Where Spicy is not Hot
Where Fusion is Fact, not Fiction
Food for thought by Jagdeep DESAI
Did the Marathas eat Parathas.
Was Akbar a vegetarian.
What about Aurangzeb.
What did the Baltistanis eat.
We have an Architectural History.
We have an Archeaological History.
We have an Economic History.
We have a Cultural History.
Do we we have a Food History.
Okay, call it a Gastronomical History.
What were the foods of the days BCE, and early CE, in what was the sub continent of India.
Which were the edible plants, vegetables, fruits, nature to the Indian sub continent, amd which were brought in by travellers, and conquerors.
To answer these question, we have Chef Bhaskar MENON, who has embarked on a mission to bring to our plates, and palates, what might have been some of the preparations which would have been consumed during those days, centuries ago.
Searching, researching, through numerous texts, books, resources, and especially, the chronicled events in the Rig Veda, etc., Bhaskar, has conceived starters, main dishes, desserts, in chronological sequences, as well as by empirical eras.
Having had the good fortune to sample three dishes, it is clear, the items have very unique tastes, considering there were no chillies added, neither red, nor green, the only hot input is pepper, which has a different way to give the flavour.
Sabzshoro, from the Hunza Valley, then Shulla Pullao, from the Mughal Empire, and finally, what might have been the God Indra's favourite sweet dish.
Yet, they were spicy, and rich in flavour, and filling.
The two dishes were garnished with spinach leaves, not ice lettuce or rocket.
The accompanying fried carrot and potato chips coated with what I thought was Besan, on the Pullao, was a very interesting touch.
The dessert was a subtle preparation of Banana, coated with caramel with a sprinkling of Till seeds.
To wash these down, Bhaskar has a number of cool, sweet, sour, refreshing drinks, made of a combination of ingredients, all naturally sweet, or sour, or peppery hot.
Each of the items are one of a kind, considering no one has given this type of food any thought earlier.
To partake the same, go straight to the end Hawker Street, East side of Ambience Mall, Gurugram, and check out the flags of the Maratha Empire, Mughal Empire, the Chola Empire, and our National Flag.
The cuisine is a fusion of sorts, so call it Old Indian or historical.
The food delivery company Zomato, is yet to give the correct term, it classifies it as South Indian food.
What is in a name, because good food by whatever name, tastes, what else, good.
The rest is Itihaas.
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes