Tag: Pushpesh Pant

Fermented Fad: Boosting Immunity, Naturally

By Pushpesh Pant

There is general agreement that fermented foods are the next big thing. In fact, fermented foods are at the confluence of two current powerful trends — the increasing demand for natural foods and growing popularity of immunity-boosting superfoods.

According to trade journals, the global market for just one fermented product Kombucha Tea was approximately $1.7 billion as of 2019. This tea is prepared with black, green or white tea, flavoured with flowers like hibiscus, jasmine, fruits herbs and spices like ginger or mint. Attractively packaged in 250 ml bottles the ‘refreshing and reinvigorating’ beverage is priced from ₹120 to ₹250 a pop.

Chefs are excited about exploring uncharted territory that gives them a chance to show their creativity and restaurant owners are happy to ride the big rising wave that is bringing in health-conscious millennials to their tables. From cocktail canapes to desserts fermentation is casting its magic spell.

Just before the COVID pandemic hit us and threw life out of gear, modern fermenters had already started creating fizzy bubbles in India. Trendy eateries like restaurants Olive Bar and Kitchen in Mumbai, Delhi’s Greenr Cafe and FabCafe had started organizing fermentation workshops to raise awareness and sustain interest in kombucha and kefir, sauerkraut and much more.

Bengaluru was the first to come up with India’s first ‘fermentary’ called Kobo, an e-shop dedicated to selling ferments only. Qualia in Mumbai relied on its rich repertoire of fermented foods at the time of its launch.

The craze for probiotic drinks and other fermented superfoods is building up once again as we resume life if not after then with COVID. Kombucha, Kimchi, Kefir, Doogh and Sauerkraut from distant lands are available and appear irresistible.

How easily we forget that the process of fermenting was well known to our ancestors who used it to enhance the shelf life and improve the taste of what they consumed. Pickles, cheeses and wines are all fermentation’s gifts.

Fermented foods have long been a part of the traditional Indian diet, especially in rural areas. In Gujarat it is dhokla and in the southern states of India idli, dosai and appam are prime examples of fermented breakfast items. In the east in Bengal and Orissa pantha bhaat aka pakal is slightly fermented rice (cooked the night before and soaked in water) is considered the perfect light meal during the summers. Buttermilk-based dishes are many- Kadi, Kulu, Mor Kuzhambu, etc.

Fermented dishes are prepared with cereals and lentils, milk and dairy, vegetables and fruits. Sweets like jalebi are prepared with fermented batter and Gundruk is immensely popular in Sikkim where the farmers first wilt green mustard and radish leaves for a couple of days then pound these adding a little water.

Greens are then packed in air-tight containers. After fermentation, the leaves are taken out and dried in the sun to be used as required. The ubiquitous condiment in North-Eastern states of India is fermented fish paste ngari its vegetarian rendering uses black soya beans. Hawaijar is prepared by fermenting cooked soya beans in banana or fig leaves packets that are put in a closed bamboo basket for three to five days.

This is considered adult food not fit for young children due to its rich protein content. Enduri pitha is a fermented batter based pancake that is steamed in turmeric leaves and served ritually on the Prathamashtami festival. Singal in Uttarakhand (called Seli roti in Nepal) is prepared with semolina or rice flour soaked overnight and mixed with sugar to help fermentation.

Much before Greek Yogurt was a twinkle in the eye of gifted marketers, dahi a rich source of folic acid, riboflavin, vitamin B-complex, and lactic acid bacteria was used by Indians in their daily diet. It is rich in probiotics, or good bacteria, thereby improving gut health. It further impedes the growth of E. coli and other bad bacteria in the gut.

Advocates of fermented foods maintain that fermentation increases the nutritional properties of ingredients enhancing the absorption of vitamins and minerals in the body. Many of these claims are validated by scientific research.

Fermentation helps break complex carbohydrates and sugars making these easily digestible. Probiotic foods certainly improve gut health. But to accept that all fermented foods are superfoods that dramatically boost our immune system and retard ageing or that these can be magic bullets to cure diabetes, blood pressure, etc. doesn’t seem very wise.

Humanity’s Experiments With Mock Meats

By Pushpesh Pant

Mock meat, a segment of products that taste, smell and feel very close to their animal counterpart, has become widely popular among people. Millions of dollars are being spent on advertising campaigns to convince us that it is good for us (our health) and good for the planet (for conservation of the environment).

It can’t be denied that raising animals for the table leaves an unbearable carbon footprint and the practice isn’t sustainable. Cattle farming – particularly to produce red meats, beef and pork– contributes to large scale deforestation, exploitation of labour and destruction of the lifestyle of indigenous people.

All this besides the argument that we should not view everything through an anthropomorphic lens and should strive to eliminate cruelty towards animals deserves serious consideration.

The raging debate is not confined to ethical moral issues. Carnivores who love to bite into flesh, fowl or fish ask why can’t the vegetarians not let the meat-eaters be? Why this zeal to convert the non-believers to their creed? Why should vegetarians and vegans be driven to chase the mirage of meats obtained from plants?

The old saying is that call a rose by any other name, it remains a rose. Now, the real problem is that you call plant-based meat by any name-mock meat, faux meat, meat analogue, vegan meat, meat substitute it doesn’t become meat.

There is a long history of humanity’s experiments in this field. The Chinese texts dating back to the third century BCE refer to Tofu made from soyabean as ‘small mutton’. The Chinese also experimented to replicate the texture of meat with gluten derived from wheat. Nor was mimicking meat with vegetables and lentils unknown in ancient India.

Cola-cassia leaves were layered with spice lentil paste and then steamed to mimic fish with skin. Riconch and patod continue to be prepared in different parts of India. Originally, this delicacy was called aleek matsya literally faux fish. Jack fruit, yams and unripe bananas are commonly used to prepare vegetarian kebab, kofta, qorma and biryani. In Bengal, dhokar dalna was prepared with ground Bengal gram lentils and draped in mustard gravy to trick the guest into thinking that they were being treated to fish. These traditional improvisations relied heavily on spices used in non-vegetarian dishes to create the illusion.

However, what is casting a spell at present is mass-produced plant-based proteins that claims to match the appearance, texture and mouthfeel of different viands, poultry and seafood much better.

The process used is Thermo Plastic Extrusion that has been used for almost a century now by cereal manufacturers. It was Mr Kellogg the pioneer of breakfast cereals who had forecast a great future for the humble soyabean as the poor man’s meat. Soya bean granules were marketed as vegetarian keema in India but while the nuggets (soya badi) carved a niche for itself, the mince failed to take off. But we digress.

Mock meats have long ago broken the Soya barrier. As a matter of fact, the Soya Champ so popular in our land is a gluten product! Elsewhere, defatted peanuts or myriad nuts and grains are used as a base for mock meats. To reproduce the texture and taste fungi or egg white are used.

Processed food companies abroad and in India claim that they have succeeded in producing different kinds of meat substitutes that look and taste just like ‘real’ beef, pork, lamb, chicken or seafood. The essentially bland plant protein is transformed magically by the addition of edible colour, fat, aromatic substances and synthetic (nature identical) flavours. This has triggered the debate whether these ultra-processed products are really more healthy than natural meats?

Preservatives are often added that nullify the advantages claimed by producers of vegetarian meats. These may be free from growth hormones and antibiotic medicines but what about high sodium content and preservatives? Packaging and marketing of such niche products make them attractive for the health-conscious and environmentally responsible folks, but it remains to be seen whether this fad of fringe foodies will in future really ensure food security and adequate nutrition for the masses in different continents.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the above article are that of the writer