After spending almost 5 years in Taiwan and traveling practically everywhere in Taiwan besides the outlying islands, I happily concluded that "The best things come in small packages." Given Taiwan's geographical area, it has almost everything one can ask for a relaxing mind and heart. Being a student of politics and culture, I could never stop comparing Taiwan with other countries, such as where I come from, i.e., India. Such a comparison also led me to learn more about my own culture, as well.
While understanding the culture of my own country and Taiwan, I came across several stereotypes and misconceptions about India and its culture among Taiwanese. I would try to clarify some of them in this piece. In this article, I will be mentioning some stereotypes related to the food of India. Being a vast country, it has tons of varieties. I would like to confess that I don't know India properly. One who says they understand India, either the person is joking or lying. Upon asked what is Indian food made of? I usually quote a line from the movie TODAY'S Special (2011) ---"Masala is the symphony, oil is the orchestra." The mix of these two creates the melody in the body, mind, and soul.
Why do we Indians eat with our hands?
The first thing I came across is, "Indians don't have money to buy spoons, forks or the chopsticks, which makes them eat with their hands." In the beginning, I used to laugh it off. But, as I came across this statement multiple times, I thought to do some research behind it. This is not because of lack of money but because it is related to the five elements considered in Indian culture to be present in the human body and the food we eat.
The elements are, Fire which gives energy; Wind gives speed, heaven which gives wisdom; Earth which provides stability; and finally Water, which offers compassion. Whether you eat meat or vegetarian, these elements are present in them and our bodies. Whenever you ever go to any Indian restaurant and home in India, I recommend you wash your hands and mouth with water before and after eating. In some cases, you need to remove your shoes and wash your legs as well. In Indian culture, this is considered to wash away most of the dirt from our bodies.
Do we really eat curry and naan everyday?
Second, we eat "curry and naan" every day. As per my preliminary research, the word "curry" was started during India's colonization period by England. And it has stayed still and became one of the most commonly used English phrases when it comes to Indian food and other similar cuisines of the world. Contrary to popular belief that any (Indian) food with sauce to eat is called "curry" is the colonization of the local dishes. Naan is mostly consumed in the Northern and Western areas of India. The East and South parts of India love to eat rice.
One of the similar dishes among the both countries is the Taiwanese "scallion pancakes" which resembles "Kerala Paratha/Roti" of India. It would be interesting to find the origin of this dish, and as Taiwan and India are so far apart, how it resembles so much would be an interesting study to do.
Are all Indian cuisines spicy?
To add to the stereotypes related to "curry," another is "every Indian food is spicy." Well, it is not the truth. Indian food has a complex mix of "spices," not "spicy." On average, there are five to six different spices in almost every dish. One can easily control the number and amount of spices used in the dish according to his/her taste buds. Yes, as compared to other cuisines, it might be spicy, but again, it is not in every dish. As the geographical landscape is vast, it has several tastes—centuries of invasions brought in several cuisine types to India. For example, Mughlai Chicken. Mughals were one of the dynasties which ruled for many centuries who came from Central Asia. One can find Mughlai Chicken in almost every Indian restaurant in Taiwan. I suggest you all give a try.
As a partner of #MilkTeaAlliance, what makes our tea culture different
Due to political complications, a group of citizens of a group of countries has started #MilkTeaAlliance. Taiwanese politicians have also endorsed this alliance. This alliance seeks support from the people of the countries where milk tea is consumed. They argue that, although our tea might be different, we share the common goal of freedom, democracy, and equality. Some Indian people later joined the alliance, because as many of you might already know, except for the same value we share, we are also famous for our tea culture.
Milk Tea is ubiquitous and popular in India. Anytime is tea time in India. Tea Stalls in India are like the little 7-11. They are one of the first shops to open early in the morning before sunrise and remain open to late evening. Besides tea, some of the stalls also offer other services such as snacks and other few grocery items. It is also a great place to know the locals. While taking a break with friends or even just a hello to a fellow customer, a cup of tea can initiate a conversation on any topic under the sky in the tea stalls. My fellow Indians would agree with me that the tea stall owners are like little spy agency agents. They have every other information about the locality. If you are a stranger, want to find a cab, know where the bus stop is, or even want to know your destination's direction, just head to the tea stall. Tea in India is, by default, comes with milk and sugar in it. I had a hard time getting used to the tea in Taiwan. But, I do enjoy Taiwanese tea now quite often.
My Taiwanese friend always shows me the picture of an Indian man mixing the tea in an exceptionally fashionable way and calls it "Masala Tea." However, it is not the truth. It is a way to combine to create the froth on the tea's top and adequately mix the tea ingredients. Masala Tea means it has spices in it while getting prepared, such as ginger, green cardamom, cloves, etc.
“ Curry Diplomacy ”
I consider myself as "Taiwanese by the stomach, Indian by heart." However, being in Taiwan for so long, I also do miss my food from home and India. And I try to cook Indian food for my friends sometimes whenever I have a chance. Food is the easiest way to reach someone's heart and mind. The food tastes good because of its ingredients and the "love" involved in preparing for it. If there is no love in cooking, then the "vibe" disappears. Being an International Relations and Diplomacy student, cooking and sharing Indian food can be coined as "Curry Diplomacy." When we cook together, we exchange different cooking habits and ingredients used in our cuisines. The vibe of morning local markets, the small talks with sweet shopkeepers, is something I could never trade-off. I have even cooked some dishes for them to taste.
“ Home away from home ”
In October 2020, President Tsai Ing-Wen tweeted about her love for Indian cuisine. This has started a big fan following of her in India. There have been growing interests in Taiwan in India, and so do about India in Taiwan. One of the best examples would be a significant increase in Indian restaurants in Taiwan.
A place, which pulls me a lot in Taiwan is Huaxin Street, also known as Burmese Street in New Taipei City. The food there is very much similar to my home town. I love the dishes there. Being a student, it even a very economical place for me to eat once in a while. I was so surprised to know about the street, and each time I eat there, I feel so satisfied. When I went there the first time and took my first bite of the food I ordered, it gave me goosebumps. The atmosphere there and watching people sipping their hot milk tea bring me back to India's memories. Taiwan is a home away from home for me. I am glad that Taiwan has been my first country out of India. I am very thankful to each Taiwanese I have met so far and will also be grateful to those I will be meeting in the future. If you ever bump into me anywhere, don't forget to say a Hello.
*For the Chinese version, please check: 破除台灣人對印度飲食文化的四大誤會，兼談我的「咖哩外交」
執行編輯：吳玲臻
核稿編輯：林欣蘋
