Bhopal’s Food Heritage

After his interesting Talk, Prof. Pant was asked several questions including the following:

·      How many distinctive cuisines are in our country?

·      Why are the cuisines of the poor seldom discussed by food historians?

On 5^th April, Padmashri Prof. Pushpesh Pant – author, food critic and food historian - spoke on ‘A Flavourful History of Bhopal’s Food Heritage’ at EPCO auditorium, Bhopal. The talk, sponsored by Azim Premji University was well-attended with most of the audience comprising students of IIHM located across the road.

Prof. Pant sat on a chair and talked since he had recently recovered from typhoid which he got from eating street seafood in Thailand. Not as hygienic as touted, he said. The consumption of raw or undercooked food, particularly certain types of meat and seafood, and contaminated water can cause Salmonella Typhi infections.

His throat also troubled him, and the mike on his lapel wasn’t good enough to carry his voice, so the audience had to strain to catch his story. He’s a rapid but engaging talker, knowledgeable, erudite, and regales with many stories, humorous asides and comments.

He was Professor, International Relations, JNU; but so much in love with food that a colleague once asked him in jest, ‘If you read, write, talk, and think about food all the time even when you’re not sampling and savouring it, when would you have time for academics? Is your ambition to be Prof. Biryani?’

Prof. Pant’s response to the two queries at beginning of this piece:

‘Yes, I had once contemplated a compendium of cuisines of India, but so gigantic and complex is the task, I abandoned it. I hope someday someone may do it.

What do the poor eat? Well, they eat what they can afford to eat, not what they wish to eat; and as soon as their economic status improves, they eat aspirational food like the more well-to-do. More protein – dal, lentils, eggs, meat; more oil and more sugar.’

Prof. Pant mentioned his several visits to Bhopal over the decades during which he had dined at fabled restaurants as well as street-side khomchas in the old city to enjoy Bhopal’s signature dishes.

‘But which dish can be claimed as Bhopali – as authentic as the Sholay character: Surma Bhopali, the unsurpassable phenku, and the angrezon ke zamane ki jailor, Asrani? Dost Mohammad Khan was a mercenary from Afghanistan, fought as a soldier in the Mughal army; and what he might have brought with him would be lashkari khana, the no-frills survival food cooked hastily at army camps from whatever raw materials were readily available. Later, Bhopal royal family married into royal families of Hyderabad, Lucknow, and others. Hence, the lazeez dishes, especially the non-vegetarian dishes, are mostly imports from other cities with much richer food heritage. Bhopal cuisine is a melange – Hyderabadi, Avadhi, Marathi, Malvi, Rajasthani, Gujarati, Bagheli, Bundeli, and others including the cuisines of the tribals of central India.

Bhopal is a new city, established only 300 years ago, and its food heritage is relatively recent. Before that this was Gond territory with the area ruled by Rani Kamalapati about whom the ditty is still recited:

Taalon mein taal Bhopal taal

Baki sab talaiyya;

Rani toh Rani Kamlapati,

Baki sab raneiyya (a variation - gadheiyya).

Meaning:

Among lakes, Bhopal Taal has no peer,

the others are mere ponds;

Among queens, Rani Kamlapati is incomparable,

The others are petty queens (or jennets – female donkeys).

At Bhopal, I had once a meal at Mr. Shekhar Dutt’s home. Later, he became Defence Secretary, and after superannuation, Governor of Chhattisgarh. I remember that meal for a special reason. All the dishes were cooked by the Dutts themselves; the only time I dined at a senior officer’s home where the food was not made by the cook. It was a Bengali meal, and oh-so-delicious.’

This blogger called Mr. Dutt the next day and told him, ‘Prof. Pant fondly remembered the meal at your home. Didn’t know you too cook. Which dish did you make?’

‘No, PK, I don’t. But Mrs. Dutt is a talented cook. I only help her a little, just haath batao, you know.’

Prof. Pant has authored several books including India: Cook-book (2010), Lazzatnama: Recipes of India (2024), and From the King’s Table to Street Food: A Food History of Delhi (2024). He has featured in the popular TV show - Raja, Rasoi Aur Anya Kahaniyan[i], and is a regular columnist on food and related matters.

His interesting comments on assorted matters:

Food bloggers: They’re freedom fighters. Struggling to make a career in food writing, they enjoy a free meal from a restaurant in lieu of which they write an adulatory review.

Which rasagulla is better – Odia or Bengali? Both states have won GI tag for their rasagullas, each with its distinctive character. It’s kind of Prakrit versus Sanskrit; Odia rasagola may be the original version, so soft it melts in the mouth, very delicious but visually less appealing owing to the light muddy brown colour. Bengal may have refined it to make it pure white and more presentable.  

