Ringing in forgotten flavours

Rahul Verma

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AN old slogan needs a relook. Ring out the old, ring in the new, we used to say before the start of the New Year. But when it comes to food, the time has come for us to say, ring in the old. There is, indeed, a thrust on old recipes and ingredients. If 2023 was the year of the millet, 2024 will see a reinforcement of long-forgotten grains. If the last few years made us wonder about our health, the New Year would focus on healthy dishes, the kind that grandma cooked. We will see more of fermented food, and, quite possibly, fewer dishes. Here’s a quick look at what the New Year holds for us.

Grains on the table

I wonder if anybody remembers the time when we wrinkled our collective noses at grains. Our staples mainly consisted of rice and wheat, even though various kinds of grains ruled in many parts of India. The campaign around millets has turned the focus on grains. We will see more of millets — foxtail millet (kangni), finger millet (ragi), pearl millet (bajra) and so on — as well as other types of grains, from barley to amaranth. “Grains will occupy the centre of the plate,” celebrity chef Ranveer Brar tells me.

Going green

Chefs are focusing on green food — not just green leaves and vegetables, but eco-friendly or green food. Nishant Choubey, consulting chef, Street Storyss, Bengaluru, believes there will be a greater interest in vegan food — with outlets offering, for instance, alternatives to animal milk, such as cashew milk, potato milk, pecan milk and peanut milk. “It’s culturally relevant, and ecologically responsible,” adds Chef Brar, who has an eponymous YouTube channel.

Look East

The one cuisine that has caught our fancy is from Southeast Asia. We love Thai food — from pad Thai and tom yam to the green and red curries. We have also developed a fondness for Indonesian and Malay food — think nasi goreng and rendang curry. I think the one regional cuisine we will see more of in 2024 is Vietnamese. The cuisine doffs its cap to many disparate culinary influences. The taste is sublime, and one can never have enough of pho — Vietnam’s superbly tasty soup — and banh mi, a sandwich dripping with goodies and goodness.

Recipes go healthy

Covid-19 has reinforced the need to stay healthy. “The year 2023 was a learning lesson: it told us what’s right, and what’s wrong,” says Chef Ashwani Singh, who runs a YouTube food channel called Cook Pro 6. People will be going back to their roots, and looking for healthy and easy recipes, cooked with ingredients that are readily available and in utensils of yore. The health benefits of fermented food will be disseminated. Chef Choubey believes in the strength of kombucha — the fermented and sweetened black tea drink that is all the rage. I see more and more people serving or eating regional versions of fermented rice, such as Odisha’s pakhala — cooked rice soaked in water overnight, and then consumed with small, fried fish or greens.

Sub-regional food

There was a time when any cuisine south of the Vindhyas was simply called South Indian. Over the years, we have learnt to distinguish between the states, and the various kinds of cuisines that these states in turn offer. And that’s true not just of the South, but of other parts of the country, too. We are increasingly getting to relish community and sub-regional cuisines. So, for instance, we may get to feast on Kolhapur’s thick and spicy mutton curry, or Bihar’s Champaran mutton, cooked in a handi. Festivals may highlight Kumaoni food (bichhu buti ki chutney, anybody?), Mudaliar food, with its tradition of mixing vegetables with seafood or meats, or what’s known as Ghoti food — the somewhat sweet dishes that a section of Bengalis swears by.

Small is beautiful

People are eating less and less — to lead healthier lives. I don’t mean trends such as intermittent fasting; what’s interesting is that we are cutting down on quantities. Chef Singh believes that while people will enjoy a Bihari or a Rajasthani thali, they may opt for chhoti thalis — instead of the lavish, bowl-ringed thalis that have been the norm.

Social media

Does anyone remember the old food shows that were once aired on Doordarshan? The camera focused on a kadahi, while a disembodied voice described, in a yawn-inducing manner, the many ingredients and steps required for a particular dish. The MasterChef shows on TV and the YouTube food shows that followed were like a whiff of fresh air — highlighting the magic of cooking food. TV channels and social media will continue to do their bit in 2024. Food pros and amateurs will take us through recipes or old and new eateries, describing food that will make us drool.

Eating out

Ah, the joy of sitting out in the open and having a meal! After being cooped in for so many years, we are now enjoying the outdoors. Apart from open-air cafes, picnics — especially when the weather is pleasant — will keep us happy. Bring out the hampers, and bring in the New Year!