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Write a guided analysis of one of the following texts.
1.
The following is an extract from India’s Soul Food by Julie Sahni, who is famous for writing about Indian
cooking, published in The New York Times Magazine.
The New York Times Magazine
BY Julie Sahni
FOOD; INDIA’S SOUL FOOD
TO AN INDIAN FAMILY, THE tandoori meal is not
just food. Like Sunday supper for some Americans,
this meal is the high point of the week. I remember
gathering with my family and friends in cool breezes
5 at an outdoor concert in New Delhi under tamarind
and mango trees. There, we would dig a pit to
smoke, grill and roast chicken and meat. As the juicy
morsels of meat were taken from the pit, we’d devour
them instantly.
10 Although tandoori cooking has become synonymous with India, it is not an Indian invention.
Tandoor originated in Syria, then spread through Central Asia, including India, as a clay pit for
baking bread. In the beginning of the 19th century, in Peshawar, in the northwest frontier region
of Pakistan, then part of India, an ingenious technique for cooking meat was invented. Meat
was first trimmed of all fat, then marinated for hours in a special yogurt and herb mixture. The
15 tenderized meat and poultry was skewered on spears and lowered into the glowing hot tandoor.
After being simultaneously baked, roasted, grilled and smoked, the meat was tender and moist,
imbued with a sweet smoky aroma and a rich flavor. The Pathans called this tandoori food.
To ensure that it was mistaken for no other, they colored it bright orange – a trademark of all
tandoori foods today.
20 The appeal of tandoori food is not surprising: children and adults alike love its mild herbal flavor.
Because the food is trimmed of all fat and marinated in yogurt, it is low in fat and cholesterol.
Tandoori food has not always been popular. As recently as 1947, when the first tandoori
restaurant opened in India, this food was labeled low-class. A visit to a tandoori joint was taboo
for members of society. This is probably because it was born not in a state, or royal, kitchen,
25 but in the open air among nomadic tribes. Tandoori food was meant to be enjoyed with wine
and music. Eventually, however, many members of the upper classes drove in limousines to the
narrow alleyways, where they sent their servants to pick up tandoori food.
Tandoori cooking is simple. It requires little time, effort or skill. The yogurt marinade reduces the
cooking time considerably, because the marinade breaks down the protein in the meat. Almost
30 any food that can be barbecued can be cooked in a tandoori oven. But many people never
attempt tandoori cooking at home because they assume that it requires the tandoor clay oven.
In fact, a traditional tandoori oven is not necessary for its preparation. What’s most important is
the enclosed heat, and a covered grill with an adjustable air vent is excellent for this. The kettle
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grill with a domed lid works best because it reflects heat most evenly. The fire should be made
35 with wood charcoal because it burns hotter than charcoal briquettes. Fresh or pre-soaked dried
grapevine cuttings added just before barbecuing can substitute for the clay aroma of a true
tandoori oven. Dried grapevines are sold at many specialty food stores. The vines should be
soaked in water one hour before cooking.
The marinade ingredients vary slightly, depending on the meat used. For chicken, a marinade
40 with olive oil lends an earthy aroma. Cornish hens or small broilers are more flavorful and
absorb the marinade better than roasting chickens. Saffron is essential in the marinade for
tandoori squab or quail to balance the rich gamy flavor of these birds.
Tandoori cooking need not be restricted to meat and poultry alone. Fresh fish, shellfish and
vegetables work wonderfully, too. Take precaution not to over-marinate shrimp, or they will turn
45 pasty during cooking.
– Discuss how different features are used on this webpage to create an impression of
Indian culture.
