Communal bonding over food
Specialty dishes of different communities lend flavour to the local culture, tradition and everlasting bonds
By : Roseina Coutinho
Update: 2025-01-06 18:40 GMT
Breaking bread together comes with its own significance, adding meaning to meals we most cherish. However, what adds a layer of heightened appreciation and nostalgia are community specialities. Special dishes not only help in bonding but transcend into connecting with one’s culture, tradition, and local flavours.
Every community has its own food speciality from sweet Piyush in Maharashtrian homes to sorpotel-sannas or Xacuti in Goan households, not to forget the aromatic Mutton Dalcha or Hyderabadi biryani which pampers all the senses. The list is endless. When people share meals, they also share personal stories and culinary legacies.
Pranali Kande, a food blogger from Goa says that some of the old secret recipes are passed down from one generation to the other. “Today people are growing more appreciative of food. This has brought in a lot of acceptance of the variety ready to be consumed out there,” she says. From sizzling hot butter chicken and parathas of Delhi to Rogan Josh from Kashmir, and the crispy dosa and chutneys from South India, consuming food is like a year-round celebration. Food helps deepen social bonds and fosters camaraderie among family and friends.
"This happens more when people are away from their homes and crave for their home food which simply cannot be compared with the food served at plush restaurants.”— Pranali Kande, a food blogger