of each spice for 10-15 minutes before drinking it hot.
Cumin - Cumin is the second most popular spice in the world after black pepper. It is a member of the parsley family and resembles caraway in appearance but not in taste. It is commonly used in Brazilian, Cuban, Indian, North African, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Mexican Pakistani, Sri Lankan, and Western Chinese cuisines. It is also used in Dutch cheeses and in some traditional French bread. It was heavily used in ancient Roman cuisine. Cumin is said to help in the treatment of the common cold when added to hot milk and consumed. In Sri Lanka the seeds are toasted then boiled. The resultant tea is used to soothe stomach problems.
Ginger - We prepare our chai at home with a healthy amount of fresh ginger that is boiled with the water before adding the tea leaves. Ginger is a very warming spice and one particular study from Japan has shown that its intake increased body surface temperature.***
Garam Masala Garam in Hindi means heat or hot – this blend is a mixture of whole spices that are roasted to bring out their aromas and can be used as a whole or ground. It is commonly used in Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani cuisine.
To make your own Garam Masala, roast the following spices on a pan, one spice at a time till aromatic:
Store in the freezer. Use 1 dessertspoon per kg of meat or lentil dishes. You can use this masala, albeit sparingly, in vegetable dishes such as Palak Paneer.
Peppercorn - Salt and pepper are the basic of all condiments and the latter was once revered as black gold for its flavour-enhancing and preserving functions. The plant is native to the south of India and gets its punch from the compound piperine. You can add a pinch of ground pepper to your hot drink or sweet desserts for an extra kick and with desserts, for a more pronounced flavour (think chocolate truffles).
When winter is upon us and we know where to look, we can trust Mother Nature to keep us warm, safe and nourished all at once!
* Hinchman, W [21 August 2021] Thermogenic Foods That Can Boost Your Metabolism https://swolverine.com/en-au/blogs/blog/thermogenic-foods
** Pasi, Dr M [28 January 2021] 10 Foods to Keep You Warm https://poshan.outlookindia.com/story/poshan-news-10-food-tips-to-enjoy-winters-like-a-pro/372484
*** Fujisawa, F. (Shiga Prefectural Univ., Hikone (Japan)); Nadamoto, T.; Fushiki, T.; (2005) Hyperthermic Effect of Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Extract-Containing Beverage on Peripheral Skin Surface Temperature in Women. Journal of Japanese Society of Nutrition and Food Science (Japan)
]]>Today’s post explores the common ‘herbs’ used in Indian cuisines. Whilst herbs are often used as garnishes or in marinades, some of the herbs listed below are used during the tadka or tempering stage of cooking. Fenugreek leaves can be used as the star of the show. Not surprisingly, most, if not all of these herbs possess medicinal qualities, which has not been discussed in depth.
All of us have been nourished and nurtured by our mothers, even before we take our first gasps of breath on this earth. Right from the very point we are conceived and as we grow as foetuses inside our mother’s wombs, we are provided with nutrition and oxygen through the umbilical cord that connects us to our mother’s placenta.
After our arrival on earth, we suckle at our mother’s breasts and the milk from it nourishes us until our tiny bodies are ready to take on the challenge of solid foods. Up to this point, mother nature places mothers at the centre of a baby’s universe, completely and utterly dependent on their mothers for sustenance.
Our bodies continue to grow, from childhood to adolescence and we rely on our mother’s cooking to get us through the school days, the weekend activities, the night time studies, the after-school munchies and the birthday party meals (not to underplay the role of fathers play in this process too). And if it isn’t our mothers, then perhaps it is our grandmothers, aunties, neighbours or family friends that come into the picture when our mothers are not comfortable cooks, are busy with work, are unwell or struggling, or have left home or left this earth.
For many, a home-cooked meal is synonymous with our mums, and the love and effort they put into the food they prepare knowing that it will nourish us one way or the other. If on one weeknight we return home as parents ourselves, her food conjures up memories of the past and of the ignorant blisses of our childhood. If we have been away from for too long, her food reminds us of the safety, security and comfort of home. If we are sick or unwell, her cooking heals our ailments just as bandages and plasters heal wounds and broken bones. If we have had a bad day at school or work, her food soothes bruised egos and dejected souls alike. This is the reach a mother’s cooking has, no matter how simple or elaborate the meal she makes.
I have been blessed to have various mother-figures in my life, and I am grateful for them all, especially after losing my own mother in my late teens and missing her terribly to this day. In cooking and having a meal with me, these women have shared their roots, their cultures and their stories. Whether it be the traditional food preparations of my ancestors as shared by my godmother from our ancestral village, the unique fusion of Chinese and Indian cuisines in a Malaysian dish as shared by my neighbour in her kitchen not too far from mine or the intricacies of making melt-in-the-mouth Pakistani shammi kebabs as shared by my aunty. Thank you for nurturing and nourishing, healing and soothing, inspiring and invoking; I hope, one day, to do the same myself and be on the giving end rather than the receiving one.
]]>I have visited many cafes, restaurants and dhabas (highway eateries) throughout India but my favourite place to enjoy a quick meal or snack is from a humble street vendor and their small cart. There is something very grounding about the one-on-one connection between you and the vendor with nothing in between you both save for the cart, the giant tava or the roasting pot.
In most cases, the vendor prepares the food right before your eyes as you carefully instruct them on how to customise the dish to your liking (add more chilli, or, in my case, less), wary of the fact that there are several others around you impatiently waiting their turn.
I have written about the vast array of street food in India and today’s post is somewhat an extension of that, with a focus on the ‘healthier’ but equally delicious options.
Which one would you like to try? Comment below and let us know!
*But equally delicious
]]>If you are not familiar with Hinduism and its many deities, it can be difficult to follow the elaborate and intricate mythologies and accompanying rituals that have developed over the millenia. Though I come from a strong Catholic upbringing, my time spent living in India as an adult as well as my practice of a classical Indian dance form (Kathak) have given me the opportunity to experience hindu traditions and learn about the customs, stories and practices that define it. From a very basic introductory level, the three Gods you might want to acquaint yourself with are Brahma (The Creator), Vishnu (The Preserver) and Shiva (The Destroyer), the last of whom this grand festival honours.
In Indian mythology, Lord Shiva is pictorially depicted as a muscular being with long flowing dreadlocks, the crescent moon on the side of his forehead and the third eye at its centre, a snake draped around his neck, a bare torso and his loins draped only with the skin of a tiger. He is depicted sitting in a meditative position, cross-legged with his four hands, two of which are held in mudra and the other two holding a trident (thrissur) in one hand and a percussion instrument (damaru) in the other. Aesthetics aside, Shiva is not so much a physical character as he is an all-pervasive energy and consciousness itself.
Image: A depiction of Lord Shiva (unknown)
Maha Shivratri literally means the Great (maha) Night (ratri) of Shiva and falls on the night before the new moon in Hindu month of Maagha or Phalguna (marking the start of springtime in the Northern Hemisphere). Like many grand festivals in India, it is celebrated in different ways according to the region and community and even the lore surrounding the origins of this festival differ. The underlying purpose of this festival is to honour, worship and rejoice in Lord Shiva.
The stories behind the origins of the festival include:
Lord Shiva and Yoga
In the Yogic tradition, Lord Shiva is known as Adi Guru or Adi Yogi, which means that he was the first Guru from whom the science of Yoga originated and the first to practise Yoga. Those of you who practise yoga might be familiar with the position shavasana which is laying still, as though dead. Shava, lifelessness is the opposite of Shiva which embodies the potential for life. It is believed that on this auspicious day Lord Shiva, who had been in a state of meditation for millenia become completely and utterly still.
What happens on this day
Maha Shivratri is an auspicious time when the positioning of the northern hemisphere of the planet allows for human beings to experience a natural upsurge of energy. It is therefore a time of prayer, meditation and fasting.
A devotee would start the day with a sunrise dip in the holy river Ganga (or a shower/bath for those who are not able to bathe in the river) and put on fresh and clean clothes. They would proceed to a temple to offer a pooja (prayer) that involves a specific ritual of bathing Shiva’s linga in milk and/or water. The linga ritual will happen every 3 hours and the statue is bathed in natural items including that of milk, honey, yoghurt, sandalwood paste and rosewater.
Most devotees would observe a complete fast throughout the day (no food or water), or, if eating, would consume light meals such as fruit, milk and certain vegetables and non-grain items. Spices are restricted to jeera (cumin), pepper, green cardamom, cinnamon and ajwain. Salt is avoided and instead black salt is used. Vrat foods such as sabudana khichdi (a dry risotto made from sago) and sabudana kheer (sago pudding) can be consumed, but usually only after the evening prayer.
Summer may almost be over (cue *teary eyes*) but hopefully the warmer weather will linger well into the first month of autumn. This time of the year permits us to savour summer’s many bounties, whether that be the longer days (though they are becoming shorter as we tilt further away from the sun), the fresh fruits (plums, nectarines and peaches are still in the market), picnicking or entertaining outdoors and swimming in various bodies of water to cool off.
