Ramakrishnan B - OPOS Cookbook : 5 minute magic

Mankind has always tried to harness science to make cooking better. The first recorded instance of using science to improve cooking is in a 2200 years old papyrus, where the author talks about using a balance to find out if fermented meat was lighter than fresh meat.

30 years back, a small group of people in the West sought to redefine cooking with science. They discussed sauces, heat transfer, flavouring, textures and chemical reactions in cooking. They sought to harness advances in science to heighten our cooking experience.

These discussions happened at the eGullet forums and international workshops. Soon, this style of cooking had its own kit. Vacuum sealers, Anti-griddle, Whipping siphons. Some were borrowed from hospitals - Syringes, Ultra sound machines and Centrifuge. New pantry staples were proposed. Maltodextrin, Lecithin, Xanthan gum, Transglutamates, Liquid Nitrogen.

New techniques emerged : Gelling, Spherification, Sous vide, Flash freezing. All these techniques could be written on a single sheet of paper but were powerful enough to rewrite world cuisines.

Though some claimed this was nothing new, these techniques led to the rise of a whole new class of restaurants. They empowered a whole generation of chefs to reinvent traditional recipes. They put the fun back into eating out. These techniques created new tastes, colours, textures and flavours. Modernist Cuisine/Molecular Gastronomy was born.

15 years back, a small group of people in the East sought to redefine cooking with science. They discussed curries, heat transfer, flavouring, textures and chemical reactions in cooking. They sought to harness advances in science to empower anyone, anywhere, anytime to cook better.

These discussions happened at Chennai Food Guide, UBF and other food forums, beach cookouts and at occasional workshops. Soon, this style of cooking had its own kit. Measuring cups and scales, hand blender and weighing machine. Some were borrowed from hospitals - like the autoclave.

New pantry staples were proposed: Bottled tadka, dehydrated dal, caramelised onion and tomato, curry bases.

New techniques emerged: Layering, Attalysis, Controlled caramelisation, Flash cooking. All these techniques could be written on a single sheet of paper but were powerful enough to rewrite world cuisines.

Though some claimed this was nothing new, these techniques led to the rise of a whole new class of home kitchens. They empowered a whole generation of home cooks to reinvent traditional recipes. They put the fun back into cooking at home. More importantly, they empowered anyone, anywhere, anytime to cook great food, almost instantly. These techniques intensified natural tastes, colours, textures and flavours. OPOS was born!

OPOS - The Story

From a private message:
Member: I want to share this story I read in a book by Devdutt Pattanaik.
When Valmiki completed his Ramayana, Narada wasnt impressed. It is good, but Hanumans is better, he said.

That monkey has written the Ramayana too?, Valmiki did not like this at all, and wondered whose Ramayana was better. He set out to find Hanuman.
In Kadali-vana, grove of plantains, he found Hanumans Ramayana inscribed on seven broad leaves of a banana tree. He read it and found it to be perfect. He couldnt help himself. He started to cry.

Is it so bad? asked Hanuman.
No, it is so good! said Valmiki.
Then why are you crying? asked Hanuman.

Because after reading your Ramayana no one will read my Ramayana replied Valmiki. Hearing this, Hanuman tore up the leaves and ate them. You need your Ramayana more than I need mine. You wrote your Ramayana so that the world remembers Valmiki; I wrote my Ramayana so that I remember Ram.

Valmikis Ramayana was a work of ambition. Hanumans Ramayana was a work of affection.