Till the 80s, the appliances used in Indian kitchens were generally not electric.These were manual workers, made of stone, iron and wood, and were used for cooking.In today’s modern modular kitchen, there is nothing left that was used in it.
Imam dasta, pestle, soup, sil batta, stone mill, hansua, batuli, sikhar, kathoti, peedha… the present generation hardly knows what these are and what they are talking about but it is difficult for 25-30 years. Earlier, these things were used daily in our kitchen, because there were no new gadgets and appliances in the kitchen like today and modern utensils, then delicious food was prepared daily in the kitchen with the above traditional things. Now none of these things are available in modern modular kitchens.
It is true that in the 90s, when liberalization and marketism started knocking in the country, the country started changing. As income increased, people started changing homes. And all the things in the house started changing. For this reason, Indian homes and lifestyle changed a lot since the 90s. By now it has changed 360 degrees. But what has changed the most is our kitchen. Now none of the items from that kitchen are in our kitchen, which used to be mandatory for 03 decades.
India’s famous food historian KT Achaya in his book Indian Food – A Historical CompanionNot only is it mentioned in (Indian Food: A Historical Companion), but also the generation which is now reaching its fourth or fifth decade in terms of age, will definitely have the style of their old cooks to a great extent. It is possible that there may still be some left in the village kitchens.
Till the 70s and 80s, the kind of kitchens used in our homes, the way food was cooked in them, the kind of equipment, accessories and utensils used, all that can hardly be seen now. If you compare that old kitchen with today’s kitchen, you will know how much we have left behind.
Silbatta, Imam Dasta, sickle, stone mill
I often miss those traditional kitchens. There was an earthen pot on one side and a brass pot on the other. There was an iron bucket. This was for drinking water and kitchen use. On the other hand, Silbatta, Imam Dasta (Khal Batta), sickle, stone mill, round earthen pot for churning whey, soup hanging on the wall, silchar and sieve hanging from a rope come to mind.
Goods in empty containers of canister and dalda
A small iron and lattice cupboard for spices and oil items. Food items filled in some canisters, some empty boxes of Dalda. In this kitchen, there is a platform for utensils or a platform for utensils. There are two-three types of stoves in between. Not only this, food was served in these room-like kitchens, sitting on wooden benches.
how many types of stoves
Till the 70s, very few kitchens in India had gas based stoves. There were brass stoves, in which the flames had to be set with a pin knob. However, there were many innovations in kerosene oil stoves later. Wood stoves were used more. Along with fireplaces with coal and wood sawdust. Many times, when the wood in the stove did not catch fire, it was lit using kerosene or cow dung cakes. I don’t know how many people remember the sawdust fireplaces.
large log cabins with sawdust fireplaces
Well, there are no big wooden towers anymore. There was a time when there were huge wooden platforms in cities and towns. When wood was cut using machines, a large amount of powder was released, which was called sawdust. This sawdust was filled in a firebox by placing it in a mould. Then wood was put in it and it was burnt. When the sawdust started smoldering, the fuel gave off a lot of heat. Since the ban on cutting of wood was imposed, these trees also disappeared. Now these have become a part of the past.
When did the first LPG come to India?
Actually, gas based cooking fuel was introduced in India in Kolkata in 1919. A foreign company named Oriental brought a range of stoves, gas and coal fired stoves. Greater interest in gas fuel started to arise in the late 70s. Till then there were nominal gas connections in the country. For the first time in 1930, advertisements for cook with gas were published in the Bombay Chronicle newspaper.
Now, neither stoves nor other fireplaces will usually be seen in homes. Stoves can definitely still be found in the villages. Well, now in most kitchens you will find gas stoves with multiple burners, electric chimneys, electric induction, microwave ovens and cooking ranges. Nothing old fashioned though
Will be visible.
ground spices on mortar
The work in the kitchen was indeed very difficult in those years. The spices had to be ground on a cob. However, this spice paste made very delicious and tasty vegetables. When it was roasted in oil or ghee, the aroma spread was wonderful. Many people still love this ground spice. Necessary spices were placed on the cob and ground by sprinkling water. In this, chopped onion and garlic were also mixed and ground as per choice.
