Just a few days back I was surfing the tube and got a weird recommendation. A celebrity YouTuber shot a video of eating the most expensive pizza of the world. I was still fine with the title, but when I saw the video, it blew my mind. Especially the price of that pizza was so huge that you can easily take multiple trips around the globe, or buy a new home, or maybe a car or you can easily start your business. Last but not the least you can keep that amount in bank and live the rest of your life on the interest amount.

Did that raise your curiosity? It did raise mine. What perplexed me is the irony that a food like pizza was invented as an inexpensive food that could be consumed quickly. But here it is making a name for itself as one of the luxurious food items that could please the rich people out there. Nevertheless for everyone else it at least is working as a way of amusement. So let’s quickly check out the progress of a pizza from humble beginnings to a hole burner of pockets. Here I present a list of most expensive pizzas from around the world.

List of Most expensive pizzas in the world

Usually a pizza in the United States cost on an average USD 7 to USD 15, and a medium pizza in Europe costs approximately 10 Euros.  In Indian currency it is approximately 1000 rupees. So anything that is 10 times these values will be considered as expensive and will be given a consideration.

The Magic Gold Pizza

Is gold vegan? I am asking this, because this pizza has gold in it and is a vegan friendly pizza. Hailing from Canada’s, Magic Oven restaurant, it costs $108. Which makes it ten times expensive than the average pizzas sold around the world. Yet it is the cheapest one on the list. It is made from gluten free dough. The ingredients used for the toppings are vegan. One of the topping is that of the edible 24-karat golden leaves.

Indians love their gold, if you offer them a pizza worth $108, they would rather ask for the money and buy a gold out of it. So maybe this is the reason that in India you won’t be able to see such gimmick filled places that try to sell exotic pizzas. Anyway, this is just the beginning of the list. Let’s see what awaits ahead.

The Astice E Tartufo

To eat this pizza you will need to visit the land of gold. Yes you will need to visit Dubai. In Dubai mall there is a place called Third Avenue Café, which makes this most expensive pizza. The chef who makes the pizza imports the rare and exotic ingredients that goes in the pizza. Truffles from Italy and world’s finest lobsters are a part of the topping of this pizza.

At $125, it is surely one of the most expensive pizzas, but if you consider the premium quality ingredients that are used, and if you are a pizza connoisseur then this one is definitely worth trying. Just a pro tip, take a friend along and split the bill. Take more than one friend on this adventure, the more the merrier.

Triple Mille-Feuille Pizza

Are you eligible to travel to Japan? Are you willing to travel to Japan? I have heard it is so beautiful country. Because the dominos franchises of Japan has this super hit pizza called Triple Mille-Feuille which has three layers to it and between each layer there is a generous amount of cheese. There are so many toppings which you can order with this pizza. With all the toppings intact it is one of the trickiest pizzas to grab. Even without all the toppings, I bet the cheese uplifts this pizza and places it in the league of the legends.

Priced at $140, it seems that it is an overpriced item. But hey if the cheese is worth it then I don’t have anything else to say. So if you want to try this pizza, tag a friend along, share this post with him/her and fly to Japan right away. Mimicking the famous dessert called mille-feuille, this 3 cheese pizza is surely a must try. The diameter is smaller but the thickness is 5 times of the regular pizza and it weighs around 3 kilos at times.

Gordon Ramsay’s Pizza

If you are talking about a famous food like pizza, then is it even possible to not have any association with the world famous chef? No chance! Gordon Ramsay’s pizza is available in his Maze restaurant, located in London. The pizza has some exquisite ingredients from around the world. The signature of this pizza is an Italian onion puree. Truffles from Italy, Cep Mushrooms, Fontina cheese, mozzarella from buffalo milk, white truffle pasta, rare herbs and cured pork belly.

The pizza is prices at $250 that depends on how much of the truffle you want in the topping. This was from a long time in the Guinness book as a record holder for one of the most expensive pizzas. With passing time it lost that title to other pizzas on the list. If you are a Gordon Ramsay fan then this pizza should be on your bucket list.

C-6 Pizza

Do you have a thing for seafood? Do you like pizza? What if a place offers a combination of both these things? I am sure you won’t mind paying a hefty sum just to enjoy this treat. It is available at Stevetson Pizza in Richmond, British Columbia. This place is known for best and fresh seafood availability and hence even at $450, this one of the most expensive pizzas served with seafood toppings.

You need to inform and place order for 3 days in advance, because the dough takes 73 hours to be prepared. It is a family run restaurant. The ingredients used are smoked salmon, tiger prawns, black Alaskan cod, lobsters thermidor and Russian osetra caviar. Such a load of amazing seafood is surely going to add to the price as seafood is generally very expensive and they use the best of their catch in the pizza. Have you tried a seafood pizza ever?

Nino Bellissima Pizza

First pizza on this list of most expensive pizzas to cross the $1,000 mark. Priced at perfect thousand dollars this pizza was launched in 2012 by Chef Giovani Spatala. Available at the Gino’s restaurant in upper Manhattan region. The making cost of the pizza is roughly around $820 and thus the profit is merely $180. Still it is a proud creation which was conceived after 33 years of work experience with pizzas from the owner Nino Salamache.

The ingredients comprise of thin lobster slices, salmon rolls, crème Fraiche, wasabi paste, chives and 4 to 6 different types of caviar. More than 50 of this pizzas are sold per year. The buyers are mostly top notch stock brokers or the rich politicians. I must say that this one is a hit pizza on the list by sheer number of orders per year.

The 24K Pizza

The Industry kitchen at New York is the home to this lavish looking pizza. At $2,000, it is a premium priced pizza which can be shared with 8 people contributing $250 each. So aren’t you curious about what makes this pizza so expensive? First of all you need to inform the place 48 hours in advance so that they can get the ingredients in the place. Everything is ordered as per the requirement and so the freshness is unmatched. The dough has black squid ink and is blackish in colour.

They add a 24-carat gold foil and 24-carat gold dust as a topping. Apart from these, they add truffles from France region, some Foie grass, and Ossetia caviar from the Caspian Sea and shilton cheese from England. Of all the ingredients, the foie gras is one of the most hard to procure. It is a liver of a duck that is force fed, so that the liver grows large. I am not sure if after hearing this anybody would like to order this pizza. Or even if you do, try to avoid foie gras. Have a glance at it in the video below.

World’s Most Expensive Pizza

It was inevitable to leave this one out, when the name of the pizza itself says the most expensive pizzas. It was in the Guinness book of world record in 2010. Hailing from Malta, it was created by expert chefs of Margo’s chain of restaurants. The detailing done to this pizza is just marvelous. The flour procured is from one specific farm. The dough for the base is not more than 2 mm in thickness.

It has white truffles, some gold leaves and locally procured buffalo mozzarella cheese. Till 2019 only 12 of this pizzas were sold. Priced at $2,880, it certainly a dish that can burn a hole in your pocket.

Pizza Royale 007

Are you a fan of James Bond? Heck yeah right? Who isn’t a fan of James Bond? The appearance, the style and the charisma, all makes a statement. So inspire by Mr. Bond, and made at The Domenico Crolla Restaurant in Haggis, Glasgow. It is priced at $4,200 and shortly you will know why it is priced so high. One part of it is the fact that it is a recipe from Chef Mr. Crolla. It is not generally sold for commercial reason and if you want to taste it then you need to get in touch with the chef.

