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Amritsar: Amritsar, the city of the Golden Temple has been at the heart of Punjab's cultural wealth down the centuries. The land of the gurus, the Golden Temple, and the Jallianwala Bagh, and a range of culinary delicacies including the much-loved "Papad-Badian", Amritsar has it all. The city happens to be one of the biggest centres for gourmet's delights. A journey down the congested lanes and bylanes of Amritsar's walled city takes one to the culinary hub of the city, a travel that certainly tickles the palate, leaving behind a lovely taste and fragrance lingering in the mouth. To an unaccustomed visitor, the spicy aroma out of the several assortments, may not mean anything, but to the seasoned nose, it the smell of the one and only, "papad-badian". The traditional market, specializing in the much loved delicacy itself, dates back to the 1850s, with the recipes, ingredients and trade secrets having been passed down the generations. And Amritsar's "papads" and "badians", as the saying goes, are the best, when they are hand-made the traditional way.
From mixing just the right ingredients to kneading the dough to perfect firmness, making the "badians" is a specialized job that merits more attention than just cursory looks. The hand made products available here, are not only more sought after, but also more expensive than the machine made versions. It is said that only the deft hands of cooks and the artisans, who make the "papads" and "badians" can impart the right flavour and taste into them. Each "papad" is made of urad or moong lentils, and flavoured with black pepper and cumin seeds. Asafotoeda has also to be laid out individually to dry on straw mats. Little wonder, that the "papad" available here in Amritsar, is not found anywhere else. "It's the wonderful water of Amritsar that makes all the difference. And of course the skill and quality of workers and workmanship are important. The important thing at every step is to use the best material and ingredients for the "badians". If we use poor quality material, the product will be bad. We ensure that no poor quality material is ever used. Even if we fall short, only the best should be used. The important thing is the "papad-badian" should remain a big draw," said Rajwinder Singh, the owner of Papad-Badian Manufacturing Unit.
In
Amritsar, "papads" and "badians" are made by the thousands each day. And
an entire community makes a living out of it. Badian made of soya or black
pepper, flavoured with asafotoeda are immensely popular, and lend a special
favour to the dish to which it is added, pulses, vegetables and even rice.
Indeed, the "papads" and "badians" of Amritsar have grown into an industry
in themselves, exported around the world, after being packaged under a
variety of brand names. "It's the method of preparation and the formulae
of the various spices, that make the "papad" a treat. Health wise too,
the "papad" is very good. There are certain spice ingredients that are
imported from Pakistan, and are also found in Rajasthan. This gives the
"papad" a special taste. An array of spices, used everyday, is used for
preparing them. Eating one will make you forget everything else," said
Karnail Singh Behl, an exporter.
-Aug
29, 2005
Eight-course
meal at Karzai's banquet for Manmohan
by Smita Prakash
Kabul
(Afghanistan): Chefs at the Kabul Presidential Palace pulled out all
stops at the banquet on Sunday evening, hosted by President Hamid Karzai
in honour of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. An eight course lavish spread
was laid out for the visiting Prime Minister, who is a frugal eater and
not really much of a gourmand. There were various forms of kebabs and
a variety of chicken dishes, besides curries and sauces that were distinctly
Afghan in appearance and taste. There was rice and naan served as accompaniment.
Phirni ' a pudding made of milk and rice paste and ice-cream was offered
as dessert. Fruits, which form an essential part of every Afghan meal,
were also on offer. Melons, grapes and apricots were greatly appreciated
by the Indians. Afghanistan's Minister for Culture and Information, Dr
Rahim, said that never before had he seen such a lavish banquet dinner
being laid out for any state guest. Afghans are very sensitive to their
culinary tastes and like Indians are very proud of their epicurean traditions.
At the banquet, many Afghan politicians could be seen talking about the
similarities and differences of Afghan and Indian food. Daud Hamidi, a
young marketing professional, said that hosting Indians is always a pleasure
for Afghan families as it is with Afghan politicians. "There is a natural
link with Indians" he said. In fact, so liked are the Indians here, that
many Pakistanis often call themselves Indians rather than reveal their
nationality. Clearly, Pakistanis are viewed with suspicion even today,
though President Karzai claimed at a press conference on Sunday that Afghanistan's
relationship with Pakistan whom he called "our brothers" was "thriving".