Most parts of India experience harsh summers and the heat ranges from sweltering, highly humid or searingly dry heat, all of which are pleasant experiences when you throw in a population of 1.1 billion! These extreme conditions have resulted in creative ways to stay cool in terms of architecture, fashion and diet.
I was smart enough to backpack across five Indian states in the month of April, at a time when the summer heat was cranked up enough to risk burning your feet if you decided to go anywhere barefoot (I visited a lot of temples). The states I travelled across were Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha and Bihar. All of them were exceptionally hot (save for my time at the hill station Darjeeling). During my travels, eating food was not nearly as important as staying hydrated and even water alone could not quench my thirst. On the hottest of days, I can clearly recall the refreshing feeling of a cooling drink as I pressed the glass/carton to my burning cheeks before the contents slid down my throat.
Here are our favourite summer coolers that you can try out when the mercury skyrockets:
In the last fews years and thanks to the rise of TikTok and Reels on Instagram, there have been popular trends using certain ingredients in ways that we had not thought of before. For example, who would have thought that Zucchini (or courgette) could be used as noodles or spaghetti or as a key ingredient in loafs? And sweet potatoes in brownies?
In India, the humble chickpea has been and continues to be used in a myriad of forms - sweet and savoury. Today’s post explores its use throughout Indian cuisine and beyond.
A bit about chickpeas
Chickpeas are said to have originated in the Middle East with traces found in Turkey dating as far back as 7,500 years ago.
The two main forms of chickpeas are the Kabuli Chickpeas, also known as Garbanzo beans and Desi chickpeas which are known as Kala Channa in the Hindi/Urdu languages or Bengal Gram. The former is lighter in colour, almost beige and the latter has a dark brown coating. Desi chickpeas are skinned and split to make channa dal. Green chickpeas (hara channa) is another variety that is sweeter than its counterparts.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), India is the world’s largest producer of chickpeas followed by Australia and Turkey.
From a nutritional perspective, chickpeas are a great source of both protein and fibre, allowing you to feel fuller for longer.
Used as a whole legume
Many states/regions in India have a localised chickpea curry that is a staple in homes. Ours is a favourite of many customers and you can try it here.
Used in flour form
In India, channa dal, which is the black chickpea skinned and split, is ground into flour and called besan. Chickpea flour made from kabuli chickpeas is not the same as besan, which is finer and softer. Both are great gluten-free alternatives to regular wheat flour.
Besan is used to thicken gravies, bind patties and to dust fish before frying. It is indeed a staple in an Indian pantry.
Savoury
1. Mains
2. Snacks
Dessert (Mithai)
Many a mithai is made from besan and the reason it works so well is because of the naturally nutty flavour it imparts. More importantly, the besan is ever-so-soft in texture and your teeth sink through it with every bite and it melts whilst sitting on your tongue.
Other uses of Besan (Beauty)
Chickpea flour is made into a paste and is used in lieu of soap to wash babies after they have been massaged with a vegetable oil.
It can also be used as a natural face mask to cleanse away impurities. Click here for a homemade recipe that has just three ingredients including the flour itself!
We trust you have been convinced to give Chickpeas and Besan a home in your pantry.
]]>In April 2016, my partner and I left a swelteringly hot Delhi and commenced our month-long journey across central, north-eastern and eastern parts of India. We were young backpackers beckoned by adventure. We were in love and had not much money to spare. Fittingly, our journey was planned via India’s extensive and all-encompassing rail network, which was not only affordable and safe, but also appealed to our sense of romanticism - of crossing the land without ever leaving it and partaking in our journeys with strangers.
Khajuraho’s Legend
Our night train journey was rather uneventful, save for the next morning when a passenger entered our cabin along with her pet chicken in her luggage that she let out on the train floor because, why not? Soon after, and thankfully, our train stopped at our first destination in the morning, Khajuraho in the central state of Madhya Pradesh. It was a name I could barely pronounce but the town boasted many artistic and architectural marvels allowing for it to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is known of course for the beautifully intricate temples, a handful of which display erotic carvings that may have raised a few eyebrows of the many visitors who might misunderstand its meaning. These Hindu and Jain temples date between the 10th and 12th centuries CE and were built under the reign of the Chandela Kings.
The legend behind this ancient city tells of a beautiful maiden named Hemavati, daughter of a Brahmin priest, who bathed in the river by moonlight. The Moon God was captivated by her enchanting beauty and descended upon earth to seduce her as she bathed. Hemavti surrendered to the Moon God’s intense and passionate advances and nine months later, gave birth to a son that she named Chandravarman. She raised him in the wilderness, safe from the scorn and harassment that society directed towards her for coupling with a God and having a child outside of wedlock. The Moon God promised her that their son would one day become a great ruler and true to his words, Chandravaram was king and founder of the Chandela dynasty. He is said to have built the temples in honour of his mother and as an ode to passion.
Image: The sculptures exploring human sexuality and intimacy
Only ten percent of the sculptures of men, women and creatures that guard the temple are considered ‘erotic’ in nature. The remaining depict the cultural, religious, economic, social and daily aspects of life at the time such as hunting, fighting wars, watching performance, mediating and getting dressed. I marvelled at the intricate details of the figurines and how they seemed to be carved. The women figures are defined by their curvy bodies and exotic eyes and are more like real women frozen in time rather than skilfully sculpted and chiselled in stone. The temples themselves are made up of clusters of towers (shikhara) that resemble the peaks of mountains and create striking architectural feats.
Image: Domes formed by clustering of towers
Image: The intricate details in the carvings and sculptures
The relentless heat during our short stay in Khajuraho meant that the evenings were more suited for sightseeing than the mornings and afternoons. If we did try going out in the heat, we would return to our hotel and collapse onto our bed with the air conditioning set to freezing. We were able to explore other sites like Raneh Canyon Falls and Panna National Park before we left this remarkable town for our next destination.
Ujjain
A year later I would again visit the state of Madhya Pradesh with the same person. On this occasion, we arrived and parted separately, a sign perhaps that we were holding on to a past that no longer served us. The city Ujjain is host to Kumbh Mela (a once in every twelve year event) and Mahakaleshwar Temple and we visited this temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and hosting an endless stream of pilgrims. I remember hopping about as I had to remove footwear at the outskirts of the temple compound and the floor was burning my feet. The pilgrims around me did not seem phased and so I grimaced until we entered the temple (separate entrances for men and women) and my blistered feet could rest on the cool marble floors.
Every morning, our hotel would serve us a complimentary breakfast of either poha (beaten rice) or kachoris (similar to samosas but round in shape and stuffed with a spicy lentil filling). My Australian tummy, accustomed to breads (including roti) with spreads, eggs on toast or cereals, did not quite take to the spicy morning pick up and I would skip breakfast or drink juice instead.
Image: Poha and kachori served with piping hot masala chai
On a warm evening, we visited Ram Ghat and watched the numerous theatrical aartis (prayer services) that took place as worshippers bathed in the waters. On another evening we headed to one of those hole-in-the-wall restaurants that serve soft and juicy kebabs with romali roti. Indian Muslim food is one of my favourite Indian cuisines and one of the few instances where I would opt for meat over vegetarian. After our satiating meal, we headed to a famous sweet vendor in the main town that sold the creamiest Kulfi (Indian cardamom and Rose flavoured ice cream) that I have tasted. It was all kinds of creamy and was served on a stick and I admit that the image does not do justice to it.
Image: The exact kulfi that changed my life
Image: The Aarti (prayer ceremony) by Ram Ghat
I knew that as my night train left Ujjain for Ahmedabad (where I was based that year), I had tasted a small piece of what this culturally and historically-rich state had to offer.
Cuisine of Madhya Pradesh
I have observed that in India, the cuisine is spicier and the sweets are sweeter in places where the climate is hot and dry. We have learned that consuming spicy food raises our internal body temperature and induces sweating as a mechanism to cool down. Madhya Pradesh is a hot and dry landlocked state in central India and boasts spicy cuisines that are both vegetarian and non-vegetarian and take influence from its neighbouring states of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Wheat is the staple and locals prefer roti over rice. The flowers of the Mahua tree are used to produce local liquor and also make jams and preserves.
Some of the popular street foods include items that we know and love like samosas and pakoras. There is an abundance of poha topped with sev and pomegranate that is sometimes served with jalebis (a sweet made from chickpea batter that is deep fried and then soaked in a sugary syrup). Sabudana Khichdi is one of my favourite breakfast dishes (I like it more than Poha) and is made up of tapioca pearls that are soaked and sautéed with spices and ingredients like potatoes, curry leaves and peanuts.
Another popular local staple is dal bafla - small balls of wheat flour (about the size of a golf ball) are boiled and grilled over ovens powered by dung cakes. These balls are dunked into ghee and then served alongside dal and chutney. I tasted a similar dish in the neighbouring state of Jharkhand and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Image: Street food of Ujjain - Kachori (back) and Dal Vada (front)
In Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh’s capital, you will find select restaurants serving silky mutton gosht korma. The mutton is slow-cooked with an array of spices including star-anise, fennel and black cardamom until it falls off the bone. It is served with a spicy gravy that can be mopped up with tandoori roti. Here is a tip for you - mutton curries (much like fish and chicken curries) taste much better a day after preparation, so in this case, fresh is not best! You can make your own gosht with the help of our spice blend.
