Why I Think Kangana Had it Right – Italian Food Lacks Desi ‘Tadka’

How a trip to Italy convinced me that its pizzas are overrated and that India does them much better.

Not that you need an introduction to one of the greatest dishes on the planet EVER, but pizza is a dear close friend.

It soothes me on unhappy PMS days, stays by my side after a late night out binge – and assures me that that high I get, from watching a pizza waltz tantalisingly to my table, is a high I want to chase all my life.

In fact, I chased this high all the way to the mecca of bread, the grand city of Rome.

I have only seen Eat, Pray, Love over a dozen times, salivating at the large chunks of mozzarella – and had been prepping for my taste buds to be blown out of the water on my vacation.

Now, it’s not like great pizza isn’t available in India at all. Where I am based right now, Pune serves some authentic pies with delicious toppings and cured meats. Your cravings will be taken well care of by new age chefs who want to shatter every food ceiling – but, you know, Rome is ROME. I envisioned having a very Caesar-esque moment, the minute a slice of pizza with the purest of cheeses hit my mouth.

Alas. Rome was so disappointing.

My relationship with Italian food is a rather love-hate one (the strong carb quotient makes me sad), but I primarily love it because of the varieties that it offers a vegetarian.

It is one of the most widely available cuisines of the current generation – and that’s where Rome ruins it.

Too Many Pizzerias Spoil the Broth

Firstly, there are pizzerias in EVERY CORNER which serve perfectly rounded thin crust pizzas. So straight off the boat, the novelty is gone. You might ask – why is more bad? More outlets mean more choices, right? Nope. Tuck into a pizza there and you won’t know if a real Italian is cooking in a giant wood fire oven or if it’s a frozen pie finding its way to eternal depths of hell.

Over a span of 3 days, I ate at least 6 pizzas and I couldn’t tell one from the other. Yes, they were all extremely ordinary.

India’s Got it Right

India has nailed the pizza brief so hard on its head – the saltiness of the dough, the simplicity of the marinara, the generosity of the cheese and the texture of the toppings – that eating it out of the country doesn’t light up the foodie candle in your brain at all.

For close to 10 euros a pop (about 700-800 INR), Rome may offer the history, but it stands to be just too expensive. 800 bucks here will get you a seat at the poshest of restaurants with great service, while in Rome you will be left eating on a disposable table cloth on a very dirty sidewalk with crowded tables.

You’ll Miss the Masala

You may point out that the produce of Italy can never compare to our sabzis – heck, I travelled 8 hours thinking the exact same thing. Yet, one bite and you’re craving that generous hit of masala chicken or a slight bit of chilli powder and garlic in your marinara.

Pizza in the great Roma is different – different bland. But what about the cooking? Thin crust pizzas have been introduced to India for eons now and we don’t fare any lower on the scale. In fact, if you ever visit Pune, check out the pizzas at Euriska, The Greedy Man, Largo, Baked and Wired (just to name a few) and treat yourself to a piece which is as authentic as it gets – while also coming at a reasonable price.

So, the next time someone tells you that India doesn’t know Italian food – trust me, they’re either showing off or are complete imbeciles. Our chefs are baking magic, one slice at a time.

(A massive EDM junkie and a Jedi Padewan, Radhika believes in taking life by the fork and knife every day. She has been a media woman for the last 10 years with a huge passion for video technology. While working in content management is her day avatar, nothing gets her foodie side going like a good spicy misal pav!)