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Sedentary habits behind life-long lifestyle diseases: survey

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‘Inactivity may diminish life expectancy, besides influencing ageing process’

That lifestyle diseases are prevalent more among those who follow a sedentary lifestyle than those who are physically active is a given. But their incidence is 62% and 9%, respectively, as per the results of a survey carried out in Palakkad and Malappuram districts, and could be some food for thought.

The survey titled ‘Prevalence of lifestyle diseases: Comparison with respect to gender, locale, age and lifestyle’ was done by V. Nandya, an assistant professor with the Department of Physical Education, University of Calicut. The sample size was 200 people. Data collection was done between 2018 and 2019 from hospitals and other places.

The study found that the prevalence of lifestyle diseases in urban areas was 37.14% compared to rural areas where it was 33.85%. “Inactivity may diminish life expectancy not only by predisposing to ageing-related diseases, but also because it may influence the ageing process itself,” the survey quotes a report in the January 29, 2008 issue of The Archives of Internal Medicine.

Among males, it was 35.87% and females 31.48%. Almost 36.67% among non-vegetarians were found to have such problems, while only 28% among vegetarians had them. Lifestyle problems were found to affect senior citizens more, as 72.5% of the respondents said they had one thing or the other. In the 20-40 age group, the incidence was 9.76%, and it was 38.46% in the 40-60 age group.

“The problem with lifestyle diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, is that they are life-long and cannot be cured completely. They can only be controlled. Once you start taking medicines, you won’t be able to stop them,” Ms. Nandya pointed out. The survey recommended development and implementation of health promotion intervention programmes that would improve the general health of the population and reduce the risk factors.

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Export of ‘nendran’ bananas from Kerala on the rise

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The shipment of bananas has been mainly to European market and countries in West Asia

Chandran CV and Mukesh MM, banana farmers from Mattathur in Thrissur, have much to cheer about this Onam. Nendran bananas from their farms — nearly five metric tonnes — have travelled all the way by sea to reach Kuwait to be sold in retail markets there. Jose KA, another banana farmer from Mattathur, has exported 300 banana leaves from his farm to London by air. The shipment also had vegetables and banana varieties such as nendran, Robusta and kappa pazham (red banana) collected from other farmers.

It was in March and April this year that Kerala exported nendran bananas (branded ‘Thalir’) by sea for the first time. Since then there has been a rise in the demand for bananas and vegetables from Kerala in the international market. The ship, which set sail on March 8 from Kochi with six metric tonnes of bananas from the farm of Joby AJ of Puthukkad in Thrissur, reached London port well in time for the festival of Vishu, after over a month’s travel.

‘Nendran’ bananas for export being cleaned

The project was the fruition of nearly 10 months of concerted effort by a team of experts and officials at the State Government’s Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council (VFPCK) and National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB), Trichy.

Although private players have been exporting farm produce to international markets, it was the first time that a government enterprise entered the fray. “Air freight is expensive (transportation by sea costs 1/7th of the rate incurred by air),” says V Sivaramakrishnan, CEO, VFPCK. “There is a limit on the quantity that can be taken by air. There were no complaints about the consignment sent to London and since then the State has been getting regular orders, especially from West Asia.”

Over 42 metric tonnes of produce, including 500 kilogram of vegetables, have been exported this year. Of this, 31 metric tonnes bananas have been shipped to Kuwait alone and 500 kilogram was sent by flight to Singapore. The products were sourced from farmers in Thrissur, Kozhikode, Ernakulam, Kollam and Palakkad districts.

Adhering to the protocol

However, long-distance sea shipment is no cake walk. There are Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) related to pre- and post-harvest laid down by the NRCB, which covers cultivation, disease control, handling the harvest, cleaning and packing.

The first batch of ‘Nendran’ bananas to be exported via sea from Kochi to London being cleaned at Vazhakkulam Agro and Fruit Processing Company Ltd at Nadukkara near Muvattupuzha

The first batch of ‘Nendran’ bananas to be exported via sea from Kochi to London being cleaned at Vazhakkulam Agro and Fruit Processing Company Ltd at Nadukkara near Muvattupuzha
 
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

The bananas are harvested when they reach 80-85% maturity and have to be handled with utmost care. The ‘hands’ (padala or the banana bunch) have to look similar. While de-handling them from the peduncle (the stalk), the top and bottom ‘hands’ are discarded. Cleaning involves multiple steps — they are cleaned with water, kept in alum water, washed in soap solution, dipped in cold water and then treated with a solution to prevent any fungal attacks. The dried ‘hands’ are then packed in polythene-sheet-layered cartons. Ethylene absorber packets are kept in the cartons to prevent early ripening. The vacuum-packed containers are pre-cooled before they are taken to the ship. Air freight does not involve these many steps. The bananas were cleaned and packed at the packhouse of Vazhakulam Agro and Fruit Processing Company Ltd at Nadukkara near Muvattupuzha.

When the project was launched in Thrissur in June 2020, 22 farmers were selected for it. There were regular field visits and inspections by experts. Once they zeroed in on Joby’s farm, the officials closely monitored every step of the growth of the bananas, says Jahangir Kassim, district manager, VFPCK, Thrissur.

While it took over a month for the ship to reach London, the travel to West Asian countries requires around three weeks. The second consignment to London had to be sent by flight because they needed the produce immediately. Besides banana leaves and different varieties of banana, there was ash gourd, yellow cucumber, snake gourd, ivy gourd, banana stem, banana flower and pumpkin in the air cargo.

