Food For Thought!

Recently I got an opportunity to visit the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) in Mysore. I was part of a group that was taken around the institute by some of its expert officers. It was a very interesting and enlightening tour. The institute is housed in a grand mansion. It was built by Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV for the third princess of Mysore. As we approached the building, we were impressed with the sight of the imposing facade. The interiors are equally stately and well-maintained.

The institute is one of the 42 national research laboratories set up by the government under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). It develops technology and equipment that the food industry can use in making their products better in many ways. 

Photo by CSRI

Gone are the days when we used to buy pulses and grains from the neighbourhood grocer who would pack them in newspaper sheets before handing them to us. Today an array of processed, semi-processed and unprocessed food vies for our attention from attractively arranged shelves in supermarkets. Then there is the booming online market too. Advances in agriculture have meant better and more yield of crops and fresh produce. This has resulted in requirement of superior technology to preserve and package food in such a way that it can be transported to different parts of the country and the world, retaining as many nutrients as possible while ensuring its longer life at the same time. If this is not done, a lot of food will be wasted for want of proper preservation and distribution. So, some foods need to be packed in a certain way using certain types of materials, some foods need to be dehydrated, while some need to be frozen or roasted or pickled to save them from getting wasted. 

Photo by Lata

The experts at the institute explained to us what all the institute does to achieve its goals. They made it interesting and interactive so as to engage laypersons like us in the proceedings. We walked through a section of the institute where the walls are covered with informative posters filled with charts, pictures and numbers decribing various techniques in a simple way. It is done quite well and all of us appreciated it. Then looking at and looking through the scanning electron microscope was a unique experience. It produces greatly magnified images of objects in very high resolution. It was interesting to see images of the surface of a chapati and that of a puri through it.

They demonstrated the use of a dosa making machine and offered the tasty samples to us. They were really very good! This machine and a chapati making machine have been developed at the institute. They are suitable for use in temples, gurudwaras, canteens and hospitals where a large amount of food needs to be made efficiently and hygienically.

We saw many other things and learnt a whole lot which is not possible to reproduce here. I am grateful to all those who made this visit possible. It has made me realise how much thought goes into designing the size, shape, texture, packaging and storage of a food item that we casually pick up from a supermarket. If it has made life easy for us, we should be thankful to the farmers, scientists and food technologists who have worked towards it.

जेल में जश्न!

जेल हुआ तो क्या हुआ, आखिर इंदौर में है. और मेहमाननवाजी इंदौर के कण-कण में बसी हुई है. तो अपने मेहमानों की आवभगत में जेल कोई कसर कैसे छोड़ सकता था? मेहमानों को तरह-तरह के भरपेट खाने और नाश्ते नहीं कराता तो इंदौर की इज़्ज़त मिट्टी में नहीं मिल जाती? जेल एक बुरा मेजबान साबित नहीं हो जाता? जेल कतई नहीं चाहता था कि ऐसा हो.

तो वह जुट गया अतिथियों की खातिरदारी में. उसने अपने आदमियों से साफ़-साफ़ कह दिया: सुबह की चाय, फिर नाश्ता, फिर दोपहर का भोजन, फिर शाम की चाय और उसके बाद रात का खाना सारा स्वादिष्ट हो, सबको प्यार से परोसा जाए, सबकी पसंद-नापसंद का ठीक से ख़याल रखा जाए, फल, सब्ज़ियाँ, मेवे -मिठाइयाँ, अचार, पापड़, चटनी किसी में कोई कमी नहीं रहनी चाहिए. सुबह चाय के साथ मीठे और नमकीन बिस्किट, नाश्ते में सेंव-पोहा-जलेबी, दोपहर के भोजन में तीन तरह की सब्ज़ियाँ, दाल, पूड़ी, पुलाव, रायता, सलाद, और मीठा, शाम की चाय के साथ कभी भजिये, कभी कचोरी-समोसा, कभी हॉट डॉग, कभी पेटिस, कभी आलू की टिकिया, कभी भुट्टे का कीस, कभी साबूदाने की खिचड़ी जैसा कुछ चटपटा, और रात के खाने में कढ़ी चावल, पराठे-सब्ज़ी जैसा कुछ हल्का-फुल्का तो कम-से-कम होना ही चाहिए. साथ ही मौसम के हिसाब से गराडू, गाजर का हलवा, दाल-बाफले-लड्डू, आम का रस, लस्सी, शिकंजी, कुल्फी, गुड़ की गजक, आइस क्रीम जैसी ख़ास चीज़ों को भी शामिल किया जाना चाहिए. आखिर दूर-दराज़ से इंदौर आए हुए लोगों को बुरा नहीं लगना चाहिए कि वे जेल में बंद हैं और सराफ़ा और छप्पन जैसी जगहों पर जाकर इन सारी चीज़ों का लुत्फ़ नहीं उठा सकते.

