Exploring Incredible India… through its food “The destiny of nations depends upon the manner in which they feed themselves” — Jean Anthelme Brillat- Savarin

I ndia may be one of the biggest producers of fruits, pulses and spices, but I t I s still exploring how I t can provide healthy, organic and local produce to I ts people. Janice rodrigues goes on a lip- smacking journey through I ts capital, with the tas

was sitting in an elaborate, luxurious farm that looked like a fairtytale garden come to life. Lush greenery contrasted with colourful flowers, birds chirped and crooned above and more than one stray peacock had wandered in and were now picking on shrubs.

“Pests,” my host for the day, cookbook author Sumeet Nair, confided. “Don’t get me wrong — they’re beautiful. But they eat everything they find.”

I was on Nair’s private two- and- a- half acre farm on the outskirts of Delhi, thus explaining his protectiveness. The gorgeous farm was one of many, and it was shocking that spaces like this could exist in one of the biggest, most populous cities in India. Taking it one step further, Sumeet had put a ban on the use of pesticide and insecticide in his farm in 1998, thus going organic when many still didn’t know the meaning of the word. All waste here was composted. All plastic recycled.

As a guest of the Tasting India Symposium, I was on a mission to rediscover everything special about Indian food, right down to its roots so to speak. And there was no better way to do it than with the help of a passionate foodie like Sumeet. Although he grew up in Mumbai, it’s Chettinad cuisine he specialises in, and that’s what he was whipping up this afternoon.

“Chettinad is a small area in South India that comprises about 75 villages in Tamil Nadu,” he explained to a group of guests at the Tasting India Symposium. “They were travellers, traders and moneylenders and they visited countries like Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Burma. Although strictly vegetarian, they took in flavours from all these regions and made a cuisine which is basically un- like any other.”

Step by step, Sumeet showed us how to prepare a basic beans poriyal — a simple stir fry. As we watched, he blanched the beans in salted water, sautéed it in a mix of spices and grated coconut — and viola, the dish was done. My troop, who mostly hailed from Sweden, oohed and aahed, eating spoonfuls directly from the pot and double dipping as well. It was a dish similar to what I’ve seen before in Indian households. But it tasted far better here somehow — crunchy, fresh and flavourful — perhaps because of its organic status, the lush surroundings… or the accolades from visitors. We never appreciate anything until someone else wants it, right?

COOKING ON A FARM: ( Above) A farmer works on Sumeet Nair's farm; ( above right) A feast prepared by Sumeet

So, is it finally time regional food stepped into the limelight? Absolutely, says Sumeet who cites the example of Sodabottleopenerwala — a restaurant popularizing Parsi food in India. As word of the food and its authenticity spread, the restaurant found itself opening branches in other cities across the country.

“I think it’s all about going back to the basics,” says Sumeet. “Traditional food is really gaining popularity right now. If anyone were to start a restaurant that serves good food from a particular region, I think it would do very well.”

Go to any developed or developing country around the world, and the most common complaint against organic food will be that it’s too expensive. Maybe even unaffordable. And then there’s the disregard or suspicion. “What exactly is organic food?” is a question most sellers are asked. “Why is it so much more expensive?”

India shifted to a system of industrial agriculture during the 1960s Green Revolution in an attempt to increase yield for its quickly growing population. And while there isn’t a lot of scientific backing when it comes to nutritional benefits of organic food, it’s a given that organic produce is less likely to be contaminated with pesticides.

Sunita Narain, the director of the Centre for Science and Environment, who launched her book First Food: Culture of Taste during the Tasting India Symposium gave an i mpassioned speech on the day of the launch, urging people to support organic food within the country — while it’s still available.

“You don’t destroy livelihoods of marginalised farmers and then worry about how to feed them. You don’t first destroy biodiversity and then worry about climate control. In the same way, you cannot first contaminate food with pesticides, antibiotics, toxins and insecticides and then think about cleaning it up. This is the elite organic food movement we should not be asking for,” she said.

There are several reasons behind the high cost of organic food — it’s labourintensive, yields less produce and has a shorter shelf life. Add to this the fact that most fetilisers are subsidised by the EATING ORGANIC: Authentic Chettinad dishes of baby potatoes; and prawn Indian government, and it’s easy to see why organic farmers find it impossible to compete in the market. The only way to get the same profit level is to mark their prices higher.

I found myself wide awake at Chandni Chowk — one of Delhi’s oldest and busiest markets — at 8am, with Anubhav Shapra, founder of Delhi Food Walks. “If you go beyond the posh restaurants found in Delhi, you’ll discover a whole new food culture,” said Anubhav, and I believed him. The market seemed to just be waking up, but there was a treasure trove of joints serving freshly cooked breakfasts.

We started out with a North Indian breakfast of bedmi puri — a fried dish made with lentils and spices — and combined it with nagori halwa, a sweet made with saffron, semolina and ghee, the sweetness of the halwa contrasting wonderfully with the crispiness of the bread. With the Jama Masjid in the background, our team found itself navigating through narrow corridors and vendors, stopping to taste some- thing or the other along the way. The lachcha parantha — a layered roti made with whole wheat flour which could be eaten by itself — was a huge hit with the group. The biryani with buffalo meat, less so.

One of the highlights was discovering Karim’s which I’m told is something of a legend in the narrow alleyways. It’s obvious the place is popular — the restaurant has three separate sections, and the seating area was packed even though we were there on a weekday. Kebabs are their speciality — but since we were there in the morning we feasted on their breakfast instead — mutton nihari stew. It’s a wonderfully spiced concoction that’s stewed overnight and eaten with bread. This is, apparently, the breakfast of Mughals.

Three hours later, we had made our way through the spice market as well as what is apparently the world’s largest wedding card market. We sipped on lassis with extra cream and scalding hot chai as we watched the busy markets come to life.

At the beginning, of the journey I was told that food is one of India’s biggest soft powers. And it is hard to disagree when you go into its heart and understand the cuisine, intricately linked to history as it is. My group of Swedish nationals undoubtedly thought so. Now, if only more consumers could believe it — and take pride in it.

janice@ khaleejtimes. com Mango lassi with extra cream; buffalo biryani; the Jama Masjid; a vendor serves

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