Produce from Kerala, including banana leaves, kept for sale at a shop in London

Produce from Kerala, including banana leaves, kept for sale at a shop in London
 
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Not all farmers are keen to cultivate bananas for export because early harvesting of the fruit reduces the weight thereby reducing their income. The removal of top and bottom ‘hands’ further brings down the weight. “However, we are compensating for the loss. Nevertheless cultivating these bananas for export is not easy, especially in a hilly terrain like Kakkadampoyil of Koodaranhi panchayat in our district,” says Rani George, district manager, VFPCK, Kozhikode. Three consignments of nendran bananas, which came to over 19 metric tonnes, were exported from the region to Kuwait (in April and June). The produce was collected from 12 farmers, adds Sanjay T, deputy manager, VFPCK.

Nevertheless, in spite of the risk factors, more farmers are evincing interest, says Noble Mathew Thadathil, president of the farmers’ society at Kakkadampoyil. The farmers are now aware of the pros and cons of the cultivation. “In the domestic market we are always taken for a ride by the middle men. It is encouraging to learn that our produce has demand in international market. Many of us are now willing to grow export-quality bananas,” he adds.

More exporters are also coming forward and some even want to learn the technology. “We tell them that the protocol is different for each variety of banana and vegetables,” says Babitha KU, export officer, VFPCK, Thrissur. “The time of harvest depends on where the bananas are being exported to. And there cannot be any compromise on appearance and quality. There should be not even a minute scratch on a banana.”

Meanwhile VFPCK is promoting export-oriented cultivation of bananas across the State so that from next year onwards farmers from other districts also can ship their produce.

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Prateek Sadhu of Masque: distilling India on a plate

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The country’s most experimental chef is hitting the road, to celebrate Mumbai’s Masque turning five and to share his ingredients-first approach with pop-ups in five cities

It is a dark and stormy night. Traffic on Delhi’s pot-holed roads has been crawling for hours. In the quiet, tree-lined neighbourhood of Friend’s Colony, however, 35-odd diners at boutique hotel The Manor are getting ready for a treat: a 10-course menu featuring some of the bravest, most avant garde Indian cooking yet.

Inside, chef Prateek Sadhu, 34, is readying to roll it all out. This is the first day of a three-day pop-up of Masque, his Mumbai restaurant. Tickets sold out within 48 hours of announcement. Pop-ups in four other cities are to follow — Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and Leh, where Sadhu will keep adding elements to the dishes, building newer ones as he finds inspiration in local cuisines and ingredients.

Also read | India’s new spice merchants

Unique and universal

Before the pandemic hit, Sadhu had been doing precisely this at Masque — a restaurant sans a menu, where guests are encouraged to sit inside a ‘lab’ and experience how he puts together thoughts and flavours after trips to different regions and farms across the country. The restaurant, which turns five this September, recently made it to number 32 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list of 2021 — the only Indian entry apart from Indian Accent in New Delhi (at number 18).

The Masque team touches down in Delhi

But this is the first time that many gourmands in other Indian cities are getting to experience Sadhu’s distinctive cooking because even within our competitive, growing restaurantscape, Masque is more niche than popular, more experimental than mass. Which is a shame because it is perhaps the only one in the country that prizes pure experimentation over commerce. If Masque was cinema, it would have been Satyajit Ray’s.

Like art house cinema, there is both the unique and the universal in Sadhu’s oeuvre. Take, for example, some of his dishes from the Delhi pop-up: course one was ‘Carrot kanji, bhekti’ — brined and cured fish, pickled Kashmiri cherry, pickled lime, gongura greens, aam papad, and carrot kanji. Sour is perhaps the least accepted of tastes with the Indian palate. But Sadhu pushes that boundary with this study in sour. Fermented traditions from across India have been layered — northern Indian kanji, eastern aam papad, southern gongura, the pickled lime of the numerous pan-Indian achars, and the elusive Kashmiri cherry.

In course two, Sadhu puts out ‘Corn pani puri, kalari kulcha, ghevar and chok charwan with tomato rasam’. What could be the thread of thought running through his mind while putting together such disparate regional influences? A study in textures: of crusts and breads from several Indian regions. The Marwari ‘pure veg’ ghevar serves as a base for Kashmiri lamb liver, startling purists, but look closely and you’ll find a redefining of the idea of Indian bread.

Part of the menu at the Delhi pop-up

Food that doesn’t pander

Sadhu seems to use his individual experiences — his Kashmiri roots, travels, and the innate internationalism that comes from his stints at top global restaurants such as Alinea, Le Bernardin and Noma — as the lens to look at more universal Indian culinary traditions. Kashmiri lamb neck yakhni meets morels miso in what turns out to be his most popular dish that evening; rogan josh sausage and katlam, the Jammu bread, masquerade with NYC casual-chic; and Pondicherry chocolate gets combined with indigenous central Indian flower liqueur mahua that not many urban Indians have tasted before.