Yet another non-vegetarian delight for your tastebuds are the soft and tender seekh kebabs made in restaurants in Jabalpur, another city in Madhya Pradesh. They are usually prepared with spiced minced and skewered on a grill or tandoor until the outside is crispy but the inside is soft and juicy. You cannot have these without the company of a tangy and fragrant mint chutney. Our Hyderabdi Kofta blend is perfect if you want to try something similar at home.
For the sweet-toothed readers, the most popular dessert item is undoubtedly those crispy Jalebis. The sweetness is counteracted when served with warm milk that has been reduced and thickened. After a spicy meal (which is pretty much all the time), jalebis cool the palate and leave the sweetest of aftertastes. Another less decadent sweet treat are the chikkis (similar to peanut brittle) that are sold in the kilos at the local markets.
I could go on listing the highlights of Madhya Pradesh’s cuisine, but I will leave it here in the hope that we will all soon get a chance to travel and eat our way through the villages, towns and cities of the destinations that we long to visit.
]]>Did you know that some of India’s most popular and well-known dishes like biryani, korma, pasandas, kebab and kofta, originated from Mughal rulers of India? Mughal cuisine has long been considered as India’s haute cuisine - a befitting title given that it was developed for royalty and required a detailed level of complexity in preparation. Who were these rulers and what kind of influence did their reigns have on Indian food as we know it today? Read on to find out more.
The Mughals
The Mughals were Muslim rulers who were descendants of the Mongols and traced their lineage back to the feared conquerors Gengis Khan and Timur. For over four hundred years (15th - 19th centuries), they ruled over much of the Indian subcontinent which comprised modern-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Their rule commenced in the north of India and extended as far south as Hyderabad in the state of Telangana. The Mughal reign started with Emperor Babur (1526 - 1530) and ended with Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar II (1837 - 1857) who only reigned over Delhi by the time he was captured, faced trial and was exiled to Myanmar.
Generally speaking, the Mughal rulers were known for their religious tolerance (perhaps we can exclude Emperor Aurangzeb from here), complex systems of governance, promotion of the arts, architectural extravagance and of course, decadent cuisine. They are also known for their traditions of hospitality, much like the ethos of Atithi Devo Bhava (the guest is God) that underpins Indian hospitality.
The birth of Mughlai Cuisine
Mughlai cuisine involved a fusion of traditional methods of Mughal cooking with the flavours of Indian ingredients (think spices). The marrying of these two aspects created a cuisine that till today, reigns in terms of opulence and complexity.
The Mughal Emperors employed talented chefs of Hindu and Muslim faiths. Both worked harmoniously alongside each other to bring extravagant and decadent dishes, using the best of ingredients, to the royal table. To get a glimpse into the royal kitchens, you can have a read of Emperor Shah Jahan’s cookbook, The Mughal Feast, which was recently translated from Persian to English by author and food historian Salma Yusuf Husain.
Another influence on the cuisine, underrated at times, was that of the marital alliances of the rulers, who would no doubt collaborate closely with the head chefs when it came to meal preparation. One of Emperor Humayan’s wives, and the mother to his successor Akbar, hailed from Persia, and is said to have introduced the lavish use of saffron and dried fruits to the royal kitchens. Emperor Akbar’s wife Johda, a Hindu princess, introduced the lentil dish panchmel dal to the royal cooks. The Emperor himself observed a vegetarian diet three days in a week no doubt to keep on good terms with his Rajput princess (we joke).
Akbar, at his palace in Fatehpur Sikri, had a kitchen superintendent who would oversee the meal preparation (he had a platform at the centre of the kitchen courtyard that enabled him to do this). The superintendent had the important role of tasting the food before it was fed to the Emperor to ensure no foul play was involved.
Characteristics of Mughlai Cuisine
Our Mughlai Blends
Get your mughlai fix with these spice blends that authentically pay homage to the cuisine of Mughal India. With a little helping hand from our blends, you can prepare these dishes from the comfort (and safety) of your kitchen with all the decadence and finesse that defines Mughlai cuisine but without the stress.
The legacy of Mughal cuisine has long outlived its rulers to become part of the culinary fabric of Indian gastronomy. In the gullies and lanes of northern India, especially in cities like Delhi and Lucknow, we can see their legacy live on through the local chefs cooking these delights for the common man. The influence of Mughal cuisine has transcended borders and Mughlai menu items are some of the most popular across Indian restaurants around the world and have become synonymous with Indian cuisine.
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The tandoor has been an important cooking device for humans for over thousands of years. Its remnants were located in excavations that confirmed the existence of a civilisation known as the Indus Valley Civilisation which encompassed modern day north-east Afghanistan, Pakistan and the north of India. Some historians trace the tandoor’s origins back to Persia or modern-day Iran.
The Mughals, during their reign of parts of northern India popularised the use of the tandoor and heavily relied on it for meat-based dishes. The tandoor remains a central feature in Punjabi cuisine with many dishes requiring its use. In rural Punjab, the tandoor also functioned as a meeting place for village women to come together at the communal kitchen in their village to prepare meals.
It seems that our ancestors were on the right track with the tandoor and appreciated its ability to seal in the natural flavours of the ingredients. We have all heard of tandoori chicken and it is always a sell-out item on most menus at Indian restaurants. Perhaps the most common misunderstanding is that tandoori refers to a recipe rather than a cooking technique. It is in fact a combination of ingredients and the cooking technique that makes food prepared in a tandoor taste like something from out of this world.
I recall winter road trips throughout the north of India where my friends and I would stop off at a dhaba (highway eatery) for a hot meal prepared fresh. We would bundle into the bench and order our favourites like aloo paratha or dal makhani accompanied by naan or tandoori roti. The tandoor was usually located in the open kitchen, radiating a comforting warmth irresistible to my cold fingers which were soon hovering over the heat. The aroma of tandoori items permeated the space and mingled with the fragrant spices and the trinity of ginger, garlic and onion being sauteed in oil. The result was food with an earthy flavour and prepared in a short amount of time.
A bakery in Leh, Ladakh - Kelly Chang
Paneer on the tandoor
Features of the tandoor
Form - A tandoor is a vertical, cylindrical oven and food is placed into it from the opening at the top. Skewers of meat or vegetables are lowered in from the top and breads like naan or roti are cooked by being stuck to the walls of the tandoor.
Material - Traditionally tandoors were made of clay but nowadays you can find metal tandoors being sold for home use. The combination of natural elements like clay and charcoal to fire it up and smoke infused from juices dripping onto the coal, enable the food prepared within to take on earthy flavours.
Heat - Tandoors are heated by woodfire or charcoal and can reach temperatures of 400 to 500 degrees centigrade. The heat circulates around the tandoor and can be maintained for long periods, making tandoors economically and environmentally sustainable. The cook marinates the meat with yoghurt and spices before lowering it into the tandoor. The heat’s key function is to lock in the flavours and juices of the item being cooked, something that can only be achieved with high temperatures and short cooking periods.
Tandoor Smoke Hack
After reading this, you are probably craving those tandoor flavours but do not exactly have a tandoor handy (not many people would!). We have the perfect hack to help you. Once you have baked or grilled your meat, place it into a serving dish with a small bowl into which you drop a red, hot coal and add half a tablespoon of ghee over it before closing the serving dish. This allows the smoke to become infused in the meat and create something akin to the flavours produced by a tandoor. We did this with chicken and you can see what it looks like below.
Now that you know about the importance of the tandoor in north-Indian cuisine and are equipped with this hack, we hope that you try preparing more tandoor-inspired dishes. We can get your journey started with our authentic tandoori spice blend which can be used to prepare chicken, paneer or even tofu as per your preference.
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Some of the common themes in the breakfast items include flatbread items, reliance on lentils and pulses and a variation of pancake-like dishes. Whilst savoury flavours dominate, there are also items to satisfy our sweet-toothed friends, yours truly included.
All of the dishes we have listed are either vegetarian (V) or vegan (VG) with the appropriate designation placed after the name. It is a testament to the diversity and variety of vegetarian/vegan options that have long existed in India.
North India
East India
South India
West India
Which of the above is our favourite or which would you like to try? Comment below and let us know.
]]>It can go without saying that in many parts of India, the most popular ‘foreign’ cuisine is that of Chinese cuisine. Street stalls, dhabas and even fancy restaurants boast an array of finger-licking ‘Chinese’ dishes that are increasingly popular with India’s younger generation. These so-called ‘Chinese’ dishes look, smell and taste very different from the western understanding of Chinese food because they are essentially a fusion of the popular base ingredients in Chinese cooking with the spicy and complex flavours of Indian food added in. The term ‘Indian Chinese’ or ‘Indo-Chinese’ therefore refers to the adaptation of specific Chinese dishes to cater to the average Indian palate that is easily tempted by spicy foods.
