A study of the countries of South Asia reveals a closely linked set of histories concerning food as people have moved, lands have shifted, and new ingredients have been discovered and put to use. Tea, a staple in China, over the years became associated with the British owing to colonialism, and came via that route to India. Now, chai, or cha, or kahwa, to list just a few ways tea is known, is as much a part of food habits in South Asia as in China, and has adapted itself to the climate, ingredients and social customs of the specific regions where it is consumed. Biryani, the indulgent, rich, multilayered rice, meat, vegetables, saffron and spices dish, takes on new forms every few hundred kilometres: from Madurai to Hyderabad to Lucknow to Lahore to Turkey. Said to be introduced into India by the Central Asians and Iranis, it took on a local flavour, revealing a culture of movement and travel. Even coffee, in the nineteenth century a drink for “Europeans” and “higher classes,” changed in Tamil Nadu, taking on an enjoyable, affordable, every day part of life, available in every roadside stall, restaurant, and home. Salt, chillies, potatoes, rice – all the components of our food come from different parts of the world. Food moves through people, through culture, making it what theorist Arjun Appadurai calls a “highly condensed social fact.” 
 
As we explore the cultural history of South Asia, we will turn our focus in week two to Food Histories of South Asia. What do histories and origins of food reveal about the confluence and interaction of communities in south Asia? How does migration, exploration and change impact what we eat today? And, most importantly, can a region so diverse, and multicultural ever be defined by a particular type of food?  

This is the second session of Cultural Encounters: South Asian History in the 'Third Space,' this year's edition of our annual summer learning series, taking place virtually over June and July. Over four sessions and with panels of experts, we will explore the ways in which cultural similarities, hybridity, and interaction have shaped South Asia. The programmes focus on the colonial vs. local; food histories; religious histories; and histories of freedom. For more, visit this link. 

SPEAKERS

Sonal Ved is a group digital editor based in Mumbai, India. She was the first food editor at Vogue India. Her second cookbook Tiffin was listed in the New York Times as one of the must-have cookbooks for Fall 2018. Her third book Whose Samosa Is It Anyway? is an Amazon bestseller. Her next two cookbooks- India Local, The Vegan India were also about Indian cuisine. Her words have appeared in publications such as The Guardian, Saveur, Food52 and Thrillist. Apart from writing about food, she has also hosted a cooking show for Tastemade.

Dina Begum is a British-Bangladeshi author  and food writer based in London, who has written articles and recipes for publications such as The Telegraph, Whetstone Magazine, Huffington Post, Delicious, Food52, and Metro, amongst others. Dina is a member of the Guild of Food Writers and featured in a micro documentary on Great Big Story as well as BBC podcast Mission Curry. Her first book, The Brick Lane Cookbook, was published in 2018 (Kitchen Pressand was followed by Made in Bangladesh (Hardie Grant 2023). She has hosted popular Bangladeshi pop ups at Darjeeling Express to showcase home cooking favourites, as part of their #WomenInFood series and has taken part in a programmes at The Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD). 

Saba Imtiaz is a freelance journalist, researcher, and author. She writes about culture, urban life, human rights, religion, and food. Her work has appeared in the Guardian, SAVEUR, Roads & Kingdoms, and Vittles, and she has reported features from Pakistan, Jordan, and Lebanon. She is the co-author of a non-fiction book called Society Girl (Roli Books, upcoming) and the co-host and co-producer of the related Notes on a Scandal podcast, about the life and death of the late Pakistani poet Mustafa Zaidi. Her first novel Karachi, You're Killing Me! (Penguin Random House India, 2014), was adapted into an Indian feature film called Noor. She is currently based in The Netherlands.

sabaimtiaz.com 

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