The toppings have both white and black truffles, 24-carat gold dust, vintage of balsamic vinegar, lobster tails marinated in thousand year old cognac, the caviar is soaked in Dom Perignon champagne. It also has high quality prosciutto (cured pork meat), Scottish smoked salmon and venison medallions. Plus it is served with a glass of martini, shaken not stirred as per the James Bond style. This pizza was made in 2007 to raise funds for Fred Hollows Foundation.

The Miss Verdun Pizza

As you are still reading, why don’t you guess the ingredients of this pizza by yourself? I mean most common edible things that are expensive are gold, caviar, truffles and lobsters. So by default they are a part of this pizza. But does that justify the tag of one of the most expensive pizzas or does it justify the price of $4,250? What if I tell you that you can order this from your home if you are in Canada? It is offered by Mizzou Pizza in Verdun, Montreal.

The offer with the pizza goes like this, you can order this pizza from your home and the chef will come to your home and make this pizza in front of you. The offer doesn’t ends there, you will be given a fleet of musicians that will play an orchestra in the background while you enjoy your pizza. So here is an idea, why don’t you order this when you plan your big parties or a wedding in Canada, you can save on orchestra cost. Let me know in the comments if you will do this.

Favitta’s Pizza for Lovers

Does your better half like pizza? Does your better half like diamonds? It was the idea of Favitta’s owners to sell a pizza in a heart shape along with a diamond ring and a glass of Dom Perignon champagne. The idea was to create an experience with pizza, so conducive that it aids in your plans of proposing someone. Sadly the response to this gimmick was not great. Though the intentions were pure. It was to save the tax that a buyer has to pay on jewelry and buy it for them and pass on the tax benefits.

The only pizza in the list which you can’t order anymore. It was priced at $8,180 and the prices kept varying as per the prices of the diamonds. This pizzeria closed in 2008. I guess this was the fate of the pizzeria because most of the people are single these days and the ones in relationships will rarely go for this experience. Don’t you agree with me? With the diamond rind, I am sure this is the most economical of the most expensive pizzas on this list.

Louis XIII

This is a pizza from the legendary pizza expert Chef Renato Viola. This is one of the most expensive pizzas on the list and is available in Salerno, Italy but only for special guests and on request. Are you bored on regular pizza brands? Then you can order this pizza for a change, it costs just $12,000. A pizza measuring 20 cm in diameter and is enough for 2. You need to order it 72 hours in advance. The flour used is Arabian flour and pink salt added is from Murray River, Australia. It needs 72 hours to develop the flavour.

Three caviars viz. Oscietra Royal Prestige, Kaspia Oscietra Royal Classic from the Iranian coast and Kaspia Beluga Caviar are used. The lobster is sourced from Norway and it has 7 different types of cheese on it. To enhance the taste you are served with Champagne Krug Clos du Mesnil 1995, Cardenal Mendoza Carta Real Sanches Romate Finos brandy and Louis XIII Remy Martin cognac a rarest cognac in the world.

The best thing is, you can order it from your home and the Chef will come to your home along with a wine sommelier to serve you the course. How lavish this experience sound? Certainly sounds like the best of most expensive pizzas.

$70,000 Golden pizza

This is the pizza that I was referring to in my introduction. A celebrity YouTuber called Mr. Beast ate a $70,000 Golden pizza with his friends and it was covered by Business Insider and Insider.com. The price tag seems insane, the location of offering is not revealed in this video which means this was a pizza made on request and is not commercially sold. It was made by a private chef who cooks for Billionaires.

With the base covered with an ounce of gold, and 10 years aged béchamel cheese spread on it, the foundation is pretty lit. The pizza toppings include Japanese beef marinated in $10,000 grape juice and Hudson Valley foie gras seared and flamed with a $6,000 bottle of apple juice. Truffle shavings worth $4,000 some Albino caviar which is rare to find. Finishing with golden leaves and smoked sea salt. It is just a baffling experience. One of the best most expensive pizzas of all time.

Pierchic Pizza

One of the most expensive pizzas and one more from the lands of Dubai. Pierchic restaurant is one of the premier fine dine places of Dubai. Around 2 years ago this place added a pizza to the menu which costs $180,000. Imagine what else you could buy with this amount of money. But till 2019 it already sold 3 pizzas already. The ingredients used are white Alba truffles from Italy, Black winter truffles from France. Saffron from Kashmir and Foie gras from Gascony and France, Iranian almonds.

The list goes on with beluga caviar soaked in Dom Perignon champagne, matsutake mushrooms from Japan and 2 ounces of gold leaves. All these ingredients are imported and prepared by Michelin starred chefs. So the experience is quite luxurious and is flashy enough for someone with rich appetite.

Closure:

So which one of the list is going to your bucket list? Personally I would prefer making them at home by sourcing all the ingredients myself, I can save a lot of fortune in that way. Plus it would feel very upsetting if I bought one of these pizzas and it does not match my expectations. So I would play safe here. You are free to make your own decision. I would like to know your views in the comments below. From these most expensive pizzas which one made you curious?

This marks an end to this crazy topic. If you liked it then you should also read about 8 most expensive Ice creams from around the world which I wrote few months ago. Please do not be harsh on this aspect of reality. As I have always said, rich people do their bit for charity and we should be less judgmental on how they choose to spend their money. This is a fun most so please don’t take it in a wrong direction.

If you have any topic suggestions then write to me at foodie_khiladi@sh119.global.temp.domains or DM me at foodie_khiladi007. With this I am ending this blog post. In a hope that you will like it and share it with your crazy friends who love pizza. I will see you soon in my next blog post. Till then keep smiling and spreading the smiles.

It is irony that a YouTube video suggestion featuring Mithila Palkar (I love her curls) compelled me to write about this topic. It should have been the story that should have done this ideally. Perhaps it depicts the story of misal pav perfectly, in a sense that misal has always been looked down when it comes to culinary discussions. It is only in recent times that it is garnering attention and making people fall in love.

Story of origin for Misal Pav

This is a point which is capable of raging internal wars between different regions of Maharashtra. Some scholars (read in sarcastic tone) also believe that it originated in Gujrat. Amidst the controversy of its origin a fairly educated or enlightened individual will tell you that the misal originated in regions between Khandesh and Western Maharashtra. The present day areas of Nashik and Ahmednagar. But even though the fact remain, there are many regions which claim to be the birth place of misal.

There are two eateries in Nashik, one is famous by the name of Bhagvantrao and another one is Kamla Vijay, the former is more than 75 years old and the latter is more than 100 years old. These places which served misal for many decades and have devotees of their misal who can swear by the taste of the misal offered there are the testimonies to the fact that misal originated in Nashik. No matter how much claim another regions make but for solid evidence they have nothing to prove it.

The present day owner of Bhagvantrao confirms that they stopped selling misal after 1983 because it was hectic back then and paid only a little dividend. Kamla Vijay is a place which survived 2 blazing fires and so many catastrophes only to be closed in 2016 due to the wilting health of the structure. Having said that, most of the owners of such famous places in Nashik do testify that it was food for the daily wage laborers.

Though the places started serving it from 100 years ago, but the dish has been around in Nashik for more than 150 years now. Earlier it was just a combination of different components that was brought together, and the idea was to create a dish which was healthy, fulfilling and affordable. Some places added some khichdi, a dollop of mashed potato veggie, some sprouts cooked in gravy (called the rassa) and topped with chopped onions. But the Tarri (spiced layer of oil, cooked separately) always remained the heart of the dish. A person could eat this without any form of bread.