Yet, there isn't a single store or restaurant in the capital that boasts
of being Pakistani. Nobody watches Pakistani films or tv channels.
-Aug
29, 2005
Kerala rice products tick Gulf palates
Kochi (Kerala): Kerala's rice and rice products are being extensively marketed in the Gulf countries, which has a very high demand there for the state's ready rice powders for its traditional delicacies. The rice industry in Kerala underwent major changes during the 1990's, with many of the traditional milling units undergoing modernization by installing new boiling, drying and milling machines with new technologies. The producers however, say that despite all the innovations in technology, they make sure to keep the ethnic taste and flavour of the products. This they claim is the precise reason why these rice products have become so popular and dearer abroad. Around 150 small and large rice mills, are involved in the manufacture of good quality rice and rice products, which are mainly exported to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain. These mills are equipped with the latest state of art technology for every aspect of processing of paddy-right from cleaning, drying, de-husking, bran-removal, polishing and finally sorting. Periyar Rice, a brand famous in the Gulf is so much in demand that the company is finding it difficult to cope with the rising demand, and is now contemplating setting up a new unit with modern machineries.
"The export of rice is going very well specially in Gulf countries. This
type of rice is mainly used by the people of Kerala. Earlier we used to
take the rice from Taiwan. It used to be of a cheaper quality, and the
taste was not that good. Now we take rice from Kerala to make powder,
we find the taste has improved. The trend is going very well. We conducted
a survey and found in last six months and found that we have made profit
of 25 percent," said Sebastian P., owner of Periyar Rice. The exporters
of this area are however, peeved that the State Government is not providing
them with any kind of support. The exorbitant electricity charges and
taxes have started affecting them, with many believing that it would ring
in difficult times ahead. The Cochin Chamber of Commerce has said that
the exports for rice and rice products from Kerala in 2002-03 was around
16,000 tones which doubled to 33500, in 2004-05. "As we have started exporting
our products our turnover has increased considerably. Out of the 84 crore
rupees (19.26 million dollars), 22 crores (5.04 million dollars) was from
export alone. Our turnover is poised for increase to 100 crore rupees
(22.93 million dollars) or more. Besides brown rice we also export ready
to cook rice powder for various traditional cuisines," said, K.K.Kannan,
Chairman, Nirapara, a rice marketing firm.
-Aug
21, 2005
Coimbatore's
idly-dosa making wet grinders go global
by Yahova
Coimbatore:
Idlis and Dosas across the globe have now something in common - the
batter making wet grinders from Coimbatore. Coimbatore's wet grinder manufacturing
industry contributes to 90 percent of the domestic market. Now, the manufacturers
are planning to double their exports in the near future, especially of
models made without stone. Over 15 percent of various models of wet grinders
like the conventional model, tabletop and tilting models are exported
to the US, UK, Gulf countries and South Africa. "We are exporting to almost
all the countries in the world wherever there are Indians in the world
as this product is exclusively used by south Indians. There is no threat
from any other manufacturing company as this product is only used to make
batter for idlis and dosas. We are expecting exports to be at least 25-30
per cent in the coming year," said Selvraj, an exporter. But, the industry
is worried over the heavy tax imposed by the Government. "The Central
Government is levying a 12 per cent sales tax and a 5 per cent as additional
taxes. There is a 16 per cent Central Excise tax. Taxes are very high
and we have approached central and state government for special protection
for this traditional based product," said N. Rajan, President of the Coimbatore
Wet Grinder and Accessories Manufacturer's Association. These semi-automatic
grinders have been in the market since early 60's. They are primarily
used to make a rice-lentil batter which is then used to make south Indian
dishes like idlis and dosas. Earlier, South Indians used to prepare this
batter manually. The mechanized grinders are made using rolling stone,
belt and pulley system. With a growing demand for wet grinders the number
of manufacturers has increased by 1000 units within the city. Around 50,000
people are directly and indirectly engaged in the wet grinders manufacturing
and accessories sector. Around 70,000 wet grinders are produced a month
with an annual turnover of 100 crore rupees (22.98 million dollar).
