Lochmere Midwinters Feast A Celebration of Diwali January 27, 2018 Mistress Lisette la Roux, OP 2 The inspirations for this feast were built on two concepts. The first inspiration came from the Ain I Akbari, written during the time of the Emperor Akbar in the mid to late 16th century/early 17th century during the continued rise of Mughal influence in India. The second inspiration being the concept of Ayurvedic medicine and system of “life knowledge” that was present in ancient Indian culture, even surviving in modern eastern medicine. Ain I Akbari The Mughal influence in India began in the late 15th century with Emperor Zahir- ud-din Muhammed Babur (otherwise referred to as Babur or Babar) conquest at Panipat in 1526 and the Battle of Khanwa. Although Babur was aloof to the foods found in Northern India at the time, he did have a fondness for fruits, noting that India was void of grapes, musk melons, or first-rate fruits. (Pande, n.d) His love of fruits led to the creation of the Royal Fruitery, which is mentioned in great detail in the Ain I Akbari. In contrast, his son, Humayun, who began his reign in 1530, expanded the Indian diet by introducing Mughal and Persian foods into northern India, in some cases, introducing new dishes such as kormas (braised meat in creamy sauces), pilafs or rice dishes such as biryani, and kabobs or koftas (grilled spicy meatballs). (Pandes, n.d.) Even frozen treats such as kulfi, a rich ice cream was introduced into the Indian cuisine. (Achaya, 1994) Emperor Akbar began his reign in the mid 16th century and expanded the empire beyond that of his predecessors. Akbar the Falconer Akbar surrounded himself with his navaratnas (“Nine Jewels”). These nine jewels were men who made up his cabinet of counsel, who held important positions in his administration during his reign. His Grand Vizier, Abu’l-Fazl ibn Mubarak, was commissioned in the late 1580s to document Akbar’s administration and history in a series of books called the Akbarnama. The 3rd book in this series was the Ain I Akbari, which served as an administrative accounting and assessment of the areas of India under Emperor Akbar’s reign. 3 The 3 volumes specifically used in this research were translated from the original Persian language to English in the late 19th century by several scholars within the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Colonel H.S. Jarrett and H. Blochmann, M.A in Calcutta, and published by Harvard University. These documents contain numerous detailed references and accounts of specific foods and recipes, as well as also eating etiquette, rituals, and seasonal crops. In the Ain I Akbari, Grand Vizier Fazl listed Akbar’s three classifications of dishes: 1) Dishes with no meat (sufiyana) which consisted of vegetarian dishes with wheat, dhals, green leafy vegetables, and halwas 2) Dishes with meat and rice (palaos, biryanis or shullas) which consisted of wheat or rice with meat 3) Dishes with meat and spices (Haleem, kabobs, qutab) which were dishes entirely of meat cooked with ghee, spices, curd and eggs (Achaya, 2003) Abu’l-Fazl ibn Mubarak Ayurveda Different cultures have established a connection between the body and how matter can affect one’s overall well-being. This connection was referred to commonly as “humors” in early period and were linked heavily to the elements earth, water, air, and fire as well as the physical qualities of cold, hot, moist, and dry which affected individual’s personal qualities (NIH, NLM, 2018) Ayurvedic Medicine or Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine that dates back 2,000 years acknowledging the connection between food and medicine or physical and mental well-being. The Ayurvedic practitioners or “vaidyas” were respected throughout the continent. Rulers, including Alexander the Great, sent their own doctors to learn from them. (Sen, 2015) Three ancient texts serve as original authoritative texts on Ayurvedic medicine. The Charaka Samhita written in Sanskrit around 400-200 BCE is considered the oldest text on the topic and is still used by modern students of 4 Ayurveda. It concentrates on the overall theory of Ayurvedic medicine and kayachikitsa or internal medicine. The Sushrtua Samhita is thought to be nearly as old and concentrates on surgical practice and theory. The third work is by Vagbhata, Ashtanga Sangraha. These are thought to have existed after the original two but are considerably larger in text, emphasizing physiological treatment and the use of metals and minerals. The minor texts on the topic are The Sharngahara Samhita (15th century), Bhana Prakasha (16th century), and Madhava Nidanam (700 AD). Similar to the ancient Grecian theory on humors, the Ayurvedic practitioners believed that all matter falls into one of five categories: Ether (Space), Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. (Lad, 2017) The combination of these elements makes up the “doshas” or the unique blends of physical, emotional, and mental characteristics that are defined for each individual. These doshas are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. (The Chopra Center, 2018) Conceptually, all states of mass or