1 Misal 12 Pav angle of the story

Since the daily wage workers had to survive till dinner, they used to carry their bhakri (Indian flat bread made from jowar or bajra). The tarri was always unlimited and the bhakri would not suffice, thus they started carrying pav along with them. This is where misal met its better half pav. Since that day they have been inseparable. A match so perfect that anybody can go weak in the knees. As I said earlier that the workers used to take 1 misal and ask for tarri refill multiple times and probably ate 12 pav.

This gives birth to the legend of 1 misal 12 pav (read ek misal baaraa pav). Those were the days where the workers traveled to the town of Nashik for work from nearby places and search for daily jobs. They ate their so called brunch of misal pav and worked for the entire day. This is why in earlier days, the misal pav was not as glamorous as it seems now. Yet it ruled the hearts of many alike.

The actual valid classification

Before we digress in the controversial classification that is loved by many. Let me clarify that most authentic classification of misal classifies it in 3 types. Purely on the basis of the colour of the gravy. The red gravy, green gravy and blackish gravy. Lal rassa, hirva rassa aani kaala rassa as what they are called in Marathi. The next classification can be based on the usal. Usal is the sprouted lentil gravy that is used.

Preferred choice of lentil is matka (moth beans), watana (dried pea) and moong beans. But as you keep exploring in the lesser known regions of Maharashtra the choice of lentils will keep surprising you. So a mix and match of the combinations can give you N number of variants to gorge on. After you have a basic understanding of this then only you can move on to read about the regional classifications based on variations.

Region wise Misal Pav classification

Each recipe has a claims for originality, which is true and false at the same time. The reason being any recipe with a different version is imitated from a reference recipe and then yet the subtle variations make it unique. The next point that is debated on this line is about the claim for being the birthplace and at this specific point the spiciness quotient comes to the rescue.

Nashik Misal Pav

As I too believe firmly that Nashik is the birthplace of misal pav, I will start with the Nashik chi misal. Multiple flavours come together and you get a variety of options. The thing that is a signature of Nashik misal pav is the complimentary curd and papad that is served along misal pav. Many places serve it and people just love the combination. This is the reason that Nashik chi misal is one of the best.

Where to eat: Ask anybody in and out of Nashik and they will tell you names like Sadhana Restaurant, Tushar Misal, Ambika Misal, Shyam Sundar and Shree Krishna Misal. I am sure they must be the legends of the dish, but I would like to recommend Sitabai Misal which is a store on brave entrepreneurship spirit. Sitabai is a 93 years old lady who operated a misal joint all by herself for almost 8 decades.

Right from sourcing the material, to preparing them. From cleaning the tables to serving the customers. From billing to licensing, she used to run it all alone. It is only couple of years now that her grandchildren has joined the business and have opened 3 outlets. People just love Sitabai, her misal is so simple that it has no side-effect. She makes it with love and that is her secret for success. So if you plan to detour Nashik for Misal then you should visit Sitabai.

Mumbai Misal Pav

Talking about it and placing it second on this list is by no means an indication of this being the best of best. But just to tell all the non-Mumbaikars that we are not far behind in terms of the competition. The mashed potato veggies is often skipped in Mumbai’s misal but is compensated with a mixture of Farsan instead which adds a new dimension to misal pav. I guess only mamledar’s misal includes the mashed potatoes. Nevertheless I have eaten some great misal pav in Mumbai.

Where to eat: Of course, the list starts with Mamledar Misal from Thane. Followed by Aswad in Dadar which won the award for ‘The World’s Tastiest Vegetarian Dish’ in Mumbai for its Misal Pav at the global Foodie Hub Awards held in London. It surely adds a feather in their cap. The next one is Mama Kane, ask your parents and they will tell you how good their misal was and till date they have managed to live up to the hype.

Personally for me the Misal Pav from Jai Hind at lower Parel is phenomenal. They serve unlimited rassa and tarri and charge only for pav. I have eaten a lot of misal pav when I was in my S.S.C. boards. To know how good it is, you need to visit the place. It is by all means a best deal that you could get on misal in Mumbai.

Kolhapuri Misal Pav

As you must have guessed by the mention of Kolhapur in the name that it must be the spiciest misal of the lot. This perception holds true for most of the misal pav you get in Kolhapur. Apart from the hotness of the spices the Kolhapuri misal is served with slice breads. Only few misal joints serve you pav. Most of the places serve their misal with sliced breads. The other thing which distinguishes the Kolhapuri misal is the heavy dose of onion-garlic masala which adds to the hotness quotient.

Where to eat: The Aahar hotel serves the spiciest misal, followed by the Bawada misal where you will see hundreds of notebooks of great customer feedbacks. If you are visiting the Mahalaxmi Temple then Chorage misal is a must try. The Khausbaug hotel is famous for its misal and is a place where many celebrity and politicians still visit to have a bite of the heavenly misal pav. Last but not the least is the Phadtare misal. The misal made in groundnut oil is heck spicy and has the capability to make you a loyal customer.

Khandeshi Misal

First of all let me ask you, do you know what is Khandesh? It is a North-western region of Maharashtra which includes districts of Nandurbar, Dhule and Jalgaon. It also includes a district from MP called Burhanpur. So this region is famous for a hot and spicy misal. The main ingredients are onion, garam masala and coriander powder along with dried coconut. The black masala is used to make kaala rassa.

Unlike other misal pav in the list the Khandesh region do not boast of famous places, and believe that all the misal joints are unique and serve the best version of Khandeshi misal. I will still try to dig more on this and update this space when I get a lead.

Puneri Misal

A misal made with palatable spices that are mixed with dice potato veggie. The tarri is added and topped with chiwda along with sev, onions and coriander. The misal is a nice blend of flavours ranging from sour to spicy. Many places in Pune used to serve the best misal but the things have change lately. You can read this article from Gouri Dange which tells the sorry state of affair. Still being a foodie, I have hopes that Puneri misal will be back with bang.

Where to eat: Starting the list with Café Durga, Shri Kala snacks, and Ramnath Misal, these places have set a benchmark when it comes to misal pav. Bedekar and serves a slightly sweet misal, Shri Krishna Bhuvan has the best hygiene. The Katakirr misal is more of a Kolhapuri misal in Pune but is highly recommended. If you survive at Katakirr then Nevale misal is your next level of challenge.

A Spectacular Journey

From being a food of the labor class to becoming a heartthrob of the mass. Misal pav has surely come a long way. With a search volume of 4600 on YouTube, it accounts to more than billion watch hours. These include the recipe videos, food vlogs, and documentaries. The success can be underlined from the fact that a giant like Netflix has released 2 episodes on misal pav. Recently even the fine dine restaurants are serving some exciting misal pav recipes.

Closure:

You need to eat a good misal in life, that should be your life’s mission. Misal is a dish which has everything in it. It has proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and fiber. This makes it a complete dose of nourishment. The only trick here is to balance the spiciness and health quotient. It is said that any good misal is worth traveling for. So if you find a misal pav which is the best then please share with others. The legacy of good misal should be kept alive.

I hope you liked this blog and would share this with your friends and families. If you have a feedback then do write to me at foodie_khiladi@sh119.global.temp.domains or DM me at foodie_khiladi007. I would be glad to hear from you. With this your foodie_khiladi signs off for the day in a hope to see you soon in my next blog. Till then keep smiling and spreading the smiles.

Picking a side and then reading about something is much more fun than reading neutrally. Thandai or Bhang, here I am referring to Thandai wali Bhang as Bhang so please do not confuse yourself. Plus let me ask you one more thing. Were you aware that Cannabis is not legal in India? If you said yes and added, what kind of silly question is it, then you should know that it is just partially true.