Also read | Sadhu and Krug’s onion chronicles

“In a way what he does is the opposite of what I do because I do not mix different regional cuisines,” chef Manish Mehrotra, one of Sadhu’s guests that evening, who came with his teenage daughter Adah, tells The Hindu Weekend. Mehrotra, widely regarded as the father of modern Indian cuisine, whose signature Indian Accent dishes continue to be copied and regurgitated by chefs in even small towns, finds Sadhu’s voice to be among the most unique in Indian kitchens. “He mixes cuisines and is not afraid to experiment even if diners here do not accept certain tastes or the importance of things like acidity, something that all Michelin-level dining pays attention to internationally,” he points out.

The five-year plan

  • Influenced by zero wastage, techniques like fermentation, and local ingredients sourced directly from farms, the philosophy behind Masque has remained the same since it launched. Even as Sadhu sharpened his focus to researching diverse subregional cuisines. So what is his ambition in the next five years? “It is always to survive,” he says candidly, about the difficulty of balancing commercial success with cutting-edge experimentation. The pandemic has made this tougher. “The next few years will definitely have to be about healing from our current difficult scenario. But, personally, my ambition is to dig deeper into Indian cuisines. I feel I have only scratched the surface. I want to look at home recipes, bring them into the restaurant after R&D, understand different regions and subregions, castes and sub-castes, and how food has changed so many things in the country,” he says.

Sadhu’s signature style is neither purist nor populist, and it is definitely not derivative. In fact, his individualistic experimentation is one of the ways forward for modern Indian food. ITC’s Manisha Bhasin concurs. “There are two schools of thought when it comes to Indian food, one is purist and other is inventive. But what I like about Prateek’s food is that it is not about presentations; the food talks to me, there is a purity in that,” says Bhasin. ITC hotels will be the venues for Sadhu’s pop-ups in Chennai, Kolkata and Bengaluru.

Younger chefs like Dhruv Oberoi of Olive, who was also a guest at the pop-up, add that this is perhaps the boldest experimentation in Indian gastronomy yet — with a sense of internationalism in the dishes. “While a few of the courses like the lamb yakhni were comfort, there were bold combinations like chocolate and mahua that I had never experienced before,” says Oberoi.

Chefs Dhruv Oberoi, Manisha Bhasin and Manish Mehrotra

Chefs Dhruv Oberoi, Manisha Bhasin and Manish Mehrotra
 

What is authentic?

I remember the first meal I had at Masque, in the first week of its opening in Mumbai in 2016 in a mill compound that had fallen into disuse. There was Himalayan rye bread and sea buckthorn berries from Leh, there were textures of potato using techniques like dehydration, cooking in an earthen pit, and sous vide, there was olive oil specially pressed from Rajasthan. The whole approach was described as “botanical bistronomy” — what appeared to be a mix of international styles of cooking using carefully-sourced (and often unheard of) regional ingredients. Over the last five years, that focus has sharpened.

Koji-cured barramundi, carrot & passion fruit kanji

Koji-cured barramundi, carrot & passion fruit kanji
 

Sadhu now uses Indian ingredients as well as cooking styles and techniques and refashions them. But the sense of internationalism still binds all these. Does he see his food as Indian? “Indian food as we know it today is a result of constant evolution. What is authentic? Is my mother’s rogan josh more authentic than what my aunt cooks? Authentic is subjective; food is the result of migration and is constantly evolving. So while tradition is important, innovation is critical,” he says. His Indian food, he points out, is not about returning to regional recipes and simply plating them with new tweaks. “It demands revisiting ingredients in altogether new ways that can build cross-cultural bridges,” he adds.

As you eat a bhetki with clam rogan with a puri flavoured with Goan sausage, thinking cross-cultural bridges is inevitable. The pop-up menu will continue to evolve over all its stops — much like the journey of food itself.

The upcoming pop-ups will be priced ₹5,500 plus taxes. Bengaluru on August 20-21 and Chennai on August 27-28.

Chef Sadhu and his team

Chef Sadhu and his team
 

Hat tip

Sadhu’s innovative cooking and internationalism (that comes from study at the Culinary Institute of America plus work at top global restaurants) have been winning him recognition ever since Masque launched. In its first year, it was ranked among the top 10 on Food Tank’s 2016 list of restaurant innovators in the world. In 2020, the restaurant received the Miele One To Watch award in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list before debuting this year on the main list. Sadhu has been the first Indian chef to be a brand ambassador for Champagne brand Krug and, more recently, he contributed a simple but inventive beets with peach chunda recipe for the #Amexforfoodies cookbook featuring recipes by top global chefs. Before the pandemic, Masque had also been collaborating with leading chefs across the world to host pop-ups, including with Matt Orlando who helms Copenhagen’s Amass, in 2017.

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A tea Martini please – The Hindu

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James Bond does not drink tea, but he does drink a lot of Martinis. If you enjoy your cuppa and wish to be as suave as the super spy here is your chance to do so with a tea Martini. Made with a specially harvested classic Darjeeling tea, the cocktails, reflect the classic traits of Darjeeling teas — attractive hue and aroma. If you happen to be in Delhi, you could try the new cocktails at Sidecar with the specially harvested tea collection from Makaibari. Named Summer Solstice, the harvest is from the Kodobari fields of Makaibari in Darjeeling. Using these teas, Sidecar has worked on six signature cocktails with the lush, second flush tea.

This is the first time a tea estate and a bar, Sidecar have worked together to create signature cocktails. Sidecar is currently ranked 16 on Asia’s 50 best bars and the Makaibari tea estate has the distinction of having built the first tea factory in the world.

