Sanjeev Kapoor-Lessons

History of honey

Nisha — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 02:55:10 -0700

Honey is the tasty product made for their own purpose by honeybees. Honey is a very ancient food. The Bhimbetka paintings in the caves near Bhopal, from about 6000 BC, show man in the act of despoiling bee hives built on rocks. The Rigveda (1500 BC) has several references to honey. An opinion is expressed that the honey from small bees -saragha - is superior to that from larger bees - arangara. Both Charaka and Sushrutha list eight types of honey. The Mahabharata has references to bee gardens, apiary keepers and pollen yielding plant suggesting some degree of commercialism.

Chef Kapoor’s note: The Sanskrit name madhu for honey later became generic for sweetness. Even so in Ayurvedic view honey is classed not as a sweet but as an astringent material, energy giving, cooling and a digestive stimulant. It reduces kapha and with it obesity.

A satisfactory meal

Nisha — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 08:03:48 -0700

Banana leaves are large and waterproof, tailor made for use as disposable platters that avoid cross pollution. Several meals served alike to kings and Brahmins on banana leaves are described in 15th century records. Each item of food had its allotted place on the leaf. The six tastes had to be represented at every major meal. Generally one started with a sweet item, followed by salty and sour items in the middle courses, and ending with items that were pungent, bitter and astringent. Another order which could also encompass the six tastes was to begin with foods to be chewed, and followed with foods to be sucked, foods to be licked, and sweets, after lesser items would come boiled rice, then liquid preparations of the vegetables and the like. The sixth course would be curd based items, followed by milk based desserts. After thoroughly rinsing the hands and mouth, a betel leaf would end the meal. It was believed that the food eaten should suit the person’s temperament and the season of the year. The amount of food eaten should be just enough to satisfy, and this quantity depended upon the digestive power of individuals.

Chef Kapoor’s note: Our meals these days do not satisfy all the six tastes. This is what evolution does to man. In fact, some traditions of having dal, rice, roti, pickle, curd, vegetables, salad, chutneys, papads, and mithai in one meal is a good one going by what Ayurveda says. But due to lifestyle diseases on the rise, people are wary of having too much in one go and also where has one the time to have a leisurely meal!

Evolution of the chakki

Nisha — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 08:09:07 -0700

From what we get from Mohenjodaro, domestic grinding stones were essentially of two kinds. One was a small saddle querns which had ends pointing upwards with a small cylindrical roller, used with both hands and in a kneeling position. A variation was a flat, squarish stone and a cylindrical roller. The second type has a small circular depression in the center and a round biconcave grinder, well suited for crushing soaked grains. The double chakki only appears in Indian records after about 200 BC and in association with such Roman artefacts as wine amphorae.

Chef Kapoor’s note: We sure have come a long way now what with readymade wheat flour available in packets, that too claiming to be ‘chakki fresh’. We also can choose a domestic grinding machine that comes in as small a size as suited to your household’s needs! Grinding the flour at home ensures that it is fresh, also the full quantity is accessible otherwise a lot of it goes as waste in the small neighbourhood electric commercial ‘chakkis’.

Dining the Sultani way

Nisha — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 08:12:53 -0700

Ibn Buttata has a good deal to say about the dining customs of the Delhi Sultans which were perhaps unique to Muslim royalty in India. A certain ritual formality was observed. Before the dinner begins the chamberlain stands at the head of the dinner carpet and performs the bow in the direction of the Sultan. All present do the same. After this the people sit down to eat. Brought out are gold, silver and glass cups filled with fine sugar water perfumed with rose water or sherbet. After this the chamberlain calls out the name of the Lord. Then everyone begins to eat. At the end of dinner jugs of barley drink are brought followed by betel leaves and nuts. Again the chamberlain calls out the name of the Lord and everyone stands up and bow in the same way as before. Then they retire.

Chef Kapoor’s note:
Dining in such a grand way is perhaps the thing of the past. No one has the time for a proper sit down dinner even in normal everyday lives! It is a little unfortunate because a family that eats together sticks together! It is a pleasure to spend time with your loved ones at the dining table…the food somehow tastes so much better. I think we should all resolve to eat together at least one meal as a family.

Taste of life

Aafreen — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 23:24:01 -0800

Salt is indispensable. We can eat food which is boiled and steamed but it should have a dash of salt at least. Salt makes everything palatable. And the history of salt goes a long way. Five of the most important salts are first mentioned in the Buddhist Vinayak Pitaka and later by Charaka. These are rock salt, sea salt, black salt, earth salt and audvida (efflorescent salts). Salts quickly assumed ritual significance. In the Sutra literature its use is forbidden to students, to widows and to newly married couples for the first three days. Black salt was interdicted at an ancestral shradha ceremony. In certain types of fasts, ordinary sea salt has to be replaced by rock salt.

Chef Kapoor’s note: In medical terms, salt is considered heavy, hot and pungent. Sea salt is heavy and not heating and does not cause a burning sensation on consumption. Rock salt has a superior therapeutic effect calming all three doshas according to Ayurvedic principles.