matter have some sort of energy. Not only the consumption of certain foods, but the way the elements or characteristics of foods are combined and how they interact can have an overall effect on the physical – mind connection and well-being of an individual. The combination of the five elements: fire, earth, air, water, and ether and ten pairs of contrasting qualities heavy and light, cold and hot, oily/moist and dry, slow and intense, stable and mobile, soft and hard, clear and sticky, smooth and tough, subtle and gross, and solid and liquid create the perfect combination to keep the body healthy and balanced. (Sen, CT, 2015) Ayurvedic nutrition involves incorporating the 6 “tastes” or Rasas should be included in each meal to find the perfect personal adjustment for your constitution. This counterbalance of energy through food helps the individual with balanced nutrition and good health, resulting in overall satisfaction. (Eisler, 2018) Along with these 6 tastes, eating a colorful diet promotes a long and healthy life. (Chopra, 2018). 5 Flavor Characteristics Food examples Sweet Most grounding and Sugar, all whole grains, nourishing most meats, dairy products, sweet fruits including mangoes, peaches, apricots; dates, sweet vegetables such as cucumbers, carrots; many nuts such as almonds, honey, and spices like rose, saffron, cardamom, poppy seeds and cinnamon Sour Awakenings thoughts Yogurt, cheese, all citrus and emotions and fruits especially lemon, improves the digestive vinegar, pickles and process pickled or fermented foods, tamarind, and certain wine Salty Stimulates digestion and Salt, sea salt, real salt, fish, increase absorption of olives and foods with minerals added salt such as nuts, breads and soups Pungent Improves appetite, All of the peppers, ginger, heightens senses garlic, onion, cardamom, cumin, mustard seeds, and black and green peppercorns Bitter Detoxifying All of the bitter greens and dark leafy greens are bitter including spinach, certain teas such as green, black, and most herbal teas, spices like turmeric and fenugreek Astringent Mentally purify and Green grapes, many strengthen vegetable, dry red wine, coriander (leaves and seeds), pomegranate, Split peas, lentils, turnips, bay leaf, and the white peel inside citrus fruits 6 Cooking techniques For the purposes of feast and KASF, due to number of people being served, availability of resources, and practicality, modern cooking techniques were used in the preparation of these dishes. However, in practice, the hearth in the home was a place of purity and sanctity often with a place of worship located nearby but far away from any waste area, receiving of guests, or living areas for sleeping or sitting. (Achaya, 1998) Common cooking techniques included drying, cooking in water, steaming, frying (including deep frying), slow dry roasting, baking, and a form of grilling using a Tandoori oven for meat, fish, and poultry. (Achaya, 2002). Although using modern tools, these techniques were incorporated as much as possible during the feast. The specific technique of Baghar, or slow roasting the spices into the pan prior to incorporating the main ingredients was a common theme and also incorporated. (Achaya, 2002) Techniques also involved sautéing. (Sen, 2015) Men and women both worked as professional cooks, with some specializing in certain dishes or the amount of food they could prepare. Cookware was made of copper, iron, stone, and clay (common for cooking of bread). Meat was spit roasted or fried in oil. (Sen, 2015) In his book, Feasts and Fasts: A history of food in India, Sen states that the Ayurvedic text from 1550, Kshema kutuhalam, lists culinary equipment in 16th century India, including: • Broom • Big pot • Brush • Grindstone • Bamboo vessel • Jar filled with water • Stones to produce fire • Pieces of dry wood • Sieve • Strainer • Pestle and mortar • Winnowing basket (tool used to separate grain from the chaff, or remove insects) • Clod of clay • Ladle • Square piece of cloth 7 • Two pairs of tongs • Four pieces of cloth • Tubular reed • Knife • Iron spit for roasting • Frying pan • Long ladle of iron for fire • Wood or iron for storing ghee Map of India under Akbar’s reign until 1605 and after 8 Menu First course Mixed Winter Vegetable Pickle (*) Ginger Coriander Chutney (*) Naan (*) Platter of Oranges, Apricots, Grapes, Dried Ber, Dates, Mango, Cucumber (*) Coconut Jaggery Laddu (*) Pistachios Spiced Tea Pomegranate water Second course Fish Amritsari (fried fish) Roasted Goat in spices Chicken Korma (creamy stewed chicken) Daal (spiced lentils) (*) Sag Paneer (Spinach and cheese) (*) Dish of peas, onions, and mint with spices (*) Rice (*) Chicken Biryani (researched and served to kitchen staff, not included in feast) Third course Gulab Jamun (Indian Doughnut in Syrup) (*) Gajar Halwa (sweetened carrot dish with almonds on the side) (*) Khubani Ka Meetha (dish of stewed sweetened dried apricots) (*) Mishti Doi (Sweet Cream) (*) * Vegetarian 9 Winter Vegetable Pickle The technique of picking is an ancient method of preservation and is particularly important in a hot climate to keep foods for a long period of time.