Now if you know your mythical creatures, you would know that some famous hybrids in mythical stories have been minotaurs, mermaids, Typhon, Shedu etc. While some hybrid foods can be identified as the beautiful mermaids, some of it can be called an ugly minotaur, some downright weird like Typhon and some look like the love-child of a minotaur and Typhon (More of these and it'll surely be the end of the world).
What is it with hybrid foods in India? We have made a hybrid of possibly all the popular cuisines in the world except French. We are known for our hospitality. We make our guests feel at home and feel equal if not greater than us. That can be said about the different cuisines that have visited us from abroad and stayed here. Chinese? Italian? The ubiquitous American? We are also witnesses of the love-childs of these cuisines. Thus, we play cupid as well. Chilli-paneer/chicken pizza, pasta do exist. Remember the Typhos and minotaur love child? That's them. Yes, you can think who will eat that, but I know you have. Come on, admit it! I have too. This is like my confession in the Food Church. Forgive me Father, for I have sinned.
We take out our hatred of the Chinese on their food. How could you even try to wage a war on us, usurp our territory and create an unrest? We will bastardize your food. Chin-jabi has become all the rage. Believe it or not, there actually is a restaurant by that name in Delhi. Wontons, spring rolls, drums of heaven, sweet corn, manchow, manchurian, chilli chicken/paneer, they are all brown, oriental children roaming our streets. Manchurian was invented by Nelson Wang, the Mumbai restauratuer for a dinner in CCI. He said he was inspired by the Indian dish of kofta and instead of adding the garam masala, he added soya sauce. Chinese chat has suddenly started springing up everywhere. I haven't tasted it though and I am unlikely to try it, even though I am an adventurous eater. I will take noted food columnist, Vir Sanghvi's advice on this when he very simply stated, "it doesn't taste good."
Pizzas have differed not only in their toppings but also in their crusts. Seekh kabab pizzas, paneer el-rancho pizzas, they are all the not so good looking mermaids. Their crusts are more often than not tasteless, greasy and rubbery. The pastas, well they are the minotaurs. Chilli chicken pasta? Tandoori chicken pasta? I feel Don Corleone would have spun in his grave like a top! The shawarmas here, are well, another story all together. Greasy with unidentifiable bits of meat stuffed in them love their parents, the minotaur and Typhos. Although, again I confess, I used to gobble them up in my first few years of college when money was hard to come by.
I understand the need for these hybrids. We are very fussy eaters and our food differs greatly from the other cuisines of the world. One of the chief culprits in this regard are the fast-food chains. To increase their profits in a market which boasts of a billion people, they have introduced flavors and variations which have been made to suit Indian tastes. The only way that they can become popular here is if we make some changes to it to suit the common man's palette. A lot of people won't be happy with sticky rice or the original Italian pastas which don't necessarily drown in sauce. Not many here like their pasta al-dente. But pizzas should not be messed with. Naan pizzas, parantha pizzas are abominations and the sooner we get rid of them, the better.
I am not against hybrid food, I find it fascinating. Some people swear by it, I understand it and find it okay (though I do sneer at people when they say they prefer the chinese found here than in China). Mughlai or North Indian food just about edges out Chin-jabi in popularity. Chinese tourists who visit India come in bus loads to eat at a very popular Chinese restaurant here, which, lets just say serves a milder form of Chin-jabi. They really seem to enjoy the food. It has become so popular, that a restaurant has opened in Shanghai that serves chin-jabi.
Manchurian and American Chopsuey anyone? Or would you prefer a chicken tikka rissotto?
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