TI believe the identical anger and skepticism that Indians really feel once they examine turmeric lattes and chai lattes, or chai tea and naan bread, is similar anger and skepticism that Italians, French, and Mexicans really feel once they see cabinets of Indian Gruyère and Parmesan and now Indian Champagne and Tequila of their supermarkets and liquor shops.
I am all for innovation and any motion to unfold various tastes and enhanced flavors and cuisines world wide. However why will we name a bubbly drink Champagne, or why will we name sure cheeses Gruyère or Parmigiano-Reggiano? There are geographic constraints, and these merchandise have to be produced in a selected area, equivalent to grapes from the Champagne area. Within the case of tequila, it may be produced outdoors the state of Jalisco, however solely inside sure municipalities in 4 different Mexican states: Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. If alcohol isn’t constituted of Blue Weber agave or produced outdoors of those particular areas or outdoors of Mexico, it can’t be categorised as tequila. As a substitute, it’s referred to as “agave spirit” or “mezcal.”
Now let’s speak about Geographical Indication (GI) tags. This got here to my consideration when Odisha utilized for GI certificates for Rosogolla. GI standing signifies {that a} product originates from a selected location and assure its authenticity and uniqueness. Odisha states that: Rosogolla It was created as an providing inside its borders. Kiramohana–To Lord Jagannath. Bengal begs to vary. In 2019, the Orissa Rasagora was given the GI tag, however Bengals have softer, spongier white fur, so you’ll be able to relaxation assured. Rasgulla The state had already obtained one other geographical indication tag in 2017.
Now, rasgulla isn’t the one delicacy that has acquired the GI tag. Actually, now we have seen many such evaluations lately. In 2022 and 2023, Mithila Makhana (Bihar), Tandur Pink Gram (Telangana), Raktsey Karpo Apricot (Ladakh), Alibaug White Onion (Maharashtra) and Mancurad Mango (Goa) all bought the GI tag.
Different well-known GI-tagged Indian meals embrace Darjeeling tea (West Bengal), Kashmir saffron (Jammu & Kashmir), Naga King chilli (Nagaland), Bikaneri Bhujia (Rajasthan), Tirupati Laddu (Andhra Pradesh), Dharwad Peda (Karnataka), Goan Bebinka (Goa), and Alphonso Mango. (Maharashtra), basmati rice (northern areas), scrumptious Manipuri black rice (Manipur), Kaladhi cheese (Jammu), which is near halloumi, and Majiladoo from Odisha.
it’s Gar Or liquid jaggery, which supplies the sandesh its biscuit colour and caramel-like sweetness. (Photograph: Wikimedia Commons)
A number of different Indian sweets additionally bought the GI tag final yr. And no surprise 4 out of the 5 are from West Bengal. Chena (Home made software program paneer) And jaggery.
First on the checklist is Nolen Ghar Sandesh which is made with recent substances. Chena Add liquid date jaggery and cook dinner on low warmth (noren ghoul) is harvested from date palms round Bardhaman, West Bengal. it’s Gar Or liquid jaggery, which supplies the sandesh its biscuit colour and caramel-like sweetness.
One other candy was Murshidabad chana bora, additionally from West Bengal. recent Chena Form into small rounds, frivolously fry and dip in sugar syrup. With a barely chewy middle and caramelized outer layer, this candy is usually flavored with cardamom and rosewater to recall the Mughal affect in Bengali culinary historical past.
Bishnupur motichol ladoo from Bishnupur, a temple city in Bankura district additionally identified for its lovely terracotta warriors, is made with tiny motichol pearls constituted of pyal (Indian almond tree) seed flour as a substitute of gram flour. These tiny little pearls are fried in ghee, flavored with freshly floor cardamom and eventually rolled into gentle laddoos by hand. These laddoos might be traced again to the Malla dynasty, which dominated Bengal for over 1,000 years.
Kamarpukur Sada Bonde was born in Kamarpukur village. I’ve by no means seen or eaten it, however it appears to be like scrumptious. These fried balls of sunshine, fluffy, candy dough are constituted of a frivolously flavored flour dough. It’s fried till crispy on the surface and gentle on the within, then frivolously marinated in syrup. These are barely bigger than boondi pearls and are eaten as particular person sweets.
The one non-Bengali participant on this set to win the GI crown is Kavindappadi Natu Thackeray from Tamil Nadu. It is a conventional jaggery made by slowly boiling recent sugarcane juice over a wooden fireplace. This jaggery is thought for its mineral content material equivalent to iron, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. It has a deep golden colour and a caramel aroma and has been ready for generations by native farmers in Cabindapadi.
The lesson from all that is that calling substances by particular names requires custom and native know-how. You can not take Nolen Gur from Bengal and declare that it’s Kavindappadi Natu Sakkarai simply because it’s liquid jaggery. Simply because it tastes like Parmesan and smells like Parmesan does not imply it is Parmesan.
When Shakespeare wrote, “What’s in a reputation? A rose by any title continues to be a rose,” he did not learn about GI tags or the significance of appropriately figuring out delicacies. The subsequent time somebody palms you a brown rasgulla and tells you it is an Orissa rasgulla, do not be shy and ask about its precise predecessor.
Subsequent week, I will be writing about one in every of my favourite dishes and all of the delicacies ready for Chinese language New 12 months (together with some classics for Chinese language meals lovers in India).
