For the Love of Eating and of the Living! Towards an eco-friendly ethical eating

Wed, Aug 25 2010 11:12 AM
When it comes to doing the right thing for the planet, the thorniest dilemma is often about what we eat...

To be or not to be? I have been pondering over the question for a fairly long period. So also were many of my acquaintances, I discovered. When the problem in hand involves a major gastronomic cut from your menu for ever, it will take that much, I suppose. The question was whether or not to become a vegetarian. No, not vegan... turning a vegan who can't even touch the bountiful milk (it is not merely milk and curd you know, but butter, ghee, kheers, pedas, shakes and a thousand other sweet and sour incarnations will come under the sword) is out of question for the ordinary mortals like us.

'It is tough to be a vegetarian', was the common refrain. So it seemed to be both on... Read this article

Tasting a Place: Taking it to the streets

Sun, Mar 14 2010 10:37 AM

It’s the blight of celebrity life. You will be denied some simple pleasures and wishes of life. Sometimes money and power can not get you the flimsiest things around which others enjoy without any hitch. The US Secretary of the State Hillary Clinton had such an experience when she visited Mumbai the business capital of India in July last.

She wished to have chicken kabab from Bade Miya, a street side eatery. But she couldn’t have the luxury of a Bade Miya Kabab of less than one Greenback, thanks to the security reasons.

But, what had made Hillary Clinton wish for a bite from Bade Miya’s open grill in an overcrowded gully behind the Mumbai Taj? None other than the mouth-to-mouth publicity the street stall received from its fan club... Read this article

Fatty food doesn’t mean flesh bags?!

Sun, Sep 13 2009 12:15 AM

It’s a very grave problem. The platter is full. And the call of the delectable dishes before you is more than irresistible. The hoteliers take pride to fill the tables with their best and all the magazines and TV shows compete among themselves to present ‘the gourmet’s delight’ on every episode. The aroma, the sight, the variety… everything is inviting. The epicurean in you is excited. But are they good for your health? The health gurus are wary of gourmet food and there is a word of caution in the air.

“Cut fat or perish” is perhaps the most dreaded threat in any language. And that means the end of the world for the victim. Out go the crunchy snacks, fantastic fries, creamy curries, delicious puddings... Read this article

The Biriyani Travelogue

Thu, Apr 30 2009 10:35 AM
The intercontinental and inter-cultural journey of Biryani... The Brand Ambassador of Indian Cuisine...

The Great Indian Food Baazar means infinity of choices, tastes and what not. The Indian cuisine tradition predictably reflects the pluralistic ethos of the subcontinent with a perfect mix of influences from within and outside. Ancient trade links with continents afar, invasions and conquests made India a hub of all culinary traditions.

From this rich diversity of cuisines, can anyone pick up a brand ambassador to represent the vast and varied Indian food culture? A dish that sums up and carries with it the essential attributes pertaining to the Indian style of cooking and one that reflects the multifarious cultural transactions the continent has undergone?... Read this article

Chill out with Chillies: A Case for Hot Spices

Sun, Feb 15 2009 09:35 AM
Without chillies the world will be so chilly- Vijayalekshmi S argues

‘Why should you put it (pepper/chilli) in the curries at all?’ My children ask me. ‘The world would have been better off without them’, my elder one fumed after she bit a piece of chilli in a Vada. I churned out a few dishes for her without any of the hot spices. ‘Not tasty as usual…’ she gets mellowed.

It’s a love-hate relationship with chillies. Sans chillies the world is so chilly.

Added in various quantities, these ‘hot’ spices impart taste and flavour to the food which indeed is very much pleasant. Spices in general, enhance the dishes; add fire to the food. But is it healthy to have them? The doubt is quite universal. It is generally believed that the spices are hard on the stomach... Read this article

Tasting Goa In a Foodies' Terrain

Mon, Dec 15 2008 08:25 AM
Goan cuisine is capable of satisfying even the most demanding of gourmet appetites...

Fish curry, rice and feni make the most over hyped and hence the most predictable Goan menu. The hype has contributed heavily to the impression that the Goan food is predominantly non veg. Since Goa is a known sea food dominion, veggies are often warned of a bad day out. But contrary to beliefs, you will be surprised to see a vegetarian cuisine tradition well preserved in Goa.

In fact you’re bound to have a tough time choosing from among the fare. With a variety that ranges from numerous vegetarian dishes to prawns and fish, chicken, pork and sausages, Goan cuisine is capable of satisfying even the most demanding of gourmet appetites. Read this article