India's Summer

And Her Munificence

There's a sense of royalty and grandeur in a heritage recipe! Gautam Anand brings us traditional fare that spells richness of culture

Continuing our showcase of traditional fare that spells the richness of culture, the heirloom recipes series highlights the synthesis of independent India albeit Partition, as the country made its transition to a new nation forging new alliances and adapting to the creation of a new nation.

In our next article, we move from the cool climes of Shimla to Delhi in the 1970s, where two matriarchs welcomed very different daughters-in-law to their homes- young ladies who brought with them delectable and unique flavours to the excited parties that would get together on many an evening.

The only sons of prosperous parents are apt to be spoiled, especially if they were preceded or succeeded by many indulgent sisters! This was the case with both Iqbal Shamsi and Biren Lal. The families forged together as the young men went to Mayo College, Ajmer and traversed to St Stephen's College, Delhi University. Taking pride in international careers- Iqbal with the London School of Economics and Biren with Air India; Biren would marry the Bengali Anuradha, and Iqbal married Alice, an English academic. The young ladies brought with them a rich dose of Indian colonial heritage to their new homes.

Their annual holidays to New Delhi were often timed together, albeit in New Delhi's relentless summer. They would fly down to their neighbouring dens in their charmed nook of Nizamuddin, where the halls of the family homes would once again come alive with their capers. The city's unrelenting heat broke down against the cover of trees and sturdy walls of the low-rise, cross-ventilated bungalows. Through gaps in the network of branches of neem, gulmohar, and bougainvillea, ovals of light escaped into the tea room where the family gathered like long ago, settled in their seats, pouring over tea, snacks, seasonal fruits and vegetables, including mangoes and recherché delights from the Himalayas. Most afternoons were spent languidly exchanging stories over an endless supply of culinary amusements, notwithstanding the occasional showers that brought a welcome break from the heat and the bonus of soundhi khushboo that was welcomed with open doors and windows. But the same were shut firmly against the awe-inspiring loo; the infamous seasonal dust storms bringing in sand from the Thar and, it is said, wish-granting djinns en route to a wedding.

Alice and Anuradha would manage the home and guests as would be expected of worthy new-age memsahibs. The matriarchs took charge of stocking up on extras and essentials: from beverages and snacks, to ingredients for the next meal. The example of the Bengali grocery list here represents the empathy of both the matriarchs in welcoming their respective daughters-in-law, representative of how India's multi-cultural fabric has continued to evolve and adapt as each successive new entrant brought with them their brand of tastes to become the melting pot of civilizations. Notable amongst the fruits served during this time of the year was the delectable Chaunsa. This variety of mango with its esteemed history, has its origins in Multan and Sahiwal, in present-day Pakistan. It was made famous and given its present name by the Afghan warlord Sher Shah Suri to commemorate his victory over Humayaun in the Battle of Chaunsa in 1539.

The Bengali grocery list (an extract)
-Amshotto - Bengali version of an aampapad for chutneys to be made with tomato, dates and other dry fruits
-Gobindo Bhog Chaal Rice
-Bori - Or Badi as they are called in North India - smaller in size and are made with matar dal or masoor dal or with urad dal. They are usually prepared as an ingredient for a vegetable preparation.
-Dhoka - Made at home or store-bought - these square or diamond-shaped lentil cakes are used for a signature Bengali preparation called DhokarDalna
-Kashundi - A proprietary preparation made with mustard seeds, mango and vinegar; used as a dipping sauce for fish fries and for saag preparations
-Ghee - A unique flavoured pure ghee, it is brownish in colour
-Pataligur - Date palm jaggery
-Khejurgur - Jaggery made from sugarcane
-Gondhoraj lebu - Flavourful lime, indigenous to Bengal
-Randhuni - Celery seeds, used for shukto and chorchuri
-Kalo jeero - Onion seeds used in all jhol
-Bhajamunger dal - Roasted moong dal
-Shorsher tel - Mustard oil

The English grocery list (an extract)
-Worcestershire sauce
-HP sauce
-Sardines in oil
-Mackerel in tomato sauce
-Baked beans
-Cod fish oil
-Corn flakes
-Oats
-Marmite
-Salad oil
-Brown and Polson custard
-Egg custard
-Jelly
-Orange marmalade
-Pineapple in syrup
-Canned cherries

Against the steady hum of desert coolers, afternoons blended into evenings, the air would become thick with nostalgia, and the aroma of favourite childhood foods, notably Mayo Mutton and the Mission College Eggs and Mince. With nightfall, the fragrance of raat ki rani would cast its spell on the sleepy residential streets and sooner than they would like, it would be time for the brothers-in-arms and their partners to depart once again, no doubt sated by the food of nostalgia that would carry them through till their next visit.

Hasin Dastarkhwan hon, adayen fitanakhez hon havayen itrabez hon, To shauq kyun na tez hon (A deep love of variety of favourite foods, splendour of traits, perfumed air:
A potent combination for fast-paced epicurean desire) - Diwan Aatam, a regular guest at both homes.
With this couplet that brings justice to the delightfulness of the occasion, the Diwan Aatam shares this recitation, as we invite you to try your hand at these heirloom recipes beloved by both families.