Indian Pickles

Symbiosis International University India Experience Study Abroad 300 Vogel A. Indian Pickles I am studying Indian Pickles because I want to find out how they are made and their health benefits and so that I can better the tradition of preserving and fermenting foods in India. Pickles were used historically as a way of preserving foods during food shortages which were common place before the green revolution and modern day appliances and techniques, such as refrigeration, freezers and canning. With the world’s population estimated to add another “3 billion people by 2050” (Holt, “World in the Balance: The People Paradox”) some scientist, like Lester Brown, questions our ability to produce enough food to feed the 10 billion people because of limited resources of water, electricity, land and fuel creating an inability to produce enough vital grains. I believe, because of these limited resources and the demand to feed the increasing global population, the world will again need to preserve and ferment vegetables to both save and extract the most nutrition we can out of each bite. Pickles in India “The term for pickles in Hindi, Urdu, and Bengali is pronounced as achār, and written in their respective scripts as अचार">अचार, اچار, and আচার” (Sree, History of Indian Pickles). “Indian pickles consist of a large variety of pickled fruits and vegetables which are marinated in oil or lemon juice and different Indian spices and salt” (Sree, History of Indian Pickles). Pickling, or preserving and fermenting vegetables, helps to save those excess vegetables that cannot be eaten at the end of summer when there is a surplus of fresh produce, especially in the time before the access to refrigeration. “The tradition of pickling may have developed as a “solution to the problems of food scarcity and seasonality of produce. Perhaps that is why nearly every culture in the world has a tradition of preserves and pickles — Germany has sauerkraut or sour pickled cabbage, South Korea has kimchi made of cabbage, radish and other vegetables, Morocco makes preserved lemons and the Nordic countries have a long standing tradition of pickled herring, considered a delicacy in Europe” (Balachander, Pickle making, an age-old ritual still prevalent in Indian households). “From Armenian mazun to Zambian munkoyo, there are more than one thousand traditional fermented foods in the world, and these include various alcoholic drinks, dairy foods, fish, vegetables, fruit, beans, meat, grains, pastes, and sauces” (Ruppenthal, pg. 96). There are presumably even more pickle variations throughout the various twenty eight states and seven union territories from South to North India. Western historians suggest that origins of pickling started in India with cucumbers that were then taken west into Mesopotamia, around 2400BC (Terebelski and Ralph, Pickle History Timeline). “Cucumbers, which are native to India and are believed to have grown wild in the foothills of the Himalayas, were carried westward to Mesopotamia, where they were preserved in brine. In the 1st Century BC, Roman emperor Tiberius is said to have been a tremendous cucumber aficionado, having them at his table every day” (Balachander, Pickle making, an age-old ritual still prevalent in Indian households). Not only do pickles have a long and reputed history helping civilization not waste vegetables but “Fermented foods greatly add to the nutritive value of the underlying food, as well as enhancing your body’s ability to digest and absorb nutrients” (Ruppenthal, pg. 96). The process of pickling In India, the most popular pickles are made from mango, lemon and lime, but can also be made from “cauliflower, carrot, radish, tomato, onion, pumpkin, palm heart, lotus stem, rose petals, ginger, Indian gooseberry, garlic, green or red chili peppers, kohlrabi, gunda, kerda, zimikand (purple yam), karonda, karela (bitter melon), jackfruit, mushroom, eggplant, and turnip” (Sree, History of Indian Pickles). These fruits are harvested during the warm humid months of summer so that they may semi dried to take away water which would invite mold and rotting. As professor Sharafy has pointed out, “The intense sunlight of Indian summer’s work to cook the pickle (thus preserve), so often times pickles are made in clear glass jars and put on the window sills of kitchens in Indian homes”. There is a fine balance in the fermentation process that is needed to produce pickles, one that is not too hot that would cook the pickle and destroy the nutritional value, but not too cold, that wouldn’t concentrate the pickle or “grow”. Most Indian pickles use edible oil “to increase longevity — it plays the role of the