Summer Solstice tea from Makaibari estate is harvested on June 21. This tie-up according to Yangdup Lama founder of Sidecar, will also go a long way into breaking the stereotype associated with tea drinkers. “Tea is considered to be an old man’s drink,” the mixologist and author comments. “The truth is tea is versatile and can blend into cocktails without overpowering taste. The collaboration took four months of intense planning and our team is proud of the outcome.”

Makaibari happens to be world’s first organic tea estate and produces India’s most expensive tea – Silvertips Imperial. Makaibari is also the first Fairtrade Certified Tea Estate in the world – 1988.

On choosing Darjeeling second flush tea, Yangdup explains, “Tea gardens in Darjeeling make classic style teas. The reason I opted for second flush is because it is not as delicate as first flush and the flavour of the teas can be stored for a longer period of time. First flush is definitely good but I feel it is best to enjoy as tea. When I started working on the collaboration I was sure I wanted the summer solstice from a terrain in Makaibari that enjoys all weather conditions throughout year. Which is why I chose the tea from Kodobari region.”

Talking about the drinks Yangdup said the motive is to expose the versatility of tea through the series of tea cocktails to the younger crowd.

　

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Araku’s Coffee Museum welcomes record number of tourists

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The museum that showcases the journey of coffee to the valley is battling pandemic-induced challenges

The hiss of the espresso machine is back at the Araku Coffee Museum in Araku Valley, after a gap of almost six and a half months.

The museum’s small team of staff is busy attending to the sudden flow of visitors they had been witnessing in the past two weeks. It’s no secret the pandemic has affected small businesses everywhere. Araku Valley, about 120 kilometres from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh was not immune to it. From a bustling staff of 180 members, the Araku Coffee Museum is today being managed by just 45 people, all hailing from the local tribal communities. “Being cut-off from the main city during the second wave of the pandemic had hit us badly. It is only in the past three weeks that things have begun to change,” says Naresh Akella, son of Prakash Rao who along with his two brothers Santosh Kumar and Gopal Rao took over the reigns of managing the museum after the death of their father a few years ago.

The Coffee Museum sells 60 varieties of coffee beverages, coffee powders and coffee bean chocolates (chocolate-covered roasted coffee beans), all made from the locally grown and processed coffee beans. Arabica coffee is the main variety under cultivation in Araku Valley. Here, coffee is grown in the shade, employing environmentally sustainable methods. After battling a steep fall in their 15-year-old business, the recent spurt of tourists to the valley have kept the team on their toes and brought in a glimmer of hope. The museum has been getting about 700 footfalls every day which goes up to 2,000 during the weekends. “There has been a sudden increase in number of tourists. We did not witness this even during pre-pandemic days,” says Naresh. According to him, a majority of the tourists visiting the museum are from the States of Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. “The numbers peaked in the last 12 days,” he adds. Adhering to the safety protocols, the entire staff is fully vaccinated.

The colourful murals on the walls at the entrance of the museum narrate the journey of coffee from bean to cup. The bright art works depict how the cherries are plucked, pulped, fermented and dried till they are ready for roasting and grounding. Inside the museum, the soft lights bring alive the dioramas (three-dimensional figures made of fibre and cement) that reflect the long journey of the coffee bean from its discovery in Ethiopia to its popularity across the world and Araku. An audio-visual show gives a glimpse of the lush green slopes of the Araku Valley where coffee is grown under the shade of silver oak trees and pepper creepers.

The museum was set up in 2006, but its journey began much earlier, in 1954 when Prakash Rao, a migrant, set up a small coffee shop near the Araku Railway Station to showcase Araku’s Arabica coffee which continues to be the all-time-favourite here. While the menu has been curtailed due to the pandemic, it still includes the slow brewed craft coffee and other expensive varieties of coffee like the Kopi Luwak, considered the world’s most expensive coffee made from beans digested by a civet cat.

Here, one gets to not only learn about the history of the coffee variety, but also witness the entire process of making it. “We are planning to hire and train a team of guides who give dedicated guided tours around the museum for small groups of tourists,” says Naresh.

Even as he battles a pandemic-induced loss of over ₹15 lakh, Naresh says he has no plans to expand the business through retail chains or outlets. “Our speciality is to offer an experience in Araku which no other destination will provide. The only way to savour it is to drive down to the valley and relish a steaming cup of the refreshing Arabica coffee flavour,” says Naresh.

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In India, the gourmet meal finally comes home

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Sourcing gourmet ingredients for Indians wanting to whip up a celebratory meal at home is no longer a hassle

For the 90s kids, sausages from a cold cut store were the only gourmet food on the table. That was when cheese meant Amul cubes and salad was an assortment of vegetables like carrot, beetroot, cucumber and tomato. Fast forward to 2021, life is all about living with a pantry that gives a selection of cheese, wines, olives, herbs, meats and fruits. Easy accessibility is a post-pandemic phenomenon where suppliers are catering to individual consumers, irrespective of the scale of operations, not only the food and beverage industry, but also homes.

One can argue that upmarket stores had always stocked some amount of cheese and herbs. But did they stock artisanal cheese? Could we ever think of foods without preservatives?

