A pantry with a past: Indian consumers are seeking indigenous, organic produce

At a recent dinner in a South Delhi home, the conversation moved quickly from the delicious meal to what had gone into its making. The host, Neeraj Singh, a tech consultant and enthusiastic home cook, shared that each dish had been cooked in cold-pressed groundnut oil — part of his effort to replace everyday pantry staples with what he considered were “healthier alternatives”, despite their higher price.

“I’ve replaced most of the basmati in my kitchen with varieties like joha that we grew up eating in Assam,” chimed in advertising professional and guest Pakhi Sharma. She used to bring back the indigenous short-grain rice after every visit home, she told us, but now buys it online — at almost twice the price. Another guest spoke of brewing only single-origin coffee from a small estate in Chikmagalur.