This fusion has its origins in the 18th century and to British India’s then capital city, Calcutta, located in the east of India. Many members of the Hakka Chinese community migrated from China to Calcutta and established themselves in the community setting up thriving enterprises. They were silk traders, dentists, leather tannery owners and shoe shop owners. Their involvement in the community was integral in setting up India’s first Chinatown and more importantly, setting the culinary foundations for what would become India’s favourite cuisine.
Adapting Cuisines
The first Hakka Chinese restaurateurs would have recognised the importance of fresh and ground spices in Indian cuisine. So they took their traditional elements of Chinese cooking and modified the sauces to incorporate essential Indian ingredients like chilli, ginger and garlic and spices in general. In Indo-Chinese cuisine, use of condiments such as that of cumin seeds, coriander seeds and turmeric is common and not authentic to Chinese cuisine.
Soon enough, restaurants serving this modified cuisine became widespread across Calcutta and infiltrated to other cities and regions in India. The cuisine’s popularity can be attributed to the creation of food with familiar flavours/sensations but prepared in an entirely different way. The versatility of the ingredients meant that Indo-Chinese dishes were easily adapted to the large vegetarian population.
Legend tells of Nelson Wang, an Indian chef of Chinese Hakka descent who is credited for inventing the Manchurian preparation of cooking in the 1970s. Mr Wang was a caterer at the Cricket Club of India in Bombay and was asked by a customer to create an off-the-menu dish. He obliged and cut up cubes of chicken, coated it in cornflour, deep-fried it and added it to a sauce cooked up with garlic, ginger and chilli and then finished off with soy sauce and vinegar and thickened again with cornstarch. The dish was a major hit and not long after, Mr Wang went on to open the restaurant China Garden in Bombay before branching out to other cities across India.
Many Indians perceive Indo-Chinese food as authentic Chinese food, and are often surprised (and perhaps disappointed) when they experience ‘real’ Chinese cuisine which is usually a lot healthier, at times bland and usually meat-focused. The Indian diaspora has acknowledged the popularity of this unique hybrid cuisine and access to Indo-Chinese food is available outside of India where large communities of Indians reside. This is made possible by the demand of nostalgic Indians abroad who crave the simplicity and spiciness of their favourite ‘foreign’ cuisine.
The food fusion continues to evolve to this day with the creation of dishes like Schezwan dosa, chilli idli and Chinese bhel. This is a testament to both the popularity of Indo-Chinese cuisine and its ability to adapt to the local cuisine.
Top Indian Chinese Dishes
Some Indian restaurants have a section of their menu dedicated to Indian Chinese, and next time you go to your local Indian restaurant, you can check it out.
I, along with a dear friend, went to Amaravathi Restaurant in Harris Park (known as Sydney’s Little India) and we ordered Dry Chicken Manchurian, Vegetable Chop Suey and Schezwan Egg Fried Rice. We also ordered plain paper dosa for good measure. The food took me back to my time in Delhi, when my housemates and I would finish our groceries after a day at the office and just outside the grocery store would be numerous street food stalls, some of which would sell Indo-Chinese items. We would munch on the likes of Hakka Noodles and Manchurian as a quick evening snack before heading home to prepare dinner.
Additionally, accompaniments can serve to fulfill the Ayurvedic concept of a balanced and nutritious meal being one that contains all six tastes or shad rasa. The six tastes are madhura (sweet), amla (sour), lavana (salty), katu (pungent), tikta (bitter), and kashaya (astringent) and they are tied in with a person’s dosha (constitution), as well as the seasons. By no means am I an Ayurvedic specialist, so if you do wish to know more on this topic, I recommend that you consult an Ayurvedic practitioner.
A thali is a perfect illustration of how accompaniments are seamlessly incorporated into a meal. Thali is the word for ‘plate’ in Hindi and contains numerous dishes compartmentalised in katoris (round steel bowls). It is similar to the Japanese culinary concept of a bento box, but is usually more varied in terms of substance. In a thali, everything from your entree to your dessert is served on the one plate. It is an exciting experience that entices your olfactory senses (particularly those of sight and smell) and whets the appetite even before you take your first bite. Depending on where in Indian you are, a thali could be pure vegetarian (such as a Gujarati thali), with seafood or meat (common coastal regions) or served for a religious festival (the Kerala Sadya, served during the festival of Onam, has up to 20 dishes and is traditionally served on a banana leaf).
Image: Going clockwise, basmati rice, papadam, dhal, potato with fenugreek, gulab jamun dessert and at the centre fried eggplant.
Today’s post explores how you can elevate the food you prepare at home with these simple accompaniments.
Please comment below and tell us what your favourite accompaniment is.
]]>Almost all of the road trips I did when I was living in India always involved a pit stop at a roadside dhaba for some hot chai and a quick but tasty meal. This time would be used to stretch out the legs, make a dash for the loo and freshen up tired eyes. It was a ritual as important as arriving at the said destination.
In this post, I explore the origins and features of dhaba food and link you to recipes that will enable you to create dhaba-inspired cuisine from your very own kitchen.
The origins of the dhaba
The origins of dhabas are synonymous with Punjabi cuisine because they are said to have sprouted in the northern region of India, specifically on the stretch of highway that connects Kabul in Afghanistan through to the major Indian cities of Amritsar, Delhi and Kolkata before coming to an end at Chittagong in Bangladesh. The British renamed this pass as Grand Trunk Road but it had existed as far back as the fourth century BC and remains the oldest and longest highway in southern Asia when it was used primarily for trade (and for invasion as well).
Since the twentieth century, dhabas have served as truck-stops for weary and hungry truckies making such long journeys. They were far from fancy; often a thatched hut with mud floors and a sheltered area containing charpai (a string cot) for truckies to take a nap. The main ethos of the dhaba was to provide truckies with fresh, home-cooked meals at an affordable price.
The wide popularity of dhaba cuisine has extended beyond the highways. Nowadays you will find restaurants/eateries in the heart of the cities and suburbs serving ‘dhaba meals’. They are often hole-in-the-wall kinds of restaurants whose street credibility is bolstered by a star item on their menu. The recipes are passed down through the generations and guarded as though they have been patented.
Image: https://www.cravebits.com/dhabas/
Features of dhabas
Your choice of meals depends on where you are in India. A dhaba’s menu often reflects the local cuisine though these days items like pizza and burgers are appearing all too often on the menu due to the influence of multinational fast food giants. Dhabas in Goa will serve the traditional sheet kodi (rice and fish curry) or you can order sambar-rice from a dhaba in Karnataka. The features mentioned below are especially attributed to dhabas in northern India.
Fresh meals
Dhabas are a testament to the fact that simplicity and freshness are the cornerstones of a comfort meal. Back in the day (and even now) there was limited access to refrigerators and devices like mixers or grinders. Seasonal produce would be purchased fresh from the local market and in small quantities, sufficient to meet the demands of the day. Often the ghee or white butter used is made at home as it can be expensive to purchase from the shops.
When it comes to preparation, cooks prefer whole spices over ground (the latter being time-consuming to prepare and expensive to purchase). Food is cleverly preserved through the use of oil, spices and dahi/curd (the acidity is a preserving agent and it is less expensive than using fresh tomatoes). And when I mention cooks, I don’t mean trained chefs; often those who are cooking cannot tell you how to julienne vegetables or to braise meat. They don’t don the chef’s whites or even an apron (perhaps a tattered cloth or tea towel to wipe away their own sweat). But they do know how to prepare a meal that encapsulates the taste of home, wherever that may be.
Use of a tandoor
The tandoor is a traditional clay oven that is used in the preparation of foods. It is cylindrical in shape and is usually dug into an enclosure with food going into it from the top opening. Tandoors get much hotter than your conventional oven and cook food faster thanks to the intense heat. Another bonus is that the tandoor can maintain the same temperature for hours without the need for refuelling it. This makes it an ideal tool in dhabas where meals need to be prepared at minimal cost and with expedience. Once your order of tandoori roti or naan reaches the kitchen, you can bet that the rolled out dough will be thrown onto the walls of the tandoor and baked so fresh that it is still steaming when it reaches your table. Aaahhhhhhh.
The best thing about the tandoor is that it makes food taste bloody good and there is a reason behind that. The extreme heat locks in the natural juices of the meat/vegetables, the shape of the tandoor ensures even cooking and the smoke from the fire leaves the food with a charred exterior. Sumptuous!
‘Chotu’ - a young waiter boy
The nickname ‘chotu’ is given to the youngest of waiter boys working at the dhaba and designated with the most menial of tasks. He is usually of school-going age and often does not work out of choice but out of necessity. If he ever happens to serve you, discreetly give him a generous tip or even a souvenir if you happen to be carrying one (though there is no guarantee that he will get to keep any of it).
