We are living in the time of lightning fast delivery to our doorstep, food that gets cooked in minutes and a very monotonous lifestyle. It is the combination of these that our lives are now riddled with health issues- be it physical or mental. In the wake of the pandemic, people slowly started realizing how important it is to lead a life which focuses more on ‘healthy living’. The concept has become ever more important as people are not actively taking steps that ensure a more wholesome and slower life. Thus a new shift to an organic lifestyle.
The slow lifestyle is not a new phenomenon, it is something that has been around since centuries, rather this was all that was, some decades back. It was the need of human race to win the technology war and get done everything really fast that we stepped onto this bandwagon of fast food culture and tiring jobs. People are now shifting to food and lifestyle that is more grounded- something that helps them connect with their inner selves and lead a peaceful life. One of the major changes is the Organic Lifestyle that people are now adopting.
To put it in simple words, Organic means ‘natural’- something that comes from living beings and something which has no chemicals and pesticides.
Be it food, beauty products, fashion- everything can be organic. It depends on how we are procession every element that goes into making the final product and on how it is consumed.
Organic food is a major constituent in an organic lifestyle; it is food that is derived from nature in the most natural way, without using any harmful chemicals and fertilizers.
When asked “What is organic?”, Vijhay Ganesh M, sustainable cook and founder of @maiyam_pastfood Maiyam – Past food (@maiyam_pastfood) • Instagram photos and videos says “I think it starts from the seed and not just the cultivation process. Heirloom seeds are inherently organic, and that is what I choose to cook with in my practice. The taste of heirloom ingredients is somehow almost always better than the hybrid ones.”
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Organic food products and beverages have a huge market size that is estimated to reach $860,625.7 million by 2031. Herbal and sustainable products have now found a huge foothold with customers through social media.
“People have been quick to adopt this healthy lifestyle. The demand for A2 Milk, organic sugar, vegan chocolates are all the rage right now. I have seen people coming into my shop and asking for more organic and natural products”- says Rohit Jain, an owner of an Organic Store in Assam.
Rabiya Kapoor, the founder of Satmya, a brand that focuses on wholesome and holistic nourishment shares “We live in a bubble of consumption today- consuming food we don’t know the roots of and that is marketed to us by capitalist companies as ‘traditional’. In this race, we have forgotten our age old knowledge that was brewed in the kitchens of our grannies and mothers, knowledge that we need now, more than ever. For me, the idea with Satmya was to bring back food that which was agreeable and sustainable for the nature and our body. Our farm to table, sustainable and zero preservatives products are a gentle way to remind people that self care is the most important.”
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So, as we embrace the new lifestyle of mindful consumption, we take a step in ensuring a life that is more sustainable and organic. Slow in its pace, but a quick cure to all the health issues we face.
Chef Vijhay also shares one of his favorite recipes made from organic ingredients.
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Ingredients:
● Whole-grained millet or semi-polished raw and soft rice – 1 cup
● Yellow moong dal (green gram) – 1⁄2 cup
● Seasonal greens – 3 handfuls (avoid Palak)
● Coconut oil/ Ghee – Generous amount
● Cumin – 2 tbsp
● Pepper – 2 tbsp
● Pounded ginger – 2 to 3 inches
Method:
● Ensure to get a dark-coloured raw millet or semi-polished raw rice and soak them for an hour before cooking.
● Take a thick base vessel to cook this Pongal, not a pressure cooker.
● Slow roast lentils with a little Coconut oil/Ghee until you get a nutty aroma, now add chopped greens and continue roasting until the volume of greens reduces.
● Add 5 times more water than dal and cook until the moong dal starts to split.
● Add 3-4 cups of more water to the boiling dal and bring everything to a boil.
● Now add the 1 cup of washed and soaked rice to the pot (discard the soaked water)
● Cook well until all becomes homogenous.
● For tadka, use as little fat (oil/ghee) in a pan and roast each spice individually. Cumin should crackle and turn brown, pepper should pop and use the ginger paste to absorb the residue before adding it to the Pongal.
● Pour raw oil atop the plated hot Pongal and serve it with a good quality pickle
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Note:
● You can use any starchy and soft grain to make this Pongal. Such as Rajamudi, Thooyamalli, Seeragasamba, little millet etc.
● Consuming pongal with pickle is more sensorial than sambar and chutney.
● For greens, you can use methi, amaranth or moringa.
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