Indian food is UK’s national cuisine: Mridula Baljekar

Call her the Cook in a Saree, the Indian gourmet diva or the ambassador of Indian Culinary Art in the West, food writer and broadcaster Mridula Baljekar’s food is described in international media as ‘Heaven on Earth for the senses’.

Baljekar is the best-selling author of many cookery books, including the Low Fat Indian Vegetarian Cooking, Fat Free Indian Cooking and Real Fast Indian Food. She presented her own series ‘Mridula’s Indian Kitchen’ and the highly acclaimed ‘Spice Trail’ on Carlton Food Network. She has appeared on Channel 4 (Gloria`s Open House), BBC (The Heaven and Earth Show) and Sky One. In a conversation with Smita Mishra of Spicezee.Com, she speaks about her love for Indian cooking and the ‘spices and curry’ that have made Indian food Britain’s favourite. From the secretary to the Director of a Merchant Bank to a globally known food expert, how did this transition occur? Food and cooking had always been my passion. It was not difficult to change this passion into a profession. I always knew I would break into this line. It was by stroke of luck that I got an opportunity to teach Indian cooking in a college. I tested and taught my own recipes. One thing led to another. I wrote a book which became very popular; I started hosting TV shows and became the consultant to England’s biggest supermarket chain. Your “Complete Indian Cookbook” has sold more than a million copies worldwide. What was the inspiration behind it? The students whom I taught at college in London were practically smitten by my recipes. They said that most of the ‘recipe book’ recipes don’t come out well, but the recipes that I taught them, they could make with perfection when they tried them at home. Who were your students in London, Indians? No, no…they were mostly British, Spanish and some Indians as well. Why did you choose to specialize in Indian food? Was it because being an Indian it came naturally to you or because Indian food is high on demand in Britain? Actually I grew up eating Indian food and I could not do anything better than this. It is true it came naturally to me. I learnt the basic tenets of Indian cooking from my grandmother and my mother. They taught me the finer side of Indian cooking. However, now I specialize in all kinds of food - pan Asian, South Asian etc. This love for cooking also originated from my love of food. What has made Indian food so popular in Britain? It is mainly because of the exposure of the British in the days of the Raj to the Indian cuisine. In fact it is so popular here that instead of the traditional Sunday Roast on Sundays, Sunday Curry is relished in most British homes! Indian food has become the national cuisine of Britain and they love it as their own. Initially the Bangladeshi cooks, who came with the East India Company officers, spread the culture of Indian food. And these Bangladeshis opened the Balti restaurants…but is not Bangladeshi food a lot more spicy and hot? Ya very true…but now there are a number of places that serve authentic Indian food. What do you think is the best thing about Indian food? The health quotient. That’s the supreme thing about our food. It’s a mere misconception that Indian food is spicy and oily. In fact all our spices have therapeutic value. What is your favourite dish? Oh! I am a food lover. I prefer food with fresh ingredients. In fact I thoroughly love Indian food. Everything that I cook is a favourite dish. Anything in pipeline? I am ready with a book called Classic Indian Regional Cooking. It includes the recipes of all Indian states. I plan to launch it by the end of this month.