Dhaba food in the western Himalayas
Let me tell you about one of my favourite experiences of dhaba food high in the western Himalayas. In this instance, it was not so much the food as the experience of eating it that made it one of the most memorable. When I was living in Delhi, I joined a colleague for a group trek to Triund, a meadow located on a hill that overlooked the Dhauladhar mountains in the state of Himachal Pradesh. It was by no means an intensive trek (8kms -9kms) but given that I was a beginner at trekking, I did not exactly breeze through.
When we reached the top of the hill where we would spend the night camping, there were a few measly shacks serving maggi noodles (the go-to meal for college students) and piping hot chai. As dusk approached and the chill set in, we ordered the noodles and chai and gazed in awe at the snow-capped mountains and the breath-taking sight that only nature could so effortlessly conjure.
Create your own dhaba-inspired meals
Whilst we are unable to have an authentic dhaba experience right now, you can try to recreate some of these quintessential dhaba-inspired meals from your own kitchen.
Articles
Whilst tuckshop lunches or eating out can be exciting, it can come with a price tag not only on our budgets, but also on our health. As the saying goes, nothing beats home-cooked food!
Before I get into some ideas for lunch, I will reflect a little upon my experience of lunchtime as a child, and as an adult (both in India and here in Australia).
Childhood Lunches
As a child, my mother would always pack sandwiches for my brother and I. That was pretty much our staple for thirteen years. Ham (spam too), tuna, spreads (everything from chutneys to peanut butter) and sometimes leftover sabzi (any vegetable cooked with masala) stuffed into lebanese bread. At times, I recall opening my lunchbox and being disappointed with its contents and feeling annoyed at my mother for not coming up with something more creative. Those were the days that sharing food with a friend was my lifeline.
Now, an adult myself, I look back and think that my mum did what she could in the circumstances. She was working and had to prepare lunch for the three of us and make sure that we were all out the door in time. On the few days that my dad was not putting in long hours as a chef, he would take over. One thing my mum succeeded in was to pack our lunches day in and out never once (to my utter devastation) having to order lunch from the tuckshop.
Tiffin Culture in India
In India, there is a strong tiffin culture both in schools and at work. Tiffin is another word for lunch and in India, it is mostly hot foods that get carried to work and school, usually prepared fresh in the morning.
The contents of your tiffin depend on which region you hail from, but everything from rotis and sabzis, to vegetable rice, to idlis and sambhar can be served. Even the smallest of humans just starting out in school will open up their lovingly prepared tiffin and tuck into it with their tiny little hands. It is heartwarming to observe.
Image: A common sight at lunch time in India - the triple decker tiffin
There exists tiffin subscriptions for those who perhaps do not know how to cook or do not enjoy cooking. The food is delivered fresh either to their homes or to their offices and usually prepared at a dhaba (roadside restaurant/stall).
When I worked in India, on most mornings I would prepare fresh parathas/rotis and a vegetable for myself and my flatmates, sometimes with assistance and sometimes alone. If there were any leftovers from the night before, that too formed part of our tiffins. At the office, my workmates and I would spread out our lunch and partake in a mini-feast. This ritual promoted bonding, released stress and led to satiated appetites. It is something that I miss here in Australia, where I take my lunch break alone as does everyone else in my office.
Now, back in Australia, my lunch almost always consists of leftovers from the night before heated up in the office microwave. Sometimes, but not often, a wrap or bread roll if I am on the go. I make it a habit to take my break outdoors even in inclement weather, to be away from the computer and the four walls of my office. One aspect that has remained constant is that I very rarely buy lunch outside unless I am meeting up with someone during my lunch break; a testament perhaps to my mother’s consistency in packing our lunches all those years back.
Now that I am done with the storytelling, I have put together a list of ten items, both warm and cold, that you can add to your lunchbox menu.
COLD
WARM
If you try any of the above ideas, comment below and let us know. We would love to hear if they were a hit in your household.
]]>As a child on the school playground, I remember the excitement and anticipation of opening a warhead candy, which was renowned for its range of extremely sour-flavoured items. My favourite flavour of potato chips was salt and vinegar because no other chip left my tastebuds buzzing as this did.
One could argue that my tastebuds are still very much excited by the concept of sourness, though in a more refined way. I love the combination of seafood garnished with fresh lemon as much as I love a good roast that has been marinated in vinegar and spices and cooked slowly.
There is a whole science behind sourness, which is outside the scope of this post, however if you would like to get a start on it, we recommend reading this article by Mark Diacono from The Independent.
Imli (Tamarind)
The classic south indian staples of sambar and rasam rely on tamarind for the sharp taste of sourness that blends beautifully with the lentils, vegetables and roasted spices contained in the former dish. The latter dish, rasam, is a spicy broth poured over rice and slurped without shame!
In many Asian countries, tamarind is made into a sweet by processing it until it has a smooth consistency, rolling it into little balls and coating it with sugar.
Tip: Soak tamarind in hot water, then strain and store the paste in an ice cube tray. It’s easy to pop out a cube whenever you need one. A good substitute for tamarind is Ketchup/Tomato Sauce.
Raw Mango
It is very difficult to flaw the fruit that is mango. Its juicy pulp and bright yellow shade screams summer at its best. Something you may not know is that mango, in its raw and somewhat ?? form beautifully sours the right curry or works equally well when made into a chutney or pickle.
In summertime, mangoes are in abundance across India. The attentive farmers noticed that too many mangoes would fall from their branches long before ripening and so made use of them in their raw state.
In the east of India, raw mango is added to yellow dhal. On the Konkan coast through Karnataka, Goa, Mangalore, Kerala, and Tamilnadu, raw mango is used widely in cooked dishes. It is added to fish curries and releases its sourness as it simmers. The Parsi community shreds the raw mango and adds it to their omelette.
Tip: Buy raw mango. Slice and freeze for use when unavailable.
Amchur (Raw Mango) Powder
This is one of the main spices used in chaat masala. It works well when mangoes are not in season and you still want your dish to have that kick. As it is a powder, it is far easier to cook with and store in your cupboard.
Tip: This is a good souring agent when you have a short cooking time as with vegetables.
Kokum
The southern west coast of India, particularly the Konkan coast, make wide use of the fruit kokum. Kokum is a small reddish fruit that is very sour (likened to the sourness of gooseberries at first bite, if you have ever tasted them) and is used in its dried form to add that very sour element to curries. We add dried kokum to many a fish or prawn curry, and it stews away, releasing its sour power in a pleasant fashion.
In Goa, this ingredient is also used to make a refreshing digestive drink known as Sol Kadi. Click here if you would like the recipe.
Tip: You can find this rare ingredient in most Indian grocery stores.
Anardana (Pomegranate) Powder
This powder is commonly used in both North Indian and Persian dishes.
The ruby-red seeds of this fruit (which make for a beautiful garnish) are dried and then ground into a powder which has a good balance of sweet and sour, so it can be added to many a curry.
Tip: Add this to your salad dressings for that extra tanginess.
More common souring agents
These agents are not specific to Indian cuisine:
As you can see, sourness plays an important role in Indian cuisines largely because of the additional dimension of taste it adds. Let us know if you have used any of the above ingredients, and if so, how you incorporated it into your dish and the results it gave you in terms of flavour.
*Diacono, M (September 2019) How to cook with Sourness https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/sour-cookook-mark-diacono-lime-pickle-chicken-recipe-instructions-a9094071.html
]]>Chillies are said to be native to Mesoamerica (the central regions of the Americas) where they have been cultivated and used for over 7,500 years. In addition to flavouring food, chillies were also used as a means of preserving food as it would keep it from spoiling.*
As deceptive as it may seem, chillies are botanically classified as a fruit because they bear seeds. Specifically, they are classified as a berry!
]]>In our post today, we explore the origins of the chilli, examine what makes chilli ‘spicy’, understand how ‘spiciness’ is measured and delve into how the chilli made it into India and Indian cuisine over time.
The Origins & Classification of Chilli
Chillies are said to be native to Mesoamerica (the central regions of the Americas) where they have been cultivated and used for over 7,500 years. In addition to flavouring food, chillies were also used as a means of preserving food as it would keep it from spoiling.*
As deceptive as it may seem, chillies are botanically classified as a fruit because they bear seeds. Specifically, they are classified as a berry!
Image: Young chillies growing in our garden
Vegetables are the plant itself, or the edible part of a plant, which does not comprise the fruit. We won’t go into any further details about what classifies something to be a fruit and a vegetable. Instead, we will direct you to this article by Merriam-Webster to better understand the difference between the two.
In some parts of the world, chillies are referred to as peppers since the pungency of the chilli was likened to that of the little black spice pepper, though there is no connection between the two botanically. To add to the confusion, the scientific name for chillies is capsicum annuum with its milder sibling (what we call capsciums or bell peppers) called capsicum frutescens.
