like Indian, Armenian cuisine is the result of organic fusion over thousands of years, says Team Viva
Amid our quest for global cuisine, we Indians are now leaning towards food cultures that resonate our own, particularly those that have been the result of organic fusion caused by thousands of years of history, geography and the Silk Route. Armenian food, which is as much fiercely local — using traditional produce of the land, be it crops, herbs, spices and animals — as it is absorbent of European and levantine traditions, is the latest fad.
As Armenian restaurants sprout in Delhi, it would be pertinent to know that they follow up on the prevalent familiarity with Armenian culture born of colonial history. Armenian merchants landed in India before Vasco Da Gama and entrenched themselves alongside European colonialists. In erstwhile Bombay and Calcutta, they left behind a rich legacy in terms of elegant architecture, churches, banks, trading houses and a way of life. Relics remain of that era but what people in today’s Kolkata remember are their bakes and breads. Those looking at the new exotic have coopted lavash crispies easily in their lives.
Recently, Armenian top chef Zarmig Halladjian oversaw a sampling at Aerocity’s Pullman and introduced us to some fundamental food logic, which she believes is linked to our spirituality and oneness with nature. Passionate about her roots and shared history, she told us how her food is about fresh produce, herbs instead of spices and whole wheat, which is the primary grain and is found in a variety of forms, such as shelled wheat, bulgur (parboiled cracked wheat), semolina, farina and flour. Armenians use legumes liberally, often topping them up with nuts for crunch, texture and their nutritive value. Then there’s an abundance of fruits, both fresh and dried, as ingredients, souring agents and as the magic sumac powder in dried form. Yes, they do not leave out any leaves, be they of fruits or vegetables, stuffing them with vegetables, cheese or meats.
Chef Zarmig surprised us with an amazing array of finger foods and dishes that came in no particular order. That’s because back home food is had on a common table with family, peers and friends. A meal is the glue that encourages sharing and a feeling of neighbourhood. This emotion is at the heart of Armenian cuisine and is probably the reason why it has warmed its way into our hearts. The chef kept it healthy, using only olive oil to brush her dishes.
Clearly, the lentil salads and pastries were a hit. The granular salads made us wonder if we should be researching the possibilities of our native grain heritage and include them in healthy salads and snacks. The cheesebourekas, or stuffed savouries, made for an immediate pick-me-up at the end of a working day but the Armenian cheese is home-made. Besides you can even stuff it with spinach or eggplant. The gata, a sweetbread made of flour, nuts and baking soda as main ingredients, was perfect with coffee, but we could not have enough of the choereg, a sweet bread made from white flour, baking soda, eggs, dry yeast and vanilla with black sesame seeds sprinkled on it. Basturma comprised rolls of dried and seasoned beef with spices like garlic, black pepper, cumin, and paprika. Used as an appetiser, it is had with lavash and cheese. But Indians would love theKhorovats, a traditional barbecued meat or chicken with just a hint of spices — scrumptious, rounded in flavours and infectiously unputdownable.
The Armenians lend a twist to their kebabs. If the Matzounov kebab comprises grilled meat with spices, walnuts and compressed yoghurt with garlic, the Urfa kebabs, bite-sized meatballs with eggplant roundels swimming in tomato salsa, make for a creamy fullness of homely comfort and a balanced meal. Thefishne kebab was a revelation with a touch of sour cherry. Armenians believe that an unexplored life is not worth living and given their history of migration, they do the best with what they have. A life lesson embedded in a filo.