There's a new kind of writing making its presence felt in the book stores and it has a lot to do with food. Spearheading this recent trend and raising it to yummylicious heights is The F-Word by Mita Kapur.
There is mischief in the title, loads of it. At first glance, one is likely to make a mad scramble to hide the book from the prying eyes of kids before realisation sets in that the “F” word indicates food and not what one had assumed earlier! The book starts with Lucknow and ends at Minneapolis and between the beginning and the end, sandwiched between many a domestic, maternal and filial upheaval, lie more than a hundred and fifty precious recipes.
Fascinating trail
As one travels down the culinary trail with the author, it is evident that Kapur has a vast and deep knowledge of the cuisine of Rajasthan and other northern parts of the country (the emphasis being on Delhi, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Lucknow, with the exception of Hyderabad) and is also blessed with an inexhaustible curiosity about the genesis of recipes and the history lurking behind them. Thus, we learn not just about the biriyani and kakori kebabs of Lucknow but the etiquette, finesse, ambience and touches of Nawabi culture — elements that are painstakingly created by the masters in an attempt to make every meal a holistic experience. The author traces the fine line dividing Mewari cuisine from Marwari fare and among various other things, enlightens the reader on her mutton phobia (in the early years of marriage), summer-friendly foods, low calorie dishes that need not compromise on taste, the benefits of vegetarian meals, innovative dishes that children are sure to fancy and the eternal appeal of comfort foods. With effortless ease, Kapur travels from the aristocratic kitchen of the princely families to the variety of street foods offered at places like Pushkar. Stories within the story pop up fascinatingly as restaurant owner Ved or Bhoo Ratna Kumari (Rani of Deogarh) take time out to pluck a page from personal diaries and discuss their passion for food. Interesting nuggets of information greet the reader as he learns about the Rajput warriors of old roaming the forest and surviving on game while their counterparts, the Bishnois, remain fanatical till date about protecting flora and fauna. The author makes frequent detours from the desi track to explore places outside the country like Phuket, York and Amsterdam and the recipes, in keeping with the spirit of the places visited, take on a fusion flavour. The penultimate chapter on Mumbai however, comes across as disappointingly inadequate.
The F-Word falls in the curious space between a travelogue, a compilation of the author's favourite recipes and a private diary. Many voices clamour to be heard in this book — that of a mother, a domestic goddess, an intrepid traveller, an enthusiastic cook and a woman struggling to come to terms with her inner urges. Luckily for us, instead of deafening cacophony there is a (fairly melodious) chorus with each voice taking precedence over the others at any one given point of time. Recipes erupt into the text in an entirely erratic and unconnected manner that is strangely, rather charming. The mother-daughter bond is explored with particular sensitivity (the author in the dual roles of mother and daughter) and the endless drama of the joint family is refreshingly comic and well captured. A couple of complications (the paedophile servant) seem contrived and unnecessary, jarring with the general feel-good flavour of the book. Kapur has an undeniable connect with nature and bursts into the lyrical while describing chosen terrains. The descriptions are just a wee bit esoteric and over-the-top and very often, the gush runs the danger of turning into mush. Added to that is a tinge of self-consciousness and stiltedness in the prose that renders certain parts awkward. The self-indulgent text and tireless attempts at image projection could also prove to be vaguely cringe-inducing.
Surprising choice
The author is a well-known figure in the writers' circuit, having been at the helm of many a prestigious literary event and it was inevitable that she pen her first book, sooner or later. One would have expected a tome on Rajput vendetta and the choice of food as subject for her debut book comes as a pleasant surprise. The recipes are simple, straight-forward and an absolute delight, right from the authentic Indian ones to the endless permutation-combinations attempted between traditional and popular. There are no exotic ingredients mercifully, those that one can't pronounce much less procure and no dodgy igniting of rum/ wine either. All ingredients mentioned can be easily got from the neighbourhood stores and all recipes attempted without having the fire brigade stand by. The blending of fast foods with traditional recipes is hugely imaginative and will surely succeed in catering to the palate of children. The range of salads presented is simply astonishing. This book has to be read if only for the wealth of recipes and culinary information. The F-Word makes for a valuable addition to the book shelf, irrespective of whether one is a gourmet or a glutton.
The F-Word,Mita Kapur, HarperCollins, 2010.