Capsaicin - The Spice Compound
Capsaicin is the compound contained in most chillies and is responsible for the burning sensation one feels when consuming them. This burning sensation is triggered by our bodies’ pain receptors, specifically the temperature sensation receptor TRPV1. When the capsaicin compound is detected on our tongue it trips the pain receptor whose function is to detect anything that is unsafely hot. Hence, our mouths literally feel like they are on fire because TRPV1 has kicked in and tells us to stop eating the little devil. Having learned the hard way, I now always thoroughly wash my hands with soap after chopping chillies. This habit came after having unintentionally rubbed my eyes after chopping chillies and succumbing to the burn!
When scientists delved into why this was the case, they discovered that the presence of capsaicin in chillies is the plant’s evolutionary defence mechanism to prevent herbivores like mammals (and humans) from consuming them. Interestingly, birds seem to be immune to capsaicin and do not have receptors in their mouths to detect its presence.
The reason being that unlike mammals, whose teeth grind down the seeds of the chilli, birds consume the plant without disturbing the seeds. They also help with dispersing the seeds far and wide thus allowing the plant to propagate and thrive amongst all the other plants out there.
You can click here for a more scientific discussion on the evolutionary history of chilli.
Scoville Scale
Now that you are aware of why chillies are spicy, it is time to explore how spice is measured.
You may have heard of the Scoville Scale, named after scientist Wilbur Scoville. This scale measures the pungency of spicy foods including chillies by determining the concentration of capsaicin it contains. More scientifically accurate tests have been since developed, however this scale is still widely used despite it relying on human subjectivity.
It originally worked like so:
A solution of the pepper extract is diluted in sugar water until the 'heat' is no longer detectable to a panel of (usually five) tasters; the degree of dilution gives its measure on the Scoville scale.**
To give you a practical understanding, we have done a very basic ranking below:
We are still at the lower end of the spice scale! If you really want to turn up the heat, the Naga Bhut Jolokia Chilli or the Ghost Pepper, hailing from the north-east region of India ranks at a whopping 1,041,427 SHUs! It has even been used as a biological weapon by the Indian Army in the form of gas grenades against terrorists.
Have a read of this website for a detailed list of how different chillies and hot sauces are rated on the scale.
Chilli Arrives in India
Chilli has become central to Indian cuisines in the past five centuries, however Indian cuisines were never lacking in spice itself. Indian foods have always had punch to them, and that is attributed to the use of ingredients like pepper and ginger.
Christopher Columbus stumbled upon chillies in his quest to establish trade routes through Asia in order to access the coveted pepper, a prized commodity that was known as ‘black gold’ because it was used to pay rent and salaries.***
Chilli was supposedly brought to India through the Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama, who had forged a route from Brazil to Africa and India. The Portuguese took over Goa in 1510 and this small region on the west coast of India became a port for the trade in spices between India and Europe. Indians took to the chilli plant easily as they were no strangers to spices!
It may not come as a surprise to you that India is now the world’s largest producer and exporter of chilli. As mentioned earlier, it also boasts of the Ghost Pepper, verified as one of the hottest peppers around.
Chilli in Indian Cuisine
Image: Tempering the chilli along with other whole spices
Chilli now plays an important role in many regions and cultures of India, extending beyond the realm of food to religion as well. They can be consumed fresh, dried and put into tadkas, flaked and added as a garnish (though chilli flakes are more of a Western thing) or powdered to form part of a masala.
Image: Chillies in their dried, flaked and powdered forms
A popular street food item is mirchi pakoras, where the milder and larger chillies are dipped into a spicy batter of chickpea flour and deep fried. They make for a delicious snack along with a steaming cup of masala chai.
Many Indian meals are accompanied by the holy trinity of fresh garnishes - pyaaz, nimboo and mirchi in Hindi - onion, lemon and chilli. Each of these fresh ingredients adds the elements of crunch, acidity and heat to balance a meal.
Other Uses of Chilli in India
Image: @kristina_intercultural
If you have ever been to India, a common sight is that of lemon and chilli strung in entrances of shops or on vehicles (pictured below). It is an odd sight to see and our research leads us to believe that this practice is based on a mix of tradition and science.
The lemon and chilli are rich in Vitamin C. When pierced, the fluids would mix with the air and spread to repel those ghastly mosquitoes and flies. The chilli would help with expelling any germs in the air thanks to its remedial properties.
Another explanation for this is that in olden times, when journeys by road were a lot more hazardous and lengthier than they are now, people would carry lemon and chillies as they traversed through jungle terrain. The lemon would be squeezed into water and drunk and both the chillies and lemon would help to determine whether a snake bite was lethal or not. If the victim could taste the spice from the chilli and the sourness of the lemon, the bite was not lethal, but if they were immune to those sensations, then the bite was lethal and they would need to take medication urgently. The reasoning being that the nerve endings would be paralysed from a snake bite and therefore one could not experience taste!
Nowadays, this combination is like a lucky charm to ward off any negative energy or bad luck.
We hope that this post has given you some insight into this small but potent ingredient and how it has been embraced by Indians especially. It has sure been a spicy ride so far, and to end on a sweeter note, why not try our recipe for this sweet, spicy and tangy Chilli Jam that makes a great accompaniment to many dishes and is packed with flavour.
References
*Adams, C (2012) The Complicated Evolutionary History of Spicy Chilli Peppers http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2012/issue131b/
**https://www.chilliworld.com/factfile/scoville-scale#The Scoville Scale
***Ettenberg, J (2020) A Brief History of Chilli Peppers https://www.legalnomads.com/history-chili-peppers/
]]>India, known for having as many festivals as there are days in the year (if not more) celebrates the love between siblings, specifically the bond between a brother and a sister but also between male cousins and female cousins. This festival extends beyond blood and kinship to meaningful friendships shared between others, especially those involving a degree of care.*
A similar festival called Bhai Dhooj takes place soon after Diwali and carries with it the same significance and almost similar traditions (a thread isn't tied, but tilak is applied by sisters on their brother's foreheads).
Origins of Raksha Bandhan
There are different references to the origins of this festival but we will discuss the most prevalent one. Click here if you would like to read more about the different stories in Hindu mythology pointing to the origins of this tradition.
The account from the ancient epic Mahabharata, tells of Lord Krishna receiving a cut to his finger (some accounts have it as his wrist) as he threw his sudarshan chakra (a speared disk with 108 serrated edges) to behead Shisupala, his maternal cousin and a king who had become an arrogant and cruel ruler.
This event was prophesied at Shisupala’s birth, when Lord Krishna healed Shisupala of his deformities and promised Shisupala’s mother that he would forgive Shisupala of his mistakes one hundred times over before he killed him.
Draupadi was Lord Krishna’s close friend and a princess herself (later a Queen). After throwing the chakra, Draupadi was quick and tender to react to Lord Krishna’s cut, tearing off a strip of cloth from her beautiful saree and bandaging it around Lord Krishna’s finger. Lord Krishna was moved by this gesture and vowed to always protect her.
Raksha Bandhan Traditions
In the ancient language Sanskrit, raksha signifies protection and bandhan is the verb ‘to tie’. ‘The knot or tie of protection’ or ‘the bond of security’ are some loose translations that might assist with a general understanding of this festival.
On this day, the ‘sister’ ties a rakhi band or bracelet, usually made of thread, around the ‘brother’s’ wrist as a reminder of the prayers she will offer for her brother’s safety and well-being. The brother in turn offers to protect his sister to the best of his ability and presents his sister with gifts.
Amongst the religious, the tying of rakhi is usually preceded by a puja (prayer) ceremony during which prayers are offered to the gods, and sisters apply teeka (red powder used in religious ceremonies) and grains of raw rice onto the foreheads of their brothers. As is the case with most festivals, a grand meal follows.
Around this time it is not uncommon to see boys and men of all ages with multiple threads tied around their wrist in a colourful fashion.
Nowadays rakhis aren’t just limited to the simple temple threads but are also made from precious metals like gold and silver, for those sisters who wish to take things up a notch or two.
Image: https://bangalorean.com/festival/raksha-bandhan/
As a side joke and especially amongst the younger population, many men find themselves ‘friend-zoned’ on this day, utterly disappointed by the fact they received rakhi from the women whom they were interested in and with whom they thought that they might have a chance at something more than just friendship. Sorry guys, you should have made your intentions clearer from the outset.
*It must be noted that the concept of ‘siblings’ in India, as well as in many other cultures, is broader than our understanding here in Australia. Many refer to their immediate or more distant cousins as their brother or sister and the term ‘cousin brother’ or ‘cousin sister’ is also used to signify the same.
Featured Image: Indian Express
]]>This post examines another key component of Indian Cuisine - the tadka or tarka (also goes by the names chhonk, baghaar, phoron). The word tadka might sound familiar to you as many Indian restaurants have adopted it in their menu listings but also as their restaurant name. The method is seen all across India but varies according to the regions, thereby making it a unifying element in Indian cooking.
Tadka is a cooking technique in which whole spices and fresh ingredients (think curry leaves, ginger, garlic, green chilli and onion) are tempered in hot oil releasing their essential oils and creating a more aromatic and flavoursome dish. Nik Sharma, molecular biologist turned cookbook author, describes tadka as “a heat-based, flavor infusion technique that relies on fat as a flavour-delivery vehicle”.
