Mumbai
Westcoast, particularly Andheri (E), offers the chance to open a window into India's massive culinary heritage
Updated : Nov 28, 2014, 07:59 PM IST
In a world where Burger King and Dunkin Donuts are taking over our feeds (both online and offline), there is a real need to celebrate our edible heritage. Rushina Munshaw-Ghildiyal, together with Dr. Kurush F. Dalal, hopes to turn the tables on that trend with their session, The Archaeology of Food.
Dr. Dalal, archaeology professor and proprietor at Katy's Kitchen, says, "The world is a small village these days and ingredients have almost become universal. Seasonal vegetables are now available throughout the year. This is both good and bad. Many local foods are forgotten in the mad rush for exotic ingredients. Many techniques are abandoned due to intricate prep. What we grow is being determined by saleability and not nutritive components, leading to a homogenisation and dumbing down of food."
To break the tyranny of homogeneity, Dr. Dalal will first expound the intricacies of our culinary heritage, reaching back to 2,00,000 years ago. Next, Ghildiyal, food writer and consultant, will recreate traditional recipes using forgotten ingredients such as ambadi and amaranth leaves. The recipes have been gleaned from, among others, "family matriarchs, ancient texts, out-of-print recipe books and oral traditions," says Dr. Dalal.
There isn't a simple way to describe the food of a country whose history is as complex and layered as India. Which is why Ghildiyal soon hopes "to curate events that celebrate the rich culinary heritage of India, with meals and discussions around Uttarakhandi food, Chitrapur Saraswat cuisine, etc." Ghildiyal believes that "we have a culinary culture rich in incredible ingredients that should be more consumed in daily diets."
The Archaeology of Food will be conducted at the APB Cook Studio on November 29. Phone: 022-42152799 Email: bookings@apbcookstudio.com.