Home is Where the Food is!

Do you realize how strong a relationship we, Indians, have with food? After all, food is such an integral part of us, our existence and our surroundings, and food is certainly much more than just a bare necessity.There are innumerable instances that support this fact. Food is the centre of attraction at any social gathering. We have elaborate talks on food. When we feel unhappy, we resort to eating. When we think of home, we think of food. We enjoy putting huge amount of time in cooking, for us it’s time invested, not time wasted. Recipes are passed from mothers to daughters and cooking is still a vital test that the future daughter-in-laws are put through. Such is the bond between us and food. Deliciously incredible!

India is not only divided by rivers and mountains but also by food. What you eat can tell where you are from; such is the power of food in India. How amazing! When it comes to food, the menu is huge and the list never ending, with each region displaying its own distinctive flavor and cooking styles. But when India unites on culinary grounds, there is an explosion of aroma and a unique blend of flavors that instantly creates an atmosphere of happiness, warmth, generosity, and sheer magic.

For us, The USA is a mini India with 2.7 million Indians tucked in every corner of the country. Undoubtedly, with such a massive demand, there will be an abundant supply. In good old days, NRIs had to bring with them masalas and kitchen supplies enough to last their next visit to India but the trouble is over. With Indian grocery stores and supermarkets mushrooming all around the country, these days We Get Everything, almost everything. Thank goodness for major players like Patel Brothers, those nukkad-wala dukan (corner shops) and Indian brands like Swad, Amul, Maggi, Parle G and Haldiram’s for the unlimited supply of spices, oil, flour, rice, lentils and vegetables that help us run our kitchen and most of all, quench the burning desire of Indian food in us. Of course, nothing is comparable to ghar ka khana (home food) but the feeling is a close imitation and quite satisfactory.

Having earned global accolades, food has put India on the world culinary map. Hence today food is our national pride, our pride! Even today as we sit in our adopted countries and think of the tantalizing Indian sampler, we can in our minds take a whiff of the warm aromatic flavor that runs throughout the country. Tandoori chicken, rajma chawal, fish curry, biryani, masala dosa, mango pickles….It smells like home, isn’t it?