The infinite variety of India’s culinary heritage is a wondrous canvas to explore what shapes and defines the culture of its people. It is the glue that binds us to the land and the traditions and customs that are linked to our food ways. It is that amazing bridge that connects people to people from all walks of life. A mindfully curated experience to showcase this reaps rich dividends for the epicurean and culture buff. The culinary narratives unveiled by Taste Sutra hold the promise of whetting our appetites for more such thrilling sensory adventures.
Anchal shares how her learnings about cooking from her grandmother and parents inspired her to share the knowledge with travellers. This and the deepening understanding that food is an integral part of every culture and country is what inspired her to focus on food as a holiday experience. As an avid traveller herself, she knew that her holiday itinerary would invariably also revolve around food when exploring any new city. Out of her passion for sharing such insights with other travellers, she firmed up her desire to launch her experiential travel initiative - Tastesutra.
Tastesutra digs deep into India’s food and spice bounty to share the authentic flavours and recipes with travellers. It is their most valuable tool to provide those rich food sampling local experiences. With this, the traveller gets an even deeper understanding of the traditions that colour the many aspects of the food that different communities consume in day-to-day life and even on special occasions like Holi and Diwali. For example, in a special situation when visiting a Gurudwara in Delhi, the focus would be on the way the food served is cooked and served in the temple’s community kitchen and the unique Sikh community’s tradition of volunteering (kar seva) at the shrine.
With Tastesutra, you will find that the experiences don’t focus so much on a few popular dishes which have gained more popularity worldwide. Rather, the idea is to lead the traveller on a deep dive below the surface to get a better understanding of what makes the food so tempting. For example, instead of the focus being on that popular dish Dal Makhani, one gets to learn how to actually make Dal Tadka – a quick fry-up spices and condiments to add to the dal, which gives the dish its flavour.
Today, travellers are changing the way they used to explore a new country. Earlier they used to visit popular temples and do the mandatory sightseeing of the destination hotspots. But now they want to participate more in local experiences to get under the skin of the local culture and lifestyle pursuits. Food is one of the most exciting ways for these discoveries for the curious traveller. To give you these refreshing insights, you get an enticing peek into the daily routine of Indian home kitchens and even cooking authentic nutritional meals. These genuine experiences have proved to be a big hit as they also turn out to be fun-filled convivial affairs. It can be even more fun and interactive when shared with other travellers.
Another unique understanding of an ancient food tradition in India can be experienced on the Satvik Bhojan - making tour. Satvik food contains high fibre and low fat. This vegetarian diet makes our body feel light and energetic, purifies the body, and calms the mind.
Travellers can also look forward to more cultural experiences from Tastesutra involving local artists for doing Art Workshops, Folk Dances, Organic Farm tours and lots more.