preservative. Oils that stay stable over long periods of time, such as mustard and sesame oil, are preferred” (Balachander, Pickle making, an age-old ritual still prevalent in Indian households). The oil completely covers the pickle mixture, creating an anaerobic environment. “Composting without oxygen results in fermentation. This causes organic compounds to break down by the action of living anaerobic organisms. As in the aerobic process, these organisms use nitrogen, phosphorus, and other nutrients in developing cell protoplasm. However, unlike aerobic decomposition, this reduces organic nitrogen to organic acids and ammonia” (Washington State University, Compost Fundamentals). The important element of this process is the production of lactic acid and the lactobacillus bacteria through the process of lacto-fermentation. Lacto-fermentation is a biological process by which Lactobacillus turns sugars, glucose, fructose and sucrose into cellular energy and lactate acid. “The bacteria metabolize sugars into lactic acid, which lowers the pH of their environment, creating a signature "sourness" associated with yogurt, sauerkraut, etc. In many traditional pickling processes, vegetables are submerged in brine, and salt-tolerant lactobacillus species feed on natural sugars found in the vegetables. The resulting mix of salt and lactic acid is a hostile environment for other microbes, such as fungi, and the vegetables are thus preserved -- remaining edible for long periods” (Lactobacillus, Wikipedia). Not only does this help to safe vital foods for longer periods of time, increasing the availability of food to a greater population, but it also creates better foods. “Some strains of Lactobacillus spp. and other lactic acid bacteria may possess potential therapeutic properties including anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities, as well as other features of interest” (Lactobacillus, Wikipedia). A study by researchers from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and UCLA in 2009 demonstrated “the protective effects of some strains of these bacteria for anti-tumor and anti-cancer effects in mice” (Chen, X.; Fruehauf, J.; Goldsmith, J. D.; Xu, H.; Katchar, K. K.; Koon, H. W.; Zhao, D.; Kokkotou, E. G.; Pothoulakis, C.; Kelly, C. N. P.). The lowering of the pH creates more alkaline foods which help to balance the acidity of vegetables and fruits, which has been shown in some studies to be beneficial for things like “fighting osteoporosis” (Brody, Exploring a Low-Acid Diet for Bone Health), while “some reports suggest that the acidity of the Western diet increases the risk of diabetes and heart disease” (Parker-Pope, Tired of Feeling the Burn? Low-Acid Diet May Help) and “a small study found that restricting dietary acid could relieve reflux symptoms like coughing and hoarseness in patients who had not been helped by drug therapy, according to the journal Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology” (Parker-Pope, Tired of Feeling the Burn? Low-Acid Diet May Help). “Although glucose is usually assumed to be the main energy source for living tissues, there are some indications that it is lactate, and not glucose, that is preferentially metabolized by neurons in the brain of several mammals species (the notable ones being mice, rats, and humans. According to the lactate-shuttling hypothesis, glial cells are responsible for transforming glucose into lactate, and for providing lactate to the neurons. Because of this local metabolic activity of glial cells, the extracellular fluid immediately surrounding neurons strongly differs in composition from the blood or cerebro-spinal fluid, being much richer with lactate, as it was found in microdialysis studies” (Lactic Acid, Wikipedia). Ayurveda and India Pickles India Pickles or achar, as do most pickling techniques, use a large amounts of salt to draw out moisture and to add flavor. “Salty is called Sarva Rasa in Sanskrit, which means ‘all tastes’, because it can enhance all flavors in food, while at the same time increasing our appetite for food (Mcintyre, pg. 134). Achar, in Indian Ayurveda, or traditional India Medicine is categorized within salty foods, which are “composed mainly of water and fire, salty-tasting foods and herbs increase Kapha and Pitta and decrease Vata. Their qualities (gunas) are heavy, heating and unctuous” (Mcintyre, pg. 134). Perhaps the above western description of non-acidic balance is what the ancient Ayurvedic text “the Sushrita Samhita, stated: ‘He whose doshas are in balance, whose appetite is good….whose body, mind and senses remain full of bliss, is called a healthy person.’”