Food, like fashion brings new trends and tastes every year and season. And the hottest trend across restaurants and Instagram pages is the Buddha Bowl. The concept travelled globally from the East Asian countries before it came to India. Which is actually a surprise considering the fact that the Buddha Bowl originated here. Once in India, the Bowl underwent a metamorphosis. Chef Neelabh Sahay, Executive Chef, Novotel Kolkata Hotel & Residences, says, “When it began, it was vegetables and a broth but it has been Indianised to suit the taste buds and has moved towards being comfort food.”
Corporate Chef Vaibhav Bhargava of Molecule Air Bar agrees, “The Indian market has evolved in the last few years. Now patrons are world travellers and they come across new concepts across the globe. Since the palate is different, chefs are trying to make the bowls with Indian ingredients.” Along with noodles, quinoa, lean meat, seafood, and a host of raw vegetables, there is also the more Indianised version—rajma chawal and salad, chicken makhni pulao and sautéed vegetables, paneer tikka rice and vegetable raita, and more.
Corporate Chef Sagar Bajaj of First Fiddle Restaurants (Plum by Bent Chair, Tamasha, JLWA, etc) says, “Buddha Bowls have extremely high nutritional value. They are easy to put together and fun to eat. With small portions from every food group they are a balanced meal-in-a-bowl. Ingredients in the bowl may vary from whole grains, tons of veggies and nuts to several other healthy elements along with dressings according to an individual’s taste preference. Also, it helps fuel healthy habits and at the same time looks very exciting and colourful.”
Probably the best part about the Buddha Bowl is that it is easy to put together from leftovers. This style of eating in most layman’s words can simply be termed as: ‘clearing out the fridge’. With it catching the fancy of the millennial, these bowls are now often vegan and nourishing. There’s no hard-and-fast rule—you can play around with ingredients, herbs, spices and dressings, it’s your canvas to design. And in doing so, you know exactly what is going into your body. Chef Ajay Anand, Director of Culinary, Pullman & Novotel, New Delhi Aerocity, says, “Buddha Bowl has struck the right chord when it comes to dietary planning. It gives you the essential nutrient required for a physically and mentally fit body and soul. A right combination of healthy whole grains such as quinoa or brown rice or plant protein such as chick peas, tofu or vegetables can be put together and arranged artistically to make it more eye-appealing.”
Also called Glory Bowls, Macro Bowls or Hippy Bowls, these bowls are full of nourishing comfort food comprising small portions from every food group. It strikes the perfect balance and is a foodie’s heaven. The bowls are designed in such a way that with each bite there is an explosion of flavours. As the mixture is varied, the combination of tastes is pleasing to the palate. Says, Chef Ashish Singh of Café Delhi Heights, “The perfect bowl should comprise brown rice, seasoned boiled chickpeas, boiled sweet potato, rocket salad, sprouts, sautéed vegetables and wilted spinach. After sinfully rich Indian food and carb-loaded American dishes, it is the Buddha Bowl that patrons are turning to.” Executive Chef Sarabjeet Singh Walia of Radisson, Gurugram, agrees, “What’s better than a meal which is rich in nutrients and also looks appetising? And it is easy to put together as well.”
There is also the advantage of looking good. Just search Buddha bowls on Pinterest or Instagram, and you’ll know. It’s a rainbow out there. No Buddha Bowl is complete till it has been clicked, filtered and shared. The riot of colours in the bowl also complements the fabric of Indian culinary history.
Going Back in Time
Imagine a Buddhist monk travelling with just his bowl. He will eat what is given to him as alms in the bowl. Every household that he goes to gives him odd bits of food—from a little rice, some fresh vegetables, maybe a little curry, and so on. And there you have your Buddha Bowl—a nourishing meal with a little bit of everything.