There have been travel shows that talk about culture, cuisines and landmarks but seldom do you have a show that is all about the uncelebrated accompaniment that makes the Indian meal complete. Yes, we are talking about pickles. Chef Kunal Kapur is all set to take you through a one of a kind journey of discovery of local flavors of pickles across the country in 18 fascinating episodes of Pickle Nation on Living Foodz channel. The chef travels across 11 cities such as Ahmedabad, Udaipur, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pondicherry, Kochi, Assam, Meghalaya, Varanasi and Goa to unravel an interesting pickle tale in each region.
Pickle Nation is not just about the pickle recipes or the processes, it is much more than that. Chef Kunal explores how the first pickle was made in India by preserving cucumber in vinegar. How the Karbi tribe from Meghalaya evolved a special dance form to remember the recipe of pickle that could be passed on to their future generations as there were no written manuscripts. How the Bishnoi tribe was against cutting trees and used and preserved Ber Sangri for sustenance during extreme winters. We learn that pickles are also made with yoghurt and water without using oil or vinegar and that pickle is the very fabric of Indian food culture.
“Making a pickle is the epitome of culinary smarts. It is an art that is combined with a high level of the science of preserving food. Around the world, cultures have celebrated wine makers, cheese makers and even coffee brewers but we have never given the same stature to pickle makers. I am extremely excited to be unearthing these uniquely Indian stories of pickles and pickle makers and sharing them with other food lovers, ” said Kunal.
Catch him every Friday and Saturday at 8:30 pm on Pickle Nation on Living Foodz channel