Unity in diversity may sound cliched, but it is exactly that defined Indid’s culinary heritage
By Anoothi Vishal
If you happened to be in Hyderabad and decided to go on a biryani crawl—a hopping expedition across restaurants and clubs, big fat wedding dinners (where indeed some of the best is to be had) and small
hole-in-the-wall shops — would you really be able to discern the best biryani of them all?
Posted in Commonwealth, Culture in India, Destinations, Heritage 
Tags: Biryani, Caste, Commercial Cooks, Concoction, Culinary Heritage, Grain Of Rice, Hole In The Wall, Hyderabad, Indian Cuisines, Local Flavours, Mishmash, Mothers In Law, Mutton, Nation Integration, Persia, Pulao, Slow Flame, Unity In Diversity, Vishal, Wedding Dinners 
Comments OffWhy are chefs at Amarata, the Oberoi’s contemporary coastal restaurant shying away from the soul of Indian cooking?
By Anoothi Vishal
What is the future of Indian food in India? This is a question that is often debated by chefs, restaurateurs and foodies. And clearly, looking at the spate of big launches in the last two years, one would have to acknowledge that while a wealth of regional and community cuisines lies unexplored, it is what is now known as “contemporary Indian dining” that is taking centrestage.
Posted in Cuisines, Culture in India, Restaurants Tags: Blue Cheese, Coastal Cuisine, Comfort Food, Curries, Fancy Restaurant, Foie Gras, Food In India, Foodies, Gastronomy, Great Expectations, Grouse, Gurgaon, Hot Thing, Indian Cooking, Indian Cuisine, Indian Food, Indian Restaurants, Oberoi, Restaurateurs, Vishal 1 Comment »Discovering a little bit of India in Thailand
By Anoothi Vishal
At Khao San Road, Bangkok, backpacker-paradise, buckets are in big demand. “Buy a bucket…***” say placards, and not necessarily in polite terms, even as you jostle through the impossible crowd, boisterous and high-spirited. It’s the spirit of Songkran, you soon realize, rather like Holi in India, when the pursuit of fun is a single-point agenda and social mores loosen up.
Posted in Culture in India, Heritage Tags: Baisakhi, Beer Mugs, Beginning Of Spring, Cold Dark, Colonial Roots, Deadly Poison, Fertility Cycle, Hindu New Year, Holi, Khao San Road, Khao San Road Bangkok, Northern Hemisphere, Point Agenda, Polite Terms, Revelers, Sense Of Fun, Social Mores, Songkran, Thai New Year, Vishal Comments OffBy Anoothi Vishal
An old immersion myth tells the story of Narada asking to be shown “maya”, that illusory, creative force driving life, according to Hindu philosophy. It’s not an easy concept to understand — much less to accept. But the sage gets a “test drive” one day when he takes a dip in the Ganga, goes under, and, well, begins an alternate life… In that other reality, he finds himself a king; living out an entire lifespan as such before all his offspring are killed in a war, plunging him into deep sorrow.
Posted in Cuisines, Culture in India, Destinations, Heritage Tags: Alternate Life, Alternate Reality, Biryani, Creative Force, Deep Sorrow, Ganga, Haleem, Hindu Philosophy, Husain Sagar, Hyderabad, Hyderabadi, Infinity Pool, Lifespan, Lilt, Maratha, Melting Pot, Modernity, Narada, New Hotel, Places In The World Comments OffCurating a monsoon food and art festival at The Park New Delhi has been fun and a good learning experience. I discovered the importance of seasonal foods in our cooking traditions…
Seasonal diets have always been an intrinsic part of Indian regional cuisine(s). While we may not have had codified “kitchen literature”, and recipes and methods of cooking may have been passed down generations simply through word of mouth, Ayurveda, the “science of medicine” and food, undoubtedly played a significant role in how Indian families across the country cooked and ate.
