Why are Indians so insular about food?
First of all, apologies about the broad generalization, but this something that has been bugging me for a while and I just want to vent. I love to eat all types of food and love to try out new things from different cultures. So far I have spent about six months in the US and have enjoyed being able to buy jicama and rosemary and miso and steaks and fish sauce all in my local supermarket. I’ve also enjoyed exploring wonderful restaurants both in a big city and a small one. I’m back home in Chennai now for a three week or so vacation. Yesterday the extended family and some friends went to lunch at a local Indian restaurant. Observing me attacking the food with gusto, my uncle asks "So _______, enjoying the food after all the inedible stuff in the US?" It was a rhetorical question so no answer was required, thankfully. Seriously, is it so hard to believe that there are good things to eat outside the Indian subcontinent and that Indians don’t have a monopoly on being able to cook?
This attitude is pretty pervasive. If you were to randomly sample a number of Indians about what kind of food they preferred, by far the most common answer would be Mom’s food. Which is all fine and dandy, I’m glad you love your mom’s food so much. But the flip side of this is that Indians are very suspicious of foreign food. I remember once when my parents and I were thinking about booking a trip to Europe or South America with a tour group. The big selling point of these tour groups seemed to be that they would provide "Indian meals" for lunch or dinner and sometimes both. I mean, WTF? Why would you want to travel halfway across the world only to eat the same dal-chawal you would have back home? But I honestly feel that this would be thought of as a plus by most Indians, who absolutely hate to have unfamiliar foods presented to them. The same uncle and his wife travelled through Europe with a rice-cooker and a case full of pickles and powders and that was what they mainly ate.
Despite having a fairly conservative population when it comes to food (and other matters too, but that’s another post), Chennai manages to sustain a handful of excellent non-mainstream restaurants that cater mainly to the expat community. For example, an amazing Japanese restaurant — Akasaka — and a wonderful Korean one named In Seoul. I have tried to persuade my non-vegetarian friends and family to come to Akasaka in the past, with me footing the bill. Their attitude is almost invariably something like "Raw fish!!!! EEEK!" I then explain that they really don’t have to eat the sushi and sashimi if they don’t want to and that there’s plenty of "cooked" food that they could eat there. Still no luck. The other day my parents, I and some family friends went to In Seoul for dinner. One of them announced loudly that he was not eating anything and reacted with disgust to every offer of food from what we ordered. It was more than a little irritating.
This may seem like a small thing to get worked up about, but it saddens me to see the self-righteous way in which most Indians insist that that Indian food is the best of all. Why even try to experience other foods, when we’ve got the best right here? I don’t even think that it’s a particularly South Indian characteristic, witness this hilarious and all too familiar post on Jabberwock. The whole post is wonderful but I’ll just quote a particularly juicy excerpt:
“Frankly speaking,” the chap then said, in the tone often employed by people who use that phrase (and “to be honest” and others such) as if they are about to bestow a hitherto undisclosed Indubitable Truth on the world, “nothing can compare with our Indian food. Even people who come to India for the first time from other countries forget about their own food after tasting our home-made cooking.”
All of this would be perhaps bearable if I weren’t also subjected to the self-righteous moralizing of people who refuse to be open to new food. There is this weird assumption that certain kinds of food are unclean and that the people eating them must be unclean too. I remember my shock when I heard a classmate of mine dismiss all Chinese people as dirty panni-eating (pig-eating) creatures. Since I happened to love eating all forms of pork products, I couldn’t help but take this personally.
Maybe such an attitude shouldn’t come as a surprise after reading this fascinating little article in the Hindu about the Indian responses to the 2007 Global Attidudes Survey recently carried out by the Pew Foundation. Respondents were asked whether they agreed with the statement, "our people are not perfect, but our culture is superior to others." Perhaps, Indians topped the list in agreeing with this statement, with a staggering 93%!
Hahaha, I know exactly what you mean. I don’t know where you are in the US, but my recent move off the east coast to the west has pointed out in no minor way how most people prefer the tried and tested dal-rice-aloo combos! Thats not to say there aren’t exceptions to the rule - but its absolutely irritating when you try and recommend say a Korean place, because half the people you talk to wrinkle their nose at anything east asian - “I hate the smell” - without having even TRIED it!
Sheesh.
Comment by That Armchair Philosopher — January 14, 2008 @ 5:17 pm
worst is when in-laws and parents come to US. Can’t go anywhere without a packed lunch from home. It is soannoying. We went to Las Vegas with my in-laws and I had to carry rice, daal etc with me so we could cook in our hotel room and eat. I refuse to eat at Indian restaurants when we go out. I am not going to pay money and eat the same stuff that I make at home.
Comment by Desi girl — January 17, 2008 @ 11:36 am
You need to come hang with the right kind of Indians - I’ve probably eaten at every major dim sum restaurant in LA (no mean feat - LA has the largest Chinese community outside China) and I’ve probably had more Korean restaurant meals than Indian in all my years here.
I do agree with your assertion though. Indians are very unadventurous when it comes to food and invariably regard all non-Indian food with suspicion. But this is hardly restricted to Indians. I’ve seen this with almost every ethnic group and my conclusion is that Americans tend to be the most open minded of all nationalities when it comes to food.
Comment by Thalassa — January 17, 2008 @ 12:23 pm
Being a vegetarian by choice, its hard to relish ‘world food’, but I’ve tried Singaporean Chinese, Malay, Sushi & Mexican. Most liked was Malay then Mexican, Chinese was *without any taste* & sushi is plain awful. Plus I did hate the smell in food courts in Singapore. I guess our tongues & spices are twins separated at birth, that explains the spicy-Indian Pizzas that we eat & saucy Indian-Chinese.