Before we go to sober thandai I think you should know enough about the bhang, so allow me to educate you. Cannabis is of course illegal, the resins of cannabis which often are used in charas, hashish oils and liquid hashish are illegal. The flowering or fruiting tops of the cannabis plant which is often called ganja is illegal too. The leaves which is often referred as Bhang is the part of the cannabis plant that is legal in India. Isn’t this confusingly interesting? Now keep reading.

Let’s find the roots first

Speaking of cannabis itself, it has been mentioned in Atharvaveda around 2000 and 1400 BCE. With the rise of 10^th century, it became famous due to wide usage and was popularly called the ‘food of the Gods’. Maybe, this is a prime reason that its association with lord Shiva got a firm footing. Eventually it was used by the devotees of Shiva for recreational purposes. This is how it started to show up on the eve of holy festivals like Mahashivratri and Holi. Mostly disguised in the cold and refreshing drinks like Lassi and Thandai.

While we talk about Lord Shiva, the story goes like this. In the age of Gods, when there was a battle between the Gods and Demons over the elixir of life called Amrit the first reference of bhang could be found. The Amrit was supposed to churn out of the ocean and along with it came the poison (see the balance of nature), which was called the Halahala. For the greater good, the Halahala was consumed by Lord Shiva which turned his throat blue and he was called Neelkanth.

This is the version that most of Indians would know, but the backstory will surprise you. According to many pundits, the consumption of poison by Lord Shiva, led to immense pain and burning sensation. His better half, Goddess Parvati, made a bhang preparation and gave it to him. After consuming the same, the pain was relieved. What started with a therapy for pain has turned out to be many folklores and myths.

One of the famous folklore states that while the Amrit was consumed by Gods, it spilled at various places and the places started growing cannabis plants. This is why near Himalayan ranges you can see abundance of the weed. People started believing that the weed is a gift from the Gods. Which I highly doubt. Only stoners will feel offended here. But people started propagating such stories for their selfish agendas and for love of Bhang.

The recent History of Bhang

Though Indians have been using the Bhang in various forms like Bhang Thandai, Bhang Halwa, Bhang Laddoos, and so on, but the Britishers who ruled India had a chance to stop this. But clearly they didn’t. It is written in many literary works that in 1890s the British people conducted the study on widespread use of bhang in India. They interviewed 1000 people who were asked a series of questions on usage of bhang. The Indian Hemps Drug Commission Report concluded in favour of usage of Bhang.

It stated “To forbid or even seriously restrict the use of so holy and gracious an herb as the hemp would cause widespread suffering and annoyance, and too large bands of worshipped ascetics, deep-seated anger. It would rob people of solace in discomfort, of a cure in sickness, of a guardian whose gracious protection saves them from attacks of evil influences.” So to save themselves from the fury of millions of Indians they allowed the usage of Bhang.

The continued usage of Bhang is also attributed to the caste system in India. The upper caste Hindus were not allowed to consume any other forms of intoxication and thus they tried to find solace in Bhang. As it was already being used by many Sadhus and was justified and supported by following statements ‘He who despite the example of Rishis uses no bhang at all, shall lose happiness in this life and the next’, ‘he who drinks foolishly or for pleasure without religious rites is as guilty as the sinner of lakhs of sins’ and ‘he who scandalizes the user of bhang shall suffer the torments of hell as long as the sun endures.’

Now this legacy was carried on even after India won its freedom. In the 60s and 70s the pop-culture enthusiasts and some hippies came to India and discovered a God who was offered weed. This is where they saw an opportunity to propagate numerous stories which would justify the consumption of weed by mortals. Many experts will tell you that the image of smoking Lord Shiva never existed before this.

Plus in many northern parts of India, Bhang is offered to Lord Shiva a symbolic surrender of all of life’s intoxications to the divine. This is as mentioned on this wonderful article on this topic at culturetrip.com. So this offering became an excuse for many to start consuming bhang. While there is still no written or recorded evidence which states or instructs the devotees to consume bhang as a matter of devotion to Lord Shiva.

Personally speaking, even if Lord Shiva consumed Bhang I don’t believe you should do so. Just for my belief which stands its ground on the statement “Can you do what Lord Shiva is capable of doing? First make yourself capable of that and then you might become worthy of it.” You and I are mere mortals and Lord Shiva is beyond life and death so I personally feel that if you consume anything in name of the God then it is morally incorrect in many ways.

Still it is Legal in India

After reading till here it is self-explanatory that why Bhang is still legal in India. But just to ensure that you know the right thing I am going to write something. Please do not skip this section as this might save your from legal trouble later in life. India enacted the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act in 1985 which prohibited the usage of many narcotic substances.

Cannabis was one of them and therefore it stated that consuming any resins from the plant is illegal, the same applies for the fruiting buds of the plant. The stem is also a dangerous thing to keep with you. Only the leaves were made an exception which are the true source of making bhang. So now you know which part of the plant is legal and which is illegal.

Other things to know as per the law is, if you are planning to build a fortune by selling bhang then you will need a special license to do so. You should know that you can’t grow cannabis plant as this is again illegal. See how tricky and confusing the laws around cannabis are. Just to add to the confusion, you should know that harvesting leaves of cannabis from wildly growing plants is legal.

So tell me how amusing did you find this information? I found it weird but interesting. So basically you are free to collect leaves from the nature and sell it under the license but you can’t grow it yourself. If it would have been legalized, then in India it would have been a win-win situation for businessmen and government. Because from a survey conducted by seedo (an Israeli data based firm), it says that taxation of this business would lead to a revenue of 725 crores from Delhi alone.

Now that these figures are out in open, it should be considered by the government as an option to raise funds. Only if the stigma around the cannabis lessened then only the government can take such a bold step.

Hiding behind the Mask of Thandai

Bhang has been often mixed with Thandai since thousands of years now. Many people who want to consume it prefer mixing it with edible stuff as the sole taste of bhang is just ridiculous as per the user feedback. So when the consumption of bhang is on its peak, that is the spring season, the people started associating it with the drinks that are happily consumed by everyone alike. Thandai was the preferred choice.

So Thandai became the official mask of bhang and both went well together. Why was it justified of adding bhang to Thandai? It can be inferred from the fact that thandai has its own health benefits. Thandai is made from a mixture of finely ground almonds, cashews, melon seeds, fennel seeds, dried rose petals, cardamom pods, black and white peppercorns and nutmeg with a dose of cinnamon. So in a diverse flavor profile the taste of bhang finds the perfect hiding.

It is also believed that Thandai was a favorite drink of Lord Shiva and someone thought of mixing two of the things associated with him to make the bhang infused thandai. I don’t know if this was genius move or just an act of selfishness without any sense but as it stands this is the root where bhang infused thandai came into existence.

Thandai a perfect drink

The spring season in India is quite long and marks an end to the winters and the temperatures start soaring. This is the transitional phase of climate which weakens the immune system. So scientifically the Thandai becomes a perfect drink. It has all the cooling effect on your body and has all the nourishing ingredients that boosts your immune system. Like Bhang the hub of Thandai still remains Varanasi. Where it is often served at Mahashivratri and Holi.

These two festivals involve a lot of physical exertion due to various functions and dancing that is a part of these festivals. So in a hot environment the body burns a lot of calories and thus thandai is the savior that refreshes and nourishes you at the same time. Fennel seeds have antioxidants are anti-flatulent and have cooling properties, rose petals improves digestion, almonds are rich source of Vitamin E and have cholesterol regulating effects. I recently made the thandai at home. of course without bhang. You can check this post below and refer the comment section for recipe.

