Page 67 - CIJ Sept 2024 - Digital Edition

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Repurposing Food Waste

As food waste continues to contribute to environmental issues, chefs and home
cooks alike are looking for creative ways to repurpose every part of their meals.
Embracing the use of leftovers in a world where approximately one-third or 1.3
billion tonnes of all food produced globally is wasted is required, says Clean India
Journal Special Correspondent Rajashri Ramakrishnan.

ood waste impacts Leaves, stems, peels and seeds are multiple projects, including the
the environment also par for the course. The leaves Refettorio Ambrosiano which is
by contributing to of vegetables like kale are often aimed at welcoming people in need
increased greenhouse removed from the fibrous stem before and feeding them exquisite meals
Fgas emissions and being chopped, to make cooking made from leftovers, and Kitchen
affects households economically. faster. But the stems can be chopped Quarantine, where he interacted
By re-imagining leftovers, one and sauteed and added to soups or online with families around the
can save money and engage in a pureed into smoothies. Similarly, world during the shutdown,
sustainable culinary practice that fennel stalks and broccoli stems cooking and exchanging ideas on
respects our planet’s resources. can be roasted, grilled and sauteed. how to reduce household food
Zero waste or nose-to-tail, root- Bunches of turnips, beets and other waste, are legend.
to-stem cooking is to eat every part root vegetables are often sold with The concept of zero-waste
of the ingredient one is cooking the greens still attached. These greens however, is not new as our
with. Some fine dining restaurants can be tossed raw into salads or ancestors knew the true value of
have a zero-waste kitchen while sauteed to make them into kimchi. every produce and developed a rich
guaranteeing an exceptional and tradition of transforming leftovers
unforgettable meal. Carrot tops, The list goes on! into delicious new dishes, ensuring
vegetable and fruit peels are just a Zero-waste cooking also has that nothing went to waste. This
few ingredients at the centre of the financial benefits. One can make practice is deeply ingrained in the
zero-waste movement, promising the most of the groceries purchased, India culinary heritage and reminds
to make meals delicious and reducing the need to buy additional us of the importance of cherishing
sustainable. food. It also helps to shop for our food.
Leftover proteins, such as groceries for only two to three days There are more than 7.5 billion
the remains of chicken can be at a time. people on Earth and more than 800
effortlessly repurposed with some Eco-conscious celebrity chefs million people, according to the
broth and spices and cooked have joined the campaign of World Food Programme (WFP),
to create a base for chicken sustainable cooking. Massimo who don’t have enough to eat.
soup. Roasted vegetables can Bottura, the Michelin-star In Bottura’s words, leftover food
be integrated into a frittata by restaurateur and one of the world’s is not “food waste” but instead,
combining leftover veggies with best chefs from Modena, Italy, “surplus food”. If conscious
some beaten eggs and cheese and is committed against food waste cooking is practised by all, then
slow-cooking them... These dishes and in favour of a more equitable someday, leftover food will cease
breathe new life into leftovers. and sustainable food system. His to exist.

Clean India Journal•SEPTEMBER 2024 67
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