Culture Kitchen SF

I remember waking up as a child smelling breakfast cooking in the kitchen and studying in the evening while enjoying the almost distracting fragrance of dinner. I was born in Bangladesh and lived the first half of my life there. I grew up watching my mom and grandma cook various delicious dishes, and there wasn’t a single meal that I didn’t look forward to having. I have had the good fortune to taste and learn about many cuisines after moving to the United States. I started to cook at an early age and thus grew a deeper understanding and appreciation for all the cuisines that I’ve come in contact with. Now, my husband is from South India and I have invested a lot of time and effort to learn to cook his cuisine over the last eight years. I have learned from my in-laws and cookbooks; much of the learning process trial-and-error. My native Bangladeshi background and an exposure to South Indian cooking have helped me to understand South Asian cuisine as a whole.

Here is a little history for you: Bangladesh and India are neighboring countries, geographically speaking. Current day Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan used to be India, which was an English colony up until 1947. India and Pakistan declared independence in 1947 – then modern day India and old Pakistan were born. Back then, Pakistan comprised of East and West Pakistan; West Pakistan was current day Pakistan and East Pakistan was current day Bangladesh. In 1971, Bangladesh won its independence from Pakistan and became the ‘People’s Republic of Bangladesh’. At the end of it all, three countries were formed, but still all shared the same common theme in food.

In 1947, when India and Pakistan were separating, the greater state of Bengal in the Northeast region of India was split in two. Part of it went into modern day Bangladesh (or East Pakistan) and the rest went into the state of Bengal of India. Many people migrated from India to Bangladesh and vice versa because of religious preferences – basically some Muslim folks wanted to migrate to Bangladesh (it is a Muslim country) and some Hindu folks preferred to live in India – this was Partition, and historically, it was quite a bloody affair. Because of this, it is hard to define a proper difference between Bangladeshi food and Bengali food from Bengal. Most of the food and desserts that Bangladeshis and Bengalis cook are very similar. While there aren’t very many differences between Bangladeshi and Bengali food, there are a few slight differences between cuisines from north of the subcontinent to the south.

Generally speaking, all of India and Bangladesh uses the following spices in cooking: onion, ginger, garlic, cilantro, green and red chilies, coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, onion seed, ajwain, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, bay leaf, chili powder, turmeric, and mustard seed. Both countries’ cuisines start by splattering some combination of spices in seed form, sautéing onions, and then proceeding. Depending on what part of India or Bangladesh you go to, you might see different specialty dishes being prepared – that depends on what that area produces or has in plenty. Bangladesh as well as Northwest and South India have fresh and saltwater fish in plenty, thus these areas cook some of the most delicious fish dishes. South India and Southern Bangladesh produce a massive amount of coconut, so naturally, many of the vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes from these areas use coconut.

I grew up eating a fresh water fish called ‘Hilsha’ that can be found in Bangladesh and the Bengal only – my mother cooked it in a mustard seed gravy, fried it, steamed it with spices, and roasted it with a delicious side of spice roasted onions. She used to cook other fish in coconut gravy and I simply loved it! I was young and didn’t know about the whole wide world out there yet. I used to think Bangladeshi folks were the only ones who cooked fish in coconut gravy. After getting to know my husband’s cuisine more, I came to learn that South India has a very similar coconut gravy recipe for fish!

Continuing with the history a bit more: the Mughal Empire came into India (North India to be precise) from Persia in the 15^th century. Apart from contributing some of the most beautiful architecture the world has ever seen, they had also influenced Indian cuisine quite a bit. They introduced the process of baking meat and bread – modern North India is known for tandoori chicken and naan (a flat bread). Mughal cooking uses various nuts, poppy seeds, and yogurt to thicken and flavor gravy; it also uses dried fruits in cooking, such as raisins and dried apricots. This cooking method and use of ingredients are now common in the northern parts of India. Since the Mughals spread in Bangladesh as well, Mughal cuisine influences are always evident in Bangladeshi cooking. I remember looking eagerly forward to eating Mughlai Porota (oil roasted flat bread), naan, kababs,and chicken curry the most. My mother and grandma always use poppy seeds and nuts to cook, so I have come to use those, too.

On the other hand, South Indian cuisines use coconut, lentils, rice, and onion to thicken gravy. They have a special little wonderful fresh spice, it is called a ‘curry leaf’ – it is green in color and extremely fragrant! They also use rice and lentil batter to make various items, such as dosai, idli, aapam, uttappam, idiyappam, adai, etc. These dishes are eaten with mint, onion, tomato chutney as well as any variety of curries. I have personally learned to cook every single one of these items. You’d need a special stone grinder to make the rice/lentil batter – I own one just so I can cook my husband the dishes that he adores to eat. The aroma of sautéing onions with spices and curry leaves brings him out of his home office – he is always ever so excited.