Conclusion:

This blog was just a way of letting out things that I feel about consumption of Bhang in the name of God. Thandai a drink so divine has a maligned image because of its association with something notorious that has been propagated for selfish motives of people who like to get stoned. So without bhang the thandai has its own identity and is more than magnificent when it comes to the taste. Don’t trust me? You make it for yourself and see how you like it.

With this, I rest my case in a hope that I enlightened you today. If you loved this post then make sure to share it with your friends and families. If you are reading me for the first time then do check out my other blogs as well. I hope to see you soon in my next blog post, till then keep smiling and spreading the smiles.

So today’s blog is going to be about the Kulfi wala of Mumbai. The Kulfi wala of Mumbai which was pretty much an essence of the chaotic city in a welcoming way. Do you remember these Kulfi wala from of Mumbai? If you have ever been to Girgaon Chowpaty or to any of the Chowpaty of Mumbai for that matter, then I am sure you must have seen these Kulfi walas of Mumbai for sure. He was surely a head turner and crowd puller.

Kulfi wala of Mumbai the signature entry

Like Amitabh Bachhan made the role or porters famous via the movie ‘coolie’, I am sure a movie based on Kulfi wala of Mumbai would have been a hit in the 90s. At the Chowpaty you can easily spot this dude from his uniform, at least till 5 years ago it was the same. He always wore a white full sleeves shirt and a white pajama, the sleeves always folded till elbows and not to miss the majestic Gandhi topi on his head. Above that he had a thick ring made from a towel which was the base where he carried his treasure box.

Actually it was not his treasure box. It was a treasure for people like you and me. The cylindrical tub covered with maroon red cloth, all wet and cool with insulation that could put the modern refrigerators to shame. In the tub it was mostly the large mud pot holding chilled ice mixed with huge amount of salt to maintain the temperature in negative.

Having said that, it was all about the appearance of Kulfi wala of Mumbai, but what made his appearance unique was the unique way he shouted ‘KulfiyO…KULFIIII…KulfiyO….’. Tell me frankly, how many times have you laughed at his voice? How many times have you tried to imitate him? Just like you did with the bhangar wala of your area. Hearing his roar of ‘KulfiyO’ was more fun and maybe it was a trigger that tricked our brain to buy the delicious Kulfi.

Spotting the Kulfi Wala of Mumbai

I deliberately used the word spotting here because, spotting a tiger in Jim Corbett National park has lesser odds than spotting a Kulfi wala of Mumbai. When I was a kid (which I still believe I am), the usual place to find this magician was at the beaches of Mumbai. Be it Girgaon Chowpaty, Dadar Chowpaty, or Juhu Chowpaty.     By the evening when the sunset was good couple of hours away, you would see these Kulfi walas of Mumbai making an uncanny appearance.

Yes uncanny in a sense that a person new to the scene would make out from Kulfi wala’s costume that, he did not belong there. Which was partially true as these Kulfi wala’s were not from Mumbai, I mean there native place was somewhere else, which I will be revealing in few moments. So apart from the Chowpaty areas, Kulfi wala was also spotted at the parks and sea faces. These were the common areas or areas of operation of these low profile entrepreneurs.

Eventually, they started strolling around the residential areas where the middle class families would reside. Going by the rumored hygienic reputations of these Kulfi walas the rich and upper middle class would certainly avoid them in the past. It was the middle class and low income group that would be fascinated by the product called matka Kulfi. So chawls were the common areas for them to operate followed by slums and other areas.

As I am typing this, let me remind you that these spotting of Kulfi wala of Mumbai is a thing of the past now. Since last few years the numbers have dwindled rapidly. You will hardly see the Kulfi wala at these places now. The only places to spot them is the beach, sea face, or famous park. It is not their fault, because as the standard of living increased, the common people started opting for packaged and well-presented stuff.

All of a sudden, the rustic matka Kulfi no longer felt relevant to people. So the profits started thinning out and the Kulfi wala of Mumbai stopped coming to Mumbai to make money for survival. I am not sure how you find this, but for me personally this is a sad state of progress. Somewhere consciously I am too responsible for this. We have collectively evolved to a level where the things that we enjoyed earlier are no longer appreciated just because we found something better.

Kulfi in the making

Though our tastes have changed, but the product they sold were consistent in quality for many years. It was in last few years when the inflation kept rising, the quality lowered a bit. The lowered quality was compensated by them when they chose to still sell the Kulfi at cheap prices as compared to packaged stuff. They weren’t selling Kulfis to become rich, they were selling Kulfi to make the ends meet.

A proper Kulfi which they used to make a decade or two ago was made out of 10 to 15 liter of Buffalo milk. The milk was boiled in large cauldron to reduce it in half. All this had to be done with continuous stirring to avoid the milk from burning and sticking at the bottom. The semi-condensed milk was flavored with cardamom powder and adjusted for sweetness with sugar. Then poured in the steel cones to set them.

What started with just plain malai Kulfi, expanded into a range of flavours like Gulab (rose), Kesar, Pista and Mango. In recent years, the flavours like Sitaphal and Orange were added to the wings just to please the Mumbaikar’s taste buds. The pricing changes a bit with the costing of ingredients. No matter how lavish they make it by adding the dry fruits, or other condiments but the price range is always decided considering the affordability factor. This is how they thrive in a non-conducive environment.

Once set it was all set it was dispatched. To ensure the dose of happiness reached the crowds to end their day on a good note. The skillful display of demoulding the cones and pulling the Kulfi sticks was always a sight to behold. As many Kulfis you saw being pulled out in front you, each Kulfi intensified your craving. Finally when you received your share, you would just get lost in its taste. Being very honest, I have eaten much better Kulfis in the north of India, especially in Rajasthan, but this experience made Kulfi wala of Mumbai unique.

The Magic and the Myths

Yes, it was nothing less of a magic. Being a child it fascinated me, that how can a guy roam in almost scorching heat with a load of frozen deliciousness without letting it melt. The refrigerators in our homes did the same job but also consumed tons of electricity and this dude managed to operate without electricity and with almost excellent efficiency. So I was always curious about the magic he weaved inside the treasure box he carried in cylindrical shape.

Magic didn’t stop there as soon as he engaged the little customers,he would pull the steel cone out and rubbed between his palms to loosen the kulfi. Then he would start opening the steel cones and push the sticks in them. Gently with the same knife he used to slide it from the sides and release the Kulfi and hand it over to the drooling person. I must salute his handling skills, as repeating the same process at a rapid pace was no joke. Interestingly his mind was always in the game as he was well aware of the sold units and never missed to ask for appropriate payments.

The tub in which the large matka was placed always seemed half empty, but the steel cones would never exhaust and he kept searching them one after another and this seemed magical to me. A treasure trove which never emptied. Now when the magic is discussed, I will tell you the myths which were propagated to keep us away from the Kulfi. I am sure you will relate to this.

As the Kulfi wala of Mumbai had a shabby appearance, our elders told us to refrain from eating the Kulfi. The thing that was told to us would make you cringe. I was told that they make the Kulfi from the sewage water and thus it was unhygienic. Coincidentally one day we saw a Kulfi wala draining the water from the melted ice into a gutter nearby and someone from the gang approved the accusations that the Kulfi wala is using the dirty water.