Silbattas are now rarely used because standing spices are no longer used in many homes. Mixer grinders are used. Till the 70s, ground spice packets were generally less used in homes. Later it kept increasing.
Khalmusar and Soup
The iron Imam Dasta was a wonderful tool in the kitchen, in which a lot of things including dry spices could be ground. There were big wooden mortars for threshing paddy and some grains. Now there is no question of getting all this in the new age kitchen. Now their work is done by the grinder mixer.
The new generation probably knows about soup, earlier it was mandatory in every kitchen. Through this, grains, pulses and other food items were threshed every day. Women used it with such precision that they could clean grains, pulses or other things from the soup within a few minutes. A sieve was also necessary, through which the ground grains were filtered.
earthen pots and jars
Where will earthen pots be seen in the new kitchen? Brass and bronze pots and pans will also not be visible. Now water is stored in RO or water jug. There would be very few people who keep earthen pots in their kitchen. At that time, with the onset of summer, water jars were placed in the kitchen and many rooms of the house. Which cooled the water well, whose water never choked.
It is surprising that at that time, tap water and water from wells was so clean that there was no need for filters and RO. There was no concept of this at that time. Now if the water has become polluted and dirty, it is not fit for drinking.
flower pots, pots and pans
At that time even steel and aluminum items were not used in the kitchen. There was not much use of steel either. The utensils were made of brass and bronze only. Some of the utensils were flower shaped, Bhagone, Patuli and Kadhai were used for cooking different food dishes, then there was a channel in between all these, through which one could hold the Bhagone or Patuli and take them off or cover something on the vessel. If it is in use then you can remove it.
At that time it was necessary to have a stone grinder in every kitchen. From maize to gram, many things were ground in it. It was not easy to operate but it definitely gave strength to the arms. In homes, a special vessel called churner was used to extract whey. The cream kept for many days had to be churned with water but when the cream came up with white foam, the pleasure of eating it was different.
churned butter
Of course, you should bring butter home in a packet, but anyone who has eaten butter knows its sweetness and pleasure. Whey was coming out in abundance. Now whey has started coming in packets only. This is for sure. Earlier in every house pure ghee was made by heating this butter. I am not saying that this does not happen now, it definitely happens but in very few houses, usually in those houses where old traditions are still going on or old households are intact with mixed kitchens.
sickles and knives of those days
Now let’s talk about hansua i.e. the magical grandmother of knives in the kitchen. With this, cut greens from jackfruit, cut pumpkin and pitha. If you want to make pickles, immediately place green mangoes under it and keep cutting them. In those days there were two or three types of knives in the kitchen. One big, one normal and one knife with which the peels can be removed quickly. There was a separate mold for cutting chips etc.
It was said about old kitchens that at least 06-07 types of knives were used in them. Different types of knives for different types of things. Modern chefs probably use a set of 12-13 knives. In true sense, knife is the only thing in the kitchen which has been with us since the stone age, when our feet had not yet set foot towards civilization.
Historians have found remains of some knife-like tools more than 2.5 million years old. Ancient humans first made knives by carving and sharpening stones, but later the use of metals began.
What was Katauti?
Kathauti was a wooden vessel shaped like a plate, in which flour was kneaded. Rotis wrapped in cloth were also kept in these. Sikahar was a jugaad made of rope, which was hung on the ceiling or wall with the help of a nail. Milk and curd were kept in it so that it would stay away from the clutches of the cat.
Ceramic jars were also an essential part of the kitchen. At that time, different types of pickles were made and kept in big jars. Batloi or Batuli was a vessel in which pulses were cooked. Round and with a narrow mouth at the top. It was usually a flower pot.
Tags: community kitchen, Culture, food, Indian Culture
FIRST PUBLISHED: May 20, 2024, 10:07 IST