“‘Chai’, How Are You?”

Indian food can be a shock to the senses for anyone unfamiliar to the heavy doses of spices and herbs which infuses the air with its bold aroma it gives off. The heat of the Indian climate seems to be incorporated into the traditional dishes which are characteristically spicy; it is anything from bland. Some Indian delicacies have been introduced to American culture like chai tea, a beverage typically served when greeting a guest to one’s home, but only some people brave the highly-flavored dishes of India. For adventurous eaters Indian food is a new experience for their taste buds but for Steven George’s family, Indian food serves not only as a link to the culture of the country his parents left for a better life in America but also a source of the discrimination they have faced.

Barfi/ Peda is a milk-based Indian sweet, traditionally flavored with cardomom, pistachio, milk, rose, saffron, almond, or cashews.

For George tasting the familiar and learned spiciness of Indian food or the super sweetness of traditional desserts is a warm reminder of his home in Long Island, but for his parents food is a gateway to memories of a past lifestyle. During celebrations like Oham, when his family gathers and ritualistically serves food, his parents are reminded of their lives in India. The fragrant aroma takes them back to a life starkly different from the life they now lead in Long Island. They are made homesick by memories of the family they left behind but more so reminded of why they journeyed to America. The spicy fragrance of an Indian dish evokes memories of nights spent on the hard floors of their homes which served as their beds, beds shared with several siblings. The pitter pattering of raindrops beating on the roof of their house, which was more like a hut, that would saturate their skin while they slept on the floor. They remember days spent roasting in the blistering Indian sun, tending to animals while their families struggled financially; it endows them with a deeper level of appreciation for the lives they are able to live now and the opportunities which they can give to their children.

Rice, Naan, and Chicken Curry, a popular Indian Dish.

Family dinners spent over a meal such as, rice, naan, and chicken with curry, were often times when George recalls his parents speaking of the struggles they faced when they first came to America in the 80’s. They were strangers trying to assimilate to a culture completely different from their own. For them, coming to America wasn’t an easy transition; they weren’t immediately relieved from the obstacles they faced in India. They upgraded from sleeping on the floor to sleeping on relatives couches, the only people they knew in their new environment. They had to walk long distances in order to get to their work so they could eventually raise enough money to get a place of their own, but could be immediately comforted by a whiff of a home cooked Indian meal. Unfortunately, coworkers and neighbors were not as receptive to this unfamiliar perfume which had a tendency to cling to their clothes. The smells, which reminded the Georges of home and family made them, seem more foreign to others. So not only did their lack of grasp on the English language marginalize them, but also one of the sole things which comforted them made others more inclined to create a barrier between them. Even Steven George was surprised to face racism as a second generation Indian, he recalls a time whe  n someone barked to “go eat curry!” Their experience resembles those of other Indian immigrants who were deeply confused, that something so deeply embedded in their culture and seemingly natural to them could be the root of discrimination and alienation.

Despite the judgment they faced they did not let it deter them from appreciating their life in New York. George believes the traditional dishes his parents make “anchors them down and helps them retain their culture while simultaneously becoming apart of the American culture”. They have learned English and made themselves at home in Long Island but every bite of chicken curry and appam still tells them not to forget their meager beginnings, and to appreciate the life which they have created for themselves and future generations.

It prompts them to instill into their children with this same level of gratitude; so, with each recipe they pass on they are not only passing on their culture but their personal stories.

Steven George (right) smiles with some his family members at one of their many family gatherings.