The next myth was laughable but it scared the kids backs then. We were told that they mix something in the Kulfi that can make you unconscious. And when children like us go to buy them alone, they will kidnap us. After hearing this as a 7 year old, would you have dared to go there? At least I didn’t dare. Who wants to get kidnapped when life was all set except for a creamy Kulfi? It wasn’t a bad deal.

But like most of the myths, these myths never lasted enough. I guess I refrained from Kulfi for some months and started enjoying them again. I got the point of our elders that they wanted to limit our intake of Kulfi for health reasons and so I ate Kulfi in moderation after that.

The Story of origin

I knew that this guys do come to Mumbai from some other places. I was not sure about the place, till recently I read another blog written by Sameer who stated that these Kulfi walas hail from a place called Wadhane which is near Phaltan, Maharashtra. These Kulfi walas are basically farmers who travel to Mumbai in off season to sustain their families. They usually travel to Mumbai in a large group and rent a common place.

A place where they take turns for cooking, cleaning and other duties. But they ensure everyone is well fed and in good health. They decide the areas where each one of them will sell the Kulfi. The place where they stay is also used to make these creamy Kulfis and the knowledge of making this Kulfi is ancestral and is passed down through generations. They make the classic malai Kulfi and at times add dry-fruits for some variation.

Closure:

I wish that the legacy of Kulfi wala of Mumbai stays intact for a long time to come. If it takes a special person to organize this sector of business then be it. It would be a great opportunity for a budding entrepreneur to revive the heritage experience of Mumbai Kulfi wala. In returns the Kulfi wala clan can expect increase in footfall. Though the experience will be a bit different but it will not be lost completely.

I would like them to continue to lit up the scenes at the public places so the kids from next generation would have lots of memories just like we do. It is an effort to slow down the automation that is hindering the human touch from our day to day live. Packed ice-creams are those automations and these kulfi walas are the human touches that need to thrive.

What you think? Is this the right way to revive a dying model of business? Or do you have any better suggestions. Comment section is open for you to express your views. If you are shy of speaking publicly then do write to me at foodie_khiladi@sh119.global.temp.domains or just DM me at foodie_khiladi007. I would be happy to hear from you.

With this your foodie_khiladi signs off for the day in a hope that you liked this nostalgic blog post and would share it with your childhood buddies and families. I keep writing such blogs which you can check out on this link. If you haven’t subscribed by now then please do so and encourage others to subscribe please.

So today here is a story of two people who are willing to take things forward, but only time will decide if their story shapes towards a happy ending. There is certainly something special about love stories. That even the most unromantic person wants to know more about them. I don’t know how good I am with writing stories with romantic angles, but I am sure you will let me know at the end of this post in the comments section. So let’s get started.

The quaint café story…

Gautam texted Paula asking “Hey, how are you doing…Did you like the birthday present.” Now waiting impatiently for a reply, he opened his Instagram and searched for Kritika Kirmani. There was one hit and he clicked on the profile to check Kritika’s picture, this wasn’t the first time he was doing so. Since two days after they met at Paula’s home on her Birthday, Gautam was thinking about Kritika all the time.

Gautam was 27 and Paula was his friend from MBA College who recently turned 25. At Paula’s birthday all her friends from college and current job gathered for a small party. This is where the sparks flew between Gautam and Kritika. Gautam was trying to remember how he saw Kritika while she entered the lift in Paula’s building. He smiled shyly and was expecting a smile but that didn’t happen. Then he got that long due smile after Paula introduced them.

While he was in his own sweet thoughts, Paula replied “Hiii…I liked the gift.” Now Gautam was thinking about what to say next as he actually wanted to ask about Kritika, but he feared to be judged if he asked directly. So he responded “Glad you liked it…” Since Paula knew Gautam from past 6 years she responded “You want Kritika’s number? Isn’t it…” followed by two laughing emojis. Gautam was clean bowled after reading this and was smiling at himself.

He texted back “How every time you decode my texts…? Anyway yes I know she is single and would like to know her as a friend.” Paula replied “The way you were sheepishly following her and staring at her in awe on my birthday, it is well evident that you were smitten.” She followed the statement with a winking emoji. Gautam was blushing and embarrassed at the same time. “So is there a chance?” He dared to ask. Paula gave him the number after asking Kritika’s permission.

“All the best, this mission is not going to be easy.” Paula texted this warning note. Gautam was happy and ignored the warning in brutal overconfidence and replied “Thank you girl… You are the best…” Followed by so many smiling emojis. Now came the toughest part and that was to send a text to Kritika. He was recollecting the events from the evening of the party, just to pick a cue and text in some direction. He remember she telling a friend about how she is not having a strong palate for spices and the Biryani was too spicy.

He begun typing “Hey, Gautam here…I hope you are over the Biryani trouble by now…” He read it in his mind, and found it very absurd…He deleted the words and was thinking hard to come up with something better. His brain searched another memory which was, Kritika telling Paula that the cocktails were amazing and she liked the martinis absolutely. So here was a chance for Gautam to open the conversation. He typed “Hey Kritika, Gautam here…got your number from Paula, just wanted to tell you that the Margaritas were also great that day…” He sent the message.

Now it was too late to do anything. He saw the read receipt and was anxiously waiting now. Kritika checked the message and smiled. She was a hard nut to crack, she responded “Ohh, is it! I am not a fan of margaritas.” Gautam read it and saw that only one exclamation mark and one full stop, which meant she was not leaving room for any conversations. Which was like too much analysis from his end. Gathering all the courage he sent another text, “Ohh I will remember this, even I don’t like them, it is just that they were so good and a friend told me to try…”

To this Kritika replied “So you often give into the peer pressure?” she smiled mischievously after sending the reply. Gautam felt embarrassed and waited for some time to respond. After 10 long minutes Kritika added “I am kidding, was just checking how your perseverance is.” After reading this, Gautam felt relaxed. The conversation took off and the ice was broken. Few days passed like this. Now came the time when Gautam thought of asking Kritika out.

He asked Kritika for a coffee, to which she replied “Only if you find a place which I would love to go to…” This was a new challenge in his path. Her Instagram bio read “A modern girl with a soft corner for quaint things…” He thought quaint cafes for the first date, would be a great start to begin with. He searched on web “Quaint cafes in Mumbai…” There were many results but none specifically mentioned quaint cafes in the title. So he clicked on random 3 results.

First was ‘Romantic Cafés in Mumbai’ it had a list of 10 cafes from which he picked the Lake View café and asked Kritika “Since you like quaint places, how about Lake View café at Powai?” She said “If you are searching for a quaint café for me, then this is not at all quaint. It is too modern.” He knew that it is not going to be easy. He went back to the list and picked the Artisan café which was at Bandra. He texted her again asking if Artisan will do. She replied “Gautam, do you really know what quaint means?” she added lots of laughing emojis to mock him.

Gautam was smiling at her replies. He was into the game seriously and wanted to leave no stone unturned. After all, it was after ages that he met someone so lively and graceful that he actually wanted to take things forward. He took one more from the list and landed it in Kritika’s inbox, it was Grandmama’s Café. Her response was “Only expensive furniture to make it look quaint, it adds to the ambience but does nothing to the quaint quotient.”

Gautam closed the first result and went to the list from next result. He suggested the Kala Ghoda café after checking the pictures from the web. Kritika seemed too picky about her choices, she said “yes it seems old though, but it is not natural in feel.” Now Gautam was a bit restless and he wanted to win this challenge anyhow. So he scanned the entire list and saw Café Mondegar and Leopold Café in the list and thinking about their charm he sent it to her. Her response was “Now you are talking Mr. G, but these are too crowded all the time.”