Comment by vishal — January 17, 2008 @ 12:27 pm
Funny part is that very few desis know that even so called indian food was globalized. “The potato, tomato, and chilli pepper—critical ingredients in many Indian dishes—came from Mexico and the New World. Yet, these influences no longer feel “global” since they have been part of the Indian diet for so long. ” from the below article.
http://www.livemint.com/2008/01/15231541/Around-the-world-in-a-plate.html
Comment by Sajitha — January 17, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
Whats the big deal ? We like Indian food. Thats it! Like we like so many other things like Indian. How do you expect a 60-65 year old Indian to “enjoy” Japanese or Korean food ? Have you put yourself in their shoes ? and given a serious thought to it ? And its not just the food. Do you ask your in-laws to wear the sort of clothes that an American 60 year old lady might wear ?
Comment by Desi food lover — January 17, 2008 @ 2:52 pm
True, True.
Indians put too many restrictions on their eating habits. I think this paranoia extends beyond ‘foreign’ foods.
One thing I’ve observed is that Indians associate food too strongly with theirs identities. In Goa, restuarants that serve ‘Indian’ food (roti, rice, chicken, tikkas etc.) are frequented by an almost exclusive Hindus crowd. The crowd at ‘Goan’ food restuarants that serve steaks, breads, sausages etc. is almost entirely Christian. I am only talking about the local crowds here and these observations were made in the off season, when tourism is sparse. In my schooldays I had a Jain friend who proudly told me he ate only at Jain friendly restuarants
.
People are not quite receptive of foods outside their state either. This combined with rabid loyalty to local food gives them a superiority complex of sorts. Too often people descend down to Delhi and then dramatically complain about the palette. I have tolerated far too many cribs and put downs from South Indians and North Indians alike.
Comment by Sheikhchilli — January 17, 2008 @ 5:26 pm
Wow some great comments here!
@TAP and Desi girl Yeah I’ll bet that’s irritating! The funny thing is they often end up liking the food if they actually try it.
@Thalassa: Wow lucky you. I’m seriously envious! Anyway I’ve been in the US less than a year so currently slowly making my way around restaurants in NYC.
@vishal: Yes authentic Chinese can be quite a bit blander than the kind we make in India, especially Cantonese. Don’t know if I’d call it tasteless though
@Sajitha: You see that sort of thing every day in the US nowadays too with Indians making asparagus porial and butternut squash kootu
@Desi food lover: I’m sure there are 60-65 year old Indians who enjoy Japanese and Korean food. My dad’s not quite in that age bracket (he’s 53) but he’s the first to come with me to try out any new restaurant in town. In any case, no one’s saying that everyone has to like all kinds of food — just don’t assume that everyone else feels that way and don’t react in disgust to the things other people eat. I don’t understand the comment about in-laws. Was that directed at Desi girl or me? I don’t have in-laws.
@Sheikhchilli: I think you hit the nail on the head when you said that Indians associate food very strongly with their identities. It becomes a way of distinguishing yourself and your culture from everyone else when you say you eat this and don’t eat that. I experienced the same thing in Goa myself. That’s all right though: more lobster in butter-garlic sauce on the beach for me
Comment by Administrator — January 17, 2008 @ 9:11 pm
Came here following the desipundit link…
The reason I’m not too hot on world cuisine is because I’m vegetarian and of course there are exceptions but “world cuisne” that is suited for a vegetarian is the kind made in India!! Of course you have to sacrifice the authenticity, but when in Indonesia I was handed a whole spread of seafood..all kinds of exotic stuff…and I was gagging and unable to even eat the boiled beans!! While stuff like Italian and Lebanese food is kinder on the vegetarian!! Though my Indian non vegetarian friends / colleagues absolutely dig into exotic local fare when abroad!!
Comment by gooddaysunshine — January 18, 2008 @ 2:21 am
And oh..was running through your archives…really nice place you have here!! Great writing!
Comment by gooddaysunshine — January 18, 2008 @ 2:27 am
I can relate to this post so much. It totally bugs me when many friends of mine comment on how I can eat and enjoy stuff primarily from a non-Indian cuisine. Bah!
Comment by PizzaDude — January 19, 2008 @ 1:42 am
nice post…well I have always seen my family and friends pack some pickle and podis when they travel abroad…i guess its mainly because of the fear of unknown. Out here they do try different cuisine, so its not that they can’t eat something unknown…in a strange land with no friends, home food might help them better….
Comment by Srivalli — January 19, 2008 @ 3:09 am
Its not just the Indians… its the Koreans, Germans and Chinese as well… Tours from these countries (esp. to South/East Asian countries) always highlight the trips to their own kind of food restaurants!
Comment by Findian — January 19, 2008 @ 9:15 am
u should write more..u r good!
Comment by La Vida Loca — April 4, 2008 @ 12:57 am
I love all foods, but good Indian food is sooooo good. I can see why people might get a bit zealous about it
Comment by The Life Less Traveled — May 24, 2008 @ 6:07 pm
absolutely true..i presume thats the fact that none of us can ever deny…i still dont fathom the reason behind this insularity for food amongst indians..i am going to US soon and i msure to find many such ppl there too..bugs me to no end…but the best part u said is that y travel half waya ccross the world to eat the same dal-chawal..i believe it truly.. all my neighbours keep giving me tips how to pack lots of spices and pickles to support myself..imagine…
but the most hilarious part was on in one of my univ forums where a fresher wanted to know if the airport authorities allowed us to carry uncooked rice..aboard…? lolz
Comment by ankita — July 15, 2008 @ 7:04 am
I stumbled upon this post through someone else’s blog and it reminded me of a post I’d written a couple of years ago
My views remain the same - http://exquisitely-moi.livejournal.com/94291.html
Comment by Sherene — October 31, 2008 @ 3:47 am