'Indian cuisine ideal for space missions'

Indian food is a better choice over Chinese cuisine in the long-haul space missions of the future. This is the opinion of a Japanese scientist specialising in space mission cuisine.

Speaking at the Committee on Space Research Meet held here on Friday, Japanese scientist Masamichi Yamashita, who advocates the preparation of food in manned missions over packaged consumables, said Russian, Japanese and Indian cuisine are best suited for the task. If inductive heating devices are installed on future spacecraft, only certain types of food can be prepared, Yamashita said.

Inductive heating units, which do not spark and only heat vessels which come into contact with their surface, could be incapable of supporting Chinese cuisine as it is usually prepared in curved pots which ideally require an open flame.

“On the other hand, Indian, Japanese and Russian food can be cooked in flat vessels without compromising on taste. Food should not only be used for nutrition but also serve as medicine. For this, it should contain ginger and garlic, such as used by Indian food, which can warm up the body and enhance metabolism,” he said.

The farming of plants such as lettuce root, azolla and cassava are essential to the process as they are rich in protein, iron and calcium, Yamashita said. Rice and green vegetables would be needed to fulfil nutritional requirements.