The history and significance of cuisine created in the royal kitchens of India.
1/1/2014
This episode takes us to Rajasthan, and tells us of the curse that fell upon it that made it a dry, barren desert devoid of vegetation. So while we explore Rajasthan’s survival food like Panchkuta that has its origins in scanty conditions, we also go on a historical journey wherein its food evolved into this rich cuisine that combines the delights of Rajput, Marwari, Mughlai, and English cooking. We get to the heart of the royal kitchens of Jodhpur and Jaipur and learn of the finest of fine recipes and food traditions.
Tamil Nadu: This takes us to the Land of Temples- Tamil Nadu and tells the story of its food which is a story of the dynasties that ruled the land, most importantly the Cholas, and of the voyages of Chettinars who travelled to shores afar and brought back with them myriad flavours that come together in their Chettinad cuisine. We learn of the food traditions of these rice-eaters, trace the origins of sambhar and get a taste of Tanjore’s idli, dosa, rasam, poriyal, pongal, fish sambhar, kesari maas, mango pachri, complete with payasam and filter kaapi In Puddukottai, we find the legacy of the British Raj in their Anglo-Indian food and their game food.
The most exhilarating journey into the history of the country’s capital, with stories as delicious as its food We go on a discovery of the roots of one of India’s most loved culinary cultures and discover them in Mughal, Persian, and English food traditions. Exploring the indiscrete charms of old Delhi, we find the most exciting account of the origin of the ubiquitous chat.
At the crossroads of the ancient silk route, laden with its bounties, here we journey into the Kashmiri kitchen that thrives on the fruits of the Dal Lake and loves the lamb We go floating by the floating gardens- the ecosystems that provide for every Kashmiri’s hak-bhatta, get a taste of the Kashmiri Pandit’s nadru palak and rogan josh, Jammu’s ambal and kulth ki dal, and get a most delightful and elaborate experience of the traditional Kashmiri Wazwan- the lavish multi course meal that is Kashmir’s identity.
Here we find ourselves in the rich, fertile land of Punjab. We go collecting mustard from the lush mustard fields and discover the farmer’s food- his makke ki roti with dollops of butter, sarson ka saag, rajma and lassi- learning how the land meets the requirements of its keeper- the tall, broad wheat-eater Punjabi. At the golden Temple, we learn of the humbling origins and experience the phenomenon of Langar. We rejoice in the bounties of this land at the harvest festival of Lohri, with enough jaggery and chikki to leave us warm, and oh so full.
Himachal takes us on a breathtaking food journey to a part of the country that was historically always at war and where little grew, and we’re fascinated to discover how these limitations amalgamate with the local needs to form a cuisine uniquely Himalayan. We discover the Kangri Dham- a community meal that marks all celebrations and its essential constituent- Madra- a curd based preparation quintessential to Himachali kitchens. We share meals with the royal families of Kuthlehar and Nahan and take with us jams and jellies, after learning about the history of fruit processing in this region that is the fruit basket of the country.
Here we journey into the holy cities of Banaras and Allahabad along the fertile Ganga-Jamuna doab and discover their histories that are as ancient as history itself. We learn how religion becomes a way of being and manifests itself in all aspects of life, including food. In this land of Shiva, bhang keeps his people on a higher plane of consciousness, closer perhaps to salvation.
Tracing the history of the former nawabs of erstwhile Awadh, this takes us on a journey into the royal kitchens of Lucknow and Mehmudabad. We discover the origins of dum biryani and the fascinating lore behind the galawati kebabs. Eating with the nawabs of Mehmudabad, we are teleported to another era, and we see how the indulgence of the nawabs gave way to a city so indulgent, it’s streets full of delicate culinary delights. From shab deg to shahi tukda, bater lawabdar to mutton pasanda, and from Tundey Kebabi to Sakhawat Ali’s restaurant that goes back six generations- we explore and indulge.
We travel to Mysore and trace the histories of its royals- from Tipu Sultan to the Wodeyar King and discover how the culinary delights of the royal kitchens came to be integral to the cuisine of Mysore at large- Mysore pak being the most delicious example. After exploring Karnataka’s quintessential Mysore dosa, vada and bonda tracing their origins through one of the oldest written accounts of food- Manasollasa and crossing pepper plantations, we come to the beautiful, hilly Coorg where we learn how Coorgis have adapted their food to be in sync with nature.
We go on a breath-taking journey into God’s Own- Kerala and discover food that may well befit the Gods. We go along backwaters and on coconut trails, meet fishermen and learn of Chinese fishing nets. We discover the heady combination of fried fish and toddy- a fisherman’s staple diet, complete with rice, appam and puttu. We learn the story of avial and Kerala’s beloved banana- fruit, vegetable and snack, all in one.
This takes us to the dry, arid Kutch where we discover, to great joy, that despite scanty vegetation, there is no dearth of culinary delights. We travel across this land of Krishna and Mahavir and learn how their teachings of Ahimsa are also the guiding principle behind the eating habits and evolution of the cuisine of this region. This is why the sumptuous and colourful Kutchi and Gujarati thalis are fully vegetarian, but in no way lacking in any flavor. We trace the origins of the most loved Gujrati snacks- dabeli and dhokla, and the famous Gujrati kadhi- a treat for the taste buds. We discover the Parsi cuisine- its dhansak and patrani machhi, and hear delightful food stories from the royal kitchens of Misrot and Rajpipla. We trace the history of the White Revolution in Anand, home to India’s most loved Amul Butter, marking an end to this utterly delicious and exhilarating journey.
