Vernika Awal
Deputy Editor
Growing up in the Doon Valley and having been exposed to the Himalayan cuisine through my travels and interactions over the years, I wondered why over the last many years the cuisine of Himalayan region was reduced to steaming hot momos and instant noodles. Wherever you go today in the mountains, you will see endless stalls selling these items in the name of “pahadi khaana” dotting the curves of the mountain roads. The chances that someone would opt to eat an urad dal ka vada with bhaang jeera chutney or tor ki dal and chawal at a humble roadside dhaba, when in Uttarakhand, or siddu with anardana chutney in Himachal Pradesh, is far less compared to the crowd outside the various ‘maggi points!’ The death of regional Himalayan cuisine is on us, the tourists.
In between all this it is heartening to see when few individuals take it upon themselves to document and preserve their culture and cuisine and present it to the world. For instance, at Noon in Mumbai, Kunzes Angmo of Artsanal Alchemy has joined hands with Chef Vanika Choudhary to bring to the maximum city, the food from her home state of Ladakh. For Angmo a dish is not merely a dish but the history of a community presented on a platter. She is at Noon breaking one misconception after another about Ladakhi cuisine through this pop-up. Go visit!
Talking of breaking stereotypes, what if I tell you that you can soak in the Parisian patisserie vibes in the most beautiful place in our country? In a state where the morning cup of noon chai is incomplete without fresh breads of the day from the local kandur (traditional baker), baker has captured the heart of Srinagar with his French confections. His cherry cheesecake, charlotte au citron (Lemon Charlotte) exist side by side with the local tsot, baakerkhani, and khatai peacefully – each equally loved by the locals. Check out our video of the week to know more about Saqib Mir and Le Delice patisserie.
Meanwhile in Mumbai a bunch of youngsters have taken it upon themselves to bring to life the concept of farm to fork and sustainability in a form where it is more than just a food trend and conversation around the dining table, with the new cafe called Project Hum, in Bandra. Our reporter Pratishtha Rana paid them a visit and was most impressed with the way they honour the farmer whose produce they are using by giving them due credit at every stage. Their food fits the ‘clean-eating’ bill and sustainability trickles down to the smallest of details in the cafe. We highly recommend it!
While all’s good on the food-front, let me tell you how Bira has acquired The Beer Cafe. If you are a beer lover, you’re likely in tune with what both these brands represent for beer, and what each has done to democratise and liberalise beer drinking in India. It is this that made the acquisition largely significant, and one that could define the homegrown beer industry in the near future. Read my piece on how this might become a milestone in the chapter of young beer experiences in the country!
Have a great weekend, guys!