Santorini-baked basa fish, available on Meatigo

Santorini-baked basa fish, available on Meatigo
 

Gayatri Tampi of Meatigo, an e-commerce retail brand providing a range of premium quality raw and processed meat products, says, “The game was changing even earlier; COVID just hastened the process and condensed five years of change into 18 months. Indian consumers have changed; most of them being well-travelled, have expanded food horizons. We are now open to experimenting with international cuisines and flavours, not only when we go out but also as we cook at home. Pandemic has made us question the food quality at some of our favourite haunts, especially when it comes to meats.” The other key factor, she points out, is the realisation of the need to eat healthy..

The availability of gourmet food is also influenced by the shifting gender roles and responsibilities while cooking. Meal preparation is being projected as a gender-neutral activity to be enjoyed with friends and family. Gayatri says, “This has opened our minds to re-imagine how we look at gourmet food.”

The elaborate weekend brunch at restaruants with friends and family also seems to have influenced the weekend menu at home during the lockdown, fuelled by social media feeds rolling out one cooking video after the other; enabling us to try to be on par with the likes of Gordon Ramsay. Gayatri confirms, “Much like at restaurants and malls, we see a hike in purchases on weekends and holidays.”

Lisa Suwal, Chief Growth Officer at Prasuma

Lisa Suwal, Chief Growth Officer at Prasuma
 

Prasuma Momos saw a 40% spike in demand during the lockdown even though they launched at the end of 2019. Lisa Suwal, Chief Growth Officer (CGO) with Prasuma Momos says, “In just 18 months we are the go-to momo brand in the frozen section. Our momos are juicier than any other momo; we use a family recipe, hand-picked ingredients that are preservative-free, and the hormone-free meat is not treated with antibiotics.”

‘Not just ingredients, but quality’

Suppliers are happy to customise for clients as against the business of bulk orders. Rishiraj Dev, a Delhi-based supplier, says they were able to sustain their business despite losses only because he sold his stock to friends and discovered a completely new business trend. “It is a shame that we didn’t see this potential when we did big deliveries on bulk supplies to hotels. Consumers seem to be more aware of not just ingredients but quality as well. A lot of supermarkets do stock gourmet meats and cheese. But it is their stocking method that might go wrong.”

Gayatri agrees, “We realised the importance of temperature control and other processes.Even a small temperature change can alter the taste and texture of a product thus spoiling the experience.”

Venetian prawn and olive skewers, available on Meatigo

Venetian prawn and olive skewers, available on Meatigo
 

In Hyderabad, chef Shankar Krishnamoorthy sourced Oberoi Delicatessen meats that included gluten-free chicken franks, bacon prime and honey-glazed ham. Shankar says, “When regular diners at F9 started asking for the gourmet meats, I sensed there is a good market for it. Availability met demand in beautiful harmony.”

Consumers who are constantly looking at a selection of gourmet cheese, meats and condiments say this is the best time to get cooking and following recipes from any cookbook without having to tweak them or look for substitute ingredients. . Keerti Kumar a consultant as a software startup says she was pleasantly surprised when a Mumbai-based artisanal cheese brand Spotted Cow Fromagerie even delivered her some halloumi cheese. Such service would not have been possible earlier.”

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Chefs and home cooks in Thiruvananthapuram are serving global hot-sellers

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Gourmets in the city never had it so good with several authentic cuisines at their fingertips

What is going to be your choice of cuisine on weekends in Thiruvananthapuram? Would you like to sink your teeth into a lasagne dripping with cheese or pamper your taste buds with a honey-soaked Russian Medovik? There are choices galore with Thai, Creole, Mexican, and Sri Lankan, in addition to a plethora of meat-based dishes and desserts like kunafa sold under the generic name of Arabic cuisine.

Lasagne made by Sanda Toma in Thiruvananthapuram

The lockdown resulted in a mushrooming of home chefs across the country. Armed with FSSAI licenses and confidence, many of them satiated hunger pangs of people stuck at home without domestic help or restaurants to fall back on. Several people turned to their culinary skills to put food on their table too. With successive lockdowns spelling the death knell for small-scale businesses, many women found that their home-cooked dishes had takers in plenty.

Sharlotka, a traditional Russian apple pie, made by Anna Sankar in Thiruvananthapuram

Sharlotka, a traditional Russian apple pie, made by Anna Sankar in Thiruvananthapuram
 
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Thus it was that homemakers Sanda Toma and Anna Sankar, chef Priya Roy, entrepreneurs Susan Jaymohan and Kasthurika Rajasegaran found themselves starting cloud kitchens.

Say cheese

Romanian Sanda was a busy homemaker and mom when her husband Younis Khan’s company folded up. In August 2020, Sanda began baking apple pie as a favour for a friend running a restaurant. What began as a hobby developed into a successful enterprise when she enlarged her menu to include lasagne.

Sanda Toma, a resident of Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram, serves lasagne, pasta with meat ragu and a couple of other bakes

Sanda Toma, a resident of Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram, serves lasagne, pasta with meat ragu and a couple of other bakes
 
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

“Although there are places that offer Italian cuisine, authentic Italian food was rare. When I launched Mamma Rosa in August 2020, I began with the lasagne. Soon, I added quiche and fresh pasta with meat ragu,” says Sanda, a resident of Kovalam for seven years.

The response was overwhelming. “My menu is limited but, often, I am over booked and have to turn down orders. Now my husband and daughter Iris pitch in to help.”

Everything is home-made, right from the pasta, the sauces and the chocolate. All the ingredients are sourced from the city itself and Sanda has a devoted clientele.