Tadka can be done at the beginning of preparing a dish as a foundation or at the end, almost like a garnish, but more flavourful. The former method allows for the tadka flavours to be infused with the other elements of the dish, be they lentils, meat or vegetables. The latter method packs more of a punch because it is added at the end, and so the flavours are fresher and only mildly affected by the presence of the other ingredients in the dish.
Why tadka?
A common method of preservation of a spice’s flavour is to dry out spices in low heat. This process ‘freezes’ the flavours until they are re-heated, allowing the flavour molecules to come back to life.
Adding spices to hot oil ensures the release of any essential oils contained within the spice which holds all the flavour. That’s why many whole spices are not consumed raw because they can taste very potent if not exposed to heat.
The Elements of Tadka
A tadka almost always consists of oil or ghee, and whole spices. The combination of spices used depends both on the dish being prepared as well as the region in which it is being prepared.
For example, a tadka for a simple dhal will most often involve both cumin or mustard seeds hing (asafoetida) which aids digestion. Then for some heat, green or dried chillies are added.
Common Dishes Using Tadka
Dhals
If you are new to cooking Indian food, try out our Jeera Tadka Dhal which is an absolute classic.
Rices
Jeera Rice, Lemon Rice, Curd Rice, Tamarind Rice and Biryanis all use the tadka method to enhance the flavours of the dish.
Tamarind rice (Bise Bele Baath), from the state of Karnataka in the South of India, uses dry coconut and sesame seeds in its tadka to balance against the sourness of tamarind.
Curd rice (one of our favourites) is also from the South and a popular summer dish that is both cooling and filling and you can get the recipe here.
Vegetables
The image below is of a Bengali dish (Doi Begun which literally translates to Yoghurt Aubergines). The crunch and slight bitterness of the cumin seeds adds layers of texture and flavour to the soft aubergines and the tangy, cooling curd.
Chutneys - Like coconut chutneys served in South Indian cuisine.
How to prepare a Tadka
Now that you know a little more about the importance tadka plays in defining Indian cuisine, we hope that you will be more willing to try it out.
We would love for you to comment below and let us know about some of your favourite tadka ingredients or your favourite tadka dish.]]>In Indian cooking, the flavours and aromas are most often attributed to a masala - a combination of spices used.* However, the oil in which the spices are tempered and in which the ingredients are cooked, is often overlooked as a contributing factor to flavour.
Various oils are used in India depending on which part of the country you are from and depending too on the dish that you are preparing.
Below is an overview of the most commonly used oils:
]]>Various oils are used in India depending on which part of the country you are from and depending too on the dish that you are preparing.
Below is an overview of the most commonly used oils:
Smoking Points
Upon heating, oil can change in colour, texture taste and nutritional properties. Now that you know a bit more about the oils used, we can share with you more on how they are used for different purposes in Indian cooking.
The smoking point of an oil is pretty self explanatory; it is when the oil starts to smoke after being heated, leaving its shimmering state.
Depending on your preparation method, you may want to consider the following below:
In summation, use a cold pressed oil wherever possible and for that special ‘Tadka’ or Biryani use Ghee - there’s no substitute for its flavour and goodness.
Click here for a more in-depth explanation of different cooking oils.
*The word masala means a combination of spices - every dish and has its own special ratio of spices.
]]>We understand that in this current climate, we are cooking more often and sometimes have to make do with basic ingredients that are lying around in our pantry. The struggle is to come up with meals that not only offer nutritional value and variety, but also appease the various palates of the household. This can be a daunting task and it is exactly why we have written this post - to help you with meal planning during this time especially.
We hope it helps in some small way, and please let us know if it does!
]]>Whilst it may sound like I am describing a dystopian society illustrated in a sci-fi book or reading out a page from a history book, the fact is that this is the reality that so many of us are facing right now.
In these uncertain and difficult times, we certainly have to come together and support each other as best as we can. That’s the message we have been receiving and we would like to send out this positivity to you, our community as well.
We understand that in this current climate, we are cooking more often and sometimes have to make do with basic ingredients that are lying around in our pantry. The struggle is to come up with meals that not only offer nutritional value and variety, but also appease the various palates of the household. This can be a daunting task and it is exactly why we have written this post - to help you with meal planning during this time especially.
We hope it helps in some small way, and please let us know if it does by commenting below!
Breakfast/Brunch
Most of us are spending more time at home, which means we can afford a leisurely breakfast or brunch, as opposed to scoffing down buttered toast (long gone cold) on the train to work.
Lunch/Dinner
]]>
What are antinutrients?
Something that you may not know (we didn’t either, until reading up on this) is that the nutrients contained in plants aren’t easily digested by our bodies. This is due to the fact that plants may contain compounds known as ‘antinutrients’ which effectively reduces our digestive system’s ability to absorb nutrients. It’s kind of like a double-edged sword, you will have to face the consequences before you can reap the benefits.
From the perspective of the plant, the antinutrients act as their defence system against both bacterial infections and annoying herbivores like insects or animals who keep trying to eat them as their meal. The plant produces these antinutrients to various degrees in the hope that the herbivore will feel sick after eating them, and move on to another food source (how amazingly intelligent is nature?!).
Most humans are able to digest antinutrients in varying doses, but for anyone with a sensitive gut it can be a more complex process. There are no hard and fast rules in relation to how it works; you may be able to better digest one antinutrient over another or certain antinutrients may irritate your gut more than others.
If you have a balanced diet, then it is likely that antinutrients won’t affect you that much because you wouldn’t be consuming enough of them to feel impacted.
The three most commonly occuring antinutrients are phytic acid, lectins (found in legumes and wholegrains) and oxalates (prevalent especially in cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, kale, chard etc.).
The reason for providing you with this background information is that despite the presence of antinutrients in various plants, grains and legumes, there are ways to improve their nutritional value, so that you can continue to enjoy them.
Soaking, fermenting, cooking and sprouting are just some of the techniques that have long been used by humans to disable the presence of antinutrients. Even more effective is a combination of some of these techniques. The rest of this post is primarily focused on the technique of sprouting. Click here if you are interested in the fermentation process and would like to read more about its prevalence in Indian cuisine.
The Science Behind Sprouting
Okay let’s return to antinutrients just once more. They are usually located in the skin of many grains, nuts, beans and legumes and are water-soluble. This means that soaking such foods allows for the antinutrients to dissolve, at times reducing their antinutrient content by nearly fifty percent!**
Sprouting is the practice of germinating seeds, thereby making them easier to digest and enabling your body to better access the nutrients contained within them. Once sprouted, these seeds can be consumed either raw or cooked. You can sprout anything from beans, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds.
When you sprout such foods, changes take place within the seed that then leads to the degradation of antinutrients.
The Health Benefits of Sprouting
So why sprout? Here are a few of the many health benefits associated with sprouts:
Sprouting Method
Now that you know a little bit more about sprouting and its benefits, are you ready to give it a try?
It is important when sprouting to be very careful of cross-contamination. Ensure that your hands are clean, as should be the jars and any other utensils that you use. Opt for organic produce when sprouting or cook the sprouts to kill off any bacteria.
Here's what we did:
Sprouting Recipe
Use your sprouts to make this delicious Goan-inspired dish which we made using our Goan Chicken spice blend. Just replace the main protein chicken, with the sprouts and we guarantee you it will be a hit! We did it too, and look how delicious it turned out!
*This article should not be used as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your health professional to ensure that any dietary changes you make are in line with your health and wellbeing.
** As per this study that was conducted with chickpeas, mungbean and cowpea - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4008754/
Resources
]]>Perhaps you are back to work and the kids are back to school. Maybe you work from home and find that you’re always putting in longer hours or don’t have fixed times. Or perhaps you’re a stay-at-home parent/spouse. Whatever your home situation may be, there’s always that dreaded question that comes up and can cause anxiety - “What’s for dinner?!”.
Cooking can be an arduous task when you’re tired, pressed for time or live with fussy eaters. On top of that you need to be mindful of dietary requirements, preparing meals that are nutritious, tasty and not repetitive. And then there’s the washing up! It’s almost like you’ve signed up to running a restaurant for free.
Whilst it may not be possible for us to offer you physical assistance, we certainly will do our best to help you with some ideas and recipes to make weeknight cooking more fun. Adding our spice blends will not only help you to maximise time on a weeknight (and space in your pantry) but will also diversify the flavours in your cooking.
Meatfree Mondays
We love the meat-free Mondays movement because it reminds us how much variety vegetarian meals have to offer (not to mention that they are usually quicker to prepare).
Khichdi - This is a rice dish that combines with lentils to make a filling and tasty meal. You choose what veggies you want to add and even use frozen veggies if you don’t have any fresh on hand.
Aloo Baingan (featured image) - Potato and eggplant are a beautiful pair. When you add our Jhalfrezi spice blend to the mix, you have a whopper of a dish. We recommend par-boiling the potatoes so they cook faster once added to the onions. You can enjoy this with any flatbread, buy store-bought to save time (our favourite is fresh Lebanese bread).
