Sanjeev Kapoor is Indian version of Martha Stewart - cook on TV.
Umesh
Guwahati, Tuesday, November 22, 2005
CITY
Assamese recipes have potential to make it big: Sanjeev Kapoor
By A Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Nov 21 Some Assamese cuisines could soon be in the national and international limelight if celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor has his way with his media partners. The chances are very high of Assamese cuisine gaining mass exposure we hope to showcase at least some recipes in our TV programme Khana Khazana.
Interacting with mediapersons today in the city, he said that there was a range of local cuisines, which could find favour among food lovers who were ever on the look out for something new. There would certainly be food items in Assam, which would appeal to their taste buds.
According to the master chef, the first step of exposing local cuisine to a demanding clientele would be through documentation of the food, the preparation process and the ingredients. Without such an effort, setting a benchmark would be a pipe dream.
Documentation of cuisines should be comprehensive and could be ideally done by historians studying cultural habits. Already such efforts have contributed a lot in popularising Kongkan food in the international circuit. A similar effort could change the fortunes of Assamese cuisine and ensure that a rich tradition gets a new lease of life.
He appealed to the food lovers of the State to share their knowledge and expertise, so that details about various cuisines and their methods of preparation could be gathered. For his part, he was prepared to extend support through his restaurant Yellow Chilli, he added.
After setting up his restaurant in the city last year, Kapoor has been trying to identify the most popular and appealing dishes of the State. We have tasted a lot of delicacies, and some are unique. The peetha and ladu made of coconut have no parallels in the rest of the country. There are other dishes, which could be a big hit in the national and international circuit.
In his view the biggest selling point of local cuisines could be their low spice and low fat content. Unlike the rest of the country, where food is commonly described as spicy and oily, traditional Assamese recipes are healthier. This alone could be a big advantage in promoting the regions food among an audience that is becoming increasingly health conscious.
On difficulties in promoting local food, he said that it hurt him when he came to know about the decline of Assam tea in the global market. As in the case of tea, it would be no use if we are obsessed with our past glory. The world is changing fast, and products must be packaged and positioned keeping market demands in mind.
Briefly alluding to the long chain that connects delicacies, ingredients with their sources and growers, Kapoor was of the opinion that sound agricultural customs have a marked role in adding value to cuisines. Sound agricultural practices like organic farming have led to better positioning of different cuisines across the world. Assam could also introduce such agricultural methods to gain a niche market, which is certain to get bigger in the future, he noted.
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