The ‘f’ word

I’m thankful for the lessons I’ve had in Indian cookery from my mother, but even she hasn’t always stuck to ‘the rules’. Cheesy naan dough balls were her nineties dinner-party showstopper. Fluffy balls of nigella seed-infused, yeasted dough, stuffed with melting mozzarella and brushed with garlic and coriander (cilantro) butter. I still make them today. Her father was a chef and confectioner of Indian sweets (candies), trained in hotels across Mumbai. Upon migrating to East Africa in the 1930s, he had his first taste of vanilla. Since then, he added it to his signature jalebi recipe (a syrupy, spiral-shaped sweet). They were famous across Nairobi. Even after moving to the UK, the orders for his delicious vanilla jalebi came in from the local Gurdwara in Southampton. Food is an ever-evolving landscape and history has proven time and time again that change can be fruitful. So many dishes, as we know them today are products of ‘fusion’, whether it’s an ingredient, style or technique. ‘Fusion’ is a term often used to connote a lack of thoughtfulness, a half-baked idea, when in fact, almost everything we eat is a form of fusion food. As human beings, we’re all a little bit of fusion, aren’t we? I believe that we are products of our environment. We use the ingredients we can access to create the meals that enable ourselves and our loved ones to live well. The familiar sizzle of bhajiya (pakora) on rainy days bring comfort to me and my family – and we somehow always seem to have gram flour in the cupboard. It is through embracing our cultural diversity that we have the tools to create incredible new meals that continue to enrich our lives.