AUTHENTICITY IN FOOD – The world still matters , but it’s definition isn’t as simple as it used to be.
‘Authentic’ Food is Not What You Think It Is If your dinner is good , does its heritage even matter ?
As a part of our course we were asked to articulate our line of enquiry in our studio and develop it over the few weeks. We were shared with five big ideas and we were asked to choose one or more big ideas to which our line of enquiry could be situated with. Along with this we were asked to set out some disciplinary questions that would guide out line of enquiry and how we planned to connect it with the big idea that we chose.
My big idea was situated with culture as knowledge systems and I had started over with questioning the authenticity of modern food and it’s effects on traditional food. Here my definition of modern food should be the change in recipe of original traditional food according to the taste buds of people . I started questioning the authenticity by reviewing the prime ingredients used in the original food
After doing my research on authentic food by interviewing people these were some of the responses I received to the question “Does food have to be authentic and have an heritage to it if it tastes good to you ?”
Responses –
“No, because Traditions have to change in order for them to become better”
” It just has to taste good.
Food cooked with the authentic recipe and method if possible has to be significant to a particular region”
Food cooked with the authentic recipe and method if possible has to be significant to a particular region”
“Food is food. If we question the Neanderthal’s ,they only cared about having something to eat. So evolution basically made us civilized and hence all of these.”
So how can we define the ‘real thing’ when it comes to food? And does it matter ? Food authenticity is an intangible power that is often held in high regard . When we go out for a meal , or prepare one at home , we are mostly seeking an experience that’s as close to the ‘real thing’ as possible. But how exactly do we decide what food are truly authentic.
In my case I’ve taken Biryani, for instance – a generally described mish-mash of rice and meats, stirs passions on either side of the divide. Actually several divides according to me. Hyderabadis protect the right to its authenticity from what I’ve known. Yet in several pre-mixed masalas I’ve certainly found “Bombay Biryani”, Sindhi, Goan, Lucknawi, Malabar, Kashmiri and even perhaps Punjabi in the making and heaven knows how many different authenticities.
The North also generously tips fennel into a dish like biryani and tweaks its flavor to be more appreciated and craved in the North. Similarly the South is heavily reliant on Curry leaves and Cumin and you are more likely to get heavily accented curry leaf tastes in a genuine southern dish. While authentic India cuisine is a debatable area and I could go on and on about the subtle variants that makes a dish unique to its region and people .
I can attempt to correctly identify the correct way a dish has been traditionally made and at times comment on variances in region for instance saying that when Kashmiri’s make their version of biryani, we are more likely to find plums and cashewnuts in their idea of authentic. But, hey , that is unique to the fair mountainous people. They have to find a way to make use of their surplus cashews and plums, don’t they? They threw it into Biryani and Mutton curry one day and Presto, there was born Kashmiri biryani and Roganjosh. How else would we explain variance? All variance was a matter of accidents turning into a great new experience. And that typifies Indian cuisine. A bunch of terribly sweet accidents that taste good and have a ton of loyal followers across the globe!
The North also generously tips fennel into a dish like biryani and tweaks its flavor to be more appreciated and craved in the North. Similarly the South is heavily reliant on Curry leaves and Cumin and you are more likely to get heavily accented curry leaf tastes in a genuine southern dish. While authentic India cuisine is a debatable area and I could go on and on about the subtle variants that makes a dish unique to its region and people .
I can attempt to correctly identify the correct way a dish has been traditionally made and at times comment on variances in region for instance saying that when Kashmiri’s make their version of biryani, we are more likely to find plums and cashewnuts in their idea of authentic. But, hey , that is unique to the fair mountainous people. They have to find a way to make use of their surplus cashews and plums, don’t they? They threw it into Biryani and Mutton curry one day and Presto, there was born Kashmiri biryani and Roganjosh. How else would we explain variance? All variance was a matter of accidents turning into a great new experience. And that typifies Indian cuisine. A bunch of terribly sweet accidents that taste good and have a ton of loyal followers across the globe!
I’m of the belief that we foster feelings about a particular cuisine or dish based on a memory . My grandmother’s Malabar biriyani from Calicut , Kerala is a revelation – it’s one night marinated shallow fried chicken mixed with masala gravy and cooked rice gives an aromatic flavor which tastes simply amazing. But when I come down to Bangalore to have the same named Malabar Biryani made by certain restaurant doesn’t give me the same experience since I’d have memory of the “authentic biryani” I had with my grandma she had made for me.
Who disputes and regulates the genuine one? I doubt any one can because in their own right these variants are genuine. India’s religion and cultural and regional diversity have been strong influencers in the evolution of it’s a dishes claim to ‘genuine’. Spice and the level of spice and combination of ingredients in a dish contributes to its label.
Sometimes search for authenticity is a very long ride back to our roots. Not only food but anything that’s widely spread over ages cannot be really authenticated. Culture, language, religion, everything has been modified and reshaped.
