of sweet green relish from the fridge. My eye caught
on the label that it was a product of INDIA. Later that
day, I purchased a larger store brand jar, and it too read
INDIA. Neither brand specifies what spices are used beyond
mentionning that there were some, but the link in my mind
was made. Green relish, mustards and other condiments we
think of as hallmarks of North American fast foods are Indian
in origin. And a few hours of Internet later, I was forced to
ask myself why I never realized those spices that had motivated
the discovery of America were perhaps the stuff of today's BIg Macs.
So how does India deal with being served back its own culture.
Macdonalds India only turned a profit in 2016, over 20 years after
the first Macdo opened: the masala (spice mix) for the Maharadja
Burger (a chicken based two-patty) took over 9 years to develop, and
it uses Mexican jalapenos and habanero sauce. A big favourite,
though, is the tikki (pancake) aloo (potato), bringing a note of exoticism
to India.
So yes, chutneys were brought back to England from India. England adds
vinegar fr preservation while India uses mustard oil. As for Bubble and
Squeek which I am starting to appreciate I leave to food historians...
So I am starting to get that an Indian meal starts with a spice mix and
vegetable bouquet which one might make with chicken, beans, whatever;
as opposed to it's Thanksgiving, get a turkey. And London, I am told,
is heavy into vindaloo (medium-hot to hot) dishes!?
* * *
The Northern part of South Asia is Muslim. Both
Pakistan and Bangladesh separated from India in 1947,
but Bangladesh took a different route in 1971 to
become a Socialist Republic.
Pakistan has a large diaspora, with many sending money
home to their families.
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