The British and Indian history is centuries old, and to claim that it is one which is only soaked in blood would be wrong. There are beautiful stories of harmonious assimilation of not just the Indians and the British, but also the people from Portuguese, Dutch and French communities leading to wholesome friendships, admirations and lost lasting relationships. This in turn led to the birth of the effervescent Anglo Indian community, mostly born from the unions between a British man and an Indian woman which in turn led to the birth of a novel cuisine-the one of a kind Anglo Cuisine!
The Anglo Indian cuisine grew and became a direct reflection of the multi culture and hybrid heritage of the new population that emerged. Drawing upon India’s most delicious assortment of herbs and spices Anglo Indian cuisine developed over the years assimilating the influence of various European cultures, predominantly British. During the days of the British Raj, many hybrid dishes started coming to existence in order to flavor up the otherwise bland Western dishes, giving them an Indian touch while toning down the spice content to suite the palate of both the Indian natives as well as the Western foreigners. Serving as the perfect example of fusion food, Anglo Indian cuisine evolved over the years in dak bunglows, railway kitchens and army canteens that stood the test of time and is seen holding its head high up even today within the Anglo Indian community.
What is most interesting to note is the very nomenclature of the dishes which is original and synonymous only to the Anglo Indian Community. It comes about as a clear mirror reflecting both worlds where the Indian oriented curry is given as much importance as the English roasts and bakes. Most dishes trace their origins back to unique stories-the most famous being the Grandma’s Country Captain Chicken Curry- a dish supposedly prepared by an old grandmother who wished to cook this really tasty chicken curry for her grandson serving in the British Army! Some other interesting dishes from the kitchen of the Anglo Indian community are:
- Fish and Potato Cutlets
- Anglo Indian Roast Pork
- Fish Mango Curry
- Mix Vegetable Foogath
- Prawn Balchao
- Beef Chilli Fry
Further, with the rise of vegetarianism the influx of culinary tradition changed the traditional manner in which Anglo Indian delicacies were prepared with cottage cheese, green leafy vegetables being substituted for meat, being cooked in a mélange of mild herbs like cilantro, thyme with an amalgamation of aromatic Indian spices, which made gave the best of both world’s experience to the Anglo Indian delicacies. To define the delicious blend of Anglo-Indian flavours, one truly falls short of words. The cultural influence was so enticing that chutneys, rice dishes, spicy curries, and Indian breads became a part of British cuisine. In fact, Indians were introduced to the delicious pudding, meat roasts to name a few. The Anglo-Indian cuisine gradually adapted to the local and regional cuisines and turned out to be a delicious mix of flavours and proved how every invasion led to a wider cultural assimilation.
In order to uphold the vanishing legacy of this culinary delight, Chapter 2-Kolkata’s only retro dining continental restaurant has brought forward The Anglo Indian Food Festival where one can indulge in these Anglo Indian delights to their heart’s content and undertake a gastronomic journey which is sure to satiate their spirits! The festival is scheduled from 18th of March to 17th April.