All of India and Bangladesh use the same spices to bring the flavor and creativity to their cuisine. Rice and flat bread are the center of every meal. Flat breads in different forms are very common all throughout the subcontinent; some examples are: roti, chapatti, poori, and paratas. A north Indian person savors eating a delicious dosai made in South India and a South Indian person enjoy eating tandoori naan, chicken prepared in North India. The similarities in all the different regional cuisines unite us, but all the tiny differences make the cuisines unique – both are appreciated, shared, and enjoyed by all Bangladeshis and Indians.

I was born in Sai Gon to parents from the north and south of Viet Nam. My entire life has been a fantastic mix of all three regional cultures and cuisines. Our day to day family dinners would be an eclectic mix of northern and southern cuisine, while larger family gatherings would include cooking from my aunts and uncles-in-law from the central region. My mom would marvel at how my dad would add boiled green onions instead of fresh bean sprouts and basil to his pho, and my dad would be almost offended at my mom’s use of sugar in her stews. Whenever Auntie #5 from Hue (southerners and centralers don’t use names, just their rank) would walk by a dipping sauce or a pot, she would surely add a couple more spoonfuls of chili paste or one or two extra peppers. Although culinarily, the line was clearly drawn between the north, center and south we always managed to have a great time cooking and eating together. Most of the time, my southern aunts and mom would run the kitchen, whipping up delicious southern food full of bright colors and fresh vegetables. Whenever in-laws were allowed in the kitchen, they would add a central and northern flavor to the mix, incorporating the heat and delicacy of central food and the wintry warmth and pickled goodness of the north.

Each distinct region in Viet Nam has its own historical and food culture, each claiming to be the best. In the north, the birthplace of pho, dishes tend to be saltier and more vinegary than the rest of the country. With less access to fresh fruits and vegetables than central and southern Vietnamese, northerners tend to rely more on pickled condiments, hearty stews and soups flavored with dried spices, and salty braised meats and vegetables. In the south, the opposite is true. The warmer weather provides yearlong bounty and southerners take full advantage of their environment. Many dishes are accompanied by a large plate of fresh vegetables to be added raw at the table. In the central region, home of the capital of the last Vietnamese dynasty, court cuisine still has lingering influences on every day food. Central food tends to be spicy, bite-sized and more elaborate in preparation and presentation.

Although there are many regional distinctions, Vietnamese cuisine and life in general is dictated by a search for balance-a balance between hot and cold, sweet and salty, spicy and salty, soft and crunchy…the list goes on! With many special occasion dishes, such as pho, this attention to balance is maintained. Southern-style pho consists of a rich beef broth, a variety of meat, and rice noodles balanced out by fresh bean sprouts, peppers, herbs, and lemon juice. Northern-style pho achieves balance in a different way: pickled garlic and vinegar are used to balance the richness of the broth instead of fresh vegetables.

Balance is also sought out in everyday meals. In any Vietnamese house, a normal weeknight dinner consists of five parts: soup, meat, vegetables, rice and fresh fruit. At my house, you can almost always depend on eating a light and gingery broth with greens, a braised or caramelized catfish or pork in claypot, a mountain of stir-fried, garlicky greens, aromatic jasmine rice, and a huge portion of fresh fruit on any given night of the week. The light and fresh vegetable dish balances out the heavier protein-rich meat dish, the wet broth balances out the dry rice, and the sweet fruits balances out the savory part of the meal.

We are thrilled to announce that Culture Kitchen will be a part of a larger discussion on the food startup industry with a broad range of industry gurus who share our passion for food! Join us on August 10, 2011 from 6-9pm at 500 Startups’ conference, “The New Food Chain: Investing in Food Startups”, for a mash-up of what’s hot in today’s expanding food startup industry. Participate in a discussion on how food interconnects across a diverse array of social and technological levels shaping today’s food market. Get your tickets here.

Today’s food entrepreneurs embrace the paradigm shift in online business and engage their audiences organically. Come check out the range of exciting new food startups at this event talking about the role their company plays in the new food space. While all of these companies have a unique take on how they are reaching a community in love with food, we see a common trend on the importance placed on who Americans are eating with. In the recent Techcrunch article “The way we eat” by Semil Shah he reminds his readers, “we’re not just what we eat – we’re also where we eat and whom we eat with”.

We fully believe that who you eat with and what you eat makes the difference. A recent report states there are 30 Million foodies in the US alone and 18 million immigrant women living in the states from all over the world. With all the excitement around ethnic food and culture there has never been a better time than now to bring people of different cultures together over food. Come find out how Culture Kitchen is celebrating the cooking skills of immigrant women and the desires of the growing foodie market when we present at this event!

Sign-up for a special Southeast Asia ticket to take both classes and get a 20% discount code towards the class of your choice on another upcoming class!