Back to roots is call for Indian food industry’s future

Neha Saini

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 13

Despite the fact that butter chicken officially holds the status of representing the best of the Indian cuisine among the meat-eating western world, culinary expert and food historian Gunjan Goela feels that the best of the Indian cuisine is in its traditionally vegetarian diet. A noted chef, who has cooked for PM Narendra Modi and other famous dignitaries, runs her own concept bed and breakfast in Delhi where she treats her guests to the culinary experience of India.

“Food is not just about cooking, but also knowing about the ingredients, their nutritional value and techniques of cooking. I offer my guests, most of whom are from Europe and the US, the knowledge about the roots of the Indian vegetarian cooking,” she says. A master of vegetarian cooking, Gunjan started as a home cook, later on studied in London and entered the market of professional cooking.

“The Indian gastronomy is often misrepresented in the modern context through fusion food. The traditional Indian food is Ayurveda based, essentially health food and simple. We tend of have forgotten that through time and given the commercialisation of the food industry today. My aim is to get back to the basics and encourage young chefs to adopt the traditional methods of cooking.” At the Heritage Food Summit, Gunjan’s masterclass represented the flavors of old Delhi with Bajre Kla Meetha and Annaar Raita.

Indian food heritage

Calling for preserving and promoting the traditional recipes from the treasure trove of Indian cuisine, Gyan Bhushan, ADG, Tourism, in his address at the summit, said the regional food of India is among the country’s intangible cultural heritage. “Food is something that is shared as an experience. It is felt just like music or performing arts. And our food is already making its foray into the international market, but with variations. For example, the Golden milk or Turmeric café latte, is just a version of our ‘haldi milk’ that Indians have been drinking since ages. We need to brand it traditionally with all its heritage intact.”

Chef Gunjan’s major accomplishments include preparing food for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries in Mumbai during ‘Make in India’ event which she will be presenting in the festival also.

He also mentioned that once a long lost recipe of Bamboo chicken that was a staple dish made by a tribe in Andhra Pradesh is now a world famous recipe, thanks to the efforts put in to make it known to the world. “We have so many of such lost recipes that we can offer to the world."