The terrible problem of food waste
Food waste is a huge global problem, with roughly a third of all food produced for human consumption ending up in landfills each year. In a world where nearly 828 million people go hungry every day, the staggering amount of food thrown into trash cans and landfills underscores the urgent need to save food.
What is Zero Waste Cooking?
In its simplest form, zero-waste cooking means using every part of an ingredient, from root to stem, rind to pit. This concept is not new and has existed in our civilization since ancient times. A few communities still use almost every part of a food ingredient. For example, in India, not only oranges are used as a fruit, but even their peels are used to make jams, jellies and marmalades.
Why is this way of cooking important today?
Also read: How to have a zero-waste kitchen?
Expansion
Reduce the burden on the environment: By reducing food waste, this cooking method helps conserve resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and minimize landfill.
Promoting agricultural biodiversity: By using a wider variety of ingredients, including commonly discarded parts, zero-waste cooking supports agricultural biodiversity and also keeps genetic diversity intact.
Reduce Carbon Footprint: Sourcing ingredients locally reduces the carbon footprint associated with food transportation and supports small farming communities.
Improve taste and nutritional value: Sometimes a few parts of fruits and vegetables are thrown away, even though they contain valuable nutrients and flavors. Including them in dishes not only reduces waste, but also enriches the nutritional profile and taste of the dishes.
Encouraging creativity: Zero-waste cooking is a growing trend that has led to a lot of creativity and innovation in the culinary world.
How zero-waste cooking is catching up fast in restaurants
According to Vivek Rana, executive chef at Fine Indian Dining Group in New York and New Jersey, their restaurant sources produce directly from farmers in one location, ensuring freshness and minimizing spoilage. Leftover vegetable parts are repurposed into sauce or soup stock, contributing to zero-waste initiatives. Similarly, chef Nishant Chaubey of Rani Restaurant in New Jersey adheres to a zero-waste policy and creates innovative dishes using leftover ingredients, promoting sustainability. Chef Rajiv Sinha, Executive Chef at The Oberoi Rajvilas, emphasizes sustainable practices in his culinary approach by cultivating herbs, lettuce and vegetables in-house, promoting locally sourced produce and minimizing CO2 emissions.
How to introduce waste-free cooking into your kitchen
Meal Planning: Plan meals in advance to prevent over-buying, which can cause ingredients to spoil, and ensure that all ingredients are used efficiently.
Use each part: Explore creative ways to incorporate vegetable peels, stems, and leftover protein into soups, broths, and stir-fries.
Keep the excess: Extend the shelf life of excess fruits and vegetables by methods such as pickling, fermenting or freezing.
Composting: Compost organic waste to return nutrients to the soil and close the loop on the nutrient cycle.
Also Read: Easy Tips for Zero Waste Kitchen for Busy People
Zero Waste Recipes: Creating zero-waste food isn’t something that only experts can do. In fact, it is inherent in our culture, which considers wasting food as a sin. Here’s a mix of some traditional and modern zero-waste recipes.
Seasoned Potato Chips: Do not throw away potato peels. Wash them and dry them on a paper towel. Now take a bowl and add some oil to it. Add some spices like black pepper, paprika, salt and garlic powder. Mix well and add the potato skins. Coat well. Air fry for 10 minutes or deep fry in hot mustard oil.
Orange peel jam: Wash the orange peels thoroughly. Now boil half a kg of sugar in half a liter of water. When the syrup becomes the consistency of a string, add the peels and cook over low heat. Add one cup of water and a pinch of cinnamon and orange blossom. Once it becomes thick, your homemade orange jam is ready.
Banana Peel Coconut Stew: Do not throw away banana peels. After washing thoroughly, cut them into small pieces. In a pan, sauté the onion, garlic and spices such as turmeric, cumin, coriander and chili powder. Add the banana peels and cook until soft. Pour in the coconut milk and simmer for 10 minutes. Add chopped coriander leaves.
Lemon Peel Achaar: Put the lemon peels in a jar and boil them in salted water until soft. Now add mustard oil in a pan and heat it then add panchforan. Add the peels, turmeric, red chili powder, methi, mustard powder and black salt and mix well. Also add some sugar and cook for another 2-3 minutes. The achaar is ready.
Also read: 10 most sustainable foods on our table
Traditional Indian recipes with zero waste
Tinda Ke Chilke Ka Raita (Apple Peel Gourd): A cooling yogurt-based side dish made from apple squash skins, seasoned with roasted cumin powder, salt and chopped mint leaves.
Ridge Pumpkin Peel Chutney: A unique lutenica made from pumpkin skins mixed with roasted peanuts, garlic and green chilies.
Chorchori: A traditional Bengali dish prepared by frying various vegetables, including skins and scraps, with mustard oil and spices, resulting in a flavorful and hearty vegetarian curry.
Vegetable Pakoras: Pakoras are deep-fried fritters made by dipping vegetables (such as potato wedges, cauliflower florets, and spinach leaves) in a chickpea flour batter seasoned with spices. Instead of throwing away vegetable peels and shavings, finely chop them and add them to the batter for extra flavor and nutrients.
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