Why Ethnic Eats?

Ever since I have started appreciating food, I have always been faced with ethnic labels... the most popular in India being 'South Indian' and 'Punjabi'. Of course, with time many more were added, and the ethnic influences in food increased exponentially. No where but in India will you find Chinese bhel or Chinese idli... and no one but an Indian will add loads of spice to the food, be it chilli sauce, chilli powder or chutney. The spice is added no matter what the food, be it a delicate soup, salad, curry, rice... or even noodles!

In a recent experience in an upscale Ahmedabad restaurant, my excitement knew no bounds after I read the elaborate menu and looked up the description of a few Mexican dishes. By then, I had missed the cuisine so much after my return from New York, that after reading the precise description and ingredients, I chose to order the portobello fajitas. Just to make sure, I even asked the captain for a description, and that too fit the bill. Imagine my utter surprise, that when my dish was served, it consisted of a cut-up roasted roomali roti with what I can at best describe as a paneer jal frezie! There was no trace of any kind of mushrooms, let alone any Mexican flavours. My friend Eisha who was with me, had warned me about the Gujarati influence on food she said it goes to the extent of even pasta in Gujarat being sweet...but even with that warning, I was surprised.

Whether it is ketchup on noodles or mango and coriander (cilantro) chutneys on a bagel, across the globe, food is ever evolving, with new combinations, tastes and flavours. And I want to make the most of these ethnic influences even when I so much as think about cooking.

The first samplers of food at Ethnic Eats were Swati and Aditya, where the menu consisted of a universal soup, a Greek salad, Mediterranean appetizers, an Italian main course and an Indian dessert, all set in New York. Not to mention that all the recipes I had were altered, whether to keep in mind the preferences of the guests, the use of the ingredients and availability of time. The term Ethnic Eats was used by me in early 2010, but at that point it was just a one time thing. Now, I am here to stay!
So, let's cook... and eat :)