The world on your plate

Saturday Night Diner has something new on your plate every Saturday — Mexican, Italian, Korean, Creole, French, Thai, German…

Chef Priya Roy

“I was a little worried when I offered Korean Bibimbap comprising Korean rice with Gochujang sauce, kimchi and cucumber salad, topped with sesame vegetables and a choice of grilled shrimps, chicken or tofu. I was taken by surprise when I had nearly 50 orders for it,” recalls chef Priya Roy.

After working in cruise ships and upmarket hotel chains in India and abroad, Priya had become an entrepreneur. But the lockdown forced her to down shutters temporarily. “That is when a friend suggested that I monetise my passion for cooking. I had the experience and the confidence, but I was not sure what to cook, how it would be accepted and how profitable it would be,” recalls Priya.

Chef Priya Roy’s Korean Bibimpap proved to be a hit

Her first customer was her neighbour Anitha Jacob who insisted on paying for a lasagne Priya had baked. With her family’s backing, Priya launched Saturday Night Diner in January 2021. The first Saturday was a disaster as orders came pouring in, more than she could manage. “It was a nightmare as my oven could not cook so many dishes at the same time. However, the positive feedback helped me stay on my feet,” admits Priya.

Fish Escovitch from Chef Priya Roy’s Saturday Night Diner

Fish Escovitch from Chef Priya Roy’s Saturday Night Diner
 
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Since then, it has been smooth going. Customers are more when she offers familiar food like Peri Peri chicken or stuffed chicken breast. Nevertheless, Priya is not complaining. She plans to continue even after the lockdowns are lifted.

Sugar and spice from Russia

Feast on Medovik or Sharlotka, a classic Russian apple pie made by Anna Sankar, who hails from Moscow. Anna explains that the pie does not use butter. Instead, it has fruit, sugar, eggs and flour. “While, the traditional one uses only apple, we also make one with seasonal fruits. I bake both,” says Anna, a resident of the capital city since 2008.

Anna Sankar, who hails from Moscow, Russia, opened Annushka Russian Bakery in Kovalam. She bakes traditional Russian cakes and pastries

Anna Sankar, who hails from Moscow, Russia, opened Annushka Russian Bakery in Kovalam. She bakes traditional Russian cakes and pastries
 
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Anna and her husband were running an Ayurveda wellness centre at Kovalam since 2009. Her husband passed away in 2015. After that Anna has been running the centre on her own until the pandemic forced her to shut it temporarily.

Medovik, a layered cake with honey, is made by Anna Sankar in Thiruvananthapuram

Medovik, a layered cake with honey, is made by Anna Sankar in Thiruvananthapuram
 
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

“I started Annushka Russian Bakery at Kovalam two months ago. My speciality is traditional Russian cakes like Medovik, quite new to the city. My customers have welcomed it, as well as my Russian pastries, with open hands,” she says.

Her customers don’t mind travelling to Kovalam, about 18 km from the city, for her cakes; many of them cannot stop at one helping of her bakes.

Thai break

Susan Jaymohan and Suraj Rajan

In the case of Susan Jaymohan, her son Suraj Rajan is the driving force behind The Weekend Lunch Club. Specialising in Thai cuisine, Susan has a menu for the month and serves lunch and dinner on Saturdays and Sundays. She serves Chinese too but Thai is the bestseller.

The Weekend Lunch Club launched by Susan Jaymohan and her son Suraj Rajan provides Thai food on weekends

The Weekend Lunch Club launched by Susan Jaymohan and her son Suraj Rajan provides Thai food on weekends
 
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

“It’s simple and the use of coconut milk, tamarind, chilli and spices would be familiar to Malayalis. But some ingredients like dry shrimp, fish paste, Kaffir lime leaves and galangal give it very different flavours; one has to acquire a taste for it,” says Susan.

She points out how the popular Som Tan Papaya salad is just grated green papaya with dressing. “Malayalis usually make a thoran with it. But the dressing changes the taste completely. It is the same with the red and green chilli sauce that are a must for many Thai dishes,” she says. Begun in February 2021, Susan says she is relieved by the demand for Thai food. She plans to add some popular soups and starters to her menu.

Spice island

Kasthurika Rajasegaran cooks and serves Sri Lankan specials

Kasthurika Rajasegaran cooks and serves Sri Lankan specials
 
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Homesick for comfort food, Kasthurika Rajasegaran, born and brought up in Sri Lanka, decided to cook a few of her favourites once she settled down in the city after her marriage. Her in-laws enjoyed the food and so did her mother-in-law’s friends who encouraged her to cook and serve her cookies and patties. Participating in a flea market in the city proved to be a morale booster.

“I made Black curry chicken, sambol, a cherry cookie that is made with local cherries in Sri Lanka, signature biscuit cooking, very different from what we get here, and meat patties,” she says.

Meat patties cooked by Kasthurika Rajasegaran

In September 2020, Kasthurika launched Kassi’s. With the demand for her short eats going up steadily, Kasthurika plans to introduce lunch and dinner on select days.

Cherry cookies baked by Kasthurika Rajasegaran

“Ambul Thiyal, made with tuna, is one dish that should do well here. It is made with kodampuli, called goraka in Sri Lanka,” she says.