(Mcintyre, pg. 126). Regional Variations of Indian Pickles India can be understood through 5 regions, consisting of North, south, east, west and central. Delving deeper into regional cuisine would provide innumerable regional areas and signature dishes that incorporate the historical elements and influences of the diverse populations that have called India home but also “the range of diversity in soil type, climate and occupations, these cuisines vary significantly from each other and use locally available spices, herbs, vegetables and fruits. Indian food is also heavily influenced by religious and cultural choices and traditions” (Indian cuisine, Wikipedia). Perhaps it most easily understood in the terms of north and south Indian cuisines, a distinction commonly made in restaurants both inside India, but also those Indian restaurants around the world. North India food, similarly to South Indian food, is characterized by the food stuffs most readily available to them. So in the north, Indians eat a lot of bread because of the wheat and beans (dal) there used to make to flour. South Indians have abundant rice and tropical vegetables available, such as coconut milk used for curries and soups. As far as spices are concerned, “in the south, chilly powder, turmeric powder, mustard seeds, asafoetida, jaggery are the favoured spices. Although in the north, chilly powder is used, sweet spices like cardamom, cloves, aniseeds etc. are additionally used. Sugar takes the place of jaggery most of the time” (Sukanaya, Pickles—The Adornment of a Completer Indian Meal). As Sukanya (2007) points out, “The taste of pickles made in the South of India differ from the taste of the pickles made in the North of India. I think, Climatic conditions also change the usage of certain spices in the respective regions. Although the same or different vegetables may be pickled, the spices, oils, souring/sweetening agents and treatment may be dissimilar in different parts of the country. The same mango pickle when prepared in the South tastes different from the one prepared in the North - the difference is the oil base - the south predominantly uses gingelly oil (sesame oil) whereas in the north the preferred oil is mustard oil” (Pickles—The Adornment of a Completer Indian Meal). Not only are regional pickles in India influenced by the spices, vegetables and other foods stuffs readily available to them, but also by the socio-historical implications as Skuanya (2007) illustrates, “Strange as it may seem, spices like cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper although grown in South India are more generously used in the northern parts of the country, attributed perhaps to the Moghul influence” (Pickles—The Adornment of a Completer Indian Meal). Aside from the common vegetables, spices, oil and historical influences on the culture of North and South Indian pickles, the last element of differentiation is the souring agents used to preserve the pickles. “In the south, apart from the pickled vegetable itself, are tamarind or curd or lime juice or a combination of them, as opposed to vinegar in the north” (Sukanaya, Pickles—The Adornment of a Completer Indian Meal). Style of eating pickle Pickles have a strong, intense, concentrated flavor. Some are very spicy, some very sour, some very salty, but across the board, they are intense. Just a smidgen of pickle is usually added to a meal and added in the tiniest amounts to bites. As Saran and Suvir (2004) point out, “Like salsas, pickles and chutneys add a tasty complexity to any meal, Indian or otherwise. They can also make the meal: reheated dal and a vegetable dish is a serviceable but uninteresting dinner. The addition of a couple of different pickles and chutneys makes it a feast” (pg. 201). The key point here is that Indian pickles can make a common meal of dal and rice or bread or yogurt a tasty nutritious meal. The pickles intensity can be used to make a person hungry and encourage eating or re-eating the same foods stuffs day after day, with only a very small quantity used. Can the earth support 3 billion more people? This question above must be carefully considered in the years to come. It is estimated that the population of the world will grow another 3 billion by 2050, and in my opinion, Indian pickles could, in part, be the answer. Lester Brown address the question above like this, “The question is, if we look at it just in food terms, at what level of living? If we're talking about living at food-consumption levels today of, say, the average person in India, then the current world harvest can support 10 billion people. But if we're talking about the U.S. level of consumption, then we're talking about a world that will