-Aug
12, 2005
Fish
loving Bengalis get a taste of Hyderabadi Biryani
by Ajita Menon
Kolkata:
A deceptively simple dish of rice and meat is attracting high admiration
by the food connoisseurs in the metropolis of Kolkata during the ongoing
10-day food festival being organised at Zarang, a fine-dining restaurant.
Organisers of the festival have brought together a team of experts from
different parts of the country to cook up a range of Biryanis, made available
in a single-eating session. "We are offering an opportunity to residents
of Kolkata to taste different types of Biryani in one session and in that
session, you will get Hyderabadi, one with garlic and some others. So
that at the end of the session, you would have virtually become some sort
of a guru on Biryanis," says Deepak Khuller, the owner of Zarang. The
Biryani, a gourmet contends, remains the ultimate test of a good chef.
Traditionally made with uncooked, marinated lamb and layered with rice
at the bottom of a heavy pan, a Biryani is peppered with a range of spices
and condiments. The idea is to have perfectly cooked meat with flavored
rice. Guests have to dish out four hundred rupees (9 dollars) to feast
like a king. They are treated to the dishes from Biryani hubs like Agra,
Lucknow and Hyderabad. Organizers have also arranged for special traditional
deserts to go with the range of Biryanis. Kolkata's own Biryani distinguishes
itself from its other country cousins by the extra spices added to the
dish and the use of potatoes, which are not used in any other Biryani
preparation.
-Aug
7, 2005
Kanhiya
Puris, a must for visitors to Amritsar!
by Ravinder Singh Robin
Amritsar: The people of Amritsar are born hosts, and connoisseurs of good food. Within the walled city are situated outlets, known for their culinary delicacies like multi-layered prathas, bhatura chana, tandoori kulchas, puris and a lot more. Travelling within the city, still surrounded by crumbling walls and lofty gates, one reaches the city centre. The hustle and bustle and the majestic buildings is an unforgettable experience, and the hot puris at Kanhiya Sweets only makes the visit more memorable. For savouring the traditional cuisine of Amritsar, a visit to the city interior, is a must, and it is here at Phullonwala Chowk that one gets to try out the delicious Puri-Aloo at Kanhiya Sweets. A popular breakfast place at Amritsar, the food here is so tasty that even the congested roads and heavy traffic doesn_t deter one to have mouth-watering puri chole and longis here.
Established
in 1924, the shop has for almost eight decades, served to the food lovers,
the deep- fried puris accompanied with tangy chole and Longi, a sweet
sauce made of potato, onion and tamarind. But, what is it that makes the
puris so popular. It is the technique and the ingredients that go into
making them. Made of wheat flour and stuffed with `urad' dal and spices,
the stuffing makes the puris very light and fluffy, and though it_s a
tried and tested method, Kanhaiya has beaten the competition hands down.
"We normally fill puris with `pithi' and hing (asafoetida). We serve vegetables
along with Chole and Aaloo. We also serve seasonal pickles. Now, we are
serving `Kachaloo' and onions. We'll soon start serving Mango pickle,
with the puris," said the manager of Kanhiya Sweets. True to its tradition,
the restaurants remains packed during the breakfast and lunch hours with
the locals preferring to walk down along with their friends and relatives
for having their meal. One plate consisting of two puris, chole, pickle
and longi costs a mere 12 rupees and everyone who comes to the city to
pay their obeisance at Sri Harmandir Sahib, makes it a point to come here
and try the dish. The high calorie food does not in any way deter the
guests. "Its one of the oldest shops of Amritsar and its Puris are famous
not only in Amritsar but all over India. The quality and taste of the
food are unbeatable and the quality is always maintained. Amritsar's chole,
kulche and Puris are famous all over and you can't savour the same taste
anywhere outside this city. We plan every weekend's breakfast at this
shop," said a visitor. "I was born and brought up in Amritsar and have
now settled in Ahmedabad. I come to Amritsar quite often, and make it
a point to savour the puris here. It has a unique taste, which can not
be found anywhere else," said another connoisseur.
-Aug 7, 2005
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