The Potato Chronicles: Part 4 Last time, we talked about global applications of the mash before taking a long detour into food science and concluding with a trio of Indian breakfast classics that hero the humble mash. A spiced mash also forms the basis for a huge array of deep-fried streetside treats in India. It’s…
Tag: Indian
Bhorta, Amylopectin, Palya
The Potato Chronicles: Part 3 So far, we have traced potato’s history upto the early 20th century, and explored some of the variations of the humble (and sometimes not-so-humble) mash all over Europe. This time, let’s set sail and go global, exploring some varieties of mash and mash-based dishes from around the world. The Bengali…
Eggplant : Flavour Sponge
Last week, we started our eggplant exploration, with a predominantly Eurocentric approach. The focus was more on the custardy texture of the eggplant and its seamless interplay with other members of the nightshade family. This time, we will focus primarily on the role of the eggplant as a sponge for flavours, with a journey through…
Red, White and Pink
The first plate of pasta I ever had was a 120-rupee plate of penne in red sauce from an obscure little restaurant in Shyambazar, North Kolkata, around 10 years ago. It had these tubes of pasta mixed up with all sorts of exotic veggies in a red sauce, sprinkled with a generous helping of dried…
Say Hello To Halwa
It’s starting to get pretty cold here in Rohtak, and ’tis the season for some hearty comfort food. And for someone with a sweet tooth, nothing shouts comfort food like the good old halwa. Although variants of halwa (or halua as we Bongs would call it) exist back home as well, it is a very…
The Beta Garlic
It was around October last year, midway through my first year of residency. The senior on duty was running a little late and therefore brought breakfast along with her. When the patient rush died down a little, she opened up a piece of paratha and achaar wrapped hastily in aluminium foil, and politely offered me…
A Tale of Two Peninsulas
Growing up, the only exotic cuisines I was exposed to were Chinese (Indo-Chinese to be precise) and the so-called Continental food, a blanket term referring to foods from the continent of Europe. It was only in the past few years that Kolkata has seen an increased influx of global cuisines, including “Italian food”. Even then,…
Rustic Meets Trendy (Part 2)
Aloo Parantha, Dahi aur Achaar Striking the right balance between tradition and innovation can be tricky indeed, especially when you’re trying to revamp a classic. You need to be able to apply your vision to the dish so that it becomes undeniably yours, yet stay within a certain limit so that it is still recognizable…
The Gourmet Glutton 