What do you get when you put three celebrated food authors
in a room to discuss their area of expertise just before lunchtime? Guaranteed
pangs of hunger, without a doubt. The panel surrounding the discussion included
Lathika George, the author of ‘The Suriani Kitchen: Recipes and Recollections
from the Syrian Christians of Kerala’, Neerja Mattoo, the author of ‘Best of
Kashmiri Cooking’ and Kavery Ponnapa, the force behind ‘The Coorg Table’.
“In my opinion, food revolves around associations and memories.
It is almost like a marker that keeps you in touch with your roots. While I was
away from home in Mumbai, cuisine was my link to Kerala.The very mention of
appam or meen curry would bring to mind the vision of home food, which to me is
comfort food,” says Lathika. Delving into her work, Lathika explains further,
“Suriani food is a collective of various kinds of culinary styles – Portuguese,
Dutch, Arab, Chinese, basically any culture that may have banked upon our
shores and merged with Kerala’s own Hindu and Moplah cuisines. “While most of
the dishes that we call folkloric are originally from somewhere else, there are
strong ties between local cuisine in Goa and Kerala. For instance, Appam is
Dutch, but is it not very much like a Sanna? This indicates that the cuisine is
clearly open to experimentation.”
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On the flipside of the same equation is Neerja Mattoo. The
seasoned writer from Kashmir points out how cuisine is not as flexible in the
north of the country. “Kashmiri cuisine is like a visit to the valley itself.
It is almost like a welcome break from what the plains have to offer! The food
almost works in perfect sync with the windy weather and breath-taking view,”
she says. Pointing out certain highlights of Kashmiri cuisine, she adds, “The
unifying factor across communities is a love for mutton. Whether Hindu or
Muslim, no matter what the divide, they are unified on this view. Of course
there might be differences in opinion on whose end product might be better, but
in truth, they aren’t too far apart.” Cultural similarities are drawn to the
ever famous discussion of whose Xacuti is better, the Catholic’s or the
Hindu’s.
The cuisine that represents Coorg is quintessentially a
collection from the repository of knowledge of grandmothers, mothers, aunts,
and other such links who have created unforgettable meals for their loved ones,
or so feels Kavery Ponnapa. Pointing out what it takes to signify the core of a
meal in Coorg, she elucidates, “The cuisine of Coorg is something that has
evolved over the centuries, and is a testament to the natural surroundings of
the area. From wild greens to bamboo shoots to flavourful wild game, food would
make its way to the table right from the heart of nature. Seasonal fruit would
be gathered at its peak before making its way to the ever popular pickling
process for preservation.”
However, what remains over time a highlight of the style of
cuisine is its use of the signature dark vinegar made from fermented fruit of
Garcinia gummi-gutta or kaipuli – local bitter oranges. Invariably, many dishes
contain an accent of one of these ingredients. Once again something that ties
into Goa’s fondness for vinegar, albeit the local variant is more palm based.
While each style of cuisine doubtlessly has its identifying
hallmarks, there can be no doubt that in casting the differences aside, there
are blatant similarities as well.
