5 replies to this topic

[The-Londoner]

I was in Surat in October when visiting India first time after 17 years. I had to visit Porbandar for few days and for those ten days I was in India, I was a little disappointed by few changes I had seen in India when it comes to food.

 

So my concern  Well, few restaurants I had been to in smaller cities like Porbandar used cheese on so many dishes. How so? Well, finding cheese topped on Channa Masala, that I wasn't expecting. And than I found another restaurant grated cheese on Maa Ki Daal.. So I beg the question, why of why? It seems cheese is becoming topping to add to make it "western". I found it so hard to find a good restaurant in smaller cities and towns with authentic Indian dishes instead of same dishes everywhere where food is "westernised" or "Chinesified" instead of cooking and experimenting with local Indian dishes.

 

[The Lost Gourmet]

Generation X is actually aping west in everything. It is sad that such fusion is taking place .

 

This is why I am proud to be a traditionalist. All my products have only traditional recipes .

 

Some food items have totally disappeared.

Some of them are Bonda, Fafa Ni Lapsi ,, Tardhari Lapsi, Kalvo, Motiya Ladoo etc.

[The-Londoner]

Thing is, here in London, we are experimenting with Indian flavours, cleverly use of spices and end result can be amazing. We have couple of great Michelin Star Indian Chefs now in London and few amazing Indian restaurants trying wonderful new technics. However, in India, the traditional food, experimenting with regional food doesn't seem to exist. Local delicacy seems to have given way to cheese toppings and noodles, most of time done very badly. As you say, many traditional Indian food seems to disappear slowly. Please don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with introducing different World food into India, if done properly with respecting that cuisine but in my own opinion, it should go side by side with local Indian dishes and restaurants.

Edited by The-Londoner, 04 February 2013 - 02:58 AM.

[anil]

Well on a simplistic level - Call it pizzafication of indian dishes.  On a more complex level, it is the sociology of a community changing in a hurry. When people in small towns go out to eat, be it in Rajkot, or Rajamundry;  Xihun or Xuzhou they are not going to eat guju or andhra, or Sichuan or Beijing cuisine. They want to be hip and eat what they understand to be innovative food. Traditionalists, be in Italy, or China or India will be horrified. 

 

To experiment or create an inventive fusion, one has to master the palate first. That, is sorely missing in small towns most of the time. 

[The-Londoner]

I truly agree.. However, "sociology of community changing in hurry" I find a little disturbing. In India, people seems to be loosing culture, local language and specially music in hurry. And apart from food, even more so when it comes to local architecture. I mean what's with very uninspiring concrete jungle appearing in all smaller cities and towns? 

[The Lost Gourmet]

Well on a simplistic level - Call it pizzafication of indian dishes.  On a more complex level, it is the sociology of a community changing in a hurry. When people in small towns go out to eat, be it in Rajkot, or Rajamundry;  Xihun or Xuzhou they are not going to eat guju or andhra, or Sichuan or Beijing cuisine. They want to be hip and eat what they understand to be innovative food. Traditionalists, be in Italy, or China or India will be horrified. 

 

To experiment or create an inventive fusion, one has to master the palate first. That, is sorely missing in small towns most of the time. 

Anil Bhai,

 

I am horrified. When I found that two Patel Bahenjis who are now topping dal makhani and Palak Panner with grated panner..... I just am rolling my eyes.And this happens in the kitchen where I am crafting traditional Gravies and Traditional Masala pastes.

 

This Pizzificatio has affected many a classic recipes. Even a fusion cook like Ms. Dalal will have a heart attack now.