support two and a half billion people” (Holt, The Global Population Conundrum). The article continues to go on and surmise that “at what level do people want to live? We look at the poor countries and realize they're not really consuming all that much, but the bottom line is they all want to consume as we do. And what we're seeing in China today is that desire to consume being realized on a scale we've not seen before” (Holt, The Global Population Conundrum). Conclusion I believe the answer is the US and other over consuming industrialized countries need to simply their consumption habits and use India as a model for a sustainable society. As described above, making pickles is very natural process with very little negative impact or waste to the environment. Indian pickling using local produce and spices, using natural heat and oils to preserve food as long as possible naturally is the obvious choice when compared to canning foods in the US, when a soup is placed within an aluminum can, used once and thrown away. As pointed out in this paper, eating simpler, less processed foods doesn’t have to be less delicious or pleasurable. Indian pickles come in a variety of flavors to suit nearly every palate. I think develop countries, are in fact, undeveloped in some of their systems of sustainability. Not only could the world sustain 10 billion people, but if the world used India as a model, and the consumption habits of the US reflected those of India, the world could inhabit even more people. In addition, fermented India pickles are healthy and help to save and preserve foods that would be otherwise wasted. The make unappetizing reheated meals a feast. There are nearly unlimited variations for everyone tastes. I believe that the future of the world can learn a lot from the valuable techniques from our ancestors in regard to sustainability. It’s not only technology that will move the world forward, but also those time tested applications that have withstood the test of time, and proven their worth. These techniques must not be forgotten! They must be readily sought out and documented for the generations to come later who will need and rely on the diligent work we are doing now at the crossroads of a civilization and globalization. Works Cited Balachander, Vidya. Pickle making, an age-old ritual still prevalent in Indian households, Indiatimes.com, 2012. Web. 19 Aug. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/15547764.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst Brody, Jane E. Exploring a Low-Acid Diet for Bone Health. NYT, 2009. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/health/24brod.html Chen, X.; Fruehauf, J.; Goldsmith, J. D.; Xu, H.; Katchar, K. K.; Koon, H. W.; Zhao, D.; Kokkotou, E. G.; Pothoulakis, C.; Kelly, C. N. P. (2009). "Saccharomyces boulardii Inhibits EGF Receptor Signaling and Intestinal Tumor Growth in Apcmin Mice". Gastroenterology 137 (3): 914–923. “Compost Fundamentals, Biology and Chemistry. Washington State University Whatcom County Extension”, Whatcom.wsu.edu. 2013. Web. Dec. 10. http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost/fundamentals/biology_anaerobic.htm Holt, Sarah. World in the Balance: The People Paradox, Interview of Lester Brown. pbs.org, 2003. Web. April 20. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/earth/global-population-conundrum.html “Indian cuisine”, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 July 2004. Web. 23 Dec. 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_cuisine#Regional_cuisines “Lactobacillus” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 July 2004. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactobacillus Mcintyre, Anne. The Ayurveda Bible. New York: Firefly Books, 2012. Book. Parker-Pope, Tara. Tired of Feeling the Burn? Low-Acid Diet May Help. NYT, 2011. Web. 7 Nov. 2013. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/07/tired-of-feeling-the-burn-low-acid-diet-may-help/ Ruppenthal, R.J. Fresh Food from Small Spaces. White River Junction: Chelsea Green Publishing Company, 2008. Book. Saran, Suvir and Stephanie Lyness. Indian Home Cooking. New York: Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2004. Book. Sree, Deva. History of Indian Pickles. devasreepickle.blogspot.com, 2009. Web. 20 Dec. http://devasreepickle.blogspot.com/2009/12/history-of-indian-pickles_20.html Sukanya. Pickels—The Adornment of a Completer Indian Meal. sukanya-keralaiyer.blogspot.com, 2007. Web. 15 Aug. http://sukanya-keralaiyer.blogspot.com/2004/09/pickles-adornment-of-complete-indian.html Terebelski, Dana and Nancy Ralph. Pickle History Timeline, NYFM, 2003. Web. http://www.nyfoodmuseum.org/_ptime.htm 11