जेल के रसोइये कमर कस कर जेल के आदेशों पर अमल करने लगे. रसोईघर से सुबह-दोपहर-शाम खुशबू के झोंके आते, मसाले पीसे जाते, सब्ज़ियों-दालों में हींग के छौंक लगते, कोथमीर और हरी मिर्च की चटनी पीसी जाती, नींबू निचोड़े जाते, शुद्ध घी में जलेबियाँ तली जातीं और बड़े-बड़े कड़ाहों में दूध उबाला जाता. इतने प्यार और दुलार से मेहमान खुश न होते तो क्या होते? अपने मेजबान की दिलदारी से भावविभोर हो कर वह बेचारे सोच में पड़ जाते कि क्या खाएँ और क्या न खाएँ. कई बार तो उन्हें मजबूरी में इसलिए खाना पड़ता कि जेल बुरा न मान जाए. यदि खाना बच जाता, तो जेल बहुत दुखी हो जाता था. उसने अपने मेहमानों के लिए पान, सुपारी, पाचक चूर्ण, और हरड़े आदि की भी व्यवस्था कर रखी थी. इसलिए पेट भर कर खाने के सिवाय मेहमानों के सामने दूसरा कोई रास्ता न था.

धीरे-धीरे उन्हें इस सबकी आदत पड़ गई. और वे तरह-तरह के खाने खाने में माहिर हो गए. यह बात और है कि उनका वज़न दिन दूना रात चौगुना बढ़ने लगा. कपड़े छोटे पड़ने लगे. लेकिन मेजबान की ख़ुशी और इंदौर की शान के लिए क्या वह इतना भी नहीं कर सकते थे?

-----

यह लेख इस रिपोर्ट पर आधारित एक हल्का-फुल्का व्यंग्य है. कृपया इसे अन्यथा न लें.

An Independence Day Treat!

This morning as we went for our usual walk, we found ourselves in the midst of Independence Day celebrations by the beach. The Beach Walkers' Association had organized a small function to mark the day. The flag had already been hoisted and a sizeable crowd had gathered around a person who was making a speech in Tamil. It felt great to be greeted by this sight early in the morning. The fluttering tricolour against the backdrop of the blue waters of the sea. The sun usually starts blazing the moment it rises in this part of the world. But today, it had relented and was quite mild. Energized by this pleasant encounter, we continued walking.

When we retraced our path, we found people standing in orderly queues, waiting to be served some food. As we walked past, an elderly gentleman invited us to join the queue. We wondered whether we should join as we are not members of the association. Sensing our hesitation, he repeated his request asking us to spare just a few minutes. Perhaps the association was treating all the morning walkers to breakfast. There was no reason to say no, and we happily stood in one of the queues. Quickly, we were handed a paper plate and a plastic spoon. As the queue moved forward, we came to the point where volunteers were serving Rava Kesari, Pongal, Chutney and Vada to everyone. We stepped aside and started enjoying the breakfast. It was hot, fresh and delicious. Of course, there was steaming filter coffee and we washed the food down with it. We then exchanged some pleasantries with the elderly gentleman and walked back home.