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Indian culinary guru chef Soundararajan passes away

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IFCA founder gen-sec chef Soundararajan P passes away from a heart attack at the age of 64, remembered by legions of chefs he mentored

Chef Soundararajan P was in uniform when we lost him, participating in a culinary webinar. Founder general secretary of the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations (IFCA), he was active all through his career, teaching and inspiring chefs, and dedicated to the hospitality industry till the very end.

Hailing from Coimbatore, the 64-year-old chef, who passed away from a heart attack, did his Bachelors in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Madras, and then got a degree from the Institute of Hotel Management in Chennai.

I was executive chef in one of the Accor hotels in Mumbai in 1999 when I first met him. I still remember a tall chef walking into my kitchen to request me if he could use it for a VIP event. Although he was already a well known chef, I was charmed by how humble he was, and I soon found out how motivating it was to work beside him.

We discussed forming a chefs’ association in the western part of India, and went on to organise a meeting with chefs from across Mumbai. This is how the Western India Chefs Association was formed.

Friendly and well-connected, he played a great role along with prominent chefs from across India to form the IFCA. He was also founder general secretary of the South India Chefs Association (SICA), and put together an Indian delegation, encouraging us to participate in the International World Culinary Congress.

Over four decades, chef Soundararajan left an impact in the hospitality industry: he began his career with the Taj group of hotels, and then worked as corporate executive chef at Club Mahindra Holidays and Resorts. He received the Golden Hat Award (2004) and SICA Golden Star Chef Award (2008) from the South India Chefs Association for two decades of continuous contribution to the profession.

When he was not working, he spent a lot of time and energy bringing people together.

When I moved to Chennai from Mumbai in 2003, as executive chef at Le Royal Méridien, I sought chef Soundararajan’s help in familiarising myself with the city’s culinary landscape. There was a SICA executive board meeting next day, for which he invited me, and introduced me to most of the city chefs, who were all at the event.

He was a great mentor not only to me but many senior and junior chefs all over the country. His demise has left a great vacuum which will be very difficult to fill.

Chef Jugesh Arora is director of the Chef’s Table Studio, and honorary president of the South India Chefs Association.

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Spanish Chef Xanty Elias wins Basque Culinary World Prize 2021

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The prize, which celebrates the social impact and transformative power of gastronomy, was awarded to him for his foundation Fundación Prenauta, which empowers children by teaching them how to cook and appreciate healthy, traditional food

Can a restaurant transform a community? Spanish chef Xanty Elías believes it can do that, and more. So when his former restaurant, Acánthum, in the Andalusian province of Huelva, became the first in the Spanish province to earn a Michelin star, he knew his journey was just beginning.

Chef Xanty began to direct his imagination, influence and energy into driving social projects to benefit Huelva, which has the highest unemployment rate of any province in Spain. In 2017 he co-founded Fundación Prenauta, joining hands with local businesses to provide consulting services and promote economic growth in the community.

Fundación Prenauta also collaborates with companies and institutions in Andalusia to teach students traditional recipes, and educate them on healthy eating. With this programme, where chefs travel to schools to teach masterclasses, the foundation reached over 6,000 children across more than 100 schools in Andalusia, and now plans to expand nationally.

For his impact as a change maker, Xanty has just won the Basque Culinary World Prize 2021. The BCWP, now in its 6th edition, celebrates gastronomy as a transformative force, awarding chefs who add value to their community and beyond.

The winner of the €100,000 award, which was created in 2016 by the Basque Government and the Basque Culinary Center, is chosen by a jury made up of some of the world’s most influential chefs: this year it included Ferrán Adrià (El Bulli Foundation), Elena Arzak (Arzak Restaurant), Dominique Crenn (Atelier Crenn) and Yoshihiro Narisawa (Les Créations de Narisawa).

Exerpts from an e mail interview with Chef Xanty

Why is it important to educate children about food, and what is the most powerful and memorable way to do it?

Well, for the same reason that they are educated in other subjects, so that knowledge and culture evolves for the benefit of human beings and the environment that surrounds them. Mathematics is used on a daily basis, like eating. Both are basic and necessary.

We have found a way to reach the depths of children’s consciousness, through their emotions and their senses. The kitchen is the best way to transform the food we eat, and we all have a responsibility to do it in a healthy way.

Chef Xanty Elias at a masterclass for children about traditional food

The program focuses on teaching the students traditional Andalusian recipes: why did you choose to do this?

Because it is the basis of our identity. We are what we eat, and our diet makes us feel connected to one society or another.

The food we eat reflects our personality, our climate, our respect for our environment. This itself is part of the magic of the project, because it can be replicated in every part of the world. Part of that education is teaching kids about the culture of each area, thus reinforcing the identity of each individual.

The recipes are salads, gazpachos, traditional stews, with rice, fish and meat, all part of the base of the Mediterranean diet.

This generation struggles more with obesity than their grandparents ever did. How do you encourage children to eat fresh, healthy food when packaged snacks are being engineered to be delicious and addictive?

The way we behave has changed, due to advances in technology and globalisation. Before, people were forced to move around more over the course of their day; now we have vehicles, machines and tools that make work easier and generate less kilocalorie consumption.

The key to reversing it, I think, is adapting our diet to the rhythm of our life. Our work is not based on indoctrinating children, we want them to generate their own ideas.

We believe in the responsibility of each human being, and we base it on knowledge. We believe that each person can decide for themselves about what is best for their body. We’ve already seen that it works, there is no substitute for education and empowering the consciousness of the human being.

