Tomato prices recently hit the roof, breaching the rupees two hundred a kilogram mark. Tomatoes were introduced to India by the Portuguese in the 16th century and are now a key item in an Indian meal. Their high cost has therefore made life difficult for many Indian families. High prices have also brought one famous American fast-food chain in India to its knees, and it was forced to remove tomatoes from its products. Another has followed.
I was with others in being seriously concerned at this steep upward trend, and the more I thought about it, my mind wandered. India’s cuisine has evolved along with its civilisation over centuries, with outside influences also playing a part. India boasts of every kind of climate; therefore, almost anything that grows elsewhere can be grown here. Nevertheless, expressing one's opinions on food and eating habits can be sensitive because people have different tastes and an understanding of the related history.
Internationally, Indian cuisine is perhaps most closely identified with chillies. Ask a Westerner to describe Indian food using minimum words; he would probably say ‘hot’ or ‘chilli pepper’. And yet, chillies most likely came to India via the Europeans. Some say that the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama brought chillies to India in the 16th century. What is noteworthy, therefore, is that an item identified with Indian food today could not have been over 400 years in a civilisation almost 5000 years old.
The history of chillies in India may, though, need some rewriting. Bhoot Jolokia, one of the world's hottest chillies, is found in Northeast India and has gained attention in the rest of the country.
The Portuguese also brought potatoes about this time, and the British may have had a hand in helping Indians better understand this tuber. In terms of the world ranking, India occupies the second position after China regarding potato production. This impressive fact does not stop Indians from being asked abroad if potatoes are grown in India.
Talking of China, Indian Chinese cuisine has acquired a distinct identity and respectability. Chinese food made its first appearance perhaps a hundred years back, courtesy of immigrants to Kolkata. Sichuan cuisine was brought in by an Indian hotel chain for its spiciness, which suits Indian food preferences. It succeeded, but over time, there were further changes to accommodate local tastes.
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2-minute noodles marketed by a well-known multinational starting in the 1980s became an instant hit on account of their convenience. In this way, Chinese food percolated further down and wider, and the English language has adjusted to accommodate this. Chinese has become a popular street food, with carts offering ‘Noodals’ and ‘Manchuria’ laced with generous helpings of chilli peppers. It is not unusual to see 'Chinease' spelt as in disease, 'Chineese' as cheese and ‘Chinesse' as finesse. They will all do. And so will ‘Chowmean.’
My memories take me back to the mid-1980s when I wandered into Nanking in Allahabad’s Civil Lines. To my utter disappointment, the restaurant could offer only the usual north Indian fare common in this city. But the attentive manager had a satisfactory explanation that ‘Nanking’ should be understood as the King of Nan!
Momos used to be more associated with India’s northern mountainous regions, but theyhave since become popular street food in cities across India. This dumpling-like snack is making its presence felt even in smaller towns.
Unfortunately, a few days back in July, a young man lost his life in Gopalganj, Bihar, after downing 150Momosas part of a one-thousand-rupee challenge. And a month earlier, in Delhi, another young man choked to death on aMomo, which got lodged in his throat. AIIMS advised people to chew Momo and snacks adequately to avoid unfortunate incidents.
One of India’s most famous exports is Mughlai cooking. No city in the world can aspire to be international unless it has at least one Indian restaurant dishing out theTandoorifare. This style of cooking may have Central Asian linkages with extra spices added as it travelled southwards towards Delhi. The well-known 'Bukhara' restaurant in New Delhi combines Central Asian and northern Indian cooking styles and must therefore be so named.
Italians may frown, but pizzas have been modified as necessary to meet Indian requirements, including by linking up with Mughlai.TandooriandPaneer Tikkapizzas no longer raise eyebrows.
Tea should be India’s number one beverage and a sign of warm hospitality. A disappointed visitor to an office might say, “he did not even give me a cup of tea.” It is difficult to start the day without a hot cuppa and several during the day. Some morning functions may be challenging without hot tea, but they shall not be elaborated here. Understandably, many Indians may not readily accept that tea has foreign connections. The British introduced tea to India and Indians in the 19th century. Subsequently, a wild species was discovered in Assam.
There is one more angle, and this is the best part. In India, you can eat the way you want. Spring rolls followed by a pizza slice and aMasala Dosaare fine. The key point that emerges is that contrary to the impressions held by many foreigners, Indians are adventurous with their food.
