The Alliance Française of Madras
is pleased to invite you to the book launch of
« Saveurs et Traditions du Sud de l'Inde »
A French Cook book on Traditional Tamil cuisine
by
Viji Varadarajan & Sophie Girot
Mon 22nd March,2010
5.00pm
AFM Auditorium
A demonstration of Traditional Tamil recipes will be followed by the Book Launch.
Viji Varadarajan is an ambassador of the Tamil Brahmin cooking culture. Her love for this culture has taken her on amazing journeys within her kitchen and outside her home as well, interacting with and educating Indians and Internationals on the beauties and wonders of this cuisine and culture.
Her passion is cooking rediscovering and preserving traditional South Indian recipes. Viji’s plethora of cookbooks swept away the Gourmand awards in 2008 and a special award of the Jury in 2009. The Goumand World Cookbook Awards is the Oscar of cookbooks and wine books of the world. These awards have elevated this cuisine to a new level of global recognition and awareness.Kurumi Arimoto a celebrity cook book author in Japan is now in the process of translating a few of her recipes.
Viji has also learnt 3 classical dance forms and has actively performed in all 3. She loves Carnatic Music, reading historical fiction, doing yoga, relaxation exercises, watching movies and learning languages. Her ultimate passion is to take this cuisine world wide and create a genuine awareness of its ancient practices.
Sophie Girot is a down to earth modest person who also happens to be a perfectionist in every sense of the word. It has indeed been an amazing journey for both of them. She has overcome all when she declares – ‘These recipes were quite simple to prepare.’ She is passionately fond of the Tamil Brahmin cuisine that she says is simple, healthy and flavourful.
Viji Varadarajan and Sophie Girot were destined to meet in a local farmers’ market in Chennai and the rest is history. Sophie grew so fascinated with this cuisine, its authentic flavours and tastes. Trying out new dishes being part of her passion – before long she tried, tested, photographed and along with the transliteration of the recipes in French she handed over the whole material to Viji in a CD. Voila, this book was created!
Sophie and Viji have been invited to the IFC – International Financial Corporation that is a part of the World Bank, Washington to do a book signing for the thousands of people from around who visit the place everyday. They would be most willing to buy these cookbooks. Sophie is returning to France in June of 2010. Challenges are only stepping stones for passions that people want to pursue. Sophie has a lot of things on her anvil now. She is a fitness freak who believes in eating home made fresh food everyday.
A demonstration of the recipe of mani kuzhakattais
Will be followed by a demonstration of Avul Payasam and Okra Thayir Pachadi
Why flavours and traditions of South India go together?
ANNAM or food is a form of the Almighty (annam parabrahma swaroopam) according to the Hindu scriptures. All beings are born and live by food and ultimately go back to the earth and merge in it to become food. As Sanskrit interprets it - food is the supreme medicine of all (aushadham ucchyate sarvam). It occupies an important part in the life of Hindus. Food is offered to ancestors during rituals, to Gods during religious ceremonies and to deities in the temples. Food is served to the poor and the needy as seva or charitable service; to the animals and birds as religious duty; to one’s personal deity before eating, to neutralize harmful energies contained in the food. Children are taught not to disrespect or reject food.
Food is all about taste, colour, smell and texture and eating with your hand makes it all the more sensual! It is all about mastering the art of using the fingers without messing up the wrists or palm. The South is typically a rice eating region.
Different spices play an important role in the dishes; fenugreek as a digestive aid, cumin for its multiple usages, dried legumes and beans as nature’s tiny capsules of proteins, pepper for colds and coughs, turmeric as a healer for wounds – in fact, every ingredient used in the Tambaram cuisine has a purpose that goes beyond taste and texture.
In an ayurvedic diet –
v Food has to be cooked and served.
v Food has to be edible and easily digestible.
v Food has to be eaten when one has fully digested the previous meal; hence in an empty stomach.
v Food has to be chewed slowly and made an enjoyable affair; neither should it be a long drawn out affair.
v Food has to be eaten in small quantities; to stop eating when hunger ceases.
v Focus on the food you are eating.
v Food has to suit one’s constitution which includes the mental and emotional temperament.
v Food has to be eaten in a congenial and peaceful atmosphere.
A South Indian vegetarian diet adheres to all these aspects in a perfect manner.
Sophie is convinced that these recipes are flavourful and very healthy. This is true as the food adheres to the concept of ayurvedic form of cooking. It fosters sathvic qualities, calms the mind and provides a path for spiritual progress.
These recipes are unrecorded until today. They have been passed on through generations of grandmothers and perfected by priests in temples throughout Tamil Nadu and Kerala. They are not to be found in any restaurants and hence remain an exclusive and divine food.
24, College road, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 006.
Tel. +91 44 2827 9803/2827 1477
Fax. +91 44 2825 1165
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