Gautam was glad that now he knew what kind of places will work, though she rejected the previous two. He asked his guys friends to suggest some old cafes, as using the term quaint cafes would have not worked here. Came many suggestions in the chat group, some he already pitched to Kritika and some were simply dumb options. Finally someone put a link on the group which read ‘12 Historic Irani Cafes that will Captivate your Heart!!!’ He clicked it and unlocked the Pandora’s Box. He loved the blog so much, that he forwarded it to Kritika and asked her to choose one.

She took a while to read it, by the time she finished reading it was dinner time. “These are the places that I love, and this list made me hungrier than I usually am at this time.” Gautam was happy after reading this. He texted back “So which one is it? Which seems like the quaintest from the list of these quaint cafes?” Kritika told him “The list is in itself an ode to the quaint cafes and it is difficult to choose one.” Before Gautam could respond, he saw Kritika was typing…

“See I have been to these places before and each time I visit them, I just grow more in love with them. The Chicken Pattice of Kyani & Co. is worth dying for. Plus the place is really quaint, the oldest standing Irani Café of Mumbai, I hope you knew this. The Bread Pudding from Sassanian is mind blowing and it has made me break my dieting vows so many times. Similar is the case with B. Merwan’s Mawa cake which makes me go weak in the knees. The lacy cutlets from café excelsior, they just melt in mouth.” Kritika sent this long text which seemed like an essay to Gautam…

Gautam begun typing, but he was bombarded with another essay, Kritika texted “The Berry Pulao from Britannia & Co. is ultimate rice dish. Sali Boti from Café Military is the best you can have. Café colony’s mutton keema is outstanding and ginger biscuits from Yazdani, Ohhh My Goddd!!! Just quickest way to my heart. Ideal Corner’s Mutton Dhansak is delicious. Have never been to Café Irani Chaii though…How many of these have you been too?”

Finally Gautam got a chance to respond. “You didn’t mention Byculla Restaurant & Bakery, Regal Restaurant & Bakery and Koolar & Co.? Did you missed reading them?” Kritika replied “The ones at Byculla, I have never been to, Koolar & Co. was near my college so I have been there with my group a thousand times at least.” Gautam dared to ask, “So madam, would you like to visit it for one more time with me?” Kritika smiled while replying “Ummm!!! Yes maybe…Only if you plan to be there from breakfast till lunch.”

Gautam was surprised to know that his date was going to be an early morning one. Yet he was happy that finally it was a date. So it was decided that they will meet on a Saturday and spend the day together till lunch. But on the day of the date, Gautam got some emergency work. He literally requested Kritika to not cancel the date but to meet at lunch. Kritika found it disappointing that Gautam was unable to stick to the plan. But she thankfully didn’t cancel the date.

They met at the Koolar & Co., Gautam got some chocolates to make up for the delay, added a handwritten card to it and gave it to Kritika. It read ‘Quaint collection of chocolates for the girl who loves quaint things. Please accept the apology.’ That melted her heart and she smiled finally. Now they were comfortable in each other’s company. They gobbled the keema pav and ate the caramel custard. Since it was late in the afternoon the place was quite uncrowded and was perfect for a first date. Till the time their talks finished it was 4:40 p.m.

Time for some Irani Chai and Bun Maska, they simply devoured the heavenly combination. Now Gautam asked her if she would mind coming with her to south Mumbai for a quite stroll. Kritika was so happy with the experience so far, that she agreed. They took a cab and reached in the fort area where most of the Irani cafes were located. Took a long walk around the marine drive and just when Kritika had to leave, Gautam called his friend and asked for the parcel that he instructed him to get.

Gautam’s friend came near Churchgate station and handed over the parcel to Gautam, greeted Kritika quickly and left. Gautam handed over the parcel to Kritika which had another note in it. “Chicken Pattice of Kyani & Co. just so that you don’t have to die, lacy cutlets from café excelsior to satiate your craving for melt in mouth feeling. A plate of Berry Pulao parcel, with B. Merwan’s Mawa cakes to make you go weak in knees and some ginger biscuits from Yazdani so that you will remember me for at least few more day…Accept with a big smile…”

Kritika was shocked to receive such a surprise. Gautam saw that she was speechless and smiling in awe. He added “So madam, I went to B. Merwan early in the morning and then to Yazdani to get these for you. So postponed our meeting time. The traffic was worse and so had to meet you for a late lunch. I hope now I am really forgiven.” Kritika though touched by the gesture, didn’t want to show it right away.

“What about the other dishes that I mentioned to you?” She asked. “I left them on purpose, just trying my luck to get a nod for second date in one of these quaint cafes.” Kritika couldn’t control her happiness now. She smiled and gave him a hug and said “Not bad and I am impressed. So what are you doing on next Sunday?” Gautam looked in the heavens, thanking all the Gods. The date ended with giving them both some butterflies.

Closure:

I hope you liked the story. I don’t know how it panned out. Just let me know if this love story in search of quaint café was worth it. If you are shy about commenting down below then you can always write to me on foodie_khiladi@sh119.global.temp.domains or DM me at foodie_khiladi007.

For the curious reader in you, I would like to mention that this story is a work of fiction and is not inspired by any other work. It is my imagination in total and any resemblance to reality is purely coincidence. All characters are fictional and are not from any literature.

Of all the quaint café, which have witnessed many of such love stories since decades, which one have you been too? Would you love to go on date in one of these places? Let me know in the comments. With this your foodie_khiladi signs off for the day, in a hope to see you soon in my next blog post. Till then keep smiling and spreading the smile.

Not that I want to create a stir in international politics by dragging tomato in the scene, but just want to discuss with you about the importance of tomato history in India’s culinary journey so far. Only if you keep reading with the same intensity till the end. Which I believe you will, and will also share this with more people. As it is just a general dose of food knowledge. Having said all these things, I also hope you like tomatoes.

So just shake your head, embrace yourself and let’s go on this adventure, which will be sweet and sour as the focus lies on something which has similar traits. Don’t you think I would have been a wonderful history teacher? If your answer is no then keep reading and decide by the end of this blog post.

Tomato History by Origin

It is going to be very interesting to know that the place where it was grown first, is not the place where people ate it. Want to guess where it originated? If your guess was America then bingo! You are right. The Aztecs were the first guys to have the knowledge of growing tomatoes. The word tomato is derived from the Aztec word “xitomatl”. This article on manyeats.com sheds a detailed light on this subject. Which says that by early 16^th century, the Aztecs had more than 50 recipes made from tomatoes and it includes salsa sauce. And there are people who still think Nachos and Salsa is a recent recipe.

By the same time around it was introduced to Spain and Italy, it reached France as well but only to be used as an ornamental plant. The reason was not silly though, the tomato belongs to nightshade family which produces some poisonous fruits. On the other side, the Italians happily embraced it, they call it pomodoro which means “Golden Apple”. It might be due to the reason that the earlier variant of tomato was yellowish in colour. The French called it pomme d’amour which means “love apple”.

After making its presence felt in Europe, the tomato traveled back to United States in 1781 C.E. Thanks to Thomas Jefferson who removed the social stigma of it being poisonous. Then it slowly seeped throughout the United States. It became popular only in early 20^th century, this highlights the time it took for Americans to embrace it and incorporate in their food. From Europe it came to Asia via Philippines. Considering the progressive influence of tomato in most of the world’s cuisines, it is hard to believe that most of the acceptance came only few hundreds of years back. Tomato history is certainly very interesting, don’t you think so?

