India's forgotten gourmet produce: Tellicherry pepper, Lakadong turmeric, and Kashmiri morels

This is the time of year when the moisture-laden monsoon winds blow towards India. Millennia ago, ancient traders used these winds to sail to India with ships full of gold and silver. Their goal: to take back even more precious cargo to the insatiable Roman Empire: plump black peppercorns from the Malabar coast.

For over 2,000 years, Tellicherry peppers have been worth more than their weight in gold, captivating palates worldwide and spurring demand for pepper cultivation.

The East India Company's hegemonistic drive in India was also prompted by the desire to corner this highly profitable pepper trade. As demand continued to rise, the British grew black pepper in other colonies too, making it more affordable but also more commonplace. So much so that most Indians eventually had no idea 'kali mirch' (piper nigrum) had provenances, with price tags to match. Pepper became just a nameless, everyday commodity, much like potatoes and onions.


Also Read: India rejects USCIRF call for RSS sanctions, calls organization biased

Few Indians knew even five years ago where the best haldi comes from even if they took to 'turmeric chai tea latte' after trips to the US. But many today instantly reply, "Lakadong", even if they don't know where that is. Turmeric grown in Lakadong in the lush Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya has the world's highest curcumin content, prized for anti-inflammatory properties. Yet haldi is still the cheapest and least appreciated staple in the desi masala-box though liberally used in food.

Given the superlative quality of both Lakadong turmeric and Tellicherry black pepper, the mix of both that I have along with a dash of lime in warm water before bedtime should be deemed the non-alcoholic equivalent of the Nahate, currently touted as the world's most expensive and coveted cocktail, due to its exclusive ingredients. But obviously my haldi-pepper-lime-water 'night-cap' would not be. Indeed, the very suggestion would still elicit smirks, from Indians most of all.

Also Read: Uncertainty continues over Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman's visit to India

Even though more desis today know about excellent Indian products-thanks partly to Geographical Indicator (GI) tags or endorsements from the Prime Minister-we are a long way from the level of awareness and pride that other nations have about their world-class produce. They have hard sold them so well that Indians know more about those than our indigenous gourmet produce: Perigord and Alba truffles, Iberico jamon, Ligurian olive oil, Pule cheese, even Criollo cacao.

In fact, the very Indians who quibble parochially over Alphonso versus Langra and know about Japan's scarlet-skinned Miyazaki, would be hard pressed to name, say, the most prized mangos of Azimganj and Jiaganj in Bengal: delicate Kohitoor, impossibly sweet Molamjam, sandal scented Chandankosa, blushing Bimli and many more. It is taking Indian minds a long time to get over the British era indoctrination that put all things desi pre-emptively on a much lower level.

Yet, in taste tests, Indian produce often comes out on top. Besides Tellicherry pepper and Lakadong turmeric, morels (gucchi) from Kashmir come to mind. They are definitively better than those grown anywhere else in the world. Ditto for Kashmiri saffron, whose colour and aroma are far more intense than Iranian or Spanish. Undoubtedly, India has much to be proud of: Darjeeling tea, Araku coffee, nuts, cold pressed coconut, mustard and sesame oils, to name but a few.

But where and how can we Indians acquaint ourselves with our own superlative produce? Last week, I popped into a well-known gourmet store; it was full of mostly imported goods. Speciality stores do retail great artisanal local produce in many Indian cities: there's one near my Kolkata home that sells amazing heirloom Bengal rice, ghee, spices etc. But none curate and sell top-notch gourmet produce from all over India under one roof. It's time for some desi Harrods Food Halls.