I regretted not bringing my camera or phone with me. So, we came home and went back to the beach again with the camera. Most people had left. I managed to take some pictures of the tricolour. The only sore point in an otherwise delightful morning? I wish people had folded their plates before throwing them in the bin thoughtfully provided by the organizers. The bin started overflowing and as a result, some plates lay on the side of the road. I hope our love for our country is accompanied by our desire and efforts to keep it clean. It is heartening to note that the government is going to take this issue up seriously. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day address, made a strong appeal to each and every Indian to take a pledge to keep India clean.

 On the way back, found this nice rangoli at the entrance of a house.  Very appropriate for the day!

Pongal for Brunch!

If you live in Tamil Nadu, you can't stay away from pongal. You don't need to! It is one of the most popular breakfast items, usually served with coconut chutney and sambar. Often a vada is thrown in to make it an irresistible combo...the soft pongal contrasted with the crisp vada. You can alternate between the two, giving your taste buds a rollicking time. Both are spicy, peppered with whole black peppercorns. Ginger and green chillies lend extra zest to them.

At home, we like to have pongal for brunch. It is a wholesome meal. My favourite accompaniments are a crisp roasted papad and a bowl of plain home-made curd. I am happy to share my recipe here. No claims of authenticity, though! I am sure every family has its own recipe with some variations. The ingredients are:

1 cup rice
1/2 cup yellow moong daal
Finely chopped or grated ginger(1-2 teaspoons)
Curry leaves (15-20)
Green chillies (2-3)
Roasted, coarsely ground cumin seeds(1/2 teaspoon)
Whole peppercorns (20-25)
Cashew nuts(10-12)
Ghee(1 tablespoon)
A pinch of asafoetida(hing)
Turmeric Powder(1/4 teaspoon)
Salt

Wash the rice and daal together and drain them nicely. Take ghee in a pan and fry the cashew nuts lightly in it. Keep them aside. Now put some hing,curry leaves, green chillies, peppercorns, finely chopped ginger and turmeric powder in the same ghee and add the washed rice-daal mixture to it. Roast it lightly. Add salt and coarsely ground cumin seeds. Transfer the contents to a pot which goes in your pressure cooker. Add 6 to 7 cups of water to the contents. Cook this in the pressure cooker as you normally cook khichadi. When cooked, garnish it with the lightly fried cashew nuts.

Pongal is supposed to be very soft and mushy. That is why the rice daal mixture:water ratio is 1:4 or 1:5. Enjoy it with your favourite accompaniments!

A Trip Down Gastronomy Lane

It is an old-fashioned, nondescript narrow street in Indore, just like any other in several towns and cities across India. But what sets it apart from the rest is the extraordinary culinary experience that is on offer here. The less-than-one- kilometre stretch that starts from behind the Rajwada--a stunningly beautiful mansion belonging to the Holkar dynasty, survived only by its facade today--exists in the densely packed, old part of the city; characterized by little lanes criss-crossing each other. These lanes are home to a variety of bazaars, where both sides of the lane are lined with shops selling pots and pans, fabrics and sarees, stationery and jewellery. So there is a Bartan bazaar, a Cloth Market, a Khajuri bazaar and a Sarafa.

Sarafa was originally meant to be a jewellery market. When the jewellers shut shop for the day, the savoury and sweet makers took over and set their wares up on the platforms outside the closed shops. Well, that must have been how the present Sarafa came into being. Now the jewellery shops and eateries sit side by side, all vying for the customers' attention through the day (and night in case of the eateries). The food outlets are open during the day, but they really come alive in the evening.

