India is known for its varied heritage... And now more fondly also known for its different cuisines. Flavour, Taste, Love; you get to experience it all in India. It is mainly famous for its diverse culture and flavourful cuisine. The diverse culinary tradition reflects the country’s vast geography, history, and cultural heritage. In order to make the public more aware of this, the Orange City Literature Fest (OCLF) organised a workshop and invited professional chefs and food entrepreneurs, who helped us gain essential knowledge about artisanal and craft food production. They also talked about how there are 28 states in India, each with its own unique culture and tradition. Every state holds a different taste. We discussed the one thing we can all relate to, which is, once you enter India, the first thing you want to do is eat! The taste of love; is Indian food,’ And I bet, you won’t get the same taste anywhere you go. Masala/spices are in our blood. The variety even in vegetarian food makes you want to come to India even more.
The Orange City Literature Fest is more than just a literary event. It's a tribute to Nagpur's and India's varied and vibrant culture. It is a platform that sheds light on how the country values its old customs while also welcoming fresh thoughts and outside influences. There we got to know that Indian cuisine has a rich history that goes back thousands of years. Every part of the county adds its own special taste, ingredients, and ways of cooking to the mix. The food here is made with loads of love. Some dishes are not just dishes for Indian people, they’re emotion, for they have some special meanings and are only made on certain occasions. Laddoos, modak, etc are all examples of the same.
The Journey of Indian Food
As the attire changes from State to state, so does the variety of food. Every country has its own political and economical history about which they proudly tell their children. But Indians, along with the ancient history can boast about their traditional cuisine that's been carried through generations. In India, passing on culinary knowledge from one generation to the next is a tradition: more than merely receiving recipes. I learned about the different methods of cooking through the workshop by The Orange City Literature Fest (OCLF). The speaker passed on to us some traditional methods of cooking that they learned from their teachers. Every place in India is famous for its rich and aromatic gravies of the Mughal Empire located from North to West; tangy, coconut-infused dishes going South. A variety of foods that is both deeply rooted in culture — where ancestral knowledge merges with generational creativity to connect past and present.
Global influence
In the modern era, Indian food has become a global attraction; people from different parts of the world come to taste the taste of India. Looking at the hype of Indian cuisine, the people in foreign countries had to open Indian restaurants where people could come and experience the goodness that the dishes held. The likes of butter chicken, samosas and naan are globally beloved dishes that capture the rich tapestry of savoury flavours from India. The people who had eaten the Indian food were so moved by the taste of it that they started to add the same spices in their cuisine. Which gave birth to fusion food. As Indian cuisine was being appreciated throughout the world, the chefs across the world tried to combine the Indian flavours with their flavours which resulted in dishes like curry pizzas, naan tacos, masala burgers that were then named as fusion food.
Health and Indian Food
Talking about the health trends, Indian food has always been on the right track As the food here is made with all the natural and homegrown ingredients, the dishes are filled with protein and essential nutrients. As people are becoming aware of the importance of food to keep their bodies fit and healthy, they have started to turn to Indian cuisine for its nutrients and balanced meals. Most of the dishes here are naturally healthy. As people ask for pocket-friendly but healthy dishes, Indian food offers a wide range of options that perfectly matches with their modern dietary preferences without emptying their pockets. Some spices are also used to heal wounds and diseases as they hold healing properties.
Myself and some of my friends have been attending the Orange City Literature Fest for a couple of years now, and truly I tell you, not once have we regretted going there. Every time we attend the fest, we return with a new set of information.