How Tomato Traveled to India?

With the arrival of Portuguese traders, the Tomatoes traveled to India, much like Potatoes and Chilies. The tomato was brought in India around the 16^th century and only some regions cultivated and used it in food. It was only after the British colonization around 18^th Century, that the Britishers asked Indians to grow more tomatoes to take them back to Britain. India’s climate being fairly suitable for growing tomatoes, the crop took off the shelves rapidly. Uttarakhand became the largest hub for their cultivation.

The variant which came to India is said to be sour and elongated which is as stated by Vir Sanghvi in his articles. It was only used as a taste enhancer in earlier days. Since then the progress is huge. As nowadays India produces 7500 varieties of tomatoes which can fit in all requirements. You just need to keep an open eye to the subtle changes. So how many of the varieties have you tasted? I bet less than 10 will be your standard answer.

It is not your fault that, that in India the tomato is generally used to add body to the gravies along with heavy spices. Eating raw tomato is rare feat. So the difference in taste and variant is often ignored unintentionally or perhaps instinctively. But that takes nothing away from the tomato history which decorates the Indian food scene.

Famous Dishes incomplete without tomato

As you know that tomato is all over the places in India. There must be barely some kitchens which won’t be having tomato in it. I know you must be heartbroken to know that even tomato is not Indian. But if you see the impact of tomato on Indian cuisine then nobody else could make it out that it is an outsider. We eat tomato like it has been eaten by us since ages. So here are some famous dishes which makes to the Indian food map in culinary world.

I will try to explore with you the void that must have been left behind if these dishes were not invented. I have chosen the most famous dishes here, because apart from this if I include the dishes which uses tomatoes in them, then this blog won’t remain a blog but turn into a never ending saga of tomato history.

Pav Bhaji

If there is any food item, which is worthy of being the face of Mumbai’s culinary world then it is Vadapav, but the next best on this list is Pav Bhaji undoubtedly. A dish which has all the three core ingredients gifted to India by Portuguese. A heartfelt thanks to them, but the Pav Bhaji is on our food tables because of a little British contribution. Along with British, a little thanks should be given to the Americans as well. No I am not here to say thank you just like you do after winning awards. Just keep reading to know more about tomato history that shaped Pav Bhaaji.

So the Civil war in America (the real one, not the one with captain America) led to the slowed production of cotton. These led to shortage of cotton in Britain and thus India got the work of churning cotton. These is how mills were set and workers started to hustle hard. To keep these workers well fed during long working hours, there were food stalls outside the mills which sold the leftover vegetables cooked with more tomatoes and some potatoes with Pav.

Just a makeover dish invented to feed the hard working laborers, turned out to be a superhit across Mumbai and became one of the best street food dishes. The tang in Pav Bhaji cannot be missed, without the tanginess the dish will always remain incomplete. So tomatoes gave the normal bhaaji an interesting and yummy makeover. What you think how impactful this dish has been so far in food history of Mumbai?

Butter Chicken

I love butter chicken. Do you love butter chicken? Who doesn’t love butter chicken!!! Apart from loving it, I love it so much that I make one heck of a butter chicken. Though Indian cuisine is often linked with the likes of Butter Chicken, but it is such an irony. Considering the fact that butter chicken is post partition dish. The partition which nobody wants to remember but nobody can forget either. Just like butter chicken. Nobody wants to make it, but nobody wants to skip eating it either.

It is well evident that Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi invented the dish. It was their way of managing food wastage. The leftover chicken from tandoor used to dry up after long hours. To fix the problem, they invented a gravy which was tomato based and had lots of butter and cream in it. This used to make the charred chicken succulent to eat. This is how tomatoes contributed in inventing in one of the most ordered and most searched Indian dish online.

Without tomato, this would not have been possible. Though they would have invented something else like a malai chaap or something, but even now the malai chaap is already invented, it never beats a good butter chicken on any given day. Thus this is an interesting chapter from the books of tomato history.

Dal Makkhani

It traveled to India from Pakistan. Mokha Singh in Peshawar owned a dhaba called Mukhey da dhaba, where worked a simple yet genius man named Kundan Lal Gujral. Over a period of time Mokha Singh sold this place to Kundan Lal Gujral who named it Moti Mahal. After partition the Moti Mahal was brought to Delhi and re-invented the Dal that was cooked in Peshawar.

Taking notes from the super hit butter chicken, Mr. Gujral made a dal with lots of tomato puree in it and made it creamier and it was a proud substitute to butter chicken. One more ordinary dish was transformed into a best-selling dish, just because of tomato. As Dal Makkhani is also associated with Indian cuisine on global levels, tomato has played its part in doing so. Do you like Dal Makkhani? Let me know in the comments.

The vegetarians out there are thankful for this innovation and some of them are pure loyalist to this dish. My favorite comedian has tattooed the name of Dal Makkhani on his arm. Any guesses? Let me know in the comments. But this is just an example how good this dish is and how interesting this makes the tomato history.

Kadhai Dishes

Be it Paneer Kadhai or Chicken Kadhai, both the dishes cannot be made without tomatoes. As raw a preparation of this dish is, yet the end result is tempting and delicious. Another dish which is common in the north regions of India and Pakistan has so many spice mixes. But in origin it is a tribal dish which is cooked with meat and its fats and lots of tomatoes with minimal spices. This original Gosht Kadhai dish is the precursor to many modern day kadhai dishes.

Preparing kadhai recipe in traditional ways include cooking on high flame for all parts of the recipe. The tomatoes are supposed to be tossed in whole and then covered to get cooked in the steam. Once done the tomato skins are supposed to be separated and taken out and the inner mass is smashed into the gravy. The tomatoes balances out the spices and makes a perfect base. Have you ever tried authentic chicken kadhai?

Nowadays you have so many variations that are made using the kadhai gravy, this is a prime example of an ingredient being able to influence a vast section of cuisine. This proves that tomato history is much more influential than what meets the eyes.

Other Dishes which are regional favorites

Tomato chutney, is a dish which is often made in households. A tomato puree is sautéed with caramelized onions and cooked till you get a thick paste consistency. It goes well with rice and roti both. Tomato rassam is another famous dish omnipresent in the southern part of India. Next is the tomato curry which is made with red chilies, tomatoes, coconut and is served with fishes. Then a milder version is the tomato saar, which is a thinner version of the curry that is mostly eaten by Kokani people along with rice.

Barring all the traditional recipes of India, there are modern variations such as tomato omelet, tomato rice and so on. It seems like there are hardly any dishes in India where you do not add tomatoes to it. This speaks volumes about the importance of tomatoes in Indian cuisine. All these dishes adds the weightage to the book of tomato history.

Closure:

So don’t you have any questions? Like, what Indians used before getting tomatoes in the diet. The answer is curd. As mentioned earlier in this blog, tomatoes were earlier used as a souring agent just like curd. Since the earlier variants of tomatoes were much sour and also provided the body to the dishes. This is how the entry of tomato changed the landscape of Indian cuisine. I hope the lecture was not very boring and it was informative enough that explained well about the tomato history.

If this added some value to your knowledge base then please share it with people you know. I keep bringing such informative posts on food history. In case you want me to cover any specific topics you can let me know on foodie_khiladi@sh119.global.temp.domains or DM me at foodie_khiladi007. You can always drops in suggestions and feedback too.

With this, your foodie_khiladi signs off for the day. In a hope to see you soon in my next blog posting. Till then keep smiling and spreading the smiles.