Online Food Communities Provide Comfort in the Time of COVID
Self-isolation has brought people together in remarkable ways, often around food. Ranjini Rao writes about two online communities that provide advice, ideas and some much-needed company in the kitchen.
I look at my curry leaf plant with equal parts wonder and excitement — after a pest-attack showing conspicuously on its discoloured, disfigured frame a few weeks ago, it has now transformed into a shiny, bright green embodiment of nature itself. With a little help from scraps and shreds in my kitchen, I have turned this little garden patch around in a short time. And there are other lessons where this comes from, to heed and practice during these lockdown days. Using water and fresh produce sparingly, for one, will help: recycling the water used to wash grains and produce can be nurturing for plants in the garden, and tossing wet waste in a bucket for a few days can turn it into compost. Of course, we can cook with some of the peels and shavings, too, and still have perfectly edible, wholly nourishing meals. My mother, for instance, taught me how to turn citrus rinds into a lip-smacking gojju, how to re-purpose soured curd into dosa batters and idli mixes, and use up leftover vegetables and boiled lentils by fashioning them into cutlets. My mother-in-law turns the peels and hardy stems of just about any vegetable or greens into chutneys and side dishes: ridge gourd peel chutney, amaranth stem baata, bottle gourd khosha bhaaja. Backed by the culinary lineage of women like them, I’m finding new ways to live through this period, and seeing that those around me are, too.
Of course, people across the world, through the ages, have made the most of what they have on hand — using scraps and bones to make flavourful stock, stale bread into a delicious Tuscan salad, seeds into toasty toppings, among other things. Whenever people have felt the pinch of war, famine, or economic downturn, they have heeded their best instincts, to use ingredients sparingly, to cook mindfully, and stay afloat. During these lockdown days, social media has been bursting at the seams with images of people cleaning out store shelves, hoarding essentials, and leaving little for those who come after. But what we’re also witnessing is a coming together of kindred souls to help those in need, and also, initiatives sharing ideas on how to keep kitchens running in the most cost-effective ways, by using staple pantry ingredients to cook wholesome, nutritious meals that last longer and store well; by re-purposing leftovers and turning to ancient traditions that teach us kitchen frugality and how to use ingredients throughout their lifecycles.
A Facebook group called Simple Recipes for Complicated Times, hosted by writer and co-founder of Caferati and World Wide Help, Peter Griffin, aims to do just this. Peter started the group was because he didn’t know how to cook himself (‘male privilege,’ he says, when we chat). As the possibility of lockdown became evident, he was sure there would be plenty of people looking for help, and a sense of community, to learn from and share things with.
“Yes, there are several tutorials and recipe sites and hacks and all sorts of things. But I thought a community would be nice: many-to-many, people helping people, rather than one-to-many. I set up it up, laid down some simple rules, and began inviting people in — a mix of folks. Some, I knew were pretty damn good cooks, and other I suspected might not feel at home at the stove. When I saw these people inviting other people in, I knew that it had hit some kind of sweet spot,” he says.
Writer and activist Richa Dubey, an active member on the group, says, “We’ve all had those moments when we caught ourselves sounding exactly like our parents. Something a lot of us swore we’d never do! However, if there’s one thing I am grateful for these days, it’s the habit of frugality they instilled in us, especially in the kitchen. Without even trying, I find myself putting peels and stems together for a desi-style stock. The cauliflower stem is appraised from the perspective of danthal ki sabzi. Leftover egg curry from one meal and a Chettinad chicken drumstick from another is shredded and added to the next day’s rice to make a pulao. Orange rind is transformed into a pachadi. However my family’s leftover favourite is tikki: leftover dal, leftover sabzi, combined with flour and seasonings of choice to a consistency thick enough to be shaped like patties. Shallow fry. Et voila. You have an entirely new meal/snack out of two older dishes.”
Actor, director and film-maker, Kirtana Kumar, a recurring voice on the Simple Recipes group, offers a unique suggestion to cook with the last bits of beet and cabbage: crepes. “Bung the following in a blender, and whizz till you get a bright pink and fairly thin crepe batter: 3 eggs, 1 ¼ cup wholewheat flour, 2 cups milk, a pinch of salt, 1 large boiled and cubed beetroot. For the filling, sauté some chopped onion and 1/2 cup shredded cabbage in a tablespoon of oil or butter, add a chopped green chilli and a tin of sweet corn kernels. Cook gently with a little water or stock till the cabbage softens. Then add some cream, salt, pepper and mustard. Take off the fire when the filling is thick and creamy. Make the crepes as you would a dosa, on a medium-hot tava. Then add the filling, fold over and enjoy. If the colours are shocking, remember those old health jollies!” she adds, with a laugh.
Meanwhile, in the folds of Instagram, yet another group called Isolation Cooks is slowly burgeoning, with inputs from all over the world, including India, New York, Nigeria, and Dubai. Freelance journalist Kavita Kishore, one of the founding members of the project, says, “Isolation Cooks was born out of a discussion with friends about how much we were cooking, and receiving people’s food photos during lockdown. People who had never cooked before were suddenly forced to cook. Others were cooking so much more than ever, because they were at home and had the time and freedom to explore cooking. Others were cooking either to entertain their children, or themselves. There were so many interesting dishes being made, and shared. That’s when we decided that all this needed to be showcased.”
She adds that Isolation Cooks is turning into a community for people to exchange recipes, tips, tricks, and even menu ideas. “We are hoping that by sharing our meals (even virtually) during this bleak time, we make it possible to feel a little less lonely, and maybe even spark a little bit of joy.”
Some of the top recipes on Isolation Cooks are: Hot Cross Buns by @candace_delights, a baker in Lagos, Churros from New York based chef, Xavier Monge, Channa Galouti by Megha Kuchu, and a Mug Cake by Deekshitha J.C., a budding cook!
Getting through these uncertain days is definitely easier with a little support in the kitchen. Learning how to extend the shelf-life of herbs, or churn out short-cut eats go a long way. I find myself drawn to the warmth and light-hearted banter on the group often. And like founder Peter Griffin says, “The confirmation that an appeal to the kinder side still works, even in this polarised world is a key take-away.” Going forward, even after the lockdown is lifted, we ought to be mindful about what we consume, about how food gets to our table. Peter agrees, and adds, “I hope that we are more appreciative of all the people along the line, the farmers, the transporters, the packers, and for those of us more fortunate, the people who cook for us when times are better, or the young people on two-wheelers who work for food delivery app companies.” For now, cooking mindfully, stretching our meals, and sparing a thought and morsel for those less fortunate, seems like the only way to be.
Ranjini Rao is a mom, writer and teacher based in Bangalore. She runs the food blog, Tadka Pasta, with her partner, and has authored three books in the food literature space. She is passionate about sustainable living and open education.
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