Posted in Cuisines, Culture in India, Eat Healthy, Luxury Tags: Agrarian World, Art Festival, Art Literature, Climactic Conditions, Cuisines Of India, Curating, Family Recipes, Food Community, Ganpati, Golen, Indian Families, Methods Of Cooking, Monsoons In India, Odd Shower, Onam, Rakshabandhan, Regional Cuisine, Savouries, Seasonal Foods, Teej Comments OffOften labeled “sharabi-kebabi” or “adhe Mussalman” (half Muslim) because of their gastronomic adventurousness, the Mathur-Kayasthas have always considered themselves to be sophisticates, well versed in matters cultural—and culinary. Often, in a household, the passion for music (or dramatics and urdu poetry) would only be overshadowed by an interest in food, with dining room conversations routinely centred around the next meal!
Posted in Cuisines, Culture in India, Recipes Tags: Adhe, British India, Cosmopolitanism, Dramatics, Espousal, Food Festival, Kurtas, Medieval India, Menfolk, Mughal, No Doubt, Preferred Attire, Princely States, Religious Practices, Room Conversations, Shaayari, Sophisticates, Time Members, Vaishnavite, Womenfolk 3 Comments »How to serve up trotters… and the best of eggs…
By Anoothi Vishal
“By the way, Chandra can now cook the perfect paya,” said uncle-in-law, who can be quite the intimidating editor with a fondness for all things food and French. Chandra is his cook, an affable pahari lady who has withstood perfection in the kitchen for almost two decades.
Posted in C'Wealth Cuisines, Cuisines, Culture in India, Recipes Tags: Accompaniments, Amrita Sher Gil, Breads, Chandra, Fondness, Foodie, Indian Classical Music, Jama Masjid, Members Of The Family, Old Delhi, Paella, Paya Recipe, Poor Man, Red Wine, Roti, Shahjahanabad, Sher, Trotters, Vishal, Wheat Bread 3 Comments »Most seasoned travelers would swear by a road trip to Ladakh via Rohtang or Kashmir as the ultimate in biking expedition in India. But for those suffering from back problems, time constraints or simply a less adventurous streak, there is an ultimate in flying experience too offered by most private and government airlines: This is a journey by air that takes you all the way from New Delhi to the remote valley of Leh in the far northern reaches.
Posted in Cities in India, Culture in India, Heritage Tags: Adventurous Streak, Ascent, Beer Chang, Best Bet, Drastic Shift, Emerald Lakes, Geography Teacher, Grassy Stretches, Heart Of The World, Highest Mountains, Himalayas, Kashmir, New Delhi, Panoramic View, Perception Changes, Road Trip, Rohtang, Sand Dunes, Stupa, Time Constraints Comments OffAkbar (1542-1605)
Akbar’s childhood was spent in present day Afghanistan. From his Persian mother, he inherited princely manners, his love for literature and the arts. And from his Turkish father came his fierce energy, his love for war and his ability to command.
Posted in Cuisines, Culture in India, Food Books Tags: Akbar, Barley, Central Asia, Cooks, Courtier, Different Regions, Fazl, Gazetteer, Hakim, Humam, Hunting Grounds, Imperial Kitchen, Lentils, Mughal Empire, Persia, Persian Influence, Present Day, Rajputs, Regions Of India, Vizier Comments OffHumayun (1508-1556)
Humayun, the beloved father of Akbar, ascended the throne amidst great festivities in 1530. He had acquired proficiency in the arts and science in his early years. He was very fond of poetry and had great skill in that. He was also adept at astronomy and in geography.
Posted in Culture in India, Food Books Tags: Beloved Father, Beloved Son, Chicken Pulao, Craftsmen, Different Kinds, Emperor, Exquisite Miniatures, Favour, Festivities, Flavours, Kitchen Recipe, Lavish Hospitality, Miniature Painting, Mughals, Painters, Persia, Persian Cuisine, Persian Origin, Proficiency, Royal Kitchen, Sophistication Comments Off
