"india" news and stories

Health magazine has picked the five healthiest foods that you can get from five different countries. The list isn't complete, of course (I'm not even sure if these are the healthiest foods in the world), but it's a quick guide to the healthy foods that a few different countries have given us.

Spain has given us olive oil, Japan soy, Greece has given us yogurt, and lentils come from India. I've never had kimchi, from Korea, but that's on the list too. You can get recipes for each food at the link above as well.

So readers, what about the United States? What healthy foods have we contributed to the world? And no, Ring Dings don't count.

If you've been a reader of Slashfood for a while, then you might know that I am a huge, HUGE, fan of Indian food. Sadly, aside from a a few decent attempts at vegetable samosa, I couldn't cook Indian food at home to save my life, let alone smack a ball of dough inside a oven to bake naan.

However, if you have it in you to prepare an Indian meal and want to include that delicious fluffy flatbread, head over to Ooh You Tasty Little Things for a quick recipe for naan. From the picture, they look a bit like pancakes, but I have no doubt in my mind that these babies were absolutely delicious, especially with fresh garlic mixed in!

The Indian health ministry issued a warning about the quality of Indian street food this week following a survey that "found many sellers oblivious to the basics of food hygiene." Most, in fact, stated that they put their "profits before customer safety" - a risky decision for the average restaurateur, since many vendors count on repeat business to keep going. As unlikely as it may seem, their strategy does not seem to be working against them. Street food is popular for three reasons: it is cheap, it is convenient and it tastes good. That last reason is why the vendors stay in business because customers say that "you think of the taste and just forget everything else you know," returning to the same stands, despite become ill after eating the food.

The health ministry is planning to offer food hygiene training for those in the food service industry and may develop a licensing system that would require such courses to be undertaken by vendors in the future.

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Lentils fall into that category of staple foods that includes rice and flour. They don't generally merit much thought because they are prevalent, yet they make up a crucial part of the diet of many in southern Asia and are popular anywhere Indian food is sold. At least, they didn't receive much thought until the Indian government banned lentil exports, which has resulted in shortages in other parts of the world, including the US. As a result, lentil prices are going up and some restaurants are turning to lentils from other countries, though "there are complaints from discerning customers who bemoan inferior quality."

The dried beans are such a staple that they are often eaten several times a day, especially by Indian vegetarians, so people have turned to hoarding them while still paying increasingly high prices. Until the ban in India is repealed, it doesn't seem like prices will be coming down any time soon. Fortunately, dried lentils keep for quite some time, so if you like lentil soups in the fall, it might be worth picking up a bag or two at the store, just in case.

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The Indian state of Kerala, along with several other states, implemented a ban on Coca Cola and Pepsi colas after the companies refused to reveal their recipes to the government. On Friday, the High Court ruled that the ban was illegal and immediately reversed it, saying "state government had no jurisdiction to impose a ban on the manufacture and sale of [those] products. Only the federal government can ban food products."

Coke, Pepsi and fans of the two brands lauded the decision, but the top elected official in the state said he would attempt to get the ruling overturned.

The New Delhi research group, the Center for Science and Environment, was the original driving force behind the ban and wanted it reinstated, though a spokesperson did say that, since a significant number of food products produced in India contain pesticides, that alone was not the reason they targeted the cola companies. It was "because they account for nearly 80 percent of India's $2 billion soft drink market."

At this time, it seems unlikely that the court's decision will be reversed.

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