Kingdoms to kitchens -- a look at Indian cuisine
Joyeeta Dutta Ray, Contributor, Jakarta
India's ancient culture is appreciated globally, but topping the list is most certainly her food.
The rows of Indian restaurants lining the streets of London are witness to the fact. The British left India ages ago but India, or rather Indian food, has most certainly not left them.
Malaysian and Indonesian fare took on new meaning after it was enriched with Indian-influenced curries. And who can deny India's vast contribution in the vegetarian section, a virtual gift to the world!
Despite its popularity, there are several misconceptions about Indian cooking. While the world associates north Indian delights with chicken tikka and nan, the fact is, that's the last thing one is served in traditional non-Muslim homes. Typical Indian cooking varies from state to state, region to region, religion to religion.
While commercial curry powder is considered to be the active ingredient in Indian cooking by the rest of the world, the truth is, no veteran Indian cook will taint her culinary artwork with this jaundice-hued product. To prepare curry is a painstaking, spiritually elevating process.
Only the freshest, most aromatic spices are selected to roast and grind into a golden yellow powder. It is added to a blend of onions, ginger, garlic and tomatoes to form curry that glistens like the colors of sunset.
The word coined by the British has become synonymous with Indian dishes. In India however, "curry" means dishes with gravy. The history of Indian cooking takes the tongue into a journey of gastronomic delights starting from the highly evolved Indus Valley Civilization and the Vedic Age.
Indian food over 5,000 years ago The ingredients of the earliest Indian cuisine were assimilated by the Indus Valley Civilization. It was a highly developed urban culture that had granaries to store grain.
Their simple diet sowed the seeds of Ayurveda, which is the foundation of Indian cuisine. The system was further developed by the Vedic priests after in-depth analysis of the physical, mental and spiritual psyche of humans.
Indian food in Vedic times Ayurveda (Life Science) was first introduced by two sages, Charaka and Agnivesa, 5,000 years ago. Ayurvedic philosophy encourages people to follow a simple, balanced, gently spiced diet that results in holistic balance of body, mind and soul.
Meals prepared on the guidelines of Ayurveda creatively blend six flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent. Unlike modern analyses, a balanced diet in the Ayurvedic tradition does not revolve around fats, carbohydrates, proteins, calories, vitamins and minerals.
Instead, Ayurvedic nutrition takes into account body tissues, water levels, salt levels, electrolytes, properties of food, properties of the individual, qualities present in food and food sadhana (assimilation by the body).
Advent of vegetarian cuisine The pioneers of Buddhism and Jainism, Gautama Buddha and Mahavira Jain respectively, stressed the value of a vegetarian diet. This, they believed, would help one attain purity of spirit, physical health and an evolved mind. The ideal has had a tremendous influence on India's cuisine resulting in India's glorious vegetarian culture.
Firm believers in non-violence, Jainism forbids the consumption of even onion and garlic in addition to meat, fish and eggs, as they fall under the category "heat-inducing foods" that provoke aggression.
Vegetarianism took a strong foothold in the second century BC under the leadership of Emperor Ashoka, who discarded his bejeweled gowns to adopt the garb of Buddhism.
Mughal cuisine When Muslims arrived from central Asia 500 years ago, they brought with them a flamboyant new way of life. Lavish living replaced simplicity. Food meant indulging the senses in gastronomic delights.
Meat was elevated to new heights, mashed, marinated, finely minced and charcoal-grilled in aromatic spices. It is said that the cotton-soft creation from this time, the kalmi kebab, was devised specifically for toothless old Emperors.
Yogurt took on an ingenious role that lessened the use of oil. Leavened breads cooked in tandoor clay ovens found favor with all. Food was simmered for hours in sealed earthen pots to infuse a flavor that could take one to paradise and back.
The glorious fusion of herbs and spices in meat and vegetables took on the title Muglai food that still entices people the world over, toothless or otherwise.
South India -- Vijayanagar Kingdom (1336 to 1565 AD) The flourishing South Indian kingdom of Vijayanagar invited travelers from as far as Portugal and Persia. The kings were known for their generosity and they showered guests with more food in a day than they could eat in a week.
Unlike Muslim-dominated North India, where wheat flour and rice were the staple foods, in the south it was rice that was the order of the day followed by millet and corn.
Modern-day condiments such as pickles, poppadoms and chutney were widely used. A great variety of sweets and fruits were served, strangely, in the middle of the meals.
Although this part of India is now known for its strict adherence to vegetarianism, in the Vijaynagara kingdom, pork, venison, rabbits, rats, lizards and a wide range of birds such as partridges and other fowls were consumed.
One of the animals that was spared the sight of the butcher was the cow, which it is strictly forbidden to eat in Hinduism.
Food in the south was usually served on environmentally friendly banana leaves. Some of the dishes popular then are still in vogue now, like the light, pungent curry known as rasam.
Unlike North India, the South was not affected by foreign influences.
Delicious fermented rice and lentil pancakes known as dosa and idlis that came in from this age are popular even today. The food from here is hotter, spicier and lighter than North Indian delicacies.
Sour ingredients such as tamarind and lime are more widely used. Meals are finished with cups of fragrant, filtered coffee. Surprisingly, food in this part of India has changed little since then.
Coastal food
Coastal areas such as Kerala and Bengal have become well-known for their seafood. Bengali preparations are commonly spiced with poppy seeds, mustard seeds and mustard oil.
The result is a taste that awakens all senses and infuses the mouth with a burst of flavor (to the unaccustomed, it may also infuse the mouth with a burst of ulcers). It is an acquired taste, hence not commercially viable.
Coconut milk is widely used in coastal areas, lending a creamy richness to curries. In the days of cholesterol ignorance, a daily diet of this was surely bliss. These days there are other delicacies to experiment with from this region.
Lime and lemongrass are frequently found in eastern dishes, a result of its geographical closeness to southeast Asian countries such as Burma, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Food on the west coast is drier and varies from gently spiced to fiery hot.
Role of spices The word for spices in the Indian kitchen is masala. It literally means a blend of several spices. Each state in India has its own blend; each family guards their own secrets.
The role of spices and herbs goes beyond just cooking. Ancient Sanskrit texts prescribe herbs and spices for therapeutic use.
Curative properties: Ginger prevents dyspepsia, garlic reduces cholesterol, fenugreek and pepper serve as antihistamines, and turmeric wards off stomach ulcers and infections.
Digestive properties: Fragrant spices such as fennel, cardamom or cloves act as natural mouth fresheners, aid digestion, prevent heartburn and curb nausea. Asafoetida and ginger root are known to counteract indigestion and colic. They are usually added to lentils (dal), a must with every Indian meal.
Balancing properties: Each spice is believed to have warming and cooling properties (it may serve one well to remember that the proverbial "Delhi belly" (upset stomach) can be counteracted if hot foods are complemented by generous helpings of yogurt).
The cook is usually aware of these properties and uses the knowledge in the creation of each dish, elevating the art to a scientific level.
Next time you order Indian food, just go for the top 10. Dig up dishes from the menu or go for the chef's choice. You may understand why many foreigners who came to India stayed on for centuries.
Shilpa Dave, commissioner of Ganesha Ek Sanskriti fine dining restaurant, is a guest speaker on women and health at the Forum of Executive Women (FEW). Venue: Mercantile Athletic Club, 18 F, WTC Building, Jl. Sudirman Date: March 30, 2005 Please contact the club for information or details (tel. 5211320)