History on My Plate is a gastronomer’s delight.
By E. R. Shine
History on My Plate is the fourth book of the 2016 Reuel Poetry Prize winner, Lily Swarn, The book earned her the best author prize from Critic Space Journal.
This book is of a completely different genre as compared to the author’s previous books. This is not merely a book on food, but it has traced the journey of various dishes from different cuisines around the world. Not just their origin, but the proper preparation and the importance of the ingredients included has also been shared. Also, the book has not only imparted history, but it has unraveled various food mysteries.
In the words of author and historian Rana Safvi: “We rarely realize it but every morsel of food that we consume comes with a story of its own. We taste history not just the food. Lily Swarn’s History on My Plate is a wonderful attempt to help us savor not just the food but its history.
Her choice of food subjects are cosmopolitan and eclectic, reflecting her own life and style of writing which is breezy and informative.
The author reminisces about the shiny copper pots in her grandma’s kitchen and the rolling pin with ghunghroo bells that made a tinkling sound as the lady rolled rotis in the kitchen.
In Sindhu Pai words, History on my Plate is a culinary chronicle. “Or the odyssey of our bread and butter. Or It’s the long journey from primitive raw, bland eatables to the present complex or complicated forms.”
Lily Swarn describes each dish with choicest words and expressions that enamour the reader. A quintessential Indian lady, who lived in most parts of India, she knows the pulse of the place and, hence, introduces each food item with the most suitable and indigenous emotions and expressions.
The book comprises 46 chapters, each dealing with a particular dish. The in-depth study done by the author is starkly visible. She has tried to create a bond of harmony. J.R.R.Tolkien has rightly said that “if more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”
Argentinian celebrity chef Sebastian Suarez, while praising the book, says: “History on My Plate by Lily Swarn is a tale of the travel chronicles, through centuries, of the iconic dishes of the world . It was delightful to read about the evolution of classic recipes, how each culture adds its unique touch to it, yet preserving its authenticity. It pays homage to the power of cooking, and the recipes that allow us to connect, share and go across barriers of community, caste and religion”
With food being a conveyance, says Suarez, this book is a melting pot of history, cultures and human diversity. “Yet it signifies our rooted collectiveness as a human race, uniting us all in our appreciation of scrumptious food irrespective of its geographical or cultural origin.”
Some of the cordon bleu chef recipes, he says, are a must try and they add to the historicity of the book.
The book has been written with so much heart and it captures the spirit of this beautiful quote by Virginia Woolf: “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”
Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes from the nooks and crannies of not only India but of the whole world are covered in this treasure trove of food lovers. It’s her insatiable urge to find answers to all the questions from what to when and where to how about food that has yielded this book.
Erini Loucaides, the effervescent Cypriot author, in her celebration of the book says: “This Thanksgiving evening is the perfect moment to tell you about Lily Swarn ‘s History on My Plate. The writing is as charming as the lady herself with extensive research on the origins of popular foods such as samosas, Christmas cake, baklava, French fries, chocolate and so much more. There are recipes, fascinating facts and personal anecdotes too. Highly recommended. Blessed Thanksgiving!”
Feast and History
To begin with, the first chapter is about naan, a kind of flat-bread which was mainly a staple in South Asia, but now widely popular throughout the world with various versions. The mention of the origin of wheat to the minuscule details about the naan’s stuffing clearly shows the author’s dedication in literally bringing out the history related to our meals. She gives us a detailed description of numerous naans, mentioning that Peshawari naan has a filling of nuts and raisins while keema naan is stuffed with minced meat. She adds that as the region changes so does the side dish served with naan. It could be chicken butter masala in one area or mutton soup in another region.
Not all accidents lead to grave situations, some become the milestones of various discoveries. Similar is the case of butter chicken as this dish was born out of a sheer accident and has achieved perfection over the years. From a roadside eatery to having the coveted position in the menu of every Punjabi restaurant throughout the world, butter chicken has transported the name of Indian cuisine in all directions. The two recipes shared by the author in this chapter are worth trying.
Idli, my staple breakfast, has umpteen versions throughout the states of India from the one made with fermented lentils and rice to solely from urad dal flour. The nutritional value of these fluffy cakes has made them popular worldwide. The author has brought out that its inception is mostly stated in Indonesia. For a fit body, try indulging in the goodness of idlis accompanying it with either sambar or coconut chutney.
The heartthrob of every Indian – the samosa – also has its inception in a foreign land, much to our dismay as stated by the author in the chapter on this king of all the get-togethers. Be it kitty parties or office luncheons, samosas have umpteen varieties from the one with beef fillings to another variant with condensed milk known as gujiya. Sambusa, the variety of samosa found in the Arab countries near the Mediterranean, has the drool worthy filling of spinach and chicken.
Wine is stated as the blood coloured wonder by the author and it holds true in every sense as it is beneficial in recovering from various diseases like those of heart and gums. This fermented wonder has its role in social and religious spheres apart from the already mentioned medical field. After knowing about wine’s history and significance, I’m tempted to ask the oenophobians: why whine over wine?
One of my favourite desserts, baklava, also finds a mention in this gastronomer’s delight. The author has shared that the origin of this sweet is stuck in the tussle between the Greeks and the Turks. The layers filled with the delectable mixture of walnuts, almonds and pistachios can surely transport one to Elysium.
Those blissful Sunday mornings of childhood at Mathura, Uttar Pradesh were always incomplete without the piping hot sweet and spicy combo of jalebi and kachori. Marwaris are supposed to have introduced kachori to the world as mentioned in the chapter by the author.
If I would have to select my favourite chapters from this book then it will be as impossible for me as for a mother to choose her dearest among her children. This is the reason I savoured every chapter with utmost delight and till now have tried a couple of recipes.
The medicinal properties of olive oil to the health booster panjiri with varieties of nuts are the best food for every postpartum woman; chaat-like dahi vada, pani puri can make even the most stature conscious person lick their fingers while enjoying the heavenly taste of this street food. There is also the blessing for foodies cooked in banana leaf with an aromatic paste of turmeric, green chillies, salt, coconut, mustard oil: patraani machhi. Think of any region or continent and you will find about its food, culture and history with never heard before facts.
What I admired the most of this one of a kind book is the addition of recipes towards the end of each chapter. For sure, it will be a prized possession for everyone from people having curiosity in cooking and wanting to improvise their culinary expertise to those who are keen in imbibing the background of the food they eat. Also, the snippets, the anecdotes that the author has shared from her life’s journey are heart-touching and relatable.
I can vouch that readers with their varied tastes will surely get their literary taste buds satiated by adding this marvel to their collection.