Tuesdays
Spiced Trout with Parsley and Lemon - The good thing about seafood is that it takes very little time to cook and doesn’t sit heavy in your belly. This recipe uses our Mangalorean Beef spice blend. Marinate in the morning or the night before if you want to intensify the flavour.
Humpday Wednesdays
You are feeling the slump of the mid-week so here is a meal idea to rejuvenate you.
Beetroot Curry - This a vibrant curry that brings positive vibes with its beautiful shades of magenta. You can use up those beetroots lurking in the bottom corner of your fridge that you thought you’d blend in your smoothie but kept forgetting.
Thursdays
Tandoori Chicken/Lamb Chops - If you thought that you could never have tandoori on a Thursday (unless it was ordered in) then you’re in for a surprise. You can either bake or barbecue this and serve it with a salad, simple couscous or leftover rice.
Friyay Friday
Hourrah, it is almost the weekend and you can finally put up your feet. To celebrate those #weekendvibes we have a recipe that’s not only tasty, but uses ingredients that you probably have on hand which means you can postpone your visit to the grocery store by just one more day.
Golden Egg Curry - Eggs are a great way to get in some protein. They are easy to cook and can be prepared in a multitude of ways. Put the eggs on boil whilst you chop up the onion, garlic and tomatoes to maximise time. Serve with fresh basmati rice or naan.
Image @cookilicious
If you’re ever stuck for ideas, our spice blends contain a recipe on the back and another recipe on the inside of the packaging. All you have to do is have the pantry and fresh ingredients at call. It’s just one of the many things that we do to help make cooking less daunting, time-consuming and cumbersome!
]]>Now, as an adult, I will gladly exchange all the material gifts in the world for anything edible and especially homemade. I now understand how much effort and more importantly, love, goes into preparing a homemade gift, and that makes it all the more special.
There’s still time for you to be inspired to create your own edible Christmas treats (or treats in general). We are sure you have heaps of recipes for some of these pantry ideas: cordials, chutneys, jams, spiced nuts, vegetable stock powder. Here’s a few other ideas to get you started.
And if you are pressed for time this season, you can always give the gift of spice! Our spices are entirely free of preservatives, FODMAP friendly and vegan. They are crafted using pure spices and according to the recipes passed down through the generations. Click here for our entire range of over 40 spice blends.
Happy gift-making or happy shopping!
]]>Image: timesofindia.com
These days it seems like everyone is talking about gut health and how important it is to our everyday lives.
Broadly speaking, the term “gut health” refers to the bacteria that lives in your digestive tract (known as gastrointestinal tract). The bacteria contained within is affected by numerous factors starting from how we were born (c-section or vaginal birth), to the environment we grew up in as well as what we eat.
An imbalance in your gut microbiome (environment) can lead to many health problems. This is why it is generally good practice to maintain a balanced lifestyle because we can control what we eat and how we exercise and these factors play an important role in gut health.
I’d like to qualify that I have no experience or background in medicine and nutrition, and the information provided so far is based on internet research. Nonetheless, this post is focused on one of the many factors contributing to that of gut health, that being what we eat. To further narrow this down, I am looking specifically at Indian recipes/dishes that are traditionally associated with promoting good gut health and have been passed down the generations. Everyone is different, and if you are having gut problems, it is best to consult your doctor or nutritionist for tailored advice.
Whether your preference is kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha or kefir, there’s no doubt that different cultures have been long aware of the positive effects that fermented foods can have on the gut. These items are high in probiotics, which means that they contain live bugs that are beneficial to the gut microbiome (your gut environment, also known as ‘gut fibre’). They most certainly should not be relied on as a sole source of probiotics and will of course depend on your taste preferences diet.
Prebiotics, on the other hand, act as food for the probiotics and nurture and sustain the probiotics in your gut flora. Prebiotics are found in foods that are high in fibre (certain vegetables and legumes). They pass through the gastrointestinal tract without breaking down and stimulate the growth of good bacteria and suppress the growth of its evil counterpart.
Below are some foods/drinks that Indians enjoy not only for their taste, but also for their positive impact on digestion and overall gut health. The best thing is that they contain natural sources of probiotics, and are therefore less expensive and much more delicious when compared to supplements.
Now you are well-equipped to try different dishes that are also rich in probiotics for the next time that you head to your local Indian restaurant, or even if you are lucky enough to travel to India!
Resources:
]]>Wait, we do this all the time anyway (it is not only our job, but also our passion!).
Let’s specifically talk about the presentation or garnishing of a curry. The art of presenting a dish existed long before the advent of Instagram or Pinterest, these platforms being largely driven by aesthetics.
There are numerous ways in which you can present a curry, especially if you have guests over that you would like to impress, or a generation of social media offspring who appreciate visual presentation almost as much as taste.
While curries are delicious they are not appetising straight out of the pot. But wait, do not despair, with a few pantry/fresh ingredients you can tempt your young ones to tuck in and make some really Instagram-worthy pictures too. Something as simple as slivers of raw onion or wedges of lemon on the side brings both a pop of colour and flavour to an already mouth-watering dish.
To make things easier for you, we have sorted garnishing ideas alphabetically and included links to our Instagram feed for presentation ideas.
Hope that this list helps you to get even more creative with Indian cuisine in your kitchen. Don’t forget to tag #noworriescurries in your social media posts!
]]>Paneer is an unripened cheese that is made from coagulating milk and lemon juice or vinegar. It is hung in muslin so that the excess liquid (whey) separates from the solids and leaves you with the curds which can then be pressed into blocks.
Thanks to its plain flavour and flexibility in form, paneer can be prepared in numerous ways and is always a favourite ingredient for vegetarians.
]]>Thanks to its plain flavour and flexibility in form, paneer can be prepared in numerous ways and is always a favourite ingredient for vegetarians.
We have a simple recipe to make your own fresh paneer, but it is also readily available at your local Indian grocery store should you prefer the easy way out!
Here are our top five ways of dressing this simple cheese into a fanciful appetiser or dish that will have your family and guests begging for the recipe.
In all honesty, the simplest and tastiest way to enjoy paneer is to fry it golden in desi ghee and eat it plain like that. It hits the spot any day!
What's your favourite way to enjoy paneer? Comment below and let us know!
]]>Following almost a decade away, I remember returning to India as a young adult and feeling as though I had stepped into another world. It was my first time unsheltered, away from the embrace of my relatives and in a completely different region and culture to which I was used to whilst holidaying. There were so many unfamiliar signs and symbols that evoked curiosity in me and I craved answers.
Below, I attempt to explain the meaning behind just five of the many signs and symbols found throughout India.
What about you? During your travels, have there been any signs or symbols that you have questioned? Please comment below and let us know. We’d love to know what piques your curiosity.
]]>When my brother and I were just kids, we did not see a lot of our dad; he was always working long hours and on weekends too. We knew that he was a chef; but at home, it was mum who always did the cooking. Maybe it was because dad was cooked out by the time he got back from his job. He would sometimes cook on weekends that he did not work, showing off his skills by setting the wok aflame whilst preparing his signature Asian hokkein stir-fry noodles. My brother and I would exchange impressed glances and take silent thrill in his workmanship.
I remember my mother dutifully washing his chef’s uniform, each time removing the strip of black-beaded buttons before soaking then scrubbing the coat clean of stains. She would lovingly iron his uniform each week, carefully pressing the iron against the embroidered name on his coat. I would secretly swell with pride when he worse his uniform, thinking how handsome and heroic he looked.
When I first started cooking in my late teens, I was afraid of disappointing him with whatever dishes I attempted. I made lots of errors: undercooking or overcooking; too much spice or not enough salt. My dad would pass comments like “the carrots aren’t julienned well” and that I should use roux to thicken the white sauce. I was a student of French but was unfamiliar with the culinary terms he threw at me so to irritate him, I would correct his pronunciation.
I forged my own identity in the kitchen, one that sought to define itself by being the opposite to that of my father’s. I became interested in Italian cuisine whilst my father preferred Asian and Indian. Slowly but surely, I gained confidence in the kitchen and in my ability to prepare meals, albeit guided by a recipe page opened on my laptop. I humbled myself to ask him for help, and he too would eat my food with less disdain and almost a hint of appreciation.
Till today we never cook together, our presence in the kitchen only possible in the absence of the other. Out of respect, I will ask him culinary questions to which I already know the answers, or can easily find on Google. He does a lot less commercial cooking and no longer dons his checkered chef pants and white coat. I can see that he is slowing down and I don’t want to accept that he is succumbing to the start of his twilight years.
His legacy in the kitchen is far from romantic and very practical indeed; always cook from home and cook in bulk to save time and money. The former I’m already embracing but the latter doesn’t come easy for me.
Words and reflections aside, and in honour of my dad and yours, here are my top five dishes that can make any Father’s Day a special one. Try one or all of them this Sunday and let us know how you go.