How will winning this award help you continue and expand your work with Fundación Prenauta?

We hope that winning the Basque Culinary World Prize will increase our visibility at the international level. This recognition will help us to make the decision-makers and politicians open their eyes, and take action before it is too late.

Your latest project, the soon to open Finca Alfoliz in Aljaraque, will be focused on sustainability. Is it more difficult and expensive to build a responsible restaurant? Why do you think it is important to do this?

It certainly has a higher cost. All evolution and disruption drives up costs. However, it is a matter of personal and social responsibility.

Now it is difficult because sustainability does not interest large companies and investment funds, but it is a future that is here now! In the world of tomorrow, a restaurant is either sustainable or it doesn’t exist, and this is the new reality.

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‘Poita bhat’ or ‘pazhamkanji’: India’s fermented rice finds its place under the sun

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‘Masterchef Australia’ is late to the party. India’s fermented rice dishes, from Bengal’s ‘poita bhat’ to Kerala’s ‘pazhamkanji’, have long been moving up the culinary ladder from farms to restaurants, as gourmets discover their many benefits

Pantha bhat, trending after it was featured in Masterchef Australia by contestant Kishwar Chowdhury, is known by many names in India — poita bhat (Assamese), pakhala bhat (Odiya), pazhaya sadam (Tamil), geel bhat (Bihar), chaddannam (Telugu) and pazhamkanji (Malayalam). Call it what you will, but fermented rice is comfort food for many in India and in Southeast Asia. Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam have their own versions.

Author and academic Krishnendhu Ray, associate professor of Food Studies at New York University, says there are three reasons for the popularity of fermented food in general and rice in particular. “One, the idea of a national cuisine is passé. We know that there are regional and sub-regional cuisines. Two, the 21st Century has seen the death of the taste for cold and sweet in the American century of taste. Realising the ill-effect of sodas and colas, people are going for tepid and sour foods. Three, studies have shown that gut health is closely related to the immune system, health, and mental health. Earlier, the ambition was to boil and cook everything to kill all microbes. But now, we know that certain microbes are necessary for our health. Fermented food is rich in microbes, yeast, and mould, all necessary for our health.”

‘Pazhamkanji’

Krishnendu says that, like music and textiles, tastes in food can also travel from the subaltern to the mainstream and he attributes the popularity of fermented rice gruel to that movement.

Fermented rice gruel, he says, has existed for centuries in one form or the other in every place where rice is grown, especially in the era before refrigeration. But it was the food of the common man, not of royalty. “That was one of the reasons why it was not served in restaurants. Now, fermented food has caught the attention of gourmets but we have to wait and see if it is a fad and how long it lasts,” says Krishnendu.

Fermented for fine dining

As the locavore movement gains in strength, regional staples like fermented rice finds a place in the sun — and in upscale restaurants around India. Regi Mathew, chef and culinary director of Chennai-based Kappa Chakka Kandhari, has been serving pazhamkanji and cherupayar kanji in his restaurant since 2018. “Diners were pleasantly surprised when they saw it on the menu for lunch. Unless we serve these ethnic foods, they will vanish from our plates. Nutritious and packed with probiotics, pazhamkanji used to be a staple in households in Kerala,” says Regi. He speaks nostalgically of sharing the pazhamkanji that farm labourers working their land in Kottayam used to bring for lunch. “Pazhamkanji reminds me of vacations, home and childhood,” he adds.

Agreeing with his sentiments, chef Suresh Pillai, culinary director of Raviz Hotels, gushes about pazhamkanji. Although it is not on the formal menu of Raviz, he says there are many expatriates who ask for it. “We prepare it for them. Cooked rice is soaked overnight in water with shallots and bird’s eye chilli. In the morning, it is served with chutney, pickle, fish curry or fish fry (sun-dried fish fry), curd, pappadam and, occasionally, kappa (tapioca),” he says.

The sides served with the fermented rice vary from place to place. Even the number of hours it is soaked can vary. When it is soaked for more than 48 hours, the cooked rice releases a small amount of alcohol, which has a kick.

According to Regi, pazhamkanji has a cooling effect on the body and that is why farm labourers used to prefer it to cooked rice.

‘Pazhamkanji’ with fish fry and fish curry

‘Pazhamkanji’ with fish fry and fish curry
 
| Photo Credit: Sreejith R Kumar

Combined with a variety of sides, pazhamkanji is also now offered by small dedicated eateries, where it is often the only dish on the menu. Moopilans, perhaps the first in Thiruvananthapuram to serve only pazhamkanji, began five years ago. “For three-four months, there were queues at our place. Seeing its popularity, other joints also began serving it,” says Vijayakumari V, who has reopened her small eatery after the lockdown. Now, only parcels are being given.

In Orissa and West Bengal, it is usually served with potato and fried fish. Regi says that in Kerala, the fish curry served it with the pazhamkanji was also usually the previous day’s fish curry. “Our older generation never wasted food. Pazhamkanjiwas a way of making the best of the what was in the house when there were no refrigerators. Soaking the rice overnight broke down the micro-nutrients in the rice, making it easily digestible,” says Regi.

In Malayalam, kanji is often used as a derogatory term to refer to someone who is not quick-witted or in with the times. From the looks of it, this will soon have to be changed to keep with the times as kanji takes centre-stage in the culinary world.

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