Recently, a friend delivered two handis, each with five humongous and succulent rasagullas, and in no time did I polish off one handi, to hell with my diabetes. When my son returned home, he noticed the remaining handi and asked, ‘How sweet of you to wait for me. Come, let’s enjoy it.’

‘It’s all yours, son; I’ve had my share.’

Is poha the signature breakfast snack of MP? ‘No, it was brought to MP by the Marathas. Poha is a wonderful snack if well-made, but why ruin it by topping it with boiled potato, peanuts, and jalebis? I prefer the Bombay poha garnished only with kanda (chopped onion).’

Your favourite vegetarian dishes?

‘There are many, but I detest paneer. Paneer is an excellent ingredient; but why should every vegetarian curry most restaurants offer have paneer in it – palak paneer, matar paneer, paneer kofta, and so on?’

In his book on Delhi’s food history, Prof. Pant mentions that upon special request by IIC (India International Centre), New Delhi he had curated and created Mahabharata dishes drawing upon the sketchy descriptions in the epic of royal feasts and the rustic meals the Pandava brothers survived on during their years of expulsion from Hastinapur. At the Talk, there was no time to seek further details on the matter. I hope to hear from Prof. Pant more about it when I get an opportunity.

I bought a Kindle copy of Lazzatnama for INR 209 – a great deal for 104 recipes -  two rupees per recipe! It includes Birbal ki Khichdi - slow-cooked non-vegetarian Mughlai khichdi[ii], preparation time- 1 hour, cooking time- 2 hours, that’s why the popular saying: kya Birbal ki khichdi pak rahi hai?; Bhang aur Pudine ki Chutney (Hemp seeds and mint), and Palash (Flame-of-the-Forest) Sherbet.

I enjoyed reading the book, and noted with delight that the first among the four lentil recipes is Dalma (lentils and vegetable stew), Odisha’s signature dish. When you visit Bhubaneswar, have a meal at Dalma – a popular restaurant. You may have a vegetarian meal, if you choose, but must not mind other diners feasting on a variety of non-veg dishes.

Prof. Pant would be aware, I’m sure, that Aamil (derived from Sanskrit word amla meaning sour)- a soupy, sour vegetable curry – is Western Odisha’s signature dish, and not Dalma.

Cuisine of Bhopal

Prof. Pant did not dwell upon the contribution of tribal food heritage, but Cuisine of Bhopal published by INTACH, Bhopal Chapter of which Madan Mohan Upadhyay – a colleague and dear friend – is the Convenor, is a well-researched book listing several cuisines of the tribals of Bhopal region and central India. 

It has documented the culinary heritage of Gonds, Sahariyas, Korkus, Baigas, Keers, Meenas, and Bharias along with detailed recipe for several dishes including Kodo Kodai Bhaat, Kodo Kutki Kheer, Jowar/Makki/Bajre ki Roti, Ghas ki Roti, Bajre ki Khichdi, Bhutte ka kees, Mahua ke Ladoo, Gondh ke Ladoo. Recipe for drinks include Mahua ki Daaru, Handia, Bhang ki Lassi, Kanji; but in Madhya Pradesh only tribals are permitted to brew traditional alcoholic beverages for their personal consumption. If you try to make these at home, the Excise Inspector may come to prosecute you.

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Postscript

Who invented rasagola?

Bengalis claim the honour which the Odias resolutely reject, adducing proof in the name of Jagannatha. Every year, upon conclusion of Ratha Yatra, Jagannatha and Balabhadra return to Srimandira with sister Subhadra. Terribly upset with Jagannath for taking sister and not spouse on the vacation, Lakshmi bolts the simhadwara from inside, and is placated only when Jagannatha has the presence of mind to offer her a handi stacked to the brim with savoury, luscious rasagolas!

Regarding claim of owners of Moti Mahal restaurant, Delhi that they ‘created’ the tandoori chicken and ‘invented’ the butter chicken as well as the famous dal makhni, Prof. Pant says, “The legend of iconic dishes being created in a flash of Satori-like illumination is too good to be true. No one knows if an apple actually fell on Newton’s head or Archimedes ran out of his bathtub in his birthday suit yelling ‘Eureka!’ Great discoveries and inventions normally follow the path of gradual evolution…” (From the King’s Table to Street Food: A Food History of Delhi)

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[i] This EPIC episode is titled Begums of Bhopal, and presents a panoramic view of Bhopal’s food heritage with Nawabzada Raashid Ali and Prof. Pant offering interesting comments and insights: https://youtu.be/kJ2ZtmdxHOE?si=cZz42YyHgD5miivn

 

[ii] Khichdi derives from Sanskrit kshirika, mentions Prof. Pant. However, kshirika is a dish prepared with milk, and may refer to the sweet dish kheer (Hindi) or kshiri (Odia) made of basmati rice, milk, ground coconut, sugar/jaggery, dry fruits and spices.