It was hardly two months into 2020 when we were done with exchanging New Year greetings. Daily life had begun chugging with people when suddenly everything turned around. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic confined us to the four walls. A new normal began to emerge after the initial unrest people reconciled that the new normal is here to stay for the foreseeable future. With no avenues to destress themselves, people started finding ways and means to make it easier for themselves—men and children have alike begun to share household chores from cooking to cleaning and making the dishes.
Pandemic-Induced lockdown
One of the exciting trends emerging from the pandemic-induced lockdown is “experimentation” in kitchens. And no prizes for guessing where it all started – Dalgona Coffee! Vijay Prasad, Executive Director, Annapoorna Masalas & Spices, states that "as safety and building immunity took centre stage, people started looking at their kitchen shelves for the tried and tested grandmother solutions to stay healthy. As this trend started gaining momentum, people started to experiment with new dishes and cuisines. If we were to force ourselves to see the silver lining, the pandemic has brought about a revival of some of the lost regional cuisines – a trend that is likely to stay as healthy and safe home-cooked food is becoming more critical than ever before."
Re-Emergence Of The Lost Cuisines
"After experimenting with global cuisines, people are now returning to local cuisines and flavours and choosing them over world-inspired cuisines and trends. As a result, India is witnessing an impressive revival of long-lost recipes which had got relegated to just a few homes," says Vijay Prasad. One of the reasons for the re-emergence of the lost cuisines is the health qualities present in Indian spices and masalas. For instance:
- The humble ‘haldi' (turmeric) powder has anti-inflammatory properties and is also known as a natural and safe cure for the common cold and cough.
- ‘Rasam’, a daily must-dish in almost every household in South India, is known for its digestive properties and preventing cold.
- ‘Pepper’ helps in the prevention of cold.
India: Home To Unique Cuisines
India is home to many unique and authentic cuisines from every state of the country. This vibrancy and variety of cuisines and flavours are replete with an array of spices and masala that makes Indian cuisines a favourite in a foreign land. For example, if authentic ‘chole is a popular cuisine in North India, ‘sambar’, ‘rasam’ are popular dishes in South India. Many regional cuisines trace their lineage back to the days of kings and queens that came up in geographies like Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Madurai.
Conclusion
The revival of long-lost cuisines heralds a new beginning in the Indian food space as the decibel for healthy eating and immunity building reaches its crescendo. The famous saying “life comes full circle” is becoming more vivid than ever before. It is only a matter of time before the nostalgia comes alive in every household paving the way for a wholesome meal the family can savour and relish together.