Understanding Traditional Foods: Going Back to our Culinary Roots

Understanding Traditional Foods: Going Back to our Culinary Roots 

Blessed with a rich and varied cultural heritage, India is home to various foods from the country's different regions. The country's geographical and cultural differences and its variety in local produce, traditions, temperament, and eating habits are the various factors that are responsible for this diversity in its cuisine. To truly understand a country's culture, one need not look much further than the foods people eat and how they are prepared, served, and consumed. Food is also instrumental to rituals and traditions, religious beliefs, and the bringing together of the family unit.

Every part of the country boasts vibrant food traditions based on seasons, festivals, cycles of Agricultural practices, celebrations, weddings, feasts, and even fasts and funerals. At different points in its history, due to rule by invaders, India was influenced by many foreign cuisines and, of course, the countless traditions that an ancient civilization developed over the centuries. Many local Indian culinary practices are still known outside their regions. New political boundaries arise, but culinary boundaries do not coincide with political ones.

The most decisive influence on Indian cuisine is Ayurveda. It is knowledge concerning the maintenance of long life. Life combines the mind, body, and soul. One of the wonders of Indian cuisine is that every meal is a feast. It is almost impossible to keep track of the innumerable recipes used exclusively for particular ceremonies and festivals. Preserving and promoting the traditional recipes from the treasure trove of Indian cuisine is very important. The regional food of India is among the country’s intangible cultural heritage.

Government Initiatives, stakeholders, Hotel management colleges, and Hospitality sectors play a significant role in preserving traditional food by cooperating with them in menus and syllabi so that future generations can understand its importance.Food is only one aspect of all cultural traditions, yet it is probably one of the most persistent. Food is a source of pleasure, comfort, and security. Food is also a symbol of hospitality, social status, and religious significance, with the changing lifestyle and working population residing and changing the culture of generations becoming more cosmopolitan in their lives and food habits as well. There have been tremendous changes in food habits and intake patterns owing to the increase in changing lifestyles, women's employment, per capita Income, and other environmental factors.

Traditional food is locally sourced, fresh, and seasonal food. We've been eating it since we were young, so our bodies are accustomed to it. It is superior to junk food since it can be quickly produced without preservatives or copious amounts of saturated fat. Traditional foods are low in calories and ideal for maintaining weight. They are substantially healthy for the heart because they contain less saturated fat. Only traditional foods include many crucial oils and vitamins.

Modern chefs will make a much more effort to help protect the environment they source their products. They feel a sense of responsibility for transferring food awareness to their guests. Currently, the first step towards bettering our understanding of nature seems to be to put ourselves in the farmer's shoes. Millets that were once integral to the Indian diet lost their way. Millets were part of daily consumption but were not traded so much in India, but they are back as a healthy superfood. There is greater acceptance and adoption of traditional millet-based dishes nowadays.

Our food has a long and diverse history lot has been lost in terms of culinary heritage. Nevertheless, there is concerted effort today to do more to preserve a community’s food culture. Documenting the food culture of various communities is a way to remind us and the generations ahead of our strong culinary heritage. Feel Proud of our Traditional Indian Cuisine and try to understand the roots of its origination with emphasizing the science and culture behind it.

 

I recommend everyone to consume nourishing food and maintain a healthy lifestyle keeping our traditional values sustainable.

 

Dr. (Chef) Prem Ram