My earliest memories of visiting the Sarafa are with a dear uncle (Shantaram Kaka) on his bicycle. I remember going there as a little girl with him and being treated to my favourite samosa from the Samosa Corner, along with other things. We did this routine very often and it is still fresh in my memory four decades later. The shop exists at the same place and is in the same condition even today. I make it a point to go there at least once whenever I am in Indore. The crispy triangles stuffed with spicy potato filling are served piping hot, fresh from the pan, with two chutneys--a green one made with coriander leaves and chillies and a brown one made with tamarind. You stand on the street outside the tiny stall, place your order and the guy places a hot samosa on a piece of newspaper, makes a dent in it,  fills the depression caused by the dent with the hot and tangy chutneys and hands the concoction to you. When you bite into this offering, all your taste buds come alive and the samosa disappears leaving a zesty aftertaste in your mouth.

Just across the street is another establishment, Vijay Chaat House. Their USP is something called patties. The credit for introducing this delicacy goes to the owners of this eatery. Most people in Indore refer to it as 'paytis' and are most probably unaware that patties is the plural form of a patty. These are balls where the stuffing is made of coconut along with some spices, and the coating is made of potato. They are then deep fried and served hot with chutneys. The owners seem to be a big family of several brothers, all of them having a fair complexion and dressed in spotless white kurtas. When I went to this place last month, I saw a fair-skinned young lad in his early twenties, sporting the familiar white kurta, busy frying a big batch of matar patties, a variant where the coconut is replaced by peas. Ah, the next generation has joined the family business! As he takes the fresh batch out of the frying pan, it is lapped up by eager customers waiting on the street. No stale or refried food anywhere in the sarafa. The big kadahis are out there for everyone to see, along with platters full of freshly moulded balls, ready to be fried.
 

Further down the street is an outlet of repute specializing in dahivada and bhutte ka kees. It is simply known by the last name of the owner--Joshi. People flock here for the giant dahivada that is large enough for a mini-meal. Deep fried vadas have been softened by dipping them in water and then squeezing them. They are heaped in a big container. When you place an order, the person serving them tosses a vada high up in the air, catches it with great elan, puts it in a bowl, douses it with delectable dahi,  tops it with some spices and chutneys, and presents this absolutely irresistible, melt-in-the-mouth dish to you. The dahi in the vada soothes you while the spices tease you, making the vada-eating a roller-coaster-like experience.

My other favourite here is bhutte ka kees which can be loosely translated as corn-upma, though I must admit that it is a very tame term and does not convey the attributes of this preparation with the respect it deserves. It is served with a topping of freshly squeezed lemon juice, a very special Rajasthani spice called jeeravan and fresh green coriander leaves. The moment you take a spoonful of this delightful stuff into your mouth, a melange of slightly sweet, sour, hot and salty tastes hits you, turning it into an 'Aha' moment.

Then there is spicy sabudane kee khichadi, kachoris stuffed with daal or potato or peas or corn, each variety having its own fan club, aloo tikiyas fried in ghee, served with only chutneys or chhole, fried garadu ( a type of yam) in winters, daal-baafla (a Marwari speciality), and a whole lot more.


Foodies with a sweet tooth can indulge too. There are several delicacies to choose from. But sweets are not my priority when I go to the sarafa. Among the popular sweets are gulab jamuns, jalebis served with hot milk, rabdi (thick evaporated milk), gajar ka halwa (in winters), kulfi and shikanji ( a very rich preparation with evaporated milk and dry fruits) along with a host of barfis and laddoos. People are seen relishing these until late into the night. I have not been to these shops early in the morning, but I am told that jalebis with hot milk are favoured by many for breakfast too!

Most of the eating in the sarafa takes place while standing in the congested street, with vehicles and pedestrians passing by, and hot fumes from the frying making the air even hotter. For those who cannot stand the heat and the dust, an alternative exists in the newer part of the city. Called Chhappan Dukaan, it is a market with 56 shops, where many of the sarafa eateries have opened an outlet. One can enjoy the sarafa specialities in a cleaner environment there. It is a fine place and I have gone there several times, but once a sarafa loyalist, always a sarafa loyalist! For me, a trip to Indore is not complete without a visit to my dear old sarafa.