Introduction
There are a variety of ways to express, teach and preserve culture. With a variety of different peoples and nations around, and the influence of globalization, it becomes increasingly important to familiarize oneself with other traditions. Traditional modes of cultural awareness, such as museums or art galleries can present comprehensive views of a particular culture, its development or culture. Both institutions play a vital role in helping people understand others and their own heritage. However, there are also more “down to earth” ways to experience cultures. In particular, such things as art, music, performance, and food can be conductive towards maintaining traditions. They can be used to build familiarity, translate ideas across various mediums of meaning, and connect to an individual on a spiritual level. Hearing traditional Italian music, for example, may be better suited for making a person understand Italian life than a trip to a museum.
As a part of this assignment, I have chosen to familiarize myself with Indian culture. In particular, I decided to visit an Indian restaurant and taste some traditional Indian street food. There were a number of justifications for this decision. Firstly, I have been fascinated with Indian culture for a couple years now, including fashion, literature and tradition. In addition, I think the Hindu religion, the ideological core is based on and its central beliefs are very interesting. Ritual practices, views on the purpose of life, karmic balance, and reincarnation are all concepts that were widely incorporated into popular culture of today. I want to have an ability to better understand their original meaning, while also connecting with the more mundane side of Indian life as well. There were also specific reasons as to why I chose street food instead of a fancy restaurant. Firstly, a trip to a big restaurant would be significantly more expensive, which is a factor one must take into account in the current global climate. Secondly, I think street food, in many aspects, combines the values and traditions of a culture especially well. Fusing convenience, unique flavor and interesting presentation into a single experience, street food has a much larger potential in helping a person understand another country’s customs.
Narrative experience
For my experience, I have chosen to visit a recently popular street food chain Curry Up Now, as it seemed both affordable and appropriate for the assignment. The trip to the location did not take especially long, but finding the restaurant helped me to work up an appetite. Entering the location, I was immediately struck by a pleasant-yet-mild music playing in the restaurant. I think it had some type of Indian influence to it, but it was not readily apparent from a first listen. The location was moderately occupied, with about 2 families a couple and a number of people eating alone. The interior design was simplistic and pleasant to the eye, with an apparent focus made on visual clarity. Employees behind the counter were busy handling orders and assembling food, and the atmosphere of the entire venue seemed regular. Blackboards containing various dish names and prices were decorated with bold, colorful lettering, littered with names I was not quite familiar with. I was, however, able to name a couple of dishes such as Tikka Masala, Naan bread and Curry. The smell within the restaurant was also pleasantly hot and spicy.
Upon coming further into the venue, I also noticed a large part of the wall had been painted. It was a collage-style art depicting a variety of Indian media artifacts, personalities, and an orange truck, which seems to symbolize street food venues (Poddar). While I could not read Indian writings on that wall, they certainly made a significant impression on me, and added some character to an otherwise simplistic location.
After taking my time to look around and examine the food names around the place, I finally went up to the counter to make my order. While I read through some of the available options, I still did not quite understand the kind of experience I would be in for if I tried them. Thankfully, the cashier over the counter carefully and thoroughly explained their menu to me, noting the spiciness levels of some of the dishes and how they are usually consumed. I found their assistance especially helpful, and managed to order dahi puri and a lamb keema. As for drinks, I decided to go with a mango lassi, which was also something I had never tried.
All of the food arrived considerably quickly, and I was left to enjoy my solitary food experience. The lamb keema turned out to be considerably spicier than I anticipated, probably thanks to the inclusion of red chilli peppers. The mix of flavors was rather complex, and I noticed a lot of different herbs and spices, all complementing the rice and lamb. With some effort, I managed to finish the dish and drink it down with the lassi, which was very delicious. The creamy and cool sweetness of it helped me recover from the spiciness of the disk. After trying out the dahi puri, I realized that leaving more of the lassi for later would have probably been a good idea. Much like the lamb, it was spicy, but on a more tolerable level. I managed to finish the snack and survive its spiciness, however. By the end of my experience, I was left thoroughly filled, thrilled and quite excited about the idea of trying more Indian cuisine in the future.
Values
My experience within the restaurant reflects certain Indian values. A fondness of India’s rich culture, combined with a desire to innovate and adapt with the times are all present in the Curry Up Now restaurant and Indian street food as a whole. Street food, as I am aware, is a prevalent trend in India, with stalls outlining every street, offering passerby’s a wide range of snacks (Keni). Made from different combinations of vegetables, meats and bread, most snacks are notable for their strong flavor. As outlined in the article by Tulasi Srinivas, the India of the present day is a country thriving on its cuisine, able to flourish despite its difficult history (Srinivas). The large variety of dishes, recipes and options available even for a cheap price reflects that, showing how India of today was able to grow.
In addition, a rich assortment of flavors reflects a multiculturalism present in Indian society. India has recently become a major part of the global economy, integrating its traditions with the more European trends. Cuisine serves as a reflection of the globalized environment, where culture meets international demand and modern trends. With the dishes such as Deconstructed Samosa available at Curry Up Now, it was apparent that the chain, much like the larger Indian culture, attempts to reinvent its own traditions for the current age. The varied aesthetics of the venue I visited reflect a larger state of Indian in the present, presenting a fresh spin on decade-old recipes and traditions.
Conclusion
As a result of visiting Curry Up Now, I was able to become more acquainted with the modern Indian culture. Despite initially wanting to learn more about history and religion, I was left satisfied and engaged by my visit to the location. I think its combination of modern minimalism, street food, and Indian pop culture serves as a good introduction to the Indian society of today. Much like other nations around the world, India seeks to both re-assemble and retain its identity in the face of globalization. Through the use of cuisine as a connecting point between the present and the past, it is possible maintain the nation’s heritage while moving along with international trends.
Works Cited
Keni, Rohan. “Why India’s Street Food Vendors Are the Essence of the Country’s Food Industry.” Times of India Blog, 2020, Web.
Poddar, Namrata. “Curry up Now Brings Its ‘Disruptive’ Indian Street Food to Irvine.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2020, Web.
Srinivas, Tulasi. “Exploring Indian Culture through Food.” Association for Asian Studies, 2020, Web.