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No giving up neer dose yet

Fast food might be all the rage in Mangalore, but traditional cuisine is still holding its own thanks to our youngsters who still prefer mom's cooking, writes AMRITA NAYAK

HOME STILL RULES Pizzas and hamburgers may be nice, but they just aren't enough of a substitute for a traditional daily meal PHOTO: BLOOMBERG

When James Beard said, "Food is our common ground, a universal experience," he must have understood globalisation more keenly than most of us. One of the greatest cultural effects of this phenomenon has been a fundamental change in the way we eat. In most cases, regional cuisines have taken a beating at the hands of pizzas, hamburgers, hot dogs and other popular American foods.

However, there are a few examples of local cuisines managing to hold on, as Mangalorean cuisine is doing today. Mangalore, famous for such unique dishes such as kori rotti with chicken curry, bangudé, bolenji, kané, yetti as well as neer dosé, patrodé, and moodé can proudly boast a population that isn't going gaga over fast food.

Not that fast food isn't selling here. Popular fast food brands like Domino's and Pizza Hut are definitely in with the youth.

Huge orders usually come in during the evenings and on weekends, most often for house parties or for corporate get-togethers, says Sharanya, an Assistant Manager at Domino's. But, for youngsters just looking to hang out, local restaurants seem the mainstay. Jossy D'souza, Banquet Manager at Anupama Restaurant says that weekdays see youngsters coming in, mainly techies looking for familiar tastes, while the weekendssee families thronging here for a more comfortable ambience designed for all ages.The main factors that keep more youngsters from flocking to the newer fast food joints are the prices and the calories. Unlike in the west, fast food is still much costlier than local cuisine, which makes it impossible for the youth to indulge in the former every day. As one teenager explains, Rs. 200 or more is just too much to spend on a regular basis, especially for students.

Moreover, with most youngsters being obsessed with staying thin, high-calorie fast food is still only an occasional indulgence. Dietician Jisha Prince Verghese explains that a small pizza contains approximately 500 calories, a count that shoots up as the size of the pizza increases. Besides, for most youngsters, fast food just isn't exciting enough to be had every day. Pizzas and hamburgers just aren't enough of a substitute for a traditional daily meal. While fast food forms a pleasant distraction, most youngsters are still very particular about home-cooked food prepared by mom or granny. Shameena, a college student says: "I'm used to traditional food at home and can't do without it. When I eat out, I prefer pizzas and other things, but like traditional food at home."

This trend pleases most mothers, of course. "I give my children traditional food most of the time as it is healthy and nutritious and is attuned towards our culture though once in a while I allow them to eat fast food," says Tanya, mother of two.

In many ways, Mangalore is a good balance between traditional cuisines and globalised fast food. A large influx of students and professionals from across the country has resulted in a cosmopolitan population that favours various global cuisines. Meanwhile, the locals stick resolutely to their tastes, ensuring that some traditions don't die so easily.

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