Indian traditional cuisines attracts food lovers

By Vinamrata Takia New Delhi (India), Mar. 3 (ANI): The Global Traditional Food Summit, recently held in the national capital, provided a platform for different states to showcase their traditional food. The major objective of the summit was to harness the potential of traditional food and empower traditional food operators. India is quite famous for its diverse multi-cuisine, known for its large assortment of dishes. The cooking style varies from region to region and is largely divided into South Indian & North Indian cuisine. With the advent of processed and junk food, people of the new generation have forgotten about delicacies of India. Food summits like these are a great medium to educate people and make them aware about the variety of traditional food items in India. S.S. Ghonkrokta the organizer of the event said, "Traditional food is losing its relevance and significance over time. Unfortunately a few years ago, a wave came and people started avoiding traditional food. Traditional food was replaced by fast food, which is not wholesome and ultimately results in poor health conditions and diseases. Awareness and trade in traditional food should spread everywhere." Different states like- Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Punjab etc. participated in the event. Chefs from hill state of Himachal Pradesh also showcased their traditional cuisines. The delicacies in the region are prepared using a wide range assorted spices like cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric and cumin, etc. People from the hilly region also use a lot of yogurt as a base to most curries, which adds a comforting depth when added with buttermilk and Desi Ghee. "It's a big stage for us; because of this summit we got a chance to showcase our traditional Himachali food. People who are coming to attend the summit, they are coming and want to taste our food. And you need a stage to promote your food," said Richa Gupta, the stall owner of Kangadi Dham from Himachal Pradesh. The food in India's north-east region is as colourful and unique as their culture. When it comes to the food of Manipur, it is well-known for its chilli peppers and oil-free dishes. The black rice kheer (dessert) is one of the most popular dishes in Manipur and brings out the unique indigenous ingredients representing the region's palette. Khuplenthaung Kom, the chief from Manipur said, "There are three types of sticky rice: black, brown and white and this rice is stickier than others. We can make many things from this rice like rice cake, rice kheer and we use this rice in different forms. In Manipur we use the sticky rice and make dishes on occasions like festivals, marriages and various celebrations. It's very popular in Manipur, so we would like to introduce this to everyone and how we make dishes from this rice." The summit was a great initiative to promote India's traditional cuisine. It concluded with a cooking competition for homemakers, where